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Network Gaming secures four new partners ahead of World Cup

Published

3 years ago

November 18, 2022

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Network Gaming, a betting technology company innovating the next generation of sports prediction games around small-stakes-big-win betting products, has secured four new key partners ahead of the World Cup. Featuring new product launches across multiple sports, spearheaded by its headline World Cup Tournament Survivor game, Network Gaming’s new partners are:

Planet Sport, media and B2B technology specialists who publish Football365, TEAMtalk, PlanetF1 and others as well as delivering a range of B2B products, content and services
WhoScored.com, the football data analysis website
At The Races, the horse racing media rights company which operates the Sky Sports Racing TV channel
101 Great Goals, the football live streaming and betting tips website, part of XL Media

Mike Grenham, Managing Director of Betting at Planet Sport, said: “We’re delighted to be partnering with Network Gaming, they have been a pleasure to deal with and the whole integration process has been seamless. We can’t wait to see how our audience of 15m users enjoy these great games.”

Matthew Taylor, Director of New Media and Innovation of At The Races, said: “Whilst ATR is first and foremost a digital platform for horse race fans, we fully understand that their interest in sport isn’t confined to equine excellence. The World Cup transcends traditional boundaries and we have historically devoted significant editorial coverage for tournaments but this year we also wanted an extra layer of engagement.

“We have partnered with Network Gaming, the brand leader in terms of pay-to-play predictive sports games, to deliver a series of World Cup games that will engage sports fans throughout the tournament and offer a small-stakes-big-prize-pool opportunity – winners will require a combination of strategy, skill and of course luck.

“The timescales were tight but both ATR and Network Gaming worked as a well-oiled team to deliver the game. We look forward to working with Network Gaming on future projects where the appeal of the event rises above typical borders of engagement.”

Thomas Rooney, Director of EU Sport at XL Media, said: “This year’s World Cup is played offline, but experienced online and we are delighted to serve up the 101greatgoals .com audience with this fun, engaging and hugely popular game, thanks to Network Gaming. The guys have been superb from our initial conversation through to going live. They do all the work behind the scenes, we send traffic to the game – it’s hopefully just the start of a long and successful partnership.”

Network Gaming made its name with the success of its first pay-to-play game, the Fantasy Masters golf, and recently attracted cornerstone strategic investment from a host of industry heavyweights, including Betfair co-founder Andrew Black.

The company’s star-studded product team are creating small-stakes-big-win products that deliver real value-for-money enjoyment. Recreational customers are not simply assembled in a pool of players where only a handful of sharks dominate the winning positions in the leaderboard. Similarly, innovative mechanics within the products keep players in contention for as long as possible, thereby deepening fan engagement and interaction, boosting repeat visits and digital dwell-time.

Network Gaming’s ongoing partnerships are comprised of top-tier operator Fitzdares, talkSPORT, whose popular sports news and analysis shows drive audience engagement across a number of live-broadcast platforms, and The Sun’s fantasy football offering of Dream Team.

Network Gaming is looking ahead to an exciting 2023, with notable expansion into the U.S., where a growing product suite (comprising NFL, NBA, MLB and horse racing) will see it broaden and deepen its reach. The North American market remains a greenfield opportunity because Network Gaming games work particularly well for U.S. sports. They can function in either fixed-odds or DFS-style-license formats, opening up a prolific pipeline of free-to-play or pay-to-play games with great repeat-play metrics to media companies or affiliates. Equally, any sportsbook can benefit from integrating a versatile vertical that is neither DFS nor fixed-odds betting to help them differentiate their product in a progressively homogenised market.

To find out more, entries are now open for the World Cup Tournament Survivor game, which follows a similar format to Network Gaming’s classic Survivor format which has proved so popular in its initial offering around the English Premier League. It’s a value-for-money bet during the cost of living crisis, whereby one £10 entry fee buys customers two lives and possibly a whole tournament of entertainment.

Thousands of players are already taking part, with the final prize pool likely to be over £25,000.

Harry Collins, CEO at Network Gaming, said: “We are delighted to support our new partners in engaging their audiences and growing wallet share with our exciting and truly differentiated product portfolio. Network Gaming products are easy to integrate and increase time on site. As a team, we’re also energised to continue to unveil more new products across a wide range of sports to all our prestigious partners in the coming year.”

Belatra Games

From ‘Mummyverse’ to Crash Games: Belatra Reviews a Landmark 2025

Published

6 days ago

December 23, 2025

Wladimir P.

from-‘mummyverse’-to-crash-games:-belatra-reviews-a-landmark-2025

Editor’s Take

Why this matters: Belatra has been a steady hand in the slots world for a long time, but 2025 marked a distinct shift in strategy. By entering the Crash vertical with Goose Boom Bang and winning big at SiGMA Africa, the studio is clearly pivoting to capture the high-growth, high-frequency players in emerging markets. They are no longer just a “classic slots” developer; they are diversifying the portfolio to ensure relevance in regions like LatAm and Africa.

The Full Story

Belatra Games, the specialist online slots developer, has issued a strategic review of its 2025 operations, celebrating a 12-month period defined by entry into new game verticals, significant franchise expansion, and high-profile industry recognition.

The year was characterized by a dual strategy: deepening engagement in established markets while aggressively expanding its content portfolio to suit local preferences in emerging territories.

Portfolio Evolution: Crash and Battles 2025 saw Belatra move beyond its traditional slot roots. The company made its debut in the high-demand Crash game vertical with the launch of Goose Boom Bang, a title designed to tap into the fast-paced gameplay preference of younger demographics.

Additionally, the studio introduced a fresh game concept with the launch of Battles, a new format unveiled for the first time in 2025, with further development planned for 2026.

The ‘Mummyverse’ Expands For fans of classic slots, the highlight of the year was the aggressive expansion of the Mummyverse. Belatra nearly doubled the size of this franchise over the year, making it the most extensive game universe in their entire catalog.

The developer also focused on B2B localization, releasing a number of exclusive bespoke games created specifically for selected operator partners to meet specific local market tastes.

Awards and Recognition The company’s strategic shifts were validated by industry accolades. Belatra secured over 30 nominations throughout the year, with standout wins including:

Best Slot Provider (awarded by BitStarz).
Most Played Game of 2025 for Make It Gold at the SiGMA Africa Awards.
Player’s Pick Award.

Management Commentary Misha Voinich, Head of Business Development at Belatra, commented on the studio’s momentum:

“This year has truly defined who we are as a studio – ambitious, creative and focused on building long-term partnerships. We’ve expanded our universes, launched new ones and entered exciting new markets that will all help us carry this momentum into the New Year.”

The post From ‘Mummyverse’ to Crash Games: Belatra Reviews a Landmark 2025 appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry Newsroom.

BMM Testlabs

‘Chaos and Soul’: Ebaka Games Plots Global Expansion After Viral Launch

Published

6 days ago

December 23, 2025

Wladimir P.

‘chaos-and-soul’:-ebaka-games-plots-global-expansion-after-viral-launch

Editor’s Take

Why this matters: The “Instant Game” vertical (Crash, Plinko, Mines) is becoming crowded, but Ebaka Games is cutting through the noise with a distinct brand personality. By securing BMM Testlabs certification so quickly after launch, they are signaling to Tier 1 operators that despite their “chaotic” marketing vibe, the math underneath is solid and compliant. The backing of industry veteran Dmitry Belianin also adds immediate commercial credibility to the startup.

The Full Story

Ebaka Games, the fledgling studio that promises to bring “chaos and soul” to the iGaming sector, has outlined an aggressive growth strategy for 2026 following a landmark launch period in late 2025.

The studio, which officially debuted in November, reports that its initial rollout reached more than five million people worldwide. The launch saw its portfolio go live with the operator Menace, serving as the initial testbed for its mechanics and “Ebaka modes.”

The Product: Instant Games with Personality Ebaka is bypassing traditional slots to focus on the high-growth vertical of fast-paced, instant-win games. Their initial lineup includes:

Plinko
Mines
Tower
Limbo
Crash

Differentiation is achieved through unique mascots and signature gameplay tweaks designed to offer high win potential and distinct visual identities, moving away from the generic interfaces often found in this genre.

Regulatory Milestone Crucially for its 2026 roadmap, Ebaka Games has confirmed it has secured certification from BMM Testlabs. This accreditation validates the fairness and integrity of its RNG (Random Number Generator) and game engines, removing a major barrier to entry for regulated markets. With this certification in hand, the studio plans to launch with a number of “major brands” in the coming year.

Management Commentary Vitalii Zalievskyi, CEO of Ebaka Games, commented on the studio’s unorthodox approach:

“It’s only been a few weeks since we first introduced Ebaka Games to the world. The feedback has been breathtaking, and it vindicates the decision for us to take a different path to the rest of the industry. You don’t need huge marketing budgets to grab people’s attention if you are building something truly innovative.”

Industry Backing The studio describes itself as being “created by players for players” but boasts significant industry firepower in its corner. The team includes Dmitry Belianin, a well-known figure in the sector who is the co-founder of Blask and Menace, as well as Managing Partner at Already Media.

The post ‘Chaos and Soul’: Ebaka Games Plots Global Expansion After Viral Launch appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry Newsroom.

ARC

Racing Meets Nightlife: SBK Backs ARC’s New ‘Friday Night Live’ Series

Published

6 days ago

December 23, 2025

Wladimir P.

racing-meets-nightlife:-sbk-backs-arc’s-new-‘friday-night-live’-series

Editor’s Take

Why this matters: British racing has a well-documented demographic problem; its core audience is aging. “Friday Night Live” is a direct attempt to fix this by blending high-stakes racing with the “experience economy” (DJs, nightlife vibes) that appeals to Gen Z and Millennials. Bringing SBK on board—a mobile-first, app-only sportsbook—is a perfect demographic fit, while the Racing Post adds the necessary credibility to ensure the actual racing product remains the focus.

The Full Story

Arena Racing Company (ARC) has unveiled the strategic commercial lineup for its upcoming Friday Night Live series, confirming SBK as the Exclusive Betting Partner and The Racing Post as the Official Media Partner.

Set to launch in January 2026, Friday Night Live is a new initiative created in collaboration with youth-focused events company INVADES. The series is designed to overhaul the traditional race day experience, featuring fast-paced fixtures under floodlights, DJ sets, and significant entertainment elements sandwiched between races.

The Commercial Deal

SBK: As the exclusive betting partner, the Smarkets-owned sportsbook will take naming rights and on-course branding for all 35 races. Crucially, these races will be broadcast live on mainstream television via ITV Racing as well as Sky Sports Research.
The Racing Post: As the Official Media Partner, the publication will provide content, coverage, and promotion across its digital platforms, aiming to bridge the gap between established racing purists and the new audience ARC hopes to attract.

A High-Stakes Experiment The series is not just a marketing exercise; it carries serious sporting weight. Each of the five scheduled nights will feature over £200,000 in prize money. The fixtures will rotate across three of ARC’s all-weather tracks: Wolverhampton, Newcastle, and Southwell.

Management Commentary David Leyden Dunbar, Group Director of Commercial Strategy at ARC, was clear about the target audience:

“We have been very clear that one of the aims of Friday Night Live is to engage the next generation of racing fans… Both [partners] have shown real enthusiasm to work with us… as well as using the platform that these fixtures will offer them to also engage with more established racing and sports fans.”

Adam Baylis, Marketing Director at SBK, added:

“Friday Night Live [is] a fresh and engaging concept that brings a new energy to British racing. SBK has always been built around sport… our focus is on enhancing the live race day experience in a fun, social and responsible way.”

The 2026 Schedule The series kicks off immediately in the new year: