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Sorare raises a €40m Series A from Benchmark and Accel Partners to help fans own their football passion online
Sorare, the digital collectible football platform, announces that it has received €40 million in Series A financing, led by Benchmark, with additional funding from Accel and new business angels. The angels include Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, Vaynermedia CEO Gary Vaynerchuk, football players Antoine Griezmann and Rio Ferdinand. The financing brings Sorare’s total funding to €48 million. The capital will be used to fuel the growth of the community, accelerate the hiring of a world-class team and launch a mobile application.
Fantastically real collectibles
Football is a common denominator for more than 4 billion people globally but today, fans feel further away from the game they love than ever before. As we spend more time online, the need for connection has significantly shifted to digital experiences. Sports card collectibles have long helped fans celebrate their love of the game, and now they can experience a whole new world online. Sorare is leading the new era of online football fandom, where fans can live football moments and true connections like never before.
The company’s mission is to build “the game within the game” and to give fans the platform to celebrate, share and own their football passion. Through tradable digital cards, Sorare is designing a collective fantasy football experience where you can manage your favorite players and hone your passion to earn prizes. Anyone, anywhere, can connect with the beautiful game on Sorare.
Growing across the globe
The company, which is already profitable, has experienced an explosive 52% month-on-month growth over the past 12 months, going from €50K worth of cards traded on the platform in January 2020 to €3.5M in January 2021 across 120 countries.
More than 120 football clubs have launched their digital cards on Sorare, with all European Champions actively participating in the growth of the game. Partnerships with Liverpool, Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Juventus make Sorare the first digital collectible platform to offer cards from Europe’s top five league champions. The company’s ambition is to onboard the top 20 football leagues globally. This next-generation gaming experience allows leagues and clubs to expand their international brand by reaching an untapped audience of fans. Sorare is effectively opening up a new traceable and sustainable revenue stream for them.
Crypto’s next consumer application
Sorare collectibles are backed by blockchain technology to provide transparency and portability into other games. More importantly, the blockchain Ethereum enables the act of collecting in the digital space by creating digital scarcity through “non-fungible tokens” (NFT). It secures the passion of fans and creates a new level of trust and freedom for gamers who can freely trade their assets over the internet.
Sorare joins the ranks of culturally impactful companies and innovative brands in the Benchmark and Accel portfolio, including Twitter, Snap, Instagram and Spotify.
Nicolas Julia, CEO at Sorare explained: “Sorare was born from our love for football. We’re building a gaming experience fueled by passion where fans can connect with football and a global community. On Sorare, they can truly own the game. Today is a watershed moment – both for Sorare as a company and for our community – that will enable us to touch new markets and radically improve our product to become the game within the beautiful game.”
Peter Fenton, General Partner at Benchmark commented: “We’re thrilled to partner with Sorare as their lead Series A investor. The company combines the global passion for football collectibles with the excitement of real-world play in fantasy league tournaments. The founders early work in blockchain technology gave them the unique insight into a killer application for a new NFT – real players in real games creating enduring value for a digital artifact. Their explosive growth codifies the utility of these technologies in everyday life.”
Andrei Brasoveanu, Partner at Accel added: “Sitting at the intersection of fantasy football and sports collectibles, Sorare is revolutionizing the way fans across the world engage with and enjoy sports. In just a year, Sorare has built an incredible viral community and secured partnerships with more than 130 football clubs, including five European Champions. This impressive growth is a testament to the ambition and determination of Nicolas, Adrien and the entire Sorare team. We’re excited to join Sorare on the next stage of their journey and help build the leading digital sports collectibles platform worldwide!”
Christian Miele, Partner at e.ventures, commented: “We have been impressed by Nicolas’ and Adrien’s vision from day one. For the first time in human history a digital collectible holds a utility and can be used in a wide field of applications to attract soccer fanatics, collectors, and investors alike. This is why Sorare is best positioned to create one of the largest next-generation entertainment companies in the world.”
Gerard Piqué, Strategic Advisor at Sorare, explained: “As world football has shifted from local supporters to global fanbases, football fans are looking for new ways to be connected to the game, the players and other fans. Nicolas and the team have a unique gaming experience with real-world impact, bringing fantasy to reality. I’m looking forward to helping the team and the Sorare community connect with more football clubs and leagues.”
Sia Houchangnia, Partner at Seedcamp, concluded: “Sorare is a truly category-defining company and has the potential to become one of the biggest consumer tech success stories out of Europe. In less than 2 years since our pre-seed investment, the Sorare team has built from scratch a complex economy within an incredibly compelling game. Most importantly, Sorare can count on one of the most vibrant communities of early adopters we’ve ever seen. The growth has been astonishing and there’s an entire ecosystem of games and content being built around Sorare’s football cards. This is one of the most exciting businesses we’ve had the chance to work with and we are incredibly excited to have Benchmark and Accel joining the journey.”
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Atlaslive
Atlaslive Steps In as Direct Technology Partner for Onabet in Brazil
The B2B iGaming platform provider assumes the role of Onabet’s dedicated technology partner, taking on platform delivery and operational infrastructure in one of the world’s most dynamic regulated markets.
Atlaslive has entered into a direct partnership agreement with Onabet, a licensed Brazilian operator holding authorization from the Secretariat of Prizes and Betting (SPA/MF) to provide online gaming services across Brazil. Ranked among the top 10 operators in the country by gross gaming revenue, Onabet is one of the recognized names in Brazil’s fast-growing regulated betting industry. Under this agreement, Atlaslive assumes the role of Onabet’s dedicated technology partner—delivering platform infrastructure and continuous operational support.
Having generated an estimated $5.96 billion in gambling revenue during its inaugural year of regulation, Brazil’s iGaming market now ranks among the five largest globally. Onabet holds a federal licence under the regulatory framework introduced by Law 14.790/2023, with authorization to offer both sports-themed betting and online gaming products to players across the country.
Working under a direct partnership structure allows both organizations to achieve tighter alignment on product roadmap, accelerated deployment timelines, and unified accountability for platform uptime and performance. Onabet gains tighter coordination with the engineering and product teams building the technology they rely on daily, while Atlaslive advances its strategic focus on direct operator relationships—an approach that drives deeper technical integration and more sustainable outcomes in demanding regulated environments.
“When you work directly with the team that builds your platform, everything accelerates—from feature delivery to issue resolution. That’s the model we believe in, and we’re glad Onabet shares that vision,” said Volodymyr Taftai, Country Director for Brazil, Atlaslive. “Brazil is one of the most demanding regulated markets in the world. Earning the trust of a licensed operator here is something we take seriously.”
Hugo Baungartner, Institutional Director at Grupo Esportes Gaming Brasil, added: “The Brazilian regulated market requires increasingly robust, scalable operations that are aligned with local dynamics. This partnership helps strengthen our technological capabilities and supports the continuous evolution of the experience delivered by Onabet.”
Atlaslive is a B2B iGaming technology company that develops a proprietary platform engineered for sportsbook and casino operations. Its business model centers on sustained operator partnerships, product-driven development, and comprehensive platform delivery.
The post Atlaslive Steps In as Direct Technology Partner for Onabet in Brazil appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Andrzej Hyla Chief Commercial Officer at Wazdan
Wazdan Debuts “Score the Jackpot” Initiative in Run-Up to Major Global Sporting Event
Wazdan, a prominent innovator in game development, has unveiled its latest initiative, the Score the Jackpot campaign, offering operators a comprehensive promotional toolkit designed to tap into the excitement surrounding this summer’s football fever.
With the motto “Our Goal – Your Gain,” the campaign integrates four unique Wazdan games into a football-themed concept, enabling operators to craft engaging seasonal promotions around a balanced selection of captivating titles.
The Score the Jackpot campaign includes Mighty Wild
: Gorilla, Cash Grotto
, 16 Coins
x5000, and Fisherman’s Luck
. Each game has been carefully chosen to complement the wider promotion, creating a cohesive and dynamic gaming experience.
Mighty Wild
: Gorilla delivers action-packed, bonus-rich gameplay as part of one of Wazdan’s flagship series. Cash Grotto
offers a visually distinct design and innovative mechanics, adding diversity to the mix. The ever-popular 16 Coins
x5000 strengthens the lineup as a standout title from the Coins
collection, while Fisherman’s Luck
adds a breezy, summer-themed vibe that aligns perfectly with the campaign’s seasonal focus.
Rather than spotlighting individual game launches, Score the Jackpot aims to assist operators in building unified, football-centric promotions. By offering a pre-assembled collection of games, the campaign provides a structured foundation for summer marketing efforts while underscoring Wazdan’s dedication to flexible and results-oriented promotional solutions.
Accompanied by the tagline “Don’t drop the ball this summer,” the initiative highlights Wazdan’s strategy of combining strong gaming content with strategic seasonal engagement. This approach enables operators to capture players’ interest during one of the most celebrated sporting seasons of the year.
Andrzej Hyla, Chief Commercial Officer at Wazdan, commented: “Score the Jackpot has been crafted to help operators amplify player engagement during some of the year’s most iconic sporting moments, leveraging a football-inspired, plug-and-play campaign concept.”
He further added: “Each game in the package offers something unique, empowering operators to design diverse promotions that revolve around entertainment, variety, and timely seasonal themes.”
The post Wazdan Debuts “Score the Jackpot” Initiative in Run-Up to Major Global Sporting Event appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
BetCentury
The Mill Adventure grows Swedish market presence thanks to BetCentury
The Mill Adventure has launched FunkySpins.com in Sweden, marking the debut brand for BetCentury, an operator group founded by former Kindred CEO Henrik Tjärnström.
The company said the launch is the first in a series of casino brand roll-outs planned through its collaboration with BetCentury. The Mill Adventure is providing a turnkey platform that includes AI-driven SmartLobbies, personalisation tools and real-time business intelligence.
The Mill Adventure said its platform is fully compliant with Swedish regulatory requirements, including responsible gambling frameworks and alignment with Spelinspektionen standards.
Bjørnar Heggernes, Chief Commercial Officer at The Mill Adventure, said: “Launching FunkySpins with BetCentury further strengthens our position in Sweden and highlights the flexibility of our platform in highly regulated markets.
“Our turnkey solution enables partners to move quickly from concept to launch, combining advanced personalisation, automated lobby management and real-time data insight within a fully compliant framework.”
Henrik Tjärnström, Co-founder at BetCentury, said: “Going live with FunkySpins through The Mill Adventure’s robust platform gives us the strong technological foundation we need to bring our vision to market effectively.
“Their platform allows us to move fast, continuously refine the player experience and scale with confidence in a competitive, regulated environment.”
The post The Mill Adventure grows Swedish market presence thanks to BetCentury appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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