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The Unit and Red Knot Communications announce strategic alliance
The Unit, the leader in nearshore product development and marketing for sports betting and igaming, is entering a strategic alliance with Red Knot Communications, the PR and communications specialists in sports betting, igaming and general sports.
The partnership will allow both companies to align their strategies and expertise across several areas of operations, including PR and communications, branding, PPC, SEO, paid social, martech solutions and more. The Unit will expand its full-service marketing by adding Red Knot’s deep PR and media expertise, particularly in territories such as the US, Canada and LatAm.
Red Knot was founded in 2020 to operate at the intersection of sports, sports betting and gaming around the world with offices in the US, the UK, Latin America and the UAE. The Red Knot team works with the biggest media outlets and has amplified the profile of a diverse portfolio, including start-up sports leagues such as Major League Pickleball and Major League Cricket. Red Knot also works with sports betting and gaming companies such as 1st Technology, Angstrom Sports and PlayStar, as well as affiliate giants including Spotlight Sports Group and Playmaker Capital.
The first stage of the strategic alliance sees Mark O’Hare widen his responsibilities as Head of Business Development across both Red Knot and The Unit.
Mark possesses extensive industry experience in the betting and gaming sector, and since joining The Unit in 2018, he has spent time working and living in Ireland, France and the US. Mark manages several key client accounts for The Unit, assisting with SEO and PPC strategy and execution for the likes of Pala Interactive, NorthStar Bets and VIP Casino in Canada, LulaBet and PalaceBet in South Africa, Monkey Knife Fight and PlayStar Casino in the US, and BetRegal and Slotbox in Ireland.
Mark O’Hare said: “It’s a thrill to take on a new role with Red Knot as part of a very exciting project. I’ve really enjoyed my time with The Unit so far, and this collaboration with Red Knot feels like a fantastic opportunity to combine the strengths of both companies to the benefit of our clients. I look forward to working across both sides to ensure this partnership provides synergies and growth across a long-term period.”
Paddy Casey, Co-Founder at The Unit, said: “It’s fantastic to announce this strategic alliance with Red Knot. We have always found them to be a pleasure to work with, and their experience in PR and media in the gaming industry has already accelerated our own industry presence. At this point in the relationship, it feels like the perfect time to work together and make sure we can back each other in the best ways possible.
“Mark has been vital in supporting The Unit’s growth, having been with the company for most of its existence, and he will be the perfect figure to lead this new venture. I very much look forward to working with Mark further as this alliance gets off the ground.”
Andy Clerkson, Partner at Red Knot Communications, said: “I am delighted to launch our strategic alliance with The Unit. Our skill sets, target territories and client lists are totally complimentary. This global partnership crystallises a hive mind of two successful companies, comprised of very experienced gaming industry professionals who can super charge marketing for any B2C or B2B gaming or betting brand, anywhere in the world. We are very pleased to appoint Mark as Head of Business Development for the twin companies. It’s a clear signal of our intent.”
Pennsylvania Skill, powered by Pace-O-Matic (POM), applauded the April revenue reports that show the gaming industry in the state made more than $504 million for the third time since April of last year. Pennsylvania gaming grossed nearly $1.7 billion in commercial revenue in just the first three months of 2024, second only to the casino capital of the United States, Nevada.
The funding comes from slot machines, table games, internet gaming, sports wagering, fantasy contests and video gaming terminals (VGTs).
As the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) celebrates yet another big financial month, however, casinos continue to falsely claim their revenue is impacted by skill games.
“We want to know what the revenue number is that casinos need to hit, or the next record they need to break before they stop claiming skill games are competition,” said Mike Barley, chief public affairs officer for POM. “Every month, we read about their incredible revenue gains, and then the casino industry turns around and claims they are losing money because of skill games. Their arguments don’t pass the smell test.”
Instead of battling skill games, Barley said casinos should support legislation sponsored by Sen. Gene Yaw and Rep. Danilo Burgos that will regulate and tax skill games. There is bipartisan backing for the legislation that will place guardrails around skill game operations and provide as much as $250 million in skill game state tax revenue in just the first year. Gov. Josh Shapiro wants to see skill game tax revenue as part of his 2024-25 state budget.
Given the casino industry revenue gains so far this year, it is hard to understand why they are crying wolf. “It’s difficult to see how skill games are causing hardship for a billion-dollar industry,” Barley said, adding that there is room for both gambling and skill games in the Commonwealth. Since skill games entered the marketplace, gambling revenue has increased and broken records.
Several courts have ruled Pennsylvania Skill games are legal, including a unanimous Commonwealth Court last year. In addition to providing supplemental income to small businesses, many Pennsylvania Skill games are manufactured in Williamsport, and over 90 percent of the income they generate stays within the local economy and the state.
The baseless accusations, Barley explained, are an assault on small businesses, veterans groups, volunteer fire companies and other fraternal clubs across the state that count on legal skill games to make ends meet. Small business owners with skill games in their establishments are saying the revenue has saved their businesses.
Many of these locations rely on income from skill games to offer competitive wages and benefits to their employees, who are often heads of households supporting their families. This is what struggling families need right now, not another roadblock, Barley explained.
The proposed legislation limits the number of skill games per establishment to no more than five in LCB and lottery-licensed locations and up to ten at fraternal clubs.
Skill game distributors, operators and locations will be licensed and regulated through the Department of Revenue. The Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Liquor Control & Enforcement and local law enforcement in counties of the first class would be responsible for policing the skill game industry, helping to crack down on illegal games encroaching on communities across the Commonwealth.
“Backing this legislation means speaking up for the little guy – volunteer fire companies, VFW posts, mom-and-pop shops, fraternal clubs, small businesses and their employees. I believe Pennsylvanians can sleep comfortably knowing that the big internationally owned casinos will continue to survive on their record profits.” Barley said.
BetConstruct is thrilled to announce that the B.F.T.H. Arena Awards’24, in collaboration with Ortak, is poised to set a new standard in the iGaming industry. This prestigious event will showcase innovative gaming solutions and welcome leading names in the industry, including Platin Gaming, Evoplay, Espresso Gaming, ensuring an exciting lineup of new games and significant developments. The event also marks the approach of the submission deadline on May 31, setting the stage for a competitive and vibrant showcase.
Integration with Ortak
This year, every game submitted to the B.F.T.H. Arena Awards automatically becomes part of the Ortak platform. Ortak represents a groundbreaking shift in the iGaming market, offering an innovative investment product that allows game creators to sell shares of their games as NFT-slots. These shares can be freely traded in self-determined quantities and prices, similar to an Initial Public Offering (IPO) for games.
How Ortak Works
Casino game developers can now list their games on the Ortak platform, making NFT-slots available for public purchase. This allows investors to buy shares, NFT-slots registered on the Bahamut blockchain, and become stakeholders in their favourite games. This model not only provides a new revenue stream for developers but also opens up unique investment opportunities for the gaming community.
Ortak serves both established game providers and emerging stars in the industry. For veteran developers, it offers a platform to reach new audiences and enhance player engagement. For newcomers, it presents a viable financial strategy to fund major marketing campaigns and operations, helping them gain traction and scale quickly.
What to Expect at the B.F.T.H. Arena Awards’24
Scheduled from July 1st to July 4th, the B.F.T.H. Arena Awards’24 will feature an expanded lineup of categories and a substantial prize pool of over 3,333,000 FTN, aimed at showcasing the best games of 2024. With major operators participating, this year’s event promises to be a dynamic showcase of creativity and innovation, introducing groundbreaking new games from some of the industry’s most influential developers.
Building on last year’s success, which saw over 50 game developers participate, the awards will continue during the Harmony Meetup 4.0, drawing over 500 industry representatives to highlight and celebrate the winners.
This year’s competition includes a wider range of categories, including the new ones: Best Online Casino Game, Best Game Design, Best FTN Casino Game, Best Game Storytelling, Best Bahamut Game, Best DECA Game, Best Arcade Game, Best Game Achievement. Additionally, any game with an available demo will be eligible for public voting in the Players’ Game of Choice category.
This year, BetConstruct is dedicated to enhancing this legacy by increasing the prize pool, expanding the award categories, and hosting a grand ceremony to celebrate innovation and achievement within the gaming community.
Promoting Winning Games
Winning titles at the B.F.T.H. Arena Awards’24 receive comprehensive promotional support, utilising advanced CRM tools such as the Wonder Wheel and tailored promotions. Supported by a global network of influencers from Latin America to Asia, this strategic marketing effort is crafted to significantly enhance the games’ visibility and, in turn, increase their revenue. By tapping into diverse markets and connecting with a broad audience, we ensure that each winning game attains maximum exposure and impact.
Looking Forward
More innovative updates are set to be released in June, enhancing the Ortak platform and providing further opportunities for engagement and investment in the iGaming sector.
The core of this year’s B.F.T.H. Arena Awards is the belief that innovation drives excellence. BetConstruct is dedicated to consistently expanding the limits of the iGaming industry. Through the B.F.T.H. Arena Awards and the Ortak initiative, the company is creating an environment where barriers are overcome, paving the way for significant advances and showcasing a future shaped by every innovation.
BetConstruct warmly invites game developers and investors to be part of this exciting new chapter in gaming history.
Join the B.F.T.H. Arena Awards’24 and experience the future of iGaming firsthand.
The post B.F.T.H. Arena Awards’24 Partners with Ortak for an Unprecedented iGaming Experience appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Would you tell us about the idea behind the Xprizo fintech platform?
It’s a story that started several years ago when the founder was conducting business on the ground in several emerging markets. Xprizo was founded to respond to the needs of emerging market consumers and merchants, whilst also addressing the limitations of Western banking systems.
This full-service payments platform combines all functionality needed by merchants, with a product tailored to unbanked consumers, bringing this market together in one, seamless ecosystem. What’s more, we drive adoption and consumer education through a network of agents, supporting cash deposit and withdrawal in a way that our target audience is accustomed to.
Xprizo’s mission statement is to ‘revolutionise the future of fintech’. What gaps in the market is Xprizo working to find solutions for and improve in the fintech space?
We are primarily targeting countries which have substantially large communities which are under served when it comes to fintech or banking. Therefore, we are operating in a challenging environment where we truly believe we can have a life changing impact connecting these people to several national and international services. We are delivering a comprehensive financial service where our clients are usually just served with either mobile money or cash and with the introduction of Xprizo our customers can benefit from p2p payments, card processing and full integration to the local mobile money ecosystem, debit cards, crypto and much much more.
How was the development process in building the platform? Were there particular challenges along the way and how long did it take to get the platform ready for market?
We wanted to build the platform from the ground up using local knowledge and tenants so we are working with people coming from Africa, India, Southeast Asia and also Latin America. To arrive at where we are it took several years actually and it is always developing. Having said that in the last 12 months the platform and the wallet took the shape it has today and we covered a lot of ground. Main challenges were the territory we operate in since we needed to make sure the platform can run smoothly with less than ideal infrastructure. One has to keep in mind that we are operating in a space where lack of electricity is the norm, interrupted internet is an everyday occurrence, regulatory matters are still very complex and more.
How does the Xprizo platform set itself apart from other fintech offerings? What can the service provide that others can’t?
As explained earlier, we build the platform from the people to the people. Most other offerings are a one-size fits all where they are adapted versions of what is available in the western world. Moreover, we are offering a truly comprehensive payment orchestration for users and merchants. One just needs to get on our platform and doesn’t need anything further. You can get the local payment methods, our own p2p, cards, etc.. No other service out there has such a complete offering.
Xprizo’s platform features a number of payment service providers such as M-Pesa, what benefits does this bring customers?
The idea is that our clients don’t need to use several systems to make their life or business. Using or integrating to Xprizo gives you a number of payment methods in one place where for the business side you would integrate one API and you can pick and choose what you wish to use.
How is 2024 shaping up for the business and what plans are in place to continue to develop the platform?
2024 is proving to be an incredible year for Xprizo. We are very happy to be overwhelmed with businesses that are recognising the benefits of using our system and we are having internal discussions to be integrated with very well known businesses and also by Tier 1 banks. Our ground reach though the agent network will also keep expanding month on month and the product offering will keep being a one of a kind setting the standard for other Fintech companies to keep up to.
2024 will also see us expand our reach in Africa launching several other countries and more importantly we will be launching our first operations in South East Asia. We will be beginning with the Philippines in June with the goal of expanding our reach across the following months.
The post Exclusive Q&A w/ Richard Mifsud, Chief Vision Officer at XPRIZO appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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