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Exclusive interview with Rahul Sood, CEO and co-founder of Unikrn

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Exclusive interview with Rahul Sood, CEO and co-founder of UnikrnReading Time: 6 minutes

 

Rahul Sood is the CEO and co-founder of Unikrn, the world’s leading esportsbook innovator. He started his first company, the world’s first boutique PC manufacturer, is his teens and later sold it to HP. After leaving HP, he joined Microsoft as the founder and CEO or the startup incubation branch then-called Microsoft Ventures. Rahul is a long-time avid gamer and esports fan who also enjoys windsurfing in his spare time.

 

You mentioned about two “game-changing” products from Unikrn in your email. Could you tell us more about the products?

Rahul Sood: We have 3 singular experiences launching at Unikrn: Unikrn UMode, Unikrn Virtual Game and Unikrn Esportsbook’s Streamer Betting.

Unikrn UMode is the first online skill betting extension for matchmaking games such as Fortnite, League of Legends, Dota 2, Halo and Counter-Strike. Unlike peer-to-peer betting, UMode lets players bet on their normal online matchmaking without betting opponents because Unikrn sets the odds, which lets you bet anytime in fair games without any worries about sharks ruining your fun.

The Unikrn Virtual Game is a curated collection of exciting professional esports matches from the past which are randomly selected and played fresh. There’s a new round every minute, and fans can go to bet on esports without ever facing delays or content gaps, which is an amazing quality-of-life improvement for esports fans used to waiting between rounds, games and tournaments.

Unikrn’s Streamer Betting uses in-house odds-determining trader bots and advanced screen-reading technology to interpret games happening on stream and set odds in real time, even updating odds as matches advance. We’re excited for how this will let fans play along with streamers and improve the community thrill of wins. After all, betting is better as a social experience, and very little in gaming is more social than streaming in its prime!

 

How do you think these products would change the way the betting industry operates?

Rahul Sood: The betting industry is still behind the curve on the way esports opens interactivity, data fidelity and sheer volume. There’s never been a challenge in sports akin to trying to place reliable odds on streamers. There’s YEARS of content hours consumed from Twitch every second across thousands of channels. Besides Unikrn, the world of betting operators hasn’t begun to scratch the surface of what gamers and esports fans are making possible, whether that’s creating 24/7 skill-based betting, new ways to package esports around the clock or ways to bring people together to cheer on their favorite players.

You are aiming to introduce innovative technologies to betting that would disrupt the dominance of traditional booking houses. In fact, quite a few new companies have aimed to do this, and almost all of them have failed. What is the x-factor for your company, if there is any?

Rahul Sood: Unikrn is x-factor from surface to core. I think the biggest difference is our culture, Unikrn sits at the intersection of esports & video games, blockchain & cryptocurrency, and regulated gambling. As such we employ talented people from all over the world. Our COO, CFO, and CPO along with lead product people are based in Sydney. Our CTO and development teams are in Berlin, Croatia, and Poland. Head of Marketing and Content are in New York, we have content people in Las Vegas, and I’m in Seattle with our Chief of Staff. There’s no way in hell we could build such a company in one city, we required the best talent in all 3 areas. Unikrn is also a technology first company, whereas typical wagering companies are simply licensing software from other platforms.

Maybe most importantly, this isn’t hypothetical: Unikrn is launching multiple singular experiences designed for customers. While others are building wagering experiences around old titles that no one cares about, Unikrn is building wagering experiences around games people love to play. Our products are live and regulator-approved well ahead of our runway, and they’re being followed by many other innovations.

 

It’s almost two years since you launched your cryptocurrency token UnikoinGold, based on the Ethereum blockchain. Could you tell us more about its performance so far?

Rahul Sood: UnikoinGold has been a fantastic success, achieving everything it was set out to do and hitting most of its projected benchmarks at or ahead of schedule. The whole point of developing UnikoinGold was to give users the ability to use our platform and partner platforms without the delays and fees associated with using traditional banks. At its launch, UnikoinGold closed the largest-ever token sale in esports and gaming, and our partners have included major players in the crypto space because they’re impressed with the unprecedented utility UnikoinGold has brought to the broader crypto ecosystem. I think our biggest challenge is making our crypto more accessible and easier to use. We’re working hard on this, it’s one of the key pillars for 2019.

 

Unikrn is into its fifth year. The company has received excellent funding and financial back-up. But has the company really captured the public imagination as an esports venture? How do you look back at the last five years of Unikrn?

Rahul Sood: Unikrn is fortunate to have had several extremely successful acquisitions, partnerships and blockchain ventures — the truth is there’s a staggering and publicly invisible business-to-business problem solving portion of our operations. This is common in successful companies in the tech sector: Amazon, for example, makes more of its money on web services than any other division, but it’s a part of the company the public basically never sees.

Everybody at this company is proud of our success and our current place in the ecosystem, as well as optimistic about the future all the way to the horizon.

Being a legal and responsible operator requires diligence and time (working with regulators, governments, patent offices, partners and taking the time to develop proprietary technology can’t be rushed!). Our current user base has been completely won-over, and the next step is broader engagement with new fans.

So are we where we want to be? Of course not, we’ll never truly be satisfied, but believe me Unikrn of 2019 is far ahead of the Unikrn from 2014. We have plenty of work to do and lots of runway to get to where we’re going.

 

The USA is witnessing a revolution of sorts in the sports betting sector, following the US Supreme Court’s verdict on PASPA Act. What is your take on the future of sports betting in the USA and the role of Unikrn on it?

Rahul Sood: Unikrn is already live with Unikrn UMode in the majority of the United States, making us pretty much first in the door, and we are obviously supportive of states allowing responsible, regulated wagering to expand. Unikrn has well-established connections with land based casinos in Las Vegas, where our primary content team is based, and we expect the United States to be a growing market for us looking forward. I fully expect us to launch our sportsbook across the USA in partnership with some of the largest casino operators in the world.

 

You had held top positions at HP and Microsoft before founding Unikrn. How different are the mainstream software companies and the gaming and betting companies in terms of challenges, job profile and working environment?

Rahul Sood: Every job is different, but wagering companies bring with them an enormous responsibility to work in partnership with regulators and governments. This happens in any industry, but wagering rightfully brings it to another level. That said, there’s also a tremendous amount of crossover: software and gaming hardware companies are ultimately selling consumers an experience, and that’s exactly what Unikrn does.

We’re sitting at the intersection of three of the most blockbuster industries on earth, regulated gambling, esports & video games, and blockchain & cryptocurrency. It’s never easy, but nothing good comes without hard work.

You have been a serial entrepreneur, having started entrepreneurship from an unusually young age. You have also worked with a number of startups while you were a General Manager at Microsoft Ventures. What is the one thing that separates successful startups from the failures? And what is your advice to startup founders and wannabe founders?

Rahul Sood: Great startups understand that a brand is nothing without 4 key components. An incredible product that people love, a strong team culture made of the smartest and most talented people who eat breath and sleep your mission, a thriving community of fans and evangelists, and most of all strong leadership and patience. All of these components become the foundation of your brand, which if applied correctly becomes a living breathing entity. Most people miss the community part, can you imagine Telsa, OnePlus, or Apple without a community? They’d be like nowhere!

 

Finally, on a lighter note, it is written on your Wikipedia page that “Sood first took an interest in computers at the age of 11, having disassembled and painted his first computer—an Apple IIc—before even turning it on”. Did it really happen? And did you disassemble your first gaming device as well!? Do share an interesting anecdote to conclude the interview.

Rahul Sood: It absolutely happened, and I had successfully founded my boutique computer manufacturer, VoodooPC, just a few years later. I went on to sell that brand to HP. I guess everything that I’ve ever involved myself with is something I truly care about, for without that I don’t think I’d be anywhere near where I am today.


Source: Latest News on European Gaming Media Network
This is a Syndicated News piece. Photo credits or photo sources can be found on the source article: Exclusive interview with Rahul Sood, CEO and co-founder of Unikrn

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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Stakelogic Live Casino Launches in Switzerland with 7melons.ch Deal

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Industry-leading content provider makes Swiss live casino debut with 7melons.ch

Swiss live casino enthusiasts will get their first taste of Stakelogic Live’s casino content thanks to an exciting new partnership with 7melons.ch.

Players at 7melons.ch will have full access to Stakelogic Live’s innovative live casino portfolio, which includes groundbreaking titles like Blackjack and Super Stake Blackjack and different Roulette types.

Stakelogic’s live casino output sets a gold standard within the industry. Games are broadcast live from purpose-built studios in Malta and the Netherlands using cutting-edge, high-definition streaming technology, ensuring a unique and immersive experience for players.

The developer already has a strong presence in Switzerland, with its slot selection enjoyed by players at several top casinos. This new strategic partnership with 7melons.ch, a hugely respected casino in the country, will allow it to introduce its live casino offering and cement its position as a must-have developer.

Neil Tanti, Senior Sales Manager at Stakelogic, said: Swiss players have always loved our slot content, and we decided now was the perfect time to introduce our live casino games to the country. 7melons.ch is renowned for its player-centric approach and brilliant platform, which makes it the ideal partner to work alongside for our live casino debut.

Players in Switzerland demand the best from their online casino experience, and our industry-leading software and creative approach to live casinos will fulfill this need.

Gerald Fineder, Head of Online Gaming at 7melons.ch, said: We have long been admirers of Stakelogic’s live casino output, and we can not wait to introduce it to our players. Live casino is a huge vertical for us, and we strive to offer our players the best of the best. Working alongside partners like Stakelogic Live, ensures we achieve this.

The post Stakelogic Live Casino Launches in Switzerland with 7melons.ch Deal appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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TapNation Fuses Mobile and Web3 with Industry Titans Arbitrum and Sequence

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In a ground-breaking move, TapNation, a leading mobile gaming publisher, announces its integration with giants Arbitrum and Sequence, bringing gold-standard blockchain technology to Monster Squad Rush and Cornhole League.

A Pioneering Step Into the Future of Mobile Gaming

Leading mobile publisher, TapNation is excited to announce a new integration with trailblazers Arbitrum and Sequence. This marks a significant milestone in TapNation’s journey, integrating Web3 features into two of its popular games, Monster Squad Rush and Cornhole League. This initiative underlines TapNation’s commitment to being at the forefront of the Web3 revolution in mobile gaming.

Following successful collaborations with The Sandbox and Immutable, TapNation continues to expand its Web3 commitment, showcasing its dedication to pioneering the integration of blockchain technologies in mobile gaming. The inclusion of Web3 features in Monster Squad Rush and Cornhole League not only enhances the gaming experience but also sets a new standard for innovation in the industry.

Integrating Web3 for Enhanced Gaming Experiences

TapNation, Arbitrum and Sequence are leveraging the unique capabilities of blockchain technology to offer gamers an unprecedented level of engagement and rewards. By integrating Web3 features into these games, players will have the opportunity to earn real-world assets through their gaming achievements, a move that is expected to revolutionize player engagement, growth and retention.

“By working with Arbitrum and Sequence, we’re not just integrating Web3 into our games, we are redefining what mobile gaming can be,” the Web3 Head for TapNation, Philippe Lenormand, said. “This collaboration is a testament to our commitment to innovation and our belief in the potential of Web3 to transform the gaming landscape.”

Sequence is renowned for its seamless, secure and cutting-edge solutions in Web3 gaming technology. As the leading developer platform to integrate Web3 into games, Sequence equips TapNation with the essential infrastructure required to effortlessly blend blockchain technology into its gaming experiences. This integration makes the unique benefits of TapNation’s strategy effortlessly accessible to players. Arbitrum, on the other hand, provides a high throughput and low cost blockchain that is leading the way with games studios like TapNation, who is looking to bring seamless Web3 experiences to the broader gaming audience.

A Future Focused on Seamless Integrations and Innovation

TapNation’s venture into Web3 gaming represents just the beginning of its plans to integrate blockchain technology across its portfolio. The company is dedicated to exploring new ways to enhance gaming experiences through Web3 elements, aiming to set new benchmarks for innovation and player satisfaction in the mobile gaming industry.

“We’re thrilled to collaborate with TapNation and bring the benefits of Web3 to a wider audience through Monster Squad Rush and Cornhole League,” the Head of Strategy and Partnerships for Sequence, Sam Barberie, said. “This partnership is a significant step forward in our mission to make blockchain technology accessible and enjoyable for everyone and TapNation’s proven success as a developer and publisher matches perfectly with our goals.”

“It is fantastic to see a leading games studio like TapNation adopt Web3 features with the view to enhance player experience in two of their leading products,” the Senior Gaming Partnerships Manager for Offchain Labs, David Bolger, said. “The combination of Sequence and Arbitrum will ensure this integration is seamless for the large audience that TapNation captivates.”

The post TapNation Fuses Mobile and Web3 with Industry Titans Arbitrum and Sequence appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Sportradar and Oddin.gg ink AV betting agreement to elevate and expand esports reach

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Sportradar and Oddin.gg, an award-winning B2B betting-solutions provider for esports, today announced they have entered into a multi-year strategic partnership to offer audiovisual streaming of Oddin’s exclusive esports content to Sportradar’s betting operator clients around the world.

The deal will support Oddin.gg’s growth ambitions in the expanding global esports market, whose betting turnover was estimated to be €83 billion in 2023. It will extend the reach of Oddin.gg’s official competition content by leveraging Sportradar’s market leading position as an AV betting provider.

Sportradar’s global network of 900+ betting operator clients will benefit from the opportunity to offer greater volume and a wider variety of live streamed esports events to their customers, increasing opportunities for engagement with existing and new betting markets. The partnership also paves the way for future collaboration in other areas.

Oddin.gg holds the official rights to high-profile competitions including the newly released Counter Strike 2 (CS2) which Sportradar will distribute to sportsbooks through the company’s integrated streaming product, providing access to prominent competitions globally and enabling operators to offer exciting new content to their customers.

A number of prestigious competitions are featured in the partnership, including:

• PGL Copenhagen Major 2024, the first Major for the newly released Counter Strike 2;
• Dacha DOTA2 Qualifiers and Main Events;
• Dacha Counter Strike 2 Qualifiers and Main Events;
• Tipsport MCR 2024.

Patrick Mostboeck, SVP Fan Engagement, Sportradar said: “This agreement further strengthens Sportradar’s esports offering while supporting Oddin.gg in realising their growth plans through AV streaming for betting. Sportradar’s ultra-low latency audiovisual outputs, as well as our comprehensive Live Odds and real-time trading solutions, provide betting operators with the critical materials they need to commercialise the global, highly engaged esports fan base.”

Vlastimil Venclik, CEO and co-founder of Oddin.gg shared: “As the forefront innovator in the esports betting sector, Oddin.gg is embarking on a journey by aligning with Sportradar, a leader in the realm of sports data and content distribution. This partnership is not just a collaboration but a combination of distinct strengths, where Sportradar’s extensive and sophisticated video distribution capabilities are set to be the vehicle for our unparalleled esports odds and analytical insights. This strategic alliance aims to harness the best of both worlds, merging our profound expertise and nuanced understanding of the esports betting market with Sportradar’s wide-reaching video distribution.”

The post Sportradar and Oddin.gg ink AV betting agreement to elevate and expand esports reach appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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