partnerships
XB Net partners with Magic City Jai Alai to launch new Jai Alai service
Breakthrough streaming and data harnesses low-latency pictures and in-play pricing for the resurgent sport of Jai Alai
New sports rights deal for leading U.S. streaming, data and betting services provider and popular Florida casino venue
XB Net has partnered with Magic City Jai Alai in Miami, Florida, to broaden its burgeoning live-broadcast, data-feed and betting services, thanks to a breakthrough deal with the World Jai Alai League.
This comprehensive agreement sees Magic City Jai Alai partner with XB Net to offer live streaming, alongside precise pricing and data, for pari-mutuel Jai Alai games worldwide and H2H matches outside North America across its competitive 2022/23 calendar. This product has accordingly been licensed by Miami’s local gaming authority, the Florida Division of Parimutuel Wagering, around video signal and data for the purposes of fixed-odds and commingled betting.
The World Jai Alai League is a governing body for professionals and amateurs, working with XB Net and Magic City Jai Alai to drive deeper fan-engagement around the sport, developing its international influence and scope in lockstep with commercializing its live pictures, commentary, odds and data.
Like horse racing, Jai Alai is a sport made for betting and fits in organically with XB Net’s existing stable of racing products, powered by its pre-eminent fixed-odds and pari-mutuel pools platform. Players can now pre-play and in-play on traditional fixed-odds winner, under-over total points, point-by-point, win place or show (based on team player numbers jai alai), or even try an exacta, trifecta, and quinella.
An engaging Jai Alai schedule is played on a weekly basis, and maintains a robust timetable and steady stream of live performances with regular Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday slates of games. Matches and their derivative markets settle quickly and optimize the player betting cycle for international operators.
These competitive games are staged and broadcast live from the Magic City Fronton, whose state-of-the-art make-up is a boon for viewing, thanks to its customized court-size, glass walls, and well-positioned cameras seamlessly tracking every aspect of the high-octane action. This tailored arena measures 37m in length by 12m in width, slightly smaller than other such facilities, increasing the speed of the ball and quickening the pace of play for this spectacular sport.
The innovative offering also combines the latest trading algorithms with low-latency pictures and deep data (head-to-head records, player profiles etc) to promote and educate around a dynamic, adrenaline-pumping sport that offers a myriad of betting opportunities for improved customer engagement.
Scott Savin, Chief Operating Officer at Magic City, said: “We’re thrilled to sign this breakthrough deal with XB Net on a sport that has been largely overlooked for its international appeal and flexible benefits for retention. Magic City unveiled its innovative take on the sport of Jai-Alai by taking the best features of the “World’s Fastest Game”, combining them with a state-of-the-art Jai-Alai court, and marrying these aspects to the skill-sets of University of Miami athletes. This key collaboration means fans old and new need not miss a minute of the action!”
Simon Fraser, Senior Vice President of International at XB Net, added: “Considering the relatable and transferable success of tennis as a betting product, and the breakthrough appeal of table-tennis during the pandemic, it was high time that Jai Alia was as well-served by recent gains in live data and automation. Magic City Jai Alai and XB Net have now achieved a step-change for fans of this sport, effortlessly blending live pictures with the live point-by-point tracking to create a seamless viewing and betting experience with far fewer market suspensions around the critical moments of any match.
“The aim is always to deliver a best-in-breed journey for operators and their players. Our feed harnesses bespoke pricing and data-feeds to provide the fastest feeds and lowest-latency data on the market, helping our operator partners to stay ahead of the game.
“Data and streaming are the spine of sportsbooks. Data is used to drive markets and add narrative to an event, while streaming remains crucial for customer engagement and retention.”
Unpacking Jai Alai
Jai alai is recognized as the fastest ball sport in the world, with ball-speed often reaching up to 170mph. Players compete against each other in both singles and doubles. Magic City Jai Alai offers two distinct formats of play. The traditional 8 player post round-robin format branded as Magic City Pelota, and their groundbreaking Head-to-head (H2H) format which features H2H Championships and Battlecourt squads competing in an intuitive format and scoring system not dissimilar to those of tennis and table tennis. The aim is to outwit your opponent by making balls difficult to catch or throw back cleanly or placing a ball where the player cannot reach.
From the opening credits and narratives of iconic Eighties TV series Miami Vice, to the marketing materials of the Basque government in Spain, and even an enduring appeal across the Philippines, Jai Alai has remained a popular sport among those international communities with a Hispanic influence. This breakthrough partnership with XB Net, Magic City Jai Alai and the World Jai Alai League now bids to bolster that audience with new fan-engagement opportunities and grow the sport’s appeal throughout LatAm, Europe and APAC, not to mention the hugely underserved Hispanic market in North America.
Underserved market for a comeback sport
As an instructive case in point, according to the 2020 U.S. Census Bureau Report, 62 million people living in the U.S. identify as Hispanic or Latino. That community, 18.7% of the total U.S. population in 2021/22, is nearly equivalent to the entire population of the United Kingdom. The U.S. Hispanic demographic is already the second-largest ethnic group in America, and a superpower in economic terms, the seventh largest GDP in the world (tied with France) estimated at $2.7 trillion in 2019 per the 2021 LDC U.S. Latino GDP Report. This influential population is predicted to grow to account for over 30% of the total U.S. population, 132.8 million people, by 2050. This is a population that is fiercely loyal to their roots, their culture, their heritage, and their chosen sports, from football to Jai Alai, and it is an audience that is also currently being underserved by the international sports betting industry.
In an effort to address food insecurity in New Jersey, the Casino Association of New Jersey (CANJ) has launched the Casinos United Against Hunger campaign in partnership with the Community FoodBank of New Jersey (CFBNJ). Atlantic City casinos collectively are donating more than $170,000 to support CFBNJ’s mission.
“Ending hunger will take all of us stepping up to do more for our neighbors. Atlantic City casinos are coming together to form Casinos United Against Hunger, a new campaign dedicated to strengthening our efforts to combat food insecurity in New Jersey. By supporting important organizations like the Community FoodBank of New Jersey, we will help address hunger by providing meals to families throughout the state,” said Mark Giannantonio, president of the Casino Association of New Jersey.
The donation was presented at CFBNJ’s Night of 300,000 Meals on May 1, 2025, a culinary event that brings together local chefs, restaurants and community members to help provide 300,000 meals for neighbors in need. Chefs from Atlantic City casinos participated in the annual event.
“Atlantic County has some of the highest rates of food insecurity in the state. We’re grateful to the Casino Association of New Jersey for helping to honor the FoodBank’s 50th anniversary with their generous support and for uniting the Atlantic City casino community to help address hunger. Through this partnership, we can provide more meals to local families in need and make a lasting impact in the area,” said Elizabeth McCarthy, president & CEO of the Community FoodBank of New Jersey.
In addition to the CFBNJ’s 50th anniversary, the partnership between the CANJ and CFBNJ comes at an especially crucial time given the level of food insecurity in New Jersey. Nearly 1 million people in the state, including more than 260,000 children, are at risk of hunger. Atlantic County, home to Atlantic City’s casinos, has some of the highest rates of food insecurity in the state, with 12.2% of residents and 17.4% of children affected.
The casinos involved in the Casinos United Against Hunger initiative – Bally’s Atlantic City Casino Resort, Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa, Caesars Entertainment’s Atlantic City Resorts, Golden Nugget Atlantic City, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City, Ocean Casino Resort and Resorts Casino Hotel – are joining a long-standing tradition of support for CFBNJ. Many properties in Atlantic City are longtime supporters of CFBNJ, and this collective effort demonstrates their commitment to addressing this critical issue. Through this partnership, CFBNJ will be able to distribute more meals to families in need, especially in areas that are most impacted. The $170,000 donation is a total of all financial, grant and in-kind contributions from each Atlantic City casino to the CFBNJ this year.
The Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC), in partnership with The Esports Radar and strategic event partner BLAST, announced Global Esports Industry Week 2025 (GEIW), a week-long series of executive-level forums, summits and experiential gatherings and socials taking place 18–22 June 2025 in Austin, Texas.
Staged alongside the sold-out BLAST.tv Austin Major Finals (21–22 June), GEIW will convene hundreds of publisher representatives, executives, tournament organisers, team owners, brands, investors, legal specialists, and technology innovators for five days of focused dialogue, deal-making, and industry celebration.
Designed in response to mounting calls for global strategic alignment as the esports sector matures, GEIW offers a purposely neutral environment for stakeholders to tackle shared challenges, set collective priorities, and chart sustainable growth. Anchored at the Downright Austin Hotel, the program blends high-impact content with curated networking and “only-in-Austin” social experiences, ensuring every conversation can translate into actionable collaboration.
Agenda highlights include:
• Esports Leaders & Evening Garden Party (19 June) – a more intimate decision makers only gathering for 120 C-suite leaders in and around the sector, hosted in an off-stage setting with excellent hospitality focused on real conversations and great meetings.
• International Games & Esports Tribunal (IGET) Arbitrators Workshop (19 June) – first-of-its-kind masterclass exploring the revolutionary IGET dispute-resolution framework for video games and esports.
• ESIC Global Esports Summit (20 June) – thought-leadership keynotes and think-tank panels tackling integrity, commercialization and player welfare.
• Premium Networking Experiences (20-21 June) – uniquely local experiences designed to deepen relationships beyond the conference room, including a GEIW Padel Tournament, Texan BBQ Dinners, and more.
Additional activations, partner MOU-signing sessions, and BLAST.tv behind-the-scenes arena tours will run throughout the week.
Stephen Hanna, Chief Executive Officer of Esports Integrity Commission, said: “The global esports ecosystem has reached a tipping point where sustainable growth depends on collective action. Global Esports Industry Week 2025 is our answer to that need—a neutral space where publishers, tournament operators, teams, investors, regulators and technology partners can leave day-to-day business at the door and focus on the bigger picture.
“Over the course of five days, we’ll tackle integrity risks head-on, debate commercial models that reward everyone in the value chain, and map out practical frameworks for player welfare and dispute resolution. By convening the industry’s most influential decision-makers in Austin—alongside the energy of the BLAST.tv Major—we’re setting the stage for agreements and initiatives that will shape esports for the next decade.
“ESIC was founded to safeguard fair play; GEIW extends that mission by championing transparency, accountability and long-term business viability. I look forward to welcoming our global peers to what I believe will become the cornerstone event on the esports business calendar.”
Sam Cooke, CEO & Co-Founder of the Insights Group (owners of The Esports Radar), said: “As co-organiser, The Esports Radar team is thrilled to launch its first event alongside our good friends over at ESIC and BLAST. We couldn’t have hoped for a better city than Austin to host the first GEIW; an accessible, brilliant, proudly weird city for all to enjoy in and around the programmed events, and one with so many major corporations there or close by, alongside a sold-out CS Major no less.
“This’ll be a great few days, with a lot of hands shook and deals done, and if you’re a stakeholder or just interested in the business of esports, and its broader development as an industry, we sincerely hope to see you there!”
James Woollard, Director of Market Development at BLAST, said: “Bringing the BLAST.tv Major together with Global Esports Industry Week will further help position Austin at the global centre of esports and gaming next month. This partnership underscores our commitment to building meaningful, sustainable connections across the global esports ecosystem. We’re proud to play a role in creating an unforgettable week that combines world-class competition with forward-looking industry dialogue, helping shape growth for our industry.”
Two proven game technology companies are joining forces in what promises to be a devilish collaboration that disrupts the iGaming industry.
Design Works Gaming (DWG) and Bluberi Gaming announced an exciting partnership that will bring together DWG’s chart-topping LuckyTap™ mechanic and Bluberi’s top-performing titles.
Fueled by a unique mix of creativity, innovation and undeniable player appeal, Bluberi has made waves with their iconic games, including their breakout hit Devil’s Lock™.
Enter DWG — the team behind the proprietary LuckyTap™ mechanic. Known for blending simplicity with explosiveness, DWG’s games consistently top the charts and deliver next-level engagement.
“Devil’s Lock has always topped our favorites list when we hit the casino floor as a team. And just a few months ago, as we were trying our luck with the Devil, inspiration struck. We knew we could turn up the heat and reimagine this fan-favorite as a high-voltage LuckyTap™,” said founder and CEO of DWG Troy Zurawski. “Bluberi brings the legendary IP, and we bring the power of LuckyTap™.”
This partnership kicks off a new era for both companies—one where creative chaos reigns and boundaries are pushed. Together, DWG and Bluberi are cooking up gameplay that’s bold, mischievous and unruly.
“Partnering with Design Works Gaming marks a new milestone in iGaming for Bluberi’s iGaming strategy,” said Scott Richards, VP of Commercial Strategy at Bluberi. “DWG’s LuckyTap™ is a proven game-changing technology that pushes boundaries and resonates with Bluberi’s approach to developing unique gaming experiences. Our teams share a passion for pushing boundaries and delivering unforgettable player experiences. We can’t wait to unveil what we’re creating together.”
-
Latest News4 days agoEGT Digital to make a debut at SAGSE Panama 2025
-
Latest News4 days agoEGT’s innovative gaming solutions to be on display at SAGSE Panama 2025
-
Latest News4 days agoLuckBet Launches New TV Commercial Starring Caio Castro on Sportv and Globoplay
-
Latest News3 days agoCT Gaming Strengthens Its Presence with New Installations in Venezuela
-
Latest News3 days agoOctoplay Launches Jackpot Blitz with BetMGM in Ontario, Accelerating North American Expansion
-
Latest News3 days agoClub Atlético River Plate and Betano Announce Long-Term Principal Partnership
-
Latest News3 days agoVaulta and Ultra Embark on Strategic Partnership to Power the Future of Gaming and Finance
-
Latest News3 days agoIGT and Red Earth Casino Sign Multi-Year Casino Management Systems Agreement