Press Releases
Formula 1 drivers joined by cricket and football stars for Virtual Grand Prix at Brazil’s Interlagos
Formula 1 drivers Alex Albon, Antonio Giovinazzi, George Russell, Nicholas Latifi and Charles Leclerc will be joined by stars from cricket and football for this weekend’s virtual race at the Interlagos Circuit.
England cricketers Stuart Broad and Ben Stokes will take to the grid for this weekend’s Virtual Grand Prix alongside A.C. Milan captain Alessio Romagnoli, where they will battle it out alongside Formula 1 stars in the fourth virtual race of the season, with more names to be announced in the coming days.
Broad, who will be racing for Scuderia AlphaTauri, will be looking to beat his England teammate Stokes, who is racing in his second virtual Grand Prix for Aston Martin Red Bull Racing alongside Alex Albon.
Sunday’s race will fall on the weekend originally scheduled for the 2020 return of the Dutch Grand Prix, however as Circuit Zandvoort is not available on the F1 2019 videogame, the choice of circuit was left to a fan vote on social media. Brazil’s Autódromo José Carlos Pace, also known as Interlagos, emerged as the clear winner, securing more 50% of the 40,000 votes cast. Drivers will join the race remotely, with a host broadcast live from the Gfinity Esports Arena from 6:00pm (BST) on Sunday May 3.
The Virtual Grand Prix Series has proven immensely popular with fans around the world with the Bahraini, Vietnamese and Chinese virtual GPs cumulating over 12.9m views across F1’s digital platforms. When combined with television estimates, more than 16m people have tuned in for the three races to date.
The broadcast which will be available on the official Formula 1 YouTube, Twitch, Weibo and Facebook channels, is expected to run for 1 hour 30 minutes, with a qualifying period where grid positions will be determined based on the drivers’ fastest lap time, followed by a 28-lap race. The Virtual Grand Prix will
also be broadcast live with international broadcast partners in over 100 countries including in the UK on Sky Sports, in the US on ESPN, and FOX Sports Asia across Southeast Asia.
The F1 Esports Pro Exhibition race will precede the Virtual Grand Prix – and is set to begin at 5:00pm (BST). The broadcast will be available on the official Formula 1 YouTube, Twitch and Facebook channels as well as selected TV broadcasters and is expected to run for 1 hour.
Julian Tan, Head of Digital Business Initiatives and Esports said:
“We are delighted that so many fans are watching and engaging with the F1 Esports Virtual Grands Prix. The viewership continues to go from strength to strength, outlining the growing success of the races and the wider potential of Formula 1 in esports. Furthermore, we are thrilled to welcome more stars from outside the world of F1, to complement our strong F1 and motorsport driver grid, and use this opportunity to link up with other sports as we all stand together to give fans something to cheer about during these difficult times.”
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Awards
Slotsoo Awards 2026 Celebrate the Best Casinos and Game Providers
Slotsoo is proud to announce the winners of the Slotsoo Awards 2026, recognising the online casinos and game providers that have delivered the best player experiences over the past year. Now firmly established as an annual celebration of excellence, the awards continue to recognise the companies setting new standards for quality and innovation across the iGaming industry.
Spotlighting the Best Game Providers of 2026
Following last year’s successful debut, the Slotsoo Game Provider Awards returned for a second year to recognise the studios pushing online slots forward through original ideas, engaging gameplay, and consistently high-quality releases. This year’s winners are:
- The Machine MVP – Pragmatic Play
- Bonus Buyer – Eurasian Gaming
- Volatility Virtuoso – 1spin4win
- Jackpot Jumbo – Platipus Gaming
- Symphony Spinner – Peter & Sons
- Reel Renegade – TaDa Gaming
- Promising Prodigy – EXCO Game Studio
Pragmatic Play retained the prestigious Machine MVP award for a second consecutive year, while every other category crowned a new winner, highlighting the emergence of fresh talent and new ideas among game providers.
Casino Awards Return for a Fourth Year
Since their debut in 2023, the Slotsoo Casino Awards have celebrated the operators raising the standard for online casino experiences. This year’s winners continue that tradition, earning recognition for excellence across bonuses, withdrawals, gamification, and overall quality. The seven winners for 2026 are:
- The Gambling GOAT – Lunar Spins
- The Bonus Buff – Go4Casino
- The Loyalty Lord – Valhalla Wins
- The Withdrawal Wizard – Taste Vegas
- The Gamification Guru – Lucky Fuel
- The Payout Professor – Stupid Casino
- The Noisy Newcomer – Kudos Bet
While the Game Provider Awards saw several first-time winners, the Casino Awards reflected the continued strength of a few established operators. C24 Partners enjoyed a particularly successful year, with four awards going to brands from its portfolio, including the main trophy The Gambling GOAT.
Recognition That Goes Beyond Popularity
Unlike many industry awards, the Slotsoo Awards are not decided by public voting. Winners are selected by the Slotsoo team after evaluating casino operators and game providers throughout the year. Each nominee is assessed on factors such as player value and innovation.
This approach ensures that both established industry leaders and ambitious newcomers have an equal opportunity to be recognised. Whether it’s a casino redefining loyalty rewards or a game studio introducing fresh mechanics, the awards highlight companies that genuinely move the industry forward.
Other News from Slotsoo.com This Summer
The Slotsoo Awards weren’t the only milestone for the company this summer. In June, the team attended the HIPTHER Baltics & Nordics Gaming Conference in Tallinn, connecting with industry professionals, exploring the latest developments in iGaming, and returning home with plenty of inspiration.
July marked the publication of Slotsoo’s first book, The Casino Player’s ABC, written by Markus Björk, Head of Content. This tongue-in-cheek ABC book for adults takes a humorous look at the ups and downs in slot gaming. Markus Björk comments:
“The awards and the book may seem like very different projects, but they share the same goal. Both are about celebrating what makes this industry unique and helping players navigate it with a sense of humour.”
With another successful awards season, the publication of their first book, and an active presence at industry events, 2026 has been one of Slotsoo’s busiest and most exciting years to date.
The post Slotsoo Awards 2026 Celebrate the Best Casinos and Game Providers appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Endorphina
Endorphina releases Zalatar online slot with Hold and Win jackpots
Endorphina has launched Zalatar, a new myths-and-legends themed online slot, expanding its recent run of fantasy-leaning releases.
The supplier said Zalatar is a 5-reel, 3-row game with 25 fixed paylines, 96.03% RTP and high volatility.
Feature-wise, Endorphina said the title includes a Mystery Pick ‘Em feature, three Hold And Win Bonus Games, and Scatter and Wild mechanics. During Hold And Win, the company said “colorful orbs” can award Collector and Multiplier functions, plus Min, Mid, Max, and Ultra Jackpots.
The game also includes Endorphina’s Risk Game, where the company said players can double wins up to 10 times by beating the dealer’s card.
Endorphina said Zalatar is available across mobile, tablet and desktop. The Prague-based supplier also reiterated that its portfolio includes “210+” slots and partnerships with “6,000+” operators worldwide.
The post Endorphina releases Zalatar online slot with Hold and Win jackpots appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
creator-economy
DuelBits says its Justin Gaethje UFC campaign drove 122m verified views
DuelBits says its JUSTIN2026 campaign with UFC fighter Justin Gaethje generated more than 122 million verified clip views and contributed to “one of DuelBits’ strongest UFC betting events in recent memory.” The operator said the campaign exceeded its KPI target of 100 million impressions and was distributed through a network of more than 140 creators.
The campaign was framed by DuelBits as a challenge to the industry’s common approach to athlete and influencer partnerships, arguing that many operators wait until an athlete’s commercial value peaks.
Jasper Hoekert, Chief Marketing Officer at DuelBits, said: “Too many operators approach ambassador partnerships as sponsorship deals. They wait until someone has already become one of the biggest names in sport before trying to work with them. At that point, everyone is competing for the same audience, the same inventory and the same headlines.”
Hoekert added: “The real opportunity is identifying athletes who perfectly align with your audience before they’re the obvious choice. If you genuinely believe in someone, you can build something together rather than simply renting their reputation once they’ve already made it.”
DuelBits said the JUSTIN2026 activation was built around a “premium hero film” supported by six short-form edits, behind-the-scenes videos and photography, with creator-led distribution across social media and MMA communities. The operator also said the flagship content was integrated into Gaethje’s “Art of Violence” YouTube series to extend the campaign beyond a single event window.
The company positioned distribution strategy as a key lever alongside content production. Hoekert said: “A brilliant piece of creative means very little if nobody sees it. We’ve reached a point where distribution deserves just as much strategic attention as the content itself. Working with creators, community pages, and trusted media partners allows campaigns to travel much further than relying on your own social channels alone.”
DuelBits also argued that modern KOL and ambassador campaigns should be assessed beyond top-line reach. “Views are an important benchmark because they show you’ve earned attention, but attention isn’t the finish line,” Hoekert said. “What matters is whether that attention drives action. In our case, we saw strong promotional code engagement alongside one of our best-performing UFC betting nights. That’s when you know the creative has delivered genuine business value rather than just impressive headline numbers.”
The post DuelBits says its Justin Gaethje UFC campaign drove 122m verified views appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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