Latest News
Premier League Football Stars, Shaun Wright Phillips and Jordan Stewart, Lead Investment in The Sports Metaverse
The Sports Metaverse pioneers esports with virtual land sales, metaverse personal training, sports betting and fan engagement
The Sports Metaverse, the world’s first virtual world specifically focused on sports, has announced that former professional football players, Shaun Wright Phillips and Jordan Stewart, have purchased land in the Sports Metaverse.
Shaun Wright Philips will use his land for events and to display his NFTs:
“I’m really excited to be involved in the Sports Metaverse. This is the new frontier when it comes to sports. The metaverse and owning a piece of it is about interaction and co creation – watching live sports with friends all around the world, hanging out with friends, and buying and selling NFTs are some of the things I’m really looking forward to doing here.“
Investment into VR real estate in the metaverse has grown exponentially, with brands like Adidas and top influencers looking to establish themselves in the virtual world. In the metaverse where possibilities are endless, investors see the potential to rent a virtual space for parties with sports stars, private lodges to view sporting events in VR stadiums, or offer key brands a space for sponsorship appearances. As a result, early investors are already making tenfold, million dollar profits. The returns are expected to continue to grow as Grayscale Research predicts annual revenues for the metaverse at $1 trillion, with $400 Billion for gaming worlds alone.
In addition to Shaun Wright Philips, Sports Metaverse announced that four companies have already pre-bought land. They include Phat Fantasy, Own the Moment, ThriveFantasy, Press Sports, and Beyond The Game Network. Brands can apply for the private sale here.
SportsIcon COO and Co-Founder Alexi Yovanoff said:
“Both Shaun and Jordan have played at the top of their profession, so it’s an honor to have these athletes join the Sports Metaverse. I still remember the goal that Shaun scored against Manchester United in 2004, and Jordan has had a great career here in the UK and in the USA.
What strikes me the most about these two is their passion for web3, communities, and the interaction with athletes that the Sports Metaverse will give to consumers.”
Shaun Wright Phillips is one of the best players of his generation, playing for England in the National Team, and for Manchester City and Chelsea. Jordan Stewart has had a successful career in both England and the United States at clubs such as Leicester City and the San Jose Earthquakes.
The Sports Metaverse is a digital world devoted solely to sports. It unites the most prominent sports stars, brands, and clubs together in one place. Sports Metaverse is built by SportsIcon and industry veterans from Sony, Doom, Playstation Home, and Nvidia. You can trade NFTs, buy land, interact with iconic sportspeople, and visit stadiums.
SportsIcon is backed by rapper turned investor Nas, Dapper Labs, Dapper Labs CEO Roham Gharegozlou, Youtube Founder Chad Hurley, Hedera and Reserve Founder Andrew Masanto, and ex NBA star Andrew Bogut.
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affiliate marketing
Regulated iGaming markets push operators toward audit-ready affiliate tracking
As regulators scrutinise AML, RG and advertising, operators face rising pressure to validate attribution and partner payouts end to end.
Growing regulation in iGaming is changing how operators manage affiliates, track player acquisition, and control partner payouts, according to a new statement from affiliate platform provider Affnook.
The company argues that in regulated markets affiliates are increasingly treated as an extension of an operator’s marketing activity, raising the stakes for oversight in areas such as affiliate advertising practices, responsible gambling controls, anti-money laundering (AML) and data privacy. The release points to the Danish Gambling Authority as one example of a regulator highlighting potential AML risks linked to affiliate partnerships and urging operators to strengthen risk assessments across third-party acquisition channels.
Affnook says the industry is moving away from “Trust Me” affiliate reporting as stakeholders demand performance data and revenue attribution that can be independently verified. It lists audit-ready reporting, verifiable revenue attribution, transparency into tracking and commission calculations, and consistent reporting standards as key expectations in more heavily regulated environments.
The company also frames financial governance as a parallel priority to tracking, citing the need for net gaming revenue (NGR) verification, commission accuracy, invoice reconciliation and payment oversight. It adds that multi-touch player journeys and reduced effectiveness of cookie-based attribution are widening “attribution blind spots,” which can fuel partner disputes, weaken decision-making and complicate compliance reviews.
In the release, Affnook positions platform features such as audit logs, partner activity monitoring, consent-aware tracking, real-time commission calculations and server-to-server tracking as the types of capabilities operators should evaluate as regulatory expectations increase.
The post Regulated iGaming markets push operators toward audit-ready affiliate tracking appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Alberta
Play’n GO goes live in Alberta iGaming with 10+ operators
Supplier expands to its third regulated Canadian province after Ontario and Québec, launching on Alberta’s market opening week.
Play’n GO has entered the newly regulated Alberta iGaming market, launching its casino games with more than ten licensed operators on the market’s opening week, the supplier said on 16 July 2026.
The Alberta rollout marks Play’n GO’s third regulated Canadian province, following Ontario and Québec, and extends the company’s North American regulated-market footprint.
According to the company, its content was made available in Alberta for the first time on launch day via a network of licensed operators.
Esteban Perez, New Market Entry Lead at Play’n GO said: “Entering Alberta with more than 10 operators on day one of regulation is a significant milestone for Play’n GO and a testament to the strength of our regulated market strategy. Canada continues to be a key focus for us, and expanding into our third province reflects both the demand for our content and the strength of our partnerships with licensed operators.
“We are proud to support Alberta’s regulated market with a portfolio that prioritises entertainment, compliance and long-term sustainability.”
The post Play’n GO goes live in Alberta iGaming with 10+ operators appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Alberta
Play’n GO strengthens Canadian footprint with Alberta iGaming market entry
The Swedish gaming giant confirms its entry into its third regulated Canadian Province with its industry leading portfolio of games now available in Alberta for the first time
Play’n GO, the world’s leading casino entertainment provider, today announced its successful entry into the newly regulated Alberta iGaming market, with a wide range of its premium content going live with more than ten licensed operators on market launch day this week.
The milestone further reinforces Play’n GO’s commitment to regulated market expansion across North America and marks the company’s third Canadian province, following established operations in Ontario and Québec.
Play’n GO’s launch in Alberta ensures players have immediate access to a portfolio of world-class titles from day one of the market’s regulated opening. By partnering with a broad network of licensed operators at launch, the company has solidified its position as a trusted supplier in newly regulated jurisdictions.
The Alberta rollout builds on Play’n GO’s strong track record of working alongside regulators and operators to deliver safe, compliant, and high-quality entertainment to players, while supporting sustainable market growth.
Esteban Perez, New Market Entry Lead at Play’n GO said: “Entering Alberta with more than 10 operators on day one of regulation is a significant milestone for Play’n GO and a testament to the strength of our regulated market strategy. Canada continues to be a key focus for us, and expanding into our third province reflects both the demand for our content and the strength of our partnerships with licensed operators.
“We are proud to support Alberta’s regulated market with a portfolio that prioritises entertainment, compliance and long-term sustainability.”
To find out more about Play’n GO, please visit playngo.com
The post Play’n GO strengthens Canadian footprint with Alberta iGaming market entry appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
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