Connect with us

Latest News

ZK International Enters iGaming With Series A Investment Up To $50 Million In Carousel Group To Launch MaximBet

Published

on

Reading Time: 2 minutes

 

ZK International Group Co., Ltd. is pleased to announce that it has led a $50M Series A funding round in CG Malta Holding Limited (“CGM”), a rapidly-growing, privately-held multi-state and globally licensed sports betting and casino operator, to launch MaximBet.com. MaximBet is a strategic partnership with Maxim, the renowned media brand and CGM.

The Company’s investment in CGM will total $50 Million through two closings. The first closing occurred today in which the Company has acquired a 12% interest for the purchase price of $15,000,000. The second closing anticipated to occur within the second quarter, will result in the Company acquiring an additional 13% for the purchase price of $35,000,000. Upon completion of the two closings, the Company will own a total interest of 25% in MaximBet.

MaximBet will be made up of a market-leading sports betting and casino website at MaximBet.com, and tailor-made native iOS and Android apps that will allow users to bet on sports and casino in the United States and around the world. The new venture will leverage Maxim’s integrated network of print, digital, social and experiential platforms to engage the loyal Maxim community and sports bettors alike.

“Maxim has successfully established itself as a preeminent lifestyle brand over the last 25 years,” said Daniel Graetzer, CEO of CGM. The CEO of CGM continues, “our mutual objective is to provide sophisticated entertainment and VIP experiences to the same customer demographic which makes Maxim the perfect partner for CGM.”

Aside from its currently live operation in Colorado, Carousel Group has also entered into a multi-state, 10 year partnership with Caesars Entertainment, Inc., (NASDAQ:CZR) that will see its online sportsbook made available to customers in New Jersey, Indiana and Iowa, as well as its online casino in New Jersey, pending obtaining necessary gaming licenses. MaximBet intends to capture a significant share of the U.S. online gambling market, which is projected to be an annual $10 billion industry by 2025.

Last month, ZKIN announced the formation of its new wholly-owned subsidiary, xSigma Entertainment Limited, with the intent of acquiring online gaming assets to increase shareholder value by targeting businesses in the growing online casino industry. The Company is thrilled to share that its first strategic investment in the US online gambling industry is with an internationally-recognized brand and a premier operator that boasts a team with decades of experience.

Today’s closing of $15 million in Series A funding marks the beginning of the Company’s innovative approach to add value to its shareholders. Jiancong Huang, Chairman of the Company, states, “We are pleased to act as a capital partner to such an amazing brand and experienced management team. Our Company and shareholders are excited about the future and we are looking forward to adding shareholder value to CGM as MaximBet readies to rapidly scale its operations in 2021.”

Powered by WPeMatico

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Latest News

5 Platform Features That Only an Operator Would Have Built: Kanggiten’s Perspective

Published

on

After spending 10+ years running your own casino brands, you develop a very specific frustration with the tools available on the market. You know exactly where the funnel breaks because you’ve watched it break on your own traffic. With your own money at risk.

That point is where the Kanggiten iGaming platform started. What would a platform look like if the people building it had already operated 50+ brands and managed over 3 million players?

It would look different. And it does. Here are five features that reflect that origin.

Modular Architecture with Conversion-Tested Components

Kanggiten is modular by design. Operators choose the components they need, whether that’s a casino engine, sportsbook, CRM, affiliate management, analytics, or game aggregation, and add more as their business grows. No platform migration, no rebuilding infrastructure from scratch. Each module is standalone, yet fully integrated when combined.

First, this removes platform lock-in. An operator can start with a Kanggiten white label iGaming platform setup and expand into a full turnkey model over time without switching providers. Second, every module ships with conversion logic already built in. Registration forms, deposit flows, lobby layouts, bonus mechanics. All of it has been A/B tested on live traffic across real projects.

Operators on the platform have reached registration-to-deposit conversion rates of up to 70% (results vary depending on geo and traffic source). That number comes from systematic UX research, continuous hypothesis testing, and a product team that treats every redundant click as lost revenue.

Retention as a Full Operating System

Nowadays, retention costs less than acquisition and scales more predictably. The harder question is how a platform supports it in practice. Most setups offer a bonus toggle here, a CRM email there. Kanggiten treats retention as a connected system that spans the entire player lifecycle.

That means onboarding sequences, CRM-driven reactivation flows, bonus economics with built-in anti-abuse logic, and weekly engagement mechanics like tournaments, prize wheels, and achievement systems. Layered, tested, and iterated based on live performance data.

Operators on the platform consistently reach retention rates of up to 39%, against an industry benchmark that typically sits between 30% and 35%.

“Retention is a system, not a single feature. It’s built on analytics, testing, and continuous optimization,” – says Ivan Korkin, Head of Account Management at Kanggiten. – “Our focus is on onboarding, CRM flows, bonus economics, and reactivation, because that’s where sustainable growth actually lives.”

Segmentation That Accounts for Geo and Behavior

Grouping players by deposit size or registration date only gets you so far. Kanggiten runs split tests across different traffic types and builds tailored monetization scenarios for each identified segment. The deeper the behavioral model, the more segments emerge. And this directly translates into the more precise revenue impact.

The geo-specific layer adds another dimension. The platform reflects local user behavior from the first interaction, including UI/UX patterns, number formatting conventions, payment preferences, and content expectations. Small details, but they compound.

“For example, in the Turkish market, users expect percentage values displayed before the number. Even that inconsistency can hurt conversion,” – Ivan explains. – “In LATAM, fraudulent registrations are a known issue, so we analyze behavioral patterns in those regions and apply AI-based verification. A localized product and a translated product are two very different things.”

AI Applied Across the Operations Stack

Kanggiten deploys AI only where it produces measurable operational gains: 

  • fraud detection, 
  • KYC and identity verification, 
  • content generation, 
  • customer support automation, 
  • cost optimization. 

It works across the full stack, reinforcing every other module in the process.

In high-risk geos, AI-based smart verification reduces the burden on support teams and cuts fraud activity without adding friction for legitimate players. In content and support workflows, it accelerates turnaround and lowers cost per interaction.

Over 20 Communication Channels with Built-In Flexibility

It’s not a big secret that your channel reach has a direct impact on revenue. Kanggiten supports more than 20 active touchpoints, including Telegram, social platforms, push notifications, SMS, email, and webhooks. Operators get multiple paths to reach players where they already spend time.

This matters especially in markets where communication methods shift or get restricted without warning. Channel diversity at Kanggiten is part of the core infrastructure. When one path closes, others are already running.

Why It Adds Up

Together, these features make up a platform built around how operators actually work. The same thinking extends across the full ecosystem, including the Kanggiten Affiliate Platform (powered by FireAff) and the Kanggiten CRM & Marketing System (powered by InTarget).

And the industry has started to take notice. In March 2026, Kanggiten was named Best Live Casino Provider at the GamingTECH CEE Awards during the Hipther Prague Summit, an event that brought together 400+ attendees from 35+ countries.

Why? Because every feature was shaped by a team that has run brands, managed players, launched campaigns, and been held to the same KPIs their clients track every morning.

Continue Reading

apuestas

Brasil: gobierno prohíbe los mercados de predicción, avanzan las reformas de integridad y crece el debate publicitario

Published

on

brasil:-gobierno-prohibe-los-mercados-de-prediccion,-avanzan-las-reformas-de-integridad-y-crece-el-debate-publicitario

La industria brasileña de apuestas y juegos vivió otra semana decisiva, ya que reguladores, tribunales y operadores privados avanzaron en múltiples frentes, reforzando la rápida transición del país hacia uno de los mercados regulados más observados del sector global del iGaming.

Desde la prohibición de las plataformas de mercados de predicción hasta nuevas medidas contra el amaño de partidos, debates sobre publicidad, campañas de protección al consumidor y una decisión judicial de alto perfil relacionada con la marca Aviator, los acontecimientos reflejan un mercado que entra en una fase más madura y estratégica.

El gobierno prohíbe los mercados de predicción en todo el país

El gobierno federal brasileño anunció oficialmente una prohibición nacional de las plataformas de mercados de predicción, clasificándolas como operaciones de apuestas ilegales bajo la legislación nacional.

Las autoridades señalaron que los sitios web que permiten a los usuarios apostar en elecciones, eventos políticos, resultados económicos, resultados deportivos o situaciones personales no encajan dentro de las formas de apuesta autorizadas en el marco regulado de Brasil.

La medida estuvo acompañada por un video oficial de concientización pública lanzado por el gobierno federal, junto con publicaciones en Instagram advirtiendo que las plataformas de mercados de predicción serían tratadas como operaciones de apuestas ilegales.

Según las autoridades, estas plataformas intentaban posicionarse como productos financieros o de pronóstico, mientras implicaban riesgos comparables al juego tradicional.

El ministro de Hacienda, Dario Durigan, dijo que el objetivo es “evitar la consolidación de un nuevo mercado de apuestas conocido como mercado de predicción”.

Agregó que el segmento había comenzado a presentarse como una herramienta financiera, pero implicaba “potenciales muy similares a los efectos destructivos del juego”.

El gobierno también destacó riesgos como endeudamiento, manipulación de resultados y preocupaciones éticas vinculadas a mercados relacionados con despidos, decisiones políticas, predicciones de muerte o especulación climática.

Como parte de las acciones de fiscalización, las autoridades informaron el bloqueo de:

-28 empresas
– Más de 39.000 sitios web
-203 aplicaciones móviles
-1.665 notificaciones emitidas
-697 cuentas sospechosas cerradas

Las autoridades describieron la medida como una victoria para la protección del consumidor y un esfuerzo más amplio para resguardar las finanzas familiares y el bienestar público.

Brasil se une a la Convención de Macolin y lanza ecosistema de integridad

Al mismo tiempo, Brasil fortaleció su marco de integridad deportiva durante la II Reunión Técnica Nacional de Combate al Amaño de Partidos, celebrada en Brasília.

Durante el evento, el gobierno confirmó la adhesión formal de Brasil a la Convención de Macolin, convirtiéndose en el primer país fuera de Europa en sumarse al tratado internacional centrado en prevenir la manipulación de competiciones deportivas.

El anuncio estuvo acompañado por la publicación de la Ordenanza Interministerial MESP/MF/MJSP N.º 1/2026, que establece lineamientos de gobernanza y acción coordinada entre los Ministerios de Deporte, Hacienda y Justicia en asuntos relacionados con integridad en apuestas y prevención del amaño de partidos.

El Secretario Nacional de Apuestas Deportivas y Desarrollo Económico del Deporte, Giovanni Rocco, dijo: “Hoy el deporte en Brasil está mejor protegido. Empezamos prácticamente desde cero y, en poco tiempo, colocamos el tema en el centro del debate nacional”.

Un punto operativo destacado fue la presentación del Sistema de Análisis de Apuestas Sospechosas, desarrollado por la Policía Federal. La plataforma permite a las autoridades cruzar datos del mercado de apuestas con bases investigativas para detectar actividad sospechosa y patrones de fraude organizado.

El Director General de la Policía Federal, Andrei Augusto Passos Rodrigues, afirmó que la acción integrada entre instituciones era esencial para mejorar la efectividad de la fiscalización.

La reunión también incluyó iniciativas educativas para atletas y categorías juveniles, apoyadas por actores del sector privado y especialistas en integridad.

La representante de UNODC, Elena Abbati, describió el progreso reciente de Brasil como un ejemplo de mejores prácticas internacionales.

Regulador y operadores advierten contra un apagón publicitario

Otro gran tema de la semana fue la política publicitaria.

En un Foro de Políticas Públicas organizado por IAB Brazil en Brasília, funcionarios de la Secretaría de Premios y Apuestas (SPA) y participantes del mercado argumentaron que restricciones excesivas a la publicidad podrían fortalecer involuntariamente a operadores ilegales.

Renato Pucci, Coordinador General de Fiscalización de Apuestas de la SPA, dijo: “El peor camino es restringir la publicidad porque eso pone a operadores legales e ilegales en la misma bolsa”.

Ejecutivos de la industria respaldaron esa visión, advirtiendo que si las marcas licenciadas pierden visibilidad, los consumidores podrían tener dificultades para distinguir operadores regulados de plataformas offshore o no autorizadas.

Algunos ejecutivos describieron el escenario como un “apagón referencial”, en el que los usuarios continúan buscando productos de apuestas pero sin orientación clara hacia opciones legales y cumplidoras.

El debate señala que las autoridades brasileñas podrían seguir un modelo regulatorio más equilibrado que ciertas jurisdicciones europeas que adoptaron prohibiciones publicitarias totales.

Betsul promueve el Juego Responsable en Avenida Paulista

En el frente de interacción con el consumidor, el operador Betsul lanzó una campaña callejera en São Paulo centrada en la concientización sobre Juego Responsable.

La activación tuvo lugar en Avenida Paulista y contó con el influencer y atleta Kleber Bambam como embajador de la marca.

La empresa creó una experiencia de “casino humano” en la que tres participantes actuaban como rodillos vivos de tragamonedas dentro de cabinas mientras los transeúntes interactuaban con el juego.

Si los tres mostraban símbolos iguales al mismo tiempo, el participante recibía un premio.

Mateus Rosa, gerente de Marketing de Betsul, dijo que el objetivo era llevar la conversación sobre Juego Responsable más allá de los entornos digitales hacia una interacción pública real.

“Transformamos la mecánica tradicional del casino en algo humano e impredecible, precisamente para mostrar que el juego debe abordarse con equilibrio”, afirmó.

La Justicia respalda a Aviator Studio en disputa con Spribe

El poder judicial brasileño también emitió una decisión importante para el sector.

El Tribunal de Justicia de São Paulo rechazó los pedidos de Spribe para suspender las operaciones de Aviator Studio Brazil y retirar el juego Aviator del mercado mientras continúa el litigio.

La 2ª Cámara Reservada de Derecho Empresarial confirmó la decisión de primera instancia, concluyendo que no existía riesgo inmediato que justificara medidas urgentes de suspensión.

El tribunal también observó que la titularidad de la marca Aviator sigue en disputa en Brasil y en el exterior.

Según documentos del caso, el juego ha operado comercialmente en Brasil durante años mediante un acuerdo de licencia con Aviator LLC.

La resolución agregó que cualquier eventual daño financiero reclamado por la demandante podría ser compensado posteriormente, reduciendo la necesidad de intervención urgente.

El caso forma parte de una disputa internacional más amplia sobre derechos vinculados a la marca Aviator.

George Pruidze, CEO de Aviator Studio, dijo: “Aviator Studio Brazil permanece totalmente comprometida en apoyar a sus socios y defender la marca AVIATOR siempre que sea necesario”.

Con decisiones de primera y segunda instancia ya vigentes, el juego permanece disponible en Brasil mientras el fondo del litigio sigue su curso judicial.

El mercado entra en fase estratégica

En conjunto, los acontecimientos de la semana muestran a Brasil avanzando simultáneamente en varios frentes críticos: fiscalización regulatoria, integridad deportiva, política publicitaria, educación al consumidor y certeza jurídica comercial.

Para operadores, proveedores e inversores internacionales, el mensaje es cada vez más claro: Brasil ya no es simplemente una oportunidad emergente, sino que se está convirtiendo en uno de los mercados de apuestas más estratégicamente estructurados del mundo.

The post Brasil: gobierno prohíbe los mercados de predicción, avanzan las reformas de integridad y crece el debate publicitario appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

Continue Reading

Aviator

Brazil betting sector roundup: government bans prediction markets, integrity reforms advance, ad debate grows

Published

on

brazil-betting-sector-roundup:-government-bans-prediction-markets,-integrity-reforms-advance,-ad-debate-grows

Brazil’s betting and gaming industry experienced another decisive week as regulators, courts, and private operators moved on multiple fronts, reinforcing the country’s rapid transition into one of the most closely watched regulated markets in the global iGaming sector.

From the prohibition of prediction market platforms to new anti-match-fixing measures, advertising debates, consumer protection campaigns, and a high-profile court ruling involving the Aviator brand, the developments reflect a market entering a more mature and strategic phase.

Government bans prediction markets nationwide

The Brazilian federal government officially announced a nationwide ban on prediction market platforms, classifying them as illegal betting operations under national law.

Authorities stated that websites allowing users to wager on elections, political events, economic outcomes, sports results, or personal situations do not fall within the forms of betting authorized in Brazil’s regulated framework.

The measure was accompanied by an official public awareness video released by the federal government, alongside Instagram posts warning that prediction market platforms would be treated as illegal betting operations.

According to officials, these platforms attempted to position themselves as financial or forecasting products, while carrying risks comparable to traditional gambling.

Finance Minister Dario Durigan said the objective is to “prevent the consolidation of a new betting market known as the prediction market.”

He added that the segment had begun presenting itself as a financial tool, but involved “potentials very similar to the destructive effects of gambling.”

The government also highlighted risks such as indebtedness, result manipulation, and ethical concerns linked to markets involving dismissals, political decisions, death predictions, or weather speculation.

As part of enforcement actions, officials reported the blocking of:

  • 28 companies
  • More than 39,000 websites
  • 203 mobile applications
  • 1,665 notifications issued
  • 697 suspicious accounts shut down

Authorities described the measure as a victory for consumer protection and a broader effort to safeguard household finances and public wellbeing.

Brazil joins Macolin Convention and launches integrity ecosystem

At the same time, Brazil strengthened its sports integrity framework during the II National Technical Meeting on Combating Match-Fixing, held in Brasília.

During the event, the government confirmed Brazil’s formal accession to the Macolin Convention, becoming the first country outside Europe to join the international treaty focused on preventing manipulation of sports competitions.

The announcement was accompanied by the publication of Inter-ministerial Ordinance MESP/MF/MJSP No. 1/2026, which establishes governance guidelines and coordinated action between the Ministries of Sport, Finance, and Justice in matters related to betting integrity and match-fixing prevention.

National Secretary for Sports Betting and Economic Development of Sport Giovanni Rocco said:

“Today, sport in Brazil is better protected. We started practically from zero and, in a short time, placed the theme at the center of the national debate.”

A major operational highlight was the unveiling of the Suspicious Betting Analysis System, developed by the Federal Police.

The platform allows authorities to cross-reference betting market data with investigative databases in order to detect suspicious activity and organized fraud patterns.

Federal Police Director-General Andrei Augusto Passos Rodrigues said integrated action between institutions was essential to improving enforcement effectiveness.

The meeting also included educational initiatives for athletes and youth categories, supported by private sector stakeholders and integrity specialists.

UNODC representative Elena Abbati described Brazil’s recent progress as an example of international best practice.

Regulator and operators warn against advertising blackout

Another major topic during the week was advertising policy.

At a Public Policy Forum organized by IAB Brazil in Brasília, officials from the Secretariat of Prizes and Betting (SPA) and market participants argued that excessive advertising restrictions could unintentionally strengthen illegal operators.

Renato Pucci, General Coordinator of Betting Oversight at the SPA, said: “The worst path is to restrict advertising because that puts legal and illegal operators in the same bucket.”

Industry executives supported the view, warning that if licensed brands lose visibility, consumers may struggle to distinguish regulated operators from offshore or unauthorized platforms.

Some executives described the scenario as a “referential blackout,” where users continue searching for betting products but without clear guidance toward legal and compliant options.

The discussion signals that Brazilian authorities may pursue a more balanced regulatory model than certain European jurisdictions that have adopted blanket advertising bans.

Betsul promotes Responsible Gaming on Avenida Paulista

On the consumer engagement side, operator Betsul launched a street campaign in São Paulo focused on Responsible Gaming awareness.

The activation took place on Avenida Paulista and featured influencer and athlete Kleber Bambam, who participated as the brand ambassador.

The company created a “human casino” experience in which three participants acted as live slot reels inside booths while passersby interacted with the game.

If all three revealed matching symbols simultaneously, the participant received a prize.

Mateus Rosa, Marketing Manager at Betsul, said the objective was to move the Responsible Gaming conversation beyond digital environments and into real public interaction.

“We transformed the traditional casino mechanic into something human and unpredictable, precisely to show that gaming should be approached with balance,” he said.

Court backs Aviator Studio in dispute with Spribe

Brazil’s judiciary also delivered an important ruling for the sector.

The São Paulo Court of Justice rejected requests by Spribe to suspend Aviator Studio Brazil’s operations and remove the Aviator game from the market while litigation continues.

The 2nd Reserved Chamber of Business Law upheld the first-instance decision, concluding that there was no immediate risk justifying emergency suspension measures.

The court also noted that ownership of the Aviator trademark remains disputed in Brazil and abroad.

According to case documents, the game has operated commercially in Brazil for years through a licensing agreement with Aviator LLC.

The ruling additionally stated that any eventual financial damages claimed by the plaintiff could be compensated later, reducing the need for urgent intervention.

The case forms part of a wider international dispute over rights linked to the Aviator brand.

George Pruidze, CEO of Aviator Studio, said: “Aviator Studio Brazil remains fully committed to supporting its partners and defending the AVIATOR brand whenever necessary.”

With first and second instance rulings now in place, the game remains available in Brazil while the merits of the dispute continue through the courts.

Market entering strategic phase

Taken together, the week’s developments show Brazil moving simultaneously on several critical fronts: regulatory enforcement, sports integrity, advertising policy, consumer education, and commercial legal certainty.

For international operators, suppliers, and investors, the message is increasingly clear: Brazil is no longer simply an emerging opportunity — it is becoming one of the most strategically structured betting markets in the world. 

The post Brazil betting sector roundup: government bans prediction markets, integrity reforms advance, ad debate grows appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

Continue Reading

Trending

Get it on Google Play

Fresh slot games releases by the top brands of the industry. We provide you with the latest news straight from the entertainment industries.

The platform also hosts industry-relevant webinars, and provides detailed reports, making it a one-stop resource for anyone seeking information about operators, suppliers, regulators, and professional services in the European gaming market. The portal's primary goal is to keep its extensive reader base updated on the latest happenings, trends, and developments within the gaming and gambling sector, with an emphasis on the European market while also covering pertinent global news. It's an indispensable resource for gaming professionals, operators, and enthusiasts alike.

Contact us: [email protected]

Editorial / PR Submissions: [email protected]

Copyright © 2015 - 2024 - Recent Slot Releases is part of HIPTHER Agency. Registered in Romania under Proshirt SRL, Company number: 2134306, EU VAT ID: RO21343605. Office address: Blvd. 1 Decembrie 1918 nr.5, Targu Mures, Romania