Author: Charles Shephardson

BetMakers delivered a highly productive fourth quarter of financial year 2026, covering the three months ended 30 June, with multiple major technology partnerships successfully integrated. The Australian supplier posted adjusted EBITDA of A$4.5m for the period, representing an 18% margin and an 89.3% increase on last year’s Q4 figure of A$2.4m. Revenue climbed 9.4% year-on-year, rising from A$22.1m to A$24.2m, driven in large part by new commercial relationships with prominent operators across global markets. Gross margin came in at 68.5%, reflecting the company’s continued focus on high-value, technology-led revenue streams rather than lower-margin volume business. Management has maintained that 10%…

Codere Online has raised its full-year guidance after delivering record net gaming revenue in the second quarter of 2026. The Spain-based operator reported net gaming revenue of €69.4m for Q2, representing a 27% increase compared with the same period a year earlier. Total revenue climbed 25% to €64.4m, while adjusted EBITDA reached €5.8m, up significantly from €2.3m in the prior-year quarter. Mexico remained Codere Online’s largest single market, contributing €36.1m in net gaming revenue, a 24% rise year-on-year. Spain generated €27.6m, up 25%, while other markets delivered €5.7m, an impressive increase of 54% that signals growing geographic diversification. CEO Aviv…

FC Porto and Betano have agreed to extend their existing front-of-shirt sponsorship deal by three seasons, keeping the partnership alive until at least 2028/29. The agreement means Kaizen Gaming-owned Betano will continue as the primary shirt sponsor for the Portuguese champions, building on a relationship that has already lasted five years. The extension cements one of Portuguese football’s most prominent commercial partnerships, with Betano’s branding remaining central to FC Porto’s identity on the pitch. This season marks a significant expansion of the deal, as the Betano logo will appear on the front of the FC Porto Women’s Team shirt for…

1xBet has signed a sponsorship agreement with Gowran Park, one of Ireland’s most historic racecourses, covering 15 fixtures over the next 12 months. The partnership began on 7 August and will see 1xBet’s branding displayed across 15 National Hunt and flat races throughout the duration of the deal. Beyond race sponsorship, 1xBet will also lend its name to the Owners’ Lounge and Stable Yard at the Kilkenny venue. The agreement adds Gowran Park to a growing roster of Irish racing partnerships for the multinational betting firm, which has previously worked with both Punchestown and Curragh racecourses. 1xBet operates in Ireland…

FeedConstruct has secured a renewed partnership with the Ukrainian Premier League, extending its position as the competition’s exclusive global streaming and data rights partner. The SoftConstruct-owned sports betting data platform originally struck its first deal with the Ukrainian top flight back in 2022, covering live streaming and sports betting data. The renewed agreement covers multiple competitions, including the top two leagues, the Cup of Ukraine knockout tournament, and the Youth Championship. FeedConstruct confirmed the renewal will enable “uninterrupted service” throughout the 2026/27 domestic season, which kicks off on 31 July 2026. Ukrainian Premier League President Ievgen Dykyi expressed strong support…

SBC Summit 2026 will dedicate a full track to exploring how online casino operators can build smarter, smoother and more engaging player experiences in a crowded market. The iGaming Product and Design track takes place on Wednesday, 30 September, hosted on the Tech and Innovation Stage at the event. Casino operators, game developers and technology experts will gather to examine what separates standout casino products from the competition in an increasingly saturated industry. Sessions will follow the complete player journey, from first registration all the way through to long-term retention strategies and loyalty programme development. Smarter onboarding, AI-powered game design,…

Curaçao authorities have launched an investigation into Random Consulting, the firm owned by former Malta Gaming Authority chief executive Mario Galea. The probe centres on allegations that Galea’s consultancy received annual payments of 8.3 million Caribbean guilders, equivalent to approximately €4.1 million, from the island’s gambling regulator. Charles Cooper, Curaçao’s minister of finance, disclosed the investigation through a press release, raising serious questions about the scale and justification of the payments. Cooper said: “The world of gaming shows that this figure – paying a person/company 8.3 million XCG per year – is very high for a company charged to provide…

Estonia has positioned itself as Europe’s next major iGaming hub, drawing comparisons to established jurisdictions like Malta and Gibraltar with an ambitious tax reform plan. The country plans to reduce gambling taxes to 4% of gross gaming revenue by January 2029, a move designed to attract international operators not yet considering Estonia as a viable market. However, the attractiveness of those tax cuts could be undermined if the government moves forward with tighter restrictions on gambling advertising. Diana Lints, Head of Services Supervision Office at the Consumer Protection and Technical Regulatory Authority (TTJA), shed light on a supervisory project that…

Bally’s Intralot has locked in a major debt facility to accelerate its acquisition ambitions, with the Evoke Plc takeover firmly in its sights. The company notified the Euronext Athens exchange that it had secured a senior secured sterling term facilities agreement worth £261.7m with institutional lenders. The loan will be deployed for what Bally’s Intralot describes as “general corporate and working capital purposes”, covering acquisition plans and refinancing of “other indebtedness”. Markets were told that “the new term financing will be drawn in two term loan tranches with a tenor of three years and is guaranteed and secured on a…

Kenneth Dart, the Cayman Islands-based US-born billionaire investor, has triggered a mandatory takeover threshold at Swedish gambling giant Evolution AB. Dart’s investment vehicle Candle Lake has raised its stake in Evolution to 30.02%, crossing the critical threshold under Swedish takeover rules. Under those rules, Candle Lake now has four weeks to either sell shares to bring its holding below 30%, or submit a formal offer for the remaining shares. The situation at Evolution may not be the only major decision facing Dart in the coming months, as his activity at Flutter Entertainment is drawing equal attention. Dart has been gradually…