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Royale Finance Raises $1.45 Million to Bring Decentralized Finance to iGaming

Published

5 years ago

January 14, 2021

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Royale Finance introduces liquidity pools to support iGaming companies that use provably fair algorithms that are by default verifiable and transparent

Royale Finance today announced it has raised $1.45 million to merge DeFi with iGaming, a multi-billion dollar market that includes online casinos, sports betting, poker, prediction markets, lotteries, and more. Royale Finance is a cross-chain DeFi solution that uses liquidity pools to provide funding for iGaming startups, supporting innovation and transparency in a fast-moving, competitive sector. Contributors to Royale’s funding round include Alphabit Fund, AU21 Capital, Fomocraft Ventures, Kyros Ventures, and Vendetta Capital.

The online gambling market is expected to reach $127.3 billion USD by 2027, a compound annual growth rate of 11.5 percent. Researchers say that the rise of digital assets and secure digital payments are contributing to the sector’s growth. However, many online games have little transparency in how they operate, leading to concerns over trustworthiness among both players and the platforms that feature them.

Royale Finance solves this by supporting iGaming platforms that use provably fair algorithms, which randomize number generation ensuring that players cannot be cheated and are a verifiable source of truth. As a double layer of security, these random number generators (RNG) are also certified by an accredited testing lab for quality assurance. For any iGaming startup to access liquidity within the Royale Finance network, it must be licensed and have its provably fair RNG certified. Royale provides an incentive for developers to make their games fair, and provides online casinos with the confidence that any Royale-supported game has achieved this standard of trustworthiness.

“Centralized finance has stifled innovation in the iGaming sector. There is a lack of accountability and transparency, with too much control in the hands of few,” said Giorgio Andrews, CEO of Royale Finance. “Royale takes a hybrid approach that combines blockchain technology and DeFi to bring both fairness and accessibility to the sector, opening the door to the next wave of innovators. By doing this, not only will iGaming startups earn more, but every online casino operator will soon be able to attract provably fair games supported by our network and token holders.”

The Royale Finance ecosystem is powered by ROYA, a valueless governance token used to coordinate between DeFi liquidity providers within the Royale Finance stablecoin collateral pool, which disperses loans to iGaming startups. Token holders vote on which games to support, and developers keep their equity while they build and launch their games. This ‘optimized liquidity’ helps seamlessly power iGaming innovation, and is the first network-driven liquidity approach bridging DeFi with iGaming.

Along with this network-driven liquidity, Royale Finance optimizes liquidity pools within the ecosystem to provide sustainable yield. Following the completion of their Version 1 Web 3.0 App, Royale Finance will build a suite of provably fair games available to online casino operators. The project also aims to eventually transition to a complete Decentralized Autonomous Organization (DAO) as the technology develops.

Alona Shevtsova

Sends CEO Alona Shevtsova moderates Global Gaming Expansion panel in Riyadh

Published

5 hours ago

June 25, 2026

Wladimir P.

sends-ceo-alona-shevtsova-moderates-global-gaming-expansion-panel-in-riyadh

Alona Shevtsova, CEO of Sends, will moderate a panel at The Blockchain show on 29^th June, bringing together experts from entertainment, location-based gaming, and content localisation to examine what it takes to build sustainable gaming ecosystems across emerging markets.

The panel, titled “Global Gaming Expansion: Lessons from Untapped Markets,” will structure its discussion across four themes: the growth dynamics reshaping emerging gaming markets; the role of localisation in creating experiences that genuinely connect with new audiences; the infrastructure and communities needed to build gaming ecosystems beyond the game itself; and the lessons and opportunities that will define successful expansion in the years ahead.

Alona Shevtsova plans to frame the discussion around the central challenge for companies looking to expand globally: entering a new market requires far more than bringing an existing product to a new audience. Understanding local cultures, building communities, adapting experiences, and creating ecosystems that allow gaming to grow sustainably are all as important as the product itself.

Alona Shevtsova, CEO of Sends, said:

“The future growth of gaming will come not only from new technologies, but from understanding people — their cultures, communities, and the experiences they want to be part of. Successful expansion will belong to those who can combine global ambition with local understanding.”

The first segment will examine why regions including the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia are becoming increasingly significant for developers, operators, and investors — driven by young audiences, accelerating digital adoption, and new entertainment models creating substantial growth potential. Panellists will explore how consumer preferences differ across markets and what trends among younger audiences are shaping the future of gaming and entertainment.

The third segment will broaden the lens beyond the game itself, exploring the role of location-based entertainment, gaming centres, esports, and experiential destinations in attracting new audiences and building long-term communities. Panellists plan to address how entertainment ecosystems — spanning physical venues, events, and community infrastructure — accelerate gaming adoption in markets where the category is still establishing itself.

Earlier this month, Alona Shevtsova was shortlisted for the 2026 Great British Entrepreneur Awards in the Established Business of the Year category. Her team is also preparing for the Fintech Connect conference in London later this year. Sends will be a leading sponsor of this event.

*Sends is a trade name of SMARTFLOW PAYMENTS LIMITED, registered in England and Wales (Company No.11070048). For more information, visit sends.co .

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