An add-on subscription to the FanDuel Network through Amazon Prime will be required.

“We’re always looking for new and innovative ways to serve our teams and viewers,” Eric Ratchman, president of distribution and business development for Main Street Sports Group, which owns and operates FanDuel Sports Network, said in a release. “This relationship with Prime Video gives fans another way to watch their favourite local teams and underscores the essential role our distribution partners play in driving our future growth. “We’re excited to offer a seamless and convenient way to stay in the game.”

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On Thursday, April 10, the government, together with Svensk Travsport and Svensk Galopp, signed a long-term agreement that ensures the owner-led model in ATG as well as the conditions, state transparency and financing of the Hästnäringens Stiftelse (HNS).

Since ATG was formed in 1974, the state has always had a majority on the company’s board. This remained the case even after the reregulation of the gambling market in 2019, when ATG lost its exclusive right to arrange betting on horses in Sweden. Since the beginning of 2023, Svensk Travsport and Svensk Galopp have had an ongoing dialogue with representatives of the government regarding ATG’s ownership model and the financing and operational direction of HNS.

It is about trust from the government and the Riksdag. Together with the state, we have built a world-class ATG for fifty years. Now we will have full ownership responsibility based on a continued agreement with the state. The model ensures commercial conditions for the sport’s economic future. We will take good care of it and thereby live up to the trust in a sport with roots throughout the country, says Anders Källström, chairman of Svensk Travsport.

The relationship with the state is now maintained in a new long-term agreement that ensures a number of fundamental conditions for the ownership of ATG. Among other things, the current ownership structure is regulated, where Svensk Travsport owns just over ninety percent and Svensk Galopp just over nine percent of the shares in ATG. This cannot be changed without the government’s approval.

From Svensk Galopp’s side, we are proud and happy about the increased trust as a responsible owner of ATG. In the increasingly fierce competition in the gambling market, it is important to have an actor that protects our stakeholders, such as players and the horse industry as a whole, says Anders Lilius, chairman of Svensk Galopp.

Also the financing of the National Foundation for the Equine Industry (HNS) and that it will continue to be operated on similar grounds as today is established in the new agreement. The state will in future be given the opportunity to appoint a member of the HNS board.

A new board of directors for ATG will now be appointed and the work of the nomination committee is already underway. The proposals from the nomination committee will be presented on 28 April, after which a decision on a new board will be made at ATG’s annual general meeting on 8 May.

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Only the Grand National, the Super Bowl and the Champions League final see more individual bets. It accounts for 40% of bets on golf’s four majors, which collectively account for a third of all golf bets in a calendar year.

Greg Ferris, Managing Director for Sports at Entain said: “The Masters is more than just a golf tournament – it’s a springtime tradition that brings out the fan in all of us. Whether you’re a die-hard golf bettor or someone who only bets once a year, the Masters has a way of capturing imaginations. The combination of iconic players, a legendary course, and unique betting opportunities makes it the perfect stage for patriotic punting and exciting new markets. This year, with stars like DeChambeau lighting up social media and fresh in-play options like ‘nearest the pin’ bets, we’re expecting record engagement across both sides of the Atlantic.”

What is behind the popularity of the Masters as a betting event?

The Masters is an eagerly anticipated event that falls eight months after the last major; it manages to blend tradition, history, and captivating stories in huge global TV audiences. It features some unique elements that make it appealing to betting enthusiasts.

Unlike all the other majors, it is played on the same course each year. This enables customers to analyse betting opportunities and examine trends more thoroughly before placing their bets. It is commonly known that short hitters and poor putters will struggle on this course, and it presents unique quirks, such as left-handed players performing better than expected. Therefore, it is no surprise that the starting price of winners at the Masters for the last ten years, at 24/1, is lower than those of the other three majors and there has not been a winner in the last ten years priced higher than 50/1.

Similar to the Grand National or the Super Bowl, these reasons are why the Masters has such a unique appeal to more recreational bettors, who might not usually bet on Golf, but return every year to enjoy the Masters.

Patriotic punting a huge factor in golf betting

Patriotic punting dominates both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, with regard to which players are popular picks among customers. In America, Bryson DeChambeau is by far and away the most popular pick. The winner of two of the last three Masters, Scottie Scheffler, is not a popular pick, perhaps due to his short price. When he won last year, he was the shortest-priced favourite since Tiger Woods was in his prime, but still some way off the 4/5 Tiger teed off in 2007. Friends and Netflix’s Full Swing stars Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth both receive more bets than Scheffler. In the UK and Ireland, home-grown favourites of Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood, Tyrell Hatton and Shane Lowry dominate betting slips. McIlroy is the second favourite in the betting as he attempts to complete his Career Grand Slam.

Bryson DeChambeau confirms his reputation as a fan favourite

DeChambeau’s popularity and reach are starting to transcend golf. He has amassed a following of over 5.5 million across his social channels, producing engaging video content. These include his attempt to hit a hole-in-one over his house, challenging famous friends to rounds of golf, and he recently appeared in MrBeast’s sporting video alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, Tom Brady, Noah Lyles, and IShowSpeed, which has amassed over 250 million views.

Traditions proving hard to break as Liv fails to make an impact

A number of headlines surrounding golf in recent years have focused on the power struggle within the game between the existing tours and the new entrant, LIV Golf. With the Netflix cameras following the sport for the last three years, there has been a surge in interest in the game. However, betting on LIV Golf events has generated little to no interest. The PGA Tour remains 100 times larger than LIV in terms of bets and stakes. The only demand customers have for LIV bets is at the majors, where new markets, such as the top LIV player in the field or whether a LIV player will win the major, have been created.

Differences between betting in the UK and the US

Customers in the UK and the US not only bet on different players but also in different ways. In the US, there is no each way betting but instead win and separate place markets. The top 10 in last year’s tournament comprised five of the world’s top ten. Outright markets dominate the UK betting market, accounting for 95% of bets. In the US they make up around 40%, as in play and special markets tend to be more popular.

Products like hole by hole betting, where you can bet on who in each playing group will win the hole, have captured the imagination. A new in play market for the Masters is nearest the pin betting for all the par three holes on the course. Other growing markets include player specials, such as a player to birdie or better all of the par 5s or to go bogey free in the round, a feat Scottie Scheffler managed in three out of four rounds in the recent Houston Open.

Entain’s UK brands Ladbrokes and Coral are both playing 10 places on each way bets at the 2025 Masters.

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In this cycle more than 200 Kaizen Gaming team members joined forces with 10 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) across Europe and South America to support and contribute to good causes, ranging from urban-focused projects to wild-nature preservation.

“Kaizeners” volunteered to help with shelter support, wildlife conservation, and stray animal care in Athens, Thessaloniki, São Paulo, Lisbon, Prague, Valetta, Bogota, Sofia, and Bucharest. These activities follow November’s launch of The Collective, which brought together 200 volunteers to participate in environmental and social good initiatives in five countries.

The latest projects The Collective has supported include:

Sofia, Bulgaria: Kaizen Gaming volunteers assisted Every Dog Matters, Bulgaria’s first open-air shelter for dogs awaiting adoption, with daily maintenance tasks and interacted with dogs at the shelter.

Bucharest, Romania: Contributing to the Romanian Ornithological Society’s (ROS) efforts, Kaizeners built over 30 birdhouses for endemic bird species. They also participated in educational workshops and outreach programs, raising awareness about the importance of protecting local bird populations and their natural habitats.

Athens, Greece: Kaizen Gaming volunteers helped Dogs’ Voice, Greece’s first national dog adoption platform, clean and organise its newly established reception station in Athens, creating a safe and welcoming space for dogs in need. Furthermore, they actively contributed to maintaining and cleaning the facilities of Help Horses, ameliorating the living conditions of the 25 horses that theorganisation cares for.

Thessaloniki, Greece: The volunteers helped Stray Planet, which shelters 150 stray dogs and cats in Thessaloniki, with the upkeep ofits shelters and interacted with over 40 “furry friends”, taking them on long scenic forest walks.

Ioanna Kozadinou, Corporate Responsibility Senior Manager at Kaizen Gaming said: “We are thrilled to be building on the success of the launch and first activations of The Collective, expanding into Colombia, Czechia, and Malta to help even more organisations in a total of eight countries. For this latest round of volunteering, we wanted to do something different, and animal welfare is a topic that everyone can get behind. By harnessing the power of our team’s volunteerism, we can create meaningful impact while fostering a culture of engagement and purpose within our own organisation.”

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Entain will take over 15,000 bets a minute on Saturday, with over 4 million betting slips produced for the occasion in shops.

When it comes to betting on the Grand National, the British public are all about the name, according to data from Entain’s UK Sportsbook.  

While popular names, colours or song titles often turn the dial in favour of a horse among recreational bettors, it is once again likely to be bad news for French-named horses who are always among the least backed selections.  

“The Grand National is absolutely unique. It is the one race of the year where the overriding factor in a horse’s popularity is its name. Which is completely unheard of for any other race.”

In 2024, Galia Des Liteaux (23^rd), Farouk D’Alene (28^th) and Eklat De Rire (29^th) were all among the least backed horses, while Vanillier, 2023’s runner up and co-favourite that year, was only the 20^th most selected in a field of 32. The Italian named Capodanno, meaning “New Year’s Day” was the least selected horse in the field.  

In turn, Ain’t That A Shame, an initially high-priced selection with an inexperienced jockey was the most selected due to the likely popularity of Fats Domino’s 1955 hit song.

“One of our key jobs as a trading team for the Grand National is to go through the list of runners and assign a popularity rating to each name. If a horse features a common name such as ‘Bob’s Great’, then that will be one of the most popular names on the day.” 

But if a horse has a French name, especially a long one that nobody can write out on a slip in a shop, then regardless of whether that horse might have a great chance of winning, it is unlikely to be popular. All the trading rules go out the window.”  

Tim Smith, Senior Trading Manager at Entain  said: Other indications a horse might attract interest include their colour with greys always popular. While current events in the public consciousness have also been known to draw in big numbers. Party Politics was very popular in 1992 for once-a-year punters, running just five days before the General Election. The person on the horse can have a significant influence as well, with female jockeys striking a chord with the British public and always being well backed.  

“Rachel Blackmore is always very popular in any race she rides but it is at another level at the Grand National. In 2021, she became the first female jockey to win the Grand National and was cheered home by millions. This year as she is likely to be the only female jockey in the field, it will be no different.”

Betting insights from Tim Smith, Senior Trading Manager at Entain said: “Nick Rockett is likely to be very popular among recreational bettors, as are Intense Raffles and Coko Beach, while Kandoo Kid is one of several possible grey challengers. It waits to be seen whether Rachel Blackmore will ride Senior Chief or Minella Indo, but it would surely give Senior Chief a huge boost in popularity if she were to switch from Minella Indo to Henry de Bromhead’s other entry.  

Favori de Champdou, Horantzau d’Airy, Perceval Legallois, and Fil Dor are likely to struggle for attractors, but Vanillier could break the spell for the French named group. Many believe the grey gelding could go one better at Aintree this time around after his second-place finish in 2023. Despite taking a costly wrong turn at Cheltenham, the usually popular pick recovered miraculously to finish third behind stablemate Stumptown in the Cross Country Chase. 

Gold Cup Winner Inothewayurthinkin was initially the Grand National favourite before being withdrawn from the race after beating Galopin Des Champs earlier this month. Inothewayurthinkin was set to be the shortest favourite in a lifetime but now leaves a more open field.  

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The first impression can make or break a deal, even in iGaming. Your website has mere seconds to captivate new users and guide them from curious visitors to depositing players.

But here’s the secret sauce: It’s not just about dazzling them with great games; it’s about nailing the onboarding process. A seamless, intuitive start sets the tone for the entire player journey, impacting retention and lifetime value.

Want to master every step of the player journey, from first click to loyal customer? Check out Customer Journey Map (CJM) Guide for expert insights on optimizing the entire experience. from Uplatform experts. But first, let’s break down why streamlined onboarding is your golden ticket to higher conversion rates and happier players. 

Mapping the Player Journey: From Clicks to Cash

The player journey is a delicate dance, starting with that first click on your site and ending with re-engagement. But what happens in between? A lot! Imagine this as a guided tour—you want players to feel special, knowing exactly where they are and what to do next. If the registration form feels like a quiz from hell, players will bounce faster than a losing blackjack hand. Instead, a clear, concise registration flow and structured guidance are what you need to keep players moving forward without hesitation.

Next-Level Player Guidance: The Ultimate Guide, Not a Nanny

Great player care is like having a friendly concierge—helpful, and informative, but never overbearing. At each step of the onboarding journey, smart nudges and well-placed prompts can steer players without making them feel micromanaged. Think of labeled call-to-action buttons, helpful microcopy, and strategic pop-ups that appear when users might be stuck. The key is subtlety—these features should enhance, not interrupt. Done right, this approach will make users feel empowered and more confident in their next move.

The Magic of Interface and Content Synergy

Here’s the reality: A beautifully designed interface won’t do much if it’s not backed by clear, intuitive content. When your content and interface work in harmony, the onboarding experience becomes a smooth glide instead of a rocky road. Well-structured information, bite-sized tips, and action-driven copy help players understand what’s happening and, more importantly, what they need to do next. It’s about creating an “aha!” moment at every click—users should feel like everything makes sense and flows naturally.

The Cross-Device Consistency Game

Listen up: we all know that consistency across devices is non-negotiable, right? A player who starts exploring your website on their PC should feel just as comfortable when they switch to mobile or open your app. If your site looks like a million bucks on a desktop but transforms into a clunky mess on a smartphone, you’re losing players left and right. Cross-device adaptability ensures a unified experience, making players more likely to stick around and complete that crucial first deposit.

Gamification: Turning Onboarding into a Playful Experience

Gamification isn’t just a buzzword—it’s a powerful tool to engage players and make onboarding fun. Today’s users are no longer content with static registration forms. They want progress bars, achievement badges, and little wins that make the process exciting. By incorporating elements of gamification, you’re giving players a glimpse of the excitement and engagement your website’s content delivers. Whether unlocking a welcome bonus or leveling up their profile, these playful touches keep players curious and eager to continue exploring.

Smashing the Pain Points: Streamline, Simplify, Succeed

Operators know that the devil is in the details, and small issues during onboarding can snowball into big problems. The most common culprits? Lengthy forms, poor field validation, and a lack of user feedback. Fix these, and watch your conversion rates soar. Simplified registration processes—like offering social login options—can turn a frustrating experience into a seamless one. And don’t underestimate the power of real-time feedback; if a user makes an error entering their phone number, tell them why, not just that it’s wrong. The more intuitive the process, the fewer reasons players have to abandon the ship.

Conclusion: A Smooth Start Sets the Stage for Success

For iGaming businesses, the onboarding experience is where you win or lose new players. It’s your first opportunity to show players that you value their time and know how to keep things engaging. Dina, Head of B2B Projects at Uplatform, emphasizes, ‘’It’s no secret that a smooth, seamless user journey from landing on a site to making their first deposit is a crucial element of initial success. Onboarding effectiveness always lies at the intersection of content and interface. Understanding what needs to be done and executing these actions—focusing on this helps the user.’’

By prioritizing intuitive design, player support, device consistency, and a touch of gamification, you’re not just increasing conversion rates—you’re building the foundation for long-term loyalty. In a crowded market, where players can easily bounce to the next website, a seamless onboarding process is your best bet for standing out and keeping players in the game.

Ready to level up your onboarding strategy? The journey starts here with Uplatform—streamline your process, captivate your users, and watch your conversion rates skyrocket.

The post How seamless onboarding can turbocharge your conversion rates appeared first on 5 Star iGaming Media.

Bet365 stated that it would no longer be able to provide services in the region starting March 27th, 2025. The gaming industry has developed in leaps and bounds in China. With 668 million players spending an average of 453 yuan each on gambling, China boasts the world’s most lucrative gaming market.

Online gambling in mainland China remains illegal, however, internet traffic routed via VPNs, underground banking networks, and payment platforms enable mainland Chinese customers to access and remit funds to online gaming sites.

According to 2023 estimates published in Economic Information Daily, an affiliate of state-owned news agency Xinhua, the annual amount bet through online gambling in the Mainland is more than one trillion yuan (US$145 billion), equivalent to nearly twice the annual income of China’s officially sanctioned lotteries.

The domestic Chinese demand for gambling is significant. Legal restrictions on onshore gambling in mainland China have contributed to the growth of overseas and online gambling sites that cater to Chinese nationals. 

Integrated gaming resorts in Singapore, Australia, Korea, Vietnam and the Philippines welcome growing numbers of Chinese tourists. Mongolia, which is a neighbour to China, is also looking into legalizing gambling and casinos for Chinese tourists.

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BetMGM Sportsbook has taken 37.8% of its futures money on the Dodgers, which far exceeds its previous high of 21.7% of money that was placed on the 2022 New York Mets. It’s also far ahead of this year’s Mets, who at 9.4% are receiving the second-highest amount of the handle. The New York Yankees are third at 7.7%.

The Dodgers also lead in betting tickets at 17.5%, with the Mets next at 8.7% and the Philadelphia Phillies at 8.6%.

“It’s all Dodgers money,” BetMGM trading manager Halvor Egeland said. “That’s somewhat frequent when it comes to the favorites. Favorites are going to take most of the money, but this is a level we don’t typically see. … It’s a little bit of a hole liability wise, which is a little out of the norm for a favorite.”

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In this interview, we speak to the man in charge of the review practices at the popular UK affiliate Bojoko.com, Ville Saari. In his view, players reject glow-ups and value consistency and honesty.

Bojoko has an editorial hardline: What their casino expert says goes, and they do not change ratings or views; everything has to be transparent. However, Saari stresses that they offer tips to their affiliate partners on how to improve their offerings and reviews. Today, we will share some of these insights with you and how their review process actually works.

Let’s start with the basics. How does Bojoko make its reviews stand out in such a crowded market?

From the very beginning, Bojoko has operated on a simple principle: transparency first. While there are many review sites out there, not all of them prioritise real testing or unbiased information. 

The main thing that separates us is not necessarily our review structure or what we cover but rather our process. Each brand we list is vetted and tested by one of our casino experts. They have actually played at the casino. This first-hand experience can be seen throughout our reviews, and the added care adds trust from our readers.

Transparency is obviously a core theme here. Why is it so critical in the world of online casinos?

Players are often depositing large amounts of money. Sure, they love to gamble, but at casino games, they do not know whether the site is trustworthy or not. More than that, transparency is not just about saving players from scams but also about making them aware of the pluses and minuses of a site. Slow withdrawals, weak game selections, and bad terms and conditions are things that can ruin the fun quickly. 

Clear, accurate information helps players make informed choices and builds long-term trust in the industry. If a casino is doing things the right way, it should have no problem with transparency—and if it’s not, players deserve to know.

Let’s talk tools. Bojoko’s comparison features and calculators are designed to help players cut through complexity. How do they work in practice?

The comparison tool is all about personal preference. We give users the ability to filter and compare casinos based on what matters most to them—whether that’s payment methods, game selection, wagering requirements, or bonuses.

Then we have tools like the bonus calculator and cashback calculator. These are useful for understanding the actual value of an offer. Instead of just seeing a flashy “100% up to €500” headline, players can plug in the numbers and see what that bonus looks like in practice—especially once you factor in wagering and game contribution.

It’s all about putting the power back in the players’ hands and helping them navigate the complexity of the iGaming scene more easily.

Final question: If a casino is not happy with how they are reviewed, is there anything they can do?

Great question! The answer isn’t complicated, but it does require commitment. We review based on the real player experience, so we won’t change a review because a brand is unhappy. However, if a casino changes its offerings, so do our ratings. 

First and foremost, look at your bonuses. They are often the easiest and fastest to tweak. Increasing the bonus percentage, lowering the wagering, clearing up pesky terms and conditions, etc., can all lead to instant rating boosts.

Another easy fix is to look at your payment solutions. The more payment methods a casino supports, the better. You need to have PayPal, Trustly, and the other prominent e-wallets. Adding solutions like Boku will also get you a boost. The more niche methods you add, the better you stand. 

If you have deposit and withdrawal fees, you should also consider eliminating them, as they lower our ratings and scare off players.

Variety and quality of games are other big factors. Players want access to top-tier providers and a good mix of slots, table games, and live dealer options. It is harder than ever before to truly stand out here, but if you are lacking, adding in the remaining popular game developers or ensuring you have the top jackpot slots will pay off with us. 

Don’t forget about basic things like having 24/7 customer support, too. Responsive, helpful support—even if it’s just via live chat—makes a big difference.

Ultimately, casinos that are proactive, transparent, and genuinely focused on the user experience tend to stand out during our testing. If an operator consistently delivers reliable and fair service, that naturally leads to stronger reviews—not just from us but also from players.

The post Ville Saari on Bojoko’s Approach to Casino Reviews appeared first on 5 Star iGaming Media.

An Instagram post from the PokerStars account, seen on 23 December 2024 featured a video of two people, Rory and McKola, in a casino. One was wearing a PokerStars branded jumper. Rory said, “Can you believe that? I invested £100 and five minutes later, [bleep]”.

The video then flashed back to provide context, with McKola greeting viewers. “Yes people, what’s going on? McKola and Rory here, and PokerStars Casino have set us a little challenge. We’ve got a £100 each Ror, 10 spins, who’s gonna win?”

The video showed them competing on separate slot machines, playing “The Big Bass Bonanza”. McKola exclaimed, “Mate, I’ve just won £185 on one spin”. Rory responded, “No … you serious?” McKola continued, “Another £100”, as the credit display updated to £320. As McKola won another £100, Rory asked, “Are you just pressing the button? Are you doing anything? Give me some tips here”, to which McKola replied, “You gotta heat your finger up.” Rory blew on his finger, pushed the button and won more money.

McKola ended up with £662.50, while Rory finished with £240. McKola declared, “Yeah, I’m just a lucky guy” and Rory added, “He beat me at everything. He beat me at the Last Longer, and now he’s beating me at slots.” The video concluded with Rory facing the camera as he did in the clip at the beginning of the ad, saying, “Can you believe that? I invested £100 and five minutes later, £240 because of my skill at slots”.

Text in the caption stated “@chelsearory can’t catch a break! #PokerStars #Poker #PokerTournament #PokerLife #PokerPlayer. Play Responsibly. +18. BeGambleAware.org”.

Stars Interactive Ltd t/a PokerStars acknowledged that the ad did not comply with the CAP Code. They said that the ad was published in error and removed it from Instagram upon receiving the complaint. They said that they provided mandatory advertising compliance training to all employees involved in UK ad campaigns and were committed to ensuring that all forms of advertising followed the relevant legislation, regulations and any applicable industry codes of practice.

The ASA said the ad must not appear again in the form complained of. We told Stars Interactive Ltd t/a PokerStars to ensure that their future ads did not portray, condone or encourage gambling behaviour that was socially irresponsible or could lead to financial, social or emotional harm. For example, their ads should not trivialise gambling, encourage frequent and repetitive participation, or describe gambling as an investment.

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