TRENDS IN IGAMING Reducing friction in racing


which bets to make. For racing, that means our quantitative analysts reviewing years of racing data to bring you the most relevant insights for the runners and riders of the day, surfacing the stats to back up their claims, and then utilising AI to deliver that message in a customer-friendly form.


By Stephen Davison, head of commercial operations for horse racing betting data company Pythia Sports.


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ext year will be all about reducing friction in racing data for both sportsbook and punter.


Over the next year, operators will focus on giving the customer all the info at their fingertips to make informed decisions about


And these stats aren’t just about the winner – it’s about the nuance of the race, and how it will develop -- about winning distances, and overlooked placers; about head to head rivalries, and the best jumping form. It’s information that explains why a selection makes sense.


Taken alone, that’s interesting context – but packaged up into a pre-built bet builder and you have something special. All the justification for the bet, and the bet itself.


EDUCATING THE BUILDER For some racing enthusiasts, the concept of a bet builder is entirely new: and there’s an education piece that needs to happen in the next year. The trend combines simple, low-correlation combinations and short explainers that show how legs interact. Now, instead of just betting the winner, customers


can add some preconfigured other markets to their bet.


Want to back ‘Bailey’s Boy’ to win at a double digit price? You might pair it with another horse to place, finish in the top half of the field, or win their head to head – with the combined price and rationale shown up front. Of course, personalisation is going to play a big part of iGaming trends in the next year – understanding each customer’s preferences and individual betting style and ensuring it’s not just the stats that drive the bets. Next year will be about the right content for consumers, as well as the right context and the right bets for you.


Focus on the future


By Julian Pitts, Head of Commercial for affiliate tracking platform firm RavenTrack offers his predictions for iGaming’s future.


hile it was a big part of 2025, in the final months of the year and throughout 2026, it comes as no surprise that AI is going to continue to be a big theme in iGaming – mainly, how it will affect affiliate and operator campaigns due to AI-driven search results competing with and potentially replacing typical SEO. But in addition to the challenges it brings, AI – whether it’s used in affiliate tracking and traffic analytics, player customer service or SEO – offers a big chance for innovation. Not only is AI extremely beneficial to automate data analysis, it can make risk assessments faster, as well as improving the decision- making process.


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Another area of interest we’re seeing is the adoption of crypto payments, specifically for affiliates. With the rise of crypto operators, there is a higher need for payouts to be


available in crypto currencies for their affiliates, and I can imagine this payment method being used with some more traditional operators as well.


The other trend I think 2026 will bring is a geo-specific one, and that’s the continual boom of the African iGaming market. We’re seeing more and more brands launching there, both internally and outside of the region. The Nigerian, Kenyan and South African markets are seeing continuous growth, particularly in the slots and sports betting arenas.


We’re also seeing a huge focus on mobile- first demand from players, with established operators focusing on developing the strongest apps rather than websites; and newer, mobile-first operators taking their share of the market. These operators are garnering traffic with incredible load times,


low latency and of course, mobile-focused graphics, interfaces and audio.


And finally, the industry is moving in a more collaborative manner, with more available data and a willingness to share data and ideation. This sharing approach will allow for increased productivity, which leads to an increase in revenue – eliminating wasted spend, and encouraging friendly competition.


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