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XLMedia Announces Exclusive Partnership with Star Tribune
XLMedia Announces Commercial Partnership with Star Tribune Media Company, Largest Upper Midwest News Organization, to be its Exclusive Provider of Sports Betting Content
XLMedia PLC (AIM: XLM) the global digital media company that manages a portfolio of premium brands with an emphasis on sports and gaming in regulated markets, announces a commercial partnership with the largest US Upper Midwest news organization, Star Tribune Media Company. As part of this partnership, XLMedia will be the exclusive provider of sports betting commercial content for Star Tribune, which attracts more than 7 million unique monthly digital users. Anchored in Minnesota, Star Tribune’s audience numbers are consistently in the top five in the country amongst regional and national publishing peers.
The strategic partnership with Star Tribune is another major win for XLMedia’s Media Partnership Business (MPB,) as it expands the company’s reach in Minnesota and neighboring states with a highly esteemed partner boasting seven Pulitzer Prizes and hundreds of other awards in journalism excellence. While there is no set timeline regarding online sports betting regulation, the state is ranked in the top five for Daily Fantasy Sports usage and has a sizable sports audience indicating a potentially robust market when the time arrives.
Drawing on XLMedia’s expertise in monetizing highly engaged audiences in current and future sports betting states, the deal allows Star Tribune to tap into advanced revenue streams from Daily Fantasy Sports in Minnesota, as well as sports betting in Midwest legalized states. XLMedia will leverage its industry-leading media partnership model to create high-quality commercial content, manage commercial deals with regulated sportsbook operators, and implement proven monetization strategies.
“We are thrilled to be working with the Star Tribune and are eager to begin collaborating with their talented team as we drive new revenue opportunities for both businesses,” said Kevin Duffey, President of XLMedia North America. “Publisher partnerships continue to be an area of focus for our business, and this new partnership is another milestone in our plan to expand our North American footprint and drive unique revenue opportunities both in 2024 and in the years to come.”
“We’re excited to partner with XLMedia to provide our readers with this highly engaging commercial content,” said Paul Kasbohm, EVP and Chief Revenue Officer, Star Tribune. “XLMedia brings tremendous credibility and expertise, allowing us to stay ahead of the curve and offer our audience the latest information to make their own informed decisions about this rapidly evolving space.”
The Group has made publisher partnerships a major focus area and continues to expand coverage, audience reach and revenue opportunities. This new collaboration with Star Tribune further establishes XLMedia as a leader in partnering with media businesses that have highly active audiences to drive user retention and new revenue. As XLMedia continues to expand its audience reach through partnerships, its North American teams is dedicated to pursuing additional key strategic agreements and to deliver excellent partner service.
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Kambi Group plc signs Turnkey Sportsbook partnership with Latin American operator RedCap
New agreement will see Kambi initially power the operator’s online Betpro and Starplay brands in El Salvador and Panama, with plans for retail and additional markets in the future
Kambi Group plc, the home of premium sports betting solutions, has agreed a long-term, omni-channel sportsbook partnership with Latin American operator RedCap, further strengthening Kambi’s position as the sportsbook provider of choice in the region.
Under the terms of the agreement, RedCap’s Betpro and Starplay brands will integrate Kambi’s high-performance Turnkey Sportsbook into its proprietary player account management (PAM) platform, enabling a seamless sports betting experience. The operator will replace its current supplier with Kambi’s powerful end-to-end sports betting solution, trusted by market leaders across Latin America and beyond.
The initial rollout will see Betpro and Starplay launch Kambi’s technology across its online sportsbooks in El Salvador and Panama, with the agreement also including scope for retail provision and market expansion. Operating under a multi-brand strategy led by its flagship Betpro brand, the operator aims to leverage the strengths of Kambi’s sportsbook with its in-house technical capability and experienced industry leadership team to achieve success in each market.
Werner Becher, CEO of Kambi, said: “This partnership marks an important next step in Kambi’s Latin American growth strategy. By selecting Kambi to replace their existing provider, RedCap has shown clear confidence in our market-leading technology and ability to support scalable growth. We are excited to help them bring best-in-class sports betting experiences to players across the region.”
Oscar Henao, CEO of RedCap, added: “We are thrilled to join forces with Kambi. This agreement gives us the product and flexibility we need to compete at the highest level, offering our customers premium betting experience across all channels. With Kambi’s support, we look forward to launching in Panama and El Salvador and expanding into new markets as we execute our multi-brand strategy.”
Chicago City Council members are reviving plans to legalize video gambling in the city, introducing two ordinances that could bring hundreds of terminals to O’Hare and Midway airports and allow machines citywide for the first time.
One ordinance, introduced by Alderman Gilbert Villegas (36th), targets the city’s airports, where he sees both political feasibility and high revenue potential.
“The General Assembly has provided this opportunity through the casino bill. Yet, we’re not taking advantage of capturing dollars from one of the busiest airports in the country,” Villegas said.
“People are there, in some cases, one or two hours before. If their flight is delayed or they’re making a connection and there is a delay, there’s an opportunity to capture an audience that may not even be going to the city.”
Villegas’ proposal includes a $10,000 license fee per location, plus $500 per terminal. A separate terminal license would cost $1000, with an additional $500 per unit. If 400 machines each generated $800 daily, Villegas estimates annual revenue could reach $116.8 million, with the city taking a share through licensing and taxes.
Alderman Anthony Beale (9th) is pushing for a broader citywide expansion. His ordinance would legalize video gambling throughout Chicago, including in neighborhood bars and restaurants.
“We need to do it citywide and at the airports. We need the revenue and this administration has not shown a willingness to find new revenue that’s not gonna hit the taxpayers in every household,” Beale said.
Beale’s ordinance proposes a $500 license fee per location and a $1000-per-terminal charge for both the site and the machine itself. He has criticized the administration for dismissing the potential benefits, arguing that the current tax formula could be renegotiated with state lawmakers.
“That’s because they haven’t shown the willingness to go down to Springfield and change the formula. I’m hoping that submitting these ordinances will finally convince them to send a team down there,” he said.
Boyd Interactive is live with SlotMatrix Exclusive content in New Jersey, further bolstering EveryMatrix’s US presence.
Boyd Interactive’s tier-1 brands Resorts and Mohegan have access to EveryMatrix’s library of exclusive titles from its in-house studios, including Fantasma Games and Armadillo Studios, via integration with SlotMatrix.
SlotMatrix is the provider’s proprietary game aggregation platform and the industry’s largest content library, with more than 37,000 games from 350+ studios and its own in-house studios, enhanced by EveryMatrix’s gamification and player engagement features, including free spins, leaderboards, and tournaments.
This exciting step continues EveryMatrix’s momentum in the US market, after signing its first US content aggregation deal with betPARX and launching several games in North America this year such as Glorious Diamonds.
Bjorn Sjoberg, CCO of SlotMatrix, said: “Boyd Interactive is one of the largest US gambling operators, and by providing them with our exclusive content, we’re introducing their players to a range of best performing titles, opening a whole new world of entertainment.”
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