Latest News

Online Gambling Platforms Gained Larger User Base With Pandemic As A Driver Of The Global Online Gaming Market 2020

Published

6 years ago

October 22, 2020

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Due to the social distancing restrictions imposed because of the coronavirus outbreak, brick and mortar gambling places remained closed, due to which online gambling platforms gained a larger user base. People were forced to sit at home during the lockdown and this increased internet traffic on all fronts. More people frequently visited gambling websites and thousands of new users registered every day. According to research firm Global Poker, the US has witnessed an increase of first-time online poker players by 255% since the coronavirus lockdowns began. Overall, the poker industry has experienced a 43% growth since April 2020. Some countries saw such increases as an opportunity and modified their online-gambling laws. For example, Belarus legalized online casinos and Armenia made some changes to its existing laws. The increasing popularity of gambling apps and social gambling will propel the growth of the mobile gambling market in the forecast period, and several online-gambling platforms increased their marketing and promotional activities in the form of extra tournaments and bonuses to attract more players as well.

With these drivers and the current situation of the world, the online gambling market size is expected to grow from $58.96 billion in 2019 to $92.86 billion in 2023 at a rate of 12.0%. The market is expected to then grow to $113.12 billion in 2025 at a CAGR of 10.4%.

The Business Research Company’s report titled Online Gambling Market Global Report 2020-30: COVID-19 Growth and Change covers major online gambling companies, online gambling market share by company, online gambling manufacturers, online gambling infrastructure market size, and online gambling market forecasts. The report also covers the global online gambling market and its segments. The online gambling market is segmented by game type into betting, casino, lottery, poker, online bingo, others and by device into desktop, mobile, others.

With increasing apps and social gambling, online gambling companies are investing in building mobile platforms for their games to increase accessibility and convenience for users. The availability of smartphones with high-end features such as extended storage, high-end graphics and faster processing speeds at reasonable prices incentivize online gambling companies to make mobile-based applications. Also, mobile gambling offers significant benefits, including more deposit options, loyalty programs, and the option to play with anyone anywhere across the globe. According to App Annie, in 2020, 70% of total gambling revenue is expected to come from mobile gambling.

Along with the ease of mobile apps, companies in the online gambling market are increasingly investing in Artificial Intelligence (AI) for improving the overall experience for customers. With the help of AI, personalization for each user is possible as the technology can analyze the preference of the user in terms of game selection and offer a customized welcome page accordingly, helping the user to save time spent on looking for the right game. AI also helps in providing customer support in the form of chat-bots for resolving queries. Behavior patterns and gaming frauds can also be checked, which helps in preventing frauds and locks out scammers. Technologies such as augmented reality and virtual reality are being implemented as well, giving a more immersive and realistic experience to their users.

Beyond such high-tech updates, online gambling companies are using several tactics to gain more users. Some provide F2P (free to play) types of game products, commonly referred to as freemium. These games do not make any money for the company directly, but revenues are made through upgrades and additions of certain features and improvements by the user. The user pays a minimal amount for different kinds of virtual offerings and other game products to improve the gaming experience. This model allows online gambling companies to increase their user base and have more active players on their platforms who would eventually make a purchase. Currently, many online casinos are offering a free play version of some of their games. Companies innovating their platforms according to the increasing number of customers and their preferences will allow the online gambling market to continue to grow.

Affiliate Industry

SiGMA exclusive: Aleksandra Drigo on traffic shifts, transparency, and the future of SEO affiliates

Published

2 hours ago

July 6, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

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In an exclusive interview for the SiGMA News, Aleksandra Drigo, Chief of Business Development at SEOBROTHERS, shared her perspective on the future of affiliate marketing in Canada.

She discussed how Alberta’s upcoming market launch could reshape competition, why transparency has become a cornerstone of operator-affiliate partnerships, how compliance is changing the way affiliates choose partners, and why localisation, trusted brands, and data-driven decision-making will define the next generation of SEO affiliates.

Regulation will reshape Alberta’s affiliate landscape

As Alberta prepares to regulate its online gambling market, affiliates are entering a more challenging environment. While regulation brings greater transparency, it also increases compliance demands, acquisition costs, and competition – particularly from larger, well-funded companies.

“Many affiliates, especially independent SEO players, may decide not to enter fully regulated markets and instead focus on regions with more predictable economics and lower regulatory pressure,” Aleksandra said.

Bigger brands gain the advantage

According to Drigo, regulated markets naturally favour established affiliate businesses, whereas smaller publishers face much higher barriers to entry despite niche opportunities still existing.

“Regulated markets tend to favour larger players. Big affiliate companies have the resources for legal support, compliance teams, advanced tracking infrastructure, and long-term investment without expecting fast ROI.”

Compliance is now a deciding factor

Operator selection is no longer based solely on commercial terms. Affiliates increasingly assess partners by their transparency, reporting quality, responsible gaming standards, responsiveness, and ability to meet local regulatory requirements.

“We pay close attention to how consistent an operator is in terms of reporting, responsible gaming policies, speed of communication, and local regulations compliance. Reputation risks affect both sides. If an operator lacks transparency or fails to follow compliance standards, it directly impacts the affiliate business as well.”

Communication matters more than financial disputes

Drigo believes that most partnership conflicts arise not from payment issues, but from poor communication and limited access to performance data.

“Financial disagreements can usually be resolved quickly if there is trust and clear communication between both sides. Whereas, when affiliates do not receive timely information, face unclear reporting, or get no explanation for performance changes, tensions escalate very quickly. In regulated markets, communication and transparency become just as important as the financial terms themselves.”

The future belongs to trusted brands and localisation

Looking ahead, Drigo expects meticulous localisation, brand authority, first-party audiences, and community-driven products to define success in regulated North American markets. As AI reshapes search, affiliates will need stronger technology, diversified traffic sources, and compliance-friendly SEO strategies to remain competitive.

“With AI and online search ecosystem changes already transforming the SEO landscape, affiliates need to become much more flexible and technology-driven than before. And compliance-friendly SEO strategies and diversification beyond traditional search traffic are becoming increasingly important.”

The post SiGMA exclusive: Aleksandra Drigo on traffic shifts, transparency, and the future of SEO affiliates appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

Belgium

EveryMatrix to replace Betcenter Belgium sportsbook platform in omnichannel deal

Published

3 hours ago

July 6, 2026

Wladimir P.

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Merkur Group-owned operator will migrate retail and online sports betting across 50+ shops and hundreds of terminals onto EveryMatrix’s full stack.

EveryMatrix has agreed an omnichannel partnership with Betcenter Belgium to power the operator’s sports betting platform, replacing an in-house legacy setup with EveryMatrix’s full technology stack.

Under the deal, EveryMatrix will migrate Betcenter’s customer activities and operations and deliver sportsbook services across both retail and online channels. Betcenter operates online and in more than 50 retail betting shops, with 600 Self Service Betting Terminals (SSBTs) and 300 SSBT-light units, according to the companies.

The agreement extends EveryMatrix’s relationship with Betcenter owner Merkur Group, following a March announcement that EveryMatrix would power Merkur’s Cashpoint brand in Denmark for online sports and casino and more than 1,000 sports betting terminals in 230 shops.

Ebbe Groes, Group Co-CEO & Co-Founder, EveryMatrix, said: “To be able to extend our partnership with Merkur Group in Belgium so soon after agreeing to work with its Cashpoint brand in Denmark is something you rarely see in our industry.

“There has been, and continues to, be an enormous amount of hard work put into both making and delivering these deals on both sides so I’d like to thank the Merkur Group and my own internal EveryMatrix teams for making this a reality.”

Mathias Dahms, Managing Director of the Sports Betting Division, Merkur Group, said: “We have learned to regard EveryMatrix as a reliable and competent partner and look forward to taking the next step with them on this challenging project in Belgium.

“Through this partnership, we will consolidate our market-leading position in Belgium and further expand it with new products.”

The post EveryMatrix to replace Betcenter Belgium sportsbook platform in omnichannel deal appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Blueprint Gaming

Blueprint Gaming rolls out Rapid Fire Jackpots to NetBet UK

Published

4 hours ago

July 6, 2026

Wladimir P.

blueprint-gaming-rolls-out-rapid-fire-jackpots-to-netbet-uk

The expanded integration will bring Blueprint’s full Rapid Fire Jackpots portfolio into NetBet’s casino lobby over time.

Blueprint Gaming has expanded its partnership with UK-facing operator NetBet by rolling out its Rapid Fire Jackpots progressive jackpot content to the operator’s casino lobby.

The companies first partnered in 2025, with NetBet already offering Blueprint releases including Fishin’ Frenzy Lure ‘Em In, Eye of Horus and King Kong Cash. NetBet has also run a selection of Rapid Fire Jackpots titles, including Fishin’ Frenzy Big Catch 3, The Goonies Quest for Treasure 2 and Fishin’ Frenzy Even Bigger Fish 2.

Under the extended collaboration, Blueprint said the entire Rapid Fire Jackpots portfolio will be integrated into NetBet’s casino lobby over time, starting with an initial batch of titles now made available to NetBet players.

Rapid Fire Jackpots launched in June 2024 and is positioned by Blueprint as a complementary mechanic to its Jackpot King product, designed to deliver more frequent jackpot wins. Jack Lawson, Senior Account Manager at Blueprint Gaming, said: “Rapid Fire Jackpots has added a new dimension to our portfolio since launch, giving players access to more frequent jackpot drops alongside the premium gameplay experiences our content is known for.

“Expanding the rollout of the mechanic with NetBet allows us to build on the strong momentum already generated through our partnership, while further cementing our position as a leading supplier in the UK market.” Claudia Georgevici, PR Manager at NetBet Casino, said: “Blueprint Gaming’s titles have proven to be a strong addition to our casino lobby over the past year, and the integration of Rapid Fire Jackpots is set to further boost that offering.

“The mechanic’s combination of achievable, frequent jackpot wins and engaging gameplay delivers exactly the type of experience that resonates with our players, making it a valuable addition to our growing content selection.”

The post Blueprint Gaming rolls out Rapid Fire Jackpots to NetBet UK appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.