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Smarkets raises Series B funding round to supercharge international and domestic growth

Published

5 years ago

June 10, 2021

Reading Time: 2 minutes

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.”

Diana Larina CMO at Evoplay

Evoplay promotes Diana Larina to Chief Marketing Officer

Published

7 minutes ago

May 12, 2026

Wladimir P.

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Evoplay has promoted Diana Larina to Chief Marketing Officer, expanding its senior leadership team.

Larina joined Evoplay in 2022 as Head of B2B Marketing. She was promoted to Head of Growth Marketing in 2023 and appointed Head of Marketing in November 2024.

Evoplay said Larina has led marketing initiatives spanning brand, performance and partner-focused campaigns, and contributed to a shift towards a more B2C-focused approach aimed at strengthening player engagement.

Diana Larina, CMO at Evoplay, said: “I’m incredibly proud of what the marketing team has achieved at Evoplay and I’m excited about what comes next. This promotion is a reflection of the hard work of everyone around me, and I look forward to continuing to push boundaries, build the brand and drive growth as we expand our presence across global markets.”

Ivan Kravchuk, CEO at Evoplay, added: “From the moment Diana joined us, she demonstrated exceptional drive, leadership and ambition. Her journey through the company is a testament to both her talent and dedication, and this promotion to CMO is incredibly well deserved. Diana has consistently delivered impactful results while inspiring those around her, and I’m confident she will continue to play a key role in shaping Evoplay’s future.”

The post Evoplay promotes Diana Larina to Chief Marketing Officer appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Playson supplies slots to StarVegas in Switzerland deal via Greentube

Published

7 minutes ago

May 12, 2026

Wladimir P.

playson-supplies-slots-to-starvegas-in-switzerland-deal-via-greentube

Playson has partnered with Swiss online casino operator StarVegas to distribute its slot content in Switzerland, with integration handled via Greentube.

StarVegas is operated by Casino Interlaken. Under the agreement, StarVegas players in Switzerland gain access to Playson titles including Thunder Coins XXL: Hold and Win, Coin Strike: Hold and Win and Pink Joker: Hold and Win.

Blanka Homor, Sales Director at Playson, said: “Switzerland is a key area of opportunity and growth for Playson, and through StarVegas, we look forward to reaching even more local players and meeting the high demand for our games with a highly regarded and responsible partner.”

Mayke Wolf, COO at StarVegas, said: “As one of the first licensed Swiss online casinos, StarVegas offers a wide selection of games from leading international providers and a high-quality gaming experience tailored to the Swiss market. Our players are huge fans of Playson’s thoughtfully crafted portfolio, with its larger-than-life slots and characters that resonate strongly and stand the test of time. This makes the integration a natural addition to our platform, and we are delighted to bring this highly requested content to our players. The full portfolio can be accessed via starvegas.ch as well as through the popular StarVegas mobile apps.”

The post Playson supplies slots to StarVegas in Switzerland deal via Greentube appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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UAE Lottery and Zulekha Hospital run orthopaedic workshop for Berkeley UAE workers

Published

7 minutes ago

May 12, 2026

Wladimir P.

uae-lottery-and-zulekha-hospital-run-orthopaedic-workshop-for-berkeley-uae-workers

The UAE Lottery, operated by The Game L.L.C (a Momentum Group company), partnered with Zulekha Hospital to deliver an orthopaedic workshop for residents in Berkeley UAE’s shared accommodation on April 30, 2026.

The one-hour session, titled “Stronger Body, Safer Work”, focused on injury prevention, posture improvement, safer lifting techniques, and basic exercises for workers in physically demanding roles involving lifting, movement, and repetitive tasks.

Zulekha Hospital specialists led the workshop, including Dr. Saleh Kagzi, Specialist Orthopaedic Surgeon, and physiotherapist Ms. Ceona Prakash Chopde, who delivered live stretching and strengthening demonstrations. Organisers also offered optional onsite medical consultations for participants to discuss back, neck, shoulder, and joint concerns.

Commenting on the initiative, Suzan Kazzi, Associate Director of CSR at Momentum – The UAE Lottery, said: “Through H.O.P.E. we are proud to deliver initiatives that promote health and wellbeing across various communities in the UAE. This workshop reflects our commitment to bringing practical, accessible support directly to those who can benefit most.”

Dr. Aniruddha Lahiri, Senior Director Administration at Zulekha Hospital added: “We were delighted to partner with The UAE Lottery on this important initiative. Prevention, movement, and early care play a vital role in maintaining long-term health, particularly for individuals in physically demanding professions. We hope that our practical advice helps participants in their daily lives.”

The post UAE Lottery and Zulekha Hospital run orthopaedic workshop for Berkeley UAE workers appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.