Latest News
Smarkets raises Series B funding round to supercharge international and domestic growth
Smarkets, one of the world’s largest betting exchange and prediction market platforms, has announced the closing of a significant minority investment from Susquehanna Growth Equity (SGE).
Having raised just £3.8m ($5.4m) since its inception in 2008, with its Series A round coming back in 2013, Smarkets has built a leading exchange platform that processes billions of pounds in traded volume each year. The company has offices in London, Los Angeles, and Malta, licensed customer-focused operations in five countries, and in 2019 released innovative sportsbook app SBK.
Smarkets is delighted to welcome SGE, which joins existing investors Passion Capital and Deutsche Telekom in supporting the company’s mission to fix betting with the fairest odds in the industry.
This new investment will allow Smarkets to accelerate its rollout in the US, where it is already live in Colorado with sportsbook app SBK and set to go live in Indiana soon. The funding will also bolster SBK’s position in the UK mainstream betting market after its successful launch in August 2019.
The new investment will contribute to:
Furthering the company’s US presence, including market-access deals in new, regulated states
Capturing an even greater share of the UK betting exchange market and accelerating SBK’s growth in the UK’s mainstream sportsbook market
Expanding Smarkets’ development of new products for customers and focus on industry-leading prices on sports, politics, and current affairs
Continuing to capture the best and brightest worldwide engineering talent with a view to doubling headcount by the end of 2022
Further expansion into new and recently entered markets such as Denmark and Sweden
Jason Trost, founder and CEO of Smarkets, said:
“This is an incredibly exciting day. I’ve always been amazed what the passion and energy of a comparatively small group of committed people can accomplish against much bigger rivals; Smarkets and SBK are the product of exactly that. At Smarkets we have always been guided by our vision of fixing betting with the best prices and products, and SGE is just as excited as us to challenge the status quo. This is a huge endorsement of our technology and will allow us to further upend the industry by offering bets as close to fair value as possible.
“We are super proud of what we have achieved so far in the UK betting space, and this new investment will help take us to the next level and beyond in the UK, US, and other international markets. I’d like to thank the women and men that work and have worked at Smarkets for getting us to where we are.
“I truly believe the best is yet to come. This investment will allow us to fight with greater resources, move faster, and be bolder in our mission. We’re so excited about the opportunities this investment unlocks.”
Scott Feldman, Managing Director with Susquehanna Growth Equity, said:
“We are delighted to be able to join Smarkets on their upward journey. We immediately identified with their vision of using technology to take on the betting industry’s big operators by providing the fairest odds in the world and maintaining a clear focus on product excellence.
“Smarkets have achieved a huge amount with little investment to date and we can’t wait to see them go from strength to strength as they expand further into both the US and UK mainstream market.”
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Awards
Dplus Kia sweep Karmine Corp 3-0 to win League of Legends at Esports World Cup 2026
Dplus Kia won League of Legends at Esports World Cup 2026 on July 19 in Paris, sweeping home team Karmine Corp 3-0 in the Grand Final. The result gives the South Korean roster its first LAN tournament win of the 2026 season and, per the event, its first major international trophy since 2020. Dplus Kia earned $600,000 and 1,000 points toward the Club Championship.
Dplus Kia’s run started in the Group Stage lower bracket after a loss to AG AL. The team then posted consecutive best-of-three sweeps over FURIA and G2 Esports to reach playoffs, followed by a quarterfinal upset of Bilibili Gaming and a semifinal win over Esports World Cup 2025 winners Gen.G.
Karmine Corp reached the final after a comeback win over T1 in the semifinals, setting up an all-underdog championship match on home soil. In the final, Dplus Kia controlled game one, edged a close game two after a late Karmine Corp mistake, and closed out the series 3-0.
“It’s been five years since the international stage, and I’m so proud of myself, and I’m just so excited right now,” said Heo “ShowMaker” Su following the grand final.
Sin “Smash” Guem-jae was named SONY MVP and received an additional $25,000. The 19-year old finished the tournament with an 8.1 KDA (kills/deaths/assists) statistic. “I’m so excited right now, I’m so happy,” Smash said, after receiving the award. “It’s also my birthday in Korea, this is a phenomenal birthday.” Earlier on July 19, Gen.G secured third place over T1 with a 2-1 win, collecting $220,000.
The post Dplus Kia sweep Karmine Corp 3-0 to win League of Legends at Esports World Cup 2026 appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Artificial Intelligence
Pay4Fun integrates payments into Betconstruct AI ecosystem for Brazil
Integration adds Pix, account validation, fraud controls and compliance tools for operators targeting Brazil’s regulated betting market.
Pay4Fun has integrated its financial infrastructure with Betconstruct AI’s platform in Brazil, giving operators connected to the ecosystem access to payments and compliance tooling built for the country’s regulated betting market.
Pay4Fun said Betconstruct AI clients will be able to use Pix payment processing, account ownership validation, transaction monitoring, fraud prevention, and compliance tools aligned with Brazil’s regulatory requirements.
According to Leonardo Baptista, CEO and Co-Founder of Pay4Fun, regulation is pushing operators to look beyond basic processing. “The Brazilian market has entered a new phase of maturity. Today, operators require solutions that go far beyond payment processing. They need partners capable of delivering security, compliance, and operational efficiency in an increasingly demanding regulatory environment. By integrating our solutions with Betconstruct AI, we are expanding access to a financial infrastructure specifically designed to meet the needs of the Brazilian market.”
Betconstruct AI said the integration strengthens its Brazil-facing offer for clients operating in the country or planning entry. “Pay4Fun was selected based on the expertise and industry knowledge the company has built within the Brazilian betting market. As the industry continues to evolve, the importance of working with specialized partners capable of delivering security, operational efficiency, and regulatory compliance continues to grow,” said Beatriz Lopes, the Brazil Regional Director.
Pay4Fun said it was the first payment institution serving the betting industry to receive authorization from the Central Bank of Brazil, and that the company’s infrastructure combines monitoring, identity verification, fraud and anti-money laundering controls, and compliance processes tailored to regulated iGaming operations.
The post Pay4Fun integrates payments into Betconstruct AI ecosystem for Brazil appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Artificial Intelligence
BetConstruct AI hosts Harmony Predictstreet event in Yerevan
Eighth Harmony edition runs July 8–9 and spotlights ADI Predictstreet collaboration ahead of the FIFA World Cup Final.
BetConstruct AI held its Harmony Predictstreet event on July 8–9, 2026 in Yerevan, Armenia, bringing together more than 300 guests for two days of networking and company updates.
The eighth edition introduced the “Predictstreet” branding to reflect BetConstruct AI’s strategic collaboration with ADI Predictstreet, described in the release as “FIFA’s Official Prediction Market Partner.” BetConstruct AI said the partnership includes integrating ADI Predictstreet’s prediction market solutions and official match streaming rights into its platform, timed for “the most important commercial moment in the four-year sports calendar, with the FIFA World Cup Final just days away.”
Day 1 was hosted at Garni Temple for an evening reception, including a live performance by the Armenian National Philharmonic Orchestra, a mapping show and music from DJ Leblanc.
Day 2 began at SoftConstruct headquarters with an office tour and networking session, before moving to Dvin Music Hall for the Harmony Predictstreet Gala Dinner. BetConstruct AI said founders and executive leadership presented updates on Eventbook, the ADI Predictstreet partnership, Betting Mate, The Last Battle Universe, Betbuilder & Powerbank, Softgates, and “the latest updates driving Vivaro.me and Open Stake forward.”
The company positioned the event as a forum for discussing future direction across its ecosystem, and confirmed plans to continue the series with a ninth edition.
The post BetConstruct AI hosts Harmony Predictstreet event in Yerevan appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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