Trust your instinct

Published

1 year ago

June 11, 2025

Reading Time: 3 minutes

David Natroshvilli, Founder of SPRIBE, says that without gut feeling and persistence, Aviator would not be the flyaway success that it has become

Aviator is one of the most successful online casino games in the world, with more than 50 million active users placing 400,000+ bets a minute at more than 5,000 online casino brands and counting.

It has become a brand in its own right, helped in part by the multi-million-dollar marketing deals we have with global sports franchises like the UFC and WWE, and teams like A.C. Milan.

But that hasn’t always been the case.

Rewind back to ICE London 2019, and you would have found me and my business partner, Nick, approaching every stand we could to speak to people about this great new game we had created.

We had no stand, no tea and coffee machine, no staff – just the two of us, and an iPad (which we debated long and hard about purchasing because we were a start-up with no money).

But we also had persistence, and despite being turned away by the vast majority of the people we approached, we did manage to have some conversations.

And those who took the time to try the game really got it – this included EveryMatrix, who became one of our first distribution partners (and remains a crucial partner to this day).

When I look back, I think what made us so persistent is that we knew deep down that in Aviator, we had a game-changing product; we just needed to get it in front of the right people.

But this is easier said than done when you are being turned away time after time.

It was also hard to generate interest because ultimately, we didn’t create the crash format. Crash games had been around for several years and were simply not popular with players.

What we had done, though, was revolutionise the format so that it offered a thrilling player experience through a smooth and seamless user interface.

We also built features into Aviator that had never been seen in an online casino game before – I’m talking about real-time leaderboards, in-game chat, multi-bets and multiplayer gameplay.

We’d also spent an incredible amount of time working on the user interface and experience. We knew it had to be smooth and seamless, especially on mobile with one-handed play.

We poured over the fine details and made sure that everything was a simple, fast and easy to understand as possible, while delivering edge-of-the-seat thrills and social interaction.

While we know this is what the players of today are seeking, at the time, this was an entirely new combination of factors, and pretty much everyone we spoke to thought they didn’t work together.

But we knew it worked; we just needed to get a couple of initial partners on board, and we could build momentum from there.

Thankfully for us, that happened with EveryMatrix and the other platform providers and aggregators that took a bit of a risk and added Aviator to their lobbies.

And since then, momentum has built and continues to build as we keep refining Aviator and pushing boundaries, both within the game and how we market it to players.

I know that people look at the Aviator story, especially the meteoric growth it has achieved in recent years, and think it’s been a smooth flight since takeoff.

But the reality is, it has been incredibly turbulent with a lot of tough times along the way.

ICE London 2019 was especially difficult, and in those moments of rejection, pretty deflating. But despite the setbacks, we trusted our instinct and kept knocking on doors until one opened.

This is an industry where fortunes can change on the spin of a reel, and our bet on Aviator has certainly paid off.

But for myself and Nick, as well as the founding members of SPRIBE, it wasn’t really a gamble to begin with.

We knew Aviator would be a hit, we just needed to convince a few other people of that, too.

Six years later, it’s safe to say that none of us expected to see Aviator flying so high, but that we are incredibly proud to see it soaring.

The post Trust your instinct appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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

Published

7 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

14 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

14 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.