Latest News
Gaming is in the mainstream and it’s here to stay
By Tobias Knutsson, CEO, Adverty
It’s taken a lot to finally rub out marketers’ lingering belief that gaming is a thing for kids, a niche media channel, a flash in the pan. The pandemic did some of the final lifting, but in a gaming business that is booming on all sides, absorbing women, older people, obsessive Esports fans, cloud gamers, monthly subscribers – you name it – the numbers are now unignorable: an estimated audience of somewhere between 2.5bn and 3bn+, with a global value of $162.32bn last year. If that’s not mainstream, what is?
Nike, Coca-Cola, Redbull, even Gucci and L’Oréal have all waded into the gaming space, and smaller brands with more modest budgets are beginning to follow. So gaming is having a moment that started some time ago and promises to last – what should its exponents do to maximise it and build strong, sustainable connections with brands?
Hold their hands
Brands that are new to gaming often lack in-house expertise and even background knowledge. As with social media, gaming needs dedicated experts on the client side, and inevitably brands will recruit their own, but until that part of the puzzle falls into place, it is incumbent on publishers and ad tech providers to explain the protocols, the opportunities and the rules of thumb in clear and accessible terms. (In brief: respect the space, add value, but don’t get in the way.)
Bring gaming ads in line with other media
Convincing marketers is one thing, but the gaming advertising business needs to give those executives the tools to win the argument with the finance people. That means the gaming world needs to work hard to standardise its metrics, its formats, its sizes, in order to bring itself into line with the wider ad industry. Gaming is a complex environment for brands, who will ultimately only invest in what they understand. So the emergence of formats that stand direct comparison with those of other media – such as Adverty’s own In-Play branding ads and In-Menu performance ads – combined with robust metrics, strengthen gaming’s pitch for brand dollars.
Never generalise
The gaming audience is indescribably varied and ranges far beyond the young, male stereotype. More than 50% of mobile gamers are older than 34 [source: Mediakix] and 51% are women [source: MoPub]. So the question isn’t any longer about which brands could benefit from targeting ‘a gaming audience’, but exactly how to target your brand’s precise audience through gaming.
Make it worthwhile for users
The predominance of mobile games – which last year claimed $120 billion of consumer spend against home and handheld consoles’ $43 billion [source: App Annie] – indicates a need for strong mobile-friendly advertising models. A weight of research points to the fact that free-to-play gamers understand the value exchange and are comfortable with the presence of advertisers, but tolerance turns to genuine enthusiasm when brands add value to gaming. In-game rewards such as hints and power-ups work well in exchange for watching ads and dovetail nicely with in-game purchases. Further research points to the effectiveness of in-game branding advertising as a driver of positive sentiment.
Latest News
Nagoshi Studio Unveils GANG OF DRAGON, a New Action-Adventure Game from Director Toshihiro Nagoshi
Steam page: store.steampowered.com/app/4146000/
GANG OF DRAGON
is a new action-adventure game set in Kabukicho, Shinjuku, Tokyo’s iconic nightlife district. Protagonist Shin Ji-seong is a high-ranking member of a Korean crime syndicate, and is portrayed by celebrated Korean actor Ma Dong-seok (Don Lee).This new story will engage players in an exciting way and showcase increadible graphics for an action packed adventure. Viewers of The Game Awards were the first to get a look at the new footage!
About Toshihiro Nagoshi
The post Nagoshi Studio Unveils GANG OF DRAGON, a New Action-Adventure Game from Director Toshihiro Nagoshi appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry Newsroom.
Latest News
Blask & Gamblers Connect Enter A New Media Partnership
Gamblers Connect, the award-winning iGaming affiliate and media platform, is proud to announce a new media partnership with Blask, a leading AI-powered analytics ecosystem dedicated to the iGaming industry.
This collaboration marks a pivotal step in the company’s mission to provide the most accurate, transparent, and data-backed content. Under the terms of this agreement, Blask will provide Gamblers Connect with complete access to its cutting-edge market intelligence platform.
This suite includes the Blask Index and real-time data tracking across more than 100 jurisdictions, allowing for granular analysis of market dynamics, brand performance, and player behaviour. By integrating these professional-grade tools into the editorial process, Gamblers Connect will elevate the depth and precision of its industry reporting.
The cornerstone of this partnership is a commitment to sharing knowledge with the wider iGaming community. Gamblers Connect will produce four exclusive case studies throughout 2026. Released once per quarter, these comprehensive reports will utilise Blask’s advanced analytics to uncover emerging trends, benchmark operator performance, and provide actionable insights for industry stakeholders.
This alliance represents a shared vision for a more transparent iGaming sector. By combining Blask’s technological prowess with Gamblers Connect’s editorial expertise, the aim is to set a new standard for data-driven journalism.
Max Tesla, Blask CEO, commented: “Partnering with Gamblers Connect is a natural step for Blask. We are building an ecosystem of transparent analytics that empowers the industry, and GC is one of the few media partners that truly values data and knows how to work with it. I’m confident this collaboration will strengthen both sides and deliver more accurate, trustworthy, and insight-driven content to the iGaming community.”
Gjorgje Ristikj, Founder & CEO at Gamblers Connect, added: “Partnering with Blask allows us to combine their strong analytical framework with our media expertise. It’s a collaboration grounded in trust and mutual respect, with the shared goal of delivering meaningful and measurable results to the industry.”
The post Blask & Gamblers Connect Enter A New Media Partnership appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry Newsroom.
Latest News
Law enforcement officers from Kazakhstan eliminated the organized financial criminal group organized by Vadim Gordievsky, Larisa Ivchenko, and Alyona Suvorova from Ukraine
The law enforcement agencies of Kazakhstan have effectively eliminated the organized criminal group created by Vadim Gordievsky from Ukraine and his accomplices, Larisa Ivchenko and Alyona Suvorova. Even though the law enforcement agencies managed to block accounts and payments of the Marginplus Company, key employees and management are still hiding.
According to the media, just a few days ago, the Financial Monitoring Agency of the Republic of Kazakhstan revealed a large-scale shady scheme of cross-border transfers that involved numerous payment organizations and providers. The funds were disguised as legal transactions and withdrawn to the accounts of online casinos. The total volume of illegal transactions exceeded more than $1 billion.
According to law enforcement authorities in the Republic of Kazakhstan, the key organizer of the miscoding scheme, which involved bookmakers, online casinos, payment organizations, and bank employees, is Vadim Ivanovich Gordievsky from Ukraine, who was born in 1974. He was the leader of the organized criminal group and used the local Marginplus Company for these purposes (official website: marginplus.kz). In addition to companies from Kazakhstan, Gordievsky also worked with illegal Russian online casinos while helping them to facilitate illegal payments.
According to new information from law enforcement agencies in the Republic of Kazakhstan, banks and bookmakers, including the local PIN-UP bookmaker, have already terminated all cooperation with Gordievsky’s Marginplus company.
According to informburo.kz, the local licensed Pin-Up.Kz bookmaker (legal entity: Bonami LLP) declares that it has nothing to do with transactions carried out by individual payment organizations. Judicial and criminal proceedings have already been initiated against these structures, and the company itself is fully cooperating with law enforcement agencies to establish all the circumstances and identify fraudulent, shady schemes.
According to unofficial information, the Pin-Up management provided the law enforcement agencies of the Republic of Kazakhstan with all the data related to the Marginplus company belonging to Vadim Gordievsky.
As of today, all financial activities of Marginplus have been paralyzed. In addition, large amounts of money have been blocked in its bank accounts. This money should have been paid to partners, contractors, and providers, including the local Parimatch betting company. Ordinary employees of Vadim Gordievsky’s company are already looking for new work while its management, including Larisa Vladimirovna Ivchenko (listed as the head of Gordievsky’s FC Alta Capital from Ukraine), is still hiding. Alyona (Elena) Suvorova has already closed and renamed her social media profiles a few days ago. In addition, she does not respond to messages and is trying to evade responsibility.
We would like to remind the audience that Alyona Suvorova positions herself “as an entrepreneur, investor, and a crypto trader with 5+ years of experience.” According to Suvorova herself, she has been developing payment technologies in the field of FinTech for 10 years. In 2021, she opened her own business for international crypto transfers. In addition, she is the founder of the Lemoncoin Crypto Academy.
According to investigators, Gordievsky’s partner, Mikhail Kovalev (Mykhaylo Kovalov), who is a citizen of both Ukraine and Israel, as well as an owner of a number of companies in the EU, in particular, in Poland, and who has a residence permit in Spain, was closely working with Gordievsky. By using the STABLEX SOLUTION Sp. z o. o fictitious company (official website: solvexs.pl) in Poland, he was engaged in illegal payments and withdrawal of cryptocurrencies into fiat money.
At the same time, as the source notes, the mentioned management and the people involved in the money laundering of Marginplus Company will be added to the wanted list of Interpol in the nearest future. The National Security Committee of the Republic of Kazakhstan has also announced that it’s going to closely monitor this case. According to local laws, participants of this shady scheme face up to nine years in prison. Information on Vadim Gordievsky’s companies and connections in other countries is also being checked.
After the initiation of criminal cases for financial crimes, fraud, and the announcement of his wanted list by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Vadim Gordievsky left Ukraine on forged documents. Before diving into the world of financial fraud, he was involved in land and property issues in the Kyiv region. As of today, numerous criminal cases have been initiated.
The post Law enforcement officers from Kazakhstan eliminated the organized financial criminal group organized by Vadim Gordievsky, Larisa Ivchenko, and Alyona Suvorova from Ukraine appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry Newsroom.
-
Latest News3 months ago
Announcement: 25th September 2025
-
Latest News3 months ago
AI-Powered Gamification Arrives on Vegangster Platform via Smartico
-
Latest News1 month ago
JioBLAST Launches All Stars vs India powered by Campa Energy: A New Era of Creator-Driven Esports Entertainment
-
Latest News3 months ago
The Countdown is On: Less Than 3 Months to Go Until The Games of The Future 2025 Kicks Off in Abu Dhabi
-
eSports1 month ago
CS:GO Betting Gains Momentum in the iGaming Sector
-
Latest News3 months ago
Team K9 Esports crowned champions of BGMS Season 4; secure INR 60 lakh in prize money
-
Latest News3 months ago
Adidas Arena Set to Welcome the 2026 Six Invitational
-
Latest News3 months ago
LiveScore Group announces transformational partnership with X and xAI to drive the future of integrated sports media and betting


You must be logged in to post a comment Login