Connect with us
MARE BALTICUM Gaming & TECH Summit 2024

Latest News

Kambi Group plc acquires front end specialist Shape Games

Published

on

Reading Time: 3 minutes

 

Kambi significantly strengthens capability to deliver engaging and tailored sports betting experiences through addition of industry leading front end supplier

Kambi Group plc, the industry’s trusted sports betting partner, has strengthened its sportsbook proposition with the acquisition of award-winning front end technology specialist Shape Games for an upfront consideration of €38.5 million. The acquisition also includes a performance-related earnout of up to €39.6 million, potentially bringing the total consideration to €78.1 million, all to be paid in cash.

Headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark, Shape Games is the industry’s leading front end provider, focused on driving customer engagement and retention through the delivery of its customisable, fully native frontend technology to leading operators in regulated markets. Shape Games’ growing roster of partners includes Danske Spil and Norsk Tipping, as well as Kambi partners BetWarrior and JACK Entertainment, with each operator leveraging Shape Games’ technology to offer highly differentiated user experiences.

Advertisement

Transaction highlights and strategic rationale
Shape Games’ fully native front end technology complements Kambi’s high performance sportsbook and existing front end capabilities, creating a compelling proposition that will significantly enhance Kambi’s capabilities in the mobile space where the vast majority of sportsbook turnover originates. Combined, Kambi and Shape Games will empower operators to deliver exciting, tailored sports betting experiences to their players like never before.

The sportsbook front end has become a key tool for operators to effectively differentiate their brand, localise their offering and engage players to increase acquisition and retention. Not only does Shape Games provide a best-in-class front end, but its complementary customer engagement capabilities, which include personalisation, loyalty, statistics, and free-to-play games, provides the ability for operators to drive incremental growth and revenue.

The acquisition builds upon an established partnership between the two companies. Kambi and Shape Games have successfully combined on tender processes to secure turnkey contracts and Kambi believes the closer bond this agreement delivers will ultimately lead to greater commercial success for both parties.

The addition of Shape Games marks another important step in Kambi’s strategy, as it extends Kambi’s excellence within the sports betting value chain and enables the delivery of the front end through either turnkey or modularised packages. As such, Shape Games will continue to provide its services on a standalone basis to all operators, but a closer technical and commercial integration with Kambi will enable an enhanced service to be offered to Kambi’s current and future partners. In 2021, Shape Games generated revenue of €7.6 million at an EBITDA of €2.8 million, with 2022 forecast to deliver 100% year-on-year growth following several major partner wins.

Kristian Nylen, Kambi Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder said: “I’ve always been clear on our intention to acquire technology and talent that will complement and enhance our sportsbook proposition, and I have no doubt Shape Games will do just that. Having worked closely with Shape Games and its experienced team over recent years, I have seen first-hand how their technology enables operators to extract the full value of the Kambi sportsbook and provides the level of control operators require to deliver bespoke experiences to their players. While Shape Games will continue to grow and offer services on a standalone basis in line with our plans to offer a suite of modularised products, it is the ability to offer a combination of Kambi’s and Shape Games’ technology to our partners which really excites us and solidifies our position as the clear leader within the sports betting ecosystem.

Advertisement

Christian Risom, Shape Games Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder, said: “We are very happy to join forces with the leading sportsbook provider of the industry. Shape Games and Kambi have been working closely side by side for years now and it is exciting to take this partnership to new levels. Together we will have an unmatched sports betting and casino offering for any market in the world, be it on mobile and web or in retail. Kambi’s modular approach to the market allows us to form a profound and tight-knit integration with their sportsbook all the while pursuing opportunities with other sportsbook partners. From our perspective, this represents the best of both worlds for any customer out there. For me personally, the years we have worked with Kambi were a clear testament to the cultural match between the two organisations as both have a deeply rooted focus on best-in-class technology, customer experience and integrity in everything we do. It has always been great working alongside Kambi as collaborators and I am certain that what lies ahead is even greater.”

Shape Games was founded in 2018 by Risom, Chief Product Officer Nicolas Linde, and Chief Technical Officers Ole Gammelgaard and Philip Bruce, all of whom will continue to lead the company post-acquisition. Shape Games applies the vast front end experience gained from working with companies such as RedBull, Bang & Olufsen and Credit Suisse to the iGaming industry. Shape Games has since won numerous industry awards and several high-profile clients across Europe, North America, and South America. The company has approximately 80 full-time equivalent employees, with offices in Denmark, Spain, the Isle of Man, and Latvia.

Powered by WPeMatico

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Latest News

Meridianbet’s Leadership in 2023: 61% of Top Managerial Roles Held by Women

Published

on

meridianbet’s-leadership-in-2023:-61%-of-top-managerial-roles-held-by-women

 

In 2023, Meridianbet emerged as a contender for the most DEI-compliant betting and gaming brand globally, with women occupying 61% of its top managerial positions, marking a significant rise from 58% in 2021.

This achievement not only exemplifies Meridianbet’s commitment to gender equality but also sets a high standard compared to global diversity, equity, and inclusion benchmarks.

Gender equality at Meridianbet is a policy-driven initiative, not merely a compliance requirement, and it started from Day 1. The company ensures zero gender pay disparity, thereby supporting a complete eradication of the gender gap within its ranks. This commitment is manifested in its leadership demographics, significantly surpassing the most progressive DE&I standards globally.

The distribution of female management across Meridianbet’s operations varies by region, reflecting the company’s broad and inclusive reach. In Europe, 58% of managerial roles are held by women, while the Americas report a slightly higher figure at 60%. Africa stands out with an impressive 69%, showcasing Meridianbet’s effective policies in diverse cultural contexts.

Advertisement

Inclusion is deeply embedded in Meridianbet’s operational ethos. The company not only aims to attract the best global talent but also ensures that its recruitment and professional development strategies foster an environment where every employee, regardless of gender, feels valued, respected, and heard.

The forthcoming weeks are expected to provide more insights as Meridianbet prepares to share further achievements and plans in its continued pursuit of excellence in corporate responsibility.
Meridianbet is part of the Golden Matrix Group.

 

Continue Reading

Gambling in the USA

BETTING HERO REVS UP COLLABORATION WITH NASCAR TO ENHANCE BETTING EXPERIENCE FOR RACING FANS

Published

on

betting-hero-revs-up-collaboration-with-nascar-to-enhance-betting-experience-for-racing-fans

 

Betting Hero Research Uncovers Potential For Regional Betting Growth in the Sport.

Betting Hero, the leading customer acquisition, retention, and development partner for U.S. sportsbooks, has embarked on a consumer research collaboration with NASCAR to help the respective companies and their shared sportsbook operator clients better understand and serve North Carolina NASCAR fans with premium betting experiences.

Laying the foundation for continued fan engagement and future acquisition campaigns, Betting Hero has completed a research study, comprised of qualified bettors in the Tar Heel State to uncover their engagement preferences for NASCAR as both sports fans and bettors.

The study, which took place both online and in person in April 2024, shows a significant demand for NASCAR as a betting product in North Carolina. Respondents are almost three times more likely to bet on the sport than in previously surveyed states.

Advertisement

NASCAR ranked behind only the NFL, NBA, and MLB in betting activity by the study respondents, with 70% stating that they’ve watched a race for the first time because they’ve placed a bet on it.

“Having worked closely with NASCAR to educate its fans on the betting options available to them for several years, we have long believed in the opportunity to both attract new fans to the sport and better engage existing fans through thoughtfully curated betting experiences,” said Jai Maw, Co-Founder and President of Batting Hero. 

Maw continued, ”As is shown in the North Carolina study conducted by our in-house consumer research division, there is a clear correlation between most fans’ enjoyment or engagement in a sporting event and their betting activity overall. However, NASCAR fans have to work a little harder than fans of other major sports to find their betting preferences due to less available markets and prop betting options on average. Those that can find their preferred betting markets could also be more likely to remain loyal to their sportsbook of choice than fans of other sports where available markets are somewhat commoditized.”

As a market audience, 86% of North Carolinians see betting as a true complement to sporting enjoyment. They’re also loyal and active bettors, with over half of respondents having downloaded three gambling apps and almost 90% still using their primary sportsbook after registration.

Significantly, certain sportsbooks surveyed showed a disproportionately high level of NASCAR betting activity compared to brand awareness in the target group, which could suggest that having a strong NASCAR betting offering is more important than other factors in the registration decision process.

Advertisement

“NASCAR has extremely passionate fans and we see sports betting as another way they can engage with sport,” said Joe Solosky, Managing Director of Sports Betting at NASCAR. “We are excited, but not surprised, to see the success of NASCAR as an offering through the launch of sports betting in the industry’s backyard of North Carolina and are continuing to better improve the NASCAR betting product to give fans more options to responsibly engage with action on the track. The study discovered that 70 percent of respondents watched a race for the first time because they placed a bet on it, and it shows that our efforts in the space can attract new fans as well.”

North Carolina has quickly risen to the top tier of states for NASCAR betting volume, ranking among the top three states in its first two months since launch. Across the 20 states that were live in March and April of 2023, NASCAR’s handle has seen a substantial 15% year-over-year growth. In states like Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, and Mississippi, NASCAR’s handle has surged by at least 50% compared to the previous year. Even more impressively, in Nevada and New York, NASCAR’s handle has doubled year over year, indicating a significant increase in interest and betting activity in these regions.

Resident Culture Bar & Kitchen will be hosting a NASCAR post-party on Saturday, May 25th, for the Xfinity race the weekend of the Coke 600 and a Race Watch party for the Cup Series Coke 600 on Sunday, May 26th. Betting Hero‘s team of experts will be in attendance to help answer any sports betting-related questions for fans and patrons while ensuring all enjoy their experience betting on NASCAR responsibly.

Continue Reading

Latest News

BetSocial amplifies impact of Autism Awareness Campaign through partnership with AFETO Association

Published

on

betsocial-amplifies-impact-of-autism-awareness-campaign-through-partnership-with-afeto-association

 

Betmotion is pleased to announce that BetSocial, its Corporate Social Responsibility project, has achieved significant success in its recent autism awareness campaign in partnership with the AFETO Association.

For the second consecutive year, this collaboration has not only promoted awareness of autism but also raised significant funds to support children and adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

BetSocial’s initiative demonstrated Betmotion’s commitment to social impact, highlighting its role in promoting community well-being. Over three days, the “Cofrinho Solidário” bingo room was the hub of activities, where 100% of the proceeds from sold bingo cards were directly reverted to the AFETO Association. This year, the campaign doubled the funds raised compared to the previous year and significantly increased card sales, demonstrating a growing community engagement.

“BetSocial was created to broaden our social action and strengthen the communities we interact with,” said Bianca Passos, Bingo Manager and one of the founders of BetSocial. “This campaign reflects our commitment to not only entertain but also positively contribute to society. We are thrilled with the support received and the results achieved, and this only reinforces the importance of initiatives like this.”

Advertisement

Continue Reading

Trending

Get it on Google Play

Fresh slot games releases by the top brands of the industry. We provide you with the latest news straight from the entertainment industries.

The platform also hosts industry-relevant webinars, and provides detailed reports, making it a one-stop resource for anyone seeking information about operators, suppliers, regulators, and professional services in the European gaming market. The portal's primary goal is to keep its extensive reader base updated on the latest happenings, trends, and developments within the gaming and gambling sector, with an emphasis on the European market while also covering pertinent global news. It's an indispensable resource for gaming professionals, operators, and enthusiasts alike.

Contact us: [email protected]

Editorial / PR Submissions: [email protected]

Copyright © 2015 - 2024 - Recent Slot Releases is part of HIPTHER Agency. Registered in Romania under Proshirt SRL, Company number: 2134306, EU VAT ID: RO21343605. Office address: Blvd. 1 Decembrie 1918 nr.5, Targu Mures, Romania