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Southampton FC scouting sports tech startups for Future of Football challenge

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The Future of Football challenge is open to innovative companies ready to shape and test their solutions for updated football experiences in either the football development or fan engagement space. In spirit with its values of innovation and doing things differently, Southampton FC will offer a 4-week virtual programme — powered by Sport Republic and Yolo Group — to create opportunities and break away from conventional methods.

The challenge welcomes Web3 and sports tech startups and scaleups with novel solutions to:

  • Football development (scouting, training, recovery, game analytics etc.)
  • Fan engagement (gamification, loyalty programmes, matchday experiences, global fan engagement etc.)

Selected teams will rapidly test and pilot their solutions, participate in tailored workshops, and have regular and direct access to Southampton FC, Sport Republic, and Yolo Group decision-makers. At the St. Mary’s finale, teams will pitch for a commercial relationship with SFC and a £100k discretionary prize pool for post-programme solution development.

“Southampton FC’s commitment to innovating and creating a positive impact is central to the way we operate and make decisions. We’re excited to see programme participants create the future of football” said Sarah Batters, Director of Marketing and Partnerships as SFC.

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Sport Republic, the owner of Southampton Football Club is a London-based investment firm in the sports and entertainment industry. Founded by Henrik Kraft and Rasmus Ankersen and backed by Lead Investor Dragan Šolak, Sport Republic’s vision is to grow high potential sports businesses and sports tech companies.

“Sport Republic are really looking forward to being part of the Future of Football challenge to power innovation in sports tech. We are continuously seeking the most innovative sports tech companies to join our portfolio and leveraging our clubs to drive growth and achieve digital transformation. ” said Henrik Kraft, Sport Republic and SFC Chairman.

Yolo Group is the managing partner for the Future of Football challenge. Yolo Group is a leader at the cross section of gaming, fintech, and blockchain, and operates the Sportsbet.io brand. Sportsbet.io is Southampton FC’s Main Club Partner.

“This programme is designed to push boundaries, to bring together a spectrum of solutions from startups around the globe. It’s a chance to create truly unique approaches — and test them. We’re driven by innovation; so, we’re looking forward to seeing the results,” said Tim Heath, GP at Yolo Investments, and founder of Yolo Group. The application deadline is 23 February 2023. Find more information and apply here: https://www.southamptonfc.com/saints-partners/future-of-football-challenge

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EstrelaBet Reinforces Its Commitment to Betting Integrity Through Membership in the International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA)

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February 24, 2025

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EstrelaBet, one of Brazil’s leading betting operators, is now an official member of the International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA), a global organization dedicated to promoting integrity in the regulated sports betting industry. By joining IBIA, EstrelaBet aligns itself with more than 140 brands worldwide in the fight against match-fixing. In Brazil, IBIA has a cooperation agreement with the Ministry of Finance to strengthen integrity within the betting market.

This partnership is part of EstrelaBet’s broader strategy and strict match-fixing prevention policy, which ensures compliance with regulations and leverages data and strategic collaborations to detect, prevent, and investigate suspicious activities in regulated betting markets. Additionally, the company adopts internal best practices, partners with specialized monitoring initiatives, such as Genius Sports, and promotes awareness campaigns with its sponsored teams.

“Partnering with IBIA, a globally recognized institution in betting integrity, reinforces our commitment to adopting best practices and increasing oversight in preventing match-fixing and fraud. This contributes to a safer and more transparent environment for everyone’s entertainment,” said Fellipe Fraga, Chief Business Officer (CBO) and Institutional Relations (RI) at EstrelaBet.

IBIA is a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting regulated sports betting markets from match-fixing. Its global integrity monitoring network enables the tracking of transactional activities linked to individual customer accounts. Currently, IBIA members generate over $300 billion in annual betting volume, representing approximately 50% of the global regulated commercial sports betting industry—covering both retail and online platforms—and more than 50% of the exclusively digital segment.

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Khalid Ali, CEO at IBIA, said: “We are delighted that EstrelaBet has become a member the International Betting Integrity Association, joining a growing list of operators licensed in Brazil committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity. This partnership enhances the reach of our world-class betting integrity monitoring network, supporting efforts to safeguard the newly regulated Brazilian online sports betting market. We look forward to working closely with Estrelabet to protect its customers and sportsbook business from the threats of betting-related corruption.”

The post EstrelaBet Reinforces Its Commitment to Betting Integrity Through Membership in the International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA) appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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Bulgaria first for Push Gaming with Kaizen Gaming’s Betano

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February 24, 2025

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Push Gaming has entered the Bulgarian market thanks to an exclusive deal with Kaizen Gaming brand Betano, marking a milestone in its expansion in globally regulated markets.

For 12 weeks, tier-one operator Betano will have exclusive rights to Push Gaming’s portfolio in the country as it brings the studio’s hugely popular titles to Bulgaria for the first time.

Push’s extensive back catalogue of major hits, including Razor Shark, Razor Returns, Jammin’ Jars, Big Bamboo and Wild Swarm, are now ready to be enjoyed by players in Bulgaria, with more recent releases due to roll out imminently.

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The launch enhances Push’s relationship with Kaizen Gaming, which has already seen success with its award-winning content in Greece, Denmark, and Brazil.

Agreements with over 15 direct integration partners have been achieved in 2024, and the supplier’s significant growth will be bolstered by several more announcements in the remainder of Q4.

Fiona Hickey, Chief Business Development Officer at Push Gaming, said: “Bulgaria is a territory we’ve been working on for some time, so it’s particularly pleasing to launch there with such an established and respected name as Betano.

“We know the strength of our product, and allied with Kaizen Gaming’s prominent positioning across regulated markets, we can make the most of our regional entries. They’re a fantastic strategic partner to work alongside, which breeds exceptional confidence that every launch period will perform strongly.”

Evangelos Dedoulis, Director of Product, Gaming and Rewards at Kaizen Gaming,  added: “Push Gaming is responsible for some of the finest games on the market, and as such, we have been eagerly anticipating bringing them to our Betano platform in Bulgaria too. In other markets where we have integrated Push Gaming’s titles, the reception from our audience has been exceptional, and we expect the same in this case too.”

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The post Bulgaria first for Push Gaming with Kaizen Gaming’s Betano appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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BiS SiGMA Americas announces institutional partnership with ANJL to strengthen the new regulated betting market in Brazil

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February 24, 2025

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BiS SiGMA Americas 2025, which will take place between April 7th and 10th at the Transamerica Expo Center, in São Paulo, announced a partnership with ANJL (National Association of Games and Lotteries), strengthening the credibility of the event, which is the main event in the iGaming sector in Brazil.
Brazil is going through an important moment in the industry with regulation, and ANJL has an essential role in the entire development of this process. The partnership with BiS SiGMA Americas reinforces the sector’s best practices and the commitment to transparency and security in the market.
The Association represents – and only accepts as members – companies that operate legally in the country.  “ANJL defends the interest of member companies and promotes the recognition of the sector as productive in the economy, whether to generate new jobs or contribute to governments’ tax collection, in addition to acting to combat minors’ access to betting games and the operation of websites that do not have authorization to operate”, explained the President of ANJL, Plinio Lemos Jorge.
ANJL’s support will further increase the specialized content and strategic opportunities in the sector, which were already expected in the new edition of BiS SiGMA Americas, in addition to providing connections between operators, regulators and stakeholders.
At BiS SiGMA Americas 2025, lectures and panels were expected, and these will feature ANJL leaders, who will enrich the experience of the audience present. They will also be in discussions, bringing the Association’s experience to the event.
“BiS SiGMA Americas is the most relevant event in the sector, bringing together the main players to discuss the future of the market. Our partnership reinforces ANJL’s commitment to promoting a regulated, safe and sustainable environment for the gaming and lottery industry in Brazil”, stated the President of ANJL.
The Marketing Director of BiS SiGMA Americas, Nuno Bispo, highlighted how the partnership qualifies the event. “We are very proud to have the institutional support of ANJL, which plays a fundamental role in building the regulated market in Brazil. This partnership guarantees that BiS SiGMA Americas 2025 will be an even more qualified environment for debates and strategic connections.”
Registration for BiS SiGMA Americas 2025 is now open and can be done on the website. Approximately 18 thousand people are expected at the event. Guarantee your registration now for the biggest event in the iGaming sector in Brazil and have the opportunity to participate in the discussions that will define the future of the sector in the country.

The post BiS SiGMA Americas announces institutional partnership with ANJL to strengthen the new regulated betting market in Brazil appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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