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Monzo and TrueLayer team up to protect vulnerable customers

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We’re running a joint pilot to create an open banking powered gambling block  

Monzo was the first bank to introduce a Gambling Block in 2018, following demand from customers who wanted help controlling their gambling addictions. Over 275,000 Monzo customers have chosen to activate the Monzo Gambling Block and less than 10% have ever switched it off permanently.

The Gambling Block is a completely optional tool that blocks card payments to gambling firms. Customers can apply to their Monzo account themselves in the app or by speaking to a member of Monzo’s customer services team.

However, with more and more gambling providers switching to convenient, open banking powered payments, Monzo and TrueLayer have teamed up to offer the same protections for customers using these new payment methods to gamble. This pilot means that Monzo customers will be able to benefit from an extended gambling block that prevents card transactions and open banking powered payments to operators supported by TrueLayer.

We believe that banks like Monzo and open banking providers like TrueLayer have an important role to play in offering customers greater control over how they spend their money.

How it works

Right now, Monzo customers can request to block transactions made to gambling providers, from their account. To remove the block, a customer who has opted out will need to speak to Monzo’s customer support team and wait 48 hours to switch off the feature.

Most of the gambling blocks currently on the market today work by blocking card payments to specific  ‘merchant category codes’, assigned by card schemes (like Mastercard or Visa). These codes let the bank know what type of business their customer is trying to pay, before they send their money. However, these merchant category codes are only available for card payments – not open banking powered payments. As more and more consumers switch to these new, convenient methods, we need to act to make sure they could access the same protections.

Now, TrueLayer will automatically let Monzo know, via an enhanced API call, any time their customer attempts an open banking payment to a gambling firm specifically. This additional data access enables Monzo to prevent the payment on the customers’ behalf if they have their gambling block activated.

This is a relatively straightforward change that Monzo and TrueLayer engineers were able to build in a few days. However it could make a huge difference for those struggling with gambling addiction.

What it means for the future of the industry

Every consumer should have access to a gambling block, regardless of who they bank with – or how they pay.

This is relatively simple for banks and open banking providers to put in place, but can have a big impact on someone’s well being. Other banks and open banking providers should follow our lead, to allow gambling blocks to cover non-card payments.

Providing customers with self exclusion tools for gambling is only the beginning, and there’s so much more that can be done.

Open banking providers offer a unique opportunity to help gambling operators seamlessly support those experiencing gambling harms – and empower consumers to stay in control of their finances. Initiatives like affordability checks to flag at-risk players earlier, spending limits to help ensure players do not overextend themselves, and friction free identity checks can all be improved using open banking.

By enabling the right types of protections for all players, gambling can remain a purely social activity, rather than one with life-altering negative effects.

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Rivalry Reports Full-Year 2024 Results as Strategic Turnaround Takes Hold, Operating Loss Narrows, and Efficiency Improves

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Operating expenses reduced 17%, net loss narrows, and foundational rebuild positions Rivalry for a leaner, more efficient, and financially disciplined 2025

Rivalry Corp. (the “Company” or “Rivalry”) (TSXV: RVLY), an internationally regulated sports betting and media company, announces its financial results for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024.

While Rivalry’s 2024 financials reflect only the earliest signals of its company-wide restructuring, the foundational work – most of which began in the second half of 2024 – is now beginning to show results in 2025. The Company narrowed its net loss, reduced operating expenses by 17%, and entered the new year leaner, more focused, and closer to breakeven.

“We made hard decisions last year – rebuilding the product, cutting costs, and refining our approach to players – and those changes are beginning to show signs of positive impact,” said Steven Salz, Co-Founder and CEO of Rivalry. “The latter half of 2024 set the stage, and we’re encouraged by the progress seen so far in 2025.”

FY2024 Highlights

  • Net revenue of $13.6 million, compared to $16.2 million in 2023.
  • Operating expenses decreased 17% to $32.2 million, down from $38.8 million.
  • Net loss of $22.4 million, compared to $23.8 million.
  • Deferred revenue of $4.1 million related to pre-sales of Rivalry’s on-platform crypto token.
  • Year-end cash of $2.7 million, with materially lower run-rate operating expenses entering 20251.

Organizational Rebuild & Operating Leverage

Rivalry spent the latter part of 2024 and into Q1 2025 executing a comprehensive overhaul across its cost base, product, player strategy, and operational structure. With most changes now implemented, early signs of progress are emerging. Highlights include:

  • Lean operating model, with breakeven net revenue now approximately $600,000 USD/month, down from over $2 million USD/month a year ago. Further reductions to operating costs are planned in Q3 2025 to lower the breakeven point even more.
  • Restructured VIP program and onboarding, improving retention and monetization from high-value players.
  • Expanded casino product, improving baseline stability through missions, races, and progression-based systems.
  • Platform upgrades enhancing site speed, responsiveness, and conversion.
  • Crypto-native infrastructure overhaul, including a rebuilt cashier, improved user experience (“UX”), and token-ready architecture to support long-term on-chain growth.

These efforts have driven early improvements across the Company’s core key performance indicators in 2025:

  • Net revenue per active user and wagers per user at record levels (excluding customary outliers).
  • Deposit growth in nearly every month from November 2024 through June 2025, despite minimal marketing spend.
  • Monthly new first-time depositors (FTDs) up approximately 40% since January 2025 on flat monthly spend. Average payback on cohorts acquired during this period was approximately 1.5 months, highlighting improved customer acquisition efficiency.

2025 Momentum and Execution

In the first half of 2025, Rivalry continued executing against its strategic turnaround, with a focus on increasing player value, tightening operational efficiency, and accelerating near-term revenue drivers. Key initiatives included:

  • Loyalty Program v2: Building on the success of the end-2024 launch, the next iteration of Rivalry’s on-site loyalty program is in development, designed to deepen progression, improve engagement, and anchor major campaigns throughout Q3 2025.
  • New Promo Engine: Launching this summer, the rebuilt system introduces immediate-match deposit offers and new promo types, integrated directly into onboarding and reactivation flows to lift first time deposits and retention.
  • Customer Relationship Management (“CRM”) and Always-On Optimization: Active performance reviews of core flows, geo-targeted reactivation campaigns, and structural upgrades to improve output across the customer lifecycle.
  • VIP & High-Value-Player Activity: Fully structured outreach live across geos, with segmentation, high-touch CRM, and LTV-based targeting to reactivate high-value-players.
  • Cashier & Site Speed: Continued improvements to platform speed, including faster load times, and reduced friction in cashier UX.
  • Ongoing UX Improvements: Consistent updates across the site aimed at visual polish, design coherence, and front-end responsiveness to deliver a cleaner, more reliable user experience.

These initiatives have laid a foundation entering the second half of 2025. The focus now is on maintaining momentum, tightening execution, and scaling revenue through improved player economics and operational leverage.

Strategic Review

The Company’s previously announced evaluation of strategic alternatives remains ongoing. Rivalry continues to explore a range of potential outcomes aimed at maximizing shareholder value. There is no assurance regarding the timing or results of this review.

Outlook

While the 2024 annual results capture only the early innings of Rivalry’s strategic transformation, the changes made throughout the year have meaningfully repositioned the Company. With a leaner cost structure, stronger product, and increasing revenue efficiency, Rivalry is entering the second half of 2025 with sharper operational discipline and renewed focus.

Additional updates will be provided alongside the release of the Company’s financial results for the three months ended March 31, 2025, which are expected to be released on or prior to July 14, 2025.

Unsecured Loan

The Company also announces that it has secured a US$475,000 principal amount senior unsecured loan from its existing senior lender, maturing on September 30, 2025, with an interest rate of 10% per annum (the “Loan”). The Loan reinforces the Company’s senior lender’s support for the Company’s ongoing strategic review process and provides the Company with additional flexibility to continue pursuing its strategic initiatives to maximize long-term stakeholder value.

Update Regarding Management Cease Trade Order

The Company is providing this update on the status of a management cease trade order granted on May 1, 2025 (the “MCTO“) by its principal regulator, the Ontario Securities Commission (the “OSC“), under National Policy 12-203 – Management Cease Trade Orders (“NP 12-203“). On May 2, 2025, the Company announced that there would be a delay in the filing of its annual financial statements, management’s discussion and analysis and related CEO and CFO certificates for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024 (collectively, the “Annual Filings”), as required under applicable Canadian securities laws (the “Default Announcement“). On June 18, 2025 the Company further announced that it expects to file its unaudited financial statements and management’s discussion and analysis for the three months ended March 31, 2025 and related certifications (collectively, the “Q1 Filings“) on or prior to July 14, 2025. Although the Annual Filings have now been filed, the OSC has advised the Company that the MCTO will remain in place until the Q1 Filings have been completed.

The Company advises that: (i) there have been no material changes to the information contained in the Default Announcement; (ii) it intends to continue to comply with the alternative information guidelines of NP 12-203; and (iii) except as previously disclosed, there are no subsequent specified defaults (actual or anticipated) within the meaning of NP 12-203.

The MCTO will remain in effect until the Company is no longer in default with respect to its filing requirements and the OSC lifts the cease trade order.

The post Rivalry Reports Full-Year 2024 Results as Strategic Turnaround Takes Hold, Operating Loss Narrows, and Efficiency Improves appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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iGB L!VE opens in London

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The 2025 edition of iGB L!VE opened today (2nd July) at it’s new ExCeL London home. iGaming professionals made full use of ExCeL London’s transport infrastructure with Elizabeth Line and Docklands Light Railway trains full of visitors celebrating the show’s relocation to the Capital.

Organisers are seeking to grow the iGB L!VE attendance and, in the process set another record for the event. The 2024 edition, which was the last to be held in Amsterdam attracted 9,788 unique attendees, surpassing the 7,299 at iGB L!VE 2023 and was nearly double the 5,022 at iGB L!VE 2022. The 2025 edition of iGB L!VE will be the biggest on record, providing attendees with access to over 22,000 sqm of product innovation and inspiration.

Claire Williams OBE, the former leader of the Williams Formula 1 racing team and one of the most prominent and successful women in F1 history provided the iGB L!VE 2025 keynote.

Exploring the best practice parallels which can be drawn between the data-driven worlds of F1 and iGaming, Claire Williams noted: “There are a number of ways that Formula 1 can inspire businesses and provide tangible takeaways for iGaming operators of all sizes, from product innovation to navigating entry into new markets. As well as key requirements such as having a dynamic leadership, a culture of continuous improvement, hiring the very best problem solvers and being the first to embrace technology advances, F1 also demands the organisational agility that’s necessary to nuance strategy in what is an ultra-competitive space. “

Described as the TED of iGaming, iGB L!VE features a mix of highly practical case studies, data presentations and panel discussions on best practices across operators and affiliates. Topics include innovations in in-play betting, how to use IP and branding to protect competitive advantage, integrated marketing and SEO strategies, how to build links when no one wants to talk about gambling, as well as market dives into LatAm, UAE and Italy. The full programme can be viewed at:https://www.igblive.com/event-schedule

The post iGB L!VE opens in London appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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THE BATTLE OF POLYTOPIA ANNOUNCES GLOBAL WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS WITH $10,000 PRIZE POOL

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Midjiwan, the award-winning independent studio behind The Battle of Polytopia has today announced The Polytopia World Championship with a prize pool of $10,000 USD and a live final broadcast from Stockholm.

The Polytopia World Championship is set to launch this fall, uniting players from across the globe in an epic showdown of fast-paced strategic mastery. The tournament will be themed to Battle of the Tribes. Players will choose to compete with one of Polytopia’s 12 in-game tribes; each with a unique regional theme and skillset.

The tournament will begin with open qualifiers, giving everyone a chance to prove themselves. From there, players will advance through tribe-specific playoffs and head-to-head elimination rounds, each match bringing them one step closer to glory.

The top six players will earn a spot in the live finals in Stockholm on December 6: an in-person event streamed online for fans worldwide. In addition to live commentary of the tournament, the fan event will also provide behind-the-scenes content from the Midjiwan team.

The winner will be awarded a prize pool of $10,000; making this tournament the biggest competitive event in The Battle of Polytopia’s nine year history.

Christian Lovstedt, CEO of Midjiwan AB, commented: “This marks a major new step for Polytopia’s competitive scene, featuring a fresh tournament format and enhanced broadcasting that makes it even more exciting for viewers to watch, learn, and get inspired by the world’s top players.“

The matches will be played on the Polytopia Official Space on the Challengermode esports Platform.

The planned dates are:

September:

  • Sep 13–14

  • Sep 20–21

  • Sep 27–28

October:

  • Oct 4–5

  • Oct 11–12

  • Oct 18–19

November:

  • Oct 25–26

  • Nov 1–2

  • Nov 8–9

Nov 22–23

  • Faceoff

  • Final Qualifier

Dec 6

  • World Championship Live Event

The post THE BATTLE OF POLYTOPIA ANNOUNCES GLOBAL WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS WITH $10,000 PRIZE POOL appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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