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My big predictions for 2025
Intelitics CEO Allan Stone talks sweepstakes, influencers and personalised player experiences
This is a fast-moving sector and over the next 12 months operators and suppliers will once again have to strap in for a roller-coaster ride. Ups and downs are guaranteed as they navigate the shifting sands of the global online gambling industry.
This makes predicting what the coming year has in store a tough task – player preferences can quickly change, regulations can suddenly update and innovations catch companies off guard. But I like a challenge, so here are big predictions for 2025 below.
The sweepstakes hype will become a reality
If 2024 was the hype year for sweepstakes, 2025 is the year they will become a reality despite the sector being under immense pressure. That said, most operators are staying the course with stakeholders at the state level duking it out over regulations and class action lawsuits.
This will bring changes in certain areas, but I think there will be a move away from heavy-handed measures and instead, the public markets will be left to figure things out – this will give good companies the room to grow and adapt.
We are already seeing established companies address problem areas by embracing best practices around areas such as player verification and responsible gambling which in turn is helping to legitimise their business and the wider sweepstakes vertical.
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Operators will become more strategic with their marketing efforts (and spend)
Sportsbook operators finally read the room in 2024 and understood that consumers were getting tired of seeing the same national TV ads over and over, especially in states where sports betting isn’t legal.
This saw many brands pull back on national campaigns amid diminishing returns on blanketing the airwaves with generic ads to become more strategic. This is a trend I expect to see continue in 2025.
This will mean more localised advertising with hyper-vigilance in spending – every ad dollar will be carefully allocated to ensure it delivers results. Expect refined top-of-funnel tactics with companies moving away from noisy, generic campaigns in favour of targeted consumer-first strategies.
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Don’t underestimate the power of Meta
Meta is the second-largest controller of digital ad inventory in the world and is arguably the best platform out there for targeting and segmenting specific audiences. But it’s important to play by their rules – if Meta bans you, you’re essentially removing yourself from the equation.
It’s next to impossible to come back from and we’ve seen this happen time and again with clients coming to use after a ban asking for a fix. The reality is, there isn’t one.
This is why it’s so important to take your time with Meta – taking a strategic approach and ensuring compliance with its rules means you don’t get burned when playing with what is one of the hottest marketing platforms in the world.
Personalised experiences will become mission-critical to operator success
The operators succeeding in sports betting right now understand that players want experiences tailored to them. This means ensuring they can quickly access the bets they want to place, whether that be for specific teams or players, and even the markets and bet types they prefer.
Personalisation is about adapting to how players bet, not the other way around. This helps operators and brands to build long-term engagement by tailoring the experience, which in turn keeps players coming back.
If operators can create something that feels personal and intuitive they don’t need to keep pushing heavy promotions or generic options.
Fanatics have proven how powerful this approach can be – they weren’t the first to market, but they filled gaps their competition left wide open and have achieved great success by doing so. Ultimately, operators need to remember to build for players and not for themselves.
Influencers will enter the marketing mix in a meaningful way
Influencers have proved to be an effective marketing tool but an influencer strategy without a strong way to measure attribution is useless, and two things you need to be extremely clear about with influencers is “can you actually send me players” and “how valuable are these players to me?”.
These are easy questions to ask but much harder to answer.
This is why you need to test, track and iterate. I’d suggest starting with a promotion and closely monitoring data. You should also ask yourself things like:
How many people saw the promotion?
How many clicked?
Of those clicks, how many created accounts?
Are those accounts funded?
Are these new users actively playing over time?
But remember, influencers aren’t just an acquisition tool. They are a way to amplify your message to an audience you might already engage with but need help reaching consistently. This is hard to track, but with the right technology and attribution systems, it can be done.
Nine-time Evo Champion and Guinness World Record Holder Brings Legendary Status to Captain New Team, Recruit Talent, and Advance Science’s Role in Competitive Gaming
BASILISK, the global esports organization built to champion science, today announced the signing of legendary fighting game competitor Justin â€JWong’ Wong as captain of its newly formed Fighting Game Community (FGC) Division. Wong will lead BASILISK’s entry into the FGC by recruiting players, developing community events, and creating FGC – science crossover content.
“Justin isn’t just a competitive genius – he is a cultural icon and humble leader within the FGC,” said BASILISK co-founder Christopher Bothur. “We are incredibly proud to have him leading our FGC division and support the amazing work he already does for the community.”
A nine-time Evolution Championship Series (Evo) Champion and Guinness World Record holder, Wong brings unparalleled FGC credibility and expertise to BASILISK. His reach extends across the entire FGC fandom of millions, and he was immortalized in Evo Moment #37 which has over 100 million views.
As Captain of BASILISK FGC, Wong will leverage BASILISK’s data analytics to scout and train the next generation of FGC pros.
“Math is super important to fighting games. I’m excited to join science’s esports team,” said Wong upon joining BASILISK. “I’m passionate about finding promising players with a positive mentality and shaping them into the next big thing. I want to see somebody else in the spotlight after me and help them reach their potential. If we can discover the next world champion, that would be fantastic.”
The signing comes on the heels of BASILISK’s new partnerships with The Planetary Society and Caltech’s Institute for Quantum Information and Matter (IQIM), announced in July. These collaborations create a powerful bridge between renowned scientific institutions and gamers, which Wong will amplify to his millions of followers and fans.
“Justin is a dream addition to our organization,” added BASILISK co-founder Hans Kassier. “He exemplifies the dedication and analytical capacity required to be an esports champion or great scientist.”
Wong becomes the second “GOAT” (Greatest of All Time) to join BASILISK, alongside Finnish StarCraft 2 legend Joona â€Serral’ Sotala, who just captured the SC2 Esports World Cup Championship in July 2025. The signing also creates opportunities for cross-over content with BASILISK’s diverse roster, including chess Grandmaster Vincent Keymer and award-winning science communicator Kyle Hill, who brings over 2.5 million followers and a vast network of science enthusiasts to the organization.
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Win Systems to showcase the future of connected gaming at the Southern Amusement & Entertainment Expo
Win Systems, a leading provider of technology for the gaming and entertainment industry, will participate in the Southern Amusement & Entertainment Expo (SAEE), which will take place on August 19–21 in Georgia, USA. This event, a benchmark for the distributed gaming market in the region, will serve as the ideal platform for Win Systems to showcase its comprehensive and cutting-edge ecosystem of solutions.
At SAEE Expo, the company will present WIGOS One, a flexible and scalable casino management system that can be seamlessly adapted to the specific requirements of the distributed gaming market in Georgia. WIGOS One enables operators to monitor and manage multiple venues and gaming terminals under a single, centralized platform, allowing real-time tracking of player activity, integration of loyalty and bonusing programs, and access to advanced analytics for strategic decision-making. The system supports the transition from anonymous play to a fully connected environment, enhancing operational control and opening new opportunities to boost player engagement and retention.
Additionally, Win Systems will present Win Up Wallet, a secure mobile solution that allows players to connect to gaming machines, access rewards, and manage their funds directly from their smartphones — eliminating the need for physical tickets or cash. In line with its digital-first approach, and in partnership with LoopPay, the company will also introduce a feature that enables players to redeem their winnings digitally through gift cards, without requiring TITO tickets or kiosks, while still offering the option to redeem traditional physical gift cards.
“We’re excited to bring our latest innovations to the SAEE Expo,” said Hunter Kampf, Country Manager USA & CANADA. “Georgia is a strategic market for distributed gaming, and WIGOS One precisely meets its unique requirements. Our connected solutions will enable operators to simplify management, reduce operational costs, and strengthen relationships with their players through real-time data and seamless digital tools.”
With a focus on integration, data-driven decision-making, and digital transformation, Win Systems continues to lead the way in offering robust and scalable solutions for today’s dynamic gaming landscape. The company’s presence at SAEE underscores its strong commitment to the U.S. distributed gaming market and its ongoing efforts to support local operators with the most advanced tools available.
Inspired Entertainment, Inc., a leading B2B provider of gaming content, technology, hardware, and services, is pleased to announce the launch of V-Play Football Brazil with EstrelaBet, a leading Brazilian gamingtech company. The integration is powered by Altenar, a leading sportsbook platform provider for licensed operators around the world.
This launch marks an exciting new chapter in Inspired’s expansion across Brazil delivering its market-leading Virtual Sports content to a local, LATAM focused operator. V-Play Football Brazil, designed specifically to capture the flair, passion, and energy of Brazilian football, provides fast-paced betting action with high-frequency, ultra-realistic match simulations.
“We’re thrilled to bring V-Play Football Brazil to EstrelaBet’s customers,” said Brooks Pierce, President and Chief Executive Officer of Inspired. “Brazil has a deep-rooted passion for football, and our latest Virtual Football product is tailor-made for that audience. This launch with EstrelaBet, through Altenar’s dynamic platform, represents a powerful combination of cutting-edge technology, local insight, and premium virtual content. It’s a major milestone in our commitment to growth in Brazil.”
EstrelaBet, known for its strong brand presence in Brazil and innovative approach to player engagement, continues to invest in new ways to enhance its sportsbook offering. V-Play Football Brazil is now available at estrela.bet.br, optimized for desktop and mobile platforms, as well as the Android app.
“Inspired’s V-Play Football Brazil delivers the quality, authenticity, and excitement that our players expect,” said Fellipe Fraga, CBO (Chief Business Officer) at EstrelaBet. “The launch of this product aligns perfectly with our mission to offer customers a dynamic and differentiated sports betting experience. We’re excited to bring Brazilian fans a product that feels made just for them.”
The launch was made possible through Altenar, whose scalable and flexible sportsbook platform supports operators across more than 30 countries.
“We are proud to power this exciting launch between Inspired and EstrelaBet,” said Antonis Karakousis, Director of Operations at Altenar. “Inspired’s V-Play Football Brazil is a perfect match for the Brazilian market, and this rollout exemplifies Altenar’s ability to support rapid integration and localization of best-in-class content. We look forward to seeing strong engagement and performance from this partnership.”
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