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Peer-To-Peer Sports Betting Exchange Launching Fall, 2021 Announces New VP Hires With Experience From FanDuel, DraftKings and Betfair; Additions Bring Market Knowledge and Strength-In-Depth To Roles In Marketing, Strategy and Operations

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Prophet, the first pure peer-to-peer U.S. sports betting exchange, has announced the addition of three senior sports betting, iGaming and gambling experts to VP roles in marketing, operations and strategy. Thomas Phillips joins Prophet as VP of Marketing, Matt Garrigan is VP of Strategy, and Michael Halperin becomes VP of Operations.

“We are delighted to welcome Thomas, Matt and Michael to the Prophet team and are excited to have them bring their experience and market knowledge to us as we look ahead to our full consumer launch in Fall, 2021,” commented Dean Sisun, Prohet CEO and Cofounder. “Having people of their caliber join us from FanDuel, DraftKings and with Thomas’ experience from Betfair, InterCasino and Ladbrokes Coral reinforces what an exciting future everyone at Prophet has ahead of us. We want to attract the best in the business, and the knowledge, experience and skills Thomas, Matt and Michael bring is another key foundation for us as we continue to grow.”

Prophet’s new VP of Marketing Thomas Phillips has over 14 years’ experience in the sports betting, iGaming and gambling industries, working across multiple international territories and products including exchanges, sportsbooks and gaming products. A graduate from Keele University in the UK with a BSc in Psychology and Neuroscience, Thomas’ career started in 2005 running marketing for MotoCaddy, a startup focused on the golf market, before moving into the iGaming market with InterCasino in 2007. In 2009 he joined the Betfair Exchange marketing team, working over the next five years across multiple territories and a range of products, as well as playing a core role in the launch of the Betfair Sportsbook. In 2013 he joined Ladbrokes (now Ladbrokes Coral), leading the Customer marketing team from 2013-2017. In 2018 Thomas established himself as a digital marketing consultant, specializing in high profile betting and gaming brands. He joins Prophet with immediate effect as VP of Marketing.

“I am thrilled to be joining Prophet as VP of Marketing, ” commented Thomas Phillips. “Having previously worked with Dean and Jake [Benzaquen, Prophet COO and Cofounder] in the UK market, I am looking forward to joining a dynamic and innovative team that is set to make the industry stand-up and take notice.”

VP of Strategy Matt Garrigan joins Prophet from FanDuel where he was, most recently, Director, New Market Strategy. A graduate of the University of Nevada Las Vegas in gaming and hospitality, Garrigan brings over 11 years’ experience in the casino and tech industries, combining both brick and mortar and digital gaming and retail sportsbooks knowledge. His career started in 2011 with MGM Resorts International where he worked in race and sportsbook operations. Since then, he has worked with some of the biggest names in sports betting and gaming, including Caesars Entertainment Corporation, Konami Gaming, Penn National Gaming, Scientific Games, Penn Interactive (Barstool Sportsbook) and FanDuel. He joined FanDuel as Sr Manager, Online New Market Strategy in March 2019, moving up to Director, New Market Strategy in March 2021. Garrigan joins Prophet from September 1, 2021 as VP of Strategy.

“From the first time I spoke with Dean and Jake, it was clear we share the same passion and focus to help Prophet fill the gaps that exist in sports wagering from a customer perspective,” commented Prophet’s new VP of Strategy Matt Garrigan. “We are underway with our planning and it’s feeling really good. We have a team that is extremely eager, believe in this unique product we will be bringing to the market, and laser focused on the customer. There is nothing more exciting than planning for a go-live.”

Prophet’s new VP of Operations is Michael Halperin, most recently with DraftKings where he was part of the VIP Promotions & Strategy management group. Halperin was with DraftKings from 2018 until joining Prophet in 2021, starting as a Senior Sportsbook Operations Associate and moving up to the VIP Promotions & Strategy role in early 2021. He was an original member of the DraftKings Sportsbook team and helped launch the first digital-focused sportsbook after the repeal of PASPA in 2018. He has also helped lead the digital operations of the DraftKings sportsbook from operations in one state in 2018 to the more than 10 states in which DraftKings are now operational in 2021, overseeing product operations, promotions and VIP strategy. Prior to joining DraftKings, Haperin’s career began in January 2017 at Chalkline Sports, the media technology company that powers platforms for communities and marketplaces of sports bettors.

“I am beyond excited to be joining Prophet as VP of Operations,” commented Michael Halperin. “Jake and Dean are building a first-class team of experienced individuals who share a passion for sports betting and a hunger to disrupt the U.S. gaming landscape. Prophet’s commitment to building a customer-focused betting exchange will make it the top choice for players looking to get bigger and better returns on their wagers.”

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Rivalry Reports Q1 2025 Results Highlighting Strengthened Unit Economics, Operating Leverage, and Strategic Progress

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Rivalry Corp., an internationally regulated sports betting and media company, announced financial results for the three-month period ended March 31, 2025 (“Q1 2025”). All dollar figures are quoted in Canadian dollars unless otherwise noted.

Q1 2025 was the first full quarter operating under Rivalry’s restructured model, following a company-wide transformation that began in Q4 2024. This included a strategic shift toward high-value users, deep cost rationalization, significant product upgrades, and tighter execution across every layer of the business. The result is a streamlined, modernized operating model with materially improved performance and long-term leverage.

“This quarter marks the full emergence of Rivalry 2.0 – leaner, sharper, and structurally stronger,” said Steven Salz, Co-Founder and CEO of Rivalry. “We’ve rebuilt the foundation of the business around high-efficiency acquisition, high-value users, and a proprietary product – and we’re already seeing the impact. Rivalry today is not just a leaner version of itself – it’s a fundamentally different company built for scalability.”

Key Highlights

  • Net revenue of $1.3 million, consistent with the preliminary results announced on April 16, 2025. While temporary sportsbook margin variance impacted topline outcomes, underlying KPIs continued to improve and validate the strength of Rivalry’s rebuilt model.
  • Operating expenses decreased 58% year-over-year to $4 million in Q1 2025, down from $9.6 million in Q1 2024.
  • Net loss reduced by 43% to $3.0 million in Q1 2025 from $5.2 million in the prior-year quarter.
  • A meaningful portion of Q1 expenses were non-recurring or non-operational in nature, including annual audit costs, regulatory fees, and legacy payables from prior periods. The Company’s adjusted marketing spend during the quarter was approximately $175,000, materially lower than the reported figure due to these factors.
  • Average Customer Acquisition Cost payback across H1 2025 was approximately 1.5 months, reflecting improved funnel conversion, higher player value, and stronger retention – all achieved under constrained spend conditions.
  • Q2 2025 set new all-time records across key user economics1:

    • Net revenue per player increased 49% versus Q1 2025, and was 210% higher than the historical average prior to the Q4 2024 transformation.
    • Wagers per player rose 7% quarter-over-quarter, and nearly 300% above the pre-rebuild average.
    • Average monthly deposits per player in Q1 2025 were over 175% higher than the historical average. In Q2 2025, this increased a further 28%.
    • Monthly deposit frequency per player in Q1 2025 was up 115% over the historical average, and rose another 22% in Q2 2025.
  • Ongoing improvements in VIP identification, segmentation, and servicing, driven by Rivalry’s proprietary Business Intelligence (“BI”) tools and Customer Relationship Management (“CRM”) infrastructure, further contributed to gains in deposit behavior and overall player value.

These improvements reflect the effectiveness of Rivalry’s strategic overhaul – including product modernization, in-house BI tooling, optimized segmentation, and CRM systems that support higher-value customer behavior and lifecycle retention.

Streamlined Operations

Rivalry’s breakeven net revenue is now approximately $600,000 USD per month, down from more than $2 million USD per month a year ago, based on current run rate operating expenses, with further cost optimizations planned in Q3 2025. The rebuilt business is operating on a structurally lower fixed-cost base with proven user economics and performance-ready infrastructure.

“We’ve created an operating model that is not only lean and disciplined, but also high-leverage,” Salz added. “This is a structurally better business than it was a year ago. The team is tighter, the product is stronger, and the KPIs are outperforming – all with limited capital deployment. The engine is rebuilt.”

Strategic Review & Outlook

Rivalry is actively exploring strategic alternatives aimed at maximizing shareholder value. As part of this ongoing process, the Company is also evaluating non-dilutive capital options as part of broader strategic initiatives to accelerate growth. These are intended to complement the broader review and enable Rivalry to fully capitalize on the performance capacity of its rebuilt model.

As the Company progresses into H2 2025, key initiatives include:

  • Deployment of a new promo engine, enabling more dynamic and cost-efficient bonus structures.
  • Casino-led engagement mechanics, including lootboxes, missions, and summer campaigns to drive offseason activation.
  • Geographic reactivations and enhanced CRM, focused on high-value player segmentation and deeper lifecycle engagement.
  • Further operating cost reductions in Q3 2025, aimed at lowering the breakeven point and increasing flexibility.

Rivalry’s transformation over the past three quarters has positioned the business with a distinct set of structural advantages: a deeply aligned and experienced team, proprietary technology and BI systems, strong regulatory licenses in Ontario and the Isle of Man, and a globally recognized brand with demonstrated reach. These strengths now form the basis of a highly scalable and differentiated operator in the global online gambling market.

“Rivalry today is a high-performance engine – structurally rebuilt, road-tested, and positioned to scale,” said Salz. “We’re focused on unlocking the next chapter of growth, and the strategic review process is designed to support that path.”

The post Rivalry Reports Q1 2025 Results Highlighting Strengthened Unit Economics, Operating Leverage, and Strategic Progress appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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AGCO Updates Responsible Gambling Training Standards for Gaming and Lottery

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As of July 11, 2025, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) no longer requires Registrar approval for responsible gambling (RG) training programs for casino and lottery employees. This change applies to both the Gaming and Lottery Standards and supports a more flexible, outcomes-based approach.

What’s changing

• Standard 2.5 has been updated to remove the need for Registrar approval of RG training.

• Training must still be mandatory, regularly updated, and based on best practices.

• Employees must understand responsible gambling, their role in player protection, and how to support those showing signs of gambling harm.

What this change means for operators and lottery retailers

• Casino and lottery operators now have more flexibility to design and update RG training.

• Existing PlaySmart training remains valid.

Why this change matters

This change reduces red tape, encourages innovation, and maintains Ontario’s high standards for player protection. This also aligns with AGCO’s outcomes-based regulatory approach and brings greater consistency across gaming sectors, including iGaming.

The post AGCO Updates Responsible Gambling Training Standards for Gaming and Lottery appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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Soft2Bet’s Brand ToonieBet Named an Official Sports Betting and Casino Partner of the CFL

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ToonieBet, Soft2Bet’s premier sportsbook and online casino brand tailored for Canadian players, has been named both an Official Sports Betting Partner and an Official Online Casino Partner of the Canadian Football League (CFL).

The multiyear partnership also establishes ToonieBet as an Official Partner of the CFL’s championship game, the Grey Cup. Fans from coast to coast to coast annually gather for Canada’s largest single-day sporting event to celebrate an incredible season, and to witness one team earn the right to hoist the iconic trophy. The 112th Grey Cup will be played at Princess Auto Stadium in Winnipeg on Sunday, November 16.

Fans in Ontario aged 19-and-over will be able to responsibly wager on CFL games through ToonieBet with access to in-game betting and futures. The collaboration will also explore exciting branded online casino experiences on the ToonieBet platform to entertain existing fans and engage new ones.

ToonieBet’s partnership with the CFL underscores Soft2Bet’s ongoing commitment to Canadian sports fans and a further investment in the Canadian sporting tradition, as the deal marks Soft2Bet’s second sports partnership in the country within the last three months, following ToonieBet’s designation as the Official Online Casino Partner of the NHL’s Ottawa Senators, which was recently expanded with a full sportsbook offering.

“This partnership is for the fans. Together with ToonieBet, we will unlock exciting avenues of entertainment, delivering new products, responsible gaming options and unique activations, to better serve the future of fandom. In the stadium, at home or online, we’re doubling down on engagement and innovation like never before,” said Tyler Keenan, the CFL’s Chief Revenue Officer.

“Partnering with the CFL will elevate our robust offerings in the Canadian market and allow us to continue building our passionate sports and online gaming community in Ontario. Our team at ToonieBet is deeply committed to building a premium fan experience, while delivering exceptional customer hospitality and ensuring both responsible and safe game play,” said Steve Spindler, ToonieBet’s Canadian Country Manager.

“We are proud to partner with the CFL and its local teams. This partnership goes beyond visibility – it’s about building relevance and establishing a real connection with fans. Aligning with one of Canada’s most trusted leagues allows us to strengthen our bond with Ontarians and deliver a best-in-class sports betting and gaming experience through ToonieBet,” said Martin Collins, Chief Business Development Officer at Soft2Bet.

Additionally, ToonieBet has been designated as an Official Authorized Gaming Operator of the CFL, allowing Soft2Bet to deliver best-in-class gaming experiences with official CFL data and statistics to sports fans and sportsbook users across Ontario through the ToonieBet platform.

ToonieBet will also serve as the presenting partner of CFL Fantasy, and the Game Tracker in Ontario on CFL.ca and LCF.ca, in addition to being the CFL’s odds provider on the league’s digital scoreboard.

The post Soft2Bet’s Brand ToonieBet Named an Official Sports Betting and Casino Partner of the CFL appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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