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Sorare raises a €40m Series A from Benchmark and Accel Partners to help fans own their football passion online

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Sorare raises a €40m Series A from Benchmark and Accel Partners to help fans own their football passion online
Sorare raises a €40m Series A from Benchmark and Accel Partners to help fans own their football passion onlineReading Time: 4 minutes

 

Sorare, the digital collectible football platform, announces that it has received €40 million in Series A financing, led by Benchmark, with additional funding from Accel and new business angels. The angels include Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, Vaynermedia CEO Gary Vaynerchuk, football players Antoine Griezmann and Rio Ferdinand. The financing brings Sorare’s total funding to €48 million. The capital will be used to fuel the growth of the community, accelerate the hiring of a world-class team and launch a mobile application.

Fantastically real collectibles

Football is a common denominator for more than 4 billion people globally but today, fans feel further away from the game they love than ever before. As we spend more time online, the need for connection has significantly shifted to digital experiences. Sports card collectibles have long helped fans celebrate their love of the game, and now they can experience a whole new world online. Sorare is leading the new era of online football fandom, where fans can live football moments and true connections like never before.

The company’s mission is to build “the game within the game” and to give fans the platform to celebrate, share and own their football passion. Through tradable digital cards, Sorare is designing a collective fantasy football experience where you can manage your favorite players and hone your passion to earn prizes. Anyone, anywhere, can connect with the beautiful game on Sorare.

Growing across the globe

The company, which is already profitable, has experienced an explosive 52% month-on-month growth over the past 12 months, going from €50K worth of cards traded on the platform in January 2020 to €3.5M in January 2021 across 120 countries.

More than 120 football clubs have launched their digital cards on Sorare, with all European Champions actively participating in the growth of the game. Partnerships with Liverpool, Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Juventus make Sorare the first digital collectible platform to offer cards from Europe’s top five league champions. The company’s ambition is to onboard the top 20 football leagues globally. This next-generation gaming experience allows leagues and clubs to expand their international brand by reaching an untapped audience of fans. Sorare is effectively opening up a new traceable and sustainable revenue stream for them.

Crypto’s next consumer application

Sorare collectibles are backed by blockchain technology to provide transparency and portability into other games. More importantly, the blockchain Ethereum enables the act of collecting in the digital space by creating digital scarcity through “non-fungible tokens” (NFT). It secures the passion of fans and creates a new level of trust and freedom for gamers who can freely trade their assets over the internet.

Sorare joins the ranks of culturally impactful companies and innovative brands in the Benchmark and Accel portfolio, including Twitter, Snap, Instagram and Spotify.

Nicolas Julia, CEO at Sorare explained: “Sorare was born from our love for football. We’re building a gaming experience fueled by passion where fans can connect with football and a global community. On Sorare, they can truly own the game. Today is a watershed moment – both for Sorare as a company and for our community – that will enable us to touch new markets and radically improve our product to become the game within the beautiful game.”

Peter Fenton, General Partner at Benchmark commented: “We’re thrilled to partner with Sorare as their lead Series A investor. The company combines the global passion for football collectibles with the excitement of real-world play in fantasy league tournaments. The founders early work in blockchain technology gave them the unique insight into a killer application for a new NFT – real players in real games creating enduring value for a digital artifact. Their explosive growth codifies the utility of these technologies in everyday life.”

Andrei Brasoveanu, Partner at Accel added: “Sitting at the intersection of fantasy football and sports collectibles, Sorare is revolutionizing the way fans across the world engage with and enjoy sports. In just a year, Sorare has built an incredible viral community and secured partnerships with more than 130 football clubs, including five European Champions. This impressive growth is a testament to the ambition and determination of Nicolas, Adrien and the entire Sorare team. We’re excited to join Sorare on the next stage of their journey and help build the leading digital sports collectibles platform worldwide!”

Christian Miele, Partner at e.ventures, commented: “We have been impressed by Nicolas’ and Adrien’s vision from day one. For the first time in human history a digital collectible holds a utility and can be used in a wide field of applications to attract soccer fanatics, collectors, and investors alike. This is why Sorare is best positioned to create one of the largest next-generation entertainment companies in the world.”

Gerard Piqué, Strategic Advisor at Sorare, explained: “As world football has shifted from local supporters to global fanbases, football fans are looking for new ways to be connected to the game, the players and other fans. Nicolas and the team have a unique gaming experience with real-world impact, bringing fantasy to reality. I’m looking forward to helping the team and the Sorare community connect with more football clubs and leagues.”

Sia Houchangnia, Partner at Seedcamp, concluded: “Sorare is a truly category-defining company and has the potential to become one of the biggest consumer tech success stories out of Europe. In less than 2 years since our pre-seed investment, the Sorare team has built from scratch a complex economy within an incredibly compelling game. Most importantly, Sorare can count on one of the most vibrant communities of early adopters we’ve ever seen. The growth has been astonishing and there’s an entire ecosystem of games and content being built around Sorare’s football cards. This is one of the most exciting businesses we’ve had the chance to work with and we are incredibly excited to have Benchmark and Accel joining the journey.”

George Miller (Gyorgy Molnar) started his career in content marketing and has started working as an Editor/Content Manager for our company in 2016. George has acquired many experiences when it comes to interviews and newsworthy content becoming Head of Content in 2017. He is responsible for the news being shared on multiple websites that are part of the European Gaming Media Network.

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Sweepmate launches to blend thrill of sweepstakes, fantasy sports and trading for fans

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  • Real-money prediction app designed to fill a current void in the UK market

  • Unique player-vs-player game mechanics designed to add excitement to every Premier League gameweek 

  • UKGC-licensed pool-based product launched on iOS and Android

Sweepmate, a new real-money, pool-based gaming platform, has launched to provide a “sweepstake with a twist” for sport fans in the UK.

Sweepmate, available on iOS and Android, blends the familiarity of a traditional sweepstake, the excitement of fantasy sports and the strategy of trading to give players a unique way to engage with events. The app has launched with Premier League predictions, with further events and sports planned in the coming months.

On Sweepmate, the Premier league table resets every single week and the standing can be seen live in app, with data provided by leading data providers Sportradar.

Sweepmate’s platform facilitates UKGC-licensed pool-based gameplay but does not itself act as a bookmaker or take positions on outcomes.

The prize pool, determined by the number of entrants, is split between players who make successful predictions, with 50% awarded to the team finishing first, 20% to the team finishing fourth and 30% to the team finishing last in a given Sprint.

Another twist comes as players have the option to trade teams during the Sprint, known as “Sweeping”.

Sweepmate was granted a UKGC licence earlier this year and is being officially launched ahead of this weekend’s Premier League fixtures.

Sweepmate is founded by Lloyd Bidder, assistant director at one of the Big Four accountancy firms, and Johnny Barnes – founder of soft drinks company Soho Juice Co, a non-carbonated beverage sold across three continents.

 

Picking up where Draftkings left off

Barnes said: “The ambition is to fill the void that Draftkings have left with a novel, original game. The format can apply across almost any sports and entertainment event – from the Euros to Eurovision.

“Sweepmate is simple: pick three teams and if they finish first, fourth or last then you win. No new teams are minted 90 minutes before kick-off so there’s a great scarcity value and you can buy or sell teams during the gameweek.

“Sweepmate is not a bookie as we don’t set odds or take a position. Because we’re a pool-based game, we want people to win and we try to provide as much information as possible to players. We pride ourselves on customer service and offer free weekly preview and review shows as well as a complimentary concierge service.

“Our goal is to create a product that keeps fans engaged right across the weekend, whether their favourite club is winning or not. It’s about adding an extra layer of excitement to the Premier League and giving players a reason to stay invested in every result.”

Leeds are top of the league?

Sweepmate’s unique scoring method means the table at the end of each Sprint doesn’t always look the same as the Premier League table. Teams are ranked based on goal difference, goals scored, shots on and off target, and red and yellow cards.

After 11 Premier League gameweeks so far, nine different teams have finished first, nine different teams have finished fourth and eight different teams have finished last.

Late drama in matches has had a significant bearing on each week’s standings, nine of 11 weeks decided after 80 minutes, and eight of them decided after 90 minutes. Two of the 11 weeks were decided by the final match of the gameweek.

Last season Tottenham had the joint-most first-place finishes in Sweepmate, despite finishing 17th in the Premier League. So far this season, both West Ham and Leeds have finished top and bottom in different weeks.

Sweepmate is designed to provide excitement across the entire Premier League gameweek. As an example in gameweek eight (October 18th to 20th), fourth place was determined by a goal in the last minute of the last game (West Ham vs Brentford) and in seven of the eight Premier League game weeks played so far positions have changed due to goals in the 82nd minute or later.

Download Sweepmate on iOS and Android.

The post Sweepmate launches to blend thrill of sweepstakes, fantasy sports and trading for fans appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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EGT to reveal advanced Supreme cabinets and multigame mixes at BEGE Expo 2025

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EGT will send off this year’s gaming events season with another memorable participation in BEGE Expo. Traditionally, guests will be able to enjoy a wide selection of brand-new innovative products and bestsellers, as well as other surprises at the company’s stand 2.22 on November 26th and 27th.

Following their recent successful debut, the two new models from EGT’s Supreme series, S 55 V ST and S 55 S ST, will be presented to the local gaming audience for the first time during the show. Featuring captivating 55-inch UHD 4K displays, they will make a long-lasting impression on visitors with their stunning visuals, numerous interactive features, and smooth gameplay.

Alongside the General mixes, the Supreme cabinets will reveal the fascinating world of Supreme Selection Series multigames, including its latest addition – Jackpot Supreme Purple Selection mix. It will stand out with its premium collection of 50 exciting titles, blending well-established favorites and fresh new offerings with great potential.

Attendees will also be able to get acquainted with another brand-new multigame from the EGT portfolio – Power Red Selection. Including 54 titles, it will provide players with the opportunity to try their luck with both classic slots and roulette games, which can be set as Single Zero (European) or Double Zero (American) roulette.

The company’s jackpot family will be represented by the top-performing Asian-themed Zhao Cai Shuang Yu, Sheng Sheng Bu Xi, the absolute bestseller Bell Link, as well as Bell Link Boost and Gods & Kings Link with their new additions Bell Link Boost 2 and Gods & Kings Link 2.

EGT will also showcase its latest ETG developments. Guests will be able to learn more about the new Parallel Spins roulette center. It provides a state-of-the-art multiplayer experience with dual G RSA roulette centers positioned side by side. It allows simultaneous gameplay across both wheels, while a shared overhead structure delivers attractive options for branding and excellent visibility. Dedicated software enables true parallel spin functionality, which adds even more thrill to the game and increases player engagement.

EGT’s casino management system Spider with its 15 modules will be on display as well to demonstrate that it can be an indispensable assistant to casino managers in organizing daily activities at gaming venues. Numerous AWP and VLT solutions, created specifically for different markets, will complement the company’s product selection for the show.

EGT Digital will also showcase its rich variety of casino games, as well as the in-house developed iGaming platform X-Nave, providing operators with everything they need to build and grow a successful online business.

Nadia Popova, Chief Revenue Officer and VP Sales & Marketing at EGT, commented: “It is always a pleasure for us to take part in BEGE Expo – the largest gaming exhibition on the Balkan Peninsula, bringing together industry professionals from the whole region. Once again this year, we will welcome our partners, clients and friends at our stand to share our upcoming initiatives and discuss how together we can achieve even greater success.”

The post EGT to reveal advanced Supreme cabinets and multigame mixes at BEGE Expo 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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VGCCC: EGM Application Improvements Consultation

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VGCCC has launched consultation on proposed reforms to the application process for Electronic Gaming Machine approvals in Victoria.

“Our Electronic Gaming Machine (EGM) application process for new premises approvals under section 3.3.6 and EGM increase applications under section 3.4.17 of the Gambling Regulation Act 2003 is undergoing a significant uplift to align with modern expectations, recent legislative change, and our strengthened mandate to minimise gambling harm. It also intends to reduce red tape by ensuring applicants focus on priority factors that commonly determine the suitability of an application,” VGCCC said.

VGCCC is inviting feedback from all stakeholders — including, but not limited to, industry participants, councils, experts and community organisations — to provide feedback on:

• the clarity and practicality of the revised application and hearing processes

• ambiguities, redundancies or gaps in the revised application form and practice notes

• any other opportunities to improve the application and hearing process.

Consultation period closes on 19 December 2025.

The post VGCCC: EGM Application Improvements Consultation appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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