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Connor Williams: ‘iGB L!VE is critical in encouraging more collaboration, challenging tired thinking, and charting a path forward for the industry.’
Connor Williams has been a director at Velo Capital Partners for more than 6 years, managing over 35 portfolio companies including the likes of Oddin, WinZO, and Novig.
His core thematic focuses include next gen casino content, B2C regulatory arbitrage, and the ‘gamblification” of mass market sectors such as video gaming and finance. He explains why Pitch iGB is critical to the industry, the impact of over-regulation on innovation and the importance of keeping a ‘fresh mind’.
You are part of the judging panel for Pitch iGB – how important do you think it is for the industry to come together and support new entrepreneurial businesses?
CW: The Pitch iGB competition is one of the key routes to democratising startup investing in the sector which is critical in unearthing new and disruptive businesses. This is even more critical to developed regions like the UK where innovation opportunities can be overlooked in the service of “safe and consistent”.
What are you looking for in terms of entries – what constitutes a winning submission?
CW: As a VC investor we target outsized returns on our investment for the early stage risk that we take. This means a winning submission needs to be swinging for the fences in terms of both scalability and disruption. Product is currently quite stale, user experience is far from being optimised, and over-regulation is stymying the incumbents and that’s where the opportunity lies.
In your experience how difficult is it for iGaming businesses to secure funding from the mainstream banking sector?
CW: The banking sector is risk constrained from a number of different angles and this is important to understand in the context of available funding for iGaming. That being said, the fintech sector at large is very keen to engage more with our sector, especially around payments. External funding in iGaming in general is more difficult to obtain, this holds true for listed businesses as well as startups, partially due to structural restrictions within the finance sector and partly due to a history of several bad actors on the operator side that the industry has yet to overcome. I think this challenge represents a specific opportunity for in-sector speciality lending not dissimilar to user acquisition financing businesses in the consumer and video gaming sectors.
How does the event contribute to the health of the industry: what do businesses gain from participating in iGB L!VE?
CW: Our sector is one that has historically been a bit disconnected, particularly at the large operator and supplier level. These events are critical in encouraging more collaboration, challenging tired thinking, and charting a path forward for the industry that (in my view) eventually needs to lead to the mass market the way the likes of online consumer and fintech businesses have. In order to achieve this the industry needs to be able to demonstrate that tech is now at a place where players can be almost completely insulated from player harm; and operators need to finally embrace this as the days of high staking whales (in regulated markets like the UK) are clearly coming to an end.
How would you describe the iGB L!VE experience – what does it deliver?
CW: iGB is like a cheat-sheet for all the latest happenings in the gaming sector, it’s an amazing opportunity to catch up with colleagues and meet new players in the market. In addition, one gets the latest insights of the industry’s thought leaders that you won’t get without travelling outside of the country.
In your view what are the main trends and technologies impacting the industry and that will be evident on the iGB L!VE show floor?
CW: The industry is currently reeling from a combination of over-regulation and over-taxation. This has lead to two predominant trends in regulated markets: a decisive shift to the black market and the rise of crypto solutions (the two not being wholly mutually exclusive). B2B tech is largely solved at this stage and is seeing a retreat due to the failure of B2B incumbents to innovate sufficiently, while services and content are still exciting places to cast an eye in the vertical. Specifically on the content side, we are seeing many operators attempt to shift this in-house (with limited success to date) which is seeing content providers shifting more towards innovation in content that is starting to cross into casual mobile gaming mechanics. AI remains a sector that iGaming is significantly behind other industries on and I am hoping we hear more about shifts towards agentic thinking, scalable solutions to sub-par AI art/animation/content to-date, and more ambitious pushes towards long term value drivers (such as bespoke gambling LLMs and innovation around classical model training loops).
How important is it that iGB L!VE is taking place in London a city regarded as being the home of iGaming?
CW: iGB is critical for visitors as the major industry event in the UK. As a market that is highly regulated and developed, iGB is critical to help one keep a fresh mind on industry trends and meet new entrants that are changing the rules of the game.
The post Connor Williams: ‘iGB L!VE is critical in encouraging more collaboration, challenging tired thinking, and charting a path forward for the industry.’ appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Peter Schmeichel Returns as SBC Awards 2025 Host as Finalists Are Announced
SBC has officially announced the shortlisted nominees for the 12th edition of the SBC Awards, set to take place at Lisbon’s MEO Arena on Thursday, 18 September, the final day of SBC Summit 2025.
Celebrating excellence across the global betting and gaming industry, the ceremony will spotlight standout achievements from operators, industry leaders, and suppliers across a broad spectrum of sectors, including payments, marketing, and platform innovation.
This year’s edition has already broken records, with the highest number of nominations ever received across its 37 diverse categories, reflecting the industry’s growing commitment to delivering exceptional performance.
Leading the shortlist are Pragmatic Play and Sportradar, each earning seven nominations. Close contenders include BetConstruct and Betsson Group with six nominations apiece. Other standout nominees include Bragg Gaming, Campeon Gaming, Novibet, Playtech, and Top Bet, each securing five nominations.
Returning to co-host the ceremony is football legend Peter Schmeichel, former Manchester United goalkeeper and UEFA European Championship winner, who previously brought his trademark charisma to the stage in 2024.
The 2025 edition of the SBC Awards will also mark the first year without dedicated affiliate categories. Instead, SBC will host a dedicated and expanded Affiliate Leaders Awards on Wednesday, 17th September, at the same venue.
Commenting on the upcoming SBC Awards ceremony, Rasmus Sojmark, Founder and CEO of SBC, said: “This industry never stands still. New talent, ideas, and technologies are constantly changing the game. The SBC Awards are our way of recognising those who are making a real impact and giving the community a moment to celebrate together.”
In the operator categories, alongside Betsson Group’s notable six nominations, TotoGaming also stands out with four nominations, including Marketing Campaign of the Year and Innovation in Casino & Gaming Entertainment. Meanwhile, Kaizen Gaming and Campeón Gaming return to defend their titles in the Operator of the Year – Medium and Large categories, respectively.
The hotly contested Casino Operator of the Year category includes names such as LeoVegas, Bally’s, Codere Online, and Winbet. 1xBet, EstrelaBet, and Sportsbet.io are among the frontrunners for Sportsbook Operator of the Year.
In the operator and supplier categories, competition for Employer of the Year includes Alea, Flutter Entertainment, Parimatch, and Play’n GO, all aiming to take the crown from reigning champions SOFTSWISS. The Socially Responsible Initiative of the Year category features nominees such as Associação de Mulheres da Indústria do Gaming (AMIG), BGaming, EveryMatrix, and Pay4Fun.
The highly anticipated Leader of the Year award will be kept under wraps until the night, with nominees and the winner to be revealed live during the ceremony.
In the payments and compliance categories, Noda and payabl. lead the way with nominations in all three awards: Payment Solution of the Year, Payment Innovation of the Year, and Fraud & Compliance Solution of the Year. MiFinity, Monnet Payments, OKTO, Pay4Fun, Paysecure, and Trustly have also earned multiple nods across the categories.
The supplier categories, which will span 22 awards, will include several new additions this year, such as Aggregator of the Year and Crash Game of the Year.
Fast Track and BETBY will look to retain their titles in Acquisition & Retention Partner and Esports Supplier of the Year, respectively. Meanwhile, Delasport, Evolution, Evoplay, iGP, Optimove, and Spotlight Sports Group are among the fifteen companies competing for the Industry Innovation of the Year award.
Soft2Bet will return in pursuit of back-to-back wins for Innovation in Casino Entertainment and Innovation in Mobile, while Digitain will aim to defend its title as Sportsbook Supplier of the Year.
The sought-after Platform Provider of the Year award features a strong field of contenders, including EGT Digital, GiG, GR8 Tech, Sportingtech, and White Hat Gaming.
Continuing SBC’s commitment to shining a light on the future stars of the industry, the evening will once again feature four ‘Rising Star‘ awards: Rising Star in Casino, Rising Star in Sports Betting, Rising Star in Sports Betting Innovation / Software, and Rising Star in Casino Innovation / Software.
The post Peter Schmeichel Returns as SBC Awards 2025 Host as Finalists Are Announced appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Sportradar Reports Second Quarter Financial Results and Raises Full Year 2025 Outlook
Sportradar Group AG (NASDAQ: SRAD) (“Sportradar” or the “Company”), a leading global sports technology company focused on creating immersive experiences for sports fans and bettors, today announced financial results for its second quarter ended June 30, 2025.
Carsten Koerl, Chief Executive Officer of Sportradar, said: “Our second quarter results, including record quarterly revenue, expanding operating margins and significant cash flow reflect our sustained operating momentum and execution against our growth strategy. Our industry leading scale, including our premium content and product portfolio and leading technology and AI, is driving customer uptake and above market growth. The inherent leverage in our business, combined with our focus on efficiencies, is driving sustainable margin expansion and cash flow generation. Looking ahead, given our momentum we are raising our full year expectations and anticipate the acquisition of IMG ARENA will further expand our capabilities, creating even greater value for our clients, partners and shareholders.”
SECOND QUARTER AND YEAR TO DATE FINANCIAL RESULTS
Revenue
Three-Month Period Ended June 30, |
Six-Month Period Ended June 30, |
|||||||||||||||||
in € thousands (unaudited) | 2025 | 2024 | Change | % | 2025 | 2024 | Change | % | ||||||||||
Revenue by product | ||||||||||||||||||
Betting & Gaming Content | 199,579 | 180,980 | 18,599 | 10 | % | 393,386 | 352,568 | 40,818 | 12 | % | ||||||||
Managed Betting Services | 59,187 | 49,103 | 10,084 | 21 | % | 115,402 | 97,431 | 17,971 | 18 | % | ||||||||
Betting Technology & Solutions | 258,766 | 230,083 | 28,683 | 12 | % | 508,788 | 449,999 | 58,789 | 13 | % | ||||||||
Marketing & Media Services | 40,992 | 35,414 | 5,578 | 16 | % | 87,601 | 69,692 | 17,909 | 26 | % | ||||||||
Sports Performance | 12,222 | 9,892 | 2,330 | 24 | % | 23,633 | 19,198 | 4,435 | 23 | % | ||||||||
Integrity Services | 5,810 | 3,031 | 2,779 | 92 | % | 8,999 | 5,425 | 3,574 | 66 | % | ||||||||
Sports Content, Technology & Services | 59,024 | 48,337 | 10,687 | 22 | % | 120,233 | 94,315 | 25,918 | 27 | % | ||||||||
Total Revenue | 317,790 | 278,420 | 39,370 | 14 | % | 629,021 | 544,314 | 84,707 | 16 | % | ||||||||
Revenue by geography | ||||||||||||||||||
Rest of World | 229,823 | 210,865 | 18,958 | 9 | % | 454,953 | 411,197 | 43,756 | 11 | % | ||||||||
United States | 87,967 | 67,555 | 20,412 | 30 | % | 174,068 | 133,117 | 40,951 | 31 | % | ||||||||
Total Revenue | 317,790 | 278,420 | 629,021 | 544,314 | ||||||||||||||
1 Non-IFRS measure or Operating Metric. See the sections captioned “Non-IFRS Financial Measures and Operating Metric” and “IFRS to Non-IFRS reconciliations” for more details.
Revenue
Total revenue for the second quarter was €318 million, up €39 million, or 14% year-over-year, driven by 12% growth in Betting Technology & Solutions and 22% growth in Sports Content, Technology & Services.
Betting Technology & Solutions revenues of €259 million were up 12% year-over-year primarily driven by a 10% increase in Betting & Gaming Content due to both existing and new customer uptake of our products, as well as strong U.S. market growth. Managed Betting Services revenues of €59 million were up 21% driven by strong growth in Managed Trading Services from increased turnover and higher trading margins.
Sports Content, Technology & Services revenues of €59 million increased 22% year-over-year primarily driven by 16% growth in Marketing & Media Services, due to increased spending from technology and media companies and from contributions related to our expanded affiliate marketing capabilities. Integrity Services revenues nearly doubled in the quarter driven by uptake of products and services from league partners, and Sports Performance revenues increased 24% largely due to increased pricing.
The Company generated strong revenue growth globally with the United States up 30% and Rest of World up 9%. As a percentage of total Company revenues, United States revenue represented 28% of total Company revenue in the second quarter as compared to 24% in the prior year quarter, due to continued market growth and customer uptake of our premium content and solutions.
Customer Net Retention Rate of 117% further demonstrates our ability to cross sell and up sell to our clients, as well as the market growth in the United States.
Profit for the period
Profit for the period was €49 million, up €51 million, compared to a loss of €2 million in the same quarter a year ago, driven by strong operating results and a foreign currency gain of €54 million, as compared to a €8 million loss last year, due to unrealized currency fluctuations mainly associated with the U.S. dollar-denominated sport rights. These increases were partially offset by higher income tax expense of €12 million as compared to €1 million last year due to higher pre-tax income.
Adjusted EBITDA
Second quarter Adjusted EBITDA was €64 million, up €15 million, or 31% compared to €49 million in the same quarter a year ago. The increase was largely driven by the 14% revenue growth, partially offset by increased sport rights costs primarily related to the continued success of the ATP partnership deal and our renewed partnership with Major League Baseball, as well as increased adjusted personnel expenses1 to support growth initiatives and higher adjusted purchased services1 driven by investments in developing our product portfolio.
Business Highlights
- Strengthened partnership with German Bundesliga to further entertain the league’s more than one billion global fans. Bundesliga will leverage Sportradar’s cutting edge innovations and suite of immersive products including player markets, 4Sight streaming and live match tracker, enhancing the in-game experience.
- Expanded our soccer offering with exclusive global betting rights, including live data, live odds and media content, to all 63 matches of the FIFA Club World Cup. Also safeguarded the tournament with our AI-driven Universal Fraud Detection System.
- Sportradar won two honors at the SBC Americas Awards, winning for Best Sports Data Product for 4Sight streaming and Best Live Betting & Gaming Product for emBET, with each product cited for its innovative use of AI to deepen fan engagement.
Balance Sheet and Liquidity
The Company’s cash and cash equivalents were €312 million as of June 30, 2025, as compared with €348 million as of December 31, 2024. Higher net cash generated from operating activities of €200 million due to strong operating performance was offset by higher net cash used in investing activities of €118 million primarily from payments related to sport rights licenses, and from higher net cash used in financing activities of €93 million. Financing activities included $65.5 million in share repurchases related to the secondary offering and a €10 million payment related to the acquisition of the remaining non-controlling interest in a subsidiary. Free cash flow for the six-months ended June 30, 2025 was €84 million, an increase of €25 million from €59 million in the same period a year ago.
Including an undrawn credit facility, the Company had total liquidity of €532 million at June 30, 2025, as compared to €568 as of December 31, 2024, and no debt outstanding.
2025 Annual Financial Outlook
Sportradar is increasing its fiscal 2025 outlook as follows:
- Revenue of at least €1,278 million, representing year-on-year growth of at least 16%
- Adjusted EBITDA of at least €284 million, representing year-on-year growth of at least 28%
- Adjusted EBITDA margin expansion of at least 210 basis points
- Free cash flow conversion1 rate still expected to be above the 2024 level of 53%
The 2025 guidance reflects the anticipated impact of foreign currency fluctuations but does not include any impact from the pending acquisition of IMG ARENA given the uncertainty around the timing of close. Guidance will be updated to incorporate the anticipated uplift resulting from this acquisition following the closing of the transaction.
Share Repurchase Plan
In March 2024, the Board of Directors approved a $200 million share repurchase plan. As of June 30, 2025 the Company has repurchased 4.8 million shares under the plan for a total of $86 million, including 3.0 million shares in conjunction with the secondary offering completed in April 2025.
Conference Call and Webcast Information
Sportradar will host a conference call to discuss the second quarter results today, August 5, 2025 at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time. Those wishing to participate via webcast should access the earnings call through Sportradar’s Investor Relations website. An archived webcast with the accompanying slides will be available at the Company’s Investor Relations website for one year after the conclusion of the live event.
The post Sportradar Reports Second Quarter Financial Results and Raises Full Year 2025 Outlook appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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GR8 Tech Appoints Sarkis Basmajian to Lead MENA Regional Growth
GR8 Tech is accelerating its presence in the MENA region with a focused growth strategy and the strategic appointment of Sarkis Basmajian as Regional Sales Director.
As one of the fastest-growing iGaming regions, MENA presents immense potential, especially where demand for agile, tailored platforms quickly overtakes legacy solutions. With its Heavyweight tech and deep geo-specific expertise, GR8 Tech is ideally positioned to lead this evolution.
With nearly a decade of experience leading sales and key account operations in iGaming, Sarkis brings deep regional insight and proven commercial leadership across Tier-2 markets. He will spearhead GR8 Tech’s growth by forging strong partnerships and delivering locally relevant, high-impact solutions from day one.
“What excites me most about joining GR8 Tech is the clarity of vision. We’re building the infrastructure for the next era of iGaming. MENA is evolving fast, and operators here need more than localization. They need strategy, speed, and serious tech muscle. That’s exactly what we’re bringing to the table,” said Sarkis Basmajian.
GR8 Tech’s platform is already renowned for its geo-specific presets, from language and currency to payment integrations and performance optimizations, that adapt perfectly to diverse markets. Whether optimizing for low-bandwidth Africa or football-passionate Latin America, GR8 Tech’s sportsbook DNA and flexibility make it a natural fit for MENA’s market.
“Our goal is simple: expand smart, launch fast, and deliver Heavyweight performance wherever we go,” said Yevhen Krazahan, CSO at GR8 Tech. “With Sarkis leading our regional efforts, we’re set to unlock our platform’s massive potential across the Middle East and North Africa.”
The strategic hire marks the next milestone in GR8 Tech’s mission to power iGaming growth across various markets with Heavyweight infrastructure, local-first execution, and proven regional expertise.
The post GR8 Tech Appoints Sarkis Basmajian to Lead MENA Regional Growth appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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