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Football: Respect and dialogue needed to restore normality as breakaway league is strongly disapproved

Published

5 years ago

April 21, 2021

Reading Time: 2 minutes

The FIFA President emphasised his full support to the European sports model, a successful model of openness and inclusivity, promotion and relegation

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has called for respect and dialogue as he expressed FIFA’s strong disapproval of the proposed European breakaway league project, and has requested that the concerned parties consider their position in line with respecting the institutions that exist to protect the interest of national, European and global football.

“FIFA is an organisation which is built on values, the true values of sport,” said the FIFA President in his address to the 45th Ordinary UEFA Congress in Montreux, Switzerland. “It is an organisation that is built on our statutes, the statutes that define the institutional framework, with the pyramid, with FIFA, the confederations, the associations, the leagues, the clubs, the players. And at FIFA, we can only strongly disapprove the creation of a super league which is a closed shop, which is a breakaway from the current institutions, from the leagues, from the associations, from UEFA and from FIFA, which is outside of the system. There is no doubt whatsoever of FIFA’s disapproval for this.”

The FIFA President emphasised his full support to the European sports model, a successful model of openness and inclusivity, promotion and relegation, and a model that he promoted in his 16 years at UEFA: “FIFA is here, and I am here today as FIFA President, to bring full support to European football, to UEFA, and the 55 member associations of UEFA and of FIFA, to the leagues, clubs, players and to fans. To all the fans, all over Europe, and actually all over the world as well.”

“We can see that there is a lot to throw away for the short-term financial gain of some,” the FIFA President added. “People need to think very carefully, they need to reflect, and they need to assume responsibility. They need to think not only of their shareholders, but they need to think about all the people, of all the fans, of all those who have contributed to make European football what it is today. It goes back not only decades, it goes back more than one hundred years. People – with love, with passion, with commitment – have created all this. And we need to protect this. It is our task.”

“FIFA is a democratic organisation, an organisation that is open,” the FIFA President concluded. “Everyone can bring ideas and proposals, but always with respect for the institutions, leagues, associations, UEFA and FIFA. With respect for the history and with the respect for the passion of so many people around the world. I understand as well that in these particular days, emotions are very high, but we need to always keep the line. Football is hope, and it is our responsibility to make hope reality. So we hope that everything will go back to normal, and that everything will be settled, but always with acting responsibly, with respect, with solidarity, and always in the interest of national, European and global football.”

Affiliate Industry

SiGMA exclusive: Aleksandra Drigo on traffic shifts, transparency, and the future of SEO affiliates

Published

40 minutes ago

July 6, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

sigma-exclusive:-aleksandra-drigo-on-traffic-shifts,-transparency,-and-the-future-of-seo-affiliates

In an exclusive interview for the SiGMA News, Aleksandra Drigo, Chief of Business Development at SEOBROTHERS, shared her perspective on the future of affiliate marketing in Canada.

She discussed how Alberta’s upcoming market launch could reshape competition, why transparency has become a cornerstone of operator-affiliate partnerships, how compliance is changing the way affiliates choose partners, and why localisation, trusted brands, and data-driven decision-making will define the next generation of SEO affiliates.

Regulation will reshape Alberta’s affiliate landscape

As Alberta prepares to regulate its online gambling market, affiliates are entering a more challenging environment. While regulation brings greater transparency, it also increases compliance demands, acquisition costs, and competition – particularly from larger, well-funded companies.

“Many affiliates, especially independent SEO players, may decide not to enter fully regulated markets and instead focus on regions with more predictable economics and lower regulatory pressure,” Aleksandra said.

Bigger brands gain the advantage

According to Drigo, regulated markets naturally favour established affiliate businesses, whereas smaller publishers face much higher barriers to entry despite niche opportunities still existing.

“Regulated markets tend to favour larger players. Big affiliate companies have the resources for legal support, compliance teams, advanced tracking infrastructure, and long-term investment without expecting fast ROI.”

Compliance is now a deciding factor

Operator selection is no longer based solely on commercial terms. Affiliates increasingly assess partners by their transparency, reporting quality, responsible gaming standards, responsiveness, and ability to meet local regulatory requirements.

“We pay close attention to how consistent an operator is in terms of reporting, responsible gaming policies, speed of communication, and local regulations compliance. Reputation risks affect both sides. If an operator lacks transparency or fails to follow compliance standards, it directly impacts the affiliate business as well.”

Communication matters more than financial disputes

Drigo believes that most partnership conflicts arise not from payment issues, but from poor communication and limited access to performance data.

“Financial disagreements can usually be resolved quickly if there is trust and clear communication between both sides. Whereas, when affiliates do not receive timely information, face unclear reporting, or get no explanation for performance changes, tensions escalate very quickly. In regulated markets, communication and transparency become just as important as the financial terms themselves.”

The future belongs to trusted brands and localisation

Looking ahead, Drigo expects meticulous localisation, brand authority, first-party audiences, and community-driven products to define success in regulated North American markets. As AI reshapes search, affiliates will need stronger technology, diversified traffic sources, and compliance-friendly SEO strategies to remain competitive.

“With AI and online search ecosystem changes already transforming the SEO landscape, affiliates need to become much more flexible and technology-driven than before. And compliance-friendly SEO strategies and diversification beyond traditional search traffic are becoming increasingly important.”

The post SiGMA exclusive: Aleksandra Drigo on traffic shifts, transparency, and the future of SEO affiliates appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

Belgium

EveryMatrix to replace Betcenter Belgium sportsbook platform in omnichannel deal

Published

2 hours ago

July 6, 2026

Wladimir P.

everymatrix-to-replace-betcenter-belgium-sportsbook-platform-in-omnichannel-deal

Merkur Group-owned operator will migrate retail and online sports betting across 50+ shops and hundreds of terminals onto EveryMatrix’s full stack.

EveryMatrix has agreed an omnichannel partnership with Betcenter Belgium to power the operator’s sports betting platform, replacing an in-house legacy setup with EveryMatrix’s full technology stack.

Under the deal, EveryMatrix will migrate Betcenter’s customer activities and operations and deliver sportsbook services across both retail and online channels. Betcenter operates online and in more than 50 retail betting shops, with 600 Self Service Betting Terminals (SSBTs) and 300 SSBT-light units, according to the companies.

The agreement extends EveryMatrix’s relationship with Betcenter owner Merkur Group, following a March announcement that EveryMatrix would power Merkur’s Cashpoint brand in Denmark for online sports and casino and more than 1,000 sports betting terminals in 230 shops.

Ebbe Groes, Group Co-CEO & Co-Founder, EveryMatrix, said: “To be able to extend our partnership with Merkur Group in Belgium so soon after agreeing to work with its Cashpoint brand in Denmark is something you rarely see in our industry.

“There has been, and continues to, be an enormous amount of hard work put into both making and delivering these deals on both sides so I’d like to thank the Merkur Group and my own internal EveryMatrix teams for making this a reality.”

Mathias Dahms, Managing Director of the Sports Betting Division, Merkur Group, said: “We have learned to regard EveryMatrix as a reliable and competent partner and look forward to taking the next step with them on this challenging project in Belgium.

“Through this partnership, we will consolidate our market-leading position in Belgium and further expand it with new products.”

The post EveryMatrix to replace Betcenter Belgium sportsbook platform in omnichannel deal appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Blueprint Gaming

Blueprint Gaming rolls out Rapid Fire Jackpots to NetBet UK

Published

3 hours ago

July 6, 2026

Wladimir P.

blueprint-gaming-rolls-out-rapid-fire-jackpots-to-netbet-uk

The expanded integration will bring Blueprint’s full Rapid Fire Jackpots portfolio into NetBet’s casino lobby over time.

Blueprint Gaming has expanded its partnership with UK-facing operator NetBet by rolling out its Rapid Fire Jackpots progressive jackpot content to the operator’s casino lobby.

The companies first partnered in 2025, with NetBet already offering Blueprint releases including Fishin’ Frenzy Lure ‘Em In, Eye of Horus and King Kong Cash. NetBet has also run a selection of Rapid Fire Jackpots titles, including Fishin’ Frenzy Big Catch 3, The Goonies Quest for Treasure 2 and Fishin’ Frenzy Even Bigger Fish 2.

Under the extended collaboration, Blueprint said the entire Rapid Fire Jackpots portfolio will be integrated into NetBet’s casino lobby over time, starting with an initial batch of titles now made available to NetBet players.

Rapid Fire Jackpots launched in June 2024 and is positioned by Blueprint as a complementary mechanic to its Jackpot King product, designed to deliver more frequent jackpot wins. Jack Lawson, Senior Account Manager at Blueprint Gaming, said: “Rapid Fire Jackpots has added a new dimension to our portfolio since launch, giving players access to more frequent jackpot drops alongside the premium gameplay experiences our content is known for.

“Expanding the rollout of the mechanic with NetBet allows us to build on the strong momentum already generated through our partnership, while further cementing our position as a leading supplier in the UK market.” Claudia Georgevici, PR Manager at NetBet Casino, said: “Blueprint Gaming’s titles have proven to be a strong addition to our casino lobby over the past year, and the integration of Rapid Fire Jackpots is set to further boost that offering.

“The mechanic’s combination of achievable, frequent jackpot wins and engaging gameplay delivers exactly the type of experience that resonates with our players, making it a valuable addition to our growing content selection.”

The post Blueprint Gaming rolls out Rapid Fire Jackpots to NetBet UK appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.