Press Releases
OLBG launches new EPL insights campaign
- 22% of UK football fans admit to using unofficial streams, despite knowing they are illegal
- 40% not aware that unofficial online internet streams are illegal
- Almost a third access live matches by using a device via someone else’s login
- Ultimate Premier League insights report reveals there is lack of awareness
A new study, released by sports betting community platform OLBG has shown that despite 40% of football fans knowing that unofficial internet streams are illegal, around five million fans up and down the country are still using them to access the sport on a regular basis.
Despite the Premier League’s best efforts to clamp down on illegal streaming, the survey of 1,000 UK football fans shows that 42% are unaware that using online catch-up services to catch up on a match is illegal.
The research highlights that football fans in London are the worst culprits, as 58% of men in the capital admit to using illegal streams.
A staggering 40% of football fans residing in London have also skipped work to watch football.
A whopping 68% admit to using somebody else’s login on a device to watch a match, with almost one in 10 (8.8%) doing so on a regular basis.
The interactive Fans of the EPL report, published by OLBG, has exposed the lengths people will go to to watch live matches in the Premier League whether legally or illegally with a survey of 1,000 people showing the true viewing habits of British football fans and the trends in attendances since in the post-War era.
Almost half (48%) of football fans in the UK now watch football at home, and more than a third access football whilst at the pub. Women would also much prefer to watch football at the pub than men (20% vs 16.4%).
31.2% of females also rely on social media sites such as Twitter and Instagram for breaking news and updates, compared to 27.5% of men.
Fans of the EPL, published by OLBG, has exposed the lengths people will go to to watch live matches in the Premier League whether legally or illegally with a survey of 1,000 people showing the true viewing habits of British football fans and the trends in attendances since in the post-War era.
Speaking exclusively to Fans of the EPL/OLBG, Premier League Executive Director Bill Bush has claimed that piracy is threatening the integrity of the game.
He said: “This shadowy world of data piracy drains money away from the sport and threatens the integrity of the game.
“The Premier League is a successful competition that depends on audio-visual rights for the investment that keeps standards high and fans happy. We will always protect our rights to defend ourselves from piracy in any form, whether in broadcast or data rights.”
The Premier League has every right to be worried about breaches of their intellectual property, with almost 40% of respondents unaware that using an unofficial online internet stream to watch a live game of football is illegal, while more than half (55%) did not know it was illegal to watch live matches online without a TV licence.
The League’s world-leading anti-piracy efforts this season have also supported audience growth. In 2018/19, 175,000 illegal streams have been blocked in the UK alone.
For further information on the true price of TV in the Premier League and a complete breakdown of how much money each team could win/lose if money was equally distributed between teams or how much each team averages per season, visit Fans of the EPL, where you will find the best and most comprehensive guide to TV fixtures between now and January in the Premier League.
Asia
SoftGamings Welcomes WM Casino Into its Fold
SoftGamings has formally announced its partnership with WM Casino, a renowned developer of diverse live casino gaming content explicitly created for Asian markets. This collaboration signifies a strategic move to integrate WM Casino’s extensive game portfolio into SoftGamings’ platform, promising an enhanced gaming experience for operators looking to expand to Asia, particularly Southeast Asia.
This partnership aims to diversify and enrich the gaming options available to SoftGamings’ clientele, featuring a broad spectrum of WM Casino’s acclaimed games such as Baccarat, SicBo, and some more exclusive titles like Niuniu, Fantan, Se Die, and Fish-Prawn-Crab.
Anna Kiselova, the Head of Partnerships at SoftGamings, commented on the collaboration, stating, “We are thrilled to forge this partnership with WM Casino. It’s a step that not only enhances our platform’s diversity regarding live dealer games but also reaffirms our dedication to delivering top-notch gaming experiences to specific markets. WM Casino’s innovative and dynamic range of games will undoubtedly add great value to our offering.”
Integrating WM Casino’s games into the SoftGamings platform will offer operators enhanced flexibility and variety, ensuring their players can access a richer and more engaging suite of gaming options in record times.
eSports
Sony Group Becomes Founding Partner of Esports World Cup
Multi-year collaboration will produce the Anthem and original documentary series of Esports World Cup 2024
The Esports World Cup Foundation (“EWCF”) and Sony Group Corporation (“Sony”) have signed a multi-year partnership agreement to collaborate on initiatives for the Esports World Cup. The collaboration leverages Sony’s acclaimed gaming products and entertainment expertise alongside the EWC’s vision to unite the global gaming and esports communities across the most popular games, and underscores a shared ambition to broaden the appeal of gaming and esports to players and fans worldwide. The inaugural Esports World Cup 2024 is slated to take place this summer in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
As part of this agreement, Sony Pictures Entertainment will create a behind-the-scenes documentary series showcasing the players and games of the Esports World Cup. Sony, together with Sony Interactive Entertainment, will also look to exploring additional opportunities to support promising creators and talent in the region. Sony Music Entertainment will produce the music Anthem of the Esports World Cup 2024
“Sony is the perfect partner for the Esports World Cup,” said Ralf Reichert, CEO, Esports World Cup Foundation. “Our goal is to establish a global platform for esports and gaming that sets new standards for live esports events. Sony’s experience in creating stunning visuals, engaging music, compelling storytelling, and state-of-the-art technology will be a game-changer for the Esports World Cup. The EWC aims to take esports to the next level, and we are thrilled to count on Sony’s world class expertise in this endeavor.”
“We’re excited to make the Esports World Cup more fun and engaging for fans globally by harnessing the creativity and technology from across our diverse businesses.” said Toshimoto Mitomo, Executive Deputy President and CSO, Sony Group Corporation. “Sony has been enhancing the esports experience especially with Sony Interactive Entertainment’s initiatives such as PlayStation Tournaments and the annual EVO fighting game series. We look forward to further catering to this growing, global community of players and fans with the Esports World Cup.”
With the Esports World Cup, EWCF has created an unprecedented celebration of competitive gaming and esports fandom. This summer, top esports organizations will face off in Riyadh, to compete in a unique cross-game structure for the largest prize pool in esports history. Recently, the EWC has announced the addition of ten popular titles – Dota 2, Counter-Strike 2, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, Honor of Kings, PUBG, PUBG Mobile, Overwatch, Free Fire, Fortnite and Rainbow Six Siege – as participating games. More games will be announced soon.
Latest News
PRAGMATIC PLAY ADDS TO SWEET SENSATION IN SUGAR RUSH 1000
Sweet spot multipliers of up to 1,024x await in the provider’s latest online slot release
Pragmatic Play, a leading content supplier to the iGaming industry, invites players to explore an extra sweetened version of its candy-filled classic in Sugar Rush 1000.
Building on the success of the multi-award-winning original Slot, Sugar Rush 1000 offers the same great gameplay across 7×7 reels, including both the tumbling feature and cluster pays mechanic, but supercharges the potential of the multiplier spots up to 1,024x.
Hitting three, four, five, six or seven scatters awards 10, 12, 15, 20 or 30 free spins respectively. During the bonus round, multipliers remain sticky on the reels, increasing players’ chances of landing mouthwatering wins up to 25,000x their bet!
Sugar Rush 1000 is the latest supercharged sequel in the Pragmatic Play portfolio, following Gates of Olympus 1000 and Starlight Princess 1000.
Irina Cornides, Chief Operating Officer at Pragmatic Play, said: “Adding to one of Pragmatic Play’s most popular and celebrated releases of all time, Sugar Rush 1000 takes fan-favourite content to new heights with even sweeter multiplier spots and a max win of up to 25,000x.”
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