Latest News
Virgin Bet Renews Sponsorship of Ayr Gold Cup Festival
Ayr Racecourse announced that Virgin Bet will be extending its sponsorship of the prestigious Ayr Gold Cup for the third consecutive year.
The Virgin Bet Ayr Gold Cup, now valued at £180,000, has gained recognition as one of the most thrilling sprint handicap races in the country, with Summerghand claiming victory in 2022 and Bielsa in 2021.
The increased prize money for the main event is expected to intensify competition among contenders. Ayr Racecourse stands out as the only British racing venue to host not only the Gold Cup but also the Silver Cup and the Bronze Cup, providing an opportunity for horses that haven’t made the cut for the main race to compete over the same course and distance.
Virgin Bet will sponsor the entire three-day Festival, which gets underway on Thursday 21st September, with the feature race on the opening day being the Virgin Bet Kilkerran Cup, won last year by Joanna Mason on the Mick and David Easterby trained Yorkshire Lady.
Friday’s Ladies’ Day feature will be the Virgin Bet Bronze Cup and the ports betting provider will also sponsor the three main supporting races on Gold Cup day itself, Saturday 23rd September.
The Virgin Bet Firth of Clyde Stakes for two-year-old fillies is Scotland’s only Group 3 race and the Virgin Bet name will also be on the Listed Doonside Cup and the second biggest sprint handicap of the meeting, the Ayr Silver Cup.
Last year’s Doonside Cup was won by the Roger Varian trained Royal Champion which went on to win last month’s Listed Wolferton Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Ayr Managing Director David Brown said: “We’re delighted to be renewing our Ayr Gold Cup partnership with Virgin Bet for a third year and owners and trainers will be excited to hear that the prize money for the race is being increased to £180,000.
“The Virgin Bet name will be associated with the entire 3-day Festival once again and, as well as the Ayr Gold Cup itself, another 8 key contests over the 3-days will be sponsored by Virgin Bet, including the prestigious Firth Of Clyde Stakes for 2 year-olds and the mile and a quarter Doonside Cup.
“Ayr’s Gold Cup Festival is the biggest Flat meeting of the year in Scotland and everyone at Ayr is looking forward to working with the Virgin Bet team to make 2023 yet another memorable 3-days of top-class racing.”
Virgin Bet Marketing Director Ric Leask said: “We are delighted to be a sponsoring the esteemed Ayr Gold Cup for the third successive year. This thrilling event showcases some of the finest horses and jockeys, and we are proud to be a part of such top-quality racing.
“Virgin Bet remains committed to being a leading player in the world of horse racing, and sponsoring this prestigious race demonstrates this. The Ayr Gold Cup is a highlight in both the Scottish and UK racing calendars, and we are excited to contribute to its success.”
Compliance Updates
CT Interactive announces certification of new games for the Italian market
CT Interactive is thrilled to announce that new titles have officially received certification for the Italian market, ready to bring a fresh wave of entertainment to players across the country. This certification ensures that the games adhere to Italy’s stringent regulatory standards for fairness, security, and quality, reinforcing CT Interactive’s dedication to providing top-tier gaming experiences.
The newly certified games include: 5x Cherry Party, Christmas Storm, Jester Jack, Lucky Kiwi, Mega Gnome, Piggy Crash, Star Girl, The Big Chilli, The New Queen of Fruits, Treasure Chase.
These exciting games offer a diverse range of themes, from the festive charm of Christmas Storm to the whimsical adventures of Piggy Crash and Mega Gnome. Whether players are in the mood for the nostalgic appeal of a classic fruit slot like The New Queen of Fruits, or looking for thrilling treasure hunts in Treasure Chase, there’s something for every type of player.
Each game has been developed with a focus on delivering engaging features, rewarding bonuses, and immersive gameplay. With unique mechanics and visually striking graphics, these releases are designed to captivate Italian players and keep them returning for more.
CT Interactive remains committed to enhancing the Italian gaming landscape by consistently providing fresh, exciting content and introducing new ways to play.
The post CT Interactive announces certification of new games for the Italian market appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Cryptocurrency
SOFTSWISS Survey Q3’24: 58% Cite Crypto as Key Driver in New Markets
SOFTSWISS, a tech company and pioneer in crypto gaming with over 15 years of experience, conducted a survey revealing that the majority view crypto as a key driver for growth in new markets. Experts also analysed this year’s crypto bets to share the latest insights.
Bitcoin recently reached a historic high, getting closer to 90,000 euro per coin. However, during the third quarter of 2024, it faced its sharpest drop in several years. SOFTSWISS experts examine how these market shifts have influenced iGaming performance in the quarterly ‘State of Crypto’ analytics.
A Quarter of the World’s Population Engages in iGaming
Global iGaming statistics indicate that approximately 26% of the world’s population were ever engaged in iGaming. By 2028, the iGaming market is projected to reach 243.2 million users, with a market volume nearing 130 billion euro, a substantial portion of which is expected to involve cryptocurrency.
SOFTSWISS data shows that during the 9 months of 2024, the Total Bet Sum, including both fiat and crypto, increased by 43.1% compared to the same period of 2023. Simultaneously, the Total Bet Count showed even more impressive growth, surpassing 44.5%.
An in-depth comparison analysis since 2022 demonstrates fiat bets are rising much more rapidly than crypto. A comparison between the first nine months of 2024 and the same period of the previous year revealed that the Fiat Bet Sum achieved a 50.4% boost. The conservative approach toward payment methods has resulted in Crypto Bet Sum growing at a slower pace compared to fiat and has led to a modest 4-percentage-points (p.p.) decline in the crypto share in 2024.
[1] Based on data from ongoing projects[
Potential of Crypto in iGaming 2025
According to the SOFTSWISS iGaming Trends 2025 Report, cryptocurrency is set to remain one of the preferred payment methods within the sector. Based on the company’s survey, 58% of respondents identified crypto as the primary driver of growth in new markets, underscoring its essential role in shaping the industry’s future.
Vitali Matsukevich, Chief Operating Officer at SOFTSWISS, reflects on the possibilities of crypto: “Integrating crypto payments allows iGaming businesses to operate globally, delivering greater speed and convenience. With iGaming’s naturally borderless reach, this expands platforms’ access to a wider international audience, boosting their global growth potential.”
“What is more, crypto transaction fees can be almost three times lower compared to traditional fiat gateways, allowing iGaming businesses to save on processing costs and reinvest that capital”, adds Max Krupyshev, CEO of CryptoProcessing by CoinsPaid.
SOFTSWISS data confirms stable interest in crypto. In the first nine months of 2024, the Crypto Bet Sum increased by 15.2% compared to the same period the previous year. A long-term quarter-by-quarter analysis reveals a consistent growth pattern, though the third quarter of 2024 saw a 9 p.p. decline from the previous quarter. The drop aligns with the decline in the exchange rates of major cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, Litecoin, and Ethereum, which occurred in the third quarter.
Meanwhile, the Crypto Bet Count rose by 16.2% in Q3 2024, indicating stable interest in crypto gaming. This combination reveals that while engagement in crypto betting remains steady, the total wagered sum is closely correlated to fluctuations in cryptocurrency exchange rates.
Altcoins Share Growth
The top five most popular cryptos in iGaming have remained stable over the years, with some shifts in the ranking order. Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Tether, and Dogecoin are the most popular among crypto players. While altcoins accounted for only 25.1% of bets over the first nine months of last year, their share increased significantly to over 47% during the same period in 2024.
Bitcoin’s share dropped by 22 p.p. during the nine months of 2024 compared to the same period of 2023. At the same time, Tether and Litecoin saw the most impressive share growth, with over 8 p.p. and 7.8 p.p., respectively. Ethereum strengthened by 4.9 p.p.
Another impactful trend reveals some casinos, like Rollbit and Shuffle, utilise their own iGaming tokens to boost player engagement. Tokens designed specifically for gaming offer enhanced compatibility across platforms, lower volatility, and exclusive perks for users. Crypto drives the development of new payment methods and business growth.
Vitali Matsukevich summarises: “Crypto offers iGaming operators key advantages beyond lower costs and global reach. Blockchain enhances safety and fairness through transparency and traceability, with each transaction and game result permanently recorded and tamper-proof. Partnering with trusted crypto experts allows operators to harness these benefits, positioning themselves for growth and effectively navigating market shifts.”
The new SOFTSWISS iGaming Trends 2025 Report offers more insights about crypto in the ever-evolving iGaming sector. The visionary report is free to download via the link.
About SOFTSWISS
SOFTSWISS is an international technology company with over 15 years of experience in developing innovative solutions for the iGaming industry. SOFTSWISS holds a number of gaming licences and provides comprehensive software for managing iGaming projects. The company’s product portfolio includes the Online Casino Platform, the Game Aggregator with over 23,500 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, based in Malta, Poland, and Georgia, counts over 2,000 employees.
The post SOFTSWISS Survey Q3’24: 58% Cite Crypto as Key Driver in New Markets appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Latest News
Sumsub and SoftGamings Forge Strategic Partnership to Enhance Player Verification and Fraud Prevention
Sumsub, a global full-cycle verification platform, and SoftGamings, a leading developer of gaming platforms and turnkey iGaming systems, are pleased to announce a strategic partnership aimed at strengthening the security and compliance features of iGaming solutions worldwide.
This collaboration combines Sumsub’s cutting-edge verification technologies with SoftGamings’ innovative gaming platforms, ensuring smoother player onboarding, enhanced fraud detection, and seamless, secure user experiences. Under this partnership, SoftGamings will integrate Sumsub’s advanced KYC (Know Your Customer) checks, Player Behavior Monitoring, Fraud Networks Detection, and Payment Fraud Prevention solutions into its platform, offering clients enhanced protection against fraud while streamlining the user journey from registration to gameplay.
“Security and reliability are at the core of everything we do at SoftGamings,” said Anna Kiselova, Head of Partnerships at SoftGamings. “Teaming up with Sumsub strengthens our commitment to providing our customers with a platform that is not only feature-rich but also secure and aligned with the highest industry standards. This collaboration ensures that our clients can offer their players a safe and seamless experience, without compromising on performance or speed.”
SoftGamings’ platform currently handles over 50 billion transactions annually, supports 100 million registered players, and boasts an uptime rate among the best in the industry. Through this partnership, SoftGamings aims to provide its clients with an even more secure environment, allowing for faster player onboarding, enhanced fraud detection capabilities, and a smoother user experience overall.
The partnership also promises to empower gaming operators to monitor player behavior more effectively, identify potential risks, and prevent fraud before it happens—all while complying with ever-evolving regulatory requirements.
“We are thrilled to partner with SoftGamings, a company with a long-standing reputation for providing high-performance iGaming platforms,” comments Kris Galloway, Head of iGaming Product at Sumsub. “By combining our industry-leading verification and fraud prevention tools with SoftGamings’ cutting-edge solutions, we’re able to offer iGaming operators across the globe a seamless and secure experience from day one. This partnership represents a significant step forward in simplifying compliance and reducing digital fraud in the iGaming ecosystem.”
The post Sumsub and SoftGamings Forge Strategic Partnership to Enhance Player Verification and Fraud Prevention appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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