Thursday, 16 September 2021

Betano Announces New Sports Deal, Game Developers Expand

Betano PointsBet Sports Agreement

Gambling operator Betano has signed a sports betting partnership with FC Porto.

As reported by InsiderSport, the brand new agreement will reportedly cover the current 2021-2022 football season and sees the Greek-based and Kaizen Gaming-owned gambling operator become FC Porto’s official betting partner, with the operator’s branding displayed on the front of the team’s shirts.

The agreement with FC Porto is Betano’s latest within the Portuguese sports market as the gambling operator has recently made similar deals with Benfica, Sporting CP, SC Braga, Marítimo, and Os Belenenses. It also comes after the firm failed to acquire the title sponsorship to the Primea Liga, losing it to Entain’s Bwin.

Rui Lousa, the Director of Commercial at Porto FC, said in a statement: “For us this is an extremely important agreement, as we are always looking to partner with strong partners, especially in an area as important as this. It was an easy understanding, because there was a great desire on the part of both parties to close this agreement. We are very pleased to have Betano as Betting Sponsor and our wish is that this will be a good partnership for everyone.”

Panos Konstantopoulos, the Chief Marketing Officer at Kaizen Gaming, added: “We are very excited to be able to announce our partnership with FC Porto, one of the most historic clubs in Europe, with numerous trophies at national and European level. We are looking forward to starting to work with this great club and, as we do with all our partners, we are planning a series of social initiatives. This sponsorship agreement marks, once again, the importance of the Portuguese market for Kaizen Gaming.”

PointsBet Named As Austin FC’s Sportsbook Partner

PointsBet has signed a sports agreement with Major League Soccer club Austin FC and has signed an agreement with the club’s home stadium operator Austin StadCo. LLC to become its exclusive partner for sports betting across the state of Texas.

According to GamblingInsider, PointsBet will receive permanent onside branding at Austin FC’s stadium under the deal and it will have full usage of the club’s IP and logos. The two firms will also work to develop England and Spanish advertising and brand visibility across radio and television broadcast, and digitally too.

PointsBet USA Chief Executive Johnny Aitken said in a statement: “As the city’s only major league sports team, Austin FC has excited global soccer fans and is setting a new standard for what it means to deliver for their supporters and their community by putting a laser-focus on experience.

“That’s exactly what we’re doing in the sports betting industry, and we simply couldn’t be more thrilled to align with the club in its inaugural season as a founding partner. We look forward to a future when our ground-breaking technology will be in the hands of Austin FC’s passionate and tech-savvy fanbase.”

Austin FC President Andy Loughnane added: “PointsBet has emerged as a leader in what is arguably the most competitive and coveted landscape in sports. We are honoured that PointsBet has chosen to strategically align with Austin FC and Major League Soccer as they continue to expand their impressive North American footprint.”

Wazdan Launches In The Balkans Under MeridianBet Agreement

It’s not just sports clubs that have been making content agreements as game developer Wazdan has successful launched in the Balkans after striking a deal with gambling firm MeridianBet, which is licensed by the MGA.

Under the partnership, customers based in Bosnia, Montenegro, and Serbia will gain access to a wide selection of Wazdan casino games, including Larry The Leprechaun, 9 Lions, and the latest Hold The Jackpot slot Power Of Gods: Hades. In addition, customers will be able to enjoy Wazdan’s customisable features, including Volatility Levels, Big Screen mode, Ultra Fast Mode, and more.

Radka Bacheva, the Head of Sales and Business Development for Balkan and South-East Europe at Wazdan, said in a statement: “We’re delighted to make our first appearance in the Balkan market with MeridianBet. As an operator with an impressive reach across three major territories, it gives us a real boost as we look to make a statement in this region. Our games portfolio continues to add innovative and exciting content to the market, and we look forward to a positive relationship with MeridianBet.”

Milan Djurmez, the Head of Online Casino at MeridianBet, added: “Wazdan’s slot offering brings immersive, engaging products to players and we’re very happy to have agreed [to] this deal. With a plethora of customisable options for each game, our customers will have a huge range of products available at their fingertips, and we are eager to see how they receive Wazdan’s hits.”

The announcement is part of Wazdan’s move to grow its player reach worldwide and comes after the studio entered Greece and struck agreements with Elite24Bet, Odin Services, and GrandCasino in Belarus. The Balkans, meanwhile, are experiencing a rise in iGaming after several countries within the region updated their frameworks for gambling.

Pragmatic Play Acquires Greek License, Expands In Italy And Latin America

Meanwhile, developer Pragmatic Play has acquired a Greek gambling license and has expanded its player reach in Italy and Latin America through new content agreements.

The leading game creator has taken its first steps to launch in the Greek gambling market after successfully acquiring a Type A1 supplier license from the Hellenic Gambling Commission. The license allows the studio to offer its video slots and live casino content to players within the region, including popular content like Fruit Party 2, Wolf Gold, Live Baccarat, Sweet Bonanza, Live Roulette, and more.

Sheriff Khamoura, the Director of Compliance at Pragmatic Play, said of the achievement: “We are thrilled to take a crucial step into the Greek market by being granted this A1 License. This is a great opportunity for us to continue delivering our expanding product offering to Greek operators.”

Meanwhile, Pragmatic Play has successfully expanded its presence in Latin America after striking a content agreement with Trebalia under which the studio will provide the gambling operator with a selection of its top-performing video slots, as well as its live casino and virtual sports titles too. The agreement continues Pragmatic Play’s growth in the region, after signing deals with Betpredator in Venezuela, and with BetPlay in Colombia.

Victor Arias, the Vice President of Latin American Operations at Pragmatic Play, said: “Trebalia operates a fantastic platform and it’s equally pleasing to have our content debut on there. We’re maintaining our expansion across Latin America and deals like this only serve to boost our exposure in the market.”

Juan Carlos García, the Manager at Trebalia, added: “Taking such a strong array of products from a name like Pragmatic Play is great news for us and our players. The quality of the games is going to take our offering across these three verticals to the next level and ensure we’re able to remain at the fore of a competitive industry.”

Pragmatic Play has also expanded in Italy after extending its deal with Planetwin365 to include live casino content. The initial agreement between the two firms only included Pragmatic Play’s top-performing slots, but it now covers the studio’s acclaimed live casino content, including Mega Wheel, Blackjack Azure, and its numerous Roulette variations.

Lena Yasir, the Vice President of Malta Operations at Pragmatic Play, said in a statement: “Having our content front and centre on one of the leading Italian operators is a great achievement and one that exemplifies the type of growth we’re looking for in this well-established market. It provides us with just the exposure we seek for our games and they will no doubt be a huge success with Planetwin365’s players.”

Troy Cox, the Chief Commercial Officer at SKS365, added: “The depth of quality and diversity in Pragmatic Play’s portfolio is second to none – it’s a major new addition to our brand and one which we know will be popular with our loyal player-base.”

Yggdrasil Debuts In Africa With Intelligence Gaming Limited

Finally, game developer Yggdrasil has made its debut in Africa after striking an agreement with platform provider Intelligent Gaming Limited (IGL) under which the firm has become Yggdrasil’s latest Franchise partner.

Under the partnership, IGL has been given access to Yggdrasil’s modern technology stack, its industry-leading promotional tools, and a catalogue of around 150 casino games, including Yggdrasil content and titles developed by the studio’s YG Masters programme. IGL will distribute Yggdrasils content to African gambling operators, with the first being Supabets, a brand popular in South Africa.

Andrew Pegler, the Director of Commerical Operations at Yggdrasil, said in a statement: “This is a milestone achievement for Yggdrasil as we penetrate a massive market opportunity. We are very happy to have Intelligent Gaming as a Franchisee. This deal provides them with everything that has been created by Yggdrasil in the past eight years and will enhance their growing business operations in Africa. They are an ambitious, experienced, and well-connected supplier and see the huge potential of taking a Franchise in their key markets. This deal demonstrates how Yggdrasil is becoming a leading worldwide publisher of online gaming content.”

Marc Plaxton-Harrison, the Co-Founder and CEO at Intelligent Gaming, added: “Intelligent Gaming is extremely proud to be a Franchise partner for Yggdrasil in South Africa and Africa. The games offered by Yggdrasil are of outstanding quality and will have a significant role to play in the market. I am extremely excited about this partnership.”