Sports betting and online casino operator leverages company’s hosting and connectivity solutions across regulated US states
Fanatics Betting and Gaming utilizes Continent 8 Technologies to deploy a trusted digital infrastructure as it continues its rapid growth across the regulated US online sports betting and online casino market.
Fanatics Betting and Gaming uses Continent 8’s innovative and reliable digital infrastructure solutions to deliver a seamless player experience in the US. This includes hosting all of its in-state data centers through AWS Outposts. Continent 8 is supporting Fanatics Betting and Gaming by managing on-premises infrastructure and services in 20 states across the US, including Michigan, New York, Vermont and West Virginia, to name a few.
Continent 8 has one of the largest connected networks in the world, spanning over 100 locations across four continents, including 30 US states and counting.
The operator has also signed up for Continent 8’s Gaming Exchange. This is a powerful, private internet that allows Continent 8’s customers to connect securely via a virtual private network (VPN) across its backbone network. This enables customers to share traffic at the lowest latency, securely and privately.
Michael Tobin, Chief Executive Officer and Founder at Continent 8 Technologies said:
“We have worked with Fanatics Betting and Gaming – a top-tier US operator – from day one of their launch, supporting them as they have grown state-by-state.
“Fanatics is a high-caliber operator that understands the importance of infrastructure in delivering the top-quality player experience it is building its reputation on. Our leading digital infrastructure solutions provide the reliable connectivity operators need to deploy their online sportsbooks and casinos in regulated US states quickly and compliantly.”
“Infrastructure is the foundation upon which we build our sports betting and casino experience,” said Bob Pascucci, Vice President of Technology, Fanatics Betting and Gaming.
“In Continent 8, we have a partner with an unrivaled reputation for supporting its customers, enabling us to continue to drive growth at pace.”
Learn more about Continent 8’s US connectivity and infrastructure solutions at SBC Summit North America, 7-9 May at the Meadowlands Exposition Center, New Jersey – Stand A290.
Full-service digital and cloud infrastructure provider to support customers launching in the fast-growing, emerging regulated Brazilian market with its cutting-edge solutions
Continent 8 Technologies, the award-winning managed hosting, connectivity, cloud and cybersecurity provider to the global iGaming and online sports betting industry, is set to launch in Brazil. This strategic expansion aims to address growing customer demand in this rapidly emerging market. The move comes in anticipation of the market’s quick progression towards a comprehensive regulation of its online offering, with an expected launch in the summer of 2024.
Its move into Brazil strengthens its position in the wider Latin America region, where it has taken an ambitious first-to-market approach to deliver tailored solutions to customers in the likes of Colombia, Peru and Puerto Rico. Brazil adds to a private network spanning more than 100 locations across the world, making it one of the Top 20 best connected networks globally.
Operators and suppliers in Brazil will be able to benefit from Continent 8’s full suite of innovative and reliable digital and cloud infrastructure solutions including a Public Cloud, a scalable and cost-effective offering, with a usage-based commercial model to suit the customer.
Customers will also be able to access its Gaming Exchange, a powerful private internet that offers unrivalled speed, capacity and security, as well as a full suite of cybersecurity solutions designed to combat the ever-changing threat landscape.
Cybersecurity will be a major concern for both operators and suppliers making a move in Brazil as it is a hotbed for cyber attacks, in addition to the iGaming and online sports betting industry being one of the most vulnerable to attack ahead of healthcare and finance.
“Brazil looks set to be a hugely significant market and one that our customers are keen to explore.
“Digital and cloud infrastructure is the foundation of any successful online business, and we are delighted to be launching in Brazil to support new and existing customers with our solutions and services as they make their move in the market.”
Continent 8 has strategically positioned itself with certified operations in various locations across Latin America. This recent expansion into the Brazilian territory is integral to Continent 8’s long-term Latin American and global growth strategy as the company looks to deliver essential local, technical and regulatory support in each new and emerging market.
“For more than 25 years, we have been supporting customers as they launch into new and growing markets, and we couldn’t be more excited to be doing this in Brazil.
“This is a market that offers tremendous potential to both operators and suppliers, but they must have the right foundation in place to maximise the opportunities on the table. Continent 8 has the experience, expertise and solutions to help businesses do just that.”
The go-to infrastructure provider for the global online gambling industry expands its product suite, offering customers connectivity to Cloudflare
Continent 8 Technologies, the award-winning provider of managed hosting, connectivity, cloud and security solutions to the global online gambling industry, has strengthened its private Cloud Connect solution via a partnership with Cloudflare.
Now, via Cloud Connect, customers can benefit from a direct, private and secure connection between Continent 8 infrastructure and cloud service provider, Cloudflare.
Cloud Connect is a leading solution that allows operators and suppliers to benefit from a secure connection via Continent 8’s private MPLS global backbone. This reduces the public attack surface and provides the highest level of reachability at the shortest “hop” between infrastructure and cloud services.
Continent 8 launched its Cloud Connect private connectivity offering more than six years ago and now provides its customers with fast, secure and resilient access to Cloudflare, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud Platform (GCP) and Microsoft Azure.
“Growing our product suite by partnering with Cloudflare enables both of us to offer customers the most secure, fast and efficient connectivity.
“It is partnerships such as this that have allowed Continent 8 to become the go-to infrastructure and cloud provider for operators and suppliers in the global online gambling industry, providing a one-stop-shop for customer needs.”
Over the past 25+ years, Continent 8 has earned an unrivalled reputation for reliable infrastructure and connectivity, innovating, developing, and providing services to support the most demanding online requirements. The addition of Cloudflare is a testament to this, expanding its Connect portfolio offering.
“Working together, Cloudflare and Continent 8 network architecture teams were able to utilise both our large global networks to identify key points of presence (POPs) where we can interface and exchange private routes for use by our customers, expanding our Cloud Connect capability.
“This is a powerful partnership between two leaders in the infrastructure space and one that allows Continent 8 to bring tremendous added value to its customers.”
The trusted infrastructure provider for the global online gambling industry leverages global cloud experience, supporting customers seeking demonstrable migration expertise and management
Continent 8 Technologies, the leading provider of managed hosting, connectivity, cloud and cybersecurity solutions to the global online gambling industry, has strengthened its VMware solution capabilities by achieving Premier Partner status in the newly formed Broadcom program.
The Broadcom Partner Program for VMware Cloud Service Providers (VCSPs) enables Continent 8 to remain a trusted VMware partner in delivering managed cloud solutions globally to customers. Being a premier partner means that customers can be confident that Continent 8 meets the highest standards and qualifications in the delivery, management, and support of VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) and adjacent solutions. Membership in the Program is by invitation only and is available to those key partners to whom Broadcom offers to appoint.
Over the past 25+ years, Continent 8 has earned an unrivalled reputation for reliable infrastructure and connectivity, innovating, developing, and providing services to support the most demanding online requirements. Achieving this partner status demonstrates its value in managing critical workloads.
With 15 public, multi-tenant, regulated clouds, and more than 40 private, dedicated tenant clouds globally, Continent 8 can offer customers best-in-class managed and professional services.
Continent 8 has successfully migrated many customers from non-virtualised and existing VMware infrastructure to fully managed and compliant clouds, bringing cost savings via licensing scale and 24/7 support capability.
The company manages more than 150 cloud customer virtual environments, across North America, Europe, Asia and Latin America, bringing a repeatable high-quality, high resilience, and DDoS-protected experience wherever customers’ workloads need to be.
Continent 8 launched its first public cloud offering almost 10 years ago, and now also provides inclusive off-site backup, object storage, container services and inclusive WaaP and DDoS protection to its customers.
“Achieving Premier Partner status following the Broadcom acquisition and change in commercial environment was an important milestone for Continent 8.
“Not only does this demonstrate to customers our ability to manage and migrate customers’ VMware workloads but retain key cost efficiencies. Adding this to our existing Nutanix, Veeam and AWS partner status and accreditation capabilities allows our customers the option of multiple private and public cloud technologies for regulated requirements.
“It is partnerships and capabilities such as this that have allowed Continent 8 to become the go-to infrastructure and cloud provider for operators and suppliers in the global online gambling industry, providing a one-stop-shop for customer needs.”
“This partner status is key to us continuing to enable customers to choose their cloud, and Continent 8 manages, secures and connects them. Customers can engage Continent 8 to undertake all migration activity, minimising any potential cost impact.
“For any customer concerned about reducing technology spend, and minimising management overheads, Continent 8 offers a comprehensive alternative, maintaining or even improving regulatory compliance via inclusive backup. With two more public clouds being launched in the next quarter in US and LatAm, the growth and adoption of our cloud capabilities is a testament to our professional and managed services teams.”
In today’s business landscape, accepting credit cards is crucial for competitiveness. This is especially true in sectors like online gambling.
Increasing incidents of credit card fraud, identity theft and data breaches have pushed businesses to employ a secure environment for card transactions. Failure to protect this sensitive information can result in a loss of trust from customers towards both merchants and financial institutions.
As a bridge to ensuring this trust and security, adherence to the Payment Card Industry (PCI) standards becomes essential. Every credit card transaction processed by your business needs the protection these standards offer. For online gambling businesses, where transaction volume and frequency are notably high, this compliance is even more crucial.
However, irrespective of the size of your online gambling business, all businesses, from start-ups to large corporations, must comply. This ensures the security of your customers’ cardholder information and maintains your standing as a trustworthy organization in the online gambling space.
PCI compliance is a set of security standards designed to protect card transactions against data theft and fraud. It is established by the PCI Security Standards Council (PCI SSC). The standards are comprehensive, covering a wide range of security measures to ensure the safe handling of sensitive data.
Significant revisions and updates have been made to the PCI Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) in its version 4.0, released in the first quarter of 2022.
In January 2022, a draft preview of the standard was provided to Participating Organizations, Qualified Security Assessors (QSAs) and Approved Scanning Vendors (ASVs). The council then released the final versions of the standard, which included validation documents and the initial phase of standard translations, for March 2022.
Notably, PCI DSS v3.2.1 will remain in effect until March 31, 2024. This transition period of two years allows organizations time to adapt and implement the new standards. After this period, PCI DSS v3.2.1 will be retired and v4.0 will become the exclusive active version of the standard.
PCI DSS 4.0 introduced a variety of updates since its inception. Key points among these updates are:
Under PCI 4.0, the role of Web Application Firewalls (WAF) in securing online platforms is more pronounced. A WAF is a security system that monitors, filters and blocks potentially harmful traffic to and from a web application. It acts as a gatekeeper, ensuring that only safe traffic reaches the application, which is crucial for online gambling sites handling sensitive user data.
A WAF is particularly effective in protecting against common web attacks. These include SQL injection, cross-site scripting and other vulnerabilities that can be exploited to gain unauthorized access to data.
The PCI DSS outlines specific criteria regarding WAFs to bolster online security. One of those criteria is Requirement 6.4.2, which necessitates the deployment of an automated tool dedicated to continuously detecting and thwarting web-based attacks targeting web applications. This is a significant enhancement from the previous requirement that only called for periodic vulnerability scans of web applications.
Another critical aspect is Requirement 6.6, which stipulates that all web-facing applications must be shielded from known threats. This can be achieved through several methods. One option is to conduct a thorough analysis of all custom application codes for common vulnerabilities, undertaken either by the organization itself or by an external expert specializing in application security.
Alternatively, organizations can install an application-layer firewall as a frontline defence for their web-facing applications. The use of automated source code review tools, along with both automated and manual web vulnerability assessment tools, is also a viable approach.
When opting for a WAF, ensure that it is configured correctly to provide effective protection. However, it’s crucial to note that merely employing a WAF is not sufficient to fulfill the entire spectrum of PCI DSS’s web application security requirements. Comprehensive strategies encompassing multiple layers of security measures are necessary to fully adhere to these standards.
Understanding and adhering to the intricate requirements of PCI compliance might seem daunting, but don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.
For businesses in the online gambling sector, it’s essential to evaluate your current security measures critically. Are your web-facing applications adequately protected against potential threats? If the answer is anything but a “yes,” you should start planning to get it done.
Planning ahead is vital to ensure that your business not only complies with PCI requirements but is also fortified against a broad spectrum of cyber threats. By taking proactive steps now, you can secure your operations and maintain the trust of your customers in this rapidly evolving digital landscape.
This is where C8 Secure steps in. We offer comprehensive Web Application and API Protection (WAAP) solutions tailored to the unique needs of online gambling enterprises. Our services are designed to provide robust security layers, encompassing everything from automated vulnerability assessments to advanced application-layer firewalls. By leveraging these solutions, you can safeguard your web applications against both known and emerging threats.
Our WAAP solutions represent a proactive approach to online security that aligns with the stringent standards set by the PCI and beyond.
To support operators ensure they are PCI compliant, Continent 8 is offering 3 months FREE WAAP services for the first 50 customers to sign up to a 15-month contract*.
Learn more here: Waap solution for PCI compliance
*T&Cs apply. Limited-time offer; subject to change. First 3 months free, when signing up to a 15 month contract.
Global IT and infrastructure provider bolsters its global sales team with new hire
Continent 8 Technologies, the trusted infrastructure and cybersecurity provider to the global gambling industry, has fortified its commercial team with the appointment of Ai Ishii as Regional Sales Director.
Ai is a highly experienced business development specialist with skills in sales, solution design, and fostering strategic partnerships, and has worked for renowned organisations such as Bragg Gaming and nChain. She joins Continent 8 from Klein Group where she was a Business Development Consultant.
As Regional Sales Director, Ai will be responsible for maximising existing customer relationships and creating new sales growth opportunities, with a particular focus on the European market. With a solid understanding of the iGaming regulatory landscape, she will work with customers to build technical solutions ensuring regulatory compliance and solving industry-specific pain points.
“I have worked closely with members of the Continent 8 team for some time now and have been very impressed with the company and the solutions it offers. I’m incredibly proud to be joining the organisation as Regional Sales Director and to be working closely with people that I admire and respect.
As the global gambling industry continues to grow and expand into new markets, Continent 8’s solutions are in high demand, and I’m excited to be supporting existing customers and welcoming new ones.”
“Ai is a business development specialist with a proven track record of striking strategic partnerships and helping both parties to maximise the potential of the collaboration.
We are thrilled to bring her expertise and experience into Continent 8 as we continue on our mission to power and protect the biggest brands in the gambling industry.”
Super Bowl LVIII between the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs on 11 February 2024 at the Allegiant Stadium was the first Super Bowl to be held in the state of Nevada, and the second ever to be decided in overtime. The event boasted record views of around 124 million (up from 113 million last year), with watchers enjoying the longest Super Bowl in history!
It was also a record-breaking 2024 in gambling terms, with an estimated 68 million US adults betting $23.1 billion, compared to last year’s 50.4 million US adults and $16 billion in bets, and a reported 11% increase in wagers across UK & Europe as NFL popularity grows outside the US.
This year also saw at least one $1m bet and a six-figure wager on the coin flip (it landed on tails BTW).
If we look at a few operators, FanDuel reported record $14 million bets on the Super Bowl with a total handle of $307 million, Entain reported 74% YoY increase in quantity of bets in the UK alone, and in Nevada itself, the Gaming Control Board reported a record breaking $185.6m wagered across 182 sportsbooks.
As the largest network, infrastructure and security supplier to the US and global market, Continent 8 can report its stats for Super Bowl LVIII:
Continent 8 is no stranger to supporting high-traffic sporting contests. Whether it is annually for the Grand National or Cheltenham horse racing events in the UK and Ireland, the UEFA Champions League across Europe, March Madness in the US, or every four years for the UEFA Euro finals or FIFA World Cup, we know what it takes to ensure platform uptime.
As the infrastructure and hosting solution partner of choice to iGaming and sports betting operators and suppliers, live in 30 US states, and supporting 85% of operators on the 2023 EGR US Power Rankings, we have in place the solutions and support systems that ultimately give operators the confidence they need to maximize the acquisition and retention opportunities these events present.
As standard for identified special sporting events, we:
In addition to this:
What’s key throughout is ensuring our customers are aware of all activity with notifications regularly sent such as internet and MPLS data, as well as average and maximum traffic in and out.
The Super Bowl is a huge event for sportsbooks, particularly now that the US has opened up online gambling in more than 30 states.
And after a very short amount of breathing space, we prepare for March Madness in the same vein!
Our expansion in the US began with a state-of-the-art data centre in Atlantic City, enabling customers to take advantage of the sports betting market opportunities in New Jersey, while gaining immediate access to the Continent 8 global network. Today we are live in 30 US states, with several new states in the pipeline. What’s more, we have secondary sites in several key US states, providing true disaster recovery capabilities.
We have an aggressive strategy to ensure we are the first iGaming hosting provider in state, enabling our customers to capitalise on the fast-growing and competitive US iGaming and sports betting market.
We have vast regulatory experience with strong regulator relationships across states, ensuring a complaint gaming solution for each.
We are a global team with a local presence – we ensure we have a team on the ground in the US to help you expand.
Learn more about our trusted solutions in the USA here or contact the team via sales@continent8.com
Sources: ESPN, EGR