It has been another busy month of activity in the Virtual Sports industry and in 
addition to the new items we have looked at over the course of the last few weeks, there have been a number of other news items that we have had to gloss over.
In this article, we are going to bring you details of four such items of news, beginning with some good news for some of the movers and shakers in the Virtual Sports industry.
Bet Radar and Golden Race Land SBC Awards 2019 Virtual Sports Gongs
Although there is no dedicated awards ceremony or show for Virtual Sports games at the moment, Virtual Sports are a category in the SBC Awards, that were held last weekend at a glittering ceremony in London. Hosted by Sky Sports presenter Kirstie Gallacher and former Football superstar Ruud Gullit, amongst the many different awards presented that night, two were focused on Virtual Sports.
First up was the award for Virtual Football Product which saw seven different companies nominated in the category. Betradar, Elbet, Golden Bet Virtual Sports, Golden Race, Highlight Games, Inspired Entertainment and Magellan Robotech. In the end though it was Betradar that claimed the top prize for their Virtual Football offering, with Inspired Entertainment earning a commendation for their own Virtual Football product, which you can find in the likes of Betway and 10Bet online sports betting sites.
The next award was a more general category and looked at the best Virtual Sports product, other than Virtual Football. There were nine potential winners in this category too, which was fiercely contested. Betradar were one of the teams in this group too along with 1X2 Network, BetConstruct, Golden Race, Highlight Games, Inbet Games, Inspired Entertainment Inc. Kiron Interactive and Vermantia.
However, the gong went to Golden Race, which was something of a surprise with 
Kiron interactive earning a commendation for their products in the Virtual Sports industry.
It was a good night for Betradar as they were one of just a small number of companies to win more than one award, adding the Best Live Streaming product and the Best Sports Data product to their Best Virtual Football product award a short time later.
It was also a good night for betway, who claimed the Esports Operator of the Year award, while bet365 Sport were named the best sportsbook of the year for the sixth year in a row, and they also won the coveted Football Sportsbook of the Year prize too. Catena Media were named the Casino Affiliate of the Year in what was another big win for a company with an interest in both the esports and Virtual Sports markets.
Virtual Sports Predicted To Boost Growth in Sports Betting Industry to 2022
In another news item last week, a report from Technavio has detailed its latest findings from research conducted into the future of the Sports Betting Industry, with a particular focus on the years from 2018 to 2022 and one of the key factors identified in the report, details the important role that Virtual Sports will have on the projected 9% growth in the Sports Betting industry as a whole over that period of time.
In their report Technavio stated that “the popularity of Virtual Sports betting will have a positive impact on the market and contribute to its growth significantly over the forecast period.”
The report identifies that the fact that Virtual Sports betting is not biased for or against one team or another, that games pack innovative and eye-catching graphics and animations and the high quality presentation of the games will have a positive impact on dirivng people towards Virtual Sports and thus towards the Sports Betting industry in general.
Other indicators that will likely lead to a rise in the industry include the legalisation of sports betting in some notable regions, notably North America, and the incorporation and usage of betting tools on sites to assist punters.
Virtual Sports Comes to Spain With Kiron’s Partnership with Wanabet
Virtual Sports have proven to be a smash hit success in countries such as the UK 
and Italy in particular over the last few years and its popularity is growing around Europe. Now thanks to a partnership between Virtual Sports provider Kiron Interactive, and bookmaking site Wanabet, Virtual Sports will get their first airing to customers in Spain very shortly.
The terms of the deal mean that Wanabet will host games such as Virtual Football, Virtual Greyhounds and Virtual Horse Racing on its site, as well as a number of other casino games, such as roulette and keno.
Speaking about the deal, the head of brand at Wanabet, Cecilio Santiago Alcalde, stated “Kiron’s comprehensive fixed-odds betting on a vast array of virtual sports complements our core online offering perfectly, providing our customers with a unique selection of popular gaming options.
“We’re impressed with the BetMan platform’s level of customisation, as well as its innovative player interface and are looking forward to seamlessly integrating an even greater range of games as they become available.”
As yet, there is no confirmed date of when Kiron’s Virtual Sports offering will be available via Wanabet, but it is thought that the release is imminent.
BetConstruct Given Green Light By UK Gambling Commission to Offer Virtual Sports Betting
In other big news this month, BetConstruct, one of the top esports providers in the world today have been approved by the UK Gambling Commission to offer facilities for punters to bet on their Virtual Sports games throughout the UK.
Speaking about the deal, which will see BetConstruct offer its services through agreements with existing providers, the Head of Licensing and Certification at BetConstruct, Karine Kocharayan, stated “While real-life sports betting is in the limelight, virtuals are finding ways of becoming top revenue generators. Good UX features, a wide range of bet types and a wide choice of games provide an exciting and engaging gameplay. And now BetConstruct is ready to deliver such product under the license of the UK Gambling Commission. This license allows [us] to forge important partnerships with third-party content providers and deliver virtual sports through our platform.”
“The approval from the UKGC to offer betting on Virtual events is another step forward for enlarging the portfolio for our UK customers. This license is also a good opportunity for us to strengthen the ongoing partnerships with our suppliers and engage in new ones.”
