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The number of sports games provided by BETER has doubled
The results are in and BETER is proud to report that the first half of 2021 has seen the Setka Cup go from strength to strength, as the number of table tennis, tennis and beach volleyball matches featured in this tournament have doubled in this time.
Alex Lobov, BETER’s Chief Product Officer, explained how the company achieved such growth rates.
INCREASING GROWTH
The number of sports events reached 22,500 (from January to June) in 2020. This figure for the same period of 2021 has doubled and totaled 42,281 events. Despite the return of major sports tournaments, including the UEFA European football championship, in June 2021, BETER provided the highest number of matches of all Setka Cup’s sports tournaments — 7,500 games (250 per day).
Alex Lobov, BETER’s Chief Product Officer, said, “BETER continues increasing the amount of fast sports content. And we do our best to ensure that our clients get 24/7/365 available products that allow sportsbooks to fill free airtime and count on predictable margins. That’s why we offer a large number of events and broadcast up to 10 matches simultaneously. All of our players and matches have comprehensive stats.
We suppose that major events can boost fans’ and bettors’ interest in commercial sports tournaments. The Setka Cup is a good case in point. The platform held a significant number of events even during the EURO-2020 and other big sporting events in June.”
The Setka Cup opened two new table tennis arenas at the beginning of 2021. The last one started operating in Prague (Czech Republic) in May and holds up to 1,000 matches per month. This positive dynamic expands the sports community of tournaments, mainly in Ukraine, where we have 9 sports arenas in the 3 largest cities.
ATHLETES AND SPORTS ORGANIZATIONS
The total number of sportspeople participating in Setka Cup tournaments has increased by 20% since January 2021. There are 780 active players now, and 600 regularly participate in table tennis tournaments in Ukraine and the Czech Republic. Jindrich Pansky, the double silver medalist of the world championship and participant of the Olympic Games, competes in Setka Cup’s tournaments in Prague.
The Ukrainian Table Tennis Federation has 1,868 active players (18-55 years old). One in three registered athletes is a participant in Seka Cup’s tournaments.
2021 became an important year for the Setka Cup. The platform launched tournaments in the EU. Moreover, recently the Setka Cup reached a strategic partnership with the Prague Table Tennis Association. It is an official recognition on the international level, and it proves Setka Cup’s ambitions to develop table tennis in the EU. Within the Memorandum with the Association, the Setka Cup plans to conduct sports coaching, develop table tennis and promote it in Prague and the Czech Republic.
NEW SPORTS
BETER now provides table tennis, tennis, and beach volleyball tournaments organized by Setka Cup. Beach volleyball competitions were launched in June 2021. And today, the platform holds 16 matches of this discipline every day.
Alex Lobov explained, “We are constantly working to improve and expand our product portfolio. We have a great team of 50+ operational specialists who are responsible for launching new sports as well as providing technical equipment and supporting fair play.
This year 2×2 beach volleyball tournaments have successfully passed the trial period. During this process we verified all the key metrics, focused on technical aspects, and tested an ability to keep an efficient, 24/7 schedule and ranking systems. Beach volleyball proves its profitability and effectiveness”.
BETTORS AND FANS
BETER provides live streaming, live data and odds for the Setka Cup’s matches. The company, by doing so, creates complex betting products for sportsbooks in 150 countries. According to the last data of one of the largest sportsbooks, the number of bettors who choose Setka Cup tournaments increased by 33% during the first half of 2021. Such significant growth happened in June when the UEFA European football championship and table tennis championship were held.
GEO
Thanks to BETER, the streams of Setka Cup’s tournaments are featured on no fewer than 100 sportsbooks, including bet365, William Hill.
According to Setka Cup’s table tennis web platform, European countries currently hold the record for the number of Setka Cup fans. The United Kingdom, the Czech Republic, Spain, and Poland are in the TOP-10 countries where Setka Cup tournaments are the most popular among fans and bettors.
Among Asian countries, the Philippines has the highest number of Setka Cup fans; in North America — the United States, in South America — Brazil, in Africa — South Africa.
Setka Cup — international 24/7 sports tournaments that help betting operators fill airtime with profitable, fast, and high-quality content in prime and non-prime hours. Setka Cup offers 7,500 tennis, table tennis, and beach volleyball tournament events per month.
The platform created unique media channels, including Setka Cup TV, which covers table tennis’s sporting and educational events and engages the sports community, fans, and bettors. Setka Cup tournaments are featured on sportsbooks in 150 countries and get 13M views per month.
BETER is a leading provider of fast sports & esports content, live streaming, live data, and odds for the betting industry. The company powers Setka Cup and ESportsBattle tournaments and offers trading of world esports events.
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Editor’s Take
Why this matters: Belatra has been a steady hand in the slots world for a long time, but 2025 marked a distinct shift in strategy. By entering the Crash vertical with Goose Boom Bang and winning big at SiGMA Africa, the studio is clearly pivoting to capture the high-growth, high-frequency players in emerging markets. They are no longer just a “classic slots” developer; they are diversifying the portfolio to ensure relevance in regions like LatAm and Africa.
The Full Story
Belatra Games, the specialist online slots developer, has issued a strategic review of its 2025 operations, celebrating a 12-month period defined by entry into new game verticals, significant franchise expansion, and high-profile industry recognition.
The year was characterized by a dual strategy: deepening engagement in established markets while aggressively expanding its content portfolio to suit local preferences in emerging territories.
Portfolio Evolution: Crash and Battles 2025 saw Belatra move beyond its traditional slot roots. The company made its debut in the high-demand Crash game vertical with the launch of Goose Boom Bang, a title designed to tap into the fast-paced gameplay preference of younger demographics.
Additionally, the studio introduced a fresh game concept with the launch of Battles, a new format unveiled for the first time in 2025, with further development planned for 2026.
The ‘Mummyverse’ Expands For fans of classic slots, the highlight of the year was the aggressive expansion of the Mummyverse. Belatra nearly doubled the size of this franchise over the year, making it the most extensive game universe in their entire catalog.
The developer also focused on B2B localization, releasing a number of exclusive bespoke games created specifically for selected operator partners to meet specific local market tastes.
Awards and Recognition The company’s strategic shifts were validated by industry accolades. Belatra secured over 30 nominations throughout the year, with standout wins including:
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Best Slot Provider (awarded by BitStarz).
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Most Played Game of 2025 for Make It Gold at the SiGMA Africa Awards.
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Player’s Pick Award.
Management Commentary Misha Voinich, Head of Business Development at Belatra, commented on the studio’s momentum:
“This year has truly defined who we are as a studio – ambitious, creative and focused on building long-term partnerships. We’ve expanded our universes, launched new ones and entered exciting new markets that will all help us carry this momentum into the New Year.”
The post From ‘Mummyverse’ to Crash Games: Belatra Reviews a Landmark 2025 appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry Newsroom.
Editor’s Take
Why this matters: The “Instant Game” vertical (Crash, Plinko, Mines) is becoming crowded, but Ebaka Games is cutting through the noise with a distinct brand personality. By securing BMM Testlabs certification so quickly after launch, they are signaling to Tier 1 operators that despite their “chaotic” marketing vibe, the math underneath is solid and compliant. The backing of industry veteran Dmitry Belianin also adds immediate commercial credibility to the startup.
The Full Story
Ebaka Games, the fledgling studio that promises to bring “chaos and soul” to the iGaming sector, has outlined an aggressive growth strategy for 2026 following a landmark launch period in late 2025.
The studio, which officially debuted in November, reports that its initial rollout reached more than five million people worldwide. The launch saw its portfolio go live with the operator Menace, serving as the initial testbed for its mechanics and “Ebaka modes.”
The Product: Instant Games with Personality Ebaka is bypassing traditional slots to focus on the high-growth vertical of fast-paced, instant-win games. Their initial lineup includes:
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Plinko
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Mines
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Tower
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Limbo
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Crash
Differentiation is achieved through unique mascots and signature gameplay tweaks designed to offer high win potential and distinct visual identities, moving away from the generic interfaces often found in this genre.
Regulatory Milestone Crucially for its 2026 roadmap, Ebaka Games has confirmed it has secured certification from BMM Testlabs. This accreditation validates the fairness and integrity of its RNG (Random Number Generator) and game engines, removing a major barrier to entry for regulated markets. With this certification in hand, the studio plans to launch with a number of “major brands” in the coming year.
Management Commentary Vitalii Zalievskyi, CEO of Ebaka Games, commented on the studio’s unorthodox approach:
“It’s only been a few weeks since we first introduced Ebaka Games to the world. The feedback has been breathtaking, and it vindicates the decision for us to take a different path to the rest of the industry. You don’t need huge marketing budgets to grab people’s attention if you are building something truly innovative.”
Industry Backing The studio describes itself as being “created by players for players” but boasts significant industry firepower in its corner. The team includes Dmitry Belianin, a well-known figure in the sector who is the co-founder of Blask and Menace, as well as Managing Partner at Already Media.
The post ‘Chaos and Soul’: Ebaka Games Plots Global Expansion After Viral Launch appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry Newsroom.
Editor’s Take
Why this matters: British racing has a well-documented demographic problem; its core audience is aging. “Friday Night Live” is a direct attempt to fix this by blending high-stakes racing with the “experience economy” (DJs, nightlife vibes) that appeals to Gen Z and Millennials. Bringing SBK on board—a mobile-first, app-only sportsbook—is a perfect demographic fit, while the Racing Post adds the necessary credibility to ensure the actual racing product remains the focus.
The Full Story
Arena Racing Company (ARC) has unveiled the strategic commercial lineup for its upcoming Friday Night Live series, confirming SBK as the Exclusive Betting Partner and The Racing Post as the Official Media Partner.
Set to launch in January 2026, Friday Night Live is a new initiative created in collaboration with youth-focused events company INVADES. The series is designed to overhaul the traditional race day experience, featuring fast-paced fixtures under floodlights, DJ sets, and significant entertainment elements sandwiched between races.
The Commercial Deal
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SBK: As the exclusive betting partner, the Smarkets-owned sportsbook will take naming rights and on-course branding for all 35 races. Crucially, these races will be broadcast live on mainstream television via ITV Racing as well as Sky Sports Research.
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The Racing Post: As the Official Media Partner, the publication will provide content, coverage, and promotion across its digital platforms, aiming to bridge the gap between established racing purists and the new audience ARC hopes to attract.
A High-Stakes Experiment The series is not just a marketing exercise; it carries serious sporting weight. Each of the five scheduled nights will feature over £200,000 in prize money. The fixtures will rotate across three of ARC’s all-weather tracks: Wolverhampton, Newcastle, and Southwell.
Management Commentary David Leyden Dunbar, Group Director of Commercial Strategy at ARC, was clear about the target audience:
“We have been very clear that one of the aims of Friday Night Live is to engage the next generation of racing fans… Both [partners] have shown real enthusiasm to work with us… as well as using the platform that these fixtures will offer them to also engage with more established racing and sports fans.”
Adam Baylis, Marketing Director at SBK, added:
“Friday Night Live [is] a fresh and engaging concept that brings a new energy to British racing. SBK has always been built around sport… our focus is on enhancing the live race day experience in a fun, social and responsible way.”
The 2026 Schedule The series kicks off immediately in the new year:
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9th Jan: Wolverhampton
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6th Feb: Newcastle
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20th Feb: Southwell
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20th March: Wolverhampton
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27th March: Newcastle
The post Racing Meets Nightlife: SBK Backs ARC’s New ‘Friday Night Live’ Series appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry Newsroom.
