SOFTSWISS, a leading software supplier for the iGaming industry, announces its successful South African certification. The company has secured a Letter of Certification (LoC) from the National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications (NRCS) for its Casino Platform and Sportsbook, now certified under the South African B2B manufacture licence. 

This licence was initially obtained by Turfsport, a seasoned South African software supplier with 35 years of industry experience. Earlier this year, SOFTSWISS strategically acquired a major stake in Turfsport, aligning their product portfolios. With this certification, SOFTSWISS expands its offerings in the burgeoning South African market.

Vitali Matsukevich, Chief Operating Officer at SOFTSWISS, comments: “South Africa will be one of the key markets for SOFTSWISS in the coming years. It has immense potential, driven by increasing internet penetration, lower mobile internet costs, and affordable mobile devices. Additionally, the local audience shows a strong interest in gambling, which further supports our decision to expand here.”

According to the InfoQuest survey, sports betting is the most common form of gambling in South Africa, with people placing bets on sports about 12 times a month on average. Casino gambling and horse betting are most popular on weekends, while lottery and online betting happen throughout the week because they are easily accessible online. The survey also reveals that the average gambler engages in three different types of gambling multiple times a month, underscoring the significant role of gambling in South African society.

The recently published SOFTSWISS South African market review highlights a growing interest in esports and fantasy sports, particularly among younger, tech-savvy demographics. Statista reports that 51% of South African survey participants are interested in esports betting, while the National Gambling Board (NGB) notes that 39% are inclined towards fantasy sports betting, especially in popular sports like soccer, cricket, and rugby. These trends align with global patterns and suggest a promising future for these sectors in the region.

The comprehensive SOFTSWISS South African market review is available for free and offers valuable insights into these emerging trends.

About SOFTSWISS 

SOFTSWISS is an international tech company supplying software solutions for managing iGaming projects. The expert team, which counts over 2,000 employees, is based in Malta, Poland and Georgia. SOFTSWISS holds a number of gaming licences and provides one-stop-shop iGaming software solutions. The company has a vast product portfolio, including the Online Casino Platform, the Game Aggregator with thousands of casino games, the Affilka affiliate platform, the Sportsbook Platform, and the Jackpot Aggregator. In 2013, SOFTSWISS was the first in the world to introduce a Bitcoin-optimised online casino solution.

The Swedish giant Betsson, which celebrated its 60th anniversary last year, will feature the Betsson Sport infotainment logo on Inter’s jerseys. The new jerseys will, for the first time, display two stars, marking Inter’s 20th Scudetto victory. The strategic alliance unites two prominent names in their respective fields, each boasting a rich heritage. This four-year agreement represents the largest shirt sponsorship deal in the club’s history.

The partnership signifies the largest shirt deal ever for both Betsson and the Serie A champions and last year’s Champions League finalists FC Internazionale Milano. Alongside the prominent display of Betsson.sport on the team jerseys, both parties share a mutual goal of enhancing the overall fan experience. With Betsson’s extensive reach and innovative approach, the goal is also to strengthen and connect with supporters worldwide.

“This sponsorship is the biggest to date for Betsson,” stated Jesper Svensson, CEO of Betsson Operations. “It allows us to connect with passionate football fans in Italy and around the world. Our aim is to be more than just a sponsor – we want to be a partner that brings excitement and value to the club and its supporters. This deal reinforces our strategic growth in key markets and underscores our commitment to positioning Betsson as a leading global sports brand within the industry.”

“We are delighted to welcome Betsson into the Nerazzurri family as the Official Main Partner and to have signed this historic agreement that will see the Betsson Sport logo placed on the front of our new kits. This new collaboration will help us reach new heights in fan engagement and with our partner’s extensive reach and innovative approach, we are poised to expand our international fanbase and enhance the overall experience for supporters in Italy and worldwide” commented Alessandro Antonello, FC Internazionale Milano Corporate CEO.

Betsson Group’s sponsorship portfolio extends globally, with a strong presence in various sports and football clubs. In Latin America – Betsson is the main sponsor of Boca Juniors, Racing Club de Avellaneda and Atlético Nacional. In Italy, the infotainment brand Betsson Sport has partnerships with clubs such as SSC Napoli, Torino FC and Francesco Totti as ambassador.

FC Internazionale Milano

Founded in 1908, FC Internazionale Milano, or Inter, is globally renowned as one of the world’s most successful football teams.

The club’s trophy haul includes 20 Italian league titles, 9 Coppa Italias, 8 Italian Super Cups, 3 UEFA Cups, 2 European Cups, 1 UEFA Champions League, 2 Intercontinental Cups and 1 FIFA Club World Cup. Inter is one of the seven teams to have done the treble – Champions League, national championship and national cup – in the same year (2010), and the only Italian club never to have been relegated in its 113-year history. Inter is a global brand with more than 500 million followers worldwide.

The club boasts a cutting-edge, world-famous youth academy. Over the years Nerazzurri youth teams have won more than 56 trophies, producing many full internationals and dozens of other professionals who have gone on to play in the major European leagues.

‘The Chase Place’ will feature exclusive games, content, and a bespoke Crack the Code competition where consumers can enter to win money-can’t-buy The Chase themed prizes

Entain owned bingo brand Gala Bingo has launched ‘The Chase Place’, a new and exclusive online hub in partnership with ITV’s The Chase. Live on 1st July, this campaign celebrates Gala Bingo’s successful long-running official sponsorship of the flagship ITV game show as it enters its eighth year.

‘The Chase Place’ landing page hosted on the Gala Bingo website will offer players exclusive games and content, including slots, ‘slingo’, bingo, and new live game, all based on one of ITV’s most popular game shows, The Chase. The online hub will also host a blockbuster competition which will be live for three weeks in July, offering gamers the chance to win major money-can’t-buy The Chase themed prizes, only available through The Chase Place.

The competition will run with a ‘crack the code’ mechanic in which videos of popular Chasers will appear on a dedicated landing page. Emulating The Chase, users will be presented with multiple-choice general knowledge questions. Players will then need to use their chosen answers to form a unique code; if the questions have been answered correctly to form the right code, the player will be entered into the prize draw for a chance to win. There will be a new series of questions uploaded each week for three weeks, giving players multiple chances to enter and win The Chase themed prizes.

First prize is an exclusive all expenses paid The Chase studio tour and meet and greet with a Chaser. The lucky runner up will win the opportunity to have a Chaser on their quiz team at the ‘Gala Bingo x The Chase Ultimate Quiz Night’ event which will be hosted in Manchester in August. Additional prizes include Gala rewards such as bingo tickets and free spins.

Gala Bingo will be promoting the competition and its unique prizes across multiple platforms, including digital and print advertising. The nationwide campaign will culminate with an in-person PR activation for the partnership, ‘Gala Bingo x The Chase Ultimate Quiz Night’. The event will be a bookable experience held in Manchester on 8th
August, offering consumers the chance to test their knowledge against a Chaser. With Anne Hegerty, Mark Labbett and Jenny Ryan in attendance, the prize winner will have a Chaser on their quiz team, whilst consumers will be able to interact with the other Chasers.

Sara Jolly, Head of Brand at Gala Bingo says: “We believe people that love The Chase will also love Gala Bingo, and the new ‘The Chase Place’ presents opportunities for us to reach a significant UK audience, and offer unique experiences for fans of the show that aren’t available anywhere else.

We are delighted to be working with ITV to bring the latest element of our partnership to life through ‘The Chase Place’. The Chase is an iconic show in the UK and we hope that our players, both old and new, will enjoy playing all the new themed games on the site, including cracking the code to enter our competition for a chance to win some incredible prizes.”

Steve Watling, SVP Gaming, ITV Studios Global Partnerships, commented: “ITV’s partnership with Gala Bingo, Entain and The Chase, has been a long running success story. We are delighted to see the new Chase Live game and Gala’s showcase destination at The Chase Place with the chance for players to win amazing The Chase themed prizes. The Chase is on!’

The Chase Place is already live at https://promo.galabingo.com/en/promo/p/home-of-the-chase. The Crack the Code competition will be open for consumers to enter from 1st July 00:01am to 22nd July 2024 11:59pm. Competition entrants must be over the age of 18. UK & ROI. For T&Cs please see https://promo.galabingo.com/en/promo/p/the-chase.