Evoplay: The architecture behind the instant football phenomenon

Since first launching Penalty Shoot-out instant game in 2020, Evoplay has been building commercial momentum, revealing the potential of a brand-new format that has made an impression on players and operators alike.

What started as a single title has grown into a five-game franchise, with metrics that are hard to argue with: outperforming the top 10 instant games by 77% in GGR, dominating leaderboards across Latin America and Europe, and now expanding into the slot category ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

In the following lines, Evoplay dives deep into how its innovative iGaming format became a veritable success story.

SECTION 1: PHILOSOPHY & ORIGIN

Game Genesis: Shaping Instant Football Thrills

The iGaming market is expanding rapidly, largely driven by demand in sports betting and casino entertainment. At the same time, gambling audiences are not isolated in these segments. Players frequently move between casino games, sports betting, and other products, seeking thrills and engagement.

Evoplay, an innovative iGaming provider, recognised the overlap in audience interests early on, which led to the development of the well-known instant game inspired by sports betting dynamics, Penalty Shoot-out. It later expanded into a full franchise and became a "benchmark hit" within the portfolio.

Building a Living Story

The Penalty Shoot-out collection was built on extensive research into cultural context and player preferences, combined with testing and continuous partner feedback. Player movements, animations, and interface capture the tension of a real match, from shot setup to the keeper’s reaction. This research-driven approach ensures the games resonate powerfully with football fans year-round, driving stable traffic, engagement, and longer player lifetime value (LTV).

Technology and Interactivity

The provider’s investments in code development, animation systems, and API integration support seamless, high-fidelity gameplay across different platforms. This approach enables easy integration while supporting long-term player immersion.

At the core of the Penalty Shoot-out series is a simple gameplay loop: players choose a team, place a bet, and aim at the goal, with each successful shot increasing the multiplier. The format combines the emotional dynamics of sports betting with the accessible mechanics of instant games, delivering value for both operators and players. With every decision feeling personal, players experience a deeper emotional connection to the game.

SECTION 2: BUSINESS PERFORMANCE & AUDIENCE IMPACT

Sport brings together passionate fans and iGaming players who are constantly looking for new experiences. The Penalty Shoot-out franchise demonstrates how sports-themed content combined with instant gameplay can effectively engage this audience.

Driving Growth Through Instant Formats

Sports betting accounts for around 70% of global online gambling revenue, making it a key segment for operators. Evoplay’s football-themed instant games perform well across both casino platforms and sportsbook environments, engaging players even between matches.

The instant format, built around multiplier progression and a rapid gameplay cycle, creates strong emotional engagement. Players choose which national flag to represent, decide where to aim, and select their bet size. This level of interaction keeps players engaged, increases session time, and supports long-term retention.

Together, these elements make the Penalty Shoot-out series an effective cross-sell tool for both casino and sports audiences,during major sporting events and between them.

Focus on Instant Formats and Younger Audiences

Instant gameplay meets the expectations of football fans, sports bettors, and thrill‑seekers. According to industry data, instant game formats have grown rapidly in popularity and are becoming an increasingly significant part of digital gaming activity – a trend the Penalty Shoot-out franchise caters to across both sports and casino audiences.

Penalty Shoot-out Franchise Evolution

The success of Evoplay's first Penalty Shoot-out instant title led to the release of Penalty Shoot-out: Street, inspired by Brazilian football culture. The game introduced precise aiming mechanics and a sliding feature, giving players greater control over their shots. Both titles consistently rank among the top ten performers in key metrics – including GGR, Bet Sum, and Rounds – across the LatAm region over the long term.

Football’s cultural importance in Latin America has played a major role in this performance. More than 70% of fans regularly attend local matches, and around 85% of families pass their passion for football down through generations.

In Europe, where football engagement is also strong, the franchise also received a positive response and delivered strong and consistent commercial results.

Later releases, such as Penalty Shoot-out: Super Cup and Penalty Shoot Out: Cup Mania, further strengthened engagement by capturing the atmosphere of top-tier football tournaments. These titles introduced improved graphics, animation, sound design, and UX/UI, alongside new gameplay features. In particular, Penalty Shoot Out: Cup Mania introduced a Bonus Buy feature, a relatively rare addition for instant games, enabling faster gameplay and higher multipliers.

Through these developments, Evoplay illustrates how a game series can evolve while maintaining player interest and offering fresh experiences.

ROI and Commercial Performance

The Penalty Shoot-out franchise has grown into one of Evoplay’s most successful collections of instant games, consistently delivering strong performance across markets.

Penalty Shoot-out Franchise Market Role

Across 2023–2026, Penalty Shoot-out and Penalty Shoot-out: Street consistently rank among the top performers across key markets. In LatAm, the games frequently hit top-1 positions, while across Europe, they achieve top-5 to top-15 placements. Two more recent releases, Penalty Shoot-out: Super Cup and Penalty Shoot-out: Cup Mania, have extended this momentum among iGamers worldwide. Most recently, Penalty Shoot-out: Super Spin expanded the franchise into the slot category, further broadening its appeal ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Performance Comparison: Early Franchise Titles (Global)

Penalty Shoot-out Recent Titles Performance Insights In LATAM

Together, the data shows that the Penalty Shoot-out franchise consistently ranks among the top-performing titles across LatAm and Europe, maintaining strong performance and steady appeal to football audiences worldwide. Building on this success, Evoplay continues to expand the franchise through both instant and slot formats, with particular emphasis on Penalty Shoot Out: Cup Mania and the newly released Penalty Shoot-Out: Super Spin ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. By extending the franchise across multiple formats, Evoplay enables football fans to stay connected to the excitement and intensity of the sport, not only during major tournaments but also in the periods between them.

SECTION 3: STRATEGIC VISION & FUTURE

The 2026 Roadmap & Regional Expansion

The Penalty Shoot-out franchise from Evoplay has established itself as a consistent content line for operators, providing reliable engagement across football seasons and beyond. Provider promotional campaigns, including a performance campaign with AdKey.Agency for Penalty Shoot-out: Super Cup, demonstrate that well-designed creatives and PWA products deliver high-quality traffic, strong conversion rates, and solid ROI. For Penalty Shoot Out: Cup Mania, the provider plans similar campaigns to further raise engagement.

Beyond football, Evoplay is expanding into other sports with massive global fan bases, including cricket, basketball, and hockey – engaging communities that passionately follow every match around the world. Titles such as B-Ball Blitz and Cricket Duel apply the same principles that made Penalty Shoot-out successful: high-speed gameplay with familiar mechanics and betting features, designed to match sports fans’ excitement. By applying the proven formula, Evoplay ensures that these new sports titles are not only reaching massive audiences but also delivering the same level of emotional intensity and player engagement that made Penalty Shoot‑out a global benchmark.

Defining the New Standard of Impact

Building on this proven approach across multiple sports, Evoplay combines compelling themes, instant mechanics, and personalised gameplay to create a "hat-trick of powerhouse elements," bringing the same tension in instant games as a penalty kick. The Penalty Shoot-out franchise, together with Evoplay’s other instant games, delivers this high-impact, instant thrill.

Image credit: Evoplay