Blockchain-based fan engagement platform Socios.com is set to launch four new football club Fan Tokens in the space of just eight days. 

On Tuesday 27 April, Socios.com is launching the FTO for Turkish club Göztepe, followed by the FTO for the platform’s first Chilean partner, Universidad de Chile, on Wednesday. 

A week later, on Tuesday 4 May, the FTO for Polish club Legia Warsaw will launch, followed the next day for the FTO for Dutch side Fortuna Sittard.  

Each FTO will last a maximum of 24 hours, and will see a set number Fan Tokens sold at a fixed price, after that the price of Fan Tokens will be set by the market. 

The details for each Fan Token are as follows:

Göztepe

• Fan Token: $GOZ
• FTO start date: 27/04/2021 at 13:00 CET (final start time TBC)
• Trading begins: TBC
• Socios.com FTO supply: 400,000
• Price of 1 $GOZ Fan Token: 10 Turkish Lira
• Total supply: 7,000,000

Universidad de Chile

• Fan Token: $UCH
• FTO start date: 28/04/2021 at 13:00 CET (final start time TBC)
• Trading begins: TBC
• Socios.com FTO supply: 175,000
• Price of 1 $UCH Fan Token: $1.25
• Total supply: 5,000,000

Legia Warsaw

• Fan Token: $LEG
• FTO start date: 04/05/2021 at 13:00 CET (final start time TBC)
• Trading begins: TBC
• Socios.com FTO supply: 200,000
• Price of 1 $LEG Fan Token: €2
• Total supply: 5,000,000

Fortuna Sittard

• Fan Token: $FOR
• FTO start date: 05/05/2021 at 13:00 CET (final start time TBC)
• Trading begins: TBC
• Socios.com FTO supply: 100, 000
• Price of 1 $FOR Fan Token: €1.5
• Total supply: 1,000,000

Platform provider Pronet Gaming is launching its first-ever horse racing solution after securing a partnership with BetMakers Technology Group.

Pronet Gaming’s sportsbook customers will benefit from the deal with the Australia-listed company by gaining access to over 250,000 races per year from more than 20 countries around the world, including the UK, Ireland, Australia and the US.

The BetMakers racing solution incorporates live streaming of up to 2,500 races every week, with bet types covered including traditional win and place fixed odds markets and pari-mutuels, as well as popular tote exotics and fixed-odds derivatives.

Operators using Pronet Gaming’s sportsbook services will also benefit from BetMakers’ high-margin SameRaceMultis, which offer accumulator bets within one race, as well as expanded racing form and dynamic content in support of the race cards. Greyhound and harness racing are also covered.

Thomas Molloy, Sportsbook and Trading Director at Pronet Gaming, said: “We look forward to working with the BetMakers team for our entry into the horse racing market by offering an unparalleled global racing product. Here at Pronet, our strategy is to give our clients a world-class product offering and, by partnering with BetMakers, we continue to expose our client base to the best the industry has to offer.”

Jake Henson, Chief Operating Officer at BetMakers, said: “BetMakers is pleased that we’ve advanced our integration with Pronet Gaming to the point where we can now launch a world-class racing book across Pronet’s global network of platform clients. The team and the product are first-class and we look forward to assisting them to grow new revenue streams for their clients.”

Staying with Pronet Gaming, last month the company announced a partnership with Cameroon-based sports betting operator, Winnerbet. 

Sportium, the sports betting division of Grupo Cirsa, has acquired the Marca Apuestas sportsbook brand from Unidad Editorial SA. 

Marca Apuestas was launched in 2012 as the sports betting arm of Spain’s most popular daily sports newspaper and online news portal, Marca. Despite failing to meet expectations and being withdrawn, the brand was relaunched in 2016 in partnership with Playtech Plc. 

According to Spanish media, Sportium has now taken ownership of Unidad Editorial Juegos, the company operating the Marca Apuestas brand, and the associated DGOJ online gambling license has been transferred to newly formed Sportium subsidiary, Bet on Red Digital. 

At this point it is unclear if Marca’s La Liga and ACB Basketball fantasy sports games, operated by the Juegos subsidiary, have changed ownership. 

The governor of Arizona has signed a bill legalising sports betting in the US state, after legislation passed both the Senate and House with sizeable majorities. 

In addition to giving the green light for sports betting, with licenses set to be issued to 10 tribes and 10 professional sports teams, the legislation also allows for fantasy sports betting and keno, and opens the path for an expansion of casino development. 

Fraternal organisations, veteran’s groups, and horse race tracks will also be permitted to offer fantasy betting and those with state lottery licenses, along with off-track betting sites with lottery licenses, will be able to offer keno too. 

Sportsbooks will be taxed at a rate of 8% on all revenue, minus payouts to gamblers, generating an estimated $34M in annual revenue for the state. 

Betting on collegiate sports will be allowed, though proposition bets (those on anything other than final outcome or points spread) will be prohibited. 

Up to four new casinos are also expected to be authorised in the Phoenix metro area, with developments expected on Tohono O’Odham Nation and Gila River Indian Community land. Elsewhere in the state, up to 11 new casinos will be authorised, though only four will be allowed in the first decade. 

Commenting on the development, Governor Ducey said: “There’s no question that Arizona has grown and changed significantly since the last major compact update in 2003. It’s important that we account for these changes in our policies and our compacts.”

Gov. Stephen Roe Lewis of the Gila River Indian Community added: “We argued before we agreed. And we fought before we found our middle ground. But here we are today, celebrating the most unique unicorn in political life: a genuine win for us all.”

AYO.NEWS says:

With a little over 7.2M residents, Arizona might not be the most populous state, but its many tribal casinos have long drawn both local and out of state visitors, including those from neighbouring California, so there’s plenty of potential for growth now sports betting can be added to the state’s offering.

SoftSwiss has entered the Indian sports betting market, supplying a sportsbook solution to local online casino Betjungle.

To help tailor its product for India, SoftSwiss has also included a special premium cricket package in the deal. Overall, the partnership will provide Betjungle bettors with access to over 10,000 live events. 

Regarding the news, Alexander Kamenetskyi, Product Owner of SoftSwiss Sportsbook, said: “We’re thrilled to be launching our services for the new Indian market and doing it together with such an innovative casino brand like Betjungle! By broadening our geographical presence we’re also extending our offering – enabling a Premium Cricket option for one of the most engaged cricket fans in the world. The Indian market has proven itself to be highly committed to sports as a whole and sports betting is an integral part of the overall experience. We’re excited to be opening this new chapter for Sportsbook with our partners Betjungle and are hoping for a very fruitful collaboration!”

A spokesperson for Betjungle added: “Our team would like to thank the SoftSwiss Sportsbook for allowing us to be the first sports betting website providing its service to the Indian region. We are full of joy to be working with a team that is so innovative, attentive to detail, and caring about its clients. We are 100% sure that SoftSwiss Sportsbook will be able to provide even more opportunities for growth for current and future SoftSwiss clients and will drive the company forward.”

Staying with SoftSwiss, earlier this week the company announced it was now supporting in-play betting for major American sports leagues, including the NHL, NFL, MLB, and NBA.

Argentinian international and Juventus icon, Paulo Dybala, has been named as the latest ambassador for Paysafe’s digital payments brand Skrill.

Dybala’s first appearance for Skrill will be in a TV, digital and PR campaign to promote the digital wallet’s Prepaid Mastercard®, available in the UK and Europe. The TV advert will air in Italy for the first time on Sunday, April 18.

Considered to be one of the most valuable footballers in the world thanks to his creativity and pace on the pitch, Dybala, also known as ‘La Joya’ (‘The Jewel’), has helped Juventus to win eleven trophies, including five consecutive Serie A titles. He has been named in the Team of the Year three times and most recently earned the Serie A Player of the Season award for the 2019-20 season.

Commenting on the news, Dybala, said: “I’m very happy and proud to be part of the Skrill family. I’m really interested to learn more about how Skrill can help me pay online, send money to friends and buy and sell cryptocurrencies. Having the flexibility that Skrill can offer is super helpful to someone like me who’s always on the go. I also love that I earn loyalty points on transactions every time I use my Skrill card.”

Dybala’s appointment as a brand ambassador follows a series of activations in the beautiful game for Skrill, most recently as AC Milan’s Official Payments Partner. His debut campaign will promote the Skrill Prepaid Mastercard® that gives users flexibility, security and privacy when spending their money, as well as complete control via Skrill’s mobile app that allows 24/7 access to a free digital wallet holding their card balance and all transactions. The card can be used anywhere that Mastercard is accepted, including online and abroad, at ATMs and in-store.

Lorenzo Pellegrino, CEO of Skrill, added: “Skrill’s many features let you manage your money on the move, easily and safely. Dybala is the perfect brand ambassador for Skrill, reflecting our values around the speed of delivery and our focus on providing a world-class service. We are looking forward to a successful collaboration to share the many benefits of Skrill with football fans worldwide.”

Skrill was founded in 2001 and is now available in more than 120 countries worldwide. Paysafe listed on the New York Stock Exchange on March 31, 2021. 

Staying with Skrill, last month the brand announced a partnership with English Premier League football club Leeds United.