Author: Andrew Fletcher

ThrillTech, a side-betting technology company, has launched ThrillArena, a new tournament platform designed to transform how operators engage and reward players. The platform brings together three distinct products, SlotsArena, LiveArena and SportsArena, into a single unified proposition available across casino, live and sports verticals. One of ThrillArena’s most distinctive features is its entirely player-funded prize pool model, removing the need for any operator contribution to tournament rewards. This approach is designed to give operators new revenue opportunities without the financial burden of traditional operator-funded prizes, making tournaments a more sustainable long-term proposition. Tournament scoring is built on a range of…

Kambi Group has announced a multi-year extension of its partnership with Peruvian operator Olimpo.bet, reinforcing its growing presence across Latin America. The renewed deal builds on an initial agreement struck in 2021 and signals continued confidence from both parties in their long-standing commercial relationship. Olimpo.bet will continue to benefit from Kambi’s Turnkey Sportsbook product, which has been central to the operator’s ability to compete effectively in the Peruvian market. A key advantage of remaining within the Kambi ecosystem is access to the provider’s global sports data loop feeds, a network that grows stronger as each partner contributes additional data. This…

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva declared an outright ban on online betting in Brazil on Friday, sending shockwaves through the global iGaming industry. The decision has caught major operators and suppliers off guard, given how dramatically Brazil’s gambling market had grown since being legalised two years ago. The Blask Index placed Brazil’s competitive earnings baseline at $9.5bn, while more than R$8.7bn (£1.2bn) in betting taxes were declared in the first half of 2026 alone. Operators including Flutter Entertainment, Betano, Superbet and bet365, alongside suppliers like Playtech, Kambi and Evolution, had all classified Brazil as a strategically important market. Flutter’s…

Topdog has secured $2.5m in seed funding led by Boston Seed Capital to scale its multiplayer real-money skill games platform in the United States. The latest round brings the company’s total capital raised to $4.1m, including pre-seed funding previously received from Lightspeed India. According to Topdog’s official statement, the fresh capital will be used to “accelerate user acquisition and introduce more real time multiplayer games built around sports.” Boston Seed Capital led the investment, with The Raine Group, Bullpen Capital, Versus Ventures, Spoondrift Capital and Permit Ventures all participating in the round. Peter Blacklow, managing director at Boston Seed Capital,…

ONLYPLAY will be present at SBC Summit Lisbon 2026 from 29 September to 1 October, operating from Hall 2, Stand B111. The company is arriving at this year’s conference with a significant change, having recently unveiled a refreshed brand identity ahead of the event. After six years of growth across its team, products, partnerships and ambitions, ONLYPLAY says the new look is brighter, bolder and more reflective of where the company stands today. SBC Summit Lisbon 2026 will mark the first occasion the wider iGaming industry gets to see the new ONLYPLAY brand presented in full. The stand will feature…

Caesars Entertainment shareholders have voted overwhelmingly in favour of a $17.6bn acquisition proposal put forward by Fertitta Entertainment. The vote saw 65.4% of Caesars’ outstanding shares cast in support of the deal, representing a decisive mandate for the proposed takeover to move forward. Fertitta Entertainment is owned by businessman Tilman Fertitta, a prominent figure across the US gaming and hospitality industries with an extensive portfolio of brands. The group operates the well-known Golden Nugget casino brand, giving it an established footprint in the gaming sector before this latest and most significant expansion move. Fertitta Entertainment also operates Landry’s, a sprawling…

A German court has handed hacker and activist Lilith Wittmann a significant legal victory in her ongoing battle with the Malta Gaming Authority. Wittmann posted a screenshot on X this morning showing a German court judgment listing the Malta Gaming Authority and its CEO Charles Mizzi as applicants in proceedings against her. The court has confirmed a preliminary ruling clearing Wittmann to publicly identify the MGA as an organised crime enablement scheme in her public statements. Crucially, the judgment also permits her to use documents she obtained by hacking the Maltese regulator’s systems earlier this year, which will concern the…

Bulgaria has put forward a significant reform to its Gambling Act that would cap the net fees payment facilitators can retain from gambling transactions at 1.5%. The proposed rule targets banks, payment institutions, and e-money companies that process gambling-related payments within the country’s financial infrastructure. Under the draft provisions, any fees, commissions, or other forms of remuneration charged above the 1.5% threshold would be redirected directly into the state budget. The measure applies specifically to two categories of gambling-related payments: deposits made by players and payouts of winnings processed by financial providers. Analysts have noted this represents a novel fiscal…

The market has responded with clear enthusiasm to the proposed merger between Italy’s Lottomatica Group and Spain-based CIRSA Enterprises since it was first revealed. On 2 September, Lottomatica formally informed the Borsa Milan of its intention to combine with CIRSA through an all-share transaction that analysts have widely welcomed. Analysts have placed CIRSA’s implied value somewhere between €2.8bn and €3bn, reflecting the significant scale of what is being described as a landmark European gaming consolidation. The combined entity is expected to become “global gambling’s second-largest listed betting and gaming operator” behind Flutter Entertainment, positioning it as a major force in…

Flutter Entertainment has opened its Cash4Clubs initiative to grassroots sports clubs across the UK, offering a share of £500,000 in community funding. Applications for the 2026 programme open on October 1, with clubs and eligible sports charities given until January 1 to submit their bids through the Cash4Clubs website. Former England captain Alan Shearer and ex-Liverpool and Scotland defender Graeme Souness are fronting this year’s campaign, which is delivered in partnership with the charity Sported. A total of 225 clubs will receive £2,000 grants, while five organisations will receive larger awards of £10,000 each from the overall funding pool. Clubs…