Latest News
Former Stars Group chief Rafi Ashkenazi joins Blueribbon as strategic advisor
BlueRibbon Software, the B2B marketing platform provider, is pleased to announce the addition of gaming industry veteran Rafi Ashkenazi as a strategic advisor. Coupled with his exceptional market expertise, extensive knowledge and BlueRibbons outstanding player engagement offerings, Rafi is sure to play a pivotal role in the future successes of the company and its ever-expanding footprint across the gaming landscape.
Rafi, having most recently served as the Chief Executive Officer of The Stars Group. His tactical efforts saw the Canadian operator grow into an international multi-vertical giant, having been recently merged with Flutter Entertainment.
With a track record second to none, he brings with him his extensive gaming experience, spanning a series of c-suite management positions. Rafi will add to the strengthening of the BlueRibbon brand and its fast surging online presence as a leading marketing and gamification platform across regulated markets world-wide. “We at BlueRibbon are thrilled to have such a visionary and gaming specialist share in our passion to provide operators and players alike with innovative, next-level engagement tools. Not only does Rafi bring with him an astounding amount of industry achievements and groundbreaking experience but an insightful eye into the business at large.” says Amir Askarov, co-founder, and CEO of BlueRibbon Software.
Amir continues by saying “Rafi’s addition to our advisory team, reinforces BlueRibbons powerful capabilities and strength in enhancing player loyalty and brand differentiation as it teams up with the one of the best minds in the gaming world. Rafi is certainly a feather in our cap, and we look forward to this new and exciting chapter together”.
“Having observed the value of the BlueRibbon platform and the traction that the company has created in such a short amount of time with leading tier 1 operators, I am delighted to be joining them in growing the BlueRibbon foothold in strategic markets.
Within the gaming industry, specifically in the newly regulated markets, existing engagement tools are limited and lack the flexibility that operators require. Through BlueRibbons unique and innovative solutions, operators now have the ability to better differentiate their brands and seamlessly adapt to the ever-changing regulatory landscape.” says Rafi Ashkenazi.
Latest News
Caitlin Clark Boosted Betting on March Madness Women’s Games by 540%; a Bellwether on Her WNBA Impact: Optimove Insights’ Analysis
Results based on more than 19 million bets during the 2024 NCAA March Madness tournament also revealed women’s games had more TV viewers, men’s games received more bets
Optimove Insights, the analytical and research arm of Optimove, has conducted a comprehensive analysis of the 2024 NCAA March Madness tournament, shedding light on the significant impact of standout player Caitlin Clark on betting behavior in women’s games. The report revealed that she boosted betting on March Madness by an average of 540%, a bellwether on her likely impact to the WNBA. The report was released at SBC Summit North America.
Results based on 19 Million+ Bets
Between March 29 and April 9, Optimove Insights analyzed more than 19 million bets placed on the 2024 NCAA March Madness tournament, encompassing both men’s and women’s games. The focus of this analysis was to track the betting trends surrounding games featuring Caitlin Clark, a prominent player in women’s college basketball, and the first pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft.
Women’s Games: The Caitlin Clark Effect
Optimove Insights tracked the betting activity on women’s NCAA games from the Elite Eight stage through to the Championship game. The comparative baseline game, Oregon State vs. South Carolina, set at 100%, received the fewest bets among the games tracked.
The data revealed the impact of Caitlin Clark on betting activity, with games featuring her, witnessing an average 540% increase in bets compared to the baseline. This suggests a significant influence of individual players on the betting landscape, emphasizing the role of star power in driving fan engagement and betting interest.
Men’s Championship Game More Bets, Women’s Championship Game More Eyeballs.
Of note is that the women’s Championship game had an average of 18.7 million TV viewers compared to the men’s game at 14.8 million viewers, yet the men’s game attracted more than 3X the number of bets. This disparity underscores potential differences in viewer engagement versus betting activity between the two tournaments.
Men’s Games
The analysis also encompassed betting behavior in men’s NCAA games. Despite the men’s Championship game showing a 139% increase in bets over the baseline, the percentage increase in betting was notably lower compared to women’s games.
A likely explanation for this difference lies in the higher baseline of individual bettors in men’s games, resulting in lower percentage increases. Nevertheless, men’s games consistently attracted more bets throughout the tournament.
According to Rony Vexelman, VP of Marketing at Optimove, “As the WNBA season is about to tip off on May 14, it is doing so, with a generational player. The substantial boost in overall interest in women’s basketball catalyzed by Caitlin Clark is extraordinary. Her influence on boosting betting, TV viewership and more is already starting to drive a new women’s basketball economy in the trillions.”
Latest News
DigitalEjis and Betpoint together in safeguarding responsible gaming
DigitalEjis Limited, an innovative research and development company, and Betpoint, a leading Italian regulated gaming operator, have signed a partnership agreement to improve technological safeguards for players and responsible gaming.
DigitalEjis, a pioneer in its field, is the only company that provides an advanced technological solution to assist gaming operators in promoting responsible gaming and ensuring a safer gaming environment for all customers. DigitalEjis has developed the world’s first anti-addiction prediction software, the result of years of scientific research conducted in collaboration with renowned institutions and enhanced by the use of machine learning and artificial intelligence.
This software aims to improve the protection of responsible gaming. Ian McLoughlin, CEO of DigitalEjis, emphasized the ethical imperative behind the development of the innovative software: “Our mission is to create a safe and fun gaming environment for all players. By allowing operators to better understand their players, we aim to implement protection tools for the most vulnerable users without compromising anyone’s fun”.
“It was a pleasure,” adds Ian McLoughlin, “to work closely with Betpoint to enable them to offer a quantum-leap in player protection compared to the competition. Through-out the process, Betpoint has shown a constant commitment to maximizing the safety of its players. What I now hope is that players will turn to gaming operators who offer more protection. Currently in Italy, Betpoint represents the reference point for this”.
Betpoint, a leading gaming operator in Italy, stands out for its leadership in the field of player protection. Long committed to promoting transparency, player trust, and their safety, Betpoint sees the collaboration with DigitalEjis as a further sign of its commitment to responsible gaming.
With the integration of the software designed and produced by DigitalEjis on its gaming platform, Betpoint confirms itself as the most committed operator in Italy on the front of the protection of safe and responsible gaming. Betpoint, a prominent name in the gaming sector in Italy, has consistently prioritized transparency and player trust. In its position as a premium operator, Betpoint has committed to actively promoting responsible gaming as an integral part of its
corporate philosophy.
Giuseppe Simone, CEO of Betpoint, stated: “The collaboration with DigitalEjis reflects our commitment to player safety. We firmly believe that operators should provide a safer gaming experience for their customers, and we are committed to doing exactly that”.
Latest News
ELA Games Announces New Slot Game – Big Wave Delight
ELA Games, an innovative slot provider in the iGaming industry, is thrilled to announce the release of its latest slot machine game, Big Wave Delight. This new game features an advanced design, original mechanics, and a unique “Bonus Purchase” feature, setting a new standard in the gaming industry.
“Dive into the ultimate Hawaiian surf adventure with Big Wave Delight,” says Mike Cini, Business Owner of ELA Games. “Our latest slot machine offers players a thrilling gaming experience with every spin. The unique ‘Bonus Purchase’ feature and the ‘Wild Wave Respin’ feature, where every Wild landing triggers a respin and summons a massive surfing board as a Wild symbol on the reel, are sure to keep players engaged and entertained.”
Players can also hit the waves with Free Spins, scoring 10 thrilling spins with random multipliers (up to 10x) on each whirl. With up to 3 Wild Surfboards on every spin, players can expect epic wins!
The ELA Games team has just returned from SIGMA Americas in Sao Paulo, which took place from 22-24 April. The team is now preparing for the CasinoBeats Summit 2024 in Malta, where Mike Cini will be participating in a discussion panel titled “Navigating niche – mainstream opinion on alternative games“ on 22nd May.
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