Omnichannel frontier: landbased and online gaming

Wicked Games has been awarded the coveted Players’ Game of Choice award at this year’s Ortak x B.F.T.H. Arena Awards 2024. The awards night was held during Harmony Meetup V, an event for Web3 and iGaming enthusiasts, providing a platform for industry giants and innovators to exchange ideas, discuss and reveal upcoming trends and solutions.

Hosted by BetConstruct, the Ortak x B.F.T.H. Arena Awards serve as a prestigious platform for game developers to showcase their talents and compete for a part of the substantial prize pool of 3.3 million FTN, which according to the official Awards online page is equivalent to over 5 million euros. This year, the event included new award categories such as Best Online Casino Game, Best Game Design, and the one which deservedly went to Wicked Games, the Players’ Game of Choice. Ortak, launched by BetConstruct in January, is an innovative solution that allows casino game creators to sell shares of their games - NFT-slots - in self-determined quantities and prices (IPO).

The competition saw an unprecedented submission of 100 + games from over 70 providers. During the voting process, overseen by an independent compliance auditor, participants voted across multiple categories. For the Players’ Game of Choice award, players themselves had the opportunity to select the winner during the public voting.

Speaking to SiGMA News after the announcement, an elated James Davies, Regional Sales Director at Wicked Games commented, “This award means everything because it's from the players—the purest and harshest critics. Their feedback is raw and unfiltered, driven by their enjoyment and in this case, the game's potential. As an upcoming studio, their judgment was based purely on Eye of Bahamut, without any prior influence. On that, Eye of Bahamut delivered and we couldn’t be happier.”

Eye of Bahamut sees four daring explorers who travel through challenging terrains to retore the Eye of Bahamut. Failure in their quest results in Bahamut’s fury unleashing devastation upon the world. Players are transported into a realm ruled by mystical forces and legendary beings, offering an engaging, interactive experience that ultimately distinguished it among this year's entries.

Upcoming SiGMA event: The  2024 will be held in Budapest this September.

Today the United Kingdom is on the brink of a historic election, with the Labour Party, led by Sir Keir Starmer, heading towards a landslide victory. The betting odds reflect this sentiment, with a Labour majority being the outcome at 1/33. Other possibilities, such as a Labour minority or a coalition with the Liberal Democrats, are considered less likely, with odds of 50/1 and 66/1 respectively.

Starmer, who recently spoke at a campaign event at the Caledonia Gladiators Stadium, is predicted to secure a parliamentary majority of over 200. This would be the first general election victory for Labour since 2005, and the polls suggest it could be a landslide win.

The results are expected to mark a historic defeat for Rishi Sunak’s Conservative party, with Sunak being . Opinion polls suggest that Starmer is on course to win a House of Commons majority of more than 200, surpassing Sir Tony Blair’s 179 majority in 1997. This would give Labour its first general election victory since 2005.

A Keir Starmer government would have significant implications on the global stage. As leader of the Labour Party, Starmer’s potential rise to Prime Minister comes at a time when the extreme right, led by figures like Nigel Farage of the Reform Party, is shaping the political agenda in the UK. Farage’s controversial statements about Putin and the Ukraine invasion highlight issues that do not sit well with the British public, particularly on matters of foreign policy.

The current political climate shows a trend where voters are increasingly disillusioned with major parties, leading to the far-right influencing key election topics such as taxes, immigration, and transgender rights. The success or failure of Brexit remains a contentious topic. Was it doomed by its inherent flaws, or was it a sound concept marred by poor execution? This debate continues to divide opinion, with Farage’s potential reintegration into the Conservative Party raising concerns about a shift towards a more extreme right-wing stance within the Tories.

Starmer enjoys public support, yet the looming financial crisis in the UK remains unaddressed by both major parties. Critical issues like the funding of the NHS and education are in limbo, with the Institute of Financial Studies pointing to a "conspiracy of silence" regarding the true state of the economy and the adverse effects of Brexit on growth. Neither Starmer nor his Conservative counterpart is openly tackling the fallout from Brexit or the need for regulatory alignment with the EU.

Starmer’s approach has been notably cautious, aiming to avoid controversy in a campaign that many consider lacklustre. Labour's lead in the polls suggests they are playing it safe, assuming that maintaining the status quo will secure victory. However, this strategy raises questions about how effectively they will address pressing issues like NHS waiting lists and the post-Brexit trade deal implementation. If Labour maintains its lead without major missteps, a Starmer government seems likely, but its ability to enact significant change remains uncertain.

The polling stations will open at 7 am and close at 10 pm. Anyone still queueing at 10 pm will be allowed to vote. By the time the polling stations close, the scale of the expected Conservative defeat be clear. The polls suggest that the Conservatives could win fewer seats than the 156 they won in 1906, which was their worst result to date.

 Summit powered by Soft2Bet, will take place in Budapest from 2-4 September 2024.

In the fast-paced world of the iGaming industry, maintaining a competitive edge requires not just expertise and experience, but also a deep understanding of this unique sector.

Staying ahead means staying informed, and one of the most effective ways to stay updated is by learning from others. Everyone has something valuable to share, and for this reason SiGMA constantly engages with industry professionals, bringing their insights directly to our readers. is delighted to feature a conversation with Glenn Debattista, Chief Operating Officer at Revpanda.

LH: Can you share your journey in the iGaming industry and how it led you to your current role as the COO of Revpanda?

Glenn Debattista: I’ve been in this industry for over 19 years now, and I would describe this journey like the Beatles’ song, “The Long and Winding Road.” I started out working as a trader in a German sportsbook right when iGaming companies started coming to Malta. From there, I climbed my way up to eventually become a Trading Manager with Operators in my first 15 years within this industry.

Then, I moved on to Affiliation to work more on the product side. As Head of Product, I discovered I always had an inclination for understanding and building the products themselves. Eventually, a great opportunity came up and I took on the role of Chief Operating Officer at Revpanda, a digital marketing agency. This meant that I gained experience with most verticals in this industry, from Operators to Affiliates to Service Providers.

LH: As the COO of Revpanda, what are some of the biggest challenges you face in overseeing the day-to-day operations and how do you overcome them?

Glenn Debattista: Some of the biggest challenges include making sure that we are delivering a quality service to our clients in a timely fashion. This means dealing with people who need to follow processes that are dynamic and constantly updating in order to improve on a daily basis. Nothing can be perfect, but having the right mindset, ideas, and contingency plans for any eventuality is imperative.

LH: Can you share more about the company’s mission and the key services it provides to help businesses dominate their industry?

Glenn Debattista: What makes us special is that we are dedicated digital marketing enthusiasts, where we accept the client’s mission as our own. We do so through up-to-date SEO support to cutting-edge development services, providing our clients with everything they need to dominate their industry.

LH: You have your skills influenced your approach to your role at Revpanda?

Glenn Debattista: I think that the fact I worked with both operators and affiliates has helped me understand the other side of the fence, that is, put myself in the shoes of the client. I can therefore understand what the client needs, why they need it, and also anticipate what they need. I think that being able to understand your client is fundamental in order to provide the right service.

LH: Could you elaborate on your experience with odds compilation, risk management, and trading? How have these competencies helped you in the iGaming industry?

Glenn Debattista: I still enjoy playing around with mathematical algorithms for odds compilation, and this is something that my previous roles, along with a fancy for playing with numbers on Excel sheets, allowed me to acquire new skills that helped me during my Sportsbook days.

Reflecting back to our beginnings nearly two decades ago, most sportsbooks’ trading departments manually handled odds compilation, risk management, and trading. However, the landscape has significantly evolved since then. Today, these processes are largely automated or managed through third-party services. This shift in approach means that newcomers might not have the same opportunities we had to learn this role from a theoretical perspective.

Indeed, these experiences have been invaluable not only to me but also to others from my generation in our iGaming journey.

LH: What strategies do you employ to ensure the highest standards of quality and performance at Revpanda?

Glenn Debattista: As mentioned earlier, it’s about having the right processes in place. Ensuring the highest standards of quality and performance is imperative for any successful company, let alone for a service provider who needs to make sure that their clients are getting over and above the results they expected from an agency.

LH: How do you balance the execution of the company’s vision and goals with the ever-changing needs and expectations of the iGaming market and customers?

Glenn Debattista: It’s all about adapting and anticipating the market. Adapting by making sure that any new needs are catered for, whereas anticipating is about predicting what the next trend or demand in the market is. If you do these two things right, then you have the perfect recipe to succeed in the ever-changing iGaming market.

LH: Looking ahead, what are some of the trends or innovations in the iGaming industry that you believe will have the most impact on Revpanda’s operations?

Glenn Debattista: I think over the past year people have realised that AI content does not seem to work too well with Google. Therefore, services like ours have become much more important to drive traffic via SEO to the clients’ websites, and in some cases even fix issues generated by AI content. It’s probably a case of like the French writer Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr said, “plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose” – the more things change, the more they stay the same, which means that digital marketing services like ours will always be in demand.

With 19 years of experience spanning operators, affiliates, and agencies, Glenn Debattista honed his skills as a problem solver, networker, and connector of people and companies. From his early days as a sports writer for European football websites to his current role at Revpanda, Glenn’s career has been marked by a relentless pursuit for excellence.

A certified Professional Scrum Product Owner (PSPO), Glenn is not just an iGaming expert; he’s a passionate board game player and holds much admiration for football legend Zinedine Zidane. If not for his role as at the helm of operations at Revpanda, Glenn says would have pursued his entrepreneurial dream of starting his own business in iGaming.

 Summit powered by Soft2Bet, will take place in Budapest from 2-4 September 2024.

Social media influencers in Portugal are being accused of promoting illegal iGaming operators.

The Portuguese Online Betting and Gaming Association (APAJO) has filed criminal complaints against several influencers who allegedly promoted illegal iGaming content.

Combined, several million people follow these influencers on different social media platforms, including children. APAJO claims that some of the sponsored content reached minors, while it is illegal for minors to gamble in Portugal.

APAJO also claims that the ads were promoting illegal iGaming operators. Determined to fight the black market, APAJO has asked the authorities to grant the Portuguese regulator, SRIJ, more rights to enforce current legislation. According to Ricardo Domingues, APAJO’s president, the black market costs the country 100 million euros a year in uncollected taxes.

An published in 2024 studied the impact on children of using social media influencers and celebrities to promote iGaming. According to the study, the use of influencers increases trust, legitimacy, and social acceptance of gambling among children, making gambling promotions more appealing and memorable.

“As soon as they see a famous YouTuber or TikToker or Instagram, they think that suddenly it’s cool, and they’re doing it, so they want to be just like what they’re doing,” explained a 13-year-old girl.

The report also notes that “some young people suggested that because celebrities and influencers lived aspirational lifestyles, their appearance in gambling advertising may give viewers the impression that gambling might help them achieve that same lifestyle.”

“I think you kind of get shown a bit of their lifestyle in it and think that if you can um win like they are then, um, then you can like have that lifestyle that they’re living in the ads,” declared a 15-year-old boy.

Several countries are considering or have already implemented bans on the use of influencers in . Norway, for instance, has against social media platforms promoting live streams or content on iGaming. In Spain, neighbouring country to Portugal, a decree bans gambling advertising from 5 am to 1 am and prohibits the use of athletes and celebrity endorsements, including influencers. have also decided to restrict the use of celebrities, role models, social media influencers, entertainers, cartoon figures, or even symbols that could appeal to minors.