Connect with us
Prague Gaming & TECH Summit 2025 (25-26 March)
pa-media-group-appoints-josh-sparke-as-managing-director-of-podium pa-media-group-appoints-josh-sparke-as-managing-director-of-podium

Latest News

PA MEDIA GROUP APPOINTS JOSH SPARKE AS MANAGING DIRECTOR OF PODIUM

Published

on

Reading Time: < 1 minute

 

PA Media Group today announces the appointment of Josh Sparke from 1 March 2025, as Managing Director of Podium, its sports and betting data business.

Podium is a trusted market leader in providing sports data, content, and technology. Podium, until recently known as PA Betting Services, was rebranded to reflect its growth and evolution in the racing and betting sector. The business delivers global coverage through a unified distribution network, serving sportsbooks, rightsholders, affiliates, media, and technology platforms.

Gareth Bramall, Chief Strategy Officer at PA Media Group, commented: “Following a rigorous selection process with exceptional candidates, Josh stood out. He brings extensive industry experience, passion for sport and has a clear vision of growth for Podium”.

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

Sparke has a wealth of knowledge of the industry having worked with leading brands such as Betmakers and Livescore. His strong relationships with sports and racing rightsholders as well as an entrepreneurial mindset will enhance Podium’s position in the market. Sparke takes over from Eugene Delaney, who will remain as an advisor to the business.

Sparke said ‘PA Media Group has a proud and reputable history and has been at the heart of racing for over 40 years. I’m fortunate to be inheriting a strong team from Eugene and I’m joining Podium at an exciting time, following its acquisition of iRace and significant investments in product and technology. We have a strong foundation for innovation, partnerships, and sustainable growth in the UK and internationally. I look forward to making Podium a global leader in racing and sports betting content”

The post PA MEDIA GROUP APPOINTS JOSH SPARKE AS MANAGING DIRECTOR OF PODIUM appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

1/ST

1/ST and Goodwood Racecourse announce Group 1 pathways between the United Kingdom and North America

Published

on

1/st-and-goodwood-racecourse-announce-group-1-pathways-between-the-united-kingdom-and-north-america

1/ST, North America’s preeminent Thoroughbred racing and pari-mutuel wagering company, and Goodwood Racecourse, one of the United Kingdom’s leading racecourses, today announce a new initiative that will see a reciprocal partnership between 1/ST-owned racecourses in North America and Goodwood Racecourse in the United Kingdom.

This exciting new partnership will see horses gain automatic entry following success at the Pegasus World Cup meeting at Gulfstream Park on January 25, and at Goodwood Racecourse’s world-famous five-day festival, the Qatar Goodwood Festival presented by Visit Qatar.

The Pegasus World Cup Turf winner in 2025 will be granted automatic entry to the 2025 running of the Qatar Sussex Stakes. Likewise, the victor of the 2025 Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf will gain automatic entry to the Qatar Nassau Stakes in 2025.

Additionally, the winner of this year’s £1m, Group 1 Qatar Sussex Stakes will gain automatic entry to the Pegasus World Cup Turf in 2026 and the winner of the Group 1 Qatar Nassau Stakes will gain automatic entry to the Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf in 2026.

This new partnership will create an easily accessible pathway for horses to compete both in North America and the United Kingdom and help to encourage top-tier racehorses to travel and increase international participation at both fixtures – while also bolstering elite fields for global audiences and deeper fan engagement.

Aidan Butler, President of 1/ST, 
said: “Thanks again to our friends at Goodwood Racecourse as our partnership enters its second year. We can’t wait to see how our Pegasus World Cup Turf winners fare on the other side of the pond and look forward to welcoming the victors of the Qatar Sussex Stakes and Qatar Nassau Stakes back to Gulfstream Park in late January 2026 for one of the most lucrative racedays on the East Coast.

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

“These reciprocal pathways mark the latest strides in 1/ST’s bid to broaden the appeal and international participation in the world’s major races. We’ve already seen such incentives reap immediate rewards when Crimson Advocate won at Royal Ascot in 2023, having punched her automatic spot via our Royal Palm juvenile series at Gulfstream Park. Now, Miami can hopefully work its magic again with the Qatar Goodwood Festival!”

Edward Arkell, Director of Racing at Goodwood Racecourse, added: “We are thrilled to announce this fantastic new initiative, and I would like to thank 1/ST for their enthusiasm and support. By pairing two of our most prestigious races with a pair of turf races at the Pegasus World Cup meeting, we are confident that we have unlocked a well-scheduled gateway.

“This partnership also highlights the importance of collaborating with the best horseracing in the World and allows us the opportunity to showcase the obvious benefits of working alongside the North American horseracing circuit.”

The post 1/ST and Goodwood Racecourse announce Group 1 pathways between the United Kingdom and North America appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)
Continue Reading

Latest News

Optimove Launches OptiLive: For the First Time, Sportsbook Operators Can Create CRM-Powered Live Sports Marketing at Scale

Published

on

optimove-launches-optilive:-for-the-first-time,-sportsbook-operators-can-create-crm-powered-live-sports-marketing-at-scale
Reading Time: 3 minutes

 

OptiLive empowers sportsbooks to maximize in-play (live) sports betting by delivering real-time, personalized messages to millions of players during live sporting events 

Optimove, the #1 CRM Marketing solution for iGaming and Sports Betting, today announced the launch of OptiLive, a first-of-its-kind solution that enables sportsbook operators to create CRM-powered live sports marketing at scale. By combining CRM data such as players interests and betting history, with real-time sports data, OptiLive empowers marketers to deliver timely, relevant messages to their players —all in the heat of the action. 

In-Play Betting Drives Higher Player Spending and Garners More Betting Budget

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

An analysis of 3,794,500 sportsbook bettors found that live betting accounts for 54% of total bets. Furthermore, live bettors consistently spend more than pre-match bettors. For example, in the U.S., bettors’ average monthly live betting spend is $1,583.90, compared to $846.20 for pre-match betting—an 87% increase. This highlights the immense revenue driver in-play betting is for sportsbooks and OptiLive is designed to capitalize on it. Through tackling the complexities of delivering simultaneous, real-time messages across multiple brands, sports and geolocations, OptiLive redefines the in-play betting experience, driving deeper connections with their players.  

A Game-Changing Example in Action 

Imagine a high stakes soccer match between Real Madrid and Barcelona and Kylian Mbappé scores a pivotal goal to put Real Madrid ahead. OptiLive will: 

1. Autonomously identify the relevant sports fans who’ve shown interest in bets related to Kylian Mbappé or the competing teams and,  

2. Instantly delivers a message alerting them of the goal the moment it happens, complete with the latest live odds 

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

This real-time, hyper-personalized approach captures the excitement, encourages immediate action, and drives higher in-play betting activity—keeping operators seamlessly connected to bettors during critical moments. 

With OptiLive, Optimove elevates mass personalization in marketing to new heights, enabling operators to manage millions of tailored messages across sports, regions, and events simultaneously. This ensures every bettor receives timely, relevant communications, no matter where or when they engage. 

OptiLive Only Delivers Messages Tailored to Each Sports Fan’s Interests 

Sports fans are selective about the games they follow—and irrelevant notifications risk disengagement.

A survey of 396 gamblers conducted by Optimove Insights, the research arm of Optimove, revealed that an overwhelming 86% of online gamblers opt-out from platforms due to an avalanche of irrelevant messages. 

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

OptiLive’s advanced AI-driven personalization engine ensures bettors only receive messages that are aligned with their interests and betting history. Soccer fans get instant updates when teams they bet on score thrilling goals while tennis enthusiasts are notified the moment the players they bet on win pivotal sets. OptiLive avoids generic, excessive notifications, delivering timely and meaningful updates that drive engagement and conversions. 

OptiLive seamlessly integrates into sportsbook operations 

Designed for scalability, OptiLive integrates effortlessly into sportsbook operations, automating personalized campaigns across all major sports and marketing channels.  

With OptiLive, sportsbook operators can now: 

  • Alert players of key sporting events, such as goals and penalties, in the moment. 
  • Provide players with statistical insights on players and teams to enhance decision-making. 
  • Monitor, analyze, and review campaign performance in real-time. 

“For operators, OptiLive is a game-changing capability to boost player engagement, build loyalty, and drive conversions like never before,” said Shai Frank, SVP of Product and GM of Americas at Optimove. “For the first time, OptiLive empowers marketers with CRM-powered live sports marketing campaigns delivering a totally new experience for players and operators alike. It’s not just another tool—it redefines live sports betting by connecting with personalized, perfectly-timed messages that make every moment more thrilling for players.”  

Frank also noted that the higher average spend by live bettors highlights the potential for operators to enhance player lifetime value through targeted, timely personalized messages to players. 

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

Optimove is the iGaming industry’s most comprehensive CRM Marketing platform 
 
The launch of OptiLive marks the latest advancement in Optimove’s robust suite of tools and capabilities, further reinforcing its position as the #1 CRM Marketing platform for the iGaming and Sports Betting. Optimove is the iGaming industry’s most comprehensive CRM Marketing platform that is now enhanced with the following: 

  • A Dynamic Promotion Engine that automates personalized, CRM-driven rewards based on real-time customer behavior, enabling marketers to deliver impactful and timely promotional offers with ease. 
  • A Digital Experience Platform (DXP) accelerating time-to-conversion and boosts customer lifetime value by creating seamless, holistic customer experiences across digital channels. 
  • AI-Driven Gamification the first-of-its-kind innovation designed to enhance player engagement and retention by delivering highly immersive, personalized gamified experiences. 

OptiLive on Display at ICE 2025 Summit 

Optimove is showcasing OptiLive at the ICE 2025 Summit in Barcelona, January 20-22. Attendees can visit Booth #4A34 in Hall 4 for a first-hand look at this first-of-a-kind solution powering sportsbook marketers. 

The post Optimove Launches OptiLive: For the First Time, Sportsbook Operators Can Create CRM-Powered Live Sports Marketing at Scale appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Continue Reading

Brazil

Salsa Technology’s FORMULA-BET: Take the Pole Position in Brazil’s Regulated Market

Published

on

salsa-technology’s-formula-bet:-take-the-pole-position-in-brazil’s-regulated-market

Salsa Technology, a leader in iGaming market solutions, introduces FORMULA-BET, a revolutionary ecosystem designed to put operators in the pole position of Brazil’s regulated market. Inspired by the dynamism and precision of the Formula 1 universe, FORMULA-BET ensures lightning-fast delivery, offering the robust Salsa Omni PAM platform, along with secure, agile and certified integrations with aggregators, payment methods and sports betting.

With a solid track record of innovation and excellence, Salsa Technology ensures full compliance with the Betting Management System (Sigap) and holds GLI certifications for its PAM platform and integrations with the Salsa Gator content aggregator, payment solutions, and the First sports betting platform, all aligned with the requirements of SIGAP, Brazil’s Central Bank, and the Federal Revenue Service.

FORMULA-BET was designed to operate as a true cutting-edge racing team, focusing on three main pillars: speed of implementation with optimized technology for fast delivery and integration, meeting the demands of the regulated market in record time; high-performance team with specialized local support and proven expertise to drive results; compliance and security with full adherence to regulations, ensuring trust at every turn of the market.

At ICE Barcelona, Salsa’s commercial team will be ready to accelerate negotiations and present opportunities in Brazil, positioning itself as a strategic partner for companies aiming to lead in the country’s regulated market.

“Just like a Formula 1 car combines precision and innovation to cross the finish line first, FORMULA-BET provides operators with all the necessary tools to accelerate their business and dominate the regulated market with speed and accuracy”, says Eliane Nunes, CGO of Salsa Technology.

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

The post Salsa Technology’s FORMULA-BET: Take the Pole Position in Brazil’s Regulated Market appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

Continue Reading

Trending