Launches and sign-ups 7 October 2015
Launches and sign-ups from the egaming industry in the last seven days (1 October 2015 to 7 October 2015)
Stoiximan signs landmark Olympiacos sponsorship deal
Greek firm secures two-year deal with national champions as online firms begin to compete on a more equal footing with monopoly operator
Greek operator Stoiximan has become the main sponsor of national champions Olympiacos in a move the firm says shows growing confidence in the country’s online betting industry.
The two-year deal, which was signed on Friday, marks Stoiximan’s first football sponsorship deal in Greece with this season being the first time an operator other than Greek monopoly OPAP has sponsored a major side.
Since 2011 online operators have been operating on interim licences as they await a full licensing process to start and only two years ago did the Hellanic Gaming Commission set out marketing directives for the online industry.
Betway strikes eSports sponsorship deal
Betway has signed a deal to sponsor the largest eSports tournament in the UK, the ESL UK Premiership, as it continues to grow its footprint in the sector.
The deal is the first of its kind for Betway with the sportsbook operator having recently launched a dedicated eSports betting portal.
“Our eSports offering continues to grow exponentially, and the introduction of our eSports-only microsite has proven very popular,” Betway spokesman Alan Alger, said.
“The partnership with ESL further cements our commitment to the eSports community and we can’t wait for the play-offs and finals to get started.”
Seven days in launches and sign-ups:
Mirror Fantasy iTeam launches ESL contests
Mobile fantasy platform provider Fantasy iTeam has launched a new European Soccer League contest on Mirror Fantasy iTeam.
Players will now be able to select their line-ups from teams such as Barcelona, Juventus and Real Madrid, alongside Premier League clubs such as Manchester United and Chelsea.
“Our users want to challenge their friends in more competitions, so we’ve created the European Super League to allow more opportunities to play,” Fantasy iTeam commercial director Phil Shaw, said.
“The European Super League format is perfect for those with an interest in all of the big clubs in Europe.”
BetIndex launches world’s first football stock market
BetIndex has launched what it believes is the world’s first football stock market where traders can buy and sell shares in professional footballers for real money.
BetIndex said traders on Football INDEX don’t own shares in the footballer himself, but rather take a position on his future success through bets known as football futures.
“The trading principles of ‘buy low’ and ‘sell high’ are universally understood, but to most of us financial markets are dull and complex, whereas millions have a knowledge, a passion, and a strong opinion about the beautiful game and its players, BetIndex CEO Adam Cole, said.
“Football INDEX is an opportunity to put that intelligence to work!”
Casumo sets sights on UK
Online casino brand Casumo today launched into the UK market after a successful integration of pound sterling into its platform.
Dubbed “the world’s first adventure casino”, the site offers players the chance to win valuables and trophies by collecting in-game points as part of the slots gameplay.
The firm has built a solid presence in its core Scandinavian markets since 2012 and claimed it had more than doubled its active player base in the region in the past 12 months.
Betsafe takes “quirky” approach to UK push
Betsafe has continued its push into the UK market with the introduction of an interactive, rugby-themed urinal game as it looks to “stand out from the noise” created by competitors’ marketing material.
The campaign, which has been rolled out across 75 pubs and bars, has been launched to coincide with the Rugby World Cup and is accompanied by an online advert featuring former England international Kyran Bracken.
The ad sees the veteran scrum-half demonstrate the Betsafe-branded game where through the use of sensors in the urinal users must use the direction and strength of their stream to carry a ball-carrying player over the try line.
DraftKings strikes NFL deal ahead of UK launch
Daily fantasy sports DraftKings has struck its first UK sponsorship deal as part of efforts to boost brand awareness ahead of its planned launch in the market by the end of the year.
DraftKings has joined forces with the NFL International Series in a bid to engage NFL fans across the UK during the three NFL International Series games taking place at Wembley this year.
The firm will host events outside Wembley Stadium prior to all three games, with additional events at Trafalgar Square and Regent Street.
DraftKings advertising will also appear during the live broadcast of the NFL games on Sky TV.