Spotlight Sports Group enters gaming with Engage Games partnership
Spotlight Sports Group has expanded into gaming for the first time through a collaboration with the supplier Engage Games.
Announced on Thursday, the strategic partnership will grant Spotlight’s network of global sportsbook operators access to Engage Games’ bespoke games, each built collaboratively with Spotlight’s partners.
It marks Spotlight’s first expansion into gaming, combining the company’s global product and content distribution with Engage Games’ platform and track record in free-to-play and pay-to-play games.
Spotlight said the decision to enter the gaming sphere comes as operators increasingly turn towards free-to-play games as a means of “engagement, retention, reactivation and acquisition”.
The games will include fantasy, predictor, survivor and bet builder mechanics, while racing titles will be powered by Spotlight’s Smart View Engine.
Spotlight’s B2B Growth Director Rob Brown said the deal will expand the company’s offering by combining Engage Games’ games engine with Spotlight’s data, content and global distribution network.
“This partnership marks a significant step for SSG as we extend our product capability into the games space,” Brown said. “In Engage Games, we have found a partner with a proven ability to deliver games that produce real commercial outcomes for partners.”
Ryan Lawrence, founder of Engage Games, added: “Partnering with SSG – one of the most trusted names in global racing and sports betting – reflects the reputation and results we’ve built, and it’s the natural next step in our mission, to get better game experiences into the hands of as many players as possible.
“Through SSG’s network, we can now put proven, performance-driven capabilities in front of operators and rights holders worldwide.”
Spotlight’s next phase of growth
Spotlight, the group behind the media outlet Racing Post, hired Adam Gill as its new CTO in June amid continued investment in expanding the company’s product offering.
Gill, who joined from the market research company Savanta, is leading Spotlight’s technology and engineering across the group with a focus on engaging new audiences.
“As Racing Post enters its 40th year, there is a real opportunity to use technology to engage new audiences, deepen the value we deliver to operators and make AI a practical capability across the business,” Gill commented.
In January, Spotlight outlined its 2026 Racing Innovation strategy, featuring two product releases.
Spotlight introduced its Smart View Tipping Feed and Racing Bet Builder for operators, with both products designed to provide modern, algorithm-driven tools that enhance customer engagement while simplifying the betting experience.