Latest News
Kindred Group extend six-year Middlesbrough FC partnership and cements long-term community commitment to supporters
The Kindred Group will remain as Middlesbrough Principal front-of-shirt partner for another two years in a move that will significantly strengthen the club’s outreach work in the local community.
Kindred have partnered with Middlesbrough since 2018 – meaning the partnership will be nearly a decade old by the end of the latest deal, making it one of the most successful and long-running in British football.
Significantly, the partnership will continue to fund Middlesbrough FC Foundation’s (MFCF) delivery of Team Talk – a men’s mental health initiative. The Team Talk platform uses the local club and its players, manager and staff as a mechanism to engage with men about their mental well-being.
The logo of gambling operator Unibet adorns first team shirts in what is another record-breaking partnership for the club. “Zero% Mission”, which is Kindred’s Responsible Gambling message, appears on this season’s shirts.
Kindred have also pledged to donate a percentage of their hospitality and merchandising rights to supporters via competitions and giveaways.
Further, Kindred will donate front-of-shirt sponsorship space to MFC through the season – allowing for the promotion of the club’s charitable initiatives.
MFC Foundation works to raise aspirations and improve the life chances of young people and adults across Teesside. Its work is supported and funded, in part, by the club’s commercial partners, including Kindred Group.
Kindred has always played a central role in the club’s ‘Foundation Weekend’. This forms part of an initiative to highlight the Foundation’s life-changing work for participants of all ages in the local community, as well as how people in the area can access its projects and services.
Sam Mead, UK General Manager, Kindred Group, said: “Kindred’s relationship with Middlesbrough is one of football’s longest running and impactful, so far as community outreach is concerned. That is why we were committed to extending the partnership for another two years.
“We recognise that we are in the privileged position to positively influence clubs and their communities – a responsibility we take seriously. That’s why the basis of this latest partnership will be to help showcase the MFC Foundation’s wide-ranging work, including the men’s mental health initiative Team Talk.”
Liam McGuinness, Head of Commercial, Middlesbrough FC, said: “Everyone at the club is absolutely delighted to extend our partnership with the Kindred Group for another two years. Most importantly, we’d like to thank them for continuing their vital support of the club’s Foundation – especially through the Team Talk mental health initiative.
“The health and wellbeing of our local community is very important to ourselves and Kindred. We are all looking forward to the opportunity to continue driving forward new initiatives that will benefit both our supporters and the people of Teesside”.
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asia-pacific
Groove shortlisted for Best Aggregator at SiGMA Asia Awards 2026
Groove has been named a finalist for Best Aggregator 2026 at the SiGMA Asia Awards, with the ceremony scheduled for 2 June 2026 at the SMX Convention Centre Manila during the SiGMA Asia Summit.
The shortlist was announced by Global Gaming Insider, according to the company. Groove said its platform aggregates more than 15,000 games from over 150 providers via a single API.
Giusy Campo, Business Development Director at Groove, said: “This shortlist is external recognition of a truth we already feel internally: Groove is moving at a different pace. Asia is not a single market, it is a collection of distinct regulatory environments, player behaviours, and partnership opportunities”
Campo added: “Our platform is built to respect that complexity, not smooth it over. Being named a finalist for Best Aggregator tells us that our approach; deep integration, localised content strategies, and commercial precision; is resonating with the operators who matter most in this region. We are not just bringing games to Asia. We are bringing a roadmap for sustainable growth.”
Yahale Meltzer, Co-Founder and CEO of Groove, said: “The aggregation space is crowded. Differentiation is everything. This nomination confirms that our vision, transforming aggregation from a commodity into a strategic growth discipline, is taking hold.” He added: “Operators across Asia are no longer asking for just volume or speed. They are asking for structural resilience, data intelligence, and a partner who can execute across fragmented regulatory landscapes with precision. Groove delivers that. To be recognised alongside the best in Asia is a privilege, but the real work continues in Manila and beyond. We are here to win, not just awards, but the trust of the operators who build their businesses on our platform.”
The post Groove shortlisted for Best Aggregator at SiGMA Asia Awards 2026 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
data providers
DATA.BET reports 168% turnover growth from virtual content in Q1 2025–Q1 2026
DATA.BET says turnover from its virtual content grew 168% between Q1 2025 and Q1 2026, with the supplier reporting the product accounted for 39% of total virtual sports turnover and 45% of profits over the period.
The company said the content is developed fully in-house and delivered through automated bot-vs-bot matches that run 24/7 without dependence on real-world fixture schedules. DATA.BET positioned the format as a way to provide continuous events and reduce operational overhead for operators.
Across the same period, DATA.BET reported +299% active users, +129% across clients GGR, +246% events per quarter, and +218% bets placed.
DATA.BET also said the audience profile overlaps with live football bettors, which it believes supports retention during seasonal breaks. The supplier added that the algorithm-driven format “carries no fraud exposure,” supports In-Stream Betting overlays, and provides near-zero latency between broadcast and market updates.
“Over the past year, our bot-vs-bot virtual content has delivered consistent, measurable results across every operator deployment. Building e-Football in-house gives us the flexibility to configure it to what each operator actually needs — whether that is a specific league structure, a particular mix of bot and player content, or a branded competition format,” mentioned Rostyslav Likhtin, Head of Product at DATA.BET.
The post DATA.BET reports 168% turnover growth from virtual content in Q1 2025–Q1 2026 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
content studios
155.io makes fintech debut with Coverd partnership
155.io has signed a partnership with US-based fintech platform Coverd, marking the content studio’s first move into fintech. The deal was announced Thursday 21st May 2026.
Under the agreement, 155.io’s real-world games will be integrated into Coverd’s platform. Coverd said the integration is designed to turn everyday transactions into interactive experiences where users can win the chance to have purchases covered through 155.io gameplay.
Sam Jones, Founder & CEO of 155.io, said: “This partnership gives us the opportunity to bring our content to a completely new audience. We share a philosophy with Coverd around disrupting and modernising industries through more interactive experiences. They understand that younger audiences expect entertainment and engagement across every digital touchpoint, including finance, which is exactly how we think about design.”
Albert Wang, Coverd co-founder, added: “Today’s consumer is actively embracing gamified products across every category, so there’s no reason personal finance should stay in the stone age. We’re excited to work with 155.io to make financial experiences more interactive and give everyone a chance to live big by winning back their purchases. 155.io’s next-gen content fits perfectly with what we’re building at Coverd.”
155.io said the integration will bring its interactive content—built around live-action footage and real-time mechanics—to Coverd users. The studio’s portfolio includes Rush Hour from its CCTV Game
library, alongside Ducks.io and Snow Run.
The post 155.io makes fintech debut with Coverd partnership appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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