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UK betting technology supplier 20SHOTS accelerate funding with £400,000 raise at £5m valuation

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Animal Capital, US Gen-Z focused Venture Capital fund, invest in fantasy sports technology platform

  • 20SHOTS have geared up for the new football season in the UK by securing additional investment in a second funding round, including securing the backing of US VC Animal Capital

  • New season will see new product rollout for popular Fantasy5 free-to-play fantasy football game, covering Champions League, Europa League and other European top flights

  • Current growth trajectory sees Fantasy5 on course to recruit half a million players this season

 

20SHOTS, the UK technology supplier behind fast-growing free-to-play fantasy football game Fantasy5, have secured an additional £400,000 of investment at a £5 million valuation, with backers including Gen-Z focused US Venture Capital fund Animal Capital.

The American fund that counts social media stars Josh Richards, Griffin Johnson and Noah Beck focus on products that reach a new generation of customers. They invested an undisclosed sum in 20SHOTS for the new football season, which will see the platform roll out its largest range of products added to its Fantasy5 game to date.

Fantasy5’s Premier League product will be supplemented with additional games covering the Champions League, Europa League and other European top flights, using the unique points system developed in-house on a proprietary basis by parent company 20SHOTS.

20SHOTS’ own risk management system and algorithmic trading software, anaylses and manages fantasy football-style points predictions for a range of competitions.

The roll out of additional leagues coupled with Fantasy5’s existing growth – bolstered last season by the recruitment of BoyleSports as its first tier one UK & Ireland bookmaker partner – keeps the game on course to break the 500,000 player mark.

Prizes for the additional leagues will remain at the standard £10,000 mark, as offered to Premier League players, and offer partners an increase in engagement and retention. 83% of players who played in the last four rounds last season have made an entry in the first two weeks.

The investment in Fantasy5 also comes in advance of the Government’s highly-anticipated White Paper review of the gambling industry, which is likely to see traditional marketing practices come under scrutiny, creating additional need for operators to

Jacob Kalms, co-founder and CEO of 20SHOTS said: “We’re pleased to welcome Animal Capital as investors as part of our most recent founding round which has raised £400,000 in capital.

“As demand grows in the ultra-competitive free-to-play space, we’re investing our our ability to quickly and seamlessly roll out products and games on a white label basis for a number of different partners across multiple divisions and competitions – with the ultimate objective of using the technology seamlessly across the most popular sports worldwide.

“Our growth model forecasts we will break the half a million player mark this season, with our scaling driving down the cost of acquisition for partners whilst maintaining our engagement, dwell and retention rates considerably above industry averages.

He added: “Operators should also be considering how free-to-play and softer marketing funnels like those offered by games like Fantasy5 will help them navigate any changes thrust upon them by the upcoming gambling review. Whilst our audience is ultimately commercially valuable to any operator or affiliate, Fantasy5 remains a sustainable way to build a loyal audience over time.”

Marshall Sandman, Managing Partner of Animal Capital said: “”In a crowded market of fantasy, free to play, and pay-to-play sports betting, 20Shots distinguishes itself with a best in class team and direction that has allowed the product to stand out distinctly and early.

“Their flagship game Fantasy5 is an early hit, their B2B relationships are uniquely positioned to make this an exciting asset and their ability to resonate and be sticky with a younger audience are all reasons why we were excited to be on the journey.

“Jacob the CEO and his team have conviction and direction, and they will continue to prove why they deserve to be big fish in this pond!” Marshall Sandman, Managing Partner of Animal Capital

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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PLAY VENOM FEVER SATELLITES AND UNLOCK THE VENOM VAULT TO WIN YOUR SEAT TO ACR POKER’S $12 MILLION GTD VENOM EVENTS

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ACR Poker is launching two massive Venom tournaments this spring, featuring $12 million in total guarantees. And now, through the Venom Fever Satellites and the Venom Vault, players have multiple opportunities to lock in their $2,650 Venom seats for less, or even free.

“Whether you’re looking to become our latest millionaire in the NLH Venom or want to play in one of the biggest PLO tourneys around, our Venom Vault and Venom Fever promotions offer every player a real shot at securing a $2,650 Venom ticket to compete for life-changing prizes,” said ACR Pro Chris Moneymaker.

From Monday, March 24th to Sunday, April 27th, the Venom Fever Satellites are awarding over 1,000 total seats to the $10 million GTD NLH and $2 million GTD PLO Venom events, both beginning on Sunday, April 13th.

Players can qualify through various satellite options, with buy-ins starting as low as $0, making entry to the Dual Venoms even more accessible. ACR Poker’s $95 buy-in Beast Tournament takes place on Sunday, March 30th and April 6th, 13th and 20th at 5:05pm ET—with 120 total NLH Venom seats up for grabs. Players who climb the weekly Beast leaderboard can even qualify for free.

Through Venom Madness Satellites, starting on Tuesday, April 1st, players can win their $2,650 ticket for just $16.50, with 20 total NLH Venom seats guaranteed. In addition, Mega Satellites will guarantee 372 NLH Venom Seats and 30 PLO Venom seats, with pathways starting as low as $0. Daily direct satellites will also award 445 seats to the NLH Venom, with buy-ins starting at $33, and 48 seats for the PLO Venom with buy-ins starting at $207.50.

Along with Venom Fever Satellites, players can unlock a coveted $2,650 Venom seat for free, plus Survivor Flips Step tickets, through ACR Poker’s Venom Vault. Every player has already received a free key to unlock their first Venom Vault, and additional keys can be earned by completing fun challenges or by purchasing for just $2.99 or 300 Combat Points each. Each unlocked Venom Vault could lead to a free entry into one of online poker’s biggest tournaments.

Moneymaker also added that players can easily access the Venom Vault directly from the ACR Poker client to track their prizes, manage and redeem keys, and purchase extra keys.

For full details on the Venom Fever Satellites, the Venom Vault promotion, and the full Venom schedule, visit ACRPoker.eu.

 

The post PLAY VENOM FEVER SATELLITES AND UNLOCK THE VENOM VAULT TO WIN YOUR SEAT TO ACR POKER’S $12 MILLION GTD VENOM EVENTS appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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FLAMINGO CASINO IN MEXICO ADDS CONCEPT TO ITS ENTERTAINMENT OFFERING

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Casino Flamingo, owned by Grupo Euromex in Culiacán, has enhanced its gaming floor with Zitro’s CONCEPT cabinet line and new games such as Legendary Sword and Triple Charm Journey.

CONCEPT, now featured in this important Mexican group’s casino, stands out for its Magic Lighting system, which provides a spectacle of lights synchronized with the game, and for its impressive Screen Deck giant, designed to improve the experience for both players and the operations team, among other features that are making it a worldwide success.

Among the new titles players can enjoy is Legendary Sword, a medieval-themed multi-game that offers an immersive experience with its 6×5 reel. This game includes innovative features such as “Honor,” which multiplies prizes; “Glory,” which grants additional spins; and “Magic Sword,” which doubles the prizes in its column. In addition, Triple Charm Journey is presented with exciting mechanics such as “Rise,” which increases winnings with each spin; “Collect,” which accumulates the values of the Link symbols; and “Enigma,” which multiplies its value along with some Link symbols on the screen.

Alberto Charlan, Grupo Euromex’s CFO, highlighted: “The incorporation of CONCEPT reinforces our commitment to innovation in entertainment, offering our clients a unique and quality experience that only Zitro can offer. We are very happy with this new addition and are confident that it will be a resounding success.”

For his part, Johnny Viveiros Ortiz, founder of Zitro, added: “We are proud to see how CONCEPT continues to transform the player experience in Grupo Euromex casinos, and we appreciate their commitment to Zitro once again to bring a new gaming concept, this time to Casino Flamingo.”

 

The post FLAMINGO CASINO IN MEXICO ADDS CONCEPT TO ITS ENTERTAINMENT OFFERING appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Gaming industry earns Php410 B despite POGO ban – PAGCOR

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Despite the implemented ban on Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations (POGO), the gaming industry in the country continues to boom, according to Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) Chairman and CEO Alejandro H. Tengco.

In his keynote address at the ASEAN Gaming Summit in Manila, Tengco said the country’s Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR) will rise to Php410 billion in 2024, up 25% from the Php329 billion GGR in 2023.

“As offshore gaming exits, PAGCOR recognizes that the future of Philippine gaming will continue to become more technology-driven,” he said. “This is why PAGCOR will continue to closely regulate electronic gaming while ensuring strict oversight to combat illegal operators.”

The PAGCOR chairman emphasized that while land-based casinos contributed Php201 billion—almost half of the total GGR in 2024—revenue from the E-Games and E-Bingo sector grew significantly, grossing Php154.51 billion, 165% higher than in 2023.

“We partly attribute the strong performance of the local gaming industry to the strategic policy adjustments that we have implemented, such as the gradual reduction of fee rates for E-Games since 2023,” Tengco’s explanation.

He said that in 2023, PAGCOR was charging 50% to 55% license fees which was an obstacle to the increase in operators. “But effective January 1, 2025, our fee rates for E-Games stand at only 30% of GGR,” he added.

As a result, more operators have come under regulation, voluntary closures of businesses have been avoided, and the profits of licensed companies have been maintained. Also as a result of the said reforms, the E-Games sector reached its target of Php100 billion in GGR revenue as early as September 2024. Tengco also mentioned PAGCOR’s focus on more intensified “responsible gaming programs” to promote a “more sustainable and ethical gaming industry.”

“We wish to assure our industry stakeholders that even as we strive for greater success, responsible gaming and market integrity will continue to be at the heart of our efforts,” Tengco said.

The PAGCOR chief is also fully confident in the direction of the industry.

“The best days of Philippine gaming are still ahead of us, and we look forward to working with all of you to shape what comes next,” he said.

The ASEAN Gaming Summit, organized by Asian Gaming Brief, serves as a platform for industry leaders to discuss trends, challenges and new opportunities in the region’s gaming landscape.

Translated article.

 

The post Gaming industry earns Php410 B despite POGO ban – PAGCOR appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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