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Gaming startup GOALS scores $15M seed round to build the number one AAA football game
Online football game GOALS, has announced a $15M seed round. Northzone, a global VC firm which has backed Spotify, Klarna, Trustpilot, and Homa Games, led the round with participation from previous investors Cherry Ventures, Moonfire Ventures, Banana Capital and new investors Not Boring Capital and Cassius. The round features notable angels such as FC Barcelona star Gerard Pique, Sorare co-founder and CEO Nicolas Julia, Axie co-founder and COO Aleksander Larsen, metaverse expert Matthew Ball, and web3 authority Magdalena Kala. The funds will allow GOALS to double their headcount recruiting another 30 game developers by the end of 2022.
GOALS is a fast-paced and multiplayer-first football game primarily for PC and consoles that offers a unique and attractive way for gamers to own in-game digital assets as they play. With a focus on quicker and more responsive gameplay, GOALS is different from existing football games by creating a fun, competitive and rewarding experience. Being free-to-play and cross-platform, GOALS provides a completely frictionless opportunity for gamers and football fans to enjoy the beautiful game like never before.
Through the utilization of environmentally friendly blockchain technology, GOALS allows true digital ownership of in-game assets. These in-game assets are earned for free through gameplay and can be used in the game or traded freely at any point.
“We’re thrilled to announce a seed round by an amazing group of VCs and fantastic angel investors”, said GOALS co-founder and CEO Andreas Thorstensson. “We have been in the very fortunate position where investors reached out to us before we were actually fundraising so we were able to pick the ones we felt had the best fit for GOALS. The current investors have the perfect combination of expertise in gaming, sports, web3 and company growth. With GOALS I am building my dream company. It combines my deep interest in sports, gaming, esports and new technology. After playing most football games on the market and observing the esports scene for a long time I could see that gamers deserved something new. GOALS is a gameplay-first football game. Free to play, cross-play, multiplayer-focused, and esports-ready where the players can finally own their in-game items instead of renting them.”
Football and gaming are respectively two enormous markets. With 3.5 billion football fans and 2.9 billion gamers, the estimated market for virtual goods in this space is valued at close to $190bn. Major players have bet big on realism and licensing to sustain their market positions. This leaves a huge space for companies like GOALS who can deliver an esports ready product that offers the accessibility and non-stop action of other online giants like Rocket League. GOALS’ play-and-own business model is ideally placed to service the new market for NFTs which is itself estimated to reach $80Bn by 2025. Gamers will own their players and teams to take part in professional online leagues.
“Andreas has gathered around him a stellar team. They’ve identified a unique opportunity at the intersection of metaverse and football, the world’s largest sport. Web3 and the technology behind innovations like NFTs will power the next generation of businesses in this space and GOALS is poised to become a leader in their own category”, adds Pär-Jörgen Pärson, a partner at Northzone and sitting on the GOALS board.
“GOALS represents a rare investment opportunity. The game they’re building is original and fun, and their growth and business model is truly impressive. Andreas is as impressive a founder as I’ve ever met, has a solid vision and a clear execution plan. From a personal perspective too, this intersection of football, gaming, esports and NFTs covers so much of what I find fascinating. I’m really excited to see where we go from here” says Mattias Ljungman, founder of Moonfire Ventures.
“GOALS is not just a game, but a team on a mission,” says Sophia Bendz, partner at Cherry Ventures, which also led GOALS’ pre-seed round. “In just a few short weeks, GOALS grew its following to well over 25,000 people on social media and thousands upon thousands in Discord. GOALS is creating something people have long wanted. We’re excited to be with them on their journey in creating a new football game people love.”
Founded in late 2021, GOALS has already built a team with an impressive set of skills and track record of successes in entrepreneurship, engineering, game development, gaming, esport and web3. This funding will allow them to grow further in the game development area. As a gaming start-up, GOALS has taken the lead in offering a diverse and inclusive workplace to better attract developers from competing firms.

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DeepDive launches AI platform to strengthen Enhanced Due Diligence for gaming operators’ anti-money laundering efforts
DeepDive today announced the launch of a revolutionary AI platform for Anti-Money Laundering (AML) compliance teams that conduct Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD) and player investigations.
AML teams at gaming operators face an impossible trade-off, they can either conduct thorough investigations that take days, or fast investigations that may miss critical intelligence. On top of that they have to be able to assess source of funds on customers all over the world. DeepDive combines multi-language web search and global regulatory compliance data checks to extend the reach of EDD. Compliance teams can now sift through the digital ocean of open-source data including public records, corporate filings, court documents, news archives, social media profiles and PEP, sanctions and watchlist data to build customer intelligence.
Using a unique combination of search tools, natural language processing, entity resolution and generative AI, DeepDive enables EDD research to go further and deeper, accessing more sources, in any language or alphabet. Instead of analysts spending hours clicking through search results and manually cross-referencing information, DeepDive’s AI processes hundreds of sources simultaneously and presents EDD reports viewable by timeline, alert type or risk category. Analysts can then interrogate the body of knowledge with the built-in chatbot to get to the heart of the matter, helping them make more informed risk decisions.
The team behind DeepDive is staffed by industry veterans that have previously launched, scaled and exited several fraud investigation and KYC platforms.
“DeepDive addresses the pain points facing compliance teams such as time-intensive manual research, incomplete data, language barriers, false positives, and the challenge of processing vast amounts of information at scale,” said David Pope, COO at DeepDive.
“We’ve now completed a successful six-month beta with MLROs and outsourced EDD providers. DeepDive has helped them build deeper intelligence on high-risk customers from all over the world, in a fraction of the time. Not only are we uncovering intelligence that the manual EDD approach misses, but with the time saved, gaming operators can extend EDD across a wider set of customer transactions.”
DeepDive strengthens EDD by creating multiple search permutations across publicly available data and targeted compliance databases in relevant languages and local search engines. After creating the most exhaustive possible dataset for analysis, entity resolution refines the data pool to remove false positives. Multiple generative AI tools are then used to build a structured intelligence report with full citations to original sources and an audit trail.
The DeepDive report covers personal background, legal issues, financial integrity, compliance history, and key relationships, revealing financial insight, known associates, locations, company linkages, political connections, and criminal activity—all structured for immediate analysis.
The post DeepDive launches AI platform to strengthen Enhanced Due Diligence for gaming operators’ anti-money laundering efforts appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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iRace Media extends partnership with The Hong Kong Jockey Club in Asia
iRace Media has announced the renewal of its long-standing partnership with The Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) ahead of the new season commencing on 7 September.
The partnership will ensure racing fans can continue to experience uninterrupted access to high-quality Hong Kong racing content across Singapore, Malaysia and the wider Asia region. iRace readers and customers will have access to expert guides, results, tips and trusted analysis from one of the world’s premier racing jurisdictions.
Scott Bailey, Commercial Manager, iRace Media says:
“Hong Kong is a benchmark for racing globally; it’s fast, competitive and deeply followed throughout Asia. iRace has collaborated with the Hong Kong Jockey Club for many years now to deliver a trusted experience for racing enthusiasts, and we are thrilled to build on the accuracy, depth and speed that fans have come to expect.”
iRace Media’s extended partnership with the HKJC will explore new ways to enhance the racing experience through its digital platforms, offering real-time insights and driving fan engagement across the Asia region.
Get set for the new season by visiting the iRace website and register for free to access trusted editorial and data-driven racing coverage.
The post iRace Media extends partnership with The Hong Kong Jockey Club in Asia appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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SOFTSWISS Releases Gambling Regulation Directory for iGaming Operators
SOFTSWISS, a global tech provider with over 15 years of iGaming expertise, introduces its Gambling Regulation Directory, a new website section designed to help operators navigate the complex landscape of gambling laws worldwide.
The Gambling Regulation Directory provides a structured overview of the legal status of gambling across multiple countries, both land-based and online. With an interactive regulation table and map (coming soon), operators will gain a clear picture of where gambling is permitted, restricted, or prohibited, and evaluate the opportunities, risks, and compliance requirements for entering or expanding into specific markets.
The country profiles also highlight which activities are allowed or prohibited, outline available information on taxation, fees, and licensing terms, and outline key licence details such as duration and permitted activities. In addition, each profile indicates whether SOFTSWISS products are certified or aligned with local regulations, showing operators where SOFTSWISS solutions are ready for use, and underlining our experience and readiness to support them in these markets.
Practical Value for Industry Stakeholders
- Strategic Planning: A trusted reference point for evaluating opportunities and supporting informed decision-making.
- Efficiency: Centralised, up-to-date regulatory information saves time on research.
- Expert Oversight: SOFTSWISS specialists monitor developments to ensure the Directory reflects the latest licensing and legislative changes.
“At SOFTSWISS, we provide a trusted foundation for launching and growing iGaming brands. With the introduction of the Gambling Regulation Directory, we stay true to our goal of offering advanced solutions and empowering operators with the knowledge and insights they need to grow responsibly and sustainably in highly regulated markets. Building on this commitment, our certified software meets the requirements of multiple national regulators, enabling operators to confidently enter new markets with full compliance,” added Olga Resiga, Chief Business Development Officer at SOFTSWISS.
The iGaming Regulation Directory is an evolving resource. Not all country profiles are available yet, but the SOFTSWISS team is committed to updating the Directory regularly with new jurisdictions and the latest regulatory changes.
At SBC Lisbon 2025, Stand B160, visitors will have the opportunity to explore the new Gambling Regulation Directory and exchange views on industry trends with the SOFTSWISS Team.
About SOFTSWISS
SOFTSWISS is an international technology company with over 15 years of experience in developing innovative solutions for the iGaming industry. SOFTSWISS provides comprehensive software for managing iGaming projects. The company’s product portfolio includes the Casino Platform, the Game Aggregator with over 35,000 casino games, Affilka Affiliate Platform, the Sportsbook Platform and the Jackpot Aggregator. The expert team, based in Malta, Poland, and Georgia, counts over 2,000 employees.
The post SOFTSWISS Releases Gambling Regulation Directory for iGaming Operators appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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