Latest News
Coexistence of physical and digital – a story of 2020 betting business
Isaac Asimov beautifully described an overlapping relationship between physical and digital, eventually leading to the unifcation of the two in a god-like creature. Does the betting business story end like this?
by Ivan Rozić, SVP of Global Sales and Business Development at NSoft
In November 1956, Isaac Asimov published a science fction short story called “The Last Question” which beautifully describes an overlapping relationship between physical and digital eventually leading to the unifcation of the two in a god-like creature.
Slowly but steadily, we have been following this path for decades, but 2020 has shown us physical and digital are still very much separated.
Betting business in 2020 – a prequel
With huge countries such as the USA, Brazil and India starting to open up and regulate gambling and betting, 2019 was a big morale booster to the entire igaming industry and growth throughout 2020 was inevitable for everybody involved. But instead of launching all those new projects, operators and suppliers alike were left reinventing their existing solutions for a new world we started living in from the early days of 2020.
With the physical aspect of our lives so abruptly taken from us, each and every person in igaming immediately scratched every retail-oriented project and started working on the digital. Virtual games and esports frenzy set the stage for the following months during which operators tried their best to provide desperately needed content for punters and providers followed suit.
Endless video calls during which we all came to a profound understanding of prof. Robert Kelly and his famous live interview for BBC were all based on digital. NSoft, being a virtual games provider, was going above and beyond in supporting existing and new partners with additional online content. Not only did we form and dedicate additional teams for all online integrations of our content but we also gave our in-house virtual games completely free of charge during April and May.
What 2020 have brought to us and what we have learned
At this point, NSoft’s monthly revenues were tarnished as we were heavily dependent on our partners’ retail business. Needless to say, we were able to fully sympathize with all of our partners which lost big chunks of their business due to lockdowns.
Steadily, COVID’s grip on the physical started to loosen in most of the markets and NSoft’s revenues sprung back to life fueled by our record online numbers. But we at NSoft are very much aware that we are still far from seeing retail business as it once was. The physical part of our lives is still but a shadow of what it once was and it will take a long time to get back to the pre-COVID world we all long for. So we drew some important lessons which will help us navigate the deep waters we are all in.
Lesson one – online frst sportsbook solution
NSoft is one of the few sportsbook solution providers in the market which is able to integrate and adapt to any third-party online platform. Our prematch and live solutions are running on multiple platforms at the moment attracting new users for our partners who were previously casino-oriented. During 2020 we decided to heavily invest in the digital aspect of our sportsbook solution by adding cashout, backend AI models and a completely new UI for all of our existing and new partners.
We aim to provide a top-of-the-line sportsbook solution that gives the operator ease of mind regardless of its size and ambition. It can be integrated as an iframe solution with customized frontend design done by NSoft or as an API-based solution ideal for UI savvy companies looking to build their own unique frontend.
You can handle your own risk management or put your trust into the industry-leading MTS solution brought to you by NSoft and Sportradar. Either way, you will receive a completely bespoke solution carefully catered to your needs with dedicated teams working on your project.
Lesson two – physical does not become digital on its own
For the last decade, NSoft’s virtual games have revolutionized retail business for our partners across the globe. We have seen NSoft’s virtual games growing retail businesses across Europe, Africa and Latin America regardless of punters’ habits and local specifcities. Game design, the retail platform’s stability and vast experience in handling operational headaches that retail operators go through made our virtual games an essential source of additional revenue for all our partners.
Unfortunately, the transition of this content into digital was not as successful, mostly due to our previous focus on making the virtual games portfolio perfect for the retail environment.
Throughout 2020 all of our virtual games went back to the drawing board. Our in-house teams of experts worked hard to learn from digital users’ behaviour on our virtual games and incorporate their direct and indirect feedback into a fresh digitally oriented spinof of our most popular virtual content. We are now ready to “unleash” them to production with all of our existing and new partners and witness a true digital transformation of revenue-driving powerhouses like Lucky Six, Roulette, Virtual Penalties and many more.
Lesson three – physical will be back
As mentioned earlier in this article, we are still very far from digital and physical unifcation, which means retail will be back to full strength. It’s hard to predict whether it will take months or years to get there, but we are already working hard to greet everybody back by making our Seven retail platform more fexible than ever. NSoft’s in-house products already featured in Seven retail platform have already proven themselves on the ground with our pre-match and in-play betting solutions running on tens of thousands of devices across more than 40 markets worldwide.
This includes a vast network of betting terminals which will surely drive retail for years to come. With our in-house products already going from strength to strength over SSBTs, we decided to open our retail and SSBT platform to third-party products. You can now utilize NSoft’s state-of-the-art hardware peripherals management which cuts years of development and millions in investments needed to support the range of printers, scanners, bill acceptors, card readers and monitors. NSoft already supports it all and keeps adding more.
Finally, 2021 will be all about getting back to business as usual, but the lessons learned throughout 2020 will undoubtedly impact the igaming industry for years to come.
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Conferences
ProgressPlay Celebrates Major Success at ICE Barcelona 2026 and Prepares to Expand Worldwide
ProgressPlay, a prominent iGaming platform provider, today looked back on a transformative and highly successful presence at ICE Barcelona 2026, where its recently launched Dual-Engine Strategy struck a strong chord with operators and industry leaders. The occasion acted as an active confirmation of the company’s targeted vision, creating notable partnership momentum and paving the way for rapid international expansion in the coming year.
The company’s strategic focus on its Standalone and dedicated Sweepstakes solutions was central to discussions at its booth, indicating a distinct market need for more sophisticated and bold partner opportunities.
ProgressPlay indicated a remarkable number of high-caliber meetings with well-known brands and driven newcomers, all in search of strategic resources to develop, possess, and grow their gaming enterprises effectively.
“The response at ICE was phenomenal and precisely aligned with our thesis,” said Itai Lowenstein, CEO of ProgressPlay. “The industry is actively seeking more than a one-size-fits-all solution. Operators are strategists, and they came to us looking for the right engine for their specific ambition.”
Lowenstein continued: “Whether it was the profound control of the Standalone model for building a legacy asset or the agile, acquisition-focused power of our Sweepstakes framework, we demonstrated that ProgressPlay is the versatile partner for this new era. The conversations have moved from ‘what can you do’ to ‘how do we build our future together’.”
Operators expressed strong appreciation for the Standalone solution’s potential for genuine commercial autonomy, allowing full ownership of the player relationship from start to finish, while utilizing ProgressPlay’s powerful technology framework. At the same time, the Sweepstakes category was acknowledged as a brilliant way to access high-growth, engagement-driven markets, especially in areas where combining entertainment with gaming elements is essential.
“ICE 2026 was a defining moment for our partner-centric narrative,” stated Marina Nahhas, Head of B2B Sales and Marketing at ProgressPlay. “We engaged with visionary leaders who saw our Sweepstakes solution not as a niche product, but as a strategic funnel for community building and market entry.”
Nahhas explained: “Equally, the Standalone model attracted partners with deep brand equity looking for a technology ally, not just a supplier. The energy confirmed we are providing the essential toolkit for the next wave of iGaming innovation.”
After the achievement in Barcelona, ProgressPlay is now strongly dedicated to transforming this momentum into enduring partnerships. The company reiterates that its robust, adaptable platform is accessible to operators in every market, as long as the operator secures the required local license.
This concept of empowered collaboration allows brands to utilize ProgressPlay’s acclaimed casino and sportsbook offerings, managed services, and unique technology to enter their selected markets effectively and in compliance.
The team is currently getting ready for the upcoming series of significant industry events where they will further promote discussions on growing strategic partnerships.
“The journey continues from here,” concluded Lowenstein. “ICE was the launchpad. Now, we enter a phase of execution and collaboration with the partners who joined our vision in Barcelona. Our platform is ready, our strategy is proven, and our commitment is to be the growth engine for every licensed operator, anywhere in the world, who shares our ambition for excellence.”
The post ProgressPlay Celebrates Major Success at ICE Barcelona 2026 and Prepares to Expand Worldwide appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Ebaka Games
Ebaka Games secures first aggregator partner with Hub88 deal
Ebaka Games has taken a major step in its growth journey by securing its first aggregator partnership with Hub88, officially ending its period of exclusivity with menace.com and opening up to new commercial opportunities.
The new agreement will see Hub88’s network of operators among the first to access Ebaka Games’ distinctive portfolio, known for its original mechanics and bold approach to instant-play gaming.
Through seamless integration via the Hub88 API, partner operators can quickly onboard Ebaka’s full suite of instant games. The portfolio is designed to stand out, featuring dynamic gameplay, striking visuals, proprietary Ebaka game modes, high-volatility mechanics, and generous multipliers. The studio’s focus is firmly on delivering instant entertainment and driving strong player engagement.
Commenting on the partnership, Ebaka Games CEO Vitalii Zalievskyi said:
“It is time to bring Ebaka Games’ genuinely thrilling content to players around the world, and partnering with Hub88 is an important step as we scale our operations. We’re excited that operators can now integrate our games so easily, and we look forward to building a strong, long-term partnership with Hub88 as we expand globally.”
The Hub88 deal marks the first phase of Ebaka Games’ wider distribution strategy. The studio has confirmed that additional partnerships are already in the pipeline, with its content set to roll out across major operators and leading aggregators in the near future.
The post Ebaka Games secures first aggregator partner with Hub88 deal appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Latest News
QTech Games Partners with PEA Gaming to Roll Out More Premium Weightless Games
QTech Games, the top game distributor in all emerging markets, has sustained the momentum in its 2026 pipeline, attributed to its recent agreement with the up-and-coming supplier of weightless games, PEA Gaming.
Lighter than light, this weightless category features games that are under 1% the size of conventional light games. Importantly, PEA Gaming provides the sole games that are entirely compatible on various devices, ranging from basic feature phones to advanced smartphones.
Incorporating offerings from the most imaginative and cutting-edge “weightless games” supplier further enhances QTech Games’ expanding platform, which brings the broadest selection of online games to new markets, featuring both renowned brands and the industry’s most thrilling emerging developers.
The games offered to its partners include well-known favorites and new titles, such as Penalty, Roulette, Hilo, Tusks & Tails, and Target, all of which are supported by robust mathematical modeling and easy, recognizable gameplay.
Participants in developing markets frequently face technological obstacles to participation, including limitations in handset quality, limited access to high-speed networks, or elevated data expenses. Consequently, PEA Gaming’s games are tailored for this particular segment, aiming to address these challenges while maintaining a high-quality product. The agreement further expands PEA Gaming’s global presence, opening up previously inaccessible regions from Africa to Latin America for varied development.
Philip Doftvik, QTech Games’ CEO, said: “PEA Gaming is injecting a prized weightless specialism into the sector, particularly in emerging markets where network connectivity can encounter serious challenges. We’re integrating more and more “weightless” games for markets like Africa to overcome those ongoing data/network obstacles without sacrificing the delivery of high-quality product.
“PEA Gaming’s keystone is developing easily intelligible and engaging games for all – prioritizing performance wherever you set your scene on the map. These games are indicative of our strategy to bring more agile entertainment options to the QTech Games platform for our partners worldwide.”
Permi Jhooti, CEO of PEA Gaming, added: “We’ve created a new space of weightless games that finally provide an immersive gaming experience to all users, regardless of device and bandwidth limitations. Partnering with QTech represents a fantastic opportunity to strengthen our product distribution across emerging territories and deliver our great games to a range of top-tier partners.
“That’s why we design every game with emerging market players in mind: those facing real-world challenges like basic handsets, slow networks, and expensive data. Our games are purpose-built for this audience, tackling these limitations head-on while still delivering a high-quality, seamless experience. Our approach is simple: create fun, rewarding games without the excess — and it works. By stripping out all the fluff, our games are a mind-blowing 2,000 times smaller than many so-called “light” games, making costly data usage a thing of the past.
“Above all, this collaboration marks a significant step forward for PEA Gaming’s growth strategy in untapped territories like Africa and Latin America where our games will doubtless prove popular since they work everywhere, even in regions where low-end devices and limited network speed are prevalent.”
The post QTech Games Partners with PEA Gaming to Roll Out More Premium Weightless Games appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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