Latest News

Exclusive Spanish Market Q&A w/ João Carvalho, Sales Manager at PandaScore

Published

3 years ago

February 21, 2023

Reading Time: 3 minutes

How has PandaScore served the Spanish market thus far?

Spain is a hotbed of activity when it comes to esports, with countless players, teams and tournaments held across the biggest esports titles taking place across the country. But when it comes to betting on esports, the market is still very much in its infancy. That’s not to say there isn’t a significant opportunity for operators to explore, because there is. Not only is esports hugely popular, but so too is betting on traditional sports. The challenge has been to bring the two together, and that’s exactly why PandaScore delivers its esports betting solutions to operators in the market.

Our odds, markets and betting products are second to none and are used by some of the largest operators in the world to capitalise on the esports wagering opportunity. We sit at the cutting edge of esports and betting and have delivered many innovations to the esports market. Today, we cover 308 unique markets across all major esports titles from League of Legends and Valorant to CS:GO, Call of Duty, Dota2 and more. Our markets include Player Props as well as Winner 2-way, Winner 3-way, Maps handicap, Total maps over/under, Correct score, First map/Match result, Most kills 2-way and Most kills 3-way.

We’ve also been hard at work on creating esports dedicated micro markets and will be going big on this throughout the year. We will also continue to push our powerful esports Bet Builder tool, allowing players to curate their own bet slips for next-level engagement.

What are the company goals for Spain over the next 12 months?

Ultimately, we want to help operators unlock the full potential that esports betting has to offer, while also playing our part in educating esports fans that they can wager on players, teams and tournaments with operators that are fair, transparent and reputable. To do this, we will continue to enhance our suite of solutions over the next 12 months and, as mentioned above, will be rolling out new markets on new games – most importantly Valorant, expand out BetBuilder tool, and introduce esports Microbetting. We will also be driving awareness of our recently re-vamped Widgets product which allows Spanish operators to seamlessly integrate our Odds solution into their environment and customise the front end to meet their individual branding and player experience goals. State-of-the-art solutions such as these make it easy for operators to expand into the esports betting space, and this in turn will enable us to engage more operators in Spain throughout the year.

What does the Spanish market need to ramp up its esports betting activity?

Spain is no different to other nascent esports betting markets with tremendous untapped potential. All it takes to fully open the doors is a little education among operators and players, and one or two tier-one brands rolling out esportsbooks for the first time. This is something we have seen in the UK market where we have recently joined forces with William Hill to power its first proper move into esports wagering. Once the big boys are on board, it’s not long before everyone else looks to follow. But this provides a huge opportunity for smaller brands to seize the first mover advantage and push ahead with rolling out an esportsbook now – especially in Spain where there is a strong appetite for this among players but where the competition remains limited (for now). Those that do will be able to build large and loyal player bases before the power players enter the market.

What does PandaScore specifically bring to the Spanish market that will promote esports betting growth?

Esports fans have high expectations from the entertainment options they engage with. This includes intuitive user interfaces optimised for mobile, fast-paced action, a quality product and an experience that provides a sense of community. Our products and solutions have been designed to provide all of these things and more so that operators can deliver esports betting experiences that not only meet but exceed player expectations in Spain and beyond.

What’s more, the team behind PandaScore are first and foremost fans of esports and are incredibly passionate about bringing esports betting to the widest possible audience. We plan to be on the ground at major esports and betting events throughout the year, including FIJIMA, Madrid. This is a key part of our strategy to drive awareness of the world of esports, the potential of esports betting and how all stakeholders can maximise the huge potential of bringing the two together in the Spanish market and others around the world.

eSports

Esports Foundation names Faker Game Ambassador for EWC and ENC through 2028

Published

8 hours ago

July 15, 2026

Wladimir P.

esports-foundation-names-faker-game-ambassador-for-ewc-and-enc-through-2028

Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok joins Cristiano Ronaldo and Magnus Carlsen in the Esports Foundation’s Ambassador Program.

The Esports Foundation (EF) has appointed Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok as a Game Ambassador for the Esports World Cup (EWC) and Esports Nations Cup (ENC) through 2028, the organization said on July 15, 2026 in a statement issued from Riyadh and Paris.

EF said Faker joins Cristiano Ronaldo, listed as the Foundation’s Global Ambassador, and Magnus Carlsen as part of the Esports Foundation Ambassador Program. The Foundation said Faker will represent “the perspective of esports players” across its international events, athlete initiatives, media engagements and leadership forums.

“You can’t talk about esports without mentioning Faker. He is the defining athlete of competitive gaming: a champion whose excellence, discipline and longevity have inspired an entire generation,” said Ralf Reichert, Chief Executive Officer of the Esports Foundation. “As our Game Ambassador, Faker represents something fundamental to the Ambassador Program: esports creates its own global sporting icons. Across EWC, ENC and NGSC, he will help ensure that the players who built this sport have a voice in shaping where it goes next.”

Faker said: “Competition has shaped my life, and I am proud to join the Esports Foundation as Game Ambassador. I want to continue competing for the biggest titles with T1 while representing the players and fans who have helped esports grow worldwide. Through the Esports World Cup, Esports Nations Cup and the Foundation’s wider platforms, I hope to inspire the next generation to pursue excellence, remain resilient and believe in how far competitive gaming can take them. There is still much more to achieve.”

EF highlighted Faker’s competitive record, describing him as a six-time League of Legends World Champion, EWC 2024 winner, two-time MSI champion and ten-time domestic champion with T1. The Foundation also said Faker became the first esports athlete to receive the Blue Dragon Medal in 2026, describing it as the Republic of Korea’s highest sporting honor awarded by President Lee Jae-myung.

The post Esports Foundation names Faker Game Ambassador for EWC and ENC through 2028 appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Brand Partnerships

Midnite signs as Middlesbrough FC principal partner for 2026/27 season

Published

15 hours ago

July 15, 2026

Wladimir P.

midnite-signs-as-middlesbrough-fc-principal-partner-for-2026/27-season

Midnite has agreed a partnership with Middlesbrough FC that will see the UK bookmaker become the club’s principal partner and front-of-shirt sponsor for the 2026/27 campaign, which Middlesbrough describes as its landmark 150th season.

The companies announced the deal alongside a fan activation at Riverside Stadium on Thursday, July 9, branded “This Season’s On Us”. The initiative offered supporters prizes including 2026/27 season tickets, 2026/27 shirts, match tickets, or a £25 club shop voucher, with fans required to answer Middlesbrough trivia and complete a football challenge.

Middlesbrough former players Craig Hignett and David Wheater attended the event, and, according to the company, took bonus attempts on behalf of participants who missed out.

Andrew Mook, Midnite’s Head of Brand Marketing, said:

“Middlesbrough have a storied history and we’re delighted to announce this partnership during such a monumental year with the club celebrating their 150th anniversary.

“It was great to see so many Middlesbrough fans at the “This Season’s On Us” activation, we hope they enjoyed taking part and meeting club legends, with David Wheater hitting top bins on several occasions and allowing fans to win big with season tickets.

“We can’t wait to get to Riverside Stadium in August to kick-off a new season and we’re excited to say that we have plenty of new and captivating campaigns planned.”

Lee Fryett, Middlesbrough FC Chief Commercial Officer, added:

“We’re delighted to welcome Midnite as our new Principal Partner.

“We’re looking forward to working closely with Midnite to develop engaging campaigns, content and unique experiences that bring our fans even closer to the club.

“We’re confident this partnership will provide real value for our supporters while supporting our ambitions both on and off the pitch.”

The post Midnite signs as Middlesbrough FC principal partner for 2026/27 season appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

AGCO

ThrillTech secures AGCO supplier licence for Ontario launch

Published

15 hours ago

July 15, 2026

Wladimir P.

thrilltech-secures-agco-supplier-licence-for-ontario-launch

ThrillTech has been awarded a Gaming-Related Supplier licence by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), clearing the company to launch in Ontario’s regulated market.

The licence allows ThrillTech to deploy its opt-in side bet jackpots technology with regulated online casino, sports betting and lottery operators across the province.

Benjamin Bradtke, Co-Founder of ThrillTech, said: “Securing our AGCO licence is a major step in our mission to transform how jackpots are delivered at scale across regulated markets. This latest certification is testament to our robust technology and trusted compliance frameworks, allowing us to continue our global growth trajectory. We are thrilled to bring our proven, compliant jackpot technology to Ontario, empowering locally licensed operators to uplift revenue without cannibalising existing spend.”

The company said its “ThrillPots” mechanics sit as an independent, player-funded side bet and do not alter the underlying game’s return-to-player mathematics.

ThrillTech said the Ontario approval enables its existing multinational partners that also operate in the province to launch its side bet jackpots locally, while it also holds talks with potential new operator partners. The company lists its regulated footprint as including the United Kingdom, Sweden, the Netherlands, Romania, Malta, Gibraltar, Brazil and Peru.

The post ThrillTech secures AGCO supplier licence for Ontario launch appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.