Interviews
Cheltenham: Next steps for horse racing
Horse racing is one of the oldest activities in the world and the Cheltenham Festival is one of the spiritual homes of the sport. While the meeting is guaranteed to deliver strong engagement rates for UK-facing operators, there’s less interest among sportsbooks further afield in Europe. However, as horse racing continues to grow on the international stage, are European operators missing a trick by not identifying ways to make Cheltenham Festival and other UK meetings appealing to their own audience?
With the festival kicking off this week, European Gaming spoke to experts in the field on how the sport can make an impact internationally and the best practices required to make it relevant to a wider audience, while maintaining its status in the UK.
Alan Casey, CEO of AllSported
Adam Conway, Head of Trading at SIS
Dylan Casey Head of Paid Media, Checkd Media
Huge opportunities abound throughout the festival which brings a great deal of competition. How can horse racing operators make sure they stand out from the crowd during the event?
Dylan Casey: Too many operators allow their messaging to become like wallpaper throughout Cheltenham week. The ones who succeed are those that offer something unique or present their offer in a way that captures the customer’s eye and paid social advertising can allow operators to do just that.
A major advantage of paid social for horse racing operators is the guarantee of eyeballs and the sequencing of the messaging. The control of adverts being seen in a particular order can allow operators to get creative and even allow them to tailor the offer a customer sees based on their behaviour.
When running paid social for partner’s during the festival, we like them to refresh their messaging and offers daily. By tailoring it to certain races, horses or even jockeys, the messaging is always fresh and can help to avoid ad fatigue.
Not all operators will have the flexibility and resources to promote a different offer for each day of the festival. However, even if an operator’s offer isn’t unique enough to stand out, paid social advertising provides them with a huge opportunity to present that offer in a way that will allow them to do so.
Alan Casey: Content is king. Creating a sense of familiarity and comfort is all-important in cross-selling. Time and again, we see that racecards that feature plenty of content, predictions and ratings improve dwell time significantly.
However, even when an operator has this all-important content, how do they balance the integration times with the results? Separate integrations and multiple API feeds can take time and a lot of resources to put in place. It’s true that content is not always the priority compared to revenue-generating add-ons like cashing out, but without the content to engage customers, it’s likely a sportsbook will only get customers who are there to make a specific bet.
As well as that, consistency and balance matters a great deal, operators don’t need to be stand-out price every race, but an operator needs to be competitive in every race in terms of pricing and place terms. An operator can acquire a lot of customers by having the headline offer of the day or week, but it leaves the door open for customers to exploit that offer and leave.
Adam Conway: Aside from the traditional marketing techniques that operators adopt for the week of Cheltenham Festival, such as attractive promotional offers, offering a vast range of markets that are appealing to both existing bettors and newcomers is important. This includes the use of derivatives, which complement classic markets and allows those with little experience of racing betting to get involved.
Through our partnership with RACELAB we can offer the latest in trading technology which can help operators stay ahead of the smart money and offer prices at opportune times that standout from the crowd.
To what extent is there an appetite for UK horse racing outside the UK and Ireland? How does the sport need to adapt to appeal to this audience?
Alan Casey: From a customer perspective, there is a huge appetite, especially with regards to Cheltenham. It’s an easy sell with the best horses, jockeys and trainers on show and there are always magical storylines that capture the public’s imagination around the festival.
The obstacle for international operators is that the sport requires a huge level of expertise to work within it. The time and financial investment necessary to building a team to monitor the landscape is formidable.
The obvious solution is to outsource, but even then, there are pitfalls. It’s possible that an out-of-the-box service will leave an operator open to inaccurate pricing and following the exchanges blindly is dangerous based on liquidity and latency issues. It can be difficult to acquire and retain horse racing customers and even more so if there is no differentiation in the offering.
Operators need to invest in a flexible solution with a great deal of two-way communication. It’s vitally important to be able to react to your own customers’ bets and factor this into pricing. If an operator is reacting to the market alone, that lag will eat away at their bottom line.
Adam Conway: The cultural significance of major UK horse racing meetings means less for international operators and their customers, but there are still opportunities for non-UK sportsbooks to make the most of these events. The betting product needs be optimised differently for markets where there is less racing heritage, otherwise bettors are not going to be as likely to engage. This means promoting certain markets that can be more relevant to them. For instance, derivatives are becoming increasingly popular with international operators, with markets such as match betting and odds vs. evens far easier to understand. Ultimately, these types of markets don’t require as much insight into the sport itself, which encourages a wider audience to engage with the product. Horse racing needs to attract a new generation of bettors, and outside of the UK these kinds of markets are important to this approach.
Of course, establishing an in-house trading team to cover 24/7 racing events can be costly. In addition, the availability of traders that have the specialist knowledge required can be difficult to find in markets where there is a modest racing culture, which means they cannot efficiently manage pricing and risk. Our SIS Trading Services can help operators in these markets by offering them a fully outsourced solution that leaves the entire racing proposition in the hands of our experts.
How can international operators capitalise on UK horse racing meetings like Cheltenham Festival, which are proven to generate strong bettor engagement in its home market? What can domestic operators do to maintain a slice of the action amid such intense competition?
Adam Conway: One of the main challenges that UK operators face during major UK meetings such as the Cheltenham Festival is profitability. Promotions which include offers like extra places paid can impact the overall margins they can make. These sportsbooks require products and tools that can grow business and maximise margins. At SIS, we are working hard to make this possible by enhancing our Trading Services with the addition of next generation trading tools. In partnership with RACELAB, our traders now have the very latest technology advantage, ensuring we can stay ahead of the smart money and produce more intelligent prices. This includes the Odds Engine compilation software, which has the biggest breadth of content and the most sophisticated trader controls and the highest number of priced horses (including all the local pools).
For international bettors from regions where there is less racing heritage, we have found that it has been useful to offer additional levels of support to operators new to the sport. This means increasing the emphasis on those betting markets that are simpler to understand and don’t require specific in-depth racing knowledge. We can offer operators a managed trading service to help them manage their risk.
Alan Casey: A little education goes a long way. A huge number of people that aren’t full-time racing fans flock to bet on Cheltenham every year because of the status it holds. Investing in the right odds and pricing package that includes content as part of the deal can go a long way towards engaging these fans, as well as seasoned ones.
Cheltenham simply lends itself to this kind of content with some captivating narratives every year. Rachael Blackmore and Henry de Bromhead combining throughout last year’s event and taking the festival by storm stands out as a great example. There are always interesting narratives surrounding Ruby Walsh and Willie Mullins as well. It all captures the imagination and if international operators can gain the means to educate their customers on the ins and outs of the sport, they will be on to a winner.
Domestically, it’s about finding the right balance between trading and marketing teams. Consistency is essential in this product offering throughout the week. Single race odds boosts or acquisition offers don’t guarantee you a customer’s wallet for the four days of the festival or even for an entire day. The key is giving customers a choice of races that spreads out the positions more evenly and then helps the operator engage the customer in each race throughout the festival.
How is price latency and odds generation different in horse racing compared to other sports betting activities? What challenges does this present for operators?
Alan Casey: If we take a traditional sport like football, the teamsheets are announced an hour before kick-off and we see the market shifts as a result. Outside of that, there isn’t a lot of other information flowing into the market.
In horse racing however, there is more information in the market and operators are exposed from the minute they put bets up with no set times as to when information will enter the market. Latency issues become far more apparent in horseracing, dealing with large bets can result in loss of margin from a day’s racing. During the final minutes before the off, any latency or speed issue can result in operators being left badly exposed.
With the market constantly flocculating like this, Push APIs that inform operators the instant a price has changed can be invaluable, leaving no time for incorrect pricing on a sportsbook. Mere seconds of inaccurate pricing can be the difference between profit and loss.
Interviews
Rewarded User Acquisition: Transforming Mobile Gaming with James Crabb, Head of Gaming Partnerships at Almedia
Introduction:
In the rapidly evolving world of mobile gaming, innovation is the key to staying ahead. Rewarded User Acquisition (UA) is emerging as a game-changing strategy, enabling developers to attract and retain players by incentivizing engagement. At the forefront of this movement is James Crabb, Head of Gaming Partnerships at Almedia, a leader in Rewarded UA through platforms like Freecash. With over a decade of experience in mobile gaming and partnerships with major titles, James provides invaluable insights into the potential and challenges of Rewarded UA, the shifting landscape of the mobile games industry, and trends shaping the future.
Rewarded UA: Transforming Mobile Gaming Engagement – An Interview with James Crabb, Head of Gaming Partnerships at Almedia
Can you describe Rewarded UA to our readers?
Rewarded User Acquisition is a marketing strategy commonly used in mobile app and game development. It involves incentivizing users with rewards like Amazon or Google Play vouchers for engaging with an app or game. This approach not only increases engagement but also helps developers acquire high-quality users more likely to make in-app purchases or interact with ads. Platforms like Freecash excel at scaling this model without relying on third-party networks, creating a frictionless experience for studios.
“The key to success in Rewarded UA,” James explains, “is continuously testing different rewards and strategies, adding deeper-level events to maintain user engagement and maximize outcomes.”
What is your career background?
With over 13 years in the mobile gaming space, James started his journey at Kabam, working on the successful Kingdoms of Camelot: Battle for the North. He has since held pivotal roles at renowned studios like Outfit7 (My Talking Tom), Huuuge Games (Huuuge Casino), and Wargaming (World of Tanks, World of Warships). Recently, he ventured into the web3 space with MoonGaming (Medieval Empires).
James joined Almedia nine months ago, diving deep into Rewarded UA through the Freecash platform. “We’ve seen tremendous growth as developers realize how scalable our audience is,” he shares.
How do developers benefit from giving away cash?
“The idea that developers are ‘giving away cash’ is a misconception,” James explains. Instead, developers pay a cost per install (CPI) to platforms like Freecash. This investment is structured to drive user engagement with short-, mid-, and long-term activities. As players progress through challenging levels motivated by rewards, developers monetize through in-app purchases and ad engagement.
By carefully designing reward structures, developers ensure they acquire users who remain invested and engaged in their games while generating revenue.
Why is Rewarded UA growing?
Traditional UA channels have become competitive, expensive, and difficult to scale, especially after privacy regulations like Apple’s App Tracking Transparency. Rewarded UA, by contrast, bypasses these challenges, offering direct access to users keen to engage with games and earn rewards.
James notes, “Rewarded UA platforms provide an invaluable alternative, especially for studios looking to scale effectively amidst increasing privacy constraints.”
You’re based in Berlin; how is the mobile games industry performing locally?
Berlin continues to thrive as a gaming hub with notable studios like Wooga, Wargaming Mobile, and Ubisoft’s Kolibri Games. It also fosters a vibrant ecosystem of newer studios such as TrailMix, Metacore, and Playflux. “The city’s talent pool spans developers, producers, designers, and marketing specialists, all supporting the local industry,” James says.
What are some common misconceptions about ‘Rewarded UA’?
Many in the industry still equate Rewarded UA with the outdated concept of incentivized traffic, which focused on boosting app store rankings without delivering quality users.
James points out that modern Rewarded UA is far more sophisticated. “Platforms like Freecash are delivering measurable results for studios like Plarium, where new user registrations rose by 30%, and the lifetime value (LTV) of users was 20% higher compared to other channels.”
While the model is powerful, James emphasizes the importance of anti-fraud measures to maintain trust and quality.
At Almedia, you lead gaming partnerships. How do you approach building connections in the games industry?
“The gaming industry is incredibly well-connected, so we focus on building relationships for the long term,” James explains. Events play a significant role in fostering these connections, and maintaining authenticity in conversations is key. “Don’t treat discussions as transactions; view them as opportunities to build meaningful partnerships.”
As we look toward 2025, what industry trends are on your radar?
James predicts a more equitable and accessible mobile games industry, driven by policy changes like Epic’s court victory against Google. Additionally, he foresees a surge in user-generated content (UGC), with platforms like Roblox and Unreal Editor for Fortnite paving the way for new creative opportunities.
“Increased payouts to creators and emerging platforms to support UGC will be a significant trend,” he adds.
Conclusion
Rewarded UA is reshaping mobile gaming, providing scalable and effective user acquisition strategies while enhancing the gaming experience. With industry leaders like James Crabb championing innovative approaches, the future of mobile gaming looks brighter than ever. From advancements in Rewarded UA to new opportunities in UGC, developers have much to look forward to as the gaming landscape evolves.
The post Rewarded User Acquisition: Transforming Mobile Gaming with James Crabb, Head of Gaming Partnerships at Almedia appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Interviews
FTDx Wins Xanada Startup Contest: Unlocking Untapped iGaming Traffic with Innovative Monetization Solutions
Recently, Xanada Investments announced FTDx as the winner of this year’s Xanada Startup Contest, an investment initiative of the fund. FTDx has demonstrated outstanding innovation in traffic monetization within the gambling industry, earning them the top spot.
In the interview below, Vladimir Malakchi, the CEO and Managing Partner of Xanada Investments, and Björn Nilsson, CEO and co-founder of FTDx, share their perspectives on this achievement and what lies ahead.
Vladimir Malakchi, CEO and Managing partner at Xanada Investments:
What were your overall impressions of this year’s Xanada Startup Contest participants, and why did you choose FTDX as the winner? What key factors stood out about their solution that aligned with Xanada Investments’ vision?”
VM: This year’s Xanada Startup Contest had nearly 250 applications from all over the world. The range of ideas was incredible, everything from gamification to AI-driven user engagement. What made FTDx stand out was how practical and impactful their solution is. They’ve tackled a big issue in iGaming, what to do with traffic that doesn’t convert because it’s from regions operators usually ignore. Their system turns that missed opportunity into real revenue while also encouraging first-time deposits.
We loved how FTDx backed up their idea with real numbers and a solid strategy. They’re not just solving a problem; they’re doing it in a way that scales and adds value for operators. That’s exactly the kind of project we look for at Xanada Investments-solutions that deliver results and create meaningful change in the industry.
Xanada Investments has a history of backing scalable solutions. How do you assess the scalability of FTDX’s technology, and what competitive advantage do you believe this gives them over other monetization platforms in the market?
VM: At Xanada Investments, scalability is a key factor in evaluating projects, and FTDx has shown a strong foundation for growth with its lightweight, adaptable platform. Its seamless integration with operators’ systems and focus on real-time revenue generation make it ideal for scaling across regions, especially in today’s fast-moving digital landscape.
FTDx’s major advantage is efficiency,it captures value from active users during live sessions, reducing the need for costly re-engagement strategies. This cost-effective approach works well in markets with varying tech infrastructure, including those with high mobile traffic but limited resources, enabling FTDx to tap into a wider audience.
The platform’s data-driven design supports continual optimization, allowing operators to refine strategies based on real-time insights. This adaptability keeps FTDx competitive in a rapidly evolving industry. Overall, FTDx’s scalable and proactive monetization tools provide operators with a reliable solution for driving revenue in diverse global markets.
Looking ahead, how do you envision FTDX evolving with the support of Xanada Investments? What role does their team’s expertise play in ensuring the successful execution of these growth plans?
VM: With Xanada’s support, FTDx is well-positioned to expand its reach and develop its platform to meet the growing demands of the iGaming sector. Our resources and strategic network will provide FTDx with the connections and insights needed to enter new markets, particularly in regions like Europe and Latin America, where demand for gamified, real-time engagement solutions is on the rise. Xanada’s role will not only be financial but also advisory-we’ll work closely with FTDx to refine their approach and scale their operations effectively.
The expertise within the FTDx team is a major asset in executing these growth plans. Their background in data analytics and monetization strategies means they have a clear understanding of the market’s demands and a precise approach to addressing them. This technical and strategic expertise allows them to develop solutions that are not only innovative but also grounded in practical applications. Their ability to anticipate and adapt to industry trends is a valuable strength, ensuring they can keep up with evolving customer expectations and continue delivering results as they scale.
FTDX’s ambitions to provide measurable outcomes, whether through immediate revenue generation or long-term user retention aligns closely with Xanada’s vision for sustainable growth. By leveraging our network and expertise, FTDx will have the support needed to continually innovate while expanding into new markets. Together, we envision FTDx not only as a leader in iGaming monetization but also as a standard-setter for efficiency and effectiveness in player engagement solutions.
Björn Nilsson commenting on the win of FTDx in the Xanada Startup Contest:
Congratulations on your victory! What was your strategic motivation for participating in the Xanada Startup Contest, and what advantages do you see from this win in terms of your future development?
BN: Thank you very much! I’ve had experience participating in startup contests before, including one with Triggy. While we didn’t win that time, we made it to the top 10 finalists, which was an invaluable experience for the company’s growth. As I mentioned during my podcast with Vladimir Malakchi, contests like these sharpen your game. As a former athlete, I know firsthand that nothing improves you more than competing. Whether you win or not, participating forces you to refine your pitch, clarify your message, and solidify your business plan.
Beyond this, I genuinely enjoy the thrill of competition.
Your product offers a unique approach to monetizing global visits. What inspired you to develop FTDx? What market challenges did you identify that led you to create this solution?
BN: My co-founder, Fredrik Selin, and I were active in several areas, primarily on the affiliate side, when we had a conversation with Jon Bowden, the CMO of New Jersey-regulated casino PlayStar. Jon mentioned that they were receiving a significant amount of traffic from states other than New Jersey and asked if we had any ideas about how to utilize that traffic. Intrigued, we promised to explore the issue further.
Using tools like Similarweb and Ahrefs, we analyzed traffic data from various brands, both large and small. What we discovered was staggering-there’s an immense amount of “lost” traffic out there. Millions of visits end up on 403/404 blocked pages every month, representing a massive untapped resource.
Ten years ago, this issue wouldn’t have existed. At that time, being online inherently meant being “global.” However, with increasing regulation and rising competition, operators must now specialize and dominate local markets to remain relevant. This focus inevitably results in excess traffic from markets where they aren’t operational. That’s where FTDx comes in-to unlock the value hidden within this overlooked traffic and turn it into a new revenue stream.
How do you see the success of the FTDx solution based on your clients’ experiences? How does their traffic volume change, and what positive side effects have you noticed from implementing your solution?
BN: Though we’re still early in our journey with live clients, the results so far have been extremely promising. For example, blocked traffic from our largest client has generated over 8,000 new accounts with other brands in just the past three months. This is traffic that would have otherwise gone unnoticed and unrealized.
When we enable traffic exchanges—allowing clients to receive blocked traffic from other operators—the volume of relevant traffic in their target markets grows significantly. One of the most notable positive side effects, and a point we’ve emphasized from the start, is how operators begin to see the extended value of brand marketing. They realize that their efforts reach far beyond their primary focus markets and, thanks to FTDx, can now monetize that extended reach.
The post FTDx Wins Xanada Startup Contest: Unlocking Untapped iGaming Traffic with Innovative Monetization Solutions appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
David Natroshvili, Founder of SPRIBE, talks about company culture and why office working is the key to communication for any organisation
Home working, office working or hybrid working. What’s best when it comes to fostering a successful company culture?
SPRIBE started off as a hybrid working company with our employees having a lot of flexibility over where they worked from and the schedules they worked to. This served us well during the pandemic when companies were forced to send staff home during the height of lockdowns. But since then, and given the rapid growth we have experienced, we have opted to gradually switch to a full-time office set-up for our employees. Why? Because there are so many benefits to having employees working from the office, for both the organisation and those working for it. We’ve tried to make the transition as seamless as possible by creating comfortable and inspiring workspaces, offering regular team-building activities and ensuring we run plenty of social events each month, including poker tournaments and Happy Friday which brings together all team members to round off the week.
Can you talk through some of the benefits of office-based working?
The biggest benefit is the connection that forms between team members and the different teams that make up the organisation. Communication is key to a business – and individuals – achieving objectives and reaching its/their full potential, and communication is so much easier when everyone is under the same roof and can speak face to face. It allows for deeper collaboration, faster problem-solving and more cohesive processes. I think there are serious mental health benefits, too – by working from an office, people feel part of a community and don’t become isolated from their team and the wider organisation. Without its people, company culture is little more than a document of ideas and processes but when you bring the people that make up the organisation under the same roof, it comes to life.
What does SPRIBE’s company culture look like?
We have always focused on helping our employees strike a good work/life balance, and we go to great lengths to support their well-being and mental health. This includes fun activities like our weekly Happy Friday and regular social events but also ensuring that each team member feels valued and that they are supported and encouraged by senior management and team leaders. Personal development is a big part of employee well-being, so we offer plenty of opportunities for personal and professional development. This, combined with providing the right environment for our employees to work in, ensures each member of the team can thrive, develop and grow, which in turn makes them feel like they have a long future with SPRIBE and that their position within the company is valued and secure.
How will you ensure your company culture evolves alongside changing employee expectations and wider working trends?
The way I see it, talented people want to contribute to a successful business so long as their involvement is valued and rewarded. This has always been the case and won’t change anytime soon. At SPRIBE, we want to attract the best talent in the business and so long as we ensure this talent feels valued and is given the environment and opportunities to reach its full potential, while striking the right work/life balance, we will remain a highly attractive organisation to join regardless of the latest company culture trends and employee expectations.
When you founded SPRIBE, did you expect it to become the success that it is today?
Yes and no. I knew that we had an incredibly strong founding team and that when we came up with the concept for Aviator, the original iGaming crash game, that we’d come up with something big. But no, I couldn’t have seen it becoming the phenomenon that it has – Aviator is now live with more than 4,500 online casinos and has 42 million active players a month. This has allowed us to continue to innovate and be pioneers, especially when it comes to our marketing deals with the UFC and A.C. Milan. It’s this that ultimately makes SPRIBE such a great place to work – we are doing things that other companies could only ever dream of.
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Exclusive Interview with Miklos Handa (Founder of the email marketing solutions, “MailMike.net”), speaker at Vienna International Gaming Expo 2018
