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Gaming & iGaming trends for 2021


Gaming and iGaming industries exploded in 2020 as the pandemic has only reinforced the new edge entertainment trend. In times of massive uncertainty, the world turned to simulate reality games as a new way to connect and unwind.
According to Statista, today there are already more than 2.7 billion video gamers worldwide. The entire video gaming market is expected to be worth over $200 bln by 2023. As to iGaming, around 1.6 billion people gamble throughout the year, while the global online gambling market is anticipated to be valued at more than $92.9 bln by 2023.
Here we’re going to explore the impact of the pandemic in these domains, uncover new trends within the booming industries and learn what to expect for 2021.
Changes in the industries in the COVID times
Lloyd Richman, CEO of iBet Digital, thinks that since COVID-19 first hit, a lot of sportsbook bettors, who used to bet on a daily basis, started to look out for new things to bet on. “For sure, they were very unhappy, because almost all sports competitions had stopped at that moment. And this is why virtual sports have uplifted, as well as eSports”.
Lloyd briefly explained the difference between virtual sports and eSports.
“Virtual sports are predetermined or pre-recorded games architected by computer software. It’s very much a virtual video, that’s played out and then people can bet on that in real-time. Whereas in eSports people are competing against each other playing the likes of Counter-Strike or FIFA whether they’re playing individually or as teams. It’s streamed in real-time and viewers are able to bet on it the same way they do with sports.”
Will Mercer, venture director at Zag, a founder and CEO of Umaya Village, pointed out his favourite stats about eSports: “The entire of tennis as a sport can only support 300 full-time professional players, whereas League of Legends, which is just one of the many eSports, can support a thousand.”
At the end of 2020 Esports entertainment group acquired Lucky Dino for $30 mln, an online casino operator with its own proprietary casino platform. “You’ll probably see a lot more eSports levelling up with Sportsbook in 2021 because there’s a lot of money in that business”, says Lloyd Richman.
Poker also saw huge growth, in spite of the fact that just a few years ago, it was considered as a dying out product. Today poker products started to boom again across the whole industry. “People had time to kill while being stuck at home, sleeping patterns were changed and they were able to invest into things like 6-hours tournaments as opposed to quick Sit & Go games”, says Richman.
But all of this might change very quickly. “When poker was huge five years ago, eSports wasn’t really around. But today we’re seeing that virtual games are getting pushed a lot more. The same appeals to live casinos that boomed in the last few years. But all of it probably will go back into decline again, because the real sports are back”, noticed Lloyd.
From a technological perspective, there are several trends just coupling all together in an interesting way.
There’s a tremendous growth of the social media component in gaming. It became really important both in games and in-gaming infrastructure like Discord. “Gaming acts as the niche to hanging out and talking in comfort with your own communities and friends”, adds Vlad Beck, founder of Black Snow Games & co-founder of Sigma Software Group.
At the same time streaming has shown enormous growth compared to pre-pandemic. Twitch jumped from 9 billion hours watched in 2019 all the way to 17 billion in 2020. This is also accompanied by 5G getting up and running.
Casino in GTA V and the future of in-game experience
GTA V has sold over 110 million copies, making it one of the best-selling video games of all time, generating over $6 bln worth of revenue. In 2019 Rockstar released its Diamond Casino & Resort update, which lets players use real money to play its games. The casino’s chips can be purchased with in-game currency at a $1 to 1 chip ratio.
Richman believes that the full-time merging between online computer games and online casinos is happening right now. “It’s been happening, but very slowly. Rockstar released their Casino update six years after they released the original game.”
“In that week after they released the casino update, it was the most anticipated downloadable content (DLC) ever across PlayStation. They had more players playing GTA than they had in the previous six years”, emphasised Lloyd.
The audience wants to come on and play slots, walk up to blackjack people and watch virtual sports on horse racing. Rockstar merged into the casino and into gambling via creating slot games on an RPG computer game level. This is the accelerated change in gaming, and in the next 10-15 years merges like this are going to happen on a regular basis.

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Kaizen Foundation and UEFA Foundation for Children send strong message on inclusion through continued partnership
The Kaizen Foundation participates in UEFA Foundation for Children’s 10th Anniversary celebration, supporting amputee football and raising awareness about inclusion through sport. The partnership will expand into the summer through the “Legacy for the Future” project.
Kaizen Foundation, the Social Purpose Foundation funded exclusively by Kaizen Gaming, is announcing its participation in the 10th Anniversary celebrations of the UEFA Foundation for Children. During the celebrations, the Kaizen Foundation will be sponsoring a showcase match of two amputee teams with players from Greece, England and Poland at the Colovray Stadium in Nyon on April 28th at 15:30-16:45 CEST. This will be followed by a dedicated cup ceremony.
The focus of the celebrations – held in collaboration with the UEFA Foundation’s partners Football Is More and the European Amputee Football Federation – is inclusion in sports. The amputee football match offers a unique opportunity to witness the incredible spirit and talent of amputee athletes as they compete for the trophy. Highlighting the importance of inclusion in football, the game is guaranteed to captivate the audience and showcase football’s unifying power.
In addition, the Kaizen Foundation will be supporting a Conference on Inclusion to discuss football’s role in social responsibility and inclusion. Happening at the Chateau de Bossey, scheduled to take place earlier on the same day at 11.00 – 12.30 CEST, the conference will feature high-profile guests, including Prof. Dr. Jürgen Buschmann from the German Sports University of Cologne.
Kaizen Foundation and UEFA Foundation for Children expand their partnership into the “Legacy for the Future” project
Excitingly, the Kaizen Foundation is also announcing the expansion of its successful partnership with the UEFA Foundation for Children by supporting the “Legacy for the Future” project, aiming to leave a lasting legacy which fosters the empowerment of girls and women in countries from the UEFA participating national associations.
Within the framework of this partnership, Kaizen Foundation shall support initiatives undertaken by Τhe UEFA Foundation for Children across Portugal, Belgium, Germany and Denmark. The initiatives aim to empower girls and women to dismantle barriers in football and beyond, namely in education, legal rights and access to sport. Said initiatives will be associated with the respective women’s national teams, in order to enhance visibility and promote collective social responsibility.
This builds on the Kaizen Foundation’s inaugural partnership with the UEFA Foundation for Children to support the “10,000 Smiles” project, which provided 10,000 UEFA EURO 2024™ match tickets to associations working with vulnerable children. As part of the expansion of this partnership, Kaizen Foundation shall donate €300,000 to further aid the UEFA Foundation for Children’s aims and ambitions.
“It’s a great honour to be part of the UEFA Foundation for Children’s 10th Anniversary celebrations,” said Panos Konstantopoulos, President of the Kaizen Foundation. “By championing inclusion through the amputee match, we hope to inspire clubs and communities across Europe and the globe to take meaningful steps toward breaking down barriers. The UEFA Foundation for Children does extraordinary work, and we are thrilled to expand our partnership into the Legacy for the Future project, supporting local charities with the mission to dismantle barriers for girls in and out of sports. Our joint initiatives are a powerful reminder that nothing should stand in the way of what people can achieve, regardless of who they are or where they come from.”
“Football has an extraordinary power to bring everybody together. Partnering with organisations like the Kaizen Foundation is key to building a movement that drives real impact and leaves a lasting legacy,” said Carine N’koué, General Secretary of UEFA Foundation for Children. “Not only are we celebrating our 10th Anniversary together, but by deepening our collaboration with the Legacy for the Future project, we can continue to build on our mission to use the power of football to unite and bring joy to millions of disadvantaged children around the world.”
The post Kaizen Foundation and UEFA Foundation for Children send strong message on inclusion through continued partnership appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Fanatics Sportsbook Is the Fastest Growing Sportsbook in America – and Is Expanding Its FanCash and Fair Play Initiatives
Awarded $750k in FanCash last Week and Extended Fair Play Protection to First Half for NBA Playoffs |
Since its inception, Fanatics Sportsbook has been able to set itself apart from the competition with customer-first initiatives like FanCash Drops and Fair Play. Fanatics Sportsbook has expanded those efforts with the launch of the brand-new FanCash Drop game and an exclusive extension of the Fair Play policy from the first quarter to the first half for all games throughout the NBA Playoffs. Fanatics Sportsbook, now the fastest growing sportsbook in America*, recently debuted FanCash Drop, a new game giving customers the chance to win up to $10k in FanCash.** Last week, Fanatics Sportsbook awarded more than $750k in FanCash as part of the new FanCash Drop game. With 75% of sportsbook customers using FanCash and up to 10% of FanCash being redeemed each month on Fanatics.com and the Fanatics app, FanCash has become a major reason for customers to choose Fanatics Sportsbook. FanCash Drop will be available to sportsbook customers every Friday, and prizing will vary each week. Fanatics Sportsbook customers have enjoyed more than $6 million in winning payouts thanks to Fair Play since the start of the football season. Every year during the NBA playoffs, the game’s brightest stars rise to meet the moment, so it’s only fitting that Fanatics Sportsbook does the same, with an exclusive Fair Play protection extension from the first quarter to the first half for the entire NBA Playoffs. Fair Play will kick in whether it’s a straight, parlay or Same Game Parlay (SGP). In addition, Fanatics Sportsbook will introduce the Fair Play Hub in the app, where customers can track live player news and Fair Play payouts. Customers can download the Fanatics Sportsbook app on iOS and Android and for up to date news and information on Fair Play follow the Fanatics Sportsbook social channels on X @FanaticsBook and on Instagram @FanaticsSportsbook.
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Vixio’s Chief Analyst James Kilsby Honored As Silver Stevie® Award Winner In 2025 American Business Awards®
Vixio, a leading provider of regulatory intelligence solutions, is proud to announce that James Kilsby, Chief Analyst, has been named the winner of a Silver Stevie® Award in the Thought Leader of the Year – Business category in the 23rd Annual American Business Awards®. The American Business Awards are the United States’ premier business awards program.
Kilsby was honored for his impactful leadership in providing intelligence on regulatory and compliance trends affecting the global gambling industry, particularly in emerging markets like Brazil. In an industry where compliance monitoring is cumbersome, his analysis, forecasts, and deep expertise help take the complexity out of compliance. His work in 2024 included in-depth analysis of the new regulated Brazilian gambling market and the launch of Vixio’s Technical Compliance Tool.
Roseanne Spagnuolo, Chief Research & Data Officer, Vixio, said: “James’ contributions to the gambling industry and to Vixio are significant. Some of the world’s biggest brands trust Vixio to monitor regulatory developments affecting their licences and identify new market and product opportunities. James’ expertise, especially in emerging markets in the Americas such as Brazil, is a significant contributor to those efforts.”
“I’m deeply honored to receive this recognition from the American Business Awards,” said James Kilsby, Chief Analyst, Vixio. “This award is a reflection of the trust our clients place in us and the incredible team at Vixio that brings clarity to such a complex and fast-moving global industry. As jurisdictions like Brazil evolve, our mission remains the same: to empower organizations with the intelligence they need to navigate compliance challenges confidently and responsibly.”
Stevie® judges praised Kilsby’s clear and actionable insights in an often opaque industry. One judge said: “James Kilsby has demonstrated exceptional thought leadership in the gambling compliance sector. His deep expertise in gambling regulations, particularly in emerging markets like Brazil, has positioned him as a key industry voice. His contributions include high-impact research, frequent media appearances, and direct influence on product innovation, notably with Vixio’s Technical Compliance Tool.”
Another judge added: “The gambling industry is often an opaque field where it is hard to understand what is and what is not allowed. James’s ability to provide clarity in this area and use that to support compliance and responsible gambling are commendable.”
More than 3,600 nominations from organizations of all sizes and in virtually every industry were submitted this year for consideration in a wide range of categories.
“Organizations across the United States continue to demonstrate resilience and innovation,” said Stevie Awards president Maggie Miller. “The 2025 Stevie winners have helped drive that success through their innovation, persistence, and hard work. We congratulate all of the winners in the 2025 ABAs and look forward to celebrating their achievements during our June 10 gala event in New York.”
Nicknamed the Stevies for the Greek word meaning “crowned,” the awards will be presented to winners at a gala ceremony at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York on Tuesday, June 10.
Details about The American Business Awards and the list of 2025 Stevie winners are available at StevieAwards.com/ABA.
To learn more about simplifying compliance management with Vixio’s award-winning regulatory intelligence solutions, visit vixio.com.
The post Vixio’s Chief Analyst James Kilsby Honored As Silver Stevie® Award Winner In 2025 American Business Awards® appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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