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‘Beam’, a new game developer toolkit from the Merit Circle DAO, is set to revolutionize the gaming industry
In a live-streamed October 24 2023 keynote speech marking the launch of Beam, Merit Circle CTO Brandon Aaskov will explain why the gaming industry and web3 are on the cusp of a synergistic relationship:
We’re on the doorstep of a big change in gaming. That’s because gamers are frustrated with the status quo. We don’t get enough say in the games we love because we don’t own any of it. A new era of dialogue between gamers that care and developers that care is about to begin. The transparency and ownership that web3 provides is the reason that this is inevitable.
Game developers know only too well that web3 integration into gaming has, to date, been patchy and unsuccessful. It has focused on the allure of DeFi – decentralized finance – and the promise of quick bucks. As demonstrated by the rise and fall of Axie Infinity, the one web3 game that has made a splash in the mainstream media to date, focusing on finance over fun is a road to ruin.
All that is about to change. Web3 technology is not about crypto: it’s about the magic of truly owning the items you earn in game. It’s about game publishers not being able to dip their hands into your game inventories and invalidate purchases. The blockchain offers this to gamers – and it’s something that gamers are crying out for.
“When it comes to gaming, the biggest promise of web3 is true ownership,” Aaskov is to explain in the keynote. “Historically, the items you’ve earned in a game are locked to that world, useful for you maybe, but with no value beyond that game.”
Not anymore. The ownership facilitated by the blockchain is a uniquely web3 quality that enormously enriches the lore-building potential of items nurtured in-game. That item you now truly own can go on a journey of achievements. It can have a story all its own. You can then
treasure this item, or sell it for its accumulated value – for the legend that you’ve accumulated for it.
What’s more, Beam empowers developers to create games in which players can sell their legend-laced, battle-hardened item for fiat currency, not crypto. If engaging with crypto is off-putting, Beam takes that fear away.
The advent of Beam means that game developers – increasingly conscious of dissatisfaction within the gaming community – can now integrate this enormous potential into their games. It gives the industry the tools for a large-scale adoption of web3 capabilities. In this, it is unique and, as Aaskov will relate, “quite literally game-changing”.
Beam empowers game developers to be in the vanguard of this coming revolution.
With the coming of Beam, the moment for web3’s proper integration into the gaming industry is upon us.
The Beam ecosystem
Beam is an ecosystem, made up of the following elements:
Beam Companion App: Designed for gamers on the Beam network. It provides a straightforward solution to manage multiple in-game accounts from various games within the Beam ecosystem.
Sphere: Beam’s NFT marketplace for gaming assets.
Beam Hub: A place to discover new games and take part in tournaments.
BeamOS: All of our products tied together into one unified experience, packaged into a user experience that’s familiar, customizable and truly yours.
Beam SDK: the invisible layer empowering game developers to build things their way. Beam does not dictate how or when the SDK should be used. Developers can simply pick what they like, and leave out the remaining options.
Africa
QTech Games wins Leader in Online Casino at SBEA+ Eventus Awards 2026
QTech Games has won the Leader in Online Casino award at the Annual Sports Betting East Africa (SBEA+) 2026 Summit in Nairobi, Kenya.
The company said it beat other shortlisted suppliers including SA Gaming, BetConstruct, and DST Gaming. The award is described by the event as recognising the “top all-round online casino platform for innovation, user engagement, and sustained growth” over the past year.
The SBEA+ Eventus Awards focus on the East African igaming and sports betting sector and were presented at a gala ceremony at the Argyle Grand Hotel. QTech Games said the judging period covered 2025/26 and that its aggregation platform performance was ranked highest by the panel.
QTech Games CEO Philip Doftvik said: “We’re thrilled to have walked off with another notable award for the best overall online-casino-platform provision in East Africa. Being shortlisted in such good company was already a result, but victory provides the real validation, particularly after running a great campaign at recent Eventus events in Africa. We’ve been promoting QTech Hybrid, our breakthrough retail solution, to great effect and it’s been fantastic to see that going live with a handful of top-tier clients on this continent has led to such overwhelmingly positive feedback and immediate success cases in the realm of genuine innovation.
“This win is testimony to our diligent team at QTech Games, and to the constantly growing group of innovative suppliers that our platform represents. It’s a truly collaborative effort. We remain committed to rolling out high-quality content that drives revenue for our worldwide partners across Africa and beyond. After all, in today’s marketplace, only premium games of the highest standard will separate you from the crowd, so we were delighted to see the panel acknowledge how our premier platform is delivering across Africa’s eclectic ecosystem. We’ve made our name as the pre-eminent aggregator in these evolving margin markets, delivering localised games that speak to a host of player proclivities. This award win will spur us on to new horizons.”
The post QTech Games wins Leader in Online Casino at SBEA+ Eventus Awards 2026 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Brazil
Evoplay adds 24 slot titles to Oleybet in Brazil deal
Evoplay has signed a content partnership with Brazilian operator Oleybet to distribute 24 slot titles on the brand’s online casino in Brazil’s regulated market.
Oleybet is operated by Lindau Gaming S.A. in Brazil and offers sportsbook, online casino and live casino products. The rollout focuses on Evoplay’s slot portfolio, with the supplier saying the content is intended to support Oleybet’s casino expansion.
The integration is delivered through Sportingtech’s platform, which the companies said is intended to support a streamlined rollout and operational efficiency as Oleybet scales its games catalogue.
Alex Malchenko, Head of Sales at Evoplay, said: “Brazil remains a key focus for Evoplay, and partnering with Oleybet is another key strategic move in strengthening our presence in this dynamic market.
“Our portfolio is designed to deliver strong engagement across diverse player demographics, and we’re confident our games will resonate well with Oleybet’s audience as they continue to grow their offering.”
Robson Salvador, Ombudsman Director at Lindau, added: “We are very pleased to partner with Evoplay, a provider known for innovation and high-quality gaming experiences.
“This collaboration reinforces Oleybet’s commitment to offering a diverse and engaging portfolio to Brazilian players, always aligned with the highest standards of compliance and responsible gaming. We see this partnership as an important step in strengthening our positioning in Brazil’s regulated market.”
The post Evoplay adds 24 slot titles to Oleybet in Brazil deal appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Africa
GoldenRace brings In-Shop Mobile and virtual sports to iGaming Afrika Summit
GoldenRace will exhibit its virtual sports portfolio and mobile betting technology at the iGaming Afrika Summit in Nairobi, running 4 to 6 May. The supplier said it will present market-specific content for East Africa at Stand C09.
A key focus will be GoldenRace’s In-Shop Mobile product, which the company positions as a way for operators to offer “high-speed, digital betting experiences” on customers’ own devices while they are in a retail shop.
The stand will also feature GoldenRace content across multiple verticals, including Virtual Football, Dog Racing, and the number-draw game Spin2Win, alongside newer titles JetEscape and Arcade Heist. GoldenRace will also present the Spinmatic slot catalogue, which it said is mobile-optimised.
GoldenRace said the retail-plus-mobile approach is aimed at lowering overhead for land-based operators by supporting higher player volumes without adding hardware at the same rate. “Our goal at the iGaming Afrika Summit is to demonstrate how global technological standards can be applied to meet the specific needs of African operators,” said Martin Wachter, GoldenRace CEO & Founder. “From our In-Shop Mobile technology to our virtual sports portfolio, we provide the tools necessary for security, scalability and engagement.”
The post GoldenRace brings In-Shop Mobile and virtual sports to iGaming Afrika Summit appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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