This week: ClearStake raises £1.5M for verification, compliance in UK market

ClearStake raises £1.5M for verification, compliance in UK market

The news: UK-based player verification platform ClearStake has raised £1.5M in new funding backed by a roster of senior iGaming executives and investors. The round will accelerate the rollout of ID by Bank, a new product that enables operators to verify player identity directly through users’ banking apps—aiming to make KYC faster, safer, and more conversion-friendly. Notable backers include Paddy Power (Flutter), Michael Brady (Bede Gaming), Simon Collins (Foxy Bingo), and David Flynn (Glitnor Group).

Zoom in: ClearStake’s tech simplifies player verification and compliance, one of the industry’s biggest bottlenecks. By integrating with banking apps, the company promises to reduce manual checks, cut fraud risk, and help operators onboard more first-time depositors without compromising regulatory standards. The product is already in use by major UK brands like tombola and MrQ, and has featured in multiple Gambling Commission audits—an early sign of regulator confidence in the model.

Why it matters: As regulatory pressure and affordability checks tighten across the UK, tools that turn compliance from a cost center into a competitive edge are gaining traction. The funding signals that compliance tech remains a necessary growth area in regulated gaming, though adoption will hinge on how seamlessly products like ID by Bank can integrate into existing operator systems and satisfy regulators’ evolving expectations.

Market & Funding Report: Q3 2025

The news: Deal activity in real-money gaming’s early-stage ecosystem held steady in Q3 2025, with 16 tracked startup investments totaling nearly $100M in disclosed funding, BettingStartups reported Monday in its inaugural Market & Funding Report. That brings the year-to-date total to 31 deals, signaling sustained investor interest even as round sizes compress. Early-stage financings dominated the quarter, led by MyPrize ($21M), Novig ($18M), The Clearing Company ($15M), and Yaspa ($12M)—which together accounted for two-thirds of all disclosed capital.

Zoom in: AI, data, and infrastructure startups drove much of the quarter’s momentum. One in three Q3 fundings centered on AI or data innovation, including Yaspa’s AI-infused payments platform and AIstats’ $1.1M raise for its soccer analytics engine. Infrastructure remained a top investor priority as platforms like EQL Games, Random State, and Aeropay built compliance, interoperability, and payments solutions spanning multiple verticals. Meanwhile, community-led products such as MyPrize and BtrBet highlighted the growing value of creator-driven distribution as customer acquisition costs climb.

Why it matters: Q3’s funding landscape points to a slow but steady evolution in how capital is being deployed across the betting startup ecosystem. Investors are favoring foundational technologies—AI, data infrastructure, payments rails—over pure operators, and creativity is resurfacing through new studios and content-led experiences. The next wave of growth in real-money gaming is increasingly pointing toward intelligence, community, and entertainment converging into more connected, data-driven products.

Sponsored

The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) has partnered with Flutter to find innovative companies that are ready to revolutionise the sport in Britain and engage the next generation of fans. 

The 'Future of Racing' summit takes place at York Racecourse in February 2026, and the most innovative tech startups will pitch their ideas to a panel of industry leaders and experts from Flutter, the BHA, racecourses and equine welfare. Apply if your solution aligns with one or more of our key themes:

• Horse welfare

• Education and simplification

• Raceday experience 

• Behind The Silks 

Applications are being accepted until November 23. Non-horse racing companies are encouraged to apply if their solutions fit the criteria. Learn more and apply here. 

How Oddin found its edge in esports betting

The news: Oddin has quietly become one of the key infrastructure providers powering esports betting, evolving from its early days as a consumer-facing bookmaker into a B2B technology company. On the BettingStartups Podcast, Co-founder Marek Suchar said the company’s pivot came from recognizing its strengths in data science and odds modeling rather than customer acquisition. Today, Oddin offers operators everything from live data and risk management to marketing support across major esports titles like Counter-Strike, Dota 2, and League of Legends.

Zoom in: Esports bettors behave differently than traditional sports audiences, and Oddin’s model reflects that. Suchar explained that most esports bettors began as players, then became fans, and eventually transitioned to wagering on the same games they grew up playing. That cultural nuance has shaped Oddin’s strategy, including its acquisition of a marketing agency to help partners engage fans authentically. On the product side, live, in-play betting now drives roughly 80% of its volume, fueled by the volatility and speed of competitive titles like Dota 2, Suchar explained.

Why it matters: Oddin’s growth is indicative of a slow-yet-steady trajectory of the esports betting segment. After years of speculation about its potential, the category is gradually maturing as more operators treat esports as a core product rather than a fringe market. Live, in-play wagering, younger audiences aging up, and better data infrastructure are driving that shift—helping transform esports betting from a niche offshoot into a meaningful contributor to handle.

Listen to the full podcast on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.

News, money, and alpha

• MyPrize has partnered with Crypto.com to launch MyPrize Markets, introducing prediction markets for sports, crypto, and politics to its global social gaming platform.

• ​​XGENIA debuted its enterprise AI platform at SiGMA Summit this week with “Dark Alice,” a production-ready slot game built in days with AI workflows.

• PlayerProps.ai was named the Most Accurate NFL Prediction App of 2025 after winning BetSmart’s inaugural “Player Prop Projection Bracket.”

From the studio

Catch up on the latest episodes of The BettingStartups Podcast.

• The esports betting infrastructure layer w/ Marek Suchar from Oddin

• Productizing a passion for baseball w/ Adam Rosenberg

• Fantasy football puzzles for the masses w/ Brian Birt from Griddy

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Are you a startup in real-money gaming looking to announce a new product launch, partnership, or funding round? Get it on our radar! Email: [email protected]