The Fire Joker has returned, his blazing grin wider than ever. Hes back in control of the reels, where classic fruits and symbols light up under his fiery touch. But this time, theres more than just mischief in the air. The heat has intensified, the stakes are higher, and this scorching slot is cranked up to a full 100.
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The Fire Joker has returned, his blazing grin wider than ever. Hes back in control of the reels, where classic fruits and symbols light up under his fiery touch. But this time, theres more than just mischief in the air. The heat has intensified, the stakes are higher, and this scorching slot is cranked up to a full 100.

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Appodeal’s 2025 Mobile Casual Benchmarks report shows hybrid casual games significantly outperforming hypercasual when it comes to ad-based monetization

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Appodeal Publishing, part of Appodeal Ad Mediation Solution for Mobile Apps and Games that helps developers and studios launch and scale their games, today released its latest report, which takes a deep dive into the casual mobile games category, sharing a wealth of data on the best and worst performing casual game genres and subgenres. The report found that, while the best-performing hypercasual games are still delivering the biggest number of installs, the amount of advertising revenue per user they are generating is much lower than games using a hybrid casual approach, where games offer players a deeper level of engagement whilst still being designed to be easy to pick up and play.

The ‘Mobile Casual Benchmarks Report 2025’ is based on data from billions of installs of more than 10,000 mobile casual games by US users between June 2024 and January 2025. The data is drawn specifically from installs of Android apps.

With the vast majority of free-to-play mobile games using in-game advertising as a key revenue generator, ensuring a game generates enough engagement and longevity for ads to be displayed to the player is key. While hypercasual games remain a popular choice, Appodeal’s data shows a strong case for developers and publishers to be exploring hybrid casual game design over pure hypercasual, with deeper engagement mechanics – such as progression systems, collection elements, and light RPG or simulation features – allowing for a mix of ad monetization and in-app purchases (IAP).

Some of the key takeaways from the report include:

  • Hypercasual games have a low ARPU of $0.86 on average, compared to Party and Match genre games, which generate the highest ad revenue, with an ARPU of $4.90 and $2.99, respectively. These two genres are the most lucrative when it comes to ad-supported monetization models.

  • When it comes to monetization, the best-performing subgenre is Merge 3, with an ad ARPU of $14.83 This is considerably ahead of the next best-performing subgenre, Luck Battle games (games which use a random battle element to drive engagement), which have an ARPU of $12.23. Running and slicing themed games had the lowest ad ARPU amongst the subgenres looked at, at $2.34 and $2.19.

  • Puzzle and Match Games rely heavily on ads, with the highest number of interstitials (72.5 and 36.5 per user), rewarded video (23.4 and 39.1 per user), and banner ads (241.5 and 114.3 per user). Finding the balance between ad frequency and user experience is critical; otherwise, retention will be affected.

  • Rewarded Video works well in Merge and Idle games, with Merge 3 games serving an average of 101.5 videos per user, and Idle 73.2. This shows that the gameplay and meta mechanics of these titles naturally encourage users to watch ads for added in-game benefits.

“We know that the popularity of hypercasual games has passed its peak, and the data in our Mobile Casual Benchmarks report shows a continuing shift from hypercasual to hybrid casual games,” said Tanya Moroz, General Manager at Appodeal. “Despite hypercasual games still leading in terms of downloads, they suffer from low ad ARPU and poor retention. Hybrid casual games, by contrast, combine mass-market appeal with deeper engagement mechanics, significantly improving retention and monetization. We expect to see more developers and publishers shifting their strategy towards these kinds of games, which offer a richer gameplay experience coupled with better revenue potential.”

With genre-level and subgenre-level breakdowns across critical KPIs like retention, session time, ARPU, and ad formats, the report is aimed at mobile game developers, studios and publishers working in the casual to mid-core space, especially those currently developing hypercasual or ad-driven titles, and who want to make more informed genre choices and design decisions.

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UNLV International Gaming Institute Announces 2025 ESPN Research Fellows

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Selected research projects will generate new insights into how responsible gambling messages are delivered and perceived in the rapidly evolving sports media landscape

The University of Nevada, Las Vegas International Gaming Institute (IGI) is proud to announce the recipients of the 2025 ESPN Research Fellowships. This year’s cohort features a group of scholars whose proposals will advance understanding of responsible gambling messaging in sports media and its implications for consumer well-being.

Fellowships recipients include:

  • Dr. Brandon Mastromartino, Director of the Institute on Sports Wagering and Gaming and Assistant Professor of Experiential Marketing at the L. Robert Payne School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, San Diego State University. Dr. Mastromartino’s project will evaluate two of the NFL’s responsible gambling PSAs using a fan-centered marketing framework.

  • Dr. Chris R. Noland, Assistant Professor of Advertising at the University of South Florida’s Zimmerman School of Advertising & Mass Communications. Dr. Noland will examine the influence of celebrity endorsements and promotional inducements in Instagram advertisements on online sports betting behavior.

  • Dr. Ramon Silva Leite, Professor in the Postgraduate Program in Management at Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Dr. Silva’s project will investigate how responsible gambling messages are constructed and delivered through sports media, and how young sports bettors perceive and respond to them.

  • Dr. Sarah Stokowski, Associate Professor of Athletic Leadership at Clemson University’s Department of Educational and Organizational Leadership Development. Dr. Stokowski will investigate how college student-athletes perceive and interact with sports betting content on social media.

These projects will provide important insights into practical strategies that policymakers and the industry can adopt to help safeguard the wellbeing of sports enthusiasts and the public at large.

“IGI is tremendously proud of the work our previous Fellowships produced. A key goal of this initiative is to support innovative and impactful research to better understand the rapidly changing global sports and betting environment,” said Dr. Kasra Ghaharian, Director of Research at IGI. “This research represents critical perspectives on how gambling is represented in sports media and holds important implications for all gambling stakeholders.”

“Responsible gaming continues to be a priority for ESPN, and we are proud to continue our collaboration with IGI to support research that delivers real-world impact,” said Kevin Martinez, Vice President of ESPN Corporate Citizenship. “These new projects will provide valuable insights into how responsible gaming messages can be delivered effectively across sports media and help strengthen standards that protect fans everywhere.”

Each research fellowship lasts six months. Research results will be featured in an IGI webinar in 2026.

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ACR POKER’S HUGE ONLINE SUPER SERIES XL MAIN EVENTS KICK OFF THIS WEEKEND, AWARDING $4.25 MILLION GUARANTEED

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Phase 1 of the $150,000 GTD Survivor Flips starts today and first Mystery Bounty Multi-Flight Day 2 gets underway this Sunday, September 21st

ACR Poker’s biggest-ever tournament series, Online Super Series (OSS) XL, is in full swing and this weekend the action really heats up with the colossal Main Events kicking off on Sunday, September 21st, offering $4.25 million total guaranteed.

Players can take their shot at the $2 million guaranteed ($2,650 buy-in), the $1.5 million guaranteed ($1,050 buy-in), and the $750,000 guaranteed ($215 buy-in) Main Events. Day 1A starts this Sunday, September 21st, Day 1B is on Sunday, September 28th, and Day 2 is on Monday, September 29th.

The flagship series boasts over $50 million in guarantees and runs until Tuesday, September 30th. It has a range of events catered to players of all bankrolls from as little as $0.55, which include the $0.55 Micro PKO, $6.60 Early Special, and $22 Euro Mini Special.

Adding further excitement is the high-energy Survivor Flips tourney ($130 buy-in), offering a $150,000 guarantee. Phase 1 and Steps Flips run from today (Wednesday, September 17th) to Sunday, September 21st at 3:00pm ET. Phase 2 is a regular tournament on September 21st at 3:05pm ET where all players start in the money.

There are also four Mystery Bounty Multi-Flight events, including two $500,000 GTD ($109 buy-in) events, with the first having its final flight and Day 2 this Sunday, September 21st. The $200,000 GTD ($33 buy-in) and $100,000 GTD ($5.50 buy-in) events have their final flight and Day 2 on Sunday, September 28th.

“OSS XL has already delivered incredible action, with huge fields, dramatic final tables, and amazing wins for players at every level but there’s still so much to come,” said ACR Pro Chris Moneymaker. “The Main Events are always the highlight of the series, and this weekend promises to be the biggest stage yet for anyone looking to make their mark.”

Finally, to add further sweat, ACR Poker’s Leaderboard Contest is awarding $65,000 in cash and tourney tickets across three tiers. The High Stakes ($104.50 buy-ins and above) will award a $15,000 top prize, while the Mid Stakes ($16.50 to $88 buy-ins) and Low Stakes (under $15 buy-ins) will award $7,500 and $4,000, respectively.

For further details on OSS XL, read the ACR Poker blog or visit ACRPoker.eu.

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1/ST CONTENT and Italy’s MASAF form new partnership ahead of the Breeders’ Cup

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1/ST CONTENT and Italy’s MASAF form new partnership ahead of the Breeders’ Cup

 

Distribution deal sees leading racing provider for the Americas extend its scope into Italy’s local pool betting via governing body for horse racing

1/ST CONTENT, the pre-eminent provider of premium North and South American horse racing content and a key division of 1/ST, has continued to grow its international footprint in a new partnership with the Italian Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry (MASAF) in the run-up to the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, one of the true highlights on the global racing calendar.

The deal now opens a breakthrough gateway for local pool betting on North American, South American and Turkish racing in Italy – and was soft-launched over last month’s 100th edition of the Hambletonian at The Meadowlands, NJ. This milestone renewal, the pinnacle of harness racing and a format of the sport which is particularly popular with Italian racing fans, fostered immediate fan engagement, as reported by MASAF this month via https://www.grandeippicaitaliana.it/.

The agreement kicks off with the 2025 flagship finale at the Breeders’ Cup World Championships in Del Mar (31 October – 1 November) and brings many of the premier stateside races to Italy, including the Pegasus World Cup (24 January) and the Triple Crown contests of Preakness 151 (16 May) and the Belmont Stakes (6 June). In the aggregate, 1/ST CONTENT’s extensive content portfolio maps approximately 90% of all North American racetracks, alongside South American and Turkish venues, neatly complementing Italy’s domestic sporting action with a reliable source of fast-settling betting content between 18:00 and 05:00 CET.

Italian and North American horse racing currently enjoy a strong reciprocal bond, thanks to three of Italy’s leading jockeys in Frankie Dettori, Umberto Rispoli and Antonio Fresu plying their trade in North America. These three Italian ambassadors were recently introduced to a mainstream global audience via Netflix’s acclaimed Race For The Crown.

1/ST CONTENT’s worldwide experience and customer base for pools betting features the Americas, Morocco, Italy, Singapore, Australia, Turkey, Sweden, France, New Zealand and Hong Kong. As a result, by leveraging 1/ST CONTENT’s unparalleled expertise in capturing and streaming elite live-racing events, bettors across Italy can now enjoy a best-in-breed international racing experience.

Key features of the deal include but are not limited to:

  1. Comprehensive Coverage: exclusive signals of all racetracks in the United States, Canada, South America and Turkey, ensuring an extensive and diverse range of racing content for Italian audiences.
  2. Cutting-Edge Technology: high-quality, immersive broadcasts, providing viewers with an unparalleled access to live racing and informative content that both engages the seasoned viewer and educates those unfamiliar with the sport.
  3. Enhanced Viewer Engagement: accompanying innovative marketing strategies, promotions, and engagement initiatives, enhancing the overall viewer experience and speaking to a dedicated racing community in Italy

Simon Fraser, Senior Vice President International at 1/ST CONTENT, said: “We’re thrilled to be working as a partner with MASAF on a program to rejuvenate their horse racing audience and breathe new life into the Italian industry. Our collaboration marks a cornerstone from which we can build together to ensure that racing is competitive with other betting options and further expands 1/ST’s global reach.”

Remo Chiodi, Director General for Horse Racing at MASAF, added“This partnership is part of a broader framework aimed at strengthening relations between Italy and the United States in the horseracing sector: it is a path that consolidates ties between the two countries, enhances both our national excellence and international achievements, and opens up new opportunities for growth and exchange. It is a step that also involves breeding and training, while highlighting the image of Italian racing excellence in the United States, represented by our most renowned jockeys competing overseas.

“Thanks to this agreement, major American racing events will be broadcast free-to-air on EQU TV, expanding the television offering and allowing betting on the races within a fully integrated system. After years of challenges, Italian racing is redefining the entire sector to restore our sport to a position of strength, both at home and abroad.”

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