During a September 2025 industry gathering in Lisbon, Flashscore presented a product enhancement that forms part of its wider business approach. The platform introduced the Follow Player tool alongside AI-powered match previews and betting analytics. This launch illustrates how artificial intelligence reshapes casino affiliate and partnership marketing strategies in sports betting. The development signals fundamental shifts in affiliate-audience relationships. The focus now moves from basic scorekeeping to crafting personalized, prediction-based content.
A June 2025 Livesport press statement indicated Flashscore nears 200 million total downloads. Analytics companies place the app among the world’s most accessed sports platforms. Precise usage data, however, remains private.
These feature additions represent a directional change for the business. The shift takes the company from team-centric reporting toward individualized, forecast-driven material. Industry experts told SiGMA News these developments bring new challenges. Questions arise around openness, accountability, and the implications of integrating wagering information into mainstream fan applications. During a recent SiGMA Euro-Med panel in Malta, one direct question emerged for the sector: Has affiliate marketing reached its ceiling, or is expansion taking a different path?
Scale as the Key Affiliate Differentiator
Flashscore informed SiGMA News that its extensive reach and high engagement distinguish the platform from competitors. These include Catena Media, Better Collective, SofaScore, and OneFootball. Unlike SofaScore’s static result cards, their AI previews update dynamically based on live statistics.
The platform’s strength lies in user frequency. The app is opened dozens of times per week by individual users. Often this happens multiple times per day. This creates a stronger conversion funnel for affiliates than traditional sports media. Traditional platforms see visitors typically arrive only on match days. The company maintains that daily user visits increase opportunities for bookmakers. This strengthens the value proposition for affiliates in the competitive casino affiliate landscape.
Key Differences: Flashscore vs. Traditional Sports Affiliates
| Feature | Flashscore | Traditional Sports Media | Impact on Casino Affiliate Model |
| User Engagement Frequency | Multiple daily visits | Primarily on match days | Higher conversion opportunities |
| Content Type | Dynamic AI-generated previews | Static articles and reports | Real-time personalization potential |
| Data Integration | Live statistics with predictions | Historical data and commentary | Enhanced betting decision support |
| Conversion Funnel | Pre-match to live betting | Event-driven sporadic visits | Continuous user journey monetization |
| Technology Approach | AI-powered automation | Manual editorial content | Scalable content production |
Critical Metrics Driving AI Adoption in Sports Betting
The rapid integration of AI technology into sports betting platforms is supported by compelling data points. These reveal the scale and impact of this transformation:
- Over 100 million audio plays recorded by Flashscore in 2025
- 350,000 users adopted the Follow Player feature within the first month of launch
- More than 2 million player favourites generated in the initial 30-day period
- 14 competitions currently covered by AI-generated previews across multiple languages
- 63% of European sports betting revenue now comes from pre-match wagers
- 200 million total downloads approaching for the Flashscore platform
- Dozens of daily app opens per user reported
How AI in Sports Betting Challenges Trust and Oversight
Flashscore’s AI-generated previews now cover 14 competitions in several languages. The company states that previews are built strictly on verified datasets and statistics. They fully control these resources. Copy is generated according to predefined templates and rules. This ensures consistency and maintains quality across all languages.
UK regulations require transparency and robust age verification. These include the LCCP and IGRG code. Even so, researchers warn that the regulatory system may not move quickly enough. It struggles to match the pace of AI development.
Expert Warnings on Consumer Protection
Dr. Raffaello Rossi is Senior Lecturer in Marketing at the University of Bristol. He serves as Impact Lead at the Bristol Hub for Gambling Harms Research. He noted that AI in sport and gambling is advancing far faster than regulations can keep pace.
David Richardson is Director of Strategic Partnerships at Better Change. He offered a balanced perspective. The increasing integration of gambling content could raise concerns. However, newspapers, betting shop windows, and radio advertisements all provide similar exposure to sports betting. Operators and their affiliate partners work in line with LCCP requirements and the IGRG code. This helps ensure that gambling remains an informed and responsible adult choice in the regulated market.
Betting Analysis and Responsibility
Flashscore has integrated new features powered by AI in sports betting. These include betting streaks and win-probability visuals. They appear directly in match previews. The platform prioritizes delivering objective, in-depth match information. This is framed within the broader context of the game. Statistical background enhances the content.
Video Growth and the Sportsbook Question
Flashscore recorded more than 100 million audio plays this year. The platform now treats audio and video as core components of its offering. Competitors are investing heavily in short-form formats. They recognize that fan engagement now depends on speed, accessibility, and multi-channel delivery. However, the platform remains cautious about odds integration.
Strategic Caution on Odds Display
The company views video formats more as brand exposure. They see it less as a means of incorporating live odds or data. Still, they acknowledge presenting data that helps users decide on possible outcomes. This cautious approach to video and odds sets Flashscore apart from operators like DAZN Bet and Bet365. Those platforms embrace rapid growth in live video and data integration.
Lisbon’s Follow Player Reveal
In Lisbon, Flashscore unveiled its flagship Follow Player tool. Tomáš Pondělík is Chief Product Officer. He described it as the company’s major launch of the year. Fandom is evolving with a significant shift. Fans are moving from following only their favourite teams to deeper interest in individual players.
The feature delivers fast, non-intrusive notifications during live matches. It avoids cluttering user feeds. The company is working on adding more meaningful player data. This includes pre-match previews, live statistics, and post-match ratings. The goal is to give fans a richer understanding of performance.
Follow Player allows fans to track their football heroes in real time. Expansion to basketball and hockey is planned for later in 2025. Additional notification types and new ways to explore upcoming fixtures are coming. Within the first month, more than 350,000 users followed at least one player. This generated over 2 million favourites.
The Affiliate Arms Race
From Scoreboards to Personalized Experiences
Flashscore’s Lisbon presence was more than just a product update. The move shed light on AI in sports betting and the new direction for affiliate strategies. Affiliates are transitioning beyond simple scoreboards. They now move towards platforms designed to deliver personalized, predictive content.
Casino affiliate transformation is being driven by several technological developments. Platforms now tailor content based on individual user behavior. They examine betting patterns and preferences to suggest relevant matches and odds. This approach differs significantly from traditional mass-market advertising.
Technology Driving Casino Affiliate Evolution
Technology also enables better outcome predictions. Platforms analyze historical data, team performance, and player statistics. This information helps users make more informed decisions. The data processing happens in real time during matches.
Sports coverage is expanding rapidly. Football platforms are adding basketball and hockey. The same technology infrastructure supports multiple sports. This reduces the cost and time needed to enter new markets.
User retention depends on ongoing value. Features like player tracking create daily engagement opportunities. Users return to check statistics even without active betting. This builds long-term relationships beyond individual wagers.
The expansion into basketball and hockey suggests this is only the beginning. Deeper AI integration and video formats are coming.
Once, it was about scoreboards. Now it’s about stories and the entire fan journey. This spans from the first preview to the last micro-bet. The next test will come when regulators weigh in on in-video odds. DAZN Bet and Bet365 have already experimented with this to impressive results. Whoever seizes that opportunity first might just rewrite the game again.
