The American Football League Europe (AFLE) and SCCG Management, a leading advisory firm in the global gaming industry, have announced a strategic partnership ahead of the league’s inaugural season in May 2026. As part of the agreement, SCCG Management Founder and CEO Stephen Crystal has been appointed Senior Vice President Gaming of the AFLE, where he will lead all gaming-related business development and commercial partnership initiatives.

Building a gaming strategy from the ground up

Together, the AFLE and SCCG Management will develop and execute a comprehensive gaming and sports betting strategy for the league. This includes the establishment of official betting partnerships, affiliate programs, and sponsorship-driven revenue opportunities designed to strengthen fan engagement and support the long-term commercial growth of the league and it‘s eight member clubs.

Leading the way in gaming expertise

SCCG Management brings more than 34 years of experience in the global gaming industry, with offices across North America, Latin America, Africa, Asia, Europe and Brazil. The firm works with over 130 client-partners across diverse iGaming verticals and specializes in strategic growth, sports wagering and technology-driven fan experiences.

In his new role, Stephen Crystal will focus on securing and managing relationships across sportsbooks, gaming operators, affiliate networks and betting media partners, while ensuring full alignment with regulatory frameworks across European markets.

A league built for the modern era

The AFLE is a newly formed professional American football league dedicated to building a sustainable, team-driven competition across Europe. With franchises in Germany, Austria, Poland, Switzerland, France, Italy and the United Kingdom, the league is designed for scalability, media integration and international fan engagement from day one. Operating under an investor-backed structure with collaborative input from all league stakeholders, the AFLE was founded on principles of transparency, long-term development and professional governance.

That foundation makes gaming integration a natural next step. As global demand for sports betting content continues to grow, the AFLE is positioned to embed gaming partnerships directly into its commercial strategy from inception, creating new revenue streams while expanding it‘s reach to fans across European markets.

What the partnership means to both sides

Stephen Crystal, Founder and CEO of SCCG Management, said: “This is a rare opportunity to help build a professional sports league with gaming and fan engagement fully integrated into its foundation. AFLE has the structure, vision, and market timing to become a major force in international sports. We’re excited to lead the development of its gaming ecosystem and establish partnerships that drive meaningful, long-term value for the league and its stakeholders.”

Moritz Heisler, COO and Managing Director of the AFLE, added: “Partnering with SCCG Management is a significant step in building the commercial infrastructure of the AFLE from day one. Gaming and sports betting are a natural part of modern fan engagement, and having Stephen Crystal lead this space gives us the right expertise and industry network to do it properly. We are building a league for the long term, and these kinds of strategic partnerships are exactly what will make that possible.”

With the inaugural season just weeks away, this partnership marks an important step in the AFLE’s commercial journey. Together, the AFLE and SCCG Management are laying the groundwork for a gaming ecosystem that is built to grow alongside the league and deliver lasting value for fans, clubs and partners across Europe.

InsightPlay.ai has appointed Diego Van Meerbeke as Commercial Director as the company accelerates its expansion across Latin America and key regulated markets.

InsightPlay.ai is an AI engagement platform helping companies manage real-time customer interaction at scale, with strong traction in iGaming.

Van Meerbeke joins from Better Collective, where he led commercial efforts across Spanish-speaking LATAM, working closely with operators and driving revenue growth in a highly competitive affiliate ecosystem. He previously held roles at The Walt Disney Company and ESPN, building a strong background in media sales and partnerships.

His appointment comes as InsightPlay moves from early traction to commercial scale following its recent seed round and deployment of AI-driven engagement solutions across multiple markets.

“Diego understands how this industry actually works, from both the media and operator side,” said Javier Troncoso, CEO of InsightPlay.ai. “We’re building the layer that manages real-time interaction between brands and their customers.”

InsightPlay’s platform enables operators to engage users across voice, messaging and digital channels, handling thousands of interactions daily and driving measurable impact in reactivation, onboarding and retention .

While the company’s initial growth has been driven by iGaming, the same infrastructure is already being explored across other industries where real-time customer interaction directly impacts revenue.

“Most of the industry is still focused on acquisition,” said Diego Van Meerbeke. “The real opportunity is what happens after that.”

Van Meerbeke will lead commercial strategy, operator partnerships and enterprise deals as the company expands across LATAM, North America, Europe and Asia.