Latest News
FUN88’S ONGOING PARTNERSHIP WITH NEWCASTLE UNITED EVOLVES AS ITS OFFICIAL BETTING PARTNER
FUN88 has redefined its association with English Premier League (EPL) football club Newcastle United as its Official Betting Partner for Asia, as a six-year long ongoing partnership naturally evolves with the Champions League club for the 2023/24 season and beyond.
During those six years as Newcastle United’s premium jersey sponsor, FUN88 saw its breakout brand carried to rollercoaster success – from the club’s spell in the EFL Championship, promotion to the EPL, throughout the fluctuating fortunes of the previous administration’s era, and on to this year’s spectacular run to Champions League qualification via fourth place in the Premier League.
FUN88 will continue its ongoing work with the club across a series of activations to engage with fans in both mature and emerging Asian markets. The brand has also developed a popular presence on social media, supported by over 2.5m engaged Newcastle United followers, with thousands of worldwide Magpies supporters interacting with its accounts and many benefitting from its competitions and prize giveaways (such as tickets and shirts) for the majority of the past decade.
The combined collaboration will also open up an increasing number of dedicated local channels and promotional activities, all focused on engaging and retaining this established audience both pre-game and in-play.
Moreover, FUN88 will renew its branding presence on LED perimeter boards inside the storied St. James’ Park Stadium, one of the more commercially valuable and premium pitch-side media spaces in the Premier League. And although FUN88 had the option to continue as shirt sponsor, it was happy to adapt the nature of its partnership, given the changing environment of football sponsorship in the Premier League.
FUN88 has always supported Newcastle United’s commercial development, as has been documented by the club itself, and has hugely enjoyed its time as Newcastle United’s official shirt sponsor. Now this time has come to an amicable end, it is delighted to stay on as an Official Partner of Newcastle United, focusing on growing club-awareness and appreciation in Asia as part of a wider global strategy.
While FUN88 continues to develop its online offerings for football fans across the planet, this latest move underscores its dedication to international club representation and fostering a football-friendly environment within a responsible gaming culture. FUN88 has pioneered the gamified betting experience, thanks to a unique interface and personalised customer service that deliver a cohesive player journey from log-in until the end result. This unified experience has also delivered great levels of retention and consumer satisfaction amongst its active user-base.
A FUN88 spokesperson said: “We are thrilled to seamlessly advance our longstanding relationship with Newcastle United as their Official Betting Partner for Asia. We have seen our brand grow and develop in unison with Newcastle United over much of the past decade, and look forward to promoting further success stories in this next chapter of our enduring journey together.
“We are also excited to organically develop our partnership with Newcastle United for a new era. Of course, during our six years to date, we have witnessed the natural ups and downs of life, but we are in this for the long haul together and FUN88 is proud to move forward with the club and our shared community.
“FUN88 is adamant that this continued collaboration will help us to solidify our status as one of the leading gaming and entertainment platforms in Asia. Our customers will see more in terms of team interaction and exclusive Newcastle United offerings, so watch out for a range of upcoming campaigns with the club, which will now reclaim its rightful spot in the Champions League 2023/24!”
Newcastle United have said: “Thank you, FUN88, for your incredible support as lead shirt sponsors over the past six seasons. Building on the success of our partnership to date, we look forward to this next phase and working together to engage fans and grow our collective reach throughout Asia.”
FUN88 provides one of the broadest offerings of markets and odds for the sports bettor. Customer satisfaction and socially-responsible entertainment remain at its heart, with the latest technology and games, all complemented by impeccable personalised customer service.
The company prides itself on a strong heritage in football and international sports, alongside a stellar line-up of ambassadors which positively sets FUN88 apart from its competitors in the sector. The brand has been very active in global sports marketing over the past decade, notably becoming a partner of Tottenham Hotspur FC in 2012 and the jersey sponsor of Newcastle United FC, before repositioning its support into a betting-partner role this year. Away from football sponsorships, FUN88 has also enjoyed instrumental associations with the late great basketball legend Kobe Bryant, the popular OG Dota 2 team in eSports, and cricketing superstar Daren Sammy.
ELA Games
ELA Games releases Flames Fruits Frenzy Hold and Win slot
New title adds a Hold & Win bonus to the studio’s retro fruit-themed “Flames Fruits Frenzy” line.
ELA Games has released a new slot title, Flames Fruits Frenzy Hold and Win, expanding its Flames Fruits Frenzy series with a Hold & Win bonus feature.
The game uses classic fruit-machine iconography, including cherries, lemons, oranges, grapes, and watermelons, presented with updated high-definition visual effects, according to the company.
ELA Games positioned the release as a seasonal summer-themed update and said it is aimed at players who prefer traditional fruit-slot formats paired with modern mechanics.
The company did not disclose target markets, operator rollout partners, RTP, volatility, maximum win, or a specific release date beyond announcing the launch in the statement.
The post ELA Games releases Flames Fruits Frenzy Hold and Win slot appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Latest News
Games Global and Posh Monkey Studios debut brand-new reel expansion feature in Fishin’ Madness™ QUADGROWS™
Games Global has cast its line into the popular fishing genre with the launch of Fishin’ Madness
QUADGROWS
, developed by exclusive partner Posh Monkey Studios, introducing an all-new evolving reel mechanic that continuously unlocks new ways to win.
Leveraging the enduring appeal of the classic genre, Fishin’ Madness
QUADGROWS
features the innovative QUADGROWS
feature, where every spin contributes toward greater potential.
Beginning on a 5×3 reel-set, the game gradually expands to seven rows, where each progression level unlocks additional paylines, larger Fish Instant Prizes and enhanced Collect Multipliers, rewarding players as they venture deeper beneath the waves.
The Fisherman Collect mechanic remains at the heart of the experience, awarding all visible Fish Instant Prizes when the Fisherman lands on reel five. As QUADGROWS
unlocks additional rows, new Collect Multipliers become active, increasing the value of every successful catch.
Three or more Scatters trigger eight Free Spins, where larger multipliers create even bigger payout opportunities, while five Scatters award the game’s maximum 10,000x prize.
Completing the feature set is Posh Monkey Studios’ proprietary Posh Spins
, an optional boost that increases the chance of triggering the bonus round.
Combining one of the most popular game themes with an evolving reel mechanic, Fishin’ Madness
QUADGROWS
adds a new layer of progression to the classic collect-style experience.
Connor Blinman, Co-Founder of Posh Monkey Studios, said: “Fishing games continue to resonate with players, but standing out in such an established genre means delivering something genuinely different.
“The QUADGROWS
mechanic creates a real sense of progression throughout the player journey, with every milestone unlocking bigger opportunities and adding another layer of excitement to the experience.”
Dave Reynolds, Director of Games Strategy and Partner Management at Games Global, added: “Posh Monkey Studios has taken a proven formula and introduced an engaging progression system that gives players a reason to keep coming back.
“Fishin’ Madness
QUADGROWS
is another example of how Games Global and its exclusive studios continue to evolve popular mechanics through creative gameplay innovation. We’re excited about the roadmap ahead for Posh Monkey Studios’ and the fresh ideas they’ll be bringing to the table.”
The post Games Global and Posh Monkey Studios debut brand-new reel expansion feature in Fishin’ Madness™ QUADGROWS™ appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Latest News
ZEAL acquires SevenCanyon and enters the highly attractive UK prize draw market
ZEAL Network SE has signed a share purchase agreement to acquire the remaining 96.5 percent of the shares in SevenCanyon Limited, in which ZEAL already holds a 3.5 percent stake. With this acquisition, the market leader for online lotteries in Germany is entering the UK market, gaining immediate access to Europe’s largest market for digital prize draw offerings.
“SevenCanyon is one of the most successful prize draw operators in the UK – we have known them for years. With the acquisition, we hit the ground running in a highly attractive and growing market. We also accelerate the implementation of our strategy to selectively diversify our business model through new products and new markets”, says Dr. Stefan Tweraser, CEO of ZEAL Network SE.
SevenCanyon operates several established UK prize draw platforms, including 7days Performance, Redline Competitions and UK Carp Competitions. This market segment comprises digital prize draws and offerings with non-cash prizes such as houses, cars, and lifestyle products. In the most recent financial year 2026 (04/25–03/26), SevenCanyon generated an operating profit (EBITDA) of more than GBP 10 million.
The transaction opens potential for further scaling of the UK business through ZEAL’s capabilities in acquisition marketing, monetisation, customer retention, data analytics, regulatory professionalism, and platform operations. Furthermore, ZEAL expects the UK prize draw market to continue to move towards more formalised rules, which will favour operators like ZEAL with strong compliance capabilities and regulated market experience.
“SevenCanyon is a highly profitable company with a proven business model. The purchase price will mainly be financed through a new loan agreement. This preserves our financial flexibility to continue our growth-oriented and shareholder-friendly capital allocation in the future”, says Andrea Behrendt, CFO of ZEAL Network SE.
Purchase price and financial impact for 2026
The transaction comprises a cash purchase price for the remaining 96.5 percent of the shares of approximately GBP 33.8 million (subject to post-completion adjustments, including an adjustment for vehicle inventory in the single-digit millions of GBP range), as well as an earn-out payment of up to GBP 4.8 million, to be paid over a period of six months after completion.
The acquisition financing is supported by a EUR 40 million term loan with a duration of seven years, arranged by Deutsche Bank.
The Management Board expects SevenCanyon to make a meaningful contribution to ZEAL’s revenue and EBITDA following consolidation. ZEAL will assess the necessary adjustments to its revenue guidance after the IFRS presentation of SevenCanyon’s revenue streams has been finalised.
On EBITDA, ZEAL confirms the range of EUR 70–75 million under the assumption of a normal jackpot environment in Germany. The updated forecast reflects anticipated non-recurring expenses in the mid-single-digit millions of euros in connection with the transaction.
For the first full financial year following completion of the transaction, ZEAL expects it to have a positive impact on EBITDA in the high-single-digit millions of euros.
The post ZEAL acquires SevenCanyon and enters the highly attractive UK prize draw market appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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