ZBD, the payments innovator powering real-money rewards for games, has introduced embedded in-game rewards, an evolution in how mobile games use real-money rewards to engage players, alongside launch partners including TapNation and Fumb Games.

Embedded rewards are a new approach to rewards in the mobile gaming industry, taking lessons learned from the rise of rewarded play apps to give any game the ability to incentivize users to play more, for longer and more profitably. Players can now earn real-money rewards inside the game, not a separate app, resulting in triple-digit retention boosts.

This solves an issue inherent in rewards apps which, while undeniably effective, limit the scale at which games can benefit from rewards by only applying rewards systems to users sent to a game from a specific app. Additionally, this system mostly performs well for IAP-monetized games due to the high cost of rewarded users, which are difficult to absorb for ad-monetized titles.

ZBD’s solution changes that. Already successfully integrated into titles such as Idle Bank, an idle tycoon hit by TapNation with more than 12M downloads, it embeds rewards directly into the gameplay experience. Powered by a lightweight SDK, the ZBD model drives improved retention and monetization for titles that monetize with ads as well as IAPs.

Philippe Lenormand, Head of Web3 at TapNation said:

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“ZBD is taking a bold approach to boosting game monetization while keeping players happy, which comes at a good time for the industry. Embedded rewards have the potential to transform performance for games, especially those that partly rely on ad monetization.”

Beyond TapNation, the new SDK is already live in 20+ games from 7 other partners, including Fumb Games, PlayEmber and Hazmob. This includes a mix of older games, like Merge Monsters from Fumb Games, which saw a +181% increase in D7 retention after years of little activity, as well as new titles geared towards rewards, like Crypto Idle Tycoon by Ruleks Games, which saw its D30 retention climb by +355% and ad revenue per user by +124%.

Ben Cousens, Chief Strategy Officer at ZBD said:

“Rewards are proven beyond doubt to improve the value exchange between games and gamers, leading to powerful upticks in engagement, retention and monetization. With embedded rewards, we’re unlocking that potential beyond the constraints of rewarded UA channels. We’re using real-money payments to make a game more worth playing. And removing all the complexity that usually comes with payments to create a solution tailor-made for mobile game studios.”

Rewards powered by ZBD are always real money, not just in-game points. To facilitate this kind of money movement for amounts as small as a cent, ZBD uses the Bitcoin Lightning Network. But developers can choose whatever icon and currency name they want to show for the rewards, the Lightning Network is just the underlying payments layer that enables the transactions in real-time all over the world. ZBD has long offered a powerful payments API for studios to craft bespoke reward systems with custom logic, interfaces, and UX flows. The SDK builds on that foundation, transforming what was once an extensive technical integration into a ready-to-deploy layer that gets games live with rewards in less than a week.

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Last month, ZBD announced its payments technology had been approved by Apple to enable native Bitcoin microtransactions in the mobile game SaruTobi, making it the first iOS game to integrate in-app purchases using Bitcoin. Now, embedded rewards are making it easy for any game to send microtransactions to players and gain massive performance boosts.

Global entertainment brand SkillOnNet has announced the expansion of its successful partnership with live-dealer gaming solutions specialist Ezugi into the regulated markets of Brazil.

The move builds on a strong existing relationship between the two companies and highlights their commitment to delivering top-tier gaming experiences across Latin America.

Players at SkillOnNet’s  Brazilian platforms, such as PlayUzu.bet.br and BacanaPlay.bet.br, now have access to Ezugi’s high-quality live casino games, including roulette, blackjack, and baccarat.

Part of the Evolution Network, Ezugi has established cutting-edge studio environments in Latin America to provide localised games with localised limits and Spanish-speaking dealers for an unbeatable live casino experience.

Meanwhile, SkillOnNet has been making a splash in Latin America through its PlayUZU and BacanaPlay brands. After launching PlayUZU in Brazil this year, the casino has quickly become a household name in the market, thanks to big-budget TV and marketing campaigns. PlayUZU promotes a “fairer” online casino experience, offering bonuses with no playthrough requirements.

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Jani Kontturi at SkillOnNet said: “Ezugi has proven itself to be a standout partner with an exceptional product, and we’re excited to deepen our collaboration. Latin America is a key growth region for us, and we’re committed to offering our players the very best in live casino entertainment.”

Gilad Ben-Ami at Ezugi said: “With SkillOnNet, we share a vision of delivering localized, high-quality live casino content, and together we can offer a compelling product that meets the expectations of Latin American players.”

The Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) today announced that Stake, the world’s leading online casino and sportsbook, has joined as their official Title Partner, marking a significant milestone for the most successful franchise in the Caribbean Premier League.

The partnership unites two powerhouse brands – with Stake aligning with a franchise that has claimed four championship titles (2015, 2017, 2018, and 2020), and continues to set the standard for excellence in T20 cricket.

This partnership adds to Stake’s impressive global sports portfolio, which includes the UFC, Everton FC, and the Stake F1 Team. The announcement builds on Stake’s growing cricket presence, following successful partnerships with the European Cricket Championships, Paarl Royals, and Major League Cricket.

“We are proud to welcome Stake as the Official Title Partner of the Trinbago Knight Riders in a multi- year agreement,” said Binda Dey, Group CMO, Knight Riders Sports.

“This partnership marks a significant milestone for us, bringing together two globally recognised brands with a shared commitment to innovation and elevating fan engagement through technology. Stake’s impressive presence across global sports demonstrates their dedication to supporting world-class sporting entertainment, and we look forward to a successful and impactful partnership.”

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Akhil Sarin, Chief Marketing Officer at Stake, said: “TKR represents the kind of excellence Stake looks for in partnerships. Their track record and passionate fanbase make them the perfect addition to our cricket portfolio. We’re excited to support TKR and bring our platform to cricket fans worldwide.”

“Our partnership with TKR is not just about brand alignment – it’s a step toward building meaningful connections with cricket fans. We are excited to create immersive, tech-driven fan experiences that reflect the energy and passion of T20 cricket,” added Sarin.

To celebrate this partnership, Trinbago Knight Riders and Stake launched an innovative teaser campaign, combining the star power of the Knights – Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, and Dwayne Bravo alongside athletes from Stake’s global sponsorship portfolio. The campaign was designed to build intrigue by tapping into the passionate fanbases of these diverse sports, generating organic buzz across social media and culminating in the official partnership reveal.