Connect with us

Latest News

Opera GX becomes the world’s first browser with dynamic background music

Published

on

Reading Time: 2 minutes

 

Opera GX, the world’s first browser designed for people who love PC gaming, is releasing a major new feature still unknown to other browsers: adaptive background music. The new functionality aims to bring an immersive sound experience known from gaming to web browsing.

Opera GX initially launched in 2019 with sound effects designed by the acclaimed composer Ruben Rincón and the Berlinist band, known for the Bafta-nominated soundtrack to Gris. The same team is responsible for the new dynamic background music in Opera GX.

We are excited to finally reveal the entire concept we’ve had in mind: We wanted to give our browser the immersive sound experience known from games, where a perfectly-composed soundtrack lets you focus more, forget about any worries and boosts your overall experience by adapting to the task at hand. I believe we have succeeded,” said Maciej Kocemba, product Director of Opera GX.

The dynamic background music in Opera GX is an ambient downtempo that boosts the users’ focus. It intensifies whenever users are actively browsing the web, clicking on links or typing, and becomes less dramatic and calmer whenever they become less active. It is aimed to disappear into the background but to also be missed once it’s gone.

The background music as well as all browser sound effects can be individually toggled on and off in the browser’s setting in the Browser sounds section.

GX Composer Award at Game Music Festival 2020

We see the initial background music as just a start and would like to provide more options to our users in the future. Just as there are fans of different game genres, people love different types of background music. That’s why we want to give more game score composers the opportunity to present their music to millions of Opera GX users around the globe,” added Maciej Kocemba.

To make this vision a reality, Opera GX has partnered with the international Game Music Festival and sponsored its annual GMF 2020 High Score Competition, where music score composers can compete for cash prizes and to have their music featured in Opera GX by winning the GX Composer 2020 title. The competition opens on Sept. 16 2020.

Twitter now built into the Opera GX sidebar

With native integration of Twitch, Discord, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and Instagram in the sidebar, Opera GX makes it easy to stay on top of conversations with friends, as well as with developing online trends and streams. This set of integrated messengers has now been extended with built-in Twitter in the sidebar, a feature Opera GX adopted from the main Opera browser.

Opera GX

Opera GX launched in June 2019 during the E3 Gaming Expo in Los Angeles. The browser distinguishes itself with unique features tailored to the tastes and needs of gamers. Along with numerous color customization options, Razer Chroma support and a gaming-inspired design, it includes CPU, RAM and Network Bandwidth limiters that make the browser less resource-hungry and leave more of the computer’s resources for gaming. The browser also includes a Hot Tabs Killer feature, which lets users “kill” the most resource draining tabs.

Opera GX has grown 183% year-to-date and now reaches over 4 million monthly active gamers. The browser has won two leading design awards: the Red Dot Design Award 2019 as well as the IF Design Award 2020.

 

About Opera:

Opera is a global web innovator. Opera’s browsers, news products and fintech solutions are the trusted choice of more than 380 million people worldwide. Opera is headquartered in Oslo, Norway and listed on the NASDAQ stock exchange (OPRA).

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Latest News

Cactus Founder Nickolas Ribeiro Defends Industry’s Continued Commitment to Responsible Gaming

Published

on

cactus-founder-nickolas-ribeiro-defends-industry’s-continued-commitment-to-responsible-gaming

 

In August, the Brazilian online gaming and sports betting sector will complete eight months of effective regulation. This new phase officially began on January 1, 2025, after a long period of debate and consultation between iGaming market representatives and government authorities.

According to Cactus Gaming founder Nickolas Tadeu Ribeiro de Campos, one of the main issues that has permeated this new era of online gambling is establishing resources and motivating the industry’s commitment to responsible gaming. “The commitment to Responsible Gaming must be ongoing. Here at Cactus, we invest in technological tools, protection policies, and strategic partnerships to ensure that entertainment is always aligned with the safety and well-being of players. We promote transparency, prevent risks, and support practices that strengthen the sector’s sustainability,” adds Nickolas.

It’s worth noting that the Secretariat of Prizes and Bets (SPA), which regulates gaming and betting activities in Brazil, published Ordinance SPA/MF No. 1,231, dated July 31, 2024, which establishes guidelines and measures to ensure that gaming and betting operations promote the integrity and well-being of bettors. The ordinance provides guidelines on how to manage gambling to prevent harmful behavior.

Awarded Best Platform of the Year for three consecutive years by the BIS Awards and Sigma Awards and expanding internationally, Cactus is a Brazilian company recognized for its innovation and excellence in the iGaming sector, standing out for the development of robust, secure and scalable solutions for operators worldwide.

All areas of the organization are committed to conscious practices and have leaders who believe this is one of the main pillars for a maturing market, as is the case in Brazil.

In this context, Nickolas Ribeiro emphasizes that consumers must be continually made aware, understanding that this activity needs to be done in a safe, healthy and recreational manner.

“The gaming ecosystem must be committed to raising awareness among its audience, promoting informative and preventive actions. We want gaming to be fun for everyone, while providing tools and support channels for those who need it. Therefore, educational initiatives are the best allies for building a robust, conscious, and transparent market in Brazil,” adds the founder of Cactus.

Welcome to Cactus’ new CFO

At the forefront of the industry, Cactus continues to grow and expand its structure with the acquisition of a new office and the hiring of market leaders. Last month, Thiago Garrides joined the team as the new Chief Financial Officer (CFO).

Garrides’ arrival represents a new cycle of financial expansion for the company, aligned with its strengthening in Brazil and growth in regulated international markets. The executive has over two decades of experience in corporate finance, risk management, and treasury. He has also led projects focused on operational efficiency, governance, and the structuring of financial services solutions.

Cactus Gaming, along with its founder, Nickolas Ribeiro, understands the importance of employing highly qualified professionals to offer partners global standards of innovation, transparency, and security. Since its founding, the brand has established a broad portfolio of products and services geared toward the iGaming market, with the credibility of a company that adheres to international best practices. Garrides’ arrival reinforces this constant pursuit of excellence and responsibility.

“Thiago’s arrival represents a significant step forward in our executive structure. We are currently consolidating and expanding internationally, and having a CFO with his experience and strategic vision reinforces our commitment to solid, responsible management aligned with the challenges of the iGaming sector,” emphasizes Nickolas Ribeiro.

Internationally recognized and awarded brand

Cactus’ pioneering work has been recognized by major national and international industry awards. The company was named Best Platform of the Year for three consecutive years—in 2025, 2024, and 2023—and also won “Best White Label” at the SiGMA Awards and “Best Platform” at the BiS Awards.

With a presence at the main global events in the sector such as ICE, SiGMA Americas, SBC Summit, SiGMA Europe, IGB among others, and in full international expansion, Cactus Gaming reinforces its leadership by expanding its operations in Latin America, Europe and other markets.

 

The post Cactus Founder Nickolas Ribeiro Defends Industry’s Continued Commitment to Responsible Gaming appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

Continue Reading

bespoke solutions

The White Label Dilemma: Finding the Right Balance for Your iGaming Business

Published

on

the-white-label-dilemma:-finding-the-right-balance-for-your-igaming-business

It’s not just black and white label

Yoni Sidi, CEO at Wiztech, says white labels are all about striking the balance between pros and cons, but for some, it’s impossible to achieve and that’s why it’s important to consider other options.

 

For most operators, a white label solution seems to offer the best route to market. But is that actually the case?

I’ve been working in the industry for more than two decades now, and over that time, I’ve worked on both sides of the fence – so on the white label operator side and on the white label provider side. This gives me a deep understanding of the pros and cons of white label solutions, and this understanding ultimately led me to launch Wiztech. To answer your question more directly, white labels are always about striking the balance between the pros and cons they present – for some operators, a balance can be found, but for others, it can’t. Ultimately, it comes down to knowing what you want from your platform or technology stack, and whether a white label can meet those requirements with the budget and resources you have available to you.

 

So, what are the pros and cons of a white label platform?

There are plenty of upsides to white labels, and that’s why they’re used by so many operators. The main advantages are speed to market and cost effectiveness – you can literally go from first discussions to your online casino being live in a matter of weeks. The upfront fees are relatively small, and, in most cases, you pay a revenue share back to the platform provider. This can tighten margins a little, but it means you don’t have to have a large capital reserve to get going. Another benefit is that you can take on as much or as little of the operation as you like – for some, they will let the platform provider take care of the operational aspect while they focus solely on marketing and customer acquisition. Other upsides include licensing, with the white label partner securing and being responsible for the licences they hold.

Drawbacks. The biggest for me is the lack of differentiation you get with a white label. The many brands that run on the platform often look very much the same, just with different logos and branding. After a few months of operating your online casino, you’ll likely notice friction points that you’ll want to address, but the rigid nature of white-label platforms means it’s incredibly difficult to smooth out even the smallest of bumps in the road. It’s also incredibly difficult to roll out unique features and functionality as the development team is usually working through a backlog of requests – most of which are for the friction bumps that need ironing out. Factor in the frequent regulatory changes that happen, and the need for the development team to respond to them, and it’s easy to see how hard it can be to improve the experience being offered to players.

 

How can operators strike a balance between the pros and cons of white labels?

It comes down to understanding the capabilities of the platform provider and whether they offer customisation and localisation. If they don’t, the operator needs to determine if this is a price they’re willing to pay in exchange for the speed to market and cost effectiveness that white labels provide. Of course, some white label providers do offer support and are happy to help when it comes to developing and deploying bespoke features and functionality. But in my experience, most don’t have the capacity for this, even if they say they do. For me, the balance is found by accepting the limitations of white labels and working within the (often pretty rigid framework) they provide. There are plenty of examples of operators that have done this and have gone on to run very successful brands in highly competitive markets.

 

Is there an alternative to white labels?

The most obvious alternative is to develop a proprietary technology stack, but this approach comes with just as many, if not more, pitfalls. Building a platform from the ground up is incredibly expensive and tremendously risky, and this is why so few operators outside of the industry power players have been able to pull it off. And even those that do often encounter issues such as ongoing maintenance, tech debt, staffing and compliance. But there is a middle ground between white label and proprietary, and it can be found with smaller platform providers whose technologies offer the agility, flexibility and adaptability required for operators to launch highly customised, almost bespoke, online casinos and sportsbooks.

 

How does Wiztech fit into the platform mix, and how do you support your partners in achieving their goals in often highly competitive markets?

At Wiztech, we champion modular tech and the likes of AI and automation. By embracing these, we have been able to build powerful yet highly customisable casino and sportsbook solutions that are also fully compliant in tightly regulated markets. In our experience, being able to quickly respond to regulatory changes provides a competitive advantage to our customers. In Mexico, for example, our client Winpot has been able to deliver a unique player experience while always ensuring compliance. And this is against a backdrop where regulatory changes often come with very little notice. Our technology can adapt quickly while Winpot continues to capitalise on the growing demand for entertaining online casino products and experiences.

But just as important as our technology is our approach to our partners. This sees us undertake a comprehensive onboarding process where we spend a lot of time understanding the client’s “why” before we map out the “what” and the “how”. This has proved to be incredibly effective and ensures that our clients can get the most out of the flexibility of our platform and the high levels of customisation and personalisation it provides.

The post The White Label Dilemma: Finding the Right Balance for Your iGaming Business appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

Continue Reading

Latest News

From Track to Tech: SOFTSWISS Celebrates Barrichello’s First NASCAR Brasil Triumph

Published

on

from-track-to-tech:-softswiss-celebrates-barrichello’s-first-nascar-brasil-triumph
Reading Time: 2 minutes

SOFTSWISS, a global tech provider with over 15 years of iGaming expertise, celebrates Rubens Barrichello’s victory in the first NASCAR Brasil Series title in his debut season. As the company’s Non‑Executive Director in Latin America, Barrichello exemplifies the champion’s mindset that underpins SOFTSWISS’ disciplined approach to product delivery in Brazil and worldwide.

The NASCAR Brasil Series crowns its champion over a full season under NASCAR-aligned regulations. The title was sealed at the Match Point finale at Velo Città in São Paulo, where the opening race set the decisive points. Barrichello’s calm, data-driven call at the critical moment mirrors SOFTSWISS’ practice: trust the plan, read the telemetry, execute cleanly. 

Rubens Barrichello, Non‑Executive Director in Latin America at SOFTSWISS, comments: “Everyone knows how much I love this competition and how fierce I am. My heart is in my mouth and I’m very happy.”

Ivan Montik, Founder of SOFTSWISS, adds: “This title is a powerful example of what passion, confidence and disciplined preparation deliver. The champion’s mindset that Rubens demonstrates – clarity of plan, trust in the team and precision under pressure – inspires everyone at SOFTSWISS. We will keep applying the same approach in Brazil first and across all markets, bringing measured execution and data-driven decision-making to every release and every client partnership.”

In May, SOFTSWISS marked the first anniversary of its collaboration with Barrichello. This success arrives as an energising milestone for teams and partners, reinforcing a working culture built on preparation, clarity of roles, measurable outcomes, and continuous improvement. Earlier this month, the SOFTSWISS Game Aggregator was named ‘Best Game Aggregator Platform’ at CGS Recife, adding local recognition to the company’s Brazil roadmap.

SOFTSWISS is fully certified in Brazil across its core products – Casino Platform, Game Aggregator, Sportsbook, and Jackpot Aggregator – enabling licensed operators to access a comprehensive, locally compliant stack with trusted support. The same track-to-tech discipline continues to drive responsible and sustainable growth.

About SOFTSWISS

SOFTSWISS is an international technology company with over 15 years of experience developing innovative solutions for the iGaming industry. SOFTSWISS provides certified software for managing iGaming projects. The company’s product portfolio includes the Casino Platform, the Game Aggregator with over 30,000 casino games, the Affilka affiliate platform, the Sportsbook Software and the Jackpot Aggregator. The expert team counts over 2,000 employees.

The post From Track to Tech: SOFTSWISS Celebrates Barrichello’s First NASCAR Brasil Triumph appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Continue Reading

Trending