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Euro 2020 from a betting perspective

Published

5 years ago

September 16, 2021

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Just before Finland’s debut in the European football championship, Spiffbet, together with Metric Gaming launched a sportsbook on the Finnish flagship casino SuperNopea and Swedish TurboVegas. The timing couldn’t have been better. Metric Gaming CEO Jim Supple and Spiffbet’s Maria Boelius discuss the summer of 2021 from a sports betting perspective.

This summer was unique in the sense that two major events postponed from 2020 due to the global pandemic finally took place. It was the opportunity that Maria Boelius, Head of Casino Operations at Spiffbet, had been waiting for and she and her team reached out to Metric Gaming to launch a sportsbook on Spiffbet’s casinos SuperNopea and TurboVegas. “ We were excited to be able to launch a sportsbook so quickly with Metric Gaming’s multi-tenant platform. Technically it was easy for us to set it up and the performance has been flawless.

SuperNopea, launched just days ahead of the European Championships, and joined fellow Spiffbet casino, TurboVegas, on the Metric Gaming Sportsbook platform. The more established brand, TurboVegas accounted for 69% of the group’s tournament turnover. Both brands operated with similar trading strategies primarily aimed at acquisition. Metric’s efficient pricing allowed margin to be kept aggressively low on the three key pre-match football markets: Match Winner, Total Goals, and Both Teams to Score. This ensured that SuperNopea and Turbo Vegas were offering top price in a very competitive marketplace. The result of this aggressive pricing strategy was that two-thirds of new players had their first bets on these promoted markets, and subsequently half of those then migrated to higher-margin products for future bets.

Jim Supple, CEO of Metric Gaming, is very satisfied with the launch and the initial results: “Metric Gaming is delighted to have Spiffbet as a client. The summer of 2021 was remarkable from a sports perspective with both the Euro and the Olympics. All of our clients have seen a surge in betting revenues, and Spiffbet is no exception.”

Despite the relatively early exit of both Finland & Sweden, acquisition numbers remained strong throughout, with both brands recording significantly higher daily actives as the tournament progressed.

One of Metric Gaming’s key strengths is market availability. They target 97%+ uptime for live football. On average SuperNopea and TurboVegas were live, with a full set of markets, within 9 seconds of a goal being scored. This compares to up to 50 seconds by key rival Sportsbooks. With 149 goals scored across the tournament, it is vital markets are made available quickly and capture the high margin post-goal wagers.

Metric’s drive for market uptime paired with their in-play personalization engine remove blockers for all players and are key reasons Spiffbet enjoys high retention rates across their customer base. Customers are simply not given a reason to bet elsewhere.

Then there is the matter of launching a sportsbook just days before a tournament. Maria Boelius shares her view on the timing of the launch “In hindsight, we should have launched the sportsbook much earlier so that we would have had sufficient time to ramp up marketing properly. All the other more traditional sports betting sites had a lead over us. Despite the lack of time, our sportsbook got a lot of attention, and I am convinced that we made the right decision to launch before the Euro“.

Jim shares Maria’s view on the timing and adds “Metric provides the tools for betting, but we also need to work closely with the operators to ensure that the player gets the best experience possible. Importantly this is not just about the Euros, we see this as a long-term partnership.”

Traditional offline casinos as well as the local betting offices are opening up again after the pandemic. Jim Supple gives his thoughts on how the post-covid normalization will affect business and projections for the future: “We were doing great business before the pandemic, and we will continue to do so. We at Metric are seeing that the traditional casino operators, in order to compete in an increasingly competitive market, are adding a sportsbook to their casino games and slots. In addition, our market is growing year after year and new territories are opening up. We have a very positive outlook”.

Maria Boelius adds with a smile “I guess we are following the trend that Jim describes as we move from 100% casino to also providing a sportsbook. Currently, we are offering sports betting on three of our brands and we are looking into the possibilities of adding a sportsbook to some of our other casino brands. In general, we share Metrics positive outlook. We have just recruited a senior sportsbook manager to spearhead our expansion in the betting space.”

eSports

Esports Awards 2026 Returns for Global Honors

Published

9 hours ago

April 7, 2026

Wladimir P.

esports-awards-2026-returns-for-global-honors

The Esports Awards is set to return in 2026, bringing together the global esports community for its annual celebration of excellence.

Scheduled to take place in North America later this year, the awards will honor the top players, teams, creators, and innovators who defined the past year in competitive gaming. Exact dates and venues will be revealed in the coming months.

Last year marked a major milestone for the Esports Awards, celebrating 10 years of esports achievements at the HyperX Arena in Las Vegas. The ceremony recognized industry icons such as Mathieu “Zywoo” Herbaut, iShowSpeed, and Animesh “Thug” Agarwal, while inducting six new members into the Lifetime Achievement in Esports: Class of 2025. Earlier in 2025, the Esports Awards hosted the one-off Decade Awards, which drew a global audience of 36.25 million live viewers.

For the 2026 edition, fan-favorite categories such as Esports Game of the Year, Esports Personality of the Year, Streamer of the Year, and Esports Team of the Year will return, giving fans a direct voice in recognizing the standout moments and figures in esports over the past year. Winners will be determined through a combination of community voting and input from the Esports Awards Panel, which includes seasoned industry veterans, broadcasters, creators, and professional players, ensuring both credibility and integrity.

In addition to the main ceremony, the Esports Awards Golf Invitational will make a comeback, offering a day of networking and friendly competition for industry leaders, creators, and esports competitors ahead of the awards.

Michael Ashford, CEO of the Esports Awards, said: “The Esports Awards continues to shine a spotlight on the very best in esports and gaming, and we’re pleased to return for 2026. Following the success of the Decade Awards and our 10th anniversary celebrations, we look forward to recognizing the individuals, teams, and moments that defined the past year in esports.”

Fans are encouraged to follow the Esports Awards’ official X account for updates on venues, dates, nominees, and voting.

The post Esports Awards 2026 Returns for Global Honors appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Acquisition

Optimove Buys Smartico, Keeps Independence

Published

9 hours ago

April 7, 2026

Wladimir P.

optimove-buys-smartico,-keeps-independence

In a strategic move set to reshape the competitive landscape of iGaming marketing technology, Optimove has announced the acquisition of Smartico. Despite the deal, both companies will continue to operate independently—preserving their brands, leadership teams, and product strategies.

This acquisition comes at a pivotal moment for the global online gambling industry. According to recent market research, the sector reached an estimated $95.3 billion in 2024 and is projected to nearly double to $185.17 billion by 2033. As the industry scales, so does its complexity, driven by evolving regulations in Europe, fragmentation in the United States, and rapid expansion across Latin America, Africa, and Asia. In this environment, robust customer relationship management (CRM) solutions are no longer optional—they are essential.

A Strategic Alliance Without Integration

Unlike traditional acquisitions that lead to integration, Optimove’s approach is notably different. Smartico will remain a fully autonomous business unit, with its founders continuing to lead strategic direction, product development, and day-to-day operations. Clients can expect no disruption in services, pricing, or product offerings.

This independence reflects a deliberate strategy: fostering competition within the same ecosystem. Both companies will continue to innovate separately, pushing each other—and the broader industry—forward.

Two Distinct Visions of iGaming CRM

The deal unites two of the most influential approaches to CRM in iGaming:

Optimove built its reputation on advanced data analytics and AI-driven marketing. As the originator of the “Positionless Marketing” concept, the company enables marketers to orchestrate campaigns using intelligent agents that deliver hyper-personalized experiences at scale. This approach has reportedly improved campaign efficiency by up to 88%.
Smartico, on the other hand, carved out its niche by integrating gamification directly into CRM systems. By embedding game-like mechanics into player engagement strategies, Smartico has helped operators drive deeper interaction and retention. The company is now advancing further by incorporating generative AI across its platform.

Together, these two philosophies—data-centric intelligence and gamified engagement—represent the future of player retention and marketing in iGaming.

Strengthening Market Leadership

According to Pini Yakuel, the decision to acquire Smartico was driven by its originality and execution. He emphasized that Smartico stood out as a competitor due to its pioneering role in combining gamification with CRM—an innovation that has since become a key differentiator in the market.

Similarly, Arman Gal highlighted that the partnership allows Smartico to scale faster while maintaining its identity. With Optimove’s backing, the company gains additional resources to expand its innovation capabilities and global reach.

Competition as a Catalyst for Innovation

Interestingly, both companies will continue to compete in the same market. Optimove will further develop its gamification solution, Optimove Gamify, while Smartico continues executing its independent roadmap. This dual-track strategy is rooted in the belief that competition drives better outcomes for operators.

Rather than consolidating power, the acquisition creates a dynamic ecosystem where two leading platforms evolve side by side—each pushing the boundaries of what CRM can achieve in iGaming.

The Role of AI in the Next Phase of Growth

Artificial intelligence remains at the core of this transformation. Optimove has been embedding AI into its platform since 2012, long before it became industry standard. Today, its AI-powered decisioning agents enable real-time campaign orchestration across multiple channels.

Smartico is following a similar trajectory, integrating generative AI to enhance its gamification-driven engagement model. This convergence signals a broader trend: the fusion of AI, CRM, and user experience design as the next frontier in digital marketing.

A Defining Moment for iGaming Marketing

This acquisition underscores the maturation of the iGaming CRM sector. What began as a niche category has evolved into a critical component of modern marketing infrastructure. With two leading innovators now aligned—yet independent—the industry is poised for accelerated innovation.

For operators navigating an increasingly complex global market, the message is clear: the future belongs to those who can combine data intelligence, personalization, and immersive engagement.

THE ESPORTS AWARDS RETURNS IN 2026 FOR A CELEBRATION OF ESPORTS EXCELLENCE

Published

9 hours ago

April 7, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

the-esports-awards-returns-in-2026-for-a-celebration-of-esports-excellence

The Esports Awards will return later this year for its 2026 edition, taking place in North America and honouring the outstanding players, teams, creators and innovators of the past year in esports
Last year marked a major milestone for the Esports Awards, celebrating 10 years of excellence at the HyperX Arena, alongside the one-off Decade Awards, which reached 36.25M live views globally
The Esports Awards Golf Invitational will also return, bringing together industry leaders, creators and competitors for a day of networking and competition ahead of the main ceremony
Full details on the venue, date, nominees and voting will be revealed in the coming months

The Esports Awards has announced the return of its annual ceremony for 2026. Bringing together the global esports community under one roof, the Esports Awards will once again recognise the players, teams, creators and innovators who have defined the past year. The ceremony will take place in North America later this year, with exact dates and venue to be revealed in the coming months.

Last year’s edition of the Esports Awards marked a significant milestone, celebrating 10 years of esports excellence at the HyperX Arena in Las Vegas. The ceremony honoured some of the industry’s most recognised figures, including Mathieu “Zywoo” Herbaut, iShowSpeed and Animesh “Thug” Agarwal, while welcoming six new inductees into the Lifetime Achievement in Esports: Class of 2025 award. Earlier in the year, the Esports Awards also hosted the one-off Decade Awards in August, presented by Trevor “Quickshot” Henry, Jessica “JessGOAT” Bolden and Barney Banks, reaching 36.25M live views globally.

For the 2026 edition, fan-favourite categories including Esports Game of the Year, Esports Personality of the Year, Streamer of the Year and Esports Team of the Year will return, giving the community a voice in recognising the moments and individuals that shaped the past year in esports.

Winners will be determined through a combination of community voting and input from the Esports Awards Panel, a group of industry veterans, broadcasters, creators and players, ensuring the integrity and credibility of the awards.

In addition to the main ceremony, the Esports Awards Golf Invitational will return, bringing together industry leaders, creators and competitors for a day of networking and competition ahead of the awards.

“The Esports Awards continues to shine a spotlight on the very best in esports and gaming, and we’re pleased to return for 2026” said Michael Ashford, CEO of the Esports Awards. “Following the success of the Decade Awards and our 10th anniversary celebrations, we look forward to recognising the individuals, teams and moments that defined the past year in esports.”

Further updates regarding the venue, date, nominees and voting will be announced in the coming months. Fans are encouraged to follow the Esports Awards’ X account for the latest updates.

The post THE ESPORTS AWARDS RETURNS IN 2026 FOR A CELEBRATION OF ESPORTS EXCELLENCE appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.