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TrueLayer launches PayDirect, a new approach to seamless online payments in iGaming

Published

5 years ago

January 26, 2021

George Miller

Reading Time: 3 minutes

PayDirect, a new service from the UK’s open banking leader, TrueLayer, combines one-click verification with instant deposits and withdrawals to deliver the most complete payments experience.

It delivers a higher-converting, lower-fraud payments approach when compared to card and bank transfer.

TrueLayer, the leading technology company building financial infrastructure that’s open to everyone today announced the launch of PayDirect, a new open banking-based payments method enabling iGaming firms to create a higher-converting, lower-fraud payments approach when compared to card and bank transfer. TrueLayer is working with a number of iGaming operators who are embracing opening banking as a more secure, cost-effective way to deliver superior player experiences.

Today, identity and verification flows and card-based payments typically generate avoidable friction along the customer journey, affecting adoption and retention rates and generating unnecessary costs. The introduction of Strong Customer Authentication (SCA) this year adds another layer of friction to cards with workarounds that deliver a poorer customer experience.

PayDirect is the answer to those issues, enabling firms to stay compliant while delivering a frictionless customer experience. Built on open banking and the fastest available bank payment rails, it provides firms with instant payments and withdrawals, while accelerating KYC and AML processes, to deliver the most complete solution on the market.

“As players experience seamless digital services in other aspects of their lives, their expectations for iGaming are also changing. PayDirect builds on our payments expertise to solve some significant issues around onboarding, deposits and withdrawals to help operators deliver an experience that is fit for the digital age,” commented Ossama Soliman, Chief Product Officer at TrueLayer. “The ability to quickly and easily verify a customer’s identity, and move money instantly in and out of an account using bank to bank payments, while automatically complying with AML regulations, is hugely beneficial to both the player and the operator.”

With PayDirect iGaming operators, can deliver new levels of services to their customers, all from within their app, in a matter of minutes, through:

Account verification – Instantly verify account ownership based on what’s on file at a customer’s bank.
Instant account funding – users can initiate payments or move money between accounts effortlessly using open banking.
Seamless online payments – that reduce fraud and chargebacks at any checkout.
Instant withdrawals – users can initiate payouts, using the same method used for deposits, automatically meet AML requirements, while avoiding manual data entry like bank account number or IBAN.
Instant refunds – providing customers to access their money faster, compared with up to 5 days using cards.

PayDirect improves the player experience and delivers a number of significant benefits to iGaming operators, including:

Up to 3x faster onboarding: PayDirect gets players up and running in a matter of minutes, using open banking and biometric authentication that removes the need for users to remember usernames or passwords.
Higher payment conversion rates: Once a player has successfully executed a deposit, payment failures tend to be four times lower with PayDirect than cards (on average cards fail up to 15% of the time vs 3.5% with PayDirect). This means more efficient deposits and, more importantly, less time managing failed payments that can ultimately lead to customer churn.
Increased customer loyalty: Card deposits take up to 3 days to settle, whilst withdrawals can take up to 5 days. PayDirect increases retention by offering customers what they want, instant deposits and withdrawals. Recent research into the iGaming market by YouGov for TrueLayer (Q4 2020) found rapid deposits and payouts consistently topped the list of player priorities, with 8 out of 10 players rating fast payments as important – and they choose their operators accordingly.
Lower operating costs: PayDirect saves time and reduces cost by automating otherwise manual processes such as payment reconciliation or KYC checks. PayDirect also reduces costs when processing refunds, as they are automatically issued to the same bank account that was used to make the deposit. This reduces opportunities for human error compared to cheque or manual bank transfers as well as cutting down customer support cases on lost or never issued refunds.

Reduced risk and fraud: With PayDirect account ownership and authentication is handled by the player’s bank. No more chargebacks, no credential sharing or password storage. Service providers can also meet AML requirements by paying out via the same method used for deposits.
A fully white labelled payment method: integrated open banking capabilities, increase customer trust by the brand owning the end-to-end customer journey, and configuring payment flows.

“The race is on to reimagine the way people pay by leveraging Open Payments architectures. We have seen in banking and ecommerce that great onboarding and payments experiences increase conversion, trust, and retention. But many payment journeys today have not been designed for a digital first world,” added Francesco Simoneschi, co-founder and CEO at TrueLayer. “With PayDirect we’re calling time on cards and their monopoly. We have used our experience and expertise as a leading open banking platform to design a digital and mobile first payment product that combines instant bank payments with instant payouts, refunds and reconciliation capabilities. PayDirect delivers an effortless way to onboard new customers and enable them to quickly initiate payments and withdraw funds. It is the easiest way to create a better, safer and lower cost payments process.”

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Boomerang Partners delivers TIME TO WIN main prize with Milanello experience

Published

9 minutes ago

May 28, 2026

Master Editor

Boomerang Partners, an Official Regional Partner of AC Milan, has delivered the main prize of its completed TIME TO WIN affiliate tournament. It ran from February 12 to March 31, 2026, with 57 affiliate teams taking part. Two winning teams travelled to Milan for a three-day programme built around the Club. The winners attended AC Milan v Juventus at San Siro Stadium, visited Casa Milan and the Mondo Milan Museum, and completed the trip with an exclusive visit to Milanello Sports Centre powered by Clivet.

Matchday at San Siro opened the three-day programme

The programme began on April 26 with AC Milan v Juventus at San Siro Stadium. The winning teams arrived at the stadium ahead of kick-off and were met by an AC Milan representative, who guided the group through the matchday process.

Before the match, the guests were taken to the pitchside area to watch the teams warming up. The partners had time to take photos and videos from close to the field. After the warm-up, they watched the match from their seats and experienced the atmosphere of one of the key fixtures of the Serie A calendar. The group also had access to the hospitality lounge with food and drinks before and during the match.

Inside Casa Milan: history, trophies, and hospitality

On April 27, the programme continued at Casa Milan, where the group joined a guided Mondo Milan Museum tour in English. The tour covered AC Milan’s history, trophies, and key achievements, giving partners more context after the matchday experience at San Siro Stadium.

After the Mondo Milan Museum tour, the winners had time to visit the Casa Milan Store. The hospitality part of the day continued with snacks and drinks arranged for the group. The partners also received AC Milan shirts, which became a pleasant surprise during the visit.

The final day brought winners to Milanello

On April 28, the winners visited Milanello Sports Centre powered by Clivet, AC Milan’s legendary training base. The group was welcomed in the hospitality area before starting a tour of the facility, including the training fields and facilities used by the team.

Daniele Massaro, Club Ambassador and former AC Milan player, also joined the group at Milanello. He spoke with the guests and signed autographs. After the tour, the partners watched the team training session and joined an autograph session with the players. They also had time to speak with them, take photos, and have AC Milan shirts signed.

For the winning teams, Milanello was the strongest part of the programme. It gave them access to a setting usually closed to the public and direct contact with the Club, its players, and its training environment.

Liliia Sudachenko, Affiliate Team Lead at Boomerang Partners, who joined the winners during the trip, commented: “The trip went very well, and the feedback from partners was extremely positive. The programme was rich and very well organized, but balanced enough for everyone to enjoy all three days in Milan without feeling exhausted. The strongest emotions came from the pitchside access before AC Milan v Juventus, the warm-up at San Siro, the visit to Milanello, and the opportunity to meet the players, take photos, and get autographs. For us, the main result was stronger relationships with partners and a higher level of trust in Boomerang Partners. Everyone genuinely enjoyed the time in Milan, and for us that reaction was the best confirmation of the value of this prize.”

From TIME TO WIN to Golden Boomerang Awards 2026

Following the TIME TO WIN activation, Boomerang Partners continues its affiliate tournament series with Golden Boomerang Awards 2026. On April 3, the company launched the third season of its annual tournament for affiliate teams.

The 2026 season runs under the “Beyond the Moment” concept and includes exclusive sports experiences such as the trip to the Wimbledon Championships, the Formula 1 Grand Prix in Monza, and an exclusive dinner with an AC Milan Legend. The final ceremony will take place in Lisbon during the SBC Summit.

Further details on participation in the Golden Boomerang Awards 2026 are available on the official GBA 2026 website.

About Boomerang

Boomerang Partners is a rapidly growing global marketing agency offering a wide range of services. Boomerang Partners is an Official Regional Partner of AC Milan. In 2024, it launched the inaugural Golden Boomerang Awards – a global tournament for affiliate teams. More than 400 affiliate teams participated in the second season of the tournament in 2025. Partners of the Agency launched six new products in 2024-2025, contributing to a nearly 1.5-fold increase in product users.

The Agency’s clients’ portfolio contains 10+ brands offering affiliate and entertainment services across 40+ markets in compliance with local regulations. These products provide incentive programs and 24/7 multilingual support.

Founder and CEO SCCG Management

SCCG LATAM to Host First International Gaming and iGaming Conference in Venezuela, Caracas, August 12-14, 2026

Published

15 minutes ago

May 28, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

sccg-latam-to-host-first-international-gaming-and-igaming-conference-in-venezuela,-caracas,-august-12-14,-2026

Three-day conference will convene Venezuela’s gaming regulators, leading operators, banking partners, and international providers for the first time.

“The Venezuela Gaming Expo is a defining moment for Latin American gaming. For the first time, international operators, providers, and investors will have a structured venue to engage directly with the regulators and operators shaping one of the region’s largest underexplored markets.” — Stephen Crystal, Founder and CEO, SCCG Management

SCCG Management, a leading advisory firm in the global gaming industry, today announced the inaugural Venezuela Gaming Expo, the first international gaming and iGaming conference to be held in Venezuela. Organized by SCCG LATAM, the three-day conference will take place at the Eurobuilding Hotel & Suites Caracas from August 12 to 14, 2026.

The Expo brings together Venezuela’s gaming regulators, leading domestic operators, banking and payments partners, international providers, and investors for what will be the country’s first dedicated international gaming convening. Pre-registration is open now for operators, suppliers, banking and payments firms, investors, regulators, and media seeking early access to programming and direct introductions to the Venezuelan operating community.

Venezuela is one of Latin America’s largest gaming markets and one of the least understood by international operators. The country has a population of nearly 29 million, high mobile and internet penetration, and a functioning regulated industry. Three license-emitting bodies govern the market: the Comisión Nacional de Casinos, Salas de Bingo y Máquinas Traganíqueles (CNC), the Comisión Nacional de Lotería (CONALOT), and the Superintendencia Nacional de Actividades Hípicas (SUNAHIP). The Instituto Nacional de Hipódromos (INH) operates national horse racing and sports betting infrastructure under SUNAHIP’s regulatory umbrella. Thirty-two licensed online operators are currently active, with the top five generating over USD 150 million in gross gaming revenue annually. SCCG LATAM has published a detailed primer on the Venezuelan gaming market covering the country’s regulatory framework, market dynamics, and banking infrastructure.

In April 2026, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control issued General License 57, authorizing U.S. financial institutions to provide a broad range of financial services to four named Venezuelan state banks. The licence marks the first time in years that payment infrastructure between U.S. and Venezuelan financial institutions has been on a clear legal footing, lowering one of the most cited structural barriers to international engagement with the Venezuelan gaming sector.

The Expo programme is built around three integrated pillars. A conference programme curated by operators for operators will cover market entry, regulatory navigation, payments and banking infrastructure, and cross-border distribution, with keynote speakers including Venezuelan government officials and industry leaders. A networking layer integrates hosted dinners and curated engagement with the Caracas gaming community. A dedicated business meetings room facilitates private introductions between operators, providers, banking partners, and investors. The format is designed for outcome over spectacle, with approximately 3,000 attendees and 60 exhibitor tables.

The Eurobuilding Hotel & Suites Caracas sits in Chuao, near the city’s financial district, with full conference facilities and on-site accommodations that allow the programme, networking, and business meetings to flow within a single venue.

“The Venezuela Gaming Expo is a defining moment for Latin American gaming,” said Stephen Crystal, Founder and CEO of SCCG Management. “For the first time, international operators, providers, and investors will have a structured venue to engage directly with the regulators and operators shaping one of the region’s largest underexplored markets. With the recent opening of U.S. banking channels through General License 57, the timing is right to convene the global industry in Caracas and translate market interest into commercial activity. SCCG LATAM is built to deliver that bridge.”

The Expo is part of SCCG LATAM’s broader regional strategy following the launch of its dedicated Latin American division and Miami office earlier this year. SCCG works directly with Venezuela’s three license-emitting bodies and with established Venezuelan operators, positioning international participants for compliant market entry and partnership.

Pre-registration, sponsorship inquiries, and exhibitor inquiries can be submitted at sccgmanagement.com/sccg-articles/2026/05/10/venezuela-gaming-expo-2026-save-the-date. A SCCG LATAM team member will follow up within 48 hours of each submission.

The post SCCG LATAM to Host First International Gaming and iGaming Conference in Venezuela, Caracas, August 12-14, 2026 appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

Blueprint Gaming

Blueprint Gaming announces The Goonies Quest for Treasure 3 slot

Published

1 hour ago

May 28, 2026

Wladimir P.

blueprint-gaming-announces-the-goonies-quest-for-treasure-3-slot

Blueprint Gaming has announced The Goonies Quest for Treasure 3, the latest slot in its licensed The Goonies series. The game introduces new modifiers, a reworked One-Eyed Willy trail and a layered bonus structure.

Blueprint said the new title builds on the performance of its earlier releases, naming The Goonies Megaways Quest for Treasure Jackpot King and The Goonies Quest for Treasure 2 as its top-performing launches. The company said both games have performed strongly across regulated markets including the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, Canada, and the UK and Ireland.

In Quest for Treasure 3, Collect symbols progress players along a reworked trail that ends in a new Chest of Riches feature. When unlocked, the One-Eyed Willy treasure chests switch to showing four key holes. Skeleton Key symbols can add keys to any of three chests, and when the bonus triggers, the number of keys in play determines which feature is awarded, including Collect upgrades or added Mystery and Cash symbols.

The bonus game uses red, blue and green chest-themed Bonus symbols: one or two can randomly unlock Treasure Spins, while three guarantees entry, with each chest carrying a different modifier. Blueprint also said Collect symbols during Treasure Spins can grant up to five extra spins and 10x multipliers. Sloth returns as a random reel appearance that can unlock modifiers including Bonus Boost, Cave In, Dynamite Blast, Hidden Treasure and Pinchers of Peril.

Jo Purvis, Director of Marketing, PR and Events at Blueprint Gaming, said: “Following the strong performance of the previous two releases, we wanted The Goonies Quest for Treasure 3 to deliver even more action-packed moments for players.

“With new modifiers, enhanced bonus pathways and a revamped One-Eyed Willy trail, this latest instalment builds on everything fans enjoy about the franchise while introducing fresh layers of excitement throughout the gameplay experience.”

The post Blueprint Gaming announces The Goonies Quest for Treasure 3 slot appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.