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Sergio Aguero: The history of the FA Cup meant it was always a special competition to play in

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Stake’s global representative, Sergio Aguero, reveals his memories of playing in the FA Cup, why it was a special competition for him to win, how Pep Guardiola will keep his players motivated against Peterborough in their fifth round tie, and what this side could achieve this season.

The FA Cup has an amazing history and I am proud to have won the competition 

The FA Cup was always one of my favourite competitions to play in because of its history and because of the many famous players and teams to have won it.

When I was living in Spain and here in Argentina, everyone knew about the competition and its history.

We came so close to winning the FA Cup in 2013 but were beaten by Wigan in the final. It was hard for us because we had a very good team, Carlos Tevez, Yaya Toure, David Silva, Vincent Kompany and Pablo Zabaleta all started that game.

But we were all very new to the club and it was only the start of our journey. I think we did okay in the end!

We were back at Wembley for my second FA Cup final in 2019 and that day went much better for us when we beat Watford.

We were so happy to win it and to be a part of FA Cup history was a very proud moment for me.

The tradition of the FA Cup is one of my favourite things about the competition, it was fun to meet Prince William to get my medal after the game and the celebrations with the fans afterwards was so special.

Everyone says that the FA Cup is magical and it is true, it was always really fun to play in and you felt proud to represent your team in the competition.

The day we played in the FA Cup was

always special because there was so much excitement in the team and the fans were always extra happy to see us play well.

Playing teams in lower divisions in the FA Cup is harder than you think, so Pep will have the City players focused ahead of the Peterborough match 

Not many people know how hard it is to play in the FA Cup. In England, you play a lot of matches and a lot of competitions, but as a player, it’s really exciting because you have the chance to try and win lots of different competitions, and winning finals is something that you are always proud of as a footballer, which means every game is important.

To get to the final you have to play against lots of different teams and some new ones that you might not have ever played against before. Playing against new teams and new players and at new stadiums is always hard because you don’t know 100% what you’re going to be playing against. We watch the teams in the Premier League and Champions League a lot and we all have friends and international teammates that play for them, but when you draw a team in the FA Cup that you don’t regularly get to play against or know too much about, it’s always a difficult experience.

When we played against a new team or a side in a different division, we were always expected to win, but it’s not as easy as that. Every manager always made sure the preparation for an FA Cup game was exactly the same. The training was the same, we worked hard on our jobs for the match and we went into the game knowing what we had to do, it made no difference if it was the final or first round.

This is exactly what Pep Guardiola will be doing with the team this week. Pep is a winner and he hates to lose, you don’t win the number of trophies he has without this attitude. He will be making sure the Manchester City players are ready for the game against Peterborough in the same way as if it was any other match.

There’s added pressure on Manchester City to win in the FA Cup and Peterborough will look to familiar tactics to beat them 

When you are the team in a higher league and you have to travel to a team in a league below you it is difficult because the crowd are always so excited that their team might cause an upset and get to beat a Premier League team! When you get to the ground you are quickly aware that everyone really wants you to lose – the fans let you know when you arrive. It’s not just the

home crowd that are extra excited to see you lose, but it is everyone watching at home also, we know this and try not to think about it and focus on our job for the day.

We played against Wigan, again, in 2018 in the Cup at their stadium and it was one of the hardest matches. They defended so well and frustrated us, we had all of the possession and so many chances, but they scored late and knocked us out, that’s how it is in knockout football. If Peterborough think that they can win then they should watch that game and do the same as Wigan did.

Peterborough will be tough for Manchester City because the team has just travelled to Portugal in the Champions League, had a tough game against Tottenham, then they’ll play away in the Premier League threes days before the match and then they have to play Manchester United after the FA Cup game, but the team has so many good players in every position and everyone is used to this way of playing now.

Manchester City are hungry to win every competition 

At Manchester City, we wanted to win everything, every match and every trophy, and that will always be the case at the club now. I think Manchester City are in a great place to win the Premier League again, they also have a good chance in the FA Cup and in the Champions League too, but this might be competitive, but I think it is possible that they win all three. Winning a treble like this would be a huge achievement and they have a team and manager that can do it this season.

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Betby se asocia con QTech Games y amplía alcance de sportsbook en Asia

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BETBY, proveedor Tier-1 de sportsbook, anunció una asociación con QTech Games, uno de los principales distribuidores de juegos de la industria y agregador de rápido crecimiento en mercados emergentes clave.

El acuerdo permitirá que BETBY ofrezca su solución completa de sportsbook a la red global de operadores de QTech.

A través de esta colaboración, los socios de QTech tendrán acceso a la oferta completa de sportsbook de BETBY , como proveedor exclusivo de sportsbook del agregador,  cubriendo más de 500.000 eventos mensuales, herramientas propietarias impulsadas por inteligencia artificial y el feed de esports Betby.Games.

Entregada mediante una única integración API fluida, la solución brinda acceso inmediato a la base de operadores de QTech, ampliando significativamente la distribución de BETBY y permitiendo a los socios incorporar un sportsbook premium con menor complejidad y rápida salida al mercado.

La integración responde directamente a los principales desafíos de los operadores al lanzar un sportsbook, especialmente la complejidad técnica y los costos de gestionar múltiples integraciones de plataforma.

Al aprovechar la plataforma de agregación de QTech, los operadores, especialmente aquellos con foco inicial en casino online, podrán introducir una solución de sportsbook totalmente escalable sin una gran carga de desarrollo, acelerando su entrada en las apuestas deportivas y manteniendo eficiencia operativa.

La asociación también refuerza la estrategia de BETBY de expandir su presencia en Asia, donde QTech Games ha construido sólidos canales de distribución y amplia experiencia local, al tiempo que respalda su crecimiento en otros mercados emergentes como América Latina y África.

Al combinar la solución de sportsbook de BETBY con el alcance de QTech, los operadores podrán ofrecer experiencias de apuestas más competitivas, localizadas y atractivas.

Stefanos Karakidis, Director de Desarrollo de Negocios de BETBY, comentó: “Asociarnos con QTech Games es un paso natural para BETBY.

Se han consolidado como uno de los agregadores más influyentes de Asia, con sólidos canales de distribución y profundo conocimiento local, mientras continúan expandiéndose en otros mercados de alto crecimiento.

QTech comprende claramente el comportamiento de los jugadores locales y las necesidades de los operadores, y juntos podremos ofrecer una experiencia de sportsbook Tier-1, mobile-first, adecuada a las demandas de los mercados en los que operan.”

Philip Doftvik, CEO de QTech Games, afirmó: “Estamos encantados de sumar el premiado sportsbook de BETBY a nuestra plataforma.

Su producto es moderno, flexible y diseñado para mercados de rápido crecimiento, alineándose con lo que buscan nuestros socios operadores.

Desde herramientas impulsadas por IA hasta un sólido portafolio de e-sims, BETBY aporta un nivel de innovación que fortalece nuestra oferta y respalda nuestra misión de ofrecer el mejor contenido disponible en los mercados emergentes de iGaming.”

BETBY

BETBY es un proveedor B2B líder de servicios de apuestas deportivas de primer nivel, reconocido por su tecnología innovadora y compromiso con la excelencia.

Su equipo reúne veteranos de la industria que aplican conocimiento y experiencia para ofrecer una plataforma de sportsbook premium, adaptable y escalable, diseñada para satisfacer las distintas demandas de operadores en todo el mundo.

Desde opciones dinámicas de apuestas en vivo hasta sólidas herramientas de gestión de riesgo y avanzadas soluciones basadas en IA, BETBY está comprometida con impulsar el éxito de sus socios en el panorama en constante evolución de las apuestas deportivas online.

The post Betby se asocia con QTech Games y amplía alcance de sportsbook en Asia appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

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Movers and Shakers – Why the UK tax rise has changed the conversation, not the opportunity

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“Movers and Shakers” is a dynamic monthly column dedicated to exploring the latest trends, developments, and influential voices in the iGaming industry. Powered by GameOn and supported by HIPTHER, this op-ed series delves into the key players, emerging technologies, and regulatory changes shaping the future of online gaming. Each month, industry experts offer their insights and perspectives, providing readers with in-depth analysis and thought-provoking commentary on what’s driving the iGaming world forward. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or new to the scene, “Movers and Shakers” is your go-to source for staying ahead in the rapidly evolving iGaming landscape.

When the UK’s new tax regime came into force on 1 April 2026, with Remote Gaming Duty rising from 21% to 40%, it was always going to force a reset. The scale of the increase meant this was never going to be treated as a marginal adjustment or another background cost for the industry to absorb quietly. It changed the economics of the market overnight, and with that, it changed the tone of the conversation too.

A month on, that pressure is real. Operators are having to look closely at where value sits, how promotional models hold up, which products justify their place, and where risk is now harder to carry. But if this first month has told us anything, it is that tougher conditions do not make the UK any less important. They simply make the market more revealing.

The UK remains one of the most significant regulated markets in our industry. It is mature, highly visible and intensely competitive, but it is also a market where product quality, commercial discipline and long-term thinking matter. That was true before the tax hike, and it is even more true now. For studios and suppliers, this is not the kind of market to retreat from just because the pressure has increased. It is the kind of market that shows who is serious.

At Gaming Corps, that is very much how we see it. The tax rise has clearly changed the environment operators are working in, but it has not changed our belief in the value of the UK market or in the importance of supporting it properly. If anything, it has sharpened that focus.

Backing the UK today is not just about continuing to supply content into the market as before. It is about understanding what operators now need from their partners. That means recognising that product decisions are under greater scrutiny. It means appreciating that flexibility matters more. And it means accepting that suppliers have a role to play in helping operators build a stronger and more resilient mix.

That support can take different forms. Sometimes it means continuing to invest in slot content that is proven, distinctive and capable of standing out on established casino floors. Sometimes it means bringing forward mechanics, themes and gameplay structures that give operators something genuinely different. And sometimes it means widening the conversation beyond the formats that have dominated for years.

That is one of the reasons why we are excited about Instant Blitz.

Instant Blitz is the first release in a new scratchcard-style series for Gaming Corps, and it reflects the kind of thinking that feels especially relevant in the current UK climate. It is designed as a fast, accessible format that blurs the lines between scratchcard and slot, while also giving operators a low-entry addition to their instant win range. With bets starting from as little as 5p, it offers operators greater flexibility at a time when product balance, player behaviour, and in particular bonus abuse, are under closer scrutiny.

That does not mean one format suddenly solves every challenge created by higher tax. But it does highlight a broader shift. In a tougher environment, innovation needs to be practical. New content has to offer operators real flexibility, not just novelty.

That is how we see Instant Blitz. It is not a departure from our wider portfolio, but part of a broader approach to helping operators build a more varied and adaptable mix. Strong slots still matter, as do distinctive mechanics and recognisable content, but there is also value in formats that widen the offer and support different play patterns.

It also reflects how we see our own future in the UK. We are continuing to invest in operator relationships and expand our portfolio in ways that match the market’s changing needs. The Instant Blitz series will grow from here, with future titles drawing on some of the familiar worlds and characters from across the wider Gaming Corps portfolio.

The first month of the tax hike has undoubtedly added pressure. But pressure also clarifies. It shows which products still make sense, which partnerships matter, and which markets remain worth backing, and the UK is still one of those markets.

By Graham Greensmith, CCO at Gaming Corps

The post Movers and Shakers – Why the UK tax rise has changed the conversation, not the opportunity appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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RAW iGaming unveils RAW Riches: A site-wide progressive jackpot overlay built for scale

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RAW iGaming announces today the launch of RAW Riches, a site-wide progressive jackpot overlay designed to deliver jackpot moments without adding operational complexity.

Launching as part of the RAWVerse ecosystem, RAW Riches introduces a new approach to jackpots, prioritising seamless integration, player engagement, and operator control.

A fully embedded experience

RAW Riches introduces a multi-tier progressive jackpot layer deployable across an operator’s entire portfolio, regardless of game supplier. Unlike traditional jackpot mechanics that require separate integrations or fragmented systems, RAW Riches operates as a fully embedded experience within the operator’s brand, creating a single, unified jackpot.

Tom Wood, CEO of RAW iGaming, said: “The industry built jackpots in silos. We built one that connects everything.

“RAW Riches gives operators a site-wide jackpot running across every entity and every game supplier, configured to their exact needs and brand, all from a single solution.

“We pride ourselves on producing the industry’s most distinctive and disruptive game concepts and RAW Riches is no different.

“This is the kind of product that changes how operators think about jackpots entirely.”

A seamless player experience

Players opt in and continue playing as normal. When triggered, the jackpot experience takes over instantly. Every trigger results in a win, with no losing outcomes, before the player is returned to their original game to continue playing.

Scaleable without complexity

RAW Riches solves one of the industry’s most persistent operational challenges in scaling jackpots across multiple providers, brands, and markets. Key features include:

 

  • Single deployment across all games and brands

  • Full operator control over jackpot configuration and branding

  • Multiple delivery options, including bespoke branded game builds

  • Seamless deployment within any existing RAW integration or delivery partner

 

RAW Riches is available today across regulated markets in Europe.

The post RAW iGaming unveils RAW Riches: A site-wide progressive jackpot overlay built for scale appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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