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Lil Baby’s Top Pick: Spartans’ 33% Back Beats Stake.us and 7bet for the Best Online Bitcoin Casino Title

By
TI Partners
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0

Finding the ideal online bitcoin casino in 2026 feels much harder than it was before. Many sites exist now and each one has its own gifts, games, and prize plans. Stake.us lets people play for free with no risk to their own cash. 7bet keeps play easy for UK fans with simple sports and casino deals.

Both sites work fine for their users but they do not really change the game. Spartans comes into the mix with a deal that others do not have which is 33% back on money through its CashRake plan. It also features a special team up with the music star Lil Baby for us. Look at them.

Stake.us: A Sweepstakes Site for Free Games

Stake.us is a sweepstakes site based in the US. It avoids using real cash directly. Instead users have two coins which are Gold Coins for fun and Stake Cash for real gifts. New fans get 250,000 Gold Coins and $25 in Stake Cash for free when they join. There is a daily prize for 30 days too. Put next to an online bitcoin casino, Stake.us acts uniquely since it uses a sweepstakes plan instead of cash play.

No sports betting exists here and the game list is smaller than big sites. Stake Cash needs a 3x play rule before cash out and the site is blocked in 14 US states. Back pay is 5% which is quite low. It is good for light players who want test things out without paying money but past that it has a few limits for all fans.

7bet: A Simple UK Site with Standard Deals

7bet is a site with a UK permit and is watched by the UK Gambling Commission. It has sports betting plus casino games and joining is very easy. The sports gift for new fans is a simple bet £10 to get £10 in free bets deal and the casino part gives 100 free turns on one slot when you pay £20. Put next to a large online bitcoin casino, the 7bet list is more small and only looks at the UK group.

Gift totals are less than what other names like Betfred or Bet365 give out. Free turns are stuck on one game and gift wins are cut at £100 plus you cannot use e-wallets for deals. There are some good tools like Early Payout for ball fans but no cash back plan or prize club exists. It is a safe and basic pick with nothing more added.

Spartans: The Site That Is Now Rewriting The Rules

Spartans is not just another play site. It is the online bitcoin casino that is truly shifting how fans get prizes. With over 5,900 games from 43+ makers, a full world sports list for ball, hoops, tennis, UFC, and esports, plus proven quick cash outs in the field, Spartans gives all a top player would want in one spot.

But this is where it gets very fun. The CashRake plan at Spartans is not like any other out there. It puts back up to 33% of money put in to the fans. Each play that fails gets 3% fast cash back and on top of that up to 33% of the house gain comes back as real time back pay. There are no high ranks to work through or secret levels. Every single user gets it from day one and gains can be seen live. Compared to others the gap is huge.

Then there is the link with Lil Baby. This is not just a random star deal. Music winner Lil Baby adds real worth to the table, lifts basketball odds, and gives special live studio times shown only for Spartans fans, plus unique games that you will not see on any other online bitcoin casino. It is fun and play joined in a new way now.

For fans who want more games, quick cash, big prizes, and a time that really gives back, Spartans is in a class of its own.

Final Ideas

All three platforms have something to offer. Stake.us works for casual players who want a free, risk-free experience. 7bet is a decent choice for UK bettors who prefer simple sports betting with no complications.

But when it comes to finding a full online bitcoin casino that actually gives back, Spartans is on a different level. The 33% CashRake system, 5,900+ games, verified fastest payouts, and the Lil Baby partnership create a package that Stake.us and 7bet simply cannot match. Spartans is the one platform where every player gets treated like family.

 

Find Out More About Spartans:

Website: https://spartans.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spartans/

Twitter/X: https://x.com/SpartansBet

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SpartansBet

Trump’s Trade And Manufacturing Adviser Said White House May Force Datacenters To Absorb Full Costs Of Operations

By
Samuel Nwite
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0

President Donald Trump’s trade and manufacturing adviser, Peter Navarro, said the White House may move to force data center developers to absorb the full costs associated with their operations, as electricity prices continue to rise and voter dissatisfaction over affordability deepens.

“All of these data center builders, Meta on down, need to pay for all, all of the costs,” Navarro said on Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures.” “They need to pay, not only pay for the electricity that they’re using on the grid, but they have to pay for the resiliency that they’re affecting as well. They need to pay for the water. So there’s activity, action here going forward, where we force them to internalize the cost.”

Navarro did not outline how such a policy would be structured, whether through regulatory mandates, grid pricing reforms, federal compacts, or state-level agreements.

A spokesperson for Meta Platforms said the company already covers the full cost of energy consumed by its data centers and funds grid upgrades.

“Meta pays the full costs for energy used by our data centers so they aren’t passed onto consumers — and we go beyond that by paying for new and upgraded local infrastructure as well as adding new power to the grid,” the spokesperson said.

The debate unfolds against a backdrop of surging electricity demand driven by artificial intelligence infrastructure and cloud computing expansion. Electricity prices rose 6.9% year over year in 2025, with little indication of short-term relief.

Data centers, particularly in Northern Virginia and New Jersey, have significantly increased load on regional grids. The nation’s largest grid operator, PJM Interconnection, oversees several of the most data center-intensive markets.

In January, several states and the White House signed a pact urging PJM to require large technology companies to finance new power generation capacity. The agreement called for $15 billion in new generation within PJM’s footprint, funded by tech firms, and requested an emergency auction to secure additional supply.

Energy Secretary Chris Wright said after the announcement, “Perhaps no region in America is more at risk than in PJM. That’s why President Trump asked governors across the Mid-Atlantic to come together and call upon PJM to allow America to build big reliable power plants again.”

The administration is also reportedly drafting a compact for major technology firms to ensure that data centers do not push higher utility costs onto residential consumers.

Trump said on Truth Social last month that he had struck a deal with Microsoft “to ensure that Americans don’t ‘pick up the tab’ for their POWER consumption, in the form of paying higher Utility bills.” He added that negotiations were ongoing with other technology companies.

Microsoft pledged not to raise utility costs near its data centers and committed to replenishing water used in operations.

Affordability, Midterms, and Economic Messaging

Navarro linked rising electricity prices to broader affordability concerns. “We understand the ravages that inflation took on you because of Joe Biden’s irresponsibility,” he said, adding that administration policy aims to make wages rise faster than inflation.

However, polling trends suggest the economy is emerging as a vulnerability ahead of the November 2026 midterm elections. Aggregated polling data from RealClearPolitics shows Democrats holding a 5.2-point lead in the generic congressional ballot. Surveys consistently place Trump underwater on economic approval ratings.

In a Super Bowl interview on “NBC Nightly News,” Trump was asked, “At what point are we in the Trump economy?” He replied, “I’d say we’re there now,” adding that he was “very proud” of the state of the economy.

Democrats have centered their messaging on affordability, arguing that everyday goods and services remain too expensive. Democratic governors Abigail Spanberger and Mikie Sherrill both won statewide elections in 2025 after campaigning on lowering electricity costs.

Structural Tensions in the AI Boom

The administration’s posture reflects a broader tension between promoting AI-driven economic expansion and managing its infrastructure consequences. Data centers are critical to generative AI, cloud services, and national competitiveness. Yet they require substantial electricity, water, and grid upgrades.

For utilities, the rapid concentration of load in specific regions creates reliability challenges. If capacity expansion lags demand growth, wholesale power prices can spike, translating into higher consumer bills. Policymakers are now weighing how to allocate those costs.

Navarro’s call to “internalize the cost” suggests a push toward cost-causation principles in grid economics, where large industrial users bear not only their energy consumption but also the capital costs of new generation, transmission upgrades, and grid resiliency investments.

At the same time, the administration is opposing some offshore wind projects in the Northeast, even as it pushes for “big reliable power plants,” signaling a preference for conventional generation sources to stabilize supply.

The emerging policy debate places technology companies at the intersection of industrial growth and consumer affordability. If formalized, new cost-sharing requirements could reshape the economics of AI infrastructure deployment, influence site selection decisions, and accelerate private investment in dedicated generation assets.

Warner Bros. Discovery Weighs Reopening Talks as Paramount Sweetens Offer, Adding Fresh Uncertainty to Deal

By
Samuel Nwite
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0

Warner Bros. Discovery’s board is reassessing its Netflix agreement after Paramount Skydance enhanced its all-cash bid, deepening uncertainty around a transaction already facing legal, financial, and regulatory complexities.

Warner Bros. Discovery is considering reopening discussions with Paramount Skydance after receiving an amended proposal that improves the economics of its hostile bid, according to a Bloomberg News report citing people familiar with the matter.

The renewed deliberations come months after Warner Bros. agreed in December to sell its film studio and HBO Max streaming service to Netflix for $27.75 per share. Paramount, which owns CBS and MTV, subsequently launched an unsolicited all-cash offer of $30 per share.

Last week, Paramount further sweetened its proposal, introducing a “ticking fee” of 25 cents per share for every quarter the deal remains unclosed after Dec. 31, 2026, due to regulatory delays. According to prior reporting by CNBC.com, that mechanism could amount to roughly $650 million in additional cash value per quarter.

Paramount also pledged to absorb the $2.8 billion termination fee owed to Netflix if Warner Bros. were to abandon the existing agreement, and said it would eliminate $1.5 billion in potential debt refinancing costs.

Together, those concessions materially alter the financial calculus for Warner Bros.’ board and shareholders.

Escalating Deal Complexity

The board’s willingness to evaluate Paramount’s enhanced proposal adds another layer of complexity to a transaction that was already multifaceted.

At the core is a three-sided dynamic:

• A signed agreement with Netflix at $27.75 per share
• A hostile, higher all-cash bid from Paramount at $30 per share
• Competing signals that both bidders are prepared to improve their terms

The situation effectively introduces an auction environment after a definitive agreement has already been executed. That dynamic increases legal, fiduciary, and execution considerations for Warner Bros.’ board.

Under typical merger agreements, boards retain fiduciary-out clauses allowing them to consider superior proposals. However, exercising such clauses can trigger termination fees, litigation risk, and shareholder scrutiny. Paramount’s willingness to cover the $2.8 billion break fee is designed to neutralize one of the largest barriers to switching suitors.

Even so, reopening negotiations could expose the company to claims from Netflix if procedural obligations are not strictly observed.

Beyond price, the outcome has significant strategic implications for the media landscape.

Acquiring Warner Bros.’ studio and HBO Max would dramatically expand Netflix’s content production capacity and intellectual property library, reinforcing its position in global streaming. It would also accelerate vertical integration by pairing one of Hollywood’s major studios with the largest subscription streaming platform.

For Paramount, the acquisition would represent a transformative scale move. The company has faced competitive pressure in streaming and traditional broadcasting. Securing Warner Bros.’ assets could reposition it more aggressively in a market dominated by a few global players.

The emergence of competing bids underlines broader industry stress. Streaming profitability remains uneven, advertising markets have been volatile, and legacy media companies continue to grapple with cord-cutting and declining linear TV revenues.

In that context, Warner Bros.’ assets are viewed as strategically valuable, making the deal particularly sensitive.

Regulatory and Financing Risks

Regulatory review remains a central variable.

A Netflix–Warner Bros. combination could attract scrutiny over content concentration and market power in streaming distribution. A Paramount-led transaction could face examination over media consolidation and ownership structures.

The ticking fee signals Paramount’s expectation that regulatory review may extend beyond standard timelines. By compensating shareholders for delay, the mechanism attempts to mitigate uncertainty, but it also highlights the possibility of protracted approval processes.

Financing strength is another factor. An all-cash bid may offer greater certainty than a stock-heavy transaction, but it also depends on access to capital markets and balance sheet capacity. Paramount’s promise to eliminate $1.5 billion in refinancing costs addresses one dimension of execution risk, yet broader financing conditions remain relevant.

Growing Questions Surrounding the Deal

The latest development adds to mounting issues surrounding the transaction:

• A signed agreement is now subject to competitive pressure
• A hostile bidder escalating terms
• Potential regulatory headwinds
• Significant termination fees and refinancing implications
• The prospect of litigation or shareholder activism

What began as a straightforward asset sale has evolved into a high-stakes bidding contest with legal and strategic ramifications.

Bloomberg reported that both Paramount and Netflix have indicated a willingness to raise their offers further. The mere possibility of a higher bid increases leverage for Warner Bros.’ board but also prolongs uncertainty for employees, investors, and counterparties.

India Approves $1.1 Billion State-Backed VC Program to Boost Deep Tech and AI

By
Samuel Nwite
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0

The approval of a R100 billion ($1.1 billion) state-backed fund-of-funds to channel capital into AI, advanced manufacturing, and other deep-tech startups signals a strategic shift toward long-horizon innovation.

India’s cabinet has approved a R100 billion ($1.1 billion) venture capital program aimed at strengthening financing for artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, and other high-risk sectors grouped under “deep tech.”

First outlined in the January 2025 budget speech, the initiative now moves from policy intent to execution. Structured as a fund of funds, the government will allocate capital to private venture firms, which will in turn deploy it into startups, according to TechCrunch.

The model allows New Delhi to influence sectoral priorities while relying on market-based fund managers to evaluate risk and select companies.

The move comes at a pivotal moment for India’s innovation economy: startup formation is accelerating, yet private capital has become more selective, particularly for capital-intensive ventures with longer development cycles.

From Consumer Internet to Frontier Technologies

The new program builds on a 2016 fund-of-funds initiative that committed R100 billion to 145 private funds, which have collectively invested more than R255 billion in over 1,370 startups, according to official data.

This iteration, however, has a sharper mandate. Rather than broadly supporting early-stage digital startups, it prioritizes sectors that require sustained research and heavy upfront capital — including semiconductor design, robotics, aerospace, climate technologies, and AI-enabled industrial systems.

Such sectors often face a structural funding gap in emerging markets. Private investors tend to favor asset-light, fast-scaling consumer internet models, where returns can materialize quickly. Deep-tech ventures, by contrast, may take years before reaching commercial viability, making them more dependent on patient capital.

By extending the startup classification window to 20 years and raising the revenue threshold for eligibility for tax and regulatory benefits to R3 billion, the government is aligning policy with the realities of hardware and research-driven innovation. These changes recognize that revenue generation does not necessarily signal maturity in deep-tech industries.

The broader objective appears to be reducing India’s reliance on imported advanced technologies while fostering domestic intellectual property in areas that intersect with national competitiveness.

A Buffer Against Slowing Private Capital

The approval also reflects shifting venture capital dynamics. India’s startup ecosystem raised $10.5 billion in 2025, down just over 17% from the previous year, while the number of funding rounds fell nearly 39% to 1,518 transactions, according to Tracxn data.

The decline signals not a contraction in entrepreneurial activity but a recalibration in investor appetite. Global interest rates, tighter liquidity, and risk re-pricing have made venture capital more disciplined. Late-stage mega-rounds have slowed, and early-stage funding has become more selective.

Against this backdrop, the state-backed program serves two purposes. It cushions early-stage and deep-tech startups from cyclical funding shocks and provides anchor capital that can crowd in private investors. Government participation in a fund-of-funds structure often improves fundraising prospects for emerging venture firms, particularly smaller domestic managers outside major metropolitan hubs.

IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw highlighted the rapid expansion of India’s startup base, which has grown from fewer than 500 recognized startups in 2016 to more than 200,000 today. More than 49,000 startups were registered in 2025 alone, the highest annual total on record.

The geographic diversification component is also significant. By extending investment beyond Bengaluru, Delhi-NCR, and Mumbai, policymakers aim to broaden participation in the innovation economy and reduce the regional concentration of capital.

Strategic Positioning in the Global AI Race

The timing of the approval, just ahead of the government-backed India AI Impact Summit, underscores the geopolitical dimension of the initiative. Global AI leaders, including OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Meta, Microsoft, and Nvidia, are expected to participate, alongside Indian conglomerates such as Reliance Industries and Tata Group.

India’s scale — more than a billion internet users and a rapidly digitizing economy — makes it a critical market for global technology companies. Yet policymakers have increasingly emphasized domestic capability in strategic sectors, particularly AI infrastructure and advanced manufacturing.

The fund-of-funds model enables India to develop a stronger indigenous venture ecosystem, reducing dependence on foreign capital and encouraging local expertise in frontier technologies. It also aligns with broader industrial policy goals aimed at building resilient supply chains and fostering homegrown innovation.

Vaishnaw said the program would remain flexible and noted that “extensive consultations have taken place with all stakeholders.”

Ultimately, the initiative represents more than a financing mechanism. It signals an evolution in India’s startup strategy — from supporting digital entrepreneurship broadly to deliberately shaping the next generation of high-technology firms.

Terra Industries Secures Additional $22M Extension to Scale Autonomous Security Systems Across Africa

By
Ojukwu Emmanuel
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0

Terra Industries, a Nigerian defense technology company building autonomous security systems to protect Africa’s critical infrastructure, has raised an additional $22 million in funding led by Lux Capital. The strategic extension builds on its previously announced $11.8 million round, bringing total funding in the round to $34 million.

The extension included participation from existing investors such as 8VC, Nova Global, Silent Ventures, Belief Capital, Tofino Capital and Resilience17 Capital, founded by Flutterwave CEO Olugbenga Agboola as well as angel investors including Jordan Nel and Jared Leto. The second funding round closed in under two weeks, reflecting strong investor confidence in Terra Industries’ role in safeguarding critical infrastructure and addressing insecurity and terrorism across Africa.

Earlier in January, Terra raised $11.75 million in a funding round led by 8VC to expand its autonomous systems and software designed to help African governments and businesses protect critical infrastructure from escalating security threats.

The company stated that the additional $22 million will fund expanded manufacturing capacity, accelerate deployments across Nigeria and allied African countries, and strengthen its engineering, software, and business development leadership teams across Africa, London, and San Francisco.

“We believe in a future where local defense technology prevails, because security is the prerequisite for all economic growth. That’s why Terra Industries is building the African defense prime that secures sovereignty and provides the necessary counterterrorism technology on the continent”, said Brandon Reeves, Partner at Lux Capital.

Africa is entering a decisive phase of industrialization, yet insecurity, illegal mining, sabotage, and terrorism continue to undermine investment and economic progress. The continent holds roughly 30 percent of the world’s critical mineral reserves and invests close to $100 billion annually in infrastructure, much of it located in remote or unstable regions where security capacity has not kept pace with development.

Across Sub-Saharan Africa and the Sahel, infrastructure sabotage, organized crime, and terrorism continue to disrupt supply chains, weaken investor confidence, and strain government capacity. As industrial activity accelerates, the gap between infrastructure growth and security continues to widen.

Founded in 2024 by Nathan Nwachuku and Maxwell Maduka, Terra Industries develops integrated land, air, and maritime security systems powered by ArtemisOS, its unified software platform for large-scale security operations. ArtemisOS combines data intelligence and autonomy to support infrastructure protection, while Artemis Cloud enables real-time surveillance data analysis and Artemis Autonomy provides command-and-control capabilities.

The company’s engineering team reflects its defense-oriented mission, with about 40 percent of its engineers previously serving in the Nigerian military. Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer Maxwell Maduka is a former Nigerian Navy engineer who founded a drone company at age 19. 8VC partner Alex Moore serves on Terra’s board, while Nigeria’s Vice Air Marshal Ayo Jolasinmi acts as an advisor.

Earlier this month, Terra Industries signed an agreement with AIC Steel, a Saudi industrial giant, to establish a joint manufacturing facility in Saudi Arabia focused on infrastructure surveillance and security systems. The facility will produce autonomous aerial surveillance platforms, sensor systems, and supporting software designed to protect energy assets, transportation networks, and industrial facilities across Saudi Arabia and the Middle East.

The agreement marks Terra Industries’ first major manufacturing expansion outside Africa, reinforcing its strategic focus on infrastructure protection in emerging markets facing similar security challenges.

Outlook

With fresh capital and rapid investor backing, the company is positioned to accelerate deployments across high-risk infrastructure corridors in Nigeria and allied African markets. Expansion of manufacturing capacity and the rollout of ArtemisOS-powered systems could strengthen localized defense technology capabilities while reducing reliance on foreign security solutions.

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