Santa Hopper

What is Santa Hopper?

Prediction markets aside, the absence of crypto on a federal level may have some drag on the regulated industry, especially in the iGaming and sports betting space.

Younger patrons are increasingly familiar with crypto, but the lack of regulatory adoption in the regulated space can push bettors to offshore or unlicensed platforms, most of which do accept it. At the ICE Barcelona conference in 2025, a panel of international sports betting CEOs lamented the fact that they were barred from adopting crypto, while their black-market competitors were not.

A report released in June by payment provider Paysafe said the percentage of online sports bettors who dabble in crypto is 64%, more than double the US average of 30%. Crypto deposits are only legal in two states, Wyoming and Colorado, but crypto withdrawals are not legal anywhere – 85% of respondents said they would welcome withdrawals as an option, Paysafe said.

What is Santa Hopper?

The provider frames the goal in engagement terms. BGaming says the rivalry makes the game feel more personal, drawing players in and inviting them to pick a side, creating the potential for longer play sessions and building streamer appeal. Streamer visibility in particular rewards recognizable characters and on-screen drama, which is where the voiced duel format is designed to pay off.

the studio took two of its most recognizable characters and brought them together

BGaming’s product chief tied the release directly to prior results. Julia Alekseeva, CPO at BGaming, said duel slots have proven to be a hit in the past, with titles like Clash of Gods Power Duel driving strong engagement, so the studio decided to take this further with Johnny vs Chicken. She added that the studio took two of its most recognizable characters and brought them together in what she called the ultimate BGaming IP showdown.

What is Santa Hopper?

North America continues to be a strong and prominent region for Playtech. US general manager Jonathan Doubilet told iGB’s sister publication GGB in June that it had exceeded its expectations in the region.

Latin America revenue also continued to grow during the six-month period – up 29% to €100 million – driven by customer acquisition from the World Cup in both Mexico and Colombia.

The company cited a 100% uplift in Mexico’s average audience versus the 2022 World Cup, which had led to “excellent new customer acquisition” during the tournament.