iGaming Daily

In today’s episode of iGaming Daily, SBC Media Manager Fernando Noodt is joined by Ted Orme-Claye and Joe Streeter as the trio discuss the UK Government’s latest consultation on gambling sponsorship, what it means for offshore operators leveraging football for brand legitimacy, and whether this marks a decisive shift in the post-White Paper regulatory era.

Tune in to today’s episode to find out:

• Whether the sponsorship consultation is truly about consumer protection, or a strategic move to tighten market control and regulatory credibility.
• How significant this development is within the wider post-White Paper reform agenda reshaping the UK gambling landscape.
• If a cross-industry enforcement taskforce spanning banks, tech platforms and law enforcement can realistically deliver coordinated action at scale.
• Whether the new measures finally close the grey area that has allowed offshore operators to gain exposure through UK football without holding a licence.
• What tighter sponsorship restrictions could mean for operator marketing strategy, customer acquisition costs, and the financial stability of football clubs reliant on gambling revenue.

Host: Fernando Noodt
Guest: Ted Orme-Claye & Joe Streeter
Producer: Anaya McDonald
Editor: Anaya McDonald

Learn how Optimove’s Positionless Marketing is changing how iGaming teams operate. Discover how operators are using Optimove’s Positionless Marketing Platform to launch personalised CRM campaigns, dynamically change casino lobbies and bet slips, and create engaging gamified experiences. Learn more at optimove.com.

To see how this approach comes to life, Optimove Connect returns to London on March 11 and 12, 2026. It is the only user conference where marketers from around the world share real-world results of Positionless Marketing driving efficiency and ROI. Register at connect.optimove.com.

Finally, remember to check out Optimove at https://hubs.la/Q02gLC5L0 or go to Optimove.com/sbc to get your first month free when buying the industry's leading customer-loyalty service.

In today’s episode of iGaming Daily, SBC Media Manager Charlie Horner is joined by Mark Schmidt, Managing Director of Africa at EveryMatrix, as the duo discuss the rapid evolution of Africa’s iGaming market, the shift from retail to online, and why localisation, reliable technology, and smart gamification tools are critical for long-term success across the continent.

Tune in to today’s episode to find out:

• Why African operators were forced to build in-house platforms after broken promises from legacy European providers
• How EveryMatrix is taking a selective, regulation-first approach to entering African markets
• Why treating Africa as one “homogeneous” market is a major mistake
• How tools like the Engage Suite and Bonus Guardian are helping operators boost retention while combating bonus abuse
• What it really takes to compete in highly consolidated markets like South Africa and fast-growing mobile-first regions such as Kenya

Host: Charlie Horner
Guest: Mark Schmidt
Producer: Anaya McDonald
Editor: Anaya McDonald

Learn how Optimove’s Positionless Marketing is changing how iGaming teams operate. Discover how operators are using Optimove’s Positionless Marketing Platform to launch personalised CRM campaigns, dynamically change casino lobbies and bet slips, and create engaging gamified experiences. Learn more at optimove.com.

To see how this approach comes to life, Optimove Connect returns to London on March 11 and 12, 2026. It is the only user conference where marketers from around the world share real-world results of Positionless Marketing driving efficiency and ROI. Register at connect.optimove.com.

Finally, remember to check out Optimove at https://hubs.la/Q02gLC5L0 or go to Optimove.com/sbc to get your first month free when buying the industry's leading customer-loyalty service.

In today's episode of iGaming Daily SBC Media Manager Charlie Horner is joined by Henry Ross, Account Executive for Optimove, as the duo discuss the rapid evolution of South Africa’s iGaming market and how AI-driven personalisation is reshaping player acquisition and retention strategies across the continent.

Tune in to today’s episode to find out:

• What makes the South African iGaming market unique and why it’s maturing faster than many global counterparts
• Why operators must move beyond mass bonus-led campaigns to data-driven, one-to-one engagement
• How AI is shifting marketing from scheduled campaigns to real-time, player-led experiences
• The biggest player retention challenges across African markets and how to tackle them
• Why the next 3-5 years will define market leaders as regulation tightens and competition intensifies

Host: Charlie Horner
Guest: Henry Ross
Producer: Anaya McDonald
Editor: Anaya McDonald

Learn how Optimove’s Positionless Marketing is changing how iGaming teams operate. Discover how operators are using Optimove’s Positionless Marketing Platform to launch personalised CRM campaigns, dynamically change casino lobbies and bet slips, and create engaging gamified experiences. Learn more at optimove.com.

To see how this approach comes to life, Optimove Connect returns to London on March 11 and 12, 2026. It is the only user conference where marketers from around the world share real-world results of Positionless Marketing driving efficiency and ROI. Register at connect.optimove.com.

Finally, remember to check out Optimove at https://hubs.la/Q02gLC5L0 or go to Optimove.com/sbc to get your first month free when buying the industry's leading customer-loyalty service.

In today’s episode of iGaming Daily, SEO Expert Ivana Flynn is joined by Alina Shvartskop Kalinichenko, Head of SEO at Motherlink, as the duo discuss how iGaming operators and affiliates can future-proof their SEO strategies for 2026 after one of the most volatile years the industry has ever seen.

Tune in to today’s episode to find out:

• Why branding is your ultimate SEO shield and how a strong, unified brand identity can stabilise traffic when generic keyword rankings collapse.
• How to defend against negative SEO attacks from spam link floods to reputation sabotage, and what backlink hygiene really looks like in 2026.
• The truth about White Hat vs Black Hat SEO and why you should study manipulative tactics without relying on them.
• How to implement agile SEO sprints by building long-term vision while executing in fast, adaptable 1-3 month cycles.
• How to prepare for AI-driven search including practical tactics to optimise for AI overviews, LLM citations, and third-party brand signals.

Host: Ivana Flynn
Guest: Alina Shvartskop Kalinichenko
Producer: Anaya McDonald
Editor: Anaya McDonald

Learn how Optimove’s Positionless Marketing is changing how iGaming teams operate. Discover how operators are using Optimove’s Positionless Marketing Platform to launch personalised CRM campaigns, dynamically change casino lobbies and bet slips, and create engaging gamified experiences. Learn more at optimove.com.

To see how this approach comes to life, Optimove Connect returns to London on March 11 and 12, 2026. It is the only user conference where marketers from around the world share real-world results of Positionless Marketing driving efficiency and ROI. Register at connect.optimove.com.

Finally, remember to check out Optimove at https://hubs.la/Q02gLC5L0 or go to Optimove.com/sbc to get your first month free when buying the industry's leading customer-loyalty service.

In today’s episode of iGaming Daily, SBC Media Manager Charlie Horner is joined by SBC Media Director Martyn Elliott and SBC Editor-at-Large Ted Menmuir as the trio discuss whether tax hikes and regulatory pressures have derailed FDJ’s growth story and if the Kindred acquisition is enough to restore investor confidence.

Following the 2025 results from FDJ United, CEO Stéphane Pallez openly attributed a dramatic profit decline to rising European tax burdens, while leadership changes, including the departure of Nils Anden, signal a new phase post-Kindred integration.(Read More)

With profits halved, EBITDA under pressure and investors now benchmarking FDJ against global heavyweights, the team asks if this is a temporary tax burn or a deeper structural concern. (Read More)

Tune in to today’s episode to find out:

• Why FDJ’s profits were cut in half and whether tax hikes alone tell the full story
• If the €50m tax hit proves industry warnings about regulatory pressure were justified
• What the first year after acquiring Kindred Group really says about FDJ’s online transformation strategy
• How the departure of Nils Anden reshapes the leadership outlook heading into 2026
• Who FDJ is now being compared to among Europe’s gambling giants and whether that comparison is fair

Host: Charlie Horner
Guests: Martyn Elliott & Ted Menmuir
Producer: Anaya McDonald
Editor: Anaya McDonald

Learn how Optimove’s Positionless Marketing is changing how iGaming teams operate. Discover how operators are using Optimove’s Positionless Marketing Platform to launch personalised CRM campaigns, dynamically change casino lobbies and bet slips, and create engaging gamified experiences. Learn more at optimove.com.

To see how this approach comes to life, Optimove Connect returns to London on March 11 and 12, 2026. It is the only user conference where marketers from around the world share real-world results of Positionless Marketing driving efficiency and ROI. Register at connect.optimove.com.

Finally, remember to check out Optimove at https://hubs.la/Q02gLC5L0 or go to Optimove.com/sbc to get your first month free when buying the industry's leading customer-loyalty service.

In today’s episode of iGaming Daily, SBC Media Manager Fernando Noodt is joined by SBC Americas Senior Business Journalist Tom Nightingale and SBC Americas Business Journalist Justin Byers to discuss the growing tension between federal regulators and state gaming authorities as prediction markets take centre stage in the US betting landscape following the CFTC Chair’s surprise amicus brief in the Crypto.com case and what it could mean for the future of sports-related contracts nationwide.

Tune in to today’s episode to find out:

• What prompted the CFTC Chair to file an amicus brief in the Crypto.com case and why it marks a notable shift in tone
• Whether the CFTC’s stance represents a calculated legal strategy or a broader political signal
• How lawmakers are reacting to the potential expansion of federally regulated prediction markets
• What’s at stake in the Ninth Circuit appeal and how it could reshape sports-related contracts across the US
• Whether federally regulated event contracts could emerge as a parallel product to traditional sportsbooks, accelerating the federalisation of certain betting markets

Host: Fernando Noodt
Guests: Tom Nightingale & Justin Byers
Producer: Anaya McDonald
Editor: Anaya McDonald

Learn how Optimove’s Positionless Marketing is changing how iGaming teams operate. Discover how operators are using Optimove’s Positionless Marketing Platform to launch personalised CRM campaigns, dynamically change casino lobbies and bet slips, and create engaging gamified experiences. Learn more at optimove.com.

To see how this approach comes to life, Optimove Connect returns to London on March 11 and 12, 2026. It is the only user conference where marketers from around the world share real-world results of Positionless Marketing driving efficiency and ROI. Register at connect.optimove.com.

Finally, remember to check out Optimove at https://hubs.la/Q02gLC5L0 or go to Optimove.com/sbc to get your first month free when buying the industry's leading customer-loyalty service.

In today’s episode of iGaming Daily, SBC Media Manager Fernando Noodt is joined by SBC Editor-at-Large Ted Menmuir and Dr Christian Rapani, Attorney at Rechtsanwalt Law and member of the International Masters of Gaming Law, to unpack the 20 year legal conflict between Austria and Malta and what the European Court of Justice’s 2026 ruling means for player claims, cross-border enforcement, and the future of gambling regulation in Europe.

Tune in to today’s episode to find out:

• How Austrian player claims against Malta licensed operators evolved into a Europe-wide legal battle
• What the ECJ ruling in the WUNNER case actually clarifies and what it does not
• Why Malta’s Article 56A, known as Bill 55, has reshaped enforcement dynamics
• Whether Austria’s monopoly model is still sustainable in a modern EU market
• What regulatory reform in Austria could mean for Malta, operators, and the wider European gambling framework

Relevant Article: https://igamingexpert.com/features/odyssey-austria-malta-cjeu/

Host: Fernando Noodt
Guests: Ted Menmuir & Christian Rapani
Producer: Anaya McDonald
Editor: Anaya McDonald

Learn how Optimove’s Positionless Marketing is changing how iGaming teams operate. Discover how operators are using Optimove’s Positionless Marketing Platform to launch personalised CRM campaigns, dynamically change casino lobbies and bet slips, and create engaging gamified experiences. Learn more at optimove.com.

To see how this approach comes to life, Optimove Connect returns to London on March 11 and 12, 2026. It is the only user conference where marketers from around the world share real-world results of Positionless Marketing driving efficiency and ROI. Register at connect.optimove.com.

Finally, remember to check out Optimove at https://hubs.la/Q02gLC5L0 or go to Optimove.com/sbc to get your first month free when buying the industry's leading customer-loyalty service.

In today's episode of iGaming Daily, SBC Media Manager Charlie Horner is joined by Jack Kelliher, Commercial Director of UK and Europe, and Stephen Crispe, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Racing and Sports, as the trio discuss how horse racing betting must modernise to compete with sportsbooks and casinos, the role of technology in simplifying integration, and why the sport still presents a strong commercial opportunity for operators.

Tune in to today's episode to find out:

• Why horse racing is losing ground to sports betting and online casinos and how the industry can regain relevance with younger audiences
• How simplification, gamification and modern UX/UI can make racing more accessible and engaging
• The importance of embedded solutions and seamless tech integration for operators
• Why specialist trading, profiling and outsourced risk management are crucial for sustainable growth
• The financial upside of racing, including its high GGR potential and “always-on” event volume, plus what 2026 could hold for global markets

Host: Charlie Horner
Guests: Jack Kelliher & Stephen Crispe
Producer: Anaya McDonald
Editor: Anaya McDonald

Learn how Optimove’s Positionless Marketing is changing how iGaming teams operate. Discover how operators are using Optimove’s Positionless Marketing Platform to launch personalised CRM campaigns, dynamically change casino lobbies and bet slips, and create engaging gamified experiences. Learn more at optimove.com.

To see how this approach comes to life, Optimove Connect returns to London on March 11 and 12, 2026. It is the only user conference where marketers from around the world share real-world results of Positionless Marketing driving efficiency and ROI. Register at connect.optimove.com.

Finally, remember to check out Optimove at https://hubs.la/Q02gLC5L0 or go to Optimove.com/sbc to get your first month free when buying the industry's leading customer-loyalty service.

SBC continues its Road to Rio series ahead of SBC Summit Rio as SBC Media Manager Fernando Noodt is joined by SBC researcher Ana Maria Menezes and guest speaker Ricardo Peixoto, Country Manager for Brazil at SofaScore. Ricardo will be speaking at this year’s SBC Summit Rio on the panel Inside the Deal: The Game Behind Sports Sponsorship as they discuss how brands, data, and fan passion collide in the world of sports marketing ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

Tune in to today’s episode to find out:

• The Football Landscape: Brazil vs. Argentina: Explore the historic rivalry and generational perspectives on Brazil’s and Argentina’s prospects for the 2026 World Cup, from fan superstitions to expected quarterfinals and semifinals outcomes.
• Marketing Strategy: Cutting Through the Noise: Learn how brands can stand out during the World Cup, including the importance of emotional connection over ad spend and how different sectors navigate sponsorship challenges.
• The Intersection of Data and Emotion: Discover how statistics amplify fan passion, how data drives the “armchair expert” culture, and how fans obsessively prepare for tournaments using platforms like SofaScore.
• Gen Z and the TikTok Era:  Understand how brands engage younger audiences, the importance of quick, platform-specific messaging, and why FIFA’s partnership with TikTok is a long-term play.

If you’d like to hear more from our guest speaker, get your tickets now at SBC Events.
Ricardo will be talking on the panel from 14:00–14:40 BRT on Inside the Deal: The Game Behind Sports Sponsorship at Stage 3 – Marketing. Once fuelled by superstar endorsements and headline sports deals, sponsorships now play under stricter rules, where integrity, compliance, and authenticity are the new currency. As regulation reshapes the game, one question looms: how can licensed operators and sports organisations keep the passion alive while playing by the rules? The next era of sponsorships starts here.

Host: Fernando Noodt
Guests: Ana Maria Menezes & Ricardo Peixoto
Producer: Anaya McDonald
Editor: Anaya McDonald

Learn how Optimove’s Positionless Marketing is changing how iGaming teams operate. Discover how operators are using Optimove’s Positionless Marketing Platform to launch personalised CRM campaigns, dynamically change casino lobbies and bet slips, and create engaging gamified experiences. Learn more at optimove.com.

To see how this approach comes to life, Optimove Connect returns to London on March 11 and 12, 2026. It is the only user conference where marketers from around the world share real-world results of Positionless Marketing driving efficiency and ROI. Register at connect.optimove.com.

Finally, remember to check out Optimove at https://hubs.la/Q02gLC5L0 or go to Optimove.com/sbc to get your first month free when buying the industry's leading customer-loyalty service.

In today’s episode of iGaming Daily, SBC Media Manager Charlie Horner is joined by SBC Americas Senior Business Journalist Tom Nightingale as the duo discuss the growing debate around per wager taxes in US sports betting, from Illinois’ controversial move to Michigan and Arizona’s potential next steps.

Tune in to today’s episode to find out:

• What Illinois’ per wager tax actually is and what lawmakers hoped it would achieve when it was introduced last summer
• The real impact the tax has had on operators and bettors in Illinois, and how sportsbooks responded
• Why some Illinois lawmakers are now reconsidering and potentially looking to repeal the measure
• What Gretchen Whitmer is proposing in Michigan, and how it compares to Illinois’ model
• Why states like Arizona are exploring tiered or alternative tax structures, and what this means for the wider US sports betting market

Host: Charlie Horner
Guests: Tom Nightingale
Producer: Anaya McDonald
Editor: Anaya McDonald

Learn how Optimove’s Positionless Marketing is changing how iGaming teams operate. Discover how operators are using Optimove’s Positionless Marketing Platform to launch personalised CRM campaigns, dynamically change casino lobbies and bet slips, and create engaging gamified experiences. Learn more at optimove.com.

To see how this approach comes to life, Optimove Connect returns to London on March 11 and 12, 2026. It is the only user conference where marketers from around the world share real-world results of Positionless Marketing driving efficiency and ROI. Register at connect.optimove.com.

Finally, remember to check out Optimove at https://hubs.la/Q02gLC5L0 or go to Optimove.com/sbc to get your first month free when buying the industry's leading customer-loyalty service.