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“Cheer for those who cheer for us”: FAVBET calls on Ukrainian football fans to support Ukraine’s allies at the 2022 World Cup
November 20 marked the kickoff of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. An event long anticipated by football fans and quite unique in several respects. This year, for the first time ever, the World Cup takes place in the Middle East, in winter, and… against the backdrop of the largest military confrontation in Europe since World War II.
While the stands of Qatari stadiums explode with applause, Ukrainian fans hear explosions in the streets of their cities, and the Ukrainian army bravely resists unprovoked Russian aggression on the several thousand kilometers of frontlines.
However, even in such circumstances, FAVBET and Kyiv-based creative agency Taktika found a way to engage Ukrainian fans and remind the world that football is not only about fighting, but also about unity and support that goes beyond the borders.
“The world will not see our team on Qatar’s football pitches, but for almost a year it has been watching our fight on a pitch of a different kind – the battlefield. And not only watching, but tirelessly supporting. England, the Netherlands, Spain, Poland, the USA, France and many other countries have been supplying and training the Ukrainian military, providing shelter to our citizens and defending our interests on the diplomatic front. We decided that the World Cup is a great opportunity to say thank you to Ukraine’s allies for this unwavering support,” says FAVBET’s creative copywriter Mykola Bezkrovnyi.
The campaign is based on short videos shot on the streets of Ukraine’s capital city of Kyiv. The centerpiece of the story are the Ukrainian fans with vintage scarves, which, many years ago, they waved during the matches of Ukraine’s team against our current allies. “We once held these scarves because we fiercely wanted to defeat you. We hold them now because we sincerely want you to win. Just like you want us to win too,” says the voiceover of the campaign’s manifesto.
“This campaign was Favbet’s idea, and our task was to find the best form and style for it. We realized that we once used to be opponents on the football pitch with almost all of our current allies. Now, the scarves from these matches are turning from symbols of our rivalry into those of unity. Many fans still have them at home as a memory. We decided to use thescarves as a powerful visual symbol and built a campaign around them,” says Roman Gurbanov, Taktika co-founder and creative director.
In addition to the manifesto, the campaign also includes videos dedicated to supporting particular Ukrainian allies like Poland and England. The videos were shot by Ukraine-based studio Digital Religion known for their advertising work for the world’s leading brands like Samsung, Visa, Pepsi, Uber, and others. Check out the videos on FAVBET’s YouTube:
FAVBET’s new campaign is not only a token of gratitude to the allies, but also a reminder that the war, unlike a football match, does not end with the referee’s whistle. While the World Cup will wrap up in a few weeks, Ukraine will continue its fight against the aggressor that seeks to destroy Ukrainian identity and its need for support will remain as high as ever. That is why FAVBET Foundation is now accepting international donations so that football fans from all over the world can also contribute to Ukraine’s victory. Make your donation on the Foundation’s official page.
As an international company with Ukrainian roots, FAVBET has been supporting Ukraine since the first days of Russia’s full-scale invasion, implementing numerous humanitarian initiatives and providing the Ukrainian military with the necessary equipment. Today, 95% of FAVBET Foundation’s projects are focused on helping the country’s citizens and the army, i. e. evacuating residents of frontline cities, purchasing ambulances and vehicles for the needs of the Armed Forces, as well as supplying high-tech communications equipment and drones.
Credentials
FAVBET
Head of Brand – Alexander Tarasov
Brand Manager – Anna Lytvynchuk
Marketing Project Manager – Yanina Baranetska
Creative Producer – Oleksii Marakhovskyi
Digital Content Producer – Iryna Kondratyeva
Creative Lead – Anatoly Simachynskyi
Creative Copywriter – Mykola Bezkrovnyi
Digital Religion
Director – Gleb Feldman
Taktika
Creative Director – Roman Gurbanov
Art Director – Illia Pochkun
Summer is here and it is time for Slotsoo’s signature celebration of the iGaming industry. The Slotsoo Casino Awards return for its third edition, continuing the tradition of highlighting operators who excel in delivering a top-tier player experience. This year also marks an exciting expansion with the inaugural Slotsoo Game Provider Awards, giving long-overdue recognition to the creators of great slots.
The New Game Provider Awards and the Winners
Game providers are sometimes overshadowed by casinos, but in reality, both are equally important to the online casino experience. That’s why Slotsoo is proud to shine a spotlight on the studios behind the reels. The winners of Slotsoo’s first provider-focused awards were announced on 24 July 2025, and the honors went to:
- The Machine MVP – Pragmatic Play
- Bonus Buyer – Bullshark Games
- Volatility Virtuoso – Wazdan
- Jackpot Jumbo – Mancala Gaming
- Symphony Spinner – Gamzix
- Reel Renegade – Nolimit City
- Promising Prodigy – Slammer Studios
Please visit the Slotsoo Game Provider Awards page for detailed descriptions of each trophy and the motivations behind the winners.
The Anatomy of Slotsoo’s Trophies: Where Fun Meets Serious Recognition
At Slotsoo, each trophy is whimsical by design but grounded in real player values, making the Slotsoo Awards both entertaining and insightful. Every category has a clear purpose, recognizing what truly matters in iGaming today.
At the core of each awards lineup is a main trophy: The Gambling GOAT honors the top-performing casino operator, while The Machine MVP celebrates the best overall game provider. Surrounding these main awards are a collection of supporting trophies, spotlighting specific areas of excellence, from fast withdrawals and fun bonuses to volatility and winning potential.
These award categories offer a chance for actors who crush it in a certain area to be recognized, even if they don’t dominate across the board. Just like other iGaming awards, Slotsoo includes a category for newcomers, encouraging fresh talent and pushing established names to keep innovating.
The timing of the awards is also a deliberate choice. Markus Björk, head writer at Slotsoo, explains the team’s reasoning:
“After a hectic Winter and Spring packed with iGaming events, June and July offer a rare chance for the industry to slow down and reflect on the year so far. Let’s enjoy the cucumber season and appreciate what’s been achieved. This is when you can harvest the rewards of your hard work before autumn arrives with new challenges and opportunities.”
The Winning Casino Operators 2025
The Slotsoo Casino Awards 2025 took place in June, and these were the seven winners:
- The Gambling GOAT – Betizy
- The Bonus Buff – Sugarino
- The Loyalty Lord – Wisho
- The Withdrawal Wizard – Vauhdikas
- The Gamification Guru – Arctic Casino
- The Payout Professor – Wolfy Casino
- The Noisy Newcomer – Lunar Spins
This was the third time Slotsoo held the casino awards for its English-language site targeting the EU market in general. During the same period, the dedicated awards for the Finnish market, Slotsoo Kasinogaala 2025, celebrated its second year. These awards consist of seven trophies equivalent to the English ones, plus an eighth trophy dedicated to the casino operator with the best slot streaming offering.
The Nordic country is undergoing big changes, with a new gambling legislation and a licensing system planned to be introduced by 1 January 2027. The future will tell how this will affect the structure and categories of the awards.
The post Slotsoo Awards 2025: Celebrating Excellence Across Casinos and Game Providers appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
SOFTSWISS, a global tech provider with over 15 years of iGaming expertise, proudly announces the launch of its major South African project with Mzansibet. It marks the first project in the country to utilise both the SOFTSWISS Sportsbook and the SOFTSWISS Casino Platform.
According to the recently released South Africa: iGaming Market Overview 2025 by SOFTSWISS, the country’s iGaming sector is growing at an impressive annual rate of 20–25%, driven by increasing mobile penetration. In line with this trend and evolving player needs, SOFTSWISS strongly focuses on mobile optimisation across its platforms, enabling seamless and enjoyable gaming experiences for Mzansibet players.
The launch in South Africa, ensuring full compliance with local technical standards, required meticulous preparation. SOFTSWISS products – including its sports betting software and online casino platform – underwent rigorous certification with Gaming Laboratories International (GLI), one of the most reputable and globally recognised independent testing laboratories in the iGaming industry. Following this process, the solutions were officially approved for local operation by the Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board – a respected and influential regulator in the region – affirming the high quality and compliance of SOFTSWISS software.
Max Trafimovich, International Non-Executive Director at SOFTSWISS, shares: “Mzansibet entered the market with a bold ambition to become a top-tier brand – and we are not only proud to support that vision from day one, but also well-equipped to ensure its sustainable growth. Leveraging our global and local expertise, we provide the technical, business, and service tools necessary for a smooth launch and scalable development. This is made possible thanks to our robust and stable architecture with 99.999% uptime and a flexible platform ecosystem. In addition, the brand launched a nationwide TV advertising campaign and has already attracted tens of thousands of players across the country – a powerful testament to its growing presence and trust.”
In addition to backend certification, the SOFTSWISS team invested heavily in frontend localisation to align with the partner’s vision and market requirements. The Mzansibet project has been fully adapted to meet South African player behaviour and betting patterns.
About SOFTSWISS
SOFTSWISS is an international technology company with over 15 years of experience developing innovative solutions for the iGaming industry. SOFTSWISS provides comprehensive software for managing iGaming projects. The company’s product portfolio includes the Online Casino Platform, the Game Aggregator with over 35,000 casino games, the Affilka Affiliate Platform, the Sportsbook Software and the Jackpot Aggregator. In 2013, SOFTSWISS revolutionised the industry by introducing the world’s first Bitcoin-optimised online casino solution. The expert team counts over 2,000 employees.
The post SOFTSWISS Launches First South African Project with Mzansibet appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
The post Lee Hills Joins the International Association of Gaming Advisors appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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