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Betclic announces four strategic sports partnerships
Betclic, France’s leading online sports betting operator, announces its partnership with the Arkema Première Ligue (APL), the highest level of women’s football in France. Already a partner of the French Women’s National Teams, Betclic confirms its commitment to becoming a strong ally of women’s football.
A league on the rise
For several seasons, the Arkema Première Ligue has been experiencing exceptional momentum. A significant milestone was reached in 2024 with the creation of the Ligue Féminine du Football Professionnel (LFFP), marked by a record 220 players under contract, a highly competitive league, and record attendance and viewership figures. The FFF, which aims to reach 500,000 licensed female players by 2028, has launched an extensive feminization plan, enabling an entire ecosystem to rapidly structure itself, and one Betclic is pleased to be associated with.
A new dimension in the Betclic App
Since its opening to betting in May 2024, the Arkema Première Ligue has risen to first place among national women’s competitions on the Betclic app. Open matches, unpredictable scenarios: women’s football is an exciting new playground for bettors, with live betting accounting for the majority of wagers placed. With around fifty odds available per match, enhanced gaming offers, and numerous activations around championship fixtures, the Arkema Première Ligue will benefit from strong exposure in Betclic’s communications, particularly through the App which is used by more than 3 million players each month.
A commitment supporting the diversity of French football
Women’s football is not just a performance field, it’s also a lever for transformation. By supporting the Arkema Première Ligue, Betclic aims to encourage equal opportunities, access to sport for all, and
defend a more inclusive vision of sport. “The APL is a reference championship, where clubs that matter in major competitions compete. We want to be where sport is advancing, where audiences are evolving, where passions are growing. Women’s football ticks all the boxes, and we are proud to contribute to its development alongside Jean-Michel Aulas (President of the LFFP) and Philippe Diallo (President of the FFF),” says Nicolas Béraud, CEO of Betclic.
Jean-Michel Aulas, President of the LFFP: “All indicators are green for the Arkema Première Ligue, which has experienced considerable growth this season. After Arkema’s renewal of its naming partnership, it’s now Betclic’s turn to commit to our championship. The arrival of top-tier economic partners demonstrates the enthusiasm generated by French women’s football and validates the FFF’s commitment to it. Our ambition is to make the Arkema Première Ligue one of the best championships in the world. Support from companies like Betclic helps us greatly in this endeavor.”
Philippe Diallo, President of the FFF: “I am very pleased with Betclic’s commitment to our elite women’s championship. The FFF has high ambitions for the Arkema Première Ligue. Receiving support from a brand as powerful as Betclic is an extremely encouraging sign. This partnership will contribute to the development and recognition of high-level women’s football. The FFF has made feminization an
important axis of its policy. Our partners, like Betclic, fully embrace this. I am delighted by this.”
Betclic and FFHandball: a major alliance to make French Handball shine
Betclic and the French Handball Federation (FFHandball) seal their first partnership running until 2028. An unprecedented alliance to usher handball towards new heights. French handball on top of the world With 9 world crowns and 4 Olympic titles, French handball is the most successful team sport in the world. This enthusiasm for handball is materializing on amateur courts with a record number of licensed players in 2025 (more than 600,000), and behind screens, where the EHF EURO 2024 final was watched by more than 6.5 million viewers.
Betclic bettors increasingly fans of handball
Number one in sports betting in France, Betclic aims to support the world’s best teams and promote French sporting excellence. This partnership will strengthen handball’s visibility among the 3 million monthly players who use the Betclic application, thus offering this sport very strong visibility. Driven by its suspenseful matches and an evolution of betting offers recently validated by the National Gaming Authority, handball is attracting more and more players and now ranks 8th among the most bet-on disciplines on the application, especially thanks to the major events of 2024. While two-thirds of bets are placed on match results, other types of bets are emerging, such as the number of goals scored or the goal difference between teams. And to meet the growing demand from bettors who enjoy live betting, Betclic streams around ten tournaments directly on its application (over 2,000 matches per year), including the Champions League and major handball competitions.
Education and prevention
With the French national teams and French handball training centers, wherever stakeholder responsibility is involved, awareness-raising initiatives that have been carried out for several years will continue in the coming seasons.
Betclic: New headquarters for handball fans
“Handball embodies everything we love about sport: intensity, collective passion and repeated exploits. With this partnership, Betclic will become a major meeting point for handball fans. By supporting the French national teams and partnering with a modern, popular and high-performing federation, we are commited to sustainably supporting the exceptional momentum that has been initiated by Philippe Bana and his team” confirms Nicolas Béraud, CEO of Betclic.
FFHandball: a strategic partnership to propel French handball
“The French Handball Federation is pleased to announce a partnership with Betclic, Official Supporter of our French national teams until 2028. This partnership is built for the long term and addresses shared challenges: supporting the development of handball and strengthening its visibility among an ever-wider audience. The growing enthusiasm for sports betting on handball demonstrates the increasing appeal of our sport. This partnership allows us to accompany this momentum by creating positive synergies to grow our community together and amplify the visibility of French handball” commented Philippe Bana, President of FFHandball.
Betclic and the French Volleyball Federation: The Smash Continues Until 2028!
Betclic, France’s leading sports betting operator, renews its collaboration with the French Volleyball Federation for four new seasons (2025-2028). This renewal marks Betclic’s reinforced commitment to a sport that is growing in popularity.
French volleyball on the rise
Led by its President, Eric Tanguy and his staff, the French Volleyball Federation has achieved great success in recent years, with two Olympic medals (2021 and 2024) and an historic growth in membership (240,000). The national championships (Men’s and Women’s Ligue A) are gaining momentum, with major transfers and record streaming audiences. Driven by charismatic figures like Earvin Ngapeth or Jenia Grebennikov among the men, and Lucille Gicquel or Héléna Cazaute among the women, volleyball is now establishing itself as a popular phenomenon that thrives on international stages.
A winning bet on the Betclic app
Volleyball is also attracting an ever-growing number of Betclic players. It now ranks 6th among the most bet-on disciplines on the app, particularly thanks to the 2024 Olympic Games, where the France- Poland final rose to become the second most bet-on event of the Games (excluding major sports). It is the Top 10 sport that has experienced the best betting momentum over the past two years, and more than 15% of Betclic players now bet on this discipline. With its suspenseful matches and dynamic betting offer (betting possible on each point of the match, such as on the player who will score the next point…), volleyball lends itself easily to live-betting, a growing practice among bettors. This partnership will further strengthen volleyball’s visibility among the 3 million monthly Betclic players, thus granting it very strong exposure, particularly through the in-App streaming of around twenty competitions, from the Polish PlusLiga to Marmara Spike League matches, or the Nations League, where our French national team shines.
Three years to make French volleyball shine
In-app campaigns, contests, editorial content, enhanced visibility around key fixtures… All resources will be activated to support the growth of French volleyball and accompany it on the path to true
European recognition. Nicolas Béraud, founder and CEO of Betclic: “French volleyball is experiencing a silent but spectacular revolution, and we are proud to support this beautiful adventure. By partnering again with FFVolley, Betclic reaffirms its lasting commitment alongside a federation in full momentum, driven by historic results and an ambitious vision for the 2028 Olympics”. Eric Tanguy, President of FFVolley: “The renewal of our partnership confirms the growing collaboration in recent years. Volleyball is advancing not only in sports but also in media presence with the French and global public through Betclic’s involvement and investment. Four rich seasons are ahead, the Federation is proud and delighted to be able to experience this alongside Betclic”.
Betclic and the Ligue Nationale de Rugby extend their partnership for the next two TOP 14 seasons!
Betclic, France’s #1 online sports betting operator, and the Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR) announce the renewal of their TOP 14 partnership until 2027. Initiated in 2021, this renewed cooperation confirms the shared commitment to elevate French rugby to the highest level.
A partnership with the world’s most competitive championship
For the past four years, Betclic and the LNR have joined forces to promote the TOP 14 to an ever-growing audience. Full stadiums, rising viewership, French clubs leading the way in Europe, star players: rugby has never been more captivating. With 9 different clubs reaching the playoffs over the last 5 seasons, the TOP 14 continues to enchant the public, with 71% of French people describing it as “spectacular”. Intensity, suspense, drama: the championship thrills both fans… and bettors!
Greater visibility for rugby and for Betclic
With over 3 million users on the Betclic application each month, the TOP 14 enjoys exceptional exposure, now firmly established within the platform’s universe. Betclic users can experience everything that makes rugby so special, with the added bonus of winning tickets to the biggest matches, right in the heart of the stadiums. With more than 300 odds available per match, Betclic offers an unrivalled range of betting options, so much that one in every two bettors now bets on rugby, with the TOP 14 as a major driver. Betclic will also continue to enjoy prominent visibility across all official media in TOP 14 stadiums and throughout the finals.
Supporting excellence, shaping the future
International reach, a broader audience and a sense of responsibility: Betclic is committed to helping to achieve the ambitious goals set by the LNR’s new president, Yann Roubert. As official partner to f the French National Rugby Teams until 2028, Betclic is more than just a rugby sponsor: it’s a committed player, with a strong DNA.
“The TOP 14 is one of the most beautiful championships in the world. This partnership is a source of pride for Betclic and an essential lever to satisfy rugby fans, in France and beyond. Renewing our commitment alongside the LNR means reaffirming our position as a major partner of French sport and participating in writing the next chapter in the history of modern rugby” confirms Nicolas Béraud, CEO of Betclic.
“This renewed partnership with Betclic is a mark of trust and a clear signal of the TOP 14’s appeal. We share the same ambition: to help French rugby grow, reach new audiences and keep innovating to make the TOP 14 ever more spectacular and demanding. This extended partnership is a real opportunity for rugby, for its influence and for all those who love the game” says Yann Roubert, President of the Ligue
Nationale de Rugby.
The post Betclic announces four strategic sports partnerships appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
ad formats 2026
PropellerAds Unveils Multi-Format Advertising Suite for Scalable User Acquisition (January 2026)
PropellerAds, a leading multi-source performance advertising platform, today launched a deeply integrated multi-format traffic strategy designed to deliver predictable conversions and scalable growth as acquisition costs climb and user attention fragments across devices and platforms.
Since 2011 PropellerAds has expanded beyond its Popunder roots into a full-service adtech platform that now includes Push, In-Page Push (IPP), Native/Display, Survey Traffic, and Telegram Mini Apps (TMA). This move positions the company as one of the few global providers offering integrated reach across traditional web placements and growing social/in-app ecosystems.
Why this matters for advertisers
Rising acquisition costs and cross-device fragmentation make single-format campaigns unreliable. PropellerAds’ multi-format suite lets brands, agencies and affiliates:
- Mix high-volume formats for rapid testing (Popunder) with high-intent formats (Survey Traffic).
- Reach audiences across Android, iOS and desktop with native-style creatives (IPP and Push).
- Tap emerging social channels via in-app experiences (Telegram Mini Apps) for engaged, low-disruption traffic.
The result: more stable scaling, flexible reach, and higher conversion predictability.
Key formats powering the platform
- Popunder Ads — volume and scale
Popunder remains a workhorse for large-scale acquisition, offering massive coverage, direct-click placements and cost control. It’s ideal for fast market tests and high-volume conversion funnels. - Telegram Mini Apps (TMA) — social traffic growth
TMA brings in-app interstitials, banners and task-based units inside Telegram’s Mini Apps. Advertisers gain access to highly engaged social users with performance optimization that preserves user experience. - In-Page Push (IPP) — native, cross-device reach
IPP delivers notification-style creatives embedded within webpages without opt-in, covering Android, iOS and macOS. Its native look and wide device support increase engagement and CTR while filling gaps left by traditional push. - Push Format — persistent outreach
PropellerAds’ Push ads reach users outside browsing sessions via browser notifications. As an early mover in push ads, PropellerAds now delivers billions of daily impressions to support remarketing and time-sensitive campaigns. - Survey Traffic — high-intent audiences
Survey Traffic funnels users who actively participate in surveys to advertiser landing pages, producing audiences with elevated intent—especially effective for finance, subscriptions, rewards, and lead generation verticals.
PropellerAds’ strategic edge
By combining multiple traffic types and automated optimization, PropellerAds aims to protect campaigns from volatility in any single channel. The platform’s cross-format approach helps advertisers adapt to shifting traffic patterns while maintaining ROI targets.
“With user behavior shifting across screens and contexts, PropellerAds’ multi-format synergy is now essential for scalable growth,” says Julia Larionova, Head of Marketing at PropellerAds. “Platforms with integrated formats and automated optimization will gain a competitive advantage as traffic continues to diversify.”
Bottom line
PropellerAds’ multi-format expansion reflects the adtech industry’s shift toward integrated, cross-device acquisition. For marketers facing rising traffic costs and fragmented attention, the platform offers diversified ad formats and performance tools to scale more reliably in 2026 and beyond.
The post PropellerAds Unveils Multi-Format Advertising Suite for Scalable User Acquisition (January 2026) appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Age of Empires competitive
Team Vitality Enters Age of Empires II Esports with Star-Studded Roster
Team Vitality, one of the most influential names in modern esports, has officially announced its entry into the Age of Empires II competitive scene. This marks a major milestone: the merging of a contemporary esports powerhouse with one of the most iconic real-time strategy franchises in history.
Aiming for the Throne: Star-Studded Roster
Team Vitality isn’t just entering for exposure — they are targeting dominance. The team has assembled a roster featuring three of the most decorated players in Age of Empires II history:
- Hamzah “Hera” El-Baher – The Golden Boy
Known for his unmatched consistency and strategic mastery, Hera defines the modern AoE era. In 2023, he achieved a historic 14-tournament winning streak in S-Tier events. Fresh off his Red Bull Wololo: El Reinado 2024 victory, the current Player of the Year is set to continue his reign under the Vitality banner. - Kai “Liereyy” Kallinger – The Archer God
Renowned for exceptional micro-management and aggressive play, Liereyy brings mechanical perfection and explosive strategies to the squad. A multi-time Red Bull Wololo Champion (II & IV), the Austrian star is widely regarded as one of the most spectacular talents in the game’s history. - Hernán “Hearttt” Pizarro – The Veteran Strategist
With a professional career dating back to 2012 and 80+ tournament appearances, Hearttt is the rock of the team. Named Comeback Player of the Year 2023, the Peruvian strategist provides depth, resilience, and unparalleled tactical insight.
First Major Appearance: Red Bull Wololo 2026
Team Vitality’s AoE II roster will make its competitive debut at Red Bull Wololo 2026: Londinium, one of the most prestigious events on the global RTS calendar. Fans can expect high-level strategic gameplay and the start of Vitality’s quest for world championship titles in the genre.
“At Team Vitality, our expansion is always driven by a certain ambition: to compete for and win World Championships in the world’s most iconic games. Age of Empires and our new superstar lineup align perfectly with that vision… We are honored to be part of this history and can’t wait to welcome AoE fans into the Vitality Hive.” — Danny Engels, Corporate Director, Global Operations, Team Vitality
Why This Matters
Team Vitality’s entry into Age of Empires II is a significant moment for the RTS esports ecosystem:
- It bridges legacy RTS titles and modern esports organizations.
- Brings global visibility to Age of Empires II tournaments.
- Sets the stage for strategic showdowns at major international events.
With Hera, Liereyy, and Hearttt, Team Vitality is positioned to challenge for the top spots in competitive AoE II and potentially reshape the RTS landscape for years to come.
The post Team Vitality Enters Age of Empires II Esports with Star-Studded Roster appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
AFCON 2025
AFCON’s month of football did not lift iGaming demand — Blask data analysis
AFCON 2025 ran from 21 December to 18 January, packing 52 matches across 19 matchdays. Given that schedule and the heavy interest in favourites such as Senegal, Morocco, Nigeria and Egypt, many expected a measurable boost in online gambling activity. However, Blask data shows the tournament produced only occasional deviations from normal patterns — even in the nations with teams that reached the final stages.
Key findings from Blask data
- No broad uplift: Overall iGaming demand did not climb consistently across markets during AFCON.
- Weekly rhythm dominated: The Blask Index largely followed pre-existing weekly patterns; matchday timings rarely overrode those cycles.
- Host-country anomaly: Morocco — with more viewer-friendly kick-offs (five of seven on Sundays or Friday evenings) — recorded the largest single day-to-day Blask Index move (26 December, Morocco vs Mali at 21:00 local).
- Vertical competition mattered: Live-match excitement often drew attention away from casino play rather than increasing it. Hourly Blask Index figures frequently fell or stayed flat during national-team matches.
- Market-share stability: Dominant brands (usually 1–4 operators) retained their daily shares; AFCON did not reshuffle leaders in most markets.
Why AFCON didn’t create a sustained iGaming spike
- Calendar beats event noise. Daily and weekly user habits — workweek rhythms, prime-time viewing slots and local schedules — remained the strongest determinants of iGaming demand.
- Attention is finite. While live betting benefits from matchday attention, casino verticals compete for the same user time. In practice, watching matches often reduced casino activity.
- Operator strategy limits volatility. In markets controlled by a few large operators, firms manage audience attention by shifting promotions across verticals rather than expanding overall demand. That keeps market shares relatively steady.
Notable exception: Nigeria’s operator flip-flop
Nigeria bucked the broader trend: two brands controlling 70%+ of audience attention exchanged top positions frequently. Bet9ja was the 2025 leader overall, but SportyBet overtook it on most AFCON days, including all Nigeria team matchdays — showing how high-profile tournaments can temporarily reorder leaderboards where competition is extremely concentrated.
What this means for operators and marketers
- Promotions should be tactical, not assuming scale. Expect matchday windows to deliver spikes in live-bet engagement but not necessarily a net rise across iGaming.
- Vertical-specific offers perform better. Tailor live-betting promos during matches and protect casino revenues with off-peak incentives.
- Local kick-off times matter. Host nations or markets with viewer-friendly schedules can see stronger short-term lifts — use that to time campaigns.
Conclusion
AFCON 2025 drew continent-wide interest, but Blask’s daily and hourly data indicate no broad, sustained iGaming uplift. Instead, the tournament rearranged attention — boosting live-bet engagement at times while leaving overall demand on its usual calendar-driven trajectory. For operators, the insight is clear: the calendar is king, and major sporting events tend to redistribute, not expand, iGaming activity.
The post AFCON’s month of football did not lift iGaming demand — Blask data analysis appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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