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Sam Sadi predicts Fanatics success at Xtremepush iGaming event
Fanatics has the tools to come out on top in the race between the two major newcomers in the US sports betting market, according to LiveScore Group CEO Sam Sadi.
Speaking at iGaming 2024: The Future of iGaming, an event hosted by Xtremepush, the leading omnichannel customer engagement platform powered by a real-time customer data platform (CDP), Sadi outlined his belief that the superior knowledge and experience of the Fanatics team presents them with a significant competitive advantage over rivals ESPN Bet.
Flutter, the parent company of FanDuel, has estimated that the overall regulated sports betting market in the US will be worth more than $40 billion by 2030.[MC1]
“Fanatics has the better chance of winning,” said Sadi, in a fireside chat with Xtremepush CEO Tommy Kearns at London’s Southbank Centre. “ESPN Bet probably won’t, unless they realise the full difficulties they face with Barstool, they understand what’s missing, they’re patient and they invest a lot in technology.
“Why should Fanatics win? Because they already understand it. A lot of their executives, management and engineering team come from Sky Bet. They know what it takes to build a world-class sportsbook and they know that convergence is difficult. They’re willing to be patient and construct an entire ecosystem piece by piece, with every component being best-in-class.”
Coveting convergence
Sadi also touched on the hot topic of convergence in sports betting, such a big area for his company LiveScore and LiveScore Bet, outlining the area in which he sees scope for innovation.
“A lot of technology resources today are spent on remaining compliant,” he said. “We are in an over-regulated industry where margins have been eroded, meaning companies can’t invest as much in innovation.
“Just as we have done, you are looking for alternative strategies and inefficiencies in the ecosystem of sports content and media. If you include this in a fully owned ecosystem, there is margin for improvement. This is the part of the experience where you can start innovating and investing, as opposed to within a sportsbook where you can’t make as much of a difference.”
Player Engagement 2.0 – Turning Visitors into Loyal Players
Other external speakers at the well-attended event, which hosted operators, suppliers and media from the iGaming industry, included Joanna Beaton, Head of CRM at Kwiff, Adrian Căpriţă, CRM and VIP Director at Superbet, and Tom Dyson, Head of Gaming Managed Services at EveryMatrix, who discussed the future of player engagement, retention and loyalty.
Beaton also expanded on the theme of regulation and the consequent need to retain players, with personalised experiences acting as a powerful engagement tool.
“A lot of the attention has been on acquisition, but as the market becomes more saturated, regulation becomes stricter and deposit limits are there to deal with, so retention has to become central. How do you stand out if you can’t bonus your player who is playing with three or four more other bookies through your product?
“It’s really important to know your player profiles and half the job is understanding data. If not, you’re basically throwing money into the wind and hoping for the best. We’ve worked with Xtremepush over the last year and have hundreds of attributes now in terms of player profiles, which have enabled some beautiful onboarding journeys. Because of the level of data that we have access to, we’ve seen tremendous uplift.”
Dyson’s view, meanwhile, was that there are limits to the extent to which brand marketing is effective in the battle for player retention.
“Brand recognition is the only area where I can see marketing being responsible for retention,” he said. “How often can I get my brand in front of someone I’ve had a contact point with? Thereafter, the responsibility is with the product. You have to get players in the door and engage them with an experience that might be different, but which needs to match up with what you promised. That needs to happen in real-time, because tomorrow they might have already been sent to other operators.”
Pushing the positives
For Beaton, the fundamental key to unlocking player loyalty is the provision of a positive initial experience.
“Even though we have a sizable brand, we are in a congested market and looking after players should be a priority,” she added. “When players come through the door, creating memorable positive experiences is what builds the foundation of loyalty. This is especially the case when regulation is getting tighter and bonusing is becoming harder. While acquisition is important, retention and creating that first positive experience is vital.”
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.
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.
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.
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