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NBCUniversal and HTC Join Anzu’s In-game Advertising Mission Along with Sony Innovation Fund and WPP

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Anzu has announced that the world’s most advanced in-game advertising platform has closed its current funding round with $20M, increasing its total capital raised to $37M since 2017.

Anzu received funding from two of the world’s leading brands. The first, NBCUniversal, is one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies. The second, HTC, is a consumer electronics company known for producing some of the world’s most popular VR products and software and has recently revealed the “Viverse”, its place in the metaverse.

The funding will further embolden Anzu as it continues its work as the world’s most advanced in-game advertising platform. Earlier this month, the company announced a game-changing partnership with NBCUniversal which will allow the brand’s marketing partners to run non-intrusive, in-game ads across Anzu’s cross-platform gaming inventory, which spans mobile, PC and consoles, using interactive, contextual, and programmatic in-game advertising solutions with privacy and brand safety at its core.

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“Everyone is talking about the impending metaverse, and we are starting to see it emerge from several different angles. However, if you want to see it in action right now, you just need to look to today’s most popular gaming platforms, which are hosting virtual concerts and film screenings. This funding will further expand our in-game advertising solution, helping even more advertisers understand where their brand fits in, and how they navigate these immersive, digitally-connected spaces,” Itamar Benedy, Co-founder and CEO of Anzu, said.

“Combining Anzu’s technological prowess in the gaming and esports space with NBCUniversal’s client reach and advanced advertising solutions, together we can reinvent the future of in-game advertising with brand safety and creativity at the forefront. Anzu understands the importance of integrated advertising and by working directly with video game publishers, NBCUniversal can help marketers create engaging content that enhances the gamers’ world,” Krishan Bhatia, President and Chief Business Officer at NBCUniversal, said.

“With the arrival of the metaverse, the way that people communicate, interact, and spend is going to evolve. We are excited to assist in bringing this new dimension to digital marketing services, providing safe and private user experiences while enabling brands and developers to bring more creativities and new monetization models in the metaverse,” Joseph Lin, VP of Content and Platform at HTC, said.

Other investors include WPP (for the third time), Sony Innovation Fund, BITKRAFT Ventures, HBSE Ventures, Alumni Ventures Group, the iconic baseball team The Chicago Cubs, Goal Ventures and a prominent angel investor Marc Merrill, the Co-Founder, Co-Chairman and President of Games at Riot Games. As with the previous round, all investors will act as strategic partners, while Anzu will remain an independent company.

“I am proud to have iconic investors who share in Anzu’s vision and enable us to bring in-game advertising and our best-class tech to more gaming platforms and global brands. Our last investment round helped us achieve some monumental milestones, including bringing in-game advertising to Roblox, becoming the first advertising platform to be verified by Unity, extending our partnership with Ubisoft, and launching new partnerships with leading games studios, including Saber Interactive for its AAA game Dakar Desert Rally,” Benedy said.

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“We also brought first-to-market in-game viewability with Oracle Moat and partnered with Human and Comscore to help improve IVT across gaming platforms. Anzu’s recent direct integration with The Trade Desk has also helped expand our solution to more advertisers,” Benedy added.

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Allaster Gair confirmed as Bacta’s Director of Communications

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UK trade association Bacta has announced the appointment of Allaster Gair to the position of Director of Communications, effective 7th July.

Gair, who replaces Executive Director George McGregor who announced in March that he would be stepping down from Bacta joins from global advisory consultancy the DGA Group where he spent 5-years most recently as Senior Associate.

Looking ahead to driving the trade association’s communications programme he stated: “I’m absolutely thrilled to be joining Bacta at such a pivotal time for the industry. It represents a sector with deep roots in local economies, and I’m looking forward to proactively championing its value and telling its story.”

He noted: “The key challenge is changing outdated perceptions and I’ll be working hard to ensure stakeholders understand the modern, responsible nature of the industry and how it strongly contributes both economically and socially.

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“The sector needs to clearly and consistently influence opinion, build trust, and inform policy in what is a complex landscape. I see huge potential to go on the front foot and tell the sector’s positive stories. In particular I’m keen to highlight its beneficial impact, commitment to safer gambling, and its importance to the wider economy.”

Bacta’s outgoing President John Bollom said: “I am delighted to welcome Allaster who was without doubt the stand-out candidate.

“The comms challenges that we face are significant not least combatting the media onslaught that’s being directed at the Adult Gaming Sector and enhancing the ways in which Bacta engages with its members.

“I would like to place on the record my thanks to George McGregor who ends a 21-year association with Bacta.

“His knowledge and experience have been a great asset and he has been a source of wise counsel during what has been an extremely challenging period for the industry.“

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Incline Gaming Marketing strengthens executive team with internal promotions

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Incline Gaming Marketing, the provider of specialist digital marketing services for the global regulated gaming market, has strengthened its executive team with two internal promotions.

The first sees Joanne (Jo) Dennis become Chief Commercial Officer, having been Director of UK/EMEA for the past 14 months.

Jo became part of the Incline team after the business acquired Random Colour Animal, which she co-founded, bringing with her more than 25 years of experience in brand, marketing and commercial strategy.

As CCO, Jo has been tasked with overseeing business development, account management and partner success worldwide.

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She will lead the full commercial lifecycle for Incline’s suite of services, developing ambitious sales and growth strategies and overseeing their execution.

Her remit also centres on expanding Incline’s client portfolio across the globe and driving expert account direction to strengthen partnerships and deliver measurable value.

The second promotion sees Oren Langburt, former VP of CRM Marketing, promoted to Chief Marketing Officer, expending his remit to lead the CRM and User Acquisition divisions globally.

As part of the founding Incline team, Langburt has played a pivotal role in the company’s growth trajectory. He has been instrumental in scaling the agency’s CRM managed services business, shaping a best-in-class offering grounded in Incline’s deep industry expertise.

Langburt brings more than 15 years of marketing experience, including leadership roles at some of the biggest companies in the industry, including the likes of FanDuel.

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As CMO, he will focus on unifying performance strategy across acquisition and retention ensuring clients see the full impact of Incline’s integrated services model.

Jo DennisChief Commercial Officer at Incline Gaming Marketing, said: “It’s an exciting time to be taking on the CCO role and growth journey for the business.

“We have achieved huge success across The Americas, Europe, Africa and beyond with our user acquisition, CRM and creative design services, and are now taking this momentum to the next level. 

“We are the only digital marketing and creative agency that is focused on, and specialises in, the regulated global gambling industry. Our deep level of multi-market expertise, and operator-side experience within the Incline team, gives us the edge. 

“In the role of CCO, my focus is on providing even more value to our new and existing partners, driving performance-led success across our full suite of digital marketing and creative activities.” 

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Oren Langburt, Chief Marketing Officer at Incline Gaming Marketing, added: “I’m incredibly excited to step into this role and continue building on the momentum we’ve created at Incline. We have an exceptional team and I’m energized by the opportunity to help shape the future of how we drive further growth for our partners. My focus will be on empowering our teams, deepening client partnerships, and continuing to push the boundaries of what performance marketing in igaming can be.”

The appointments come ahead of the Canadian Gaming Summit, which takes place from 17 – 19 June, where Incline Gaming Marketing will be in attendance; as well as IGB Live in London from 2 – 3 July.

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Ezugi ups the tempo with EZ Speed Bingo 90, a fast-paced bingo experience

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Ezugi has unveiled EZ Speed Bingo 90, an innovative speed version of the classic bingo game with shortened wait time between rounds.

EZ Speed Bingo 90 stays true to the traditional 90-ball bingo format and rules, while each round plays out in just one minute (compared to a typical four to five minutes for standard EZ Bingo). Players place their bets on randomly generated virtual 3×5 bingo tickets. As numbers are generated, they automatically get marked on the tickets, creating a smooth, seamless and intuitive experience for players.

With multilingual number announcements and locally adapted versions, including regionally themed backgrounds, EZ Speed Bingo 90 allows operators to offer a culturally relevant and immersive experience for their players globally. EZ Speed Bingo 90 is available for direct integration via Ezugi or Evolution’s One Stop Shop (OSS) integration engine.

Pang Wee Goh, Chief Commercial Officer at Ezugi, said: “EZ Speed Bingo 90 is a great example of how we continue to refresh and re-energise classic game formats with player-focused innovation and technology. The game stays true to the essence of 90-ball bingo while offering faster and more exciting gameplay that meets today’s demand for rapid, engaging entertainment.”

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Goh continued: “During the soft launch, we received fantastic feedback from operators, especially on the localised versions that reflect player preferences across different regions. EZ Speed Bingo 90 reflects our core mission: to deliver smart, exciting and accessible gaming experiences that stand out. Whilst EZ Speed Bingo 90 is fast-paced and offers short, dynamic sessions, it’s easy to pick up. We are confident this modern twist on a classic game will be a big hit with traditional bingo fans and new generations of players.”

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