Industry News
Degree 53 UX review shows operators still have work to do to meet Apple’s design guidelines
Degree 53, specialists in the UX, design and software development for the online gambling industry, have published a new UX review which shows that operators still have a long way to go to successfully meet Apple’s native UX design standards with their current products. The team reviewed ten UK leading sports betting mobile apps against the latest Apple Human Interface Guidelines to find out how likely they are to be approved with the deadline looming in March. With this report, Degree 53 aim to showcase how operators can improve their products for a successful App Store submission.
The team at Degree 53 revealed that while bet365, Coral, Ladbrokes and Unibet scored the highest (54-55/100), all of the reviewed brands received rather low ratings overall. None of the operators stood out. Some of the common low-scoring areas were web-like functionality and a lack of a clear user journey. This is mainly due to all of these products being container apps (website wraparounds) that don’t fully support the native standards required by Apple.
Last year, Apple set out a brief guideline advising that apps available on their App Store, including real-money gaming, need to provide a great user experience that is true to the platform, being as app-like as possible. Moreover, any HTML5 content will need to be embedded in the app binary without directing customers to an external site. This means the new standard affects any sports betting, casino, lottery and bingo apps. The deadline is March 2020 and it’s still unclear whether apps that will fail to meet these requirements will be removed or their updates not accepted.
Jade Daniels, design director at Degree 53 comments: “Apple has disrupted the online gambling industry by enforcing its design standards to real money gambling apps, giving very little time to operators to make any significant changes. It can take a large operator around a year to develop a native sportsbook app from scratch and requires a big investment. Many of our clients were in this situation, so we started looking into different solutions and studying Apple’s design guidelines to best meet their requirements. This report reflects our findings and recommendations on how to achieve this.”
“While not many can afford to build a native sportsbook, making it as app-like as possible will increase the chances of approval. The common problem that operators have is that their apps are derived from their sportsbook websites, still using web features in navigation and UI or even opening content in a browser. Today, product owners need to adopt the mobile-first approach, which Apple is trying to enforce, as that’s how the majority of people engage with digital products. Online gambling is a huge industry and it’s time it caught up with retail, entertainment and travel to support mobile engagement and provide a great customer experience.”
The Apple UX Guidelines Review follows a number of reports on Betting and Gaming services in Degree 53’s portfolio. The team has shared insights on the UX to help operators optimise their services and create an engaging betting experience. Degree 53 have a diverse project portfolio and have worked with global operators, such as Betfred, GBG, Penn Interactive Ventures and Hong Kong Jockey Club.
The Apple Design Guidelines UX Review can be accessed here.
Industry News
Novig Raises $75M Series B to Build a Trader-First Sports Prediction Market
Novig, the fastest growing sports trading platform in America, announced the close of a $75 million Series B round led by Pantera Capital, with participation from Multicoin Capital, Makers Fund, Edge Equity, and existing investors Forerunner, Perceptive Ventures, and NFX. The round brings Novig’s total capital raised to more than $105 million.
The funding follows a period of growth for the platform, which reported a 10x increase in trading volume during 2025. Novig’s annualized trading volume currently exceeds $4 billion.
Although sports account for the majority of activity on most prediction market platforms, those products are not built with sports traders in mind. Novig, by contrast, is built for sports fans, delivering a fair, transparent, and commission-free trading experience.
Since launch, the platform has rapidly emerged as the leading sports trading platform in the US, proving strong demand for a trader-first alternative to traditional sportsbooks. Novig has officially submitted its application to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to become a licensed Designated Contract Market (DCM), a critical milestone in its transition toward becoming a federally regulated exchange available in all 50 states.
Unlike sportsbooks that operate an against-the-house model, Novig operates a commission-free, peer-to-peer exchange where traders compete against one another on a level playing field. By eliminating the hidden “vig,” unfair odds, and punitive limits on winning players, Novig has built the industry’s most equitable sports prediction platform.
“Our mission is to democratize and financialize sports markets, and we’re proud of the fact that Novig users are 10 times more likely to win than on traditional sportsbooks,” said Jacob Fortinsky, Co-Founder and CEO of Novig.
“We chose to partner with the best crypto venture firms in the world to further accelerate our plans to make Novig the most efficient and liquid sports prediction market in the world. Others are using prediction market technology to financialize new markets with unproven demand. We leverage it to fix broken markets where demand already exists.”
“Novig is proving that prediction markets can fundamentally reshape sports betting by removing the exploitative middleman,” said Paul Veradittakit, Managing Partner at Pantera Capital.
“Their peer-to-peer exchange delivers what traditional sportsbooks can’t: better odds, fairer market structure, and alignment between platform success and user profitability. When 23% of users are profitable compared to 2% on traditional platforms, it’s clear this is a foundational change to the industry. We’re excited to lead this round and support Jacob, Kelechi, and the team as they build a sports prediction market that actually puts bettors first.”
“Novig combines the cultural heartbeat of sports with the transparency and efficiency of prediction markets. Most prediction market volume today is on sports, yet those platforms weren’t built with sports or sports bettors in mind. We are delivering a better exchange that is built by sports traders, for sports traders,” said Co-Founder and CTO Kelechi Ukah.
The new capital accelerates Novig’s next phase of growth, including onboarding more institutional liquidity. Novig will utilize the investment to deepen product innovation and growth loops, launching first-of-its-kind functionality that combines the best innovation of financial markets with the excitement of live sports.
To support its next phase of growth, Novig has expanded its team to more than 50 personnel, including operators, engineers, and traders focused on developing the platform’s prediction market infrastructure and transparency features.
The post Novig Raises $75M Series B to Build a Trader-First Sports Prediction Market appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
Gaming Laboratories International
GLI Promotes Patrick Cottingham to Director of Client Services, North America
Gaming Laboratories International (GLI) has promoted Patrick Cottingham to Director of Client Services, North America. Previously, he served as Senior Manager of Client Services. Prior to commencing his career as an engineer with GLI, he served with the US Air Force.
Cottingham’s dedication to his clients was clearly evident both inside and outside of GLI. He transitioned to the Client Services team where he progressed and built a team laser focused on providing the very best customer service where his and his team’s clients have benefited from his engineering and gaming experience.
Ian Hughes, GLI Chief Revenue Officer, said: “We are thrilled to announce Patrick’s well-deserved promotion to Director of Client Services for North America. Patrick leads a team of dedicated and committed client services representatives who ensure our clients receive the best service during their compliance journey with GLI.”
The post GLI Promotes Patrick Cottingham to Director of Client Services, North America appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
Blueprintx
Zingo Bingo Launches “Your Era” Nostalgia Series Featuring Kerry Katona and Pat Sharp
Zingo Bingo Launches “Your Era” – A Social-First Nostalgia Series for 2026
Zingo Bingo has officially unveiled Your Era, a new short-form social media content series celebrating iconic throwbacks, shared nostalgia and the cultural moments that defined generations. The series launches in February 2026 and will roll out weekly across TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.
Designed to strengthen Zingo Bingo’s identity as a home of nostalgic fun, Your Era focuses on authentic conversation rather than traditional promotional content. The format highlights music, fashion, technology and pop culture milestones that shaped each guest’s personal journey.
Kerry Katona and Pat Sharp Headline Series One
The first confirmed guests include Kerry Katona, singer and media personality best known from Atomic Kitten, and Pat Sharp, the iconic radio and TV presenter associated with classic UK entertainment shows. Additional celebrity names will be revealed throughout the year.
Each episode features five themed nostalgia segments crafted to spark memories, conversation and emotional connections among viewers.
What to Expect from “Your Era”
Every guest takes part in recurring throwback features designed to boost engagement and relatability:
- The Memory Bag – Guests reveal five nostalgic items and share the stories behind them
- Flashback Files – A rapid-fire interview covering music, fashion, tech and cultural trends
- Mixtape Memories – Guests curate throwback tracks for the official Your Era playlist
- Taste of the Past – Sampling retro sweets and snacks while rating nostalgia levels
- Yesterday’s News – A humorous headline-guessing game using real throwback media stories
The series aims to tap into the growing popularity of nostalgia-driven digital content while positioning Zingo Bingo as a community-led entertainment brand.
Built by Kinetic Digital and Blueprintx
Your Era has been developed by Zingo Bingo’s operators, Kinetic Digital, in collaboration with long-term creative partner Blueprintx. Blueprintx has previously supported digital and television campaigns for Kinetic Digital brands including Prime Casino and Slingo.
The production strategy prioritises shareable, short-form content optimised for social discovery and influencer amplification, with episodes distributed across dedicated platform pages as well as guest channels.
A Strategic Play for Community Engagement
Jack Watson, Brand Manager at Zingo Bingo, said the series reflects the brand’s commitment to fun, familiarity and connection.
“Your Era is about celebrating the music we replayed, the fads we cringe at and the memories that still make us smile. It’s designed to bring people together through shared nostalgia while reminding audiences that bingo is about enjoying those moments collectively.”
Series one will feature six guests throughout 2026, with new weekly segments designed to drive audience engagement and repeat viewership.
The post Zingo Bingo Launches “Your Era” Nostalgia Series Featuring Kerry Katona and Pat Sharp appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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