Author: Andrew Fletcher

Blask currently tracks more than 5,000 iGaming brands operating across 133 countries, offering a rare global view of the iGaming landscape. Only six operators worldwide have established a presence in more than 100 markets, making them genuinely exceptional cases in the industry. Stake, 1xBet, Megapari, Mostbet, Melbet, and 1win lead the global leaderboard by geographic reach, though their market positions differ significantly beneath the surface. Some brands dominate tier-3 and grey markets, while others generate large engagement volumes inside major economies despite relatively small visibility shares. Stake stands out among this group by combining major positions across tier-1 economies, regulated…

Imagine Live has confirmed a new B2B partnership with Novibet, extending its live casino content across several of the operator’s key regulated markets globally. Novibet, founded in Greece in 2010, has grown into a multi-market international operator with a footprint spanning Europe and Latin America, including Mexico, Brazil, Ireland, Finland, Chile, Ecuador, Cyprus and New Zealand. The agreement will see Imagine Live supply live casino content to Novibet across all available licensed markets, with a particular focus on Greece and Brazil. Localized live casino tables featuring native Greek and Brazilian Portuguese-speaking game presenters will be central to the rollout in…

Affilka has officially become a Certified Google Click Tracker, marking a significant milestone for the affiliate management platform and the wider iGaming industry. The certification ensures that Affilka’s tracking links are formally verified as safe, transparent, and fully aligned with Google Ads’ strict guidelines. As major advertising networks like Google continue tightening compliance policies to combat fraud, this development carries considerable weight for operators in regulated markets. For brands using the Affilka platform, the certification translates into a substantial operational advantage when executing Google Ads strategies at scale. One of the most immediate benefits is the elimination of disapproval risk,…

Despite a projected fifth consecutive year of income growth, serious concerns over horse racing’s financial sustainability are being raised by industry leadership. The Horserace Betting Levy Board is expected to collect around £110m for the year ended 31 March 2026, marking a landmark figure for the organisation. This projected total represents the highest income recorded since the levy collection reforms were introduced in 2017, a significant milestone for the sport’s funding body. The reforms implemented in 2017 overhauled how the levy was collected, and the sustained growth since then has been broadly welcomed across the racing industry. Five consecutive years…

Advisors directly involved in negotiations between Bally’s and evoke remain confident the multi-billion-pound deal will ultimately be completed despite ongoing delays. The sale of the William Hill operator represents the most significant pending gambling sector M&A agreement in Europe, delivering a British high-street stalwart into Bally’s hands. Bally’s is a business widely known for aggressive cut-price deals, making this potential acquisition one of the most closely watched transactions in the industry. Since news of the deal was first reported, the parties announced an extension of negotiations minutes before the initial deadline, pushing talks into the following month. Despite that delay,…

Gordon Moody has appointed a new chief executive officer as the UK gambling harm treatment sector enters a transformative period shaped by the statutory levy. The organisation is one of the UK’s leading specialist providers of gambling harm treatment and support services, with a strong national presence. Gordon Moody received £4.5m in funding from the Office, marking a significant financial development for the charity as it prepares for the challenges ahead. The leadership revamp signals a clear strategic intent to position the organisation effectively within a rapidly shifting regulatory and funding landscape across the UK. The statutory levy represents a…

Gibraltar has emerged as a potential gateway for prediction markets seeking a compliant route into the European regulatory landscape. Despite significant lobbying efforts, European regulators have consistently pushed back against the expansion of prediction markets across the continent. Regulators have described prediction markets as having a questionable regulatory status, a characterisation that directly undermines existing gambling regimes throughout Europe. Andrew Lyman has argued that Gibraltar is uniquely positioned to shape a safe and compliant framework that could open doors for prediction markets in the region. The expansion of prediction markets is widely regarded as one of the most explosive and…

Scotland is heading back to the World Cup after a 28-year wait, and the excitement among the Tartan Army is reaching fever pitch ahead of the tournament. The last time Scotland graced the world’s biggest stage was at France 98, a tournament that many feared might mark the end of a long era of Scottish football presence on the global scene. Few Scottish football fans watching that 1998 campaign could have imagined the nation would spend nearly three decades waiting before finally securing another World Cup berth. McBookie, one of Scotland’s most recognised homegrown bookmakers, has spoken about what this…

Boomerang Partners’ Chief Marketing Officer Anton Eshtokin is challenging the traditional assumptions that have long underpinned sports marketing strategies worldwide. For years, sports marketing operated on a simple and reliable premise that major events attracted massive audiences and visibility alone was enough to deliver results. That straightforward model, however, has been fundamentally disrupted, and by 2026 brands can no longer rely on exposure alone to drive meaningful outcomes. Anton Eshtokin argues that the shift represents not just a tactical adjustment but a wholesale rethinking of how sports marketing delivers value in the modern landscape. Boomerang Partners, as an affiliate marketing…

Andrew Rhodes, the former Chief Executive Officer of the Great Britain Gambling Commission, has taken up a new position at international strategic advisory firm Hawkbridge. Hawkbridge describes itself as a betting industry-focused firm, making it a natural landing spot for someone of Rhodes’ extensive regulatory background and experience. The confirmation of Rhodes’ next career move comes just over a month after he formally vacated the leadership role at the Gambling Commission. His departure from the regulator was not entirely sudden, as it had been publicly announced as far back as February before he officially stepped down. Rhodes spent a significant…