This week in B2B news (17 January) 

Arena Racing Company rebrands flagship product 

Arena Racing Company (ARC) has announced its flagship product, ATR Markets, will rebrand as Racing1 Markets with immediate effect. 

The turnkey racing solution has been designed to produce 24/7 horseracing and greyhound content alongside risk-managed betting markets.  

The service has been strengthened by the collaboration between ARC and 1/ST Content, which boasts a racing catalogue that includes the UK and Ireland, North and South America, Turkey, South Africa and Australia, covering 140,000 races each year. 

As part of the rebrand, Racing1 confirmed a new partnership with Duelbits.

Brendan Parnell, managing director of media and international at ARC, said: “We’re thrilled to announce this Racing1 Markets launch, in a rebrand that crystallises our commitment to simplifying things for existing and, in particular, new customers who may have previously been uncertain of making the leap to a racebook.” 

Ross Haffie, director of sportsbook at Duelbits, added: “At Duelbits, we are dedicated to delivering exceptional experiences for our players. The solution that Racing1 Markets provides makes perfect sense for us in continuing our player first strategy.” 

Soft2Bet’s 2024 in review

Soft2Bet has released its 2024 Growth Report which details the impact its Motivational Engineering Gaming Application (MEGA) tool has had in the past 12 months. 

The report shows that MEGA, a gamification platform launched by Soft2Bet in 2016 and developed by the firm since, had the desired effect and helped spark a rise in several key performance metrics. 

According to the report, MEGA enabled a 50% increase in deposit amounts against 2023, alongside a 45% rise in average revenue per user (ARPU). 

Screen time for users quadrupled, while there was a steep 65% surge in net gaming revenue as well as 30% improvement in the frequency of deposits. 

The report’s release came just days before Soft2Bet announced its first partnership of 2025, having signed a deal with Nigerian media outfit Channels Media Group, marking the supplier’s first foray into the African market.

The two companies have combined to launch an online sports betting and casino platform, Waddibet.ng, which will integrate Soft2Bet’s aforementioned MEGA tool to aid with customer acquisition and retention.

Martin Collins, Soft2Bet chief business development officer, said: “As a group, Soft2Bet is truly delighted to announce its first African partnership with a high-calibre media partner like Channels TV.

“Nigeria is the continent’s largest economy and a vibrant market and the combination of Channels TV’s strong brand equity and our highly localised and powerful solutions will deliver strong growth in this major market.”  

BetConstruct strengthens Fast Track deal

BetConstruct has expanded its existing partnership with Fast Track to deliver a tailor-made CRM solution for the Latam market.

Through a combination of BetConstruct’s offerings across its sportsbook, igaming and lottery verticals, as well as Fast Track’s CRM tool, Latam-based operators will be able to provide personalised player experiences.

Gegham Yegoryan, BetConstruct chief product officer, noted: “With igaming interest continuing to grow in the region, we are excited to support operators in achieving their goals with innovative tools and solutions.”

Simon Lidzén, Fast Track co-founder and CEO, added: “It is a pleasure to collaborate with BetConstruct to bring the best technology available to operators in the region, helping them deliver exceptional experiences to their players.”

The Unit reveals brand update and new account director

The Unit has announced an updated visual brand identity in a bid to “reflect the company’s recent growth and ambitious expansion plans”.

The new identity is designed to capture the supplier’s company ethos of creativity and collaboration.

Paddy Casey, The Unit co-founder, said: “This year is set to be a momentous one for The Unit, as we plan to grow our presence across the globe, and our new brand identity perfectly reflects our ambitions.”

Meanwhile, The Unit has also named Alan Bruce as the firm’s new sales and account director for Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Bringing more than two decades worth of industry experience to the position, Bruce declared: “I am excited to begin my new role as sales director for EMEA with The Unit.

“I have always enjoyed working in the gaming industry, and the team at The Unit have some really interesting projects in the pipeline.

“We have some compelling ideas which will deviate away from the norm in what can sometimes be a bland and repetitive industry.”

Betmaster bolstered by Pythia Sports

Pythia Sports has partnered with Betmaster, allowing the operator to be strengthened by the supplier’s managed trading services racing product. 

Betmaster customers in several key markets, including the UK and Ireland, will have access to a “seamless” experience for global horseracing, boosted by Pythia’s pricing. 

Stephen Davison, head of commercial operations at Pythia Sports, remarked: “This partnership represents our commitment to delivering high-quality, innovative horseracing solutions to operators worldwide.” 

Betmaster CPO Andrey Rozanov added: “We’re thrilled to bring this product to market and look forward to seeing its impact play out as we approach the major racing events in the 2025 calendar.” 

Sporting Risk pens Pragmatic Play deal 

Sporting Risk has gone live with Pragmatic Play to produce a strengthened sports betting offering for Pragmatic Play Sports customers. 

The agreement includes 42 player markets, 16 team markets and 14 match markets, all of which are combinable in the form of pre-made bet builders and can be price boosted.

Andy Phillips, Sporting Risk chief commercial officer (CCO), said: “Pragmatic Play’s sportsbook solution is used by an extensive list of tier-one operators. Our predictive modelling and sports analytics expertise is driving growth in key markets.” 

Gareth Crook, senior vice-president of Pragmatic Play’s sports division, explained: “Our partnership with Sporting Risk allows Pragmatic Play Sports clients access to a full range of player props and interval-based betting markets across multiple football competitions globally.” 

Elantil makes C-suite addition 

Online casino supplier Elantil has named Nadiya Attard as the firm’s latest C-suite addition, with the exec taking the reins as CCO. 

An industry veteran, Attard boasts 20 years of igaming experience within both the B2C and B2B sectors.

In her new position, she will be entrusted to plan and implement the firm’s commercial and marketing strategy.

Attard said: “Having worked in igaming for over two decades and held positions at many of the industry’s major players, I find myself in the fortunate position of knowing exactly what goes into making an online casino platform successful.  

“What excites me even more is the opportunity to work with companies that bring something truly innovative to the market. Elantil is doing just that, with a unique product that not only helps customers save costs but also drives high revenues.” 

Light & Wonder confirms Brazil expansion 

Light & Wonder has confirmed the launch of its online gaming platform in Brazil, two weeks after the regulated market went live on 1 January. 

As a result of the supplier’s latest Latam expansion, operators in Brazil will now be able to access both in-house Light & Wonder titles and games from third-party suppliers via Light & Wonder’s igaming content marketplace. 

Tatiana García Barrenechea, commercial director of Light & Wonder’s Latam segment, said: “Brazil is the jewel in the crown of regulated markets in Latin America and it’s fantastic to be live in a country so rich in potential. 

“We look forward to seeing the impact our offering has in Brazil, as we embark on a journey that delivers entertainment to players within a safe, secure environment.” 

GameplAI boosts Betsson’s betting content 

Betsson has signed a deal with supplier GameplAI that will enable the operator to deliver “innovative localised betting content” to customers across all its brands. 

GameplAI is able to tailor its products to suit the player demands of specific markets, with the supplier also able to deploy head-to-head player prop markets.

Graham Savage, GameplAI co-founder, explained: “Betsson represents the calibre of operator that GameplAI is designed to support, equipping them with flexible trading products that enhance both customer engagement and bottom-line performance.

“We’re excited to work with Betsson on refining its international sports product offerings for its diverse market environments.” 

Joakim Thor, Betsson Group director of sportsbook product, added: “GameplAI has demonstrated an exceptional ability to deliver innovative trading products tailored to the needs of multi-market sportsbook operators.

“We are sure their micro-market and player prop offerings will resonate strongly with local audiences across our diverse markets.”