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Top Sports Betting Moments of 2023 from Betano and Stoiximan by Kaizen Gaming
Real Madrid leads as most popular team in betting
Premier League pays out highest winnings
Over 11x more bets on the Saudi Pro League after Ronaldo’s transfer
2023 was a year of many ‘firsts’. For the first time ever, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo played club football outside Europe. Manchester City won its first and long-awaited Champions League trophy. Fluminense took its first taste of a Copa Libertadores triumph. The Spanish national team won its first World Cup in women’s football. And in the NBA, the Denver Nuggets secured its first NBA championship.
Kaizen Gaming, one of the biggest gametech companies in the world, sheds a different light on the events, teams and stories that stole the show in 2023 through data gathered from its sports betting platforms, Betano and Stoiximan, from 13 countries across four continents.
Across all markets, Premier League fixtures and Champions League matches featuring English clubs proved popular among bettors, as did local teams. Various Manchester City fixtures were in the top five betting events across many regions including its June match against Inter Milan in Greece, Cyprus and Czechia and its February RB Leipzig and its May Real Madrid matches in Bulgaria. Similarly, the Citizens’ December match against Everton and November game against Chelsea ranked as two of the top betting choices among Nigerian punters.
In Germany, most bets were placed on November’s match between FC Bayern Munchen and FC Copenhagen followed by November’s FSV Mainz 05 versus RB Leipzig game. In Brazil, November’s Flamengo RJ versus Palmeiras SP came out ahead.
Two Bizarre Stories from Liverpool
On May 28 in Southampton versus Liverpool, Betano and Stoiximan players were paid out regardless of the result they had bet on for two reasons: a special Kaizen Gaming offer paying players when the team they bet on gets a two-goal lead and a crazy scoreboard that saw both teams getting such a lead and ended in a 4-4 draw.
On September 30 in Tottenham vs Liverpool (2-1), a clearly wrong VAR call led to the cancellation of a goal by Luis Diaz as offside. Nonetheless, Kaizen Gaming decided to reward the players who placed a bet on Luis Diaz to score.
What else stood out from a gaming perspective in all markets where Kaizen operates?
Real Madrid Reigns Supreme
In 2023, Real Madrid didn’t manage to defend its 2022 Champions League and La Liga titles. Still, the Copa del Rey winners were the most popular team among bettors. The team that won it all, Manchester City, just fell short this time, being the second most betted club with Liverpool in third place.
In basketball, even though the Miami Heat lost the NBA finals to the Denver Nuggets, it was ‘crowned’ the most popular team in betting with its rivals in second place. The Milwaukee Bucks, starring Betano global ambassador Giannis Antetokounmpo, came third.
A Truly Celebratory Boxing Day
Boxing Day’s Premier League matches seemed to be the best time to bet in 2023. That day’s match between Everton and Manchester City (1-3) shared the most winnings to Kaizen’s customers in 2023. Placed second was Chelsea versus Crystal Palace (2-1) for the same Premier League fixture on December 27. Ranked third was Liverpool versus Real Madrid (2-5) for the Champions League Round of 16.
As for the matches where players placed the most bets, in Europe the winner is the second leg Champions League quarter final 1-1 draw between Napoli and AC Milan. Surprisingly, the Champions League final between Manchester City and Inter (1-0) was just third. In South America, the most popular match was Cruzeiro versus Palmeiras (1-1) in the last fixture of the Brazilian Serie A, where Palmeiras were crowned Brazilian champions.
The Ronaldo and Messi Effect
After Cristiano Ronaldo’s transfer to Al Nassr, a lot of top names such as Neymar, Benzema and Kante, decided to make the move to the Saudi Pro League in what journalists and fans describe as ‘the Ronaldo Effect’. ‘The Ronaldo Effect’ extends to betting too, as his transfer increased bettors’ interest in the league by more than 1,000%. As for Messi’s transfer to Inter Miami, 25% of all Inter Miami relevant bets are on ‘Messi to score’.
2024 a Thrilling Year in Sports
At the end of 2023, Kaizen Gaming announced that its Betano brand has signed on as an Official Global Sponsor of UEFA Euro 2024 with its Stoiximan brand serving as official sponsor of the upcoming Euro for Greece and Cyprus. With the Paris Olympic Games and other major sporting events like Copa America and Africa Cup of Nations, 2024 is set out to be an all around thrilling year in sports gaming.
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SolutionsHub opens Dublin office to support iGaming clients entering new €8bn market
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Expansion comes as Ireland rolls out new gambling regulatory framework, with industry valued at over €8 billion annually
SolutionsHub, a trusted provider of regulatory and operational solutions for the iGaming sector, has announced the opening of a new office in Dublin to support clients entering the Irish market as the country implements its new gambling regime.
The Gambling Regulation Act 2024, which established the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI) earlier this year, represents the most significant change to gambling oversight in the country in decades. Full licensing enforcement is scheduled for mid-2026, transforming a market currently valued at more than €8 billion annually and positioning Ireland as one of Europe’s most closely watched iGaming jurisdictions.
SolutionsHub’s new Dublin office provides a local base to assist existing clients and international operators seeking Irish or wider EU licences, positioning the firm at the centre of one of the world’s most dynamic technology and financial services hubs.
As part of the application process, the GRAI will conduct a risk-based review of the applicant’s suitability. Applicants must demonstrate sound governance practices, financial health, and compliance frameworks, such as anti-money laundering, responsible gambling, and risk management. Additional requirements include disclosures of beneficial ownership, tax clearance, any criminal history and/or previous regulatory action. SolutionHub’s presence will bolster all operator applications with in-the-market guidance and support.
“With the Gambling Regulation Act now in effect and enforcement deadlines approaching, demand for expert support is at an all-time high,” said Lee Hills, CEO of SolutionsHub.
“Several of our clients are already preparing to apply for Irish licences, and our new Dublin office ensures they have direct, on-the-ground guidance to meet the requirements and enter the market with confidence.”
SolutionsHub is recognised for securing first-of-their-kind approvals in iGaming, fintech, and blockchain, and for guiding companies through complex regulatory lifecycles in multiple jurisdictions. Unlike traditional consultants, the firm supports clients from initial licence applications through to long-term compliance and operational success.
“Dublin is already a global centre for technology and financial services, and Ireland is now set to become one of Europe’s most important regulated iGaming markets,” said James O’Kelly, Head of Corporate Development at SolutionsHub. “By establishing a permanent base here, we can work more closely with clients and partners, while also building our local team to support long-term growth, innovation and job creation under Ireland’s new gambling framework.”
SolutionsHub continues to be a trusted authority in licensing, compliance, and operational support. The firm’s Irish office positions it at the forefront of a new era for the country’s gambling sector, helping operators capitalise on growth opportunities while ensuring robust compliance.
The post SolutionsHub opens Dublin office to support iGaming clients entering new €8bn market appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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C-Suite Product Engineering Appointment at Bede Gaming
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Bede Gaming has announced a new leader in its Executive team with the appointment of Andrew Humphreys as Chief Product Engineering Officer.
Humphreys brings 16 years of experience in software engineering, with specialised expertise in end-to-end solutions and player experience. With a valuable customer-minded technical perspective, this addition to the platform provider’s seniormost team demonstrates a dedication to innovative UX in Bede’s product strategy.
An internal promotion, Humphreys climbed the ranks at Bede from a front-end developer and solution architect, progressing on through several positions of leadership and making a significant contribution to many of Bede’s key achievements along the way. As one of its longstanding employees, Humphreys has grown professionally with Bede, influencing its long-term strategic direction and witnessing firsthand the company’s transformational growth from start-up to a market-leading, international full-service platform provider.
Most recently, as Head of Product Engineering and a core member of the company’s senior leadership, Humphreys has led on product and technical solutions for customer projects, forward-thinking roadmap development, and introducing a performance-focused development culture throughout Bede’s product engineering teams.
This experience and tenure within Bede’s engineering department have positioned Humphreys for the newly created C-level position, in which he will retain responsibility for the continued delivery of high-quality products and features for the platform, including player account management, player engagement and front-end web & app.
“I’m thrilled to welcome Andrew to the Executive team. He has already demonstrated exemplary leadership and strategic thinking in managing our product development workstreams,” said Colin Cole-Johnson, Bede Chief Executive Officer. “Andrew has a keen eye for measurement, optimisation and continuous improvement that I’m sure will take our product engineering functions from strength to strength.”
“This promotion is an exciting step forward in my career, and one of many highlights that I have enjoyed during my time at Bede. As an engineering leader, I aspire to bridge the gap between our customers and our development teams. By fostering these relationships, we have delivered cross-functional, end-to-end solutions to an exceptional standard. I’m passionate about what we’ve built so far at Bede, and I’m excited to continue innovating with such a talented, dedicated team. I couldn’t see myself working anywhere else.” Humphreys said.
The introduction of the new Product Engineering C-Suite position comes as Bede’s Chief Operating Officer Paul Dinning announces his retirement at the end of 2025, after 9 years with the company.
The post C-Suite Product Engineering Appointment at Bede Gaming appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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iGaming Wise Officially Rebrands to Wise Connections
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Following two years operating as iGaming Wise, and more than three years previously as Affluck, the company is entering a new chapter under its new name: Wise Connections.
The rebrand reflects the company’s continued evolution and its commitment to delivering clear value, stronger matchmaking, and more direct, effective connections for partners across the iGaming sector.
Wise Connections is built on a simple idea: quality beats quantity. Instead of pushing generic introductions or relying on outdated directories, the platform focuses on personal, vetted, and direct connections. Every introduction is made manually through trusted channels like Telegram, LinkedIn, or email, ensuring that both sides meet with full context, purpose, and confidence.
The core services remain the same: Marketing & PR, Consulting, Affiliate Management, but they are now tied together under a stronger single identity. And the biggest focus moving forward is the B2B Matchmaking, which has already proven to be one of the most effective ways to help operators, providers, affiliates, and service companies expand into the right markets.
Founder & CEO Gjorgje Ristikj describes the change as a natural step in the company’s growth: “We wanted a name that reflects what we really do. We connect companies with people who matter, and we do it the right way, personally, transparently, and with purpose.”
Wise Connections is not just a new name, it’s a clearer direction. A more structured approach. And a stronger commitment to building long-term partnerships that actually move businesses forward.
The post iGaming Wise Officially Rebrands to Wise Connections appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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