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Mer Telemanagement Solutions Signs Definitive Merger Agreement with SharpLink, a Pioneer in Sports Betting Technologies

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Mer Telemanagement Solutions Ltd., a global provider of telecommunications expense management, call accounting and contact center software, announced that it has entered into a definitive Agreement and Plan of Merger with SharpLink, Inc. (“SharpLink”), a leading online technology company that works with sports leagues, fantasy sports sites and sports media companies to connect fans to relevant and timely betting content sourced from its sportsbook partners. Upon the closing of the merger, which is conditioned upon approval of MTS shareholders and other standard closing items, the Company will change its name and pursue the business of SharpLink under new management and Board control.

Founded by industry veterans with extensive experience developing and selling enterprise-level sports technology solutions, SharpLink is an early innovator in the sports betting conversion marketplace. SharpLink currently has contractual relationships with sports teams, media companies and league operators, including the PGA TOUR® and NASCAR®. Both leverage SharpLink’s legacy “free-to-play” game platform to enhance user engagement and gaming strategies. More recently, the PGA TOUR and NASCAR have leveraged SharpLink’s conversion platform to introduce dynamic and real-time sports betting content from multiple sportsbook partners.

Morgan Stanley estimates that the online sports betting market will generate over $9.2 billion in annual revenue in the U.S. alone by 2025, with the international market currently several times that amount. According to internal research, an estimated $20 billion has already been invested in acquisitions and partnerships by gaming operators, sports leagues and media companies as the industry rapidly expands and prepares for betting growth in the U.S. Currently 22 states allow online sports betting, including New York, which passed the new legislation just last week. SharpLink’s engagement technology delivers personalized sportsbook betting offers and engaging experiences for fans who are interested in legal online betting.

“We are excited to achieve this major milestone by signing the definitive merger agreement with SharpLink, and we believe the transaction, when closed, will provide significant value to both the current MTS shareholders and the SharpLink shareholders who will be receiving MTS shares in the Merger,” stated Roy Hess, MTS CEO. “Following the merger, our Company will be on the leading edge of a potentially massive sports betting market in the U.S. and globally. By providing proprietary advanced conversion and engagement solutions for the sports betting industry, we expect SharpLink’s services will be needed by many companies looking to capitalize on this opportunity. We are excited about our future growth strategy as well as the current industry’s rapid expansion both in the U.S. and globally. We encourage all shareholders to look for our mailed proxy materials in the near future and to support this proposed transaction.”

Rob Phythian, CEO of SharpLink stated: “As sports betting legislation continues to be enacted across the United States, which we are seeing at an accelerated pace as states look to fill budgetary gaps, any company that has an audience of sports fans will have the opportunity to earn additional revenue by opening a channel for that audience to place legal, online bets. We believe SharpLink is well-positioned to provide leagues, media and sportsbook operators – many of whom are already customers — the tools they need to manage and capitalize on this opportunity by using our innovative analytical solutions, not simply advertising banners or buttons. SharpLink’s turnkey intelligent solutions allow these companies to implement advanced technology right out of the gate, and quickly start connecting their users to real-time sports betting content.”

“The sports betting market is shifting rapidly and is beginning to recognize the need for analytically based betting solutions. We expect this merger to provide SharpLink greater access to the capital markets so that we may scale effectively to meet demand, continue to innovate, and sharpen our portfolio of businesses and technology. We thank the professional team at MTS for their dedication and hard work getting this deal towards a rapid closing – we cannot do it without them,” Phythian added.

Transaction Summary

Under the terms of the merger agreement, the holders of SharpLink’s outstanding common stock and preferred stock immediately prior to the merger will receive ordinary shares and preferred shares, as applicable, of MTS in the merger. On a pro forma and fully-diluted basis for the combined company, SharpLink shareholders are expected to own approximately 86% of the combined company (inclusive of a stock option pool of 10% of the fully-diluted outstanding share capital of the combined company).

Funding to close the transaction has already been fully committed by an institutional investor. The proposed transaction has been unanimously approved by the board of directors of both companies and by the shareholders of SharpLink. After closing, the current MTS business will continue to operate, managed by members of the current MTS management team.

SOURCE Mer Telemanagement Solutions Ltd. (MTS)

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BetHog Chooses Optimove as its Marketing Solution through Ignite+ Program to Jumpstart its Marketing

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Cryptocurrency casino and sportsbook startup harnesses Optimove’s Ignite+ Program to scale campaigns, gain predictive insights, and deliver personalized player journeys at scale

BetHog, a cryptocurrency casino and sportsbook from the creators of FanDuel, has chosen Optimove as its marketing solution through its Ignite+ program. Ignite+ gives BetHog access to enterprise-grade CRM and AI-driven marketing capabilities, enabling the company to accelerate campaign execution, gain predictive insights, and deliver more personalized player experiences at scale. Optimove is the creator of Positionless Marketing and the #1 Marketing Solution for iGaming and sports betting operators.

“Optimove has been an incredible platform and partner in speed-to-market from day one,” said Kyle Wachtel, Chief Marketing Officer at BetHog. “Their team didn’t just provide us with a platform. They became an extension of our marketing team, bringing expertise, predictive models, and industry knowledge that we simply couldn’t replicate in-house at this stage.”

Tomer Imber, Senior Director of Sales, US Gaming at Optimove, commented: “From the start, the BetHog team has shown incredible vision and drive, already boasting an innovative product and burgeoning brand, and we are excited to be part of their journey. BetHog is leveraging our platform to build lasting player relationships and accelerate growth.”

The partnership highlights BetHog’s rapid path from integration to execution. Within weeks, the company completed its IP warmup, validated data quality, and began sending campaigns. Optimove’s out-of-the-box predictive models and churn analytics now serve as a BI function for the startup, enabling it to focus on growth without the burden of building a large internal team.

“The Ignite+ Program was the perfect fit for us as a fast-growing startup,” Wachtel added. “It gave us access to enterprise-grade CRM capabilities and AI-driven insights without the overhead of building out a full BI and CRM function. From onboarding to campaign launch, Optimove executed at startup speed to get us live.”
With Optimove in place, BetHog is now poised to embrace Positionless Marketing, a breakthrough approach that frees marketers from traditional role constraints and gives them the ability to independently harness Data Power, Creative Power, and Optimization Power.

“We still have many opportunities to explore with Optimove, and we are confident that Positionless Marketing will help us move faster, personalize more deeply, and maximize every player interaction,” Wachtel said.

The Ignite+ Program has already supported the growth of dozens of iGaming and sportsbook operators. For BetHog, leveraging Ignite+ represents a key milestone in its journey to scale rapidly while building a foundation for personalized, AI-powered marketing.

 

The post BetHog Chooses Optimove as its Marketing Solution through Ignite+ Program to Jumpstart its Marketing appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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VSiN Launches Fall Programming Lineup, Giving Fans More of Their Favorite Sports Betting Shows and Hosts

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Sports Betting Network Adds Hour of Sharp Bettor Favorite “A Numbers Game,” Announces Hosts Mitch Moss & Pauly Howard Join Sunday Programming, Sees Return of Fantasy Sports “Guru” John Hansen

VSiN, The Sports Betting Network, announces its new programming lineup, delivering more of the network’s most popular sports betting shows and hosts. As the 2025 NFL season ramps up, VSiN’s new fall schedule launches to the largest audience in its history.

“With more viewers and listeners than we’ve ever had going into football season, we’re thrilled to launch VSiN’s new programming lineup as an answer to fans asking for more of the quality programming they want and need to inform their wagering and fantasy decisions,” said Steve Cohen, EVP of Talent and Programming at VSiN. “As our competitors across all media continue to pull back and even disappear, it’s that continued commitment to content that sets VSiN apart and fuels our continued growth.”

VSiN’s full live programming lineup launches today and can be viewed at VSiN.com. Highlights include:

  • VSiN adds one additional hour to “A Numbers Game” with Gill Alexander and producer Kelley Bydlon. The longest running show on VSiN now airs weekdays from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. ET. Each day, Alexander and his roster of expert guests take fans deep into the numbers of gambling, leveraging advanced metrics in his handicapping.
  • Hosts of VSiN’s popular weekday afternoon show “Follow the Money,” Mitch Moss and Pauly Howard, will add a sixth shift each week to anchor the live NFL pregame discussion on “VSiN’s Pro Football Tailgate Show” Sundays from 9 a.m. – noon ET. Analytics expert Warren Sharp and props analyst John Hansen will be among the regular guests. Having moved the show’s weekday timeslot from mornings to afternoons last fall, Moss and Howard return to mornings one day each week for the Sunday football action.
  • “The Guru” John Hansen returns as the host of “Prop Points,” bringing decades of fantasy expertise to weekdays from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. ET. Hansen has been an industry leader since 1995. He was the first individual to contribute to ESPN’s coverage of fantasy football online and on ESPN Radio and TV in 1996, before roles at Yahoo! Sports, “NFL Fantasy Live” on NFL.com, and as chief fantasy analyst for a ground-breaking “Fantasy Zone” channel on DirectTV.
  • The popular Circa Friday Football Invitational show, hosted by Matt Youmans, returns for a third season. Twenty-five pro bettors and handicappers compete in a weekly pro and college football pick’em contest for $30,000 in prizes. The show will be expanded by an hour, from 7 p.m. – 10 p.m. ET.
  • VSiN’s own Dustin Swedelson takes the anchor desk permanently on “Cashing Out,” the network’s last live show and the final word on the day’s betting action. Each weeknight from 11 p.m. – 2 a.m. ET, Swedelson savors the wins, analyzes the losses and sets the board for tomorrow’s betting menu.
  • “VSiN by the Books” has moved its home base to VSiN’s new studio in Circa Sports sportsbook located at The Mint Gaming Hall Kentucky Downs in Franklin. The morning show and some Saturday programming will broadcast live from the recently launched retail sportsbook, which is the largest in the state of Kentucky.
  • Beginning on Saturday, Aug. 30, VSiN’s weekend programming will start an hour earlier at 9 a.m. ET to deliver all the news, analysis and insights sports fans and betting enthusiasts need on gameday.

Broadcasting 24/7 from the entertainment capital of the world in Las Vegas, VSiN empowers sports fans and bettors with the news, analysis, and insights they need to make informed wagering decisions, including 18+ hours of daily live linear sports content. Featuring some of the industry’s most knowledgeable sports betting and fantasy experts, as well as legendary book makers, VSiN’s goal is to inform and entertain the growing number of Americans betting on sports – whether they are sharp bettors or brand new to sports betting. VSiN’s exclusive content sets the stage for the day’s biggest sports betting events and includes expert tips and predictions on college and pro football, college and pro basketball, baseball, hockey, golf, tennis, NASCAR, and more.

Fans can access VSiN content on YouTube TV, SiriusXM (158), Rogers’ Sportsnet, NESN, Marquee Sports Network, MASN, Spectrum SportsNet LA, SportsNet Pittsburgh, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, more than 350 terrestrial radio stations throughout the U.S., VSiN.com, and the VSiN Watch app.

VSiN’s newsroom studio is located in the sportsbook at the Circa Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.

 

The post VSiN Launches Fall Programming Lineup, Giving Fans More of Their Favorite Sports Betting Shows and Hosts appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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Fast Track AI to change the face of iGaming CRM

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Fast Track will unveil its new AI-driven natural language platform on 2 September during its annual Fast Track House event in Malta. The launch will also be streamed live online from 4 PM CEST, giving the iGaming industry an exclusive first look at the future of player engagement.

For the past decade, Fast Track has pioneered real-time data integration, the Singularity Model, the only Gameplay Risk Engine, and Rewards, the first AI-ready gamification system. Each innovation has moved the company closer to its vision: to digitalise the iGaming industry and deliver the first self-learning engagement platform.

Fast Track AI is trained on over 10 years of iGaming expertise and designed to transform how CRM teams work. It can perform technical analysis on terabytes of real-time data, deliver advanced insights into CRM performance and player behaviour, and uniquely take direct action on those insights across the platform.

“This isn’t just AI added to CRM. This is CRM re-engineered for the natural language era,” said Simon Lidzén, CEO and Co-Founder of Fast Track.

“Even your wildest imagination can only take you so far; minds have been bound by constraints for so long that it is hard to picture the full power of Fast Track AI. You simply need to see it to believe it. This is why I am organising a live session to unveil it; to showcase what a native iGaming CRM, built on the most comprehensive real-time data infrastructure together with the Singularity Model, is capable of. I urge the whole industry to sign up.” Lidzén added.

The big reveal will take place during the Fast Track House event in Malta and will be streamed live online. The broadcast begins at 4:00 PM CEST on 2 September. 

Registration is now open: https://app.livestorm.co/fast-track/fast-track-ai-in-action

 

The post Fast Track AI to change the face of iGaming CRM appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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