At a recent industry event in Lisbon in September 2025, Flashscore unveiled a product update it views as part of its wider strategy. Alongside AI-driven previews and betting insights, it rolled out the Follow Player tool, revealing how AI in sports betting is shaping affiliate strategy.
A Livesport press release issued in June 2025 stated that Flashscore is approaching 200 million downloads. App analytics firms also rank them among the most frequently opened sports apps worldwide, although detailed usage metrics are not publicly disclosed.
The rollout marks a strategic turn, as the company shifts from team-focused coverage to predictive and personalised content. However, experts cautioned SiGMA News that these innovations raise new concerns, specifically around transparency, responsibility, and the potential risks of embedding betting data in widely used fan platforms. A panel at the recent SiGMA Euro-Med event in Malta asked one simple question to the industry: Has affiliate marketing peaked or is growth shifting?
Scale as the affiliate differentiator
Flashscore told SiGMA News that its broad reach and high engagement set it apart from competitors such as Catena Media, Better Collective, SofaScore, and OneFootball. Unlike SofaScore’s static scorecards, their AI previews update dynamically based on live statistics.
A company spokesperson explained:
“Reaching this milestone positions us as one of the largest and most relevant global sports platforms — not just in terms of reach, but in engagement, speed, and reliability.
“For affiliates, scale is key: the more users we bring into the ecosystem, the more opportunities we create for bookmakers. Compared to many other affiliates, our strength lies in the fact that users open our app dozens of times a week, often multiple times per day.
“This frequency makes us a powerful and distinctive partner.”
The company maintains that daily user visits create a stronger conversion funnel for affiliates than traditional sports media, where visitors generally come only on match days. This regular engagement increases opportunities for bookmakers and strengthens affiliates’ value.
Pre-kickoff as the new battleground
The company explained that user research has shaped its focus on the moments leading up to kickoff.
They added:
“Thanks to continuous user research, we see that more and more fans come to us looking for pre-match information. We are working with large amounts of data, which we are trying to use in multiple ways – pre-match content is one of those we focus on. We want to make it simple and clear, so everyone can quickly understand what matters before the game starts.”
The pattern is clear across the sector. Both operators and affiliates want to capture bettors before a match begins, not only once the game is underway. It shows how AI in sports betting helps brands connect with bettors before a ball is kicked. Figures from the European Gaming and Betting Association reveal that pre-match wagers climbed to sixty-three percent of European sports-betting revenue in 2023, up from sixty-two percent in 2022. The shift confirms that early engagement is becoming a central goal for operators. Industry analysts say the shift has made pre-match engagement a priority, with operators using AI in sports betting to capture interest earlier.
How AI in sports betting challenges trust and oversight
Flashscore told SiGMA News that its AI-generated previews now cover 14 competitions in several languages.
“Our AI-generated previews are built strictly on verified datasets and statistics that we fully control. The copy is generated according to predefined templates and rules, which enables us to ensure consistency and maintain quality across all languages. We have spent quite a lot of time preparing this solution, making sure it delivers reliable results. The whole process is continuously overseen.”
UK regulations, such as the LCCP and IGRG code, require openness and firm age checks. Even so, researchers warn that the system may not move fast enough to match the pace of AI.
Experts warn AI risks outpacing sports betting safeguards
Dr Raffaello Rossi, Senior Lecturer in Marketing at the University of Bristol and Impact Lead at the Bristol Hub for Gambling Harms Research, told SiGMA News: “AI in sport and gambling is moving far faster than regulations and consumer protection mechanisms can keep up. We rarely know how the underlying systems are built, what data they use, or how decisions are made – and that lack of transparency is deeply problematic.
“One of the biggest dangers is how AI can be used to personalise and target content based on people’s past behaviours. This does not just increase engagement; it risks exploiting psychological vulnerabilities and making it far harder for at-risk groups to disengage.
“Without strong safeguards, AI risks supercharging harmful marketing practices in an industry already failing on consumer protection.”
David Richardson, Director of Strategic Partnerships at Better Change, offered a balanced perspective.
“While platforms like Flashscore offer valuable live sports information, the increasing integration of gambling content could raise concerns, but it is nothing new. Newspapers, betting shop windows, and radio ads all provide similar exposure to sports betting. At Better Change, we believe that operators and their affiliate partners working in line with LCCP requirements and the IGRG code in the regulated market play a part in ensuring that gambling remains an educated and responsible adult choice rather than an incidental exposure,” he said.
Betting analysis and responsibility
Flashscore has integrated new features powered by AI in sports betting, including betting streaks and win-probability visuals, directly into its match previews.
“Our approach to betting analysis is guided by the principle of empowering fans through clear insights and rich data context. We prioritise delivering objective, in-depth match information that adds genuine value for every sports enthusiast. All betting content is framed within the broader context of the game and enhanced by a statistical background,” the company said.
Video growth and the sportsbook question
Flashscore reports more than 100 million audio plays this year, emphasising how seriously it now treats audio and video as core parts of its offer. Competitors are investing heavily in short-form formats, recognising that fan engagement now depends on speed, accessibility, and multi-channel delivery. But they are cautious on odds integration.
“We see it as a different way of showcasing our data for new audiences. Now we view those formats more as brand exposure than as a means of incorporating live odds or data into our videos. But then again, we are presenting data that are helping our users to decide on the possible outcome,” the company said.
This illustrates how AI in sports betting is moving beyond static previews and into new content formats. Flashscore’s cautious approach to video and odds sets it apart from operators like DAZN Bet and Bet365, which embrace rapid growth in live video and data. This prompts a question: Is this caution a thoughtful strategy, or does it risk missing out?
Lisbon’s follow player reveal
In Lisbon, Flashscore unveiled its flagship Follow Player tool.
Tomáš Pondělík, Chief Product Officer, described it as the company’s major launch this year.
“This is our flagship app enhancement of the year. Fandom is evolving, and we are seeing a significant shift from fans following only their favourite teams to a deeper interest in individual players. Our community has been requesting this feature for some time, but we wanted to launch it at the right moment – when we had the strongest player data on the market and a clear understanding of what fans expect.
“That is why we focused on delivering fast, non-intrusive notifications during live matches, without cluttering their feed. We also know that fans crave real insights, so we are already working on adding more meaningful player data – from pre-match previews and live statistics to post-match ratings – to give them a richer understanding of performance.
“With Follow Player, fans can finally track their football heroes in real time, and this is just the beginning. We will be expanding to basketball and hockey later this year, alongside more notification types and new ways to explore upcoming fixtures,” he said.
The company said more than 350,000 users followed at least one player within the first month, generating over two million favourites.
A pivot from teams to players reflects broader change. Prop bets and micro-markets are no longer niche but fast-rising pillars of sports wagering worldwide. Younger audiences increasingly favour short-form content over full-match viewing and the way people engage with sports and betting is changing at pace. A recent SiGMA Euro-Med panel in September 2025 discussed sports betting for the TikTok generation.
The affiliate arms race
Flashscore’s Lisbon presence was more than a product update. The move shed light on AI in sports betting and the new direction it is taking affiliate strategies. Affiliates are moving beyond simple scoreboards and towards platforms designed to deliver personalised, predictive content.
The expansion into basketball and hockey, alongside deeper AI integration and video formats, suggests this is only the start.
Once, it was about scoreboards. Now it’s about stories, and the whole fan journey, from the first preview to the last micro-bet. The next test will come when regulators weigh in on in-video odds, something DAZN Bet and Bet365 have already toyed with to impressive results. Whoever grabs that chance first might just rewrite the game again.
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