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Eek! Games Invites Anzu to House Party with New Partnership Announcement

Published

6 years ago

September 16, 2020

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Anzu.io, the world-leading in-game advertising platform, announced today that it has entered into a new partnership with Eek! Games, the developer of the popular AI-driven simulation game House Party. With the integration of Anzu’s solution, brand advertisers will be able to place blended in-game ads into House Party, creating a more realistic gaming environment for players to enjoy.

House Party is the brainchild of artist, comedian, and CEO of Eek! Games Bobby Ricci and was inspired by his love of the raunchy comedy movies of the ’80s and ’90s. The PC-based game was an immediate hit with fans, racking up 30,000 downloads in the first weeks of release in 2017 and surpassing 600,000 sales to date. On Steam, the leading platform for game sales, House Party has achieved a 90% positive reviews and is most popular with American and Chinese audiences.

The open-ended social simulator puts players in control of the story with each point-and-click action. Players can get up to the same hijinks they would during a real-life party such as taking a dip in the jacuzzi or dancing the night away with other characters. The way the game replicates typical party actions lends itself well to the incorporation of real-world ads which will further enhance the gameplay reality. For example, instead of players trying to steal bottles of booze with fake labels, they would reach for a bottle with a real brand label on it.

The integration of Anzu’s platform comes at an opportune time for House Party as the company prepares for the game’s full release in 2021. Of the partnership, Bobby Ricci, CEO of Eek! games, said, “We think Anzu is a great way to both help support the development of the game, while at the same time being conscious of not breaking the player’s immersion. We’re excited about the partnership and are looking forward to working together!”

Anzu, which recently won the ESI Digital Summer The Clutch Digital pitch competition, is the first and only solution of its kind that allows game publishers to integrate scalable, programmatically served blended in-game ads from top-tier international advertisers, delivering them across PC, console, and mobile games. The ad tech company has positioned itself as a leader in the market, being the first and only to offer a full-suite of AdTech integrations, including ad verification in partnership with Cheq, fraud detection in partnership with Forensiq, and campaign effectiveness measurement in partnership with Nielsen. They are also the only company to earn an ISO 27001 security certification.

“The video game market is exploding right now and is expected to be worth $200 billion by 2023, making it an exciting time for the ecosystem. At Anzu, we continually strive to deliver best-in-class services with ad verification, fraud prevention, and audience-based targeting tools,” said Itamar Benedy, Anzu’s Co-Founder and CEO. “Our partnership with Eek! is very exciting because the game uniquely lends itself to creative opportunities for advertisers. In the beta version of the game, players encountered fake brands, but now brands can join the party and play with ad content while connecting with players in an unobtrusive way. Players already responded well to the introduction of real celebrity personalities in the game, and we know they will love encountering real brands.”

Latest News

Tony Bellew signs as PartyPoker brand ambassador through 2026

Published

2 days ago

July 10, 2026

Wladimir P.

Former WBC cruiserweight champion to appear at PartyPoker Tour UK stops and take part in online activations.

PartyPoker has appointed former WBC Cruiserweight World Champion Tony Bellew as a brand ambassador for the remainder of 2026, with appearances tied to the operator’s live PartyPoker Tour and online poker offering.

The company said Bellew will be “a regular face” at its remaining UK tour stops this season following an earlier appearance at the PartyPoker Tour Birmingham. Bellew will also take part in online activity linked to the PartyPoker schedule.

“I had such a great time at the PartyPoker Tour Birmingham. The atmosphere, the people and the passion for the game were incredible. I’m really excited to be joining the PartyPoker team for the rest of the year, getting involved at the live events, meeting players and seeing where the cards take me,” Bellew said.

PartyPoker said Bellew is scheduled to attend each remaining UK stop on the 2026 PartyPoker Tour: London in July, Glasgow in August, Cork in November, and London in December. The operator also referenced a series of exclusive online events running alongside the live calendar.

The post Tony Bellew signs as PartyPoker brand ambassador through 2026 appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Arizona

Arizona regulator orders five operators to stop alleged illegal gambling activity

Published

2 days ago

July 10, 2026

Wladimir P.

arizona-regulator-orders-five-operators-to-stop-alleged-illegal-gambling-activity

Cease-and-desist letters cite alleged felonies and underage access tied to BetOpenly, Bookmaker, Club WPT Online Poker, Kutt Inc., and Raffle Creator.

The Arizona Department of Gaming said it has issued cease-and-desist orders to five online platforms—BetOpenly, Bookmaker, Club WPT Online Poker, Kutt Inc., and Raffle Creator—after investigations that the Department says involved alleged illegal gambling activity and underage access in Arizona.

In its announcement, the Department said each enforcement action alleges conduct giving rise to three felonies under Arizona law: promotion of gambling, illegal control of an enterprise, and money laundering. The agency cited Arizona’s prohibition on gambling unless specifically authorized (Ariz. Rev. Stat. Tit. 13, Ch. 33) and said the legal gambling age in the state is 21.

“Arizona is taking decisive action against illegal gambling operators that put Arizonans at risk,” said Jackie Johnson, Department Director. “Our top priority is protecting Arizonans and I’m grateful for the efforts of our intelligence unit led by Chief Law Enforcement Officer Doug Jensen to do just that. Through these cease-and-desist orders we are putting operators on notice: their conduct runs contrary to Arizona law and they must stop promoting illegal gambling.”

The Department’s letters describe different alleged violations by operator. For BetOpenly, the Department said peer-to-peer gambling rules prohibit third-party benefit, and alleged the platform benefited via a commission structure while enabling event wagering and daily fantasy sports contests without the required state licenses, including availability to underage Arizonans. For Bookmaker, the Department said its investigation found wagering on horse racing, casino games, and sports betting without an event wagering license or an advanced deposit wagering provider license, adding that online casino games are not legal in Arizona.

For Club WPT Online Poker, the Department alleged the platform enabled individuals under 21 in Arizona to enter pay-to-play online poker tournaments for prizes while using deceptive “no purchase necessary” language; the Department said online poker is illegal in Arizona. For Kutt Inc., the Department said Arizona “social” gambling prohibits third-party benefit and directed the operator to stop allowing Arizona users to deposit money and wager on sports, politics, pop culture, and casino-style games. For Raffle Creator, the Department said the operator did not meet requirements that allow Arizona nonprofits to conduct lawful raffles and alleged it allowed people under 21 to purchase tickets for prize chances.

The Department said the notified entities are directed to immediately stop all gambling operations and activities in Arizona “whether through mobile applications, online, or otherwise,” and to cease any future illegal gambling in the state. It added that future actions may include criminal charges or civil action against entities, principals, and employees, and that operators “may be subject to a potential award of restitution” and forfeiture of monies acquired due to the alleged conduct.

The post Arizona regulator orders five operators to stop alleged illegal gambling activity appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Latest News

Former WBC World Champion Tony Bellew Joins PartyPoker as Brand Ambassador

Published

2 days ago

July 10, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

Tony Bellew has officially joined the PartyPoker Brand Ambassador team for the remainder of 2026, strengthening the brand’s growing roster of ambassadors and reinforcing its commitment to bringing poker to a wider audience.

A former WBC Cruiserweight World Champion and one of Britain’s most recognisable sporting personalities, Bellew will play an active role across both PartyPoker’s live tour and online offering throughout the rest of the year.

Speaking about joining the team, Tony Bellew said: “I had such a great time at the PartyPoker Tour Birmingham. The atmosphere, the people and the passion for the game were incredible. I’m really excited to be joining the PartyPoker team for the rest of the year, getting involved at the live events, meeting players and seeing where the cards take me.”

His return follows a hugely successful appearance at the PartyPoker Tour Birmingham earlier this year, where he embraced the atmosphere, spent time with players and immersed himself in the event. After thoroughly enjoying the experience, Bellew will now become a regular face at the remaining UK stops on the PartyPoker Tour throughout the rest of the 2026 season.

As part of his ambassadorial role, Bellew will attend every remaining UK stop PartyPoker Tour in 2026:

London – July
Glasgow – August
Cork – November
London – December

With four live festival stops and a series of exclusive online events still to come, players will have plenty of opportunities to meet Bellew at the tables throughout the remainder of the 2026 PartyPoker calendar. Look out for opportunities to take him on online, and at the PartyPoker Tour in Glasgow, Cork and London.

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