Press Releases
UK betting technology supplier 20SHOTS accelerate funding with £400,000 raise at £5m valuation
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20SHOTS have geared up for the new football season in the UK by securing additional investment in a second funding round, including securing the backing of US VC Animal Capital
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New season will see new product rollout for popular Fantasy5 free-to-play fantasy football game, covering Champions League, Europa League and other European top flights
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Current growth trajectory sees Fantasy5 on course to recruit half a million players this season
20SHOTS, the UK technology supplier behind fast-growing free-to-play fantasy football game Fantasy5, have secured an additional £400,000 of investment at a £5 million valuation, with backers including Gen-Z focused US Venture Capital fund Animal Capital.
The American fund that counts social media stars Josh Richards, Griffin Johnson and Noah Beck focus on products that reach a new generation of customers. They have invested an undisclosed sum in 20SHOTS for the new football season, which will see the platform roll out its largest range of products added to its Fantasy5 game to date.
Fantasy5’s Premier League product, which uses a unique points system developed in-house based on fantasy football, offers cash prizes to winners who can successfully predict how well players will perform per gameweek.
Using their own risk management system and algorithmic trading software, the company will now look to supplement this with additional games covering the Champions League, Europa League and other top European leagues.
The roll out of additional leagues coupled with Fantasy5’s existing growth – bolstered last season by the recruitment of BoyleSports as its first tier one UK & Ireland bookmaker partner – keeps the game on course to break the 500,000 player mark.
Prizes for the additional leagues will remain at the standard £10,000 mark, as offered to Premier League players, and offer partners an increase in engagement and retention. 83% of players who played in the last four rounds last season have made an entry in the first two weeks. The investment in Fantasy5 also comes in advance of the Government’s highly-anticipated White Paper review of the gambling industry, which is likely to see traditional marketing practices come under scrutiny, creating additional need for operators to engage customers beyond traditional channels.
Jacob Kalms, co-founder and CEO of 20SHOTS said: “We’re pleased to welcome Animal Capital as investors as part of our most recent founding round which has raised £400,000 in capital.
“As demand grows in the ultra-competitive free-to-play space, we’re investing in our ability to quickly and seamlessly roll out products and games on a white label basis for a number of different partners across multiple divisions and competitions – with the ultimate objective of using the technology seamlessly across the most popular sports worldwide.
“Our growth model forecasts we will break the half a million player mark this season, with our scaling driving down the cost of acquisition for partners whilst maintaining our engagement, dwell and retention rates considerably above industry averages.”
He added: “Operators should also be considering how free-to-play and softer marketing funnels like those offered by games like Fantasy5 will help them navigate any changes thrust upon them by the upcoming gambling review. Whilst our audience is ultimately commercially valuable to any operator or affiliate, Fantasy5 remains a sustainable way to build a loyal audience over time.”
Marshall Sandman, Managing Partner of Animal Capital said: “In a crowded market of fantasy, free to play, and pay-to-play sports betting, 20SHOTS distinguishes itself with a best in class team and direction that has allowed the product to stand out distinctly and early.
“Their flagship game Fantasy5 is an early hit, their B2B relationships are uniquely positioned to make this an exciting asset and their ability to resonate and be sticky with a younger audience are all reasons why we were excited to be on the journey.
“Jacob the CEO and his team have conviction and direction, and they will continue to prove why they deserve to be big fish in this pond!”
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ACDV certification
GoldenRace becomes the first and only Virtual Sports provider certified for Retail in Colombia
GoldenRace, leading B2B provider of Virtual Sports and betting solutions, has become the first and only Virtual Sports provider officially authorised to operate in Colombia’s Retail betting market under the new ACDV regulation.
The certification is based on ACDV (Virtual Racing and Sports Betting) standards, published by Coljuegos, Colombia’s national gambling authority, at the end of last year (2024) as part of a new regulatory framework for Virtual Sports in the Retail sector, outlined in Resolution No. 20241200028984.
With this updated certification now in force, GoldenRace proudly leads the way, allowing betting shops across Colombia to legally continue offering its award-winning Virtual Sports portfolio – including bestsellers like Virtual Football, Horse Racing, and Greyhound Racing – fully compliant with the latest national requirements.
“This process involved extensive testing at a prestigious, internationally accredited laboratory,” explained Julio César Duque, LatAm Director at GoldenRace. “For us, it’s a clear confirmation of the strength of our portfolio and how well our solutions perform in Colombia.”
With the ACDV certification now active, the company is expanding its market-leading Virtual Sports content to Retail, giving local operators more.
“After a successful GAT Colombia 2025 and with the Peru Gaming Show on the horizon, we’re thrilled to keep growing in LatAm,” added Martin Wachter, CEO & Founder of Softquo, the Holding behind GoldenRace. “Colombia holds a special place for us: it’s home to one of our offices and our reforestation initiatives. We are deeply proud that its Retail operators can now enjoy the best of GoldenRace through this new certification.”
The post GoldenRace becomes the first and only Virtual Sports provider certified for Retail in Colombia appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Immense Group is proud to announce that its sport betting brand DBET has entered a multi-year strategic partnership with the Swedish Basketball Association (SBBF) and the top leagues SBL Women and SBL Men. The collaboration, which will kick off with the Women’s European Championship 2025, marks a significant step in DBET’s ongoing commitment to deepening its presence in Sweden’s sports landscape and enhancing the experience for Swedish basketball fans.
As part of the partnership, DBET will sponsor the senior national teams and the SBL leagues, SBL Dam and SBL Herr. The deal will extend through to the Men’s World Championship 2027, providing ample opportunity to engage with Swedish sports fans across multiple platforms and events.
“Partnering with DBET, a dynamic and innovative player in the betting market, is an exciting opportunity for Swedish basketball,” says Susanne Jidesten, Chairwoman of the Swedish Basketball Association. “Together, we can broaden the reach of Swedish basketball and create new engagement opportunities for both fans and players.”
Launched in 2024, DBET has quickly gained recognition in the Swedish gaming market with a focus on responsible gaming and community involvement. This new collaboration with Swedish basketball underscores DBET’s commitment to growing its brand presence while supporting the expansion of Swedish basketball on both the national and league levels.
“We are excited to partner with Swedish basketball, a sport that is rapidly gaining popularity in Sweden,” says Jesper Kärrbrink, Group CEO/Chairman of Immense Group. “This partnership will help us engage with Swedish sports fans and strengthen DBET’s position in Sweden’s sports betting market.”
This collaboration builds on DBET’s growing presence in Swedish sports, including its recent partnership with football legend Anders Svensson and its involvement with the Swedish Bandy Association. DBET remains committed to expanding its reach in the Swedish sports sector through strategic alliances with iconic teams and athletes.
The post DBET partners with Swedish Basketball Association for multi-year sponsorship deal appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Pioneering data-driven service provider teams up with fast-growing Mexico-focused online casino group to extend its operations into Latin America for the first time
With Golden Whale’s mission to extend its innovative data-driven services to every corner of the globe continuing to pick up pace, the company has announced it has formed a new partnership with Logrand Entertainment Group that will see it enter Mexico in 2025.
Rightfully recognised as one of the fastest growing markets in the Latin American region, over the coming months Golden Whale will work with Logrand’s Strendus.mx online casino brand to implement a number of AI and ML-backed solutions that will enhance the platform’s operations.
Already one of the country’s best-loved online gambling destinations, Strendus.mx was the first Mexican site launched by Logrand and currently offers customers a market-leading selection of over 4,000 slots, table games and live casino options as well as a dedicated sports betting hub.
Active since 2017, Strendus.mx has steadily built up a loyal following among Mexican players thanks to its generous promotions, popular loyalty scheme and engaging gamification mechanics – all of which are major areas where Golden Whale’s solutions can add further value.
In addition to its commitment to innovation and customer engagement, Strendus.mx also maintains a strong focus on corporate social responsibility. This year, the brand has further strengthened its efforts by supporting a variety of charitable initiatives, including programs that promote donations to institutions dedicated to helping children affected by catastrophic illnesses. These activities reflect Strendus’ broader vision of not only delivering top-tier entertainment but also contributing positively to the communities in which it operates.
Given the wealth of player data the site has accumulated since its launch, there will be plenty of information that can be run through Golden Whale’s advanced AI and ML modules to optimise Strendus.mx’s operations, and both companies are excited about the opportunities ahead.
Eberhard Dürrschmid, CEO at Golden Whale, said: “Many iGaming companies have already woken up to the benefits that Golden Whale’s powerful AI and ML-backed technology can bring, so the next step for us is making sure our solutions are available in as many markets as possible. This new partnership with Logrand will enable us to breach new frontiers in Latin America via the Strendus.mx casino brand and I’m looking forward to seeing the impact we can make there.”
Eduardo Pelaez, COO Online at Logrand Entertainment Group, said: “Launched in 2017, Strendus.mx is already one of Mexico’s flagship online casino brands – but we want to push this legacy further. By partnering with Golden Whale, we’ll be able to harness the power of AI and ML to deliver an even more personalised experience to Strendus.mx’s customers, helping us cement our position as both a genuine innovator and a true market leader in the LatAm region.”
The post Golden Whale to broaden horizons with Logrand partnership appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
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