Latest News
FC Barcelona becomes Football for Friendship Nine Values Cup holder for second time
FC Barcelona wins the Nine Values Cup repeating the achievement of 2015 and becomes the only two-times holder of the unique football trophy. The Cup is awarded every year as part of the Gazprom International Children’s Social Programme Football for Friendship.
The Nine Values Cup is the only sports trophy in the world whose winner is determined by children. The results of the vote of the programme’s participants – Young Players and Journalists aged 10-16 from 104 countries of the world – named FC Barcelona the most socially responsible club of 2020. The Cup winner is chosen for following the Nine Values of the Football for Friendship programme: friendship, equality, fairness, health, peace, devotion, victory, traditions, and honour.
«I would like to congratulate all the people who have made this event possible since, due to the current situation of health crisis that the planet is experiencing, it has been a great success that said event has been held in such a way professional, with extreme sensitivity and transmitting a very positive energy at all times. Congratulations Organizing Committee», – notes the CEO of Soccer Barcelona Youth Academy, sports consultant for football clubs and academies and F4F ambassador Mike Puig.
From 2015, the Nine Values Cup is awarded every year to the most socially responsible football club. Over this time, the trophy was awarded to FC Barcelona (Spain), FC Bayern Munich (Germany), FC Al Wahda (Syria), FC Real Madrid (Spain), Brazilian national team, one of the participants of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia, and FC Liverpool (UK).
The Nine Values Cup was created by the famous German sculptor Achim Ripperger especially for the Football for Friendship programme. The sculpture is made of aluminum and shows the figure of a young footballer holding the Earth represented as a football. The Cup symolises the future in the hands of the younger generation depending on the values this generation believes and promotes.
In 2020, the Football for Friendship held its Eighth Season, for the first time held in the online format. “It’s great that the organizers were able to hold the eighth season of the project, even if online. This year, I was entrusted with the opportunity to announce the winner of the Nine Values Cup and announce the most socially responsible football club this year. It’s FC Barcelona, I agree with the choice of the Football for Friendship participants, because, despite the pandemic, the club never stopped coming up with something for their fans, including the youngest ones”, – notes participant of the programme, Young Ambassdor from Russia, Denis Aladev.
The football club to receive the Nine Values Cup is determined in three steps. First, there is a global vote in which any club can participate. Second, a list of clubs-finalists who’ve gained the most votes is formed. Finally, Young Participants of the Football for Friendship programme vote to determine the club that has succeeded not only in sports, but also in implementing social initiatives.
This award reflects the idea that children have about good deeds; it supports and inspires professional clubs to continue doing social initiatives aimed at helping others.
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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.
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