Athletico Paranaense, a football club competing in Brazil’s top-flight men’s league, Campeonato Brasileiro Série A, announced it has signed a shirt sponsorship deal with sports betting operator Esporte da Sorte.

The new agreement with Esporte da Sorte will see the logo of one of the fastest-growing sports betting operators in Brazil feature on the front of Paranaense’s shirts and the club’s main exhibition properties.

Commenting on the master sponsorship agreement, the chairman and chief executive officer of Athletico Paranaense, Mario Celso Petraglia, stressed the importance of the arrangement for the club at this particular moment of its history.

We are pleased and proud to count on Esportes da Sorte at this very important moment in the club’s history.

Mario Celso Petraglia, CEO & chair, Athletico Paranaense

“About to turn 99, Athletico expects to experience even more victorious moments alongside Esportes da Sorte,” Petraglia added.

Founded on March 26, 1924, through the merger of two traditional clubs in Curitiba, International Football Club and América Futebol Clube, Athletico Paranaense is using the Esporte da Sorte sponsorship deal to mark the 99^th anniversary since its creation.

‘Build Memories’ with Hurricane Fans

Darwin Filho, chief executive officer of Esporte da Sorte, also commented on the sponsorship agreement with the football club known as Hurricane among its supporters, highlighting where the club’s credentials and the operator’s business values align.

“Athletico is a model club and exudes a business culture, modernism and innovation – values that are also part of the Esportes da Sorte’s DNA for more than 20 years,” Filho said, praising the collaboration with Hurricane.

“We arrived here not to be another master sponsor, but to embrace Hurricane and build memories with its passionate fans,” he continued, promising Paranaense’s fans “a lot of support, interaction and activations” as part of the operator’s goal to help the club achieve its sporting objectives and climb up the football hierarchy in the Americas.

The new sponsor logo is set to appear on the shirts of Paranaense’s next game which will be the return leg of the state championship with Maringa at Arena da Baixada after a 2-0 win away from home in the first leg.

The shirt sponsorship deal with Athletico Paranaense is the latest for Esporte da Sorte, a brand that features heavily in Brazil football, sponsoring ten football clubs, and being an official partner of the Campeonato Paulista and the Gaúcho Série A2, as well as the main sponsor of the Copa São Paulo de Futebol Júnior this year.

A joint appearance of Australian Football League (AFL) and National Rugby League (NRL) executives before an online gambling inquiry that is seen as key to further regulation tightening led to speculation that both sporting bodies are changing their stance against changes.

AFL’s chief executive officer, Gill McLachlan and his NRL counterpart, Andrew Abdo, will appear together during a public hearing on Tuesday in Canberra as part of the online gambling inquiry initiated by the government to determine whether further tightening of the gambling regulation is needed, reported Australian Financial Review.

Their appearance side-by-side is stirring rumors within the gambling industry that the country’s top sports administrators will present a united front on the proposed tightening of the betting advertising rules despite the submissions made by their respective sporting codes claiming that the current regime is appropriate and needs no further regulation.

“Since the sport codes made their written submission, we have received substantial evidence contradicting their claim that the current rules around [the] promotion of online sports betting are appropriate,” commented the chair of the inquiry, Labor MP Peta Murphy.

Pleased to see that both executives agreed to appear together, Murphy noted that “this will be their opportunity to tell the committee and the public whether they have considered that evidence and the broader community sentiment.”

Change of Position Is Likely

McLachlan implied that there may be a change in AFL’s recommendation that no further changes be made during a Melbourne radio interview in which he admitted that the amount of gambling advertising was “probably too much” and “in your face.”

He also explained that the league’s set of restrictions “are being reviewed at the moment, hinting that “probably they will be wound tighter,” but underlining that the AFL does not “believe in prohibition because all it does is drive it underground or offshore and that has its own set of problems.”

A recently released survey by the Australian Gambling Research Centre showed that more than half of Australians supported an outright ban on gambling advertising. Data also revealed that 41% of the survey respondents had been exposed to gambling advertising four or more times per week.

The Australian Institute of Family Studies also posted the results of a survey showing that three in every four Australians had gambled at least once in the past 12 months, 38% of which doing it on a weekly basis, claiming that at least half of those gambling are at risk of experiencing gambling-related issues.

Other industry executives set to appear before the inquiry will be the CEOs of Tabcorp and Sportsbet, Adan Rytenskild and Barni Evans, former Queensland premier Anna Bligh for the Australian Banking Association, and ex-federal cabinet minister who chairs the industry Responsible Wagering Australia group, Nick Minchin.

The pioneering entertainment brand and fast-growing crypto casino operator, Roobet, announced the launch of the first-ever celebrity casino game collaboration. Announced Monday, the new title delivers thrilling casino entertainment for online players and marks an entirely new style of casino games. The title, influenced positively by the music icon Snoop Dogg is called Snoop’s HotBox and represents a unique take on Roobet’s original game Crash.

Launched on March 22 via Roobet.com, the new game is expected to be available via all platforms. Initially, HotBox was unveiled during an invite-only event that included Roobet’s most-dedicated audiences such as VIPs, media partners and key members.

The new game complements the fast-growing collection of casino games offered by Roobet. What’s more, HotBox fuses Snoop Dogg’s legendary music career, his charismatic persona and his voice with an engaging casino experience. According to Roobet, the new title delivers unique and exciting moments and a “provably fair player experience.”

HotBox stands out with hand-illustrated game features, as well as sound effects featuring Snoop Dogg himself. The game has impressive graphics and offers a chance for big prizes. The launch of the new game reaffirms the innovation and forward-thinking identities of Roobet and Snoop Dogg.

The Casino Operator Is Excited to Collaborate with Snoop Dogg

The launch of HotBox comes on the heels of Snoop Dogg’s recent appointment at Roobet as chief ganjaroo office (CGO). This is likely the industry’s first such position and without any doubt, the iconic music artist is the perfect fit for the role. Joining Roobet, Snoop Dogg delivered his decades-long experience within the entertainment vertical and is expected to contribute toward the growth of the innovative brand.

“Together with our Chief Ganjaroo, we’re slowly Snoopifying Roobet’s games offering.“

Matt Duea, co-founder of Roobet

Matt Duea, Roobet’s co-founder, acknowledged that the company is excited to see Snoop Dogg as its CGO. Additionally, he pointed out that the music icon was the perfect partner for the company. Duea added: “We’re here to push the boundaries of what’s possible to provide the best entertainment for the next generation of gamers, and being the first to do things like this proves we’re working hard and lifting heavy against a sea of check-writers who make set-and-forget marketing.”

Roobet’s co-founder pointed out that the company is delighted to announce the release of HotBox. Finally, he said that the new title fuses Snoop Dogg’s humor and at the same time provides engaging casino entertainment.

Realistic Games, a developer of exciting casino games, has agreed to integrate some of its titles into Napoleon Sports & Casino’s platform in Belgium. The agreement will expand the supplier’s presence in the country while providing the operator with new content.

Under the agreement, 20 titles developed by Realistic Games are now live with Napoleon and available to its customers. As a result, local players can now enjoy premium games such as Gorilla Riches, Book of Charms and Realistic’s latest hit, Chilli Master.

The two companies have agreed to add more content to Napoleon’s platform at a later date as its new studio partner continues with its release schedule. Realistic Games has an ambitious roadmap for 2023, planning to release a variety of exciting games that combine thrilling gameplay with great graphics and exciting math models.

One of the titles Realistic Games will be releasing later this year is a refreshed version of its long-time successful Keno game. Furthermore, the studio has also planned to release a fishing-themed slot called Catch 22. Both of these exciting new titles will be integrated into Napoleon’s offering in accordance with the current deal.

Realistic Games Is Happy to Team Up with a Local Market Leader

Realistic Games’ account manager, Amy Brewis, commented on the new agreement. She said that her company always seeks to partner with local market leaders such as Napoleon Sports & Casino. Brewis praised the operator for its “fantastic heritage” in Belgium and said that her team is happy to see its games go live on Napoleon’s platform.

2023 is set to be busy for Realistic and this partnership is one of many we have in the works, backed by an exciting range of new product launches that we’re working on.

Amy Brewis, account manager, Realistic Games

Meanwhile, Melissa Deboelpaep, Napoleon Sports & Casino’s gaming content manager, noted that her team is just as excited to have partnered with Realistic Games. The operator is happy to add Realistic’s titles to its offering and, according to Deboelpaep, believes that this integration has greatly enhanced its portfolio.

As a result, players in Belgium will now have an enriched gaming experience when playing with Napoleon. Deboelpaep concluded that her team will engage players in a safe and responsible manner.

At Napoleon, we take pride in offering a safe and responsible environment for our players, and Realistic Games’ commitment to player protection aligns perfectly with our values. We are excited to continue this partnership, delivering top-quality entertainment to our growing community of players.

Melissa Deboelpaep, gaming content manager, Napoleon Sports & Casino

In February, Napoleon also secured gambling content from Bragg Gaming.

The Dutch gambling regulator, the Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), announced Monday it imposed a cease-and-desist order against the online gambling operator Winning Poker Network. The order comes after an investigation dating back to September last year uncovered that Dutch customers can participate in games of chance via one of the operator’s websites.

The KSA said that an operator that doesn’t have a Dutch license cannot offer its services to customers in the country. Thus, upon uncovering the breach, the gambling watchdog gave Winning Poker Network a chance to remedy the situation. According to the KSA, the operator vowed to discontinue the offering of games of chance for customers in the Netherlands.

Now, upon a follow-up probe, the KSA uncovered that the website that offered games of chance previously was no longer accessible to Dutch customers. However, it found that a different website from the same provider was accessible to customers from the Netherlands.

The gambling watchdog pointed out that Dutch customers have the option to register via that website and participate in games of chance. However, given that the operator doesn’t have a license, the KSA deemed that offering “illegal games of chance.”

Keeping in mind that the operator’s services are still accessible to Dutch customers, the KSA enforced a cease-and-desist order subject to periodic penalty payments against the online gambling provider. According to the regulator, if Winning Poker Network offers its services again without a license, a fine of €25,000 ($27,000) per week up to a maximum of €75,000 ($81,000) would be applicable. Moreover, the KSA vowed to continue monitoring the activity of the operator.

The Gambling Watchdog Monitors the Market Continuously

The latest sanction comes after only recently, the KSA imposed a financial penalty against another operator. Earlier this month, the regulator imposed a financial penalty of €1,470,000 per week, up to a maximum of €4,410,000 against Gammix Limited. At the time, the KSA claimed that the operator offered its services to Dutch customers without a license.

Before that, earlier in March, the KSA imposed penalties surpassing $27 million against five online gambling operators. According to the regulatory watchdog, the operators offered games of chance without a Dutch license, which is why a regulatory fine was imposed.

BetDEX, a Web3 sports betting exchange founded by an ex-FanDuel CEO, has expanded its content offering. As announced by the exchange, Indian Premier League markets will now be available to its player.

The decentralized exchange currently offers betting products for many popular leagues, such as American football and basketball. While the platform is still young, its leaders are ambitious and keen on expanding BetDEX further and adding more sports.

The addition of the Indian Premier League to its offerings will see BetDEX make a foray into cricket betting. Considering the league’s popularity, the move will likely channel more players toward the decentralized sports betting exchange.

Cricket betting went live today, as announced by BetDEX on Twitter. The company noted that the first IPL game is still a few days away but interest in the betting markets has already started.

Varun Sudhakar, BetDEX’s co-founder and chief executive, commented on the addition of cricket to the platform’s offerings, calling it a major milestone for his team. He noted that the IPL has been a key goal of his team, which will continue adding more sports markets to its offerings.

BetDEX Celebrates the Addition with a Giveaway

BetDEX also announced a promotional giveaway ahead of the start of the Indian Premier League season. People can enter the giveaway by following BetDexLabs on Twitter, retweeting a post, joining the BetDEX discord and signing up for the BetDEX app. These methods will provide participants with 1, 2, 3 and 4 entries respectively.

Players can get additional entries once they have fulfilled all of the aforementioned conditions. The person with the most points will receive a prize of $500 USDT. Meanwhile, the second place will get $250 USDT and the third will get $100 USDT. In case of ties, BetDEX will run a raffle to determine the winner.

BetDEX remains optimistic about the development of Web3 betting, in spite of the hits the blockchain market has taken in recent times.

In November 2022, GamblingNews spoke with CEO Sudhakar just as the company had been licensed in the Isle of Man. Sudhakar told us about his team’s vision and ambition, saying that they hope to “lead the revolution in sports betting and web3.”

According to Sudhakar, BetDex will remain focused on Asia, South America, Africa and Europe. He concluded that the platform hopes to become the world’s largest sports betting exchange with market-leading customer satisfaction.

Leading Deutsche Bank senior analyst Carlo Santarelli recently released a report on DraftKings, maintaining a Hold rating. He justified his decision with the unfavorable USA expansion conditions, reflecting on the political climate across the States. Santarelli predicted a slowdown in states adopting new sports betting legislation as compounding negative factors stifle progress.

Operators Will Have Little Avenue for Growth

Santarelli currently ranks among the top 100 analysts according to the investment advice platform TipRanks, sporting an impressive 64% success rate. As a specialist in the services sector and gambling industry, his predictions benefit from years of experience and in-depth observations and carry considerable weight.

The Hold rating on DraftKings was motivated by a mixture of positive and negative factors. The operator enjoyed a stellar 2022, hitting $2.2 billion in revenue for a significant 73% year-over-year increase. Such impressive financials would usually warrant a more favorable rating, but Santarelli argued that outside pressures could impact the entire US market and dampen DraftKings’ expansion ambitions.

Most Prospective Bills Face Ongoing Difficulties

The Deutsche Bank senior analyst examined some states considering online sports betting legalization, reflecting on the political situation and the likelihood of meaningful progress in 2023. While some jurisdictions actively work towards implementing the necessary legal framework, progress appears limited and suffers from a lack of political will.

The prospects, when looked at individually, are not ideal for the OSB operators… On the iCasino front, we see little to no real momentum for incremental state legalizations in 2023.

Carlo Santarelli, Deutsche Bank senior analyst

Texas remains the grand prize for online sportsbooks. Santarelli noted that powerful and persistent lobbying efforts netted some progress, but legislative efforts remain in their infancy. The proposed bill HB 1942, legalizing online sports betting, first needs to garner sufficient public support and will likely take at least a couple of years.

Georgia and North Carolina share similar difficulties. Both states have several failed sports-betting bills, which used up most of the remaining momentum and political will. North Carolina is in a slightly stronger position, as a reiteration of last year’s unsuccessful bill is currently making steady progress and will soon see a vote on the House floor.

Missouri’s HB 556 enjoys nearly unanimous industry support, receiving overwhelming approval in the lower house. However, Santarelli remained cautious regarding the Senate’s approval as political jostling could hinder or even derail the entire project. Kentucky likewise sent a sports betting bill to Senate, showing slow but notable progress despite expected adversity.

According to Santarelli, 2023 will be much leaner on US expansion opportunities than last year. Many states still lack the momentum to make significant legislative progress. The ones that have made strides in that regard still need to complete the arduous process of establishing proper regulation, meaning that operators looking to expand into untapped jurisdictions are out of luck.