Latest News
Football for Friendship unites world: Uganda musicians create fan chants for the new F4F World game
A transnational developers team (Russia, Ukraine, Germany, Brazil, Australia, China) is creating a new online game – the Football for Friendship World (F4F World) international football simulator. Fan chants created by musicians from Uganda will become a bright feature of the gameplay.
The new simulator will have several special features. One of them is the three modes: football player, coach, and fan. 18 chants of different levels of difficulty (with and without music) were created especially for the fan mode. The musicians will create over 40 tracks for the fans. Over 30 people from different countries of the world are creating the sound design for the game.
As fans, players will have the opportunity to choose favourite teams, earn fan merchandise, support the players of their favourite teams. The quality performance of the fan chants increases the players’ speed, affects their recovery after injuries, and gives the team extra points.
“What is football? First of all, football is emotions. It invokes incredible strong emotions, and it doesn’t matter whether you are playing it or watching your favourite team play or if you are playing an online game. You want to experience intense emotions and share them with your teammates, your friends. That’s why the element of fan support in football has such an important role in the development of the F4F World simulator,” notes Andrey Inyushin.
The release of the simulator is scheduled for the autumn of 2020. The game is created with the support of the International Children’s Social Programme Football for Friendship. The Football for Friendship World helps organise in real time games of international teams with players from different countries. The format is the same as in the offline championships of Football for Friendship, which unite players from 211 countries and regions of the world.
“I’m lucky to be one of the Football for Friendship participants. We were so amazed by the event that unites the whole world that we created and offered our friends from other countries a new song – the project’s hymn,” shares Kay Davis, a musician from Uganda. “When we found out that a new online game is under development, we wanted to participate in the sound design. We hope that the players like our fan chants, and that everyone will be able to immerse themselves into the atmosphere of a football game, and truly experience these emotions.”
DataArt is the developer of the F4F World game. The company created the Skillotron educational gaming platform that won multiple awards. It is also the global solutions developer for Nasdaq, Travelport, Ocado, Centrica/Hive, Paddy Power Betfair, IWG, Univision, Meetup. The game will be available on MS Windows, Apple macOS, Android, iOS.
Powered by WPeMatico
asia-pacific
Groove shortlisted for Best Aggregator at SiGMA Asia Awards 2026
Groove has been named a finalist for Best Aggregator 2026 at the SiGMA Asia Awards, with the ceremony scheduled for 2 June 2026 at the SMX Convention Centre Manila during the SiGMA Asia Summit.
The shortlist was announced by Global Gaming Insider, according to the company. Groove said its platform aggregates more than 15,000 games from over 150 providers via a single API.
Giusy Campo, Business Development Director at Groove, said: “This shortlist is external recognition of a truth we already feel internally: Groove is moving at a different pace. Asia is not a single market, it is a collection of distinct regulatory environments, player behaviours, and partnership opportunities”
Campo added: “Our platform is built to respect that complexity, not smooth it over. Being named a finalist for Best Aggregator tells us that our approach; deep integration, localised content strategies, and commercial precision; is resonating with the operators who matter most in this region. We are not just bringing games to Asia. We are bringing a roadmap for sustainable growth.”
Yahale Meltzer, Co-Founder and CEO of Groove, said: “The aggregation space is crowded. Differentiation is everything. This nomination confirms that our vision, transforming aggregation from a commodity into a strategic growth discipline, is taking hold.” He added: “Operators across Asia are no longer asking for just volume or speed. They are asking for structural resilience, data intelligence, and a partner who can execute across fragmented regulatory landscapes with precision. Groove delivers that. To be recognised alongside the best in Asia is a privilege, but the real work continues in Manila and beyond. We are here to win, not just awards, but the trust of the operators who build their businesses on our platform.”
The post Groove shortlisted for Best Aggregator at SiGMA Asia Awards 2026 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
data providers
DATA.BET reports 168% turnover growth from virtual content in Q1 2025–Q1 2026
DATA.BET says turnover from its virtual content grew 168% between Q1 2025 and Q1 2026, with the supplier reporting the product accounted for 39% of total virtual sports turnover and 45% of profits over the period.
The company said the content is developed fully in-house and delivered through automated bot-vs-bot matches that run 24/7 without dependence on real-world fixture schedules. DATA.BET positioned the format as a way to provide continuous events and reduce operational overhead for operators.
Across the same period, DATA.BET reported +299% active users, +129% across clients GGR, +246% events per quarter, and +218% bets placed.
DATA.BET also said the audience profile overlaps with live football bettors, which it believes supports retention during seasonal breaks. The supplier added that the algorithm-driven format “carries no fraud exposure,” supports In-Stream Betting overlays, and provides near-zero latency between broadcast and market updates.
“Over the past year, our bot-vs-bot virtual content has delivered consistent, measurable results across every operator deployment. Building e-Football in-house gives us the flexibility to configure it to what each operator actually needs — whether that is a specific league structure, a particular mix of bot and player content, or a branded competition format,” mentioned Rostyslav Likhtin, Head of Product at DATA.BET.
The post DATA.BET reports 168% turnover growth from virtual content in Q1 2025–Q1 2026 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
content studios
155.io makes fintech debut with Coverd partnership
155.io has signed a partnership with US-based fintech platform Coverd, marking the content studio’s first move into fintech. The deal was announced Thursday 21st May 2026.
Under the agreement, 155.io’s real-world games will be integrated into Coverd’s platform. Coverd said the integration is designed to turn everyday transactions into interactive experiences where users can win the chance to have purchases covered through 155.io gameplay.
Sam Jones, Founder & CEO of 155.io, said: “This partnership gives us the opportunity to bring our content to a completely new audience. We share a philosophy with Coverd around disrupting and modernising industries through more interactive experiences. They understand that younger audiences expect entertainment and engagement across every digital touchpoint, including finance, which is exactly how we think about design.”
Albert Wang, Coverd co-founder, added: “Today’s consumer is actively embracing gamified products across every category, so there’s no reason personal finance should stay in the stone age. We’re excited to work with 155.io to make financial experiences more interactive and give everyone a chance to live big by winning back their purchases. 155.io’s next-gen content fits perfectly with what we’re building at Coverd.”
155.io said the integration will bring its interactive content—built around live-action footage and real-time mechanics—to Coverd users. The studio’s portfolio includes Rush Hour from its CCTV Game
library, alongside Ducks.io and Snow Run.
The post 155.io makes fintech debut with Coverd partnership appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
-
Latest News6 days agoStake releases Zoo casino game: a fast, multiplayer Stake Original where players bet on the wild side
-
Latest News6 days agoCloudbet Adds ELA Games to Its Casino Roster in Latest Move to Diversify Content for Global Crypto Players
-
Amusnet6 days agoWeekend Reels | Week 20: Slot Drops & Trends
-
casino6 days agoCloudbet Adds ELA Games to Its Casino Roster in Latest Move to Diversify Content for Global Crypto Players
-
Games6 days agoStake releases Zoo casino game: a fast, multiplayer Stake Original where players bet on the wild side
-
Baltics6 days agoPopOK Gaming partners with Lithuania’s TOPsport
-
Casino Content6 days agoTom Horn Gaming sets 19 May launch for Giza’s Portals slot
-
Compliance Updates6 days agoKSA Files Over 4600 Reports Targeting Illegal Gambling Ads on Meta Platforms



