Fantasy sports and sports betting media specialist Betsperts Group announced the acquisition of Bleacher Nation in a cash plus equity deal to mark the group’s fourth acquisition in the last 18 months.

‘Impressive Track Record of Growth’

With the addition of Bleacher Nation, a sports media outlet covering sports from Chicago and across the nation, Betsperts Group expanded its audience to over 25 million unique users, with over 225 million page views in the past year.

“Bleacher Nation has built an incredible relationship with Chicago fans and sports fans all over the world,” said Betsperts Group chief executive officer Reid Rooney, eager to continue building “their impressive track record of growth” via new content coverage and additional resources.

Bleacher Nation is the fourth major transaction executed by the group founded in 2018, joining Matthew Berry’s Fantasy Life App, www.4for4.com, and www.Dynastyleaguefootball.com, and is expected to help the group to expand its presence further.

‘Shared Vision for the Future’

Michael Cerami, vice president of Strategic Growth at Bleacher Nation, outlined that the group and Bleacher Nation shared a “vision for the future” and that future would have been impossible to reach “without the additional support and resources of Betsperts.”

“We are thrilled and excited to become a part of Betsperts Group, and we are confident our readers are going to love what comes next,” Cerami concluded.

In 2022, Betsperts Group registered revenue growth of over 350% and is projected to become profitable in 2023, and with already diversified revenue streams from subscriptions, affiliate partnerships and advertising, Rooney is anticipating two exciting growth years for the business ahead.

Speaking about what comes next, Rooney paid tribute to the support and belief Betsperts Group has been receiving from its investors, especially after the first $3 million Series A2 funding round and the previous $8.6 million Series A funding round with the participation of Verance Capital, HBSE Ventures, Parlay Capital, and Velo Partners. “We are excited to finalize the rest of this raise in January or February and make sure we are executing our strategy moving forward,” he added.

Betsperts Group’s list of investors also includes early investors David VanEgmond and Matthew Berry, as well as popular personalities such as Kevin Durant, Chris Paul, Eva Longoria, Kyle Busch, Darius Rucker, Adam Wainwright, Richard Jefferson, and Jesse Itzler.

Home to one of the largest sports betting and fantasy sports audiences in the US, Betsperts Group is set to grow to 45 employees across 6 different countries after the acquisition of Bleacher Nation.

The Kansas City Chiefs have secured their place in the playoffs, but it’s still not certain whether they’ll finish no. 1 in the AFC and get a first-round bye. Likely for them, their destiny is in their hands – they just need to beat the unmotivated Las Vegas Raiders in Week 18.

Kansas City Chiefs vs Las Vegas Raiders Week 18 Odds

When, Where, and How to Watch?

• Place: Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nevada
• Date: Saturday, January 7, 2023
• Time: 4:30 PM ET
• How to Watch: ABC

Kansas City Chiefs to Secure the AFC No. 1 Spot

The Chiefs are 13-3 this season, which is one win more than the Buffalo Bills and two more than the Cincinnati Bengals, both of which have played a game fewer than the Chiefs. They were supposed to play one another, but the Bills vs Bengals game was abandoned after Buffalo’s Damar Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest on the field.

What this means is that if the Chiefs don’t beat the Raiders on Saturday, there will be a possibility that they might drop out from the top spot. Still, the chances that the Chiefs don’t win look very slim. First of all, they’re in much better shape than the Raiders with four straight wins.

Further, the Chiefs seem to love playing against the Raiders. They are 9-1 against this opponent in the last 10 meetings. The Chiefs’ most recent trip to Allegiant Stadium saw them blow out the opponents 41-14.

Las Vegas Raiders’ Season Is Over

The Raiders are 6-10 right now, meaning that the season is over for them. Whatever happens in Week 18, they will not make the playoffs. They did have a good chance to get there but they lost three games in the previous four gameweeks.

And all of those losses were painful for their fans. For instance, they lost by just one point to the Los Angeles Rams. They also lost by just three points to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Finally, in their first game of 2023, the Raiders lost to the San Francisco 49ers by three points in overtime.

Kansas City Chiefs vs Las Vegas Raiders Prediction

The Raiders probably aren’t in a great mood now that it’s clear that they’ve gambled away their chances of making the playoffs. It’s just the opposite when it comes to the Chiefs. They’re in a great mood and are coming to Vegas to get a big win.

Picks: Kansas City Chiefs to win and cover the spread

Developer of online casino content NetGaming announced it has received its supplier license from the Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) to mark its first entry into the US.

‘Arduous’ Application Process

The supplier license granted by the MGCB will allow NetGaming to supply to licensed iGaming operators in Michigan its suite of online casino content, beginning with several of its popular titles, including 3 Wild Jokers, Aped, Juicy Gold 100 and Casino Punks.

“We are thrilled to receive the license,” said NetGaming’s chief executive officer Pallavi Deshmukh, pointing to the “arduous” nature of the licensing process in the US and what “a big undertaking” is to receive a license in one of the country’s major online casino markets, hailing the relentless effort of the team “to ensure all the i’s were dotted and the t’s were crossed.”

“For a start-up to receive an iGaming license in the US is no small feat,” Deshmukh continued, expressing how “incredibly proud” he feels of the team behind this achievement that is marking the developer’s maiden US supplier license. “We can’t wait to go live with our launch partner,” he concluded.

Expansion in the US Imminent

NetGaming is planning to offer online casino players in the state more of its game titles throughout the remainder of the year, while applications in other US gaming jurisdictions are currently underway.

Michigan’s online casino market is on the rise as the report released by the state’s regulator last month showed operators set yet another record in revenue in November to surpass the previous record set in the month before.

Online casino operations in the Great Lakes State accounted for $145.4 million in November revenue to marginally surpass the October revenue figure of $141 million, while the year-to-date iGaming revenue was $1.3 billion.

Outside of the US, NetGaming is supplying its casino content titles via licenses from the Malta Gaming Authority, the Gambling Commission in the UK and the regulator of the Dutch island of Curacao, while also holding certifications in Georgia and Belarus.

Recently, NetGaming acquired a license to supply its content in Greece and is planning to launch in the market soon in partnership with one of the biggest local operators.

In October, NetGaming entered into a partnership with slot games review website SlotsJudge to facilitate information about its new and established slot titles.

The deal followed shortly after a similar agreement with the operator of four of the best slot portals, Kensho Media, to enhance awareness and access to NetGaming’s titles in Italy, Spain, and Latin America.

On Monday, the Indian government proposed the rules, which will be part of the Indian Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code, due to concerns over the rising number of complaints of gambling addiction, especially among minors. For the first time, these regulations will oversee aspects of online gambling that stand in a “grey area” between entertainment and gambling practices.

As per the draft rules, the term “online game” includes every game which is played on the Internet and in which the player “makes a deposit with the expectation of earning winnings”. The Indian information technology ministry could determine the exact games, which are covered by the legislation.

“Self-Regulatory Bodies” Instead of a Sole Government Regulator

The proposed rules suggest the creation of “self-regulatory bodies” instead of the establishment of a sole regulatory agency. The board of these bodies should consist of “an independent person from the online gaming, sports or entertainment” sectors, a representative of the online game players, an expert in psychology or consumer education, and an expert in public policy who has to be appointed by the Indian government. Per the draft changes, companies should name a chief compliance officer and verify the user identity before the creation of an online account.

One of the main tasks of these bodies will be to elaborate rules for the online gambling segment, which would prevent players from suffering harm and addiction. The established framework of rules should also protect children and prevent financial criminal practices.

In case a self-regulatory body does not create efficient rules or fails to oversee the companies in the sector, the central government would take the respective measures, including suspension of the registration of such bodies.

A Boom in the Online Gaming Market in India

Roland Landers, chief executive officer of All India Gaming Federation, commented that this was a great first step for the regulation of the online gaming sector and would reduce the “state-wise regulatory fragmentation”, which causes difficulties for gaming companies.

The Indian information technology ministry published the draft rules after a recommendation was made by a government panel because the gambling sector is supposed to reach $7 billion by 2026. Recently, many US companies, such as Tiger Global and Sequoia Capital, have supported Indian start-ups, namely Dream11 and Mobile Premier League, which are popular with their “fantasy cricket”. The development and expansion of such games, especially among young people, has led to addiction, financial losses, and in some cases – suicides.

Barstool Sportsbook became the latest sportsbook to receive approval from the Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) for mobile sports betting operations for the upcoming mobile market launch in March.

Mobile Sports Betting License Received

Penn Sports Interactive (PSI)’s Barstool Sportsbook received conditional preliminary approval for a temporary sports betting license this week after commissioners carried the vote that was initially delayed from December. Barstool Sportsbook will operate mobile sports betting tethered to the temporary retail sports betting license of Plainridge Park Casino, one of only three land-based casinos approved for in-person sports betting. PlainRidge Park Casino is also operated by Penn.

The other two casinos approved for in-person betting are Encore Boston Harbor and MGM Springfield, and while retail sports betting is expected to launch on January 31, mobile wagering is scheduled to go live in March but is still to receive a launch date.

Joining the likes of WynnBET, BetMGM and Caesars Sportsbook, which already obtained a Category 3 mobile sports betting license from the MGC, was not an easy ride for Barstool Sportsbook as it had to undergo extensive scrutiny during the commission’s meeting and subsequent executive session as commissioners questioned its links to Barstool Sports.

According to Commissioner Eileen O’Brien who made the motion, “Penn Sports Interactive [doing business as] Barstool Sportsbook has shown by substantial evidence that they have satisfied the criteria set forth in general,” but several commissioners had expressed concerns related to Barstool Sports branding and founder, Dave Portnoy, during previous meetings.

According to Commissioner Brad Hill, who spoke during the December hearing on Plainrigde Park Casino’s Category 1 license application, Portnoy’s depiction of himself as a “degenerate gambler” and other comments “he has made in the past fly in the face of responsible gaming.”

To alleviate these concerns, Penn Entertainment, which owns part of Barstool Sports, is expected to acquire its full ownership in February, and is applying for a license via PSI, had to agree to fully cooperate with the MGC’s Investigation and Enforcement Bureau (IEB) regarding the investigation into Barstool Sports in connection with branding, as well as several other conditions.

Another condition stipulated efforts to ensure people under the age of 21 do not attend any of the live Barstool College Football Shows, following the $250,000 fine slapped by the Ohio Casino Control Commission for violating the rule not to promote to people in that age category during its live show at the University of Toledo.

Other conditions include the provision of updates to IEB regarding “the Illinois matter that was discussed in the executive session,” the provision of diversity goals on its spending, and the supply of diversity goals for its workforce.

Playtech revealed Wednesday it hired the services of the expert Samy Reeb.

Sammy Reeb Joins Playtech as Non-executive Director

Reeb was added to the company’s Board as its newest non-executive director. The new appointment is effective immediately, Playtech explained. In his new position as a non-executive director, Reeb will leverage his extensive experience in the industry and bring strategic advice to the continuously growing company.

Brian Mattingley, a non-executive chairman at Playtech, welcomed Reeb to the company. He acknowledged that Reeb brings unique experience and a variety of skills to the Board. Additionally, Mattingley pointed out that Reeb has significant knowledge of the gaming industry in Asia. Finally, he said: “We all look forward to working with him as we continue to execute the Group’s strategy.”

“I am delighted to welcome Samy to Playtech. His broad skillset and extensive knowledge of Asia will provide additional depth and experience to the Board.“

Brian Mattingley, non-executive chairman at Playtech

Before joining Playtech, Reeb was a part of globally-recognized companies. He was able to accumulate significant experience within the financial vertical in particular. Reeb started his career at Ernst and Young as a tax advisor. His professional experience includes a tax management-level position with Credit Suisse as well.

Besides being a part of the two aforementioned companies, Reeb held an executive director position at Julius Baer. Additionally, he was also a managing partner at 1291 Group, which further helped him gain significant experience. Continuously growing his knowledge enabled Reeb to prove himself as a leader within the finance vertical as he rubbed shoulders with some of Asia-s top net-worth companies and clients.

Playtech’s latest appointment undoubtedly will help the company continue to grow. Founded more than three decades ago, the technology leader currently has more than 6,400 employees in 24 countries around the globe. What’s more, Playtech continues to expand its portfolio of clients joining forces with leading retail, online and mobile operators offering their services in many jurisdictions.

The TCU Horned Frogs are 13-1 this season and are seen as huge underdogs against the undefeated Georgia Bulldogs (14-0). Still, the boys from Texas Christian University have upset the odds numerous times this season, which is why we call for caution. Before betting on this game, make sure to read our TCU vs Georgia preview first!

TCU Horned Frogs vs Georgia Bulldogs Odds

When, Where, and How to Watch?

• Place: SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, California
• Date: Monday, January 9, 2023
• Time: 7:30 PM ET
• How to Watch: ESPN

TCU Horned Frogs Making History

This season, the Horned Frogs became the first NCAAF team to make the Playoff after starting the season unranked. They’re 13-1 this season, with their only loss happening against Kansas State in early December. The Wildcats beat them 31-28 after overtime. The game, however, had no importance for the Horned Frogs who had already secured the No. 1 spot in the Big 12 Conference before that duel.

Since that loss, the Horned Frogs have played one more game. On the last day of 2022, TCU took part in the Fiesta Bowl, in which they defeated the Michigan Wolverines 51-45. The Horned Frogs entered the game as 8-point underdogs but were still able to surprise the oddsmakers.