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SportCaller launches 25k Racing Super Series game with Coral
Free-to-play specialist is a winner for leading operator’s horse racing fans with a new spin on the classic Placepot bet
SportCaller, the award-winning free-to-play (FTP) sports-game provider, has rolled out a new horse racing game, Racing Super Series, with immediate success for leading operator Coral, following last month’s flagship King George meeting at Ascot.
This new game delivers a fresh twist on the classic Placepot, traditionally one of the most popular bets for UK and Irish racing, offering Coral customers the chance to share in a minimum £25,000 jackpot by simply picking a horse to finish in the places across the first six races on a chosen card. The announcement also extends SportCaller’s ongoing partnership with Coral, which dates back to the 2018 World Cup, and was supplemented last year via their Smart Money Series across multiple sports.
Besides the guaranteed 25k prize fund, Racing Super Series also gives players enhanced place terms on the big races, thereby improving the chances of a winning trigger for all entrants and increasing the probability of a positive user-outcome when compared to other successful jackpot games, such as Super 6 or the ITV7.
Having devised the original free-to-play jackpot model with Channel 4 Racing in 2014, SportCaller has already returned to its racing roots this year by rebooting the Tote’s Ten To Follow Competition to universal acclaim. So, this latest latest reimagining again demonstrates similar flair and versatility in updating longstanding legacy formats to familiarise modern audiences with forgotten favourites.
SportCaller has added other innovations to upgrade and enhance the UX from the typical Placepot experience, thanks to an intuitive interface which aligns a quick-reference predictions page with an organic Placepot link and bet prompts for every selection. Racing Post content also brings welcome stats, form and insight to the decision-making process, while an Overview feature updates surviving Racing Super Series entrants and their respective selections race-by-race, so that players can track the likely split of the 25k. This gameplay finesse drives digital dwell-time and encourages return visits, as participants evaluate their positions next to those of their friends and rivals.
Cillian Barry, MD at SportCaller, said: “Horse racing is one of the few sports which has been able to maintain a quality fixture list during the global pandemic. And from an FTP perspective, racing games have historically generated the highest rates of engagement and retention. So, when Coral charged us with breathing new life into the Placepot format through the Racing Super Series, we couldn’t wait to get started on a game which embraces both our teams’ underlying passions.
“The free-to-play framework of jackpot predictors is an established winner for improving acquisition and retention. However, you need “winnable” jackpots on marquee events to really engage players, so a guaranteed share of 25k for getting six horses to place, not win, on King George day seemed like an attractive premise. The engagement levels have been fantastic, while the conversion rates to funded accounts speak to the trust and brand recognition which these games can foster.”
Tim Dykes, Head of Innovation at Coral, added: “The biggest compliment you can pay SportCaller’s FTP games is that no-one ever questions why you’re offering them. Coral’s Racing Super Series on the King George meeting was an instant hit with our players, harnessing the enduring appeal of a Placepot bet with immersive features which sustain engagement throughout the racecard.
“It was important to remain true to the small-stakes-big-win spirit of the Placepot, but retool it so that this renowned raceday ritual can better connect with more modern audiences, particularly on mobile. The early results have been encouraging and we’re confident we’ve bottled its timeless appeal for the next generation of racing fans without compromising our existing loyal base. That’s a tightrope that SportCaller treads better than anyone. After all, while you should never tamper with a classic, you must give it a lick of paint once in a while!
“We see Racing Super Series becoming a familiar weekly winner for all our racing fans, who can watch the action live on coral.co.uk or via our app.”
The Dublin-based supplier allows its partners to launch a wide range of FTP prediction, jackpot and more hyper-casual game formats with seamless speed across any sport, language or territory via web, iOS, Play Store, Facebook Instant Games or Twitch extensions.
SportCaller offers nearly 100 games across 36 countries and in 20 languages (via multilingual API) in Europe, Asia, Africa, Australasia and North and Latin America. In the past year, SportCaller has rolled out around 50 new games, more than doubling the total number offered over the past three years, with similar two-fold increase in its active and ongoing operator partnerships. Sustained investment in key architecture and its core proprietary platform – on which all FTP games are created, managed, reported and resulted – has been crucial to supplementing this success and consistent growth.
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Editor’s Take
Why this matters: Belatra has been a steady hand in the slots world for a long time, but 2025 marked a distinct shift in strategy. By entering the Crash vertical with Goose Boom Bang and winning big at SiGMA Africa, the studio is clearly pivoting to capture the high-growth, high-frequency players in emerging markets. They are no longer just a “classic slots” developer; they are diversifying the portfolio to ensure relevance in regions like LatAm and Africa.
The Full Story
Belatra Games, the specialist online slots developer, has issued a strategic review of its 2025 operations, celebrating a 12-month period defined by entry into new game verticals, significant franchise expansion, and high-profile industry recognition.
The year was characterized by a dual strategy: deepening engagement in established markets while aggressively expanding its content portfolio to suit local preferences in emerging territories.
Portfolio Evolution: Crash and Battles 2025 saw Belatra move beyond its traditional slot roots. The company made its debut in the high-demand Crash game vertical with the launch of Goose Boom Bang, a title designed to tap into the fast-paced gameplay preference of younger demographics.
Additionally, the studio introduced a fresh game concept with the launch of Battles, a new format unveiled for the first time in 2025, with further development planned for 2026.
The ‘Mummyverse’ Expands For fans of classic slots, the highlight of the year was the aggressive expansion of the Mummyverse. Belatra nearly doubled the size of this franchise over the year, making it the most extensive game universe in their entire catalog.
The developer also focused on B2B localization, releasing a number of exclusive bespoke games created specifically for selected operator partners to meet specific local market tastes.
Awards and Recognition The company’s strategic shifts were validated by industry accolades. Belatra secured over 30 nominations throughout the year, with standout wins including:
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Best Slot Provider (awarded by BitStarz).
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Most Played Game of 2025 for Make It Gold at the SiGMA Africa Awards.
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Player’s Pick Award.
Management Commentary Misha Voinich, Head of Business Development at Belatra, commented on the studio’s momentum:
“This year has truly defined who we are as a studio – ambitious, creative and focused on building long-term partnerships. We’ve expanded our universes, launched new ones and entered exciting new markets that will all help us carry this momentum into the New Year.”
The post From ‘Mummyverse’ to Crash Games: Belatra Reviews a Landmark 2025 appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry Newsroom.
Editor’s Take
Why this matters: The “Instant Game” vertical (Crash, Plinko, Mines) is becoming crowded, but Ebaka Games is cutting through the noise with a distinct brand personality. By securing BMM Testlabs certification so quickly after launch, they are signaling to Tier 1 operators that despite their “chaotic” marketing vibe, the math underneath is solid and compliant. The backing of industry veteran Dmitry Belianin also adds immediate commercial credibility to the startup.
The Full Story
Ebaka Games, the fledgling studio that promises to bring “chaos and soul” to the iGaming sector, has outlined an aggressive growth strategy for 2026 following a landmark launch period in late 2025.
The studio, which officially debuted in November, reports that its initial rollout reached more than five million people worldwide. The launch saw its portfolio go live with the operator Menace, serving as the initial testbed for its mechanics and “Ebaka modes.”
The Product: Instant Games with Personality Ebaka is bypassing traditional slots to focus on the high-growth vertical of fast-paced, instant-win games. Their initial lineup includes:
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Plinko
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Mines
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Tower
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Limbo
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Crash
Differentiation is achieved through unique mascots and signature gameplay tweaks designed to offer high win potential and distinct visual identities, moving away from the generic interfaces often found in this genre.
Regulatory Milestone Crucially for its 2026 roadmap, Ebaka Games has confirmed it has secured certification from BMM Testlabs. This accreditation validates the fairness and integrity of its RNG (Random Number Generator) and game engines, removing a major barrier to entry for regulated markets. With this certification in hand, the studio plans to launch with a number of “major brands” in the coming year.
Management Commentary Vitalii Zalievskyi, CEO of Ebaka Games, commented on the studio’s unorthodox approach:
“It’s only been a few weeks since we first introduced Ebaka Games to the world. The feedback has been breathtaking, and it vindicates the decision for us to take a different path to the rest of the industry. You don’t need huge marketing budgets to grab people’s attention if you are building something truly innovative.”
Industry Backing The studio describes itself as being “created by players for players” but boasts significant industry firepower in its corner. The team includes Dmitry Belianin, a well-known figure in the sector who is the co-founder of Blask and Menace, as well as Managing Partner at Already Media.
The post ‘Chaos and Soul’: Ebaka Games Plots Global Expansion After Viral Launch appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry Newsroom.
Editor’s Take
Why this matters: British racing has a well-documented demographic problem; its core audience is aging. “Friday Night Live” is a direct attempt to fix this by blending high-stakes racing with the “experience economy” (DJs, nightlife vibes) that appeals to Gen Z and Millennials. Bringing SBK on board—a mobile-first, app-only sportsbook—is a perfect demographic fit, while the Racing Post adds the necessary credibility to ensure the actual racing product remains the focus.
The Full Story
Arena Racing Company (ARC) has unveiled the strategic commercial lineup for its upcoming Friday Night Live series, confirming SBK as the Exclusive Betting Partner and The Racing Post as the Official Media Partner.
Set to launch in January 2026, Friday Night Live is a new initiative created in collaboration with youth-focused events company INVADES. The series is designed to overhaul the traditional race day experience, featuring fast-paced fixtures under floodlights, DJ sets, and significant entertainment elements sandwiched between races.
The Commercial Deal
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SBK: As the exclusive betting partner, the Smarkets-owned sportsbook will take naming rights and on-course branding for all 35 races. Crucially, these races will be broadcast live on mainstream television via ITV Racing as well as Sky Sports Research.
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The Racing Post: As the Official Media Partner, the publication will provide content, coverage, and promotion across its digital platforms, aiming to bridge the gap between established racing purists and the new audience ARC hopes to attract.
A High-Stakes Experiment The series is not just a marketing exercise; it carries serious sporting weight. Each of the five scheduled nights will feature over £200,000 in prize money. The fixtures will rotate across three of ARC’s all-weather tracks: Wolverhampton, Newcastle, and Southwell.
Management Commentary David Leyden Dunbar, Group Director of Commercial Strategy at ARC, was clear about the target audience:
“We have been very clear that one of the aims of Friday Night Live is to engage the next generation of racing fans… Both [partners] have shown real enthusiasm to work with us… as well as using the platform that these fixtures will offer them to also engage with more established racing and sports fans.”
Adam Baylis, Marketing Director at SBK, added:
“Friday Night Live [is] a fresh and engaging concept that brings a new energy to British racing. SBK has always been built around sport… our focus is on enhancing the live race day experience in a fun, social and responsible way.”
The 2026 Schedule The series kicks off immediately in the new year:
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9th Jan: Wolverhampton
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6th Feb: Newcastle
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20th Feb: Southwell
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20th March: Wolverhampton
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27th March: Newcastle
The post Racing Meets Nightlife: SBK Backs ARC’s New ‘Friday Night Live’ Series appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry Newsroom.
