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Latest Online Betting Trends: Insights from SOFTSWISS

Published

4 years ago

September 30, 2021

Reading Time: 4 minutes

In its first report, the SOFTSWISS Sportsbook has compiled unique insights based on a detailed study of user behaviour in the first half of 2021. The information in the report reflects aggregated anonymous results across all brands powered by the Sportsbook Platform.

The SOFTSWISS Sportsbook, launched in December 2020, has gathered quite a few useful and interesting insights, which it is now ready to share. To find more detailed stats visit a special section on the SOFTSWISS website.

TOP DEVICES BY BET SUM AND BET COUNT

Although the use of mobile phones in online gambling has been increasing in recent years, by a huge margin among all devices used for fixed-odds betting, desktops dominate. Their share is three times that of mobile devices. However, the statistics change dramatically when it comes to the number of bets placed. In this case, users favour mobile devices, which lead with 77.16% compared to desktops (22.64%). It is typical for desktop users to place larger bets, but less often. In turn, betting from mobile devices is more frequent, but smaller.

Alexander Kamenetskyi, Product Owner at SOFTSWISS Sportsbook, comments: “Our clients’ big players trust desktops more. One reason is the convenience of getting information, as well as the greater trust in this format of interaction when large sums are involved. On the other hand, the greater bet count made via mobile devices is due to the accelerating pace of life. The mobile phone allows us to stay up to date regardless of time or place. This is reflected in the statistics. We see this trend and understand that mobile devices are the future. So one of our main objectives for the years to come is to make sure that the share of bets placed across mobile exceeds 80% and that we aim for 100% overall.”

TOP 3 CURRENCIES BY GGR SHARE

One of the main KPIs in the gambling business is GGR. This indicator reflects the amount remaining in the casino as a result of visitor play, before operational costs are deducted. It is calculated as total bets less total wins.

The US Dollar is the principal currency used by punters and is responsible for 61.15% of all sports betting GGR. The Euro comes in second place with approximately half that share (30.37%).

You’ll be surprised to learn that Bitcoin is not the top crypto by GGR share. Which cryptocurrency came in third place at 8%? See in the Sportsbook Insights Report.

TOP SPORTS BY GGR SHARE

The three most popular sports based on GGR share:

Alexander Kamenetskyi, Product Owner at SOFTSWISS Sportsbook, notes: “This prize trio is not at all surprising for those with a long-standing interest in betting. Football, as the most popular sport, takes the top place.It is suitable for all types of betting, including live betting in the form of a pre-match.

If football is the most popular kind of sport, tennis is one of the most elite ones with an off-season period of less than a month. Its popularity is also influenced by the fact that it is an individual sport and not a collective one. Dozens of tournaments can take place in a week with very detailed statistics, allowing the player to always have enough information to analyse events. Additionally, quick points are available in tennis, where a player bets on the winner of a game, for example, and can win within a minute.

Second place is always claimed by basketball along with tennis. There, too, you can bet on a fast game and get a win here and now. What else might be of interest to professional players is the possibility to catch the bookie at a mistake more easily. However, basketball is very much tied to the market where it is popular, such as in Lithuania.“

GENDER BY BET SUM AND BET COUNT

This data takes into account the distribution of the bet sum and bet count in the following groups: women, men and gender-neutral people who, for whatever reason, chose not to indicate their gender.

In this case, the statistics are fairly expected. Men are still betting more frequently than women or gender-neutral players: 73.06%, 12.60% and 14.34% of the total respectively.

At the same time, over 70% of all money spent on bets is accounted for by players who did not indicate their gender or chose to remain gender-neutral. Of the remaining two groups, women accounted for only 3.45% of the total betting and 24.05% for men.

Alexander Kamenetskyi, Product Owner at SOFTSWISS Sportsbook, explains: “There is probably no particular reason why players do not specify their gender. Perhaps it is because the player who wants to play is keen to start the playing session as soon as possible. But when they get their winnings, they are willing to take some time and fill in the necessary details. And even then, the gender column is not mandatory, so it is simply skipped.”

If you would like to see the full report from the SOFTSWISS Sportsbook, follow this link.

About SOFTSWISS

SOFTSWISS is an international tech brand supplying widely acclaimed, certified software solutions for managing iGaming operations. SOFTSWISS holds a number of gaming licenses, providing a “one-stop-shop” white label solution by taking care of all technical, legal, and financial processes on behalf of its customers. The company has a vast product portfolio, which includes an Online Casino Platform, Game Aggregator with thousands of casino games, the Affilka affiliate platform, and a sportsbook software platform. In 2013 SOFTSWISS was the first in the world to introduce a bitcoin-optimized online casino solution. The company has thus been regarded as the leading technical expert when it comes to the use of cryptocurrencies in online gaming.

Agganis Arena

RLCS Boston Major Becomes Most Watched Event in Rocket League History

Published

10 hours ago

February 25, 2026

Wladimir P.

rlcs-boston-major-becomes-most-watched-event-in-rocket-league-history

The Rocket League Championship Series (RLCS) Boston Major 2026 has officially become the most-watched event in Rocket League esports history, setting a new benchmark for global engagement and competitive excellence.

Held at Agganis Arena in Boston, the Major concluded with a thrilling all-French Grand Final, where Gentlemates defeated tournament favourites Team Vitality 4:2 to claim the first Major title of the 2026 season.

Record-Breaking Viewership Milestone

The RLCS Boston Major 2026 delivered unprecedented audience numbers:

Peak Viewers: 624,316 concurrent viewers
Average Viewership: Over 270,000 viewers
First RLCS event ever to surpass 600,000 concurrent viewers

This milestone represents a 33.3% increase over the previous all-time peak recorded at the 2022–23 RLCS World Championship, highlighting sustained year-over-year growth and expanding global interest in Rocket League esports.

The event’s performance reinforces RLCS as one of the fastest-growing competitive circuits in modern esports.

A Grand Final Worthy of the Record

The Boston Major culminated in a high-stakes French showdown between Gentlemates and Team Vitality. The 4:2 victory secured Gentlemates’ first Major trophy of the season and signaled a shift in competitive power dynamics heading deeper into 2026.

The all-French final further amplified international audience engagement, particularly across European broadcast markets, contributing significantly to the event’s record-breaking concurrent viewership.

Global Broadcast Reach and Multi-Language Coverage

Beyond peak numbers, the Boston Major showcased:

Multi-language broadcast streams
Cross-platform digital distribution
Strong in-arena attendance
Expanded regional fan engagement

Hosted in front of thousands of live fans at Agganis Arena, the event combined traditional arena esports spectacle with robust online streaming performance — a formula that continues to fuel RLCS’s accelerating global momentum.

What This Means for Rocket League Esports

The 2026 Boston Major marks a defining moment for the RLCS ecosystem:

Sustained Global Growth – The consistent upward trend in viewership confirms Rocket League’s staying power within the esports landscape.
Mainstream Momentum – Breaking the 600K peak threshold positions RLCS among elite-tier esports events globally.
Competitive Depth – The diversity and intensity of international competition continue to elevate the broadcast product.
Commercial Validation – Record audience metrics strengthen sponsorship, media rights, and long-term circuit investment potential.

As the 2026 season progresses, the Boston Major sets a new performance benchmark that future Majors and the World Championship will aim to surpass.

The post RLCS Boston Major Becomes Most Watched Event in Rocket League History appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Competitive Poker

David Lappin Named PokerStars Ambassador

Published

10 hours ago

February 25, 2026

Wladimir P.

david-lappin-named-pokerstars-ambassador

PokerStars has officially named Irish poker professional David Lappin as the winner of its inaugural Live League ambassadorship, marking a major milestone for both the seasoned pro and the global poker brand. The announcement follows the conclusion of the 2025 PokerStars Live League season, where players competed across European events for leaderboard supremacy and a coveted ambassador position.

Lappin, widely respected as a poker player, writer, commentator, and industry voice, now joins the prestigious PokerStars ambassador roster after emerging as the standout candidate among top leaderboard performers.

A Season-Long Path to Representation

The 2025 PokerStars Live League introduced a structured, merit-based pathway for players to earn ambassador status. Competitors accumulated points across three buy-in-based leaderboard tiers — High, Medium, and Low — throughout major European live events.

Qualifying tournaments included stops on the renowned European Poker Tour (EPT), regional PokerStars Open events, and even the iconic Irish Poker Open, a long-standing highlight of the European poker calendar.

At the end of the season:

Top 30 players (Top 10 per tier) earned the right to audition.
A PokerStars judging panel selected the ultimate ambassador.
Lappin was chosen for his consistency, credibility, and player-first approach.

This structure reflects PokerStars’ growing emphasis on meritocracy and community representation rather than purely promotional appointments.

Player-Led Representation at the Core

As a PokerStars Ambassador, Lappin’s role extends beyond brand visibility. His focus will center on:

Competing in flagship EPT Main Events
Participating in PokerStars Open stops
Promoting online-to-live qualification routes
Engaging directly with the player community

PokerStars has made clear that this ambassadorship is rooted in authentic player representation. Lappin has long advocated that ambassadors should serve as bridges between operators and players — not simply brand spokespeople.

His reputation as a thoughtful commentator and outspoken industry analyst positions him as a natural intermediary between grassroots competitors and event organizers.

Cédric Billot, Associate Director of Live Events Operations at PokerStars, emphasized Lappin’s longstanding presence on the circuit and deep understanding of the live ecosystem. According to Billot, Lappin’s authenticity and alignment with PokerStars values made him a “natural fit” for the role.

Strengthening the Online-to-Live Pathway

A key component of Lappin’s ambassadorship will be highlighting PokerStars’ satellite ecosystem — a system allowing online players to qualify for major live tournaments at a fraction of the standard buy-in.

This online-to-live funnel remains central to PokerStars’ brand identity. By promoting satellite qualifiers and digital routes into live events, Lappin reinforces PokerStars’ commitment to accessibility and upward mobility within competitive poker.

For aspiring players, this messaging underscores an important truth: online grinders can convert modest investments into major live opportunities.

The 2026 PokerStars Live League Expansion

The announcement coincides with the launch of the 2026 PokerStars Live League season, which began at PokerStars Open Campione.

Key highlights of the 2026 league include:

€157,500 in PokerStars LIVE credits awarded
Prizes distributed across High, Medium, and Low tiers
A new €100,000 live freeroll at the first EPT stop of 2027
Expanded rewards structure benefiting top 30 finishers in each tier

The second stop of the 2026 season is currently underway at EPT Paris, offering players additional opportunities to earn leaderboard points.

League standings and live updates are available through the PokerStars Live app, further integrating digital tracking with live competition.

Strategic Implications for PokerStars

Lappin’s appointment reflects broader strategic shifts in the live poker landscape:

Community Credibility Over Celebrity Marketing
PokerStars continues prioritizing ambassadors with deep player roots rather than purely mainstream appeal.
Reinforcing European Live Dominance
By strengthening the Live League and EPT ecosystem, PokerStars consolidates its hold on Europe’s premier live poker circuits.
Retention Through Gamification
The leaderboard structure encourages year-long engagement, incentivizing consistent participation rather than one-off tournament attendance.
Expanding Reward Distribution
The 2026 freeroll addition broadens prize accessibility, rewarding loyalty across all buy-in levels.

Why This Matters for the Poker Industry

The poker industry has increasingly leaned into hybrid engagement models — combining online platforms, live tours, community ambassadors, and digital content ecosystems.

Lappin’s appointment symbolizes this evolution. As a hybrid figure — competitor, analyst, content creator — he embodies the modern poker ambassador archetype: credible, vocal, accessible, and community-oriented.

The Live League format itself may also influence competitor operators to rethink how ambassador programs are structured, shifting toward performance-based selection models.

The post David Lappin Named PokerStars Ambassador appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Latest News

Plaza Hotel & Casino debuts the only live streaming service in Las Vegas to broadcast the excitement of its smoke free gaming area

Published

10 hours ago

February 25, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

plaza-hotel-&-casino-debuts-the-only-live-streaming-service-in-las-vegas-to-broadcast-the-excitement-of-its-smoke-free-gaming-area

Three table games also added to the first and only smoke free gaming space in downtown Las Vegas

To highlight the excitement of its smoke free gaming area, the first and only one in downtown Las Vegas, the Plaza Hotel & Casino has partnered with Vegas Live Casino Network to launch the only live streaming channel dedicated to broadcasting casino play in Las Vegas, seven days a week.

The Plaza has long promoted social media posting by guests and created the smoke free gaming area as a social media friendly space with vibrant backdrops and copyright free music. Now, the Plaza is partnering with Vegas Live Casino Network to be the first Las Vegas property with its own dedicated YouTube channel to broadcast the excitement players are having in its smoke free gaming space at https://www.youtube.com/@VegasLiveCasinoNetwork.

Thanks to the new broadcast stream from Vegas Live Casino Network, guests will be able to subscribe and share the video stream of themselves playing the slots machines or the new table games with friends and family to show the fun they are having at the Plaza.

The broadcast will stream live Sunday through Thursday from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Fridays and Saturdays from 6 p.m. to midnight. To learn more about the live streaming service, watch the launch video for the Vegas Live Casino Network at the Plaza at: youtube.com/watch?v=PfboeigVH_c.

The smoke free gaming space is home to dozens of the industry’s most popular slot machines, and now, the Plaza also added three table games, including blackjack, baccarat, and European roulette. Blackjack will offer bets starting at $25 to $2,000; baccarat will start bets at $25 up to $3,000; and European roulette will be a $200 progressive table. Outside bets: even money is $3,000 maximum and 2-1 is $1,500 maximum bet. The table games will be open from 6 p.m. to midnight daily.

To learn more about the new offerings in the Plaza’s smoke free gaming area visit: plazahotelcasino.com/casino/smoke-free-slots/.

The post Plaza Hotel & Casino debuts the only live streaming service in Las Vegas to broadcast the excitement of its smoke free gaming area appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.