About this app
About The Champions
While Alabama ranks 27th among the 50 states in population, the limited availability of gaming makes the state attractive to companies like VGW.
Alabama has only parimutuel betting, small games of chance for charitable purposes, and electronic bingo machines at three tribal casinos in Atmore, Montgomery, and Wetumpka.
According to its annual report, VGW generated revenue of $4.76 billion in its 2025 fiscal year, resulting in a net profit of $428 million. Despite operating in fewer states, VGW’s platforms grew profits and revenue from its 2024 fiscal year.
What is The Champions?
“One misconception is that DEI is solely about recruitment targets,” Skinner says. “Recruitment is important, but bringing diverse people into an organisation without creating an inclusive culture simply results in higher turnover.”
He nevertheless believes recruitment is still the bigger challenge over retention.
“The gaming industry operates in a highly competitive talent market, particularly for digital, technology, data, AI and product roles,” he says.
What is The Champions?
Enda Kendrick, chief executive of service provider Veltium, similarly says the largest UK and European sharp-betting groups have moved rapidly into US prediction markets. He believes there are also more than 100 smaller operations, ranging from individual traders to teams of around 10, interested in entering the regulated US market.
Yet the presence of professional counterparties complicates the customer-facing idea that prediction markets merely allow users to trade opinions with one another. As Kendrick puts it, two ordinary customers are not going to place $10 million or $20 million behind the Philadelphia Eagles. Markets at that scale require institutions.
For Marantelli, the exchange format could also cause some customers to lose money faster than they would with a conventional sportsbook. The ability to enter and exit positions creates a perception of flexibility, but that optionality can encourage users to commit more of their bankroll.
