BetMGM

Online gaming and sports betting platform BetMGM has bolstered its executive team, after announcing that Andrew Hagopian has been named as chief legal officer.

In the new role, Hagopian will oversee the company’s legal and compliance departments and will report directly to the group’s CEO, Adam Greenblatt.

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Coingaming Group

Coingaming Group has shaken up its group structure as the operator aims to usher in a new chapter by appointing a new CEO and COO.

Firstly, this will see Tim Heath, group co-founder and CEO, expand his remit to grow the firm’s outreach through its venture capital arm, Yolo Investments.

Maarja Pärt, formerly COO, is to occupy the role of CEO, which is to become more focused upon the Sportsbet.io, Bitcasino.io and Slots.io brands. Stepping into the role of COO will be the former head of VIP and customer support, Anita Brinke.

Heath commented: “This is one of the proudest moments of Coingaming for me. As we get to see how much the group has grown, as part of our next growth chapter we will be actively focusing on building and expanding the investment arm to further bolster the group’s global remit.

“We are very excited to extend our focus into banking and disruptive crypto opportunities, alongside our existing gaming and fintech assets; the future looks very exciting. One immediate benefit of these changes is that we’ll be able to work with our the Sportsbet.io and Bitcasino.io brands, spearheaded by our newly appointed CEO, as investments alongside the other 44 the group has made to date.”

888 Holdings

Online gaming entertainment and solutions providers 888 Holdings has named Yariv Dafna as the group’s new CFO, following a prior announcement that current incumbent Aviad Kobrine is stepping down after more 15 years in the role.

Dafna will join the group on 1 November 2020 and be appointed to the board the same day, with Aviad will step down on the same date.

“I am delighted to welcome Yariv Dafna as 888’s new chief financial officer. Yariv’s experience and drive made him the standout candidate for the role, and we are very pleased he has decided to join the group at such an important time in 888’s continued growth and development,” noted Brian Mattingley, chairman of 888.

“On behalf of everyone at 888, I would like to reiterate my gratitude to Aviad for his significant contribution and achievements over the last 15 years with the group and we wish him every success for the future.”

Vigtory

Scott Butera has been appointed as co-CEO of US sportsbook Vigtory, joining forces with the company’s current CEO Sam Rattner. He has also been given a role on the firm’s board of directors.

Butera, who brings 30 years of executive management and operational expertise across casino operations, sports betting and igaming, will lead strategy and corporate growth for the emerging sports betting and interactive gaming company which officially launches later this year.

“I am incredibly excited to be joining Vigtory. While US sports betting and interactive gaming is off to a tremendous start, there are countless opportunities in underserved sectors,” said Butera.

“Sam and I share a common vision to create a state-of-the-art customer experience, bringing unique sports betting products and a level of sophistication to a market that’s ripe for disruption.”

1X2 Network

Game developer and content aggregator 1X2 Network has bolstered its senior team with the appointment of Jack Brown as sales director as the business continues to grow its client base.

Brown, who joins from game aggregator iForium where he held the role of head of commercial, will be responsible for generating leads and securing new operator partner contracts for 1X2 Network’s Iron Dog Studio and 1X2gaming brands.

Kevin Reid, CCO at 1X2 Network, said: “We are delighted to welcome Jack to the team and for 1X2 Network to be able to leverage his natural talent for sales and deal making, as well as his incredible network of operator contacts.

“Momentum is very much behind 1X2 Network right now and we have some incredible games, concepts and features in the pipeline. This, combined with Jack’s skills and contacts, will allow us to connect with new operators and provide them with our popular slots and table games.”

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SciPlay

Social gaming firm SciPlay is ramping up its recruitment efforts, with the group announcing that due to “tremendous growth” over the past year it’s looking to fill several roles at the company’s Austin, Texas, office.

As digital gaming continues to grow, the former social division of Scientific Games, which became an independent company in 2019, is looking to fill several new positions varying in experience from associate to principal-level.

Among the individuals SciPlay seeks are software engineers, gameplay analysts, game producers, software QA engineers, game artists and product managers.

“It has been an absolute joy to watch our SciPlay family grow with the addition of dozens of our city’s brightest and finest game developers,” said Karen LeBlanc, lead recruiter for SciPlay’s Austin office.

“We are passionate about creating an inclusive culture that celebrates creativity, new ideas, innovative technology and our individual weirdness. Together, we will continue to create industry-leading games by collaboratively embracing each other’s unique backgrounds and talents.”

Playzido

B2B games platform Playzido has announced the recruitment of Conor Jenner as senior sales and account manager, lauded as “a great asset to the business as it continues on its huge growth trajectory”.

In the new role Jenner will gain responsibility for managing the group’s existing and new operating partners, utilising prior knowledge and experience of the igaming industry.

Stuart Banks, managing director at Playzido, noted: “Having Conor onboard is going to give Playzido a huge boost and with a substantial portfolio of existing clients and an exciting road map of new operator launches Conor is definitely going to have plenty to get his teeth into over the next few months and years ahead.

Degree 53

Degree 53 has announced the promotion of Bav Patel and Peter Stringer to directors, as well as confirming that the group has made 12 new hires during the last three months.

Patel has taken on the role of technical director of web and infrastructure, while Stringer has been promoted to the technical director of mobile position.

Furthermore, the group has has brought in new recruits to increase capacity across the board, including web and app developers, quality assurance, project managers, UX designer and a business analyst.

Richard Wagstaff, managing director at degree 53, commented: “I’m delighted to recognise the great work both Bav and Peter have been doing. Their promotions are a testament to their expertise in their respective fields and delivering successful projects for our clients.

“I also want to welcome our new team members and look forward to meeting them face-to-face in the coming weeks. It’s been a tough few months for many businesses, and I’m glad we’ve been able to grow our team during this period whilst retaining all our employees.”

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Through the partnership, 888AFRICA – a joint venture partly owned by 888 Holdings – will utilise Optimove’s CRM marketing solution, which has several features including in-depth customer insights, smart orchestration, enhanced marketing attribution and personalisation at scale.

“Our collaboration with Optimove marks a significant milestone in our pursuit of accelerating growth and elevating player retention in the competitive igaming landscape,” stated Christopher Coyne, CEO of 888AFRICA.

“As we implement Optimove’s industry-leading CRM Marketing solution, we are confident in the capabilities it brings to the table. Optimove’s expertise in providing in-depth customer insights, smart orchestration, enhanced marketing attribution, and personalisation at scale aligns seamlessly with our strategic objectives. 

“This partnership reflects our dedication to delivering unparalleled gaming experiences and achieving our ambitious expansion plans across Africa’s regulated online betting and gaming markets.”

Using Optimove’s CRM marketing solution, 888AFRICA will be able to “access unified player data to create as many creative player segments as they desire without relying on other teams”, as well as combine AI with business rules for smart multi-channel orchestration.  

In addition, the solution will help the operator “measure the incremental impact of each message along the player journey” and personalise every marketing message’s audience, channel, and content levels. 

Earlier this week, Optimove agreed to a similar CRM marketing solution partnership with Kindred and its Unibet brand.

Peter Miles, Director of Sales at Optimove, added: “We are honoured to have been selected as the CRM marketing partner for 888AFRICA, and we look forward to supporting their foresight and strategic approach in seizing market opportunities.

“The 888AFRICA team truly understands the power of loyalty and personalisation in every marketing action, particularly in such a competitive landscape. We are committed to ensuring that our tools and capabilities become invaluable assets as we join their team in bringing their vision to life.”

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Starting the role back in December, Gallagher will be in charge of 888’s product vision, strategy and development of its global brands and business units such as 888, William Hill, Mr Green and Sports Illustrated.

He will be directly responsible for the LSE gambling group’s teams of product managers, engineers, designers, and marketers.  

Commenting on his appointment in a LinkedIn post, Gallagher said: “I’m happy to share that I’ve started a new position as Chief Product Officer at 888 Holdings.

“I am excited to work with Per Widerström and his team to help shape and grow the iconic brands that we have.”

Gallagher has held various product positions throughout his gaming career so far. He most recently served as Product Director for Flutter Entertainment between January 2021 and February 2023.

He has worked for Paddy Power Betfair in various positions for over 10 and a half years, split in five-year spells between July 2009 to January 2015 and January 2016 to January 2021.

Here, he served in the Product roles in gaming and egaming, as well as Casino Operations Manager.

Gallagher was also Casino Senior Manager for Rational Group between February 2015 and December 2015 before its rebranding to The Stars Group.

2024 will see 888 undertake a corporate reorganisation led by Group CEO Per Widerström, who began the role in October 2023. The company’s board has vowed to return profitable growth to the business and maximise value creation.   

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Signing the deal ahead of the promotion’s European Championship event in Dublin on December 8, the partnership will see 888poker’s branding showcased on the PFL SmartCage on fight night. 

Amit Berkovich, VP Head of Poker and MD ROW, 888 William Hill, commented: “We are delighted to announce our exciting new partnership with the Professional Fighters League. At the heart of this collaboration is our shared passion for entertainment and commitment to providing first-class experiences in our respective spaces. 

“With the PFL’s position in the world of mixed martial arts, together with 888poker’s award-winning gaming platform, this sponsorship deal presents a unique opportunity to reach more diverse audiences. 

“We look forward to the journey that lies ahead and to the innovative projects we will build together.”

Described as a ‘first-of-its-kind agreement’ for the PFL’s regional MMA competition, 888poker will also gain additional promotion and brand recognition opportunities across PFL channels in the lead up to and throughout the European Championship event. 

Stepping into the SmartCage on December 8 is Simeon Powell who takes on Jakob Nedoh in the Light Heavyweight Championship, while the Women’s Flyweight Championship will see Dakota Ditcheva face Valentina Scatizzi.

“The PFL is delighted to announce our collaboration with 888Poker, coinciding with the PFL Europe Championship,” added James Frewin, SVP International of PFL. 

“This partnership with a dynamic brand like 888Poker represents an exciting venture, particularly given the strong synergies between the poker community and the mixed martial arts world.” 

The deal comes at an exciting time for the MMA promotion, after it just moved to significantly bolster its status through the acquisition of rival Bellator. It’s a set on the roadmap for the firm as it looks to elevate competition with the UFC and shift into a co-leader in the space. 

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Through the deal, William Hill UK customers will gain access to a variety of live casino games, from live dealer titles such as Roulette, Blackjack and Baccarat, to game show products like Sweet Bonanza CandyLand, Mega Wheel and the soon-to-be-released Vegas Ball Bonanza.

The partnership between Pragmatic Play and William Hill builds upon an existing collaboration between the two parties, as the game developer has been supplying slot content to the operator since 2017.

“Pragmatic Play’s live dealer offering is well known throughout the industry for being forward-thinking and of the highest quality,” commented Richard Atkinson, Global Head of Live Casino at 888 Holdings plc.

“We’ve worked closely together for six years and look forward to elevating our partnership further with the addition of Pragmatic Play’s live casino products as we both continue to grow.”

Pragmatic Play has a live casino content presence across Europe, as the game developer also has deals in place in Switzerland, Sweden and the Netherlands. 

Irina Cornides, Chief Operating Officer at Pragmatic Play, added: “William Hill is a huge global brand that needs no introduction and we’re delighted to further expand our existing partnership to launch our complete live casino portfolio across the UK. 

“From traditional titles to vertical-spanning hybrid products, we’re immensely proud to create exceptional experiences, and can’t wait to deliver these to William Hill customers.”

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Expanding upon a collaboration which initially began last year, content from Bragg will be made available with William Hill in the UK, with Mr Green in Italy, Sweden and Denmark, and with 888casino in Italy.

The new deal follows previous launches between the two parties across the UK, Spain and Ontario markets over the last year.

Ofir Gal-Mor, Group Head of Content at 888 Holdings, commented: “Bragg Gaming’s offering is well known throughout the industry for being forward-thinking and of the highest quality.

“We have worked closely together since early 2022 and look forward to elevating our partnership further with the addition of Bragg’s diverse content portfolio to our William Hill and Mr Green brands.”

Enhancing its market reach, Bragg’s proprietary and exclusive content that will be made available to 888’s brands includes titles from Powered by Bragg partners and from Bragg Studios brands, such as Atomic Slot Lab and Indigo Magic.

Lara Falzon, President and Chief Operating Officer at Bragg Gaming Group, added: “We are thrilled to announce this exciting new distribution deal with 888 Holdings – including for the William Hill and Mr Green brands – given that 888 is one of the most renowned operators in the global gaming industry. 

“Our extensive portfolio of exclusive igaming titles includes games tailored for a diverse range of tastes, enabling us to provide exceptional entertainment experiences to 888’s vast global player base. This includes key brands in the UK, Italy, Sweden and Denmark which will receive access to Bragg Studios and Powered by Bragg content for the first time.

“This agreement is a testament to our commitment to expand Bragg’s footprint in key markets and solidify our position as a leading content provider.”

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The investment group is led by the former GVC Holdings leadership duo of Kenneth Alexander and Lee Feldman, and includes the support of ex-Betfair executive Stephen Morana and igaming investor Daniel Shribman.

An RNS filing also noted that DAZN CEO Shay Segev allowed his two per cent share in 888 to be controlled by the investment group to help facilitate the total 6.5 per cent share acquisition.

An 888 spokesperson told Reuters: “We welcome the investment of FS Gaming, which we believe reflects the significant value-creation potential in our business.

“We look forward to updating and engaging with all our shareholders as we continue to deliver against our clear strategic and operational priorities.”

888 had a difficult 2022 following compliance issues and executive movements with the suspension of VIP customers in the Middle East following safer gambling policy failures, which led to the departure of former CEO Itai Pazner.

Revenue for the group improved year-over-year to £1.2bn (2021: £712.3m) when considering the consolidation of Wiliam Hill revenues across H2 2022. However, on a pro forma basis, group revenue declined to £1.85bn (2021: £1.9bn).

In the short term, the group and 888 Chair Lord Mendelsohn will look to hire a new CEO to assist with their long-term focus of reducing net debt, which stood at £1.73bn at the end of the year.

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Announcing a post-close trading update for the 12 months, ending December 31, a combined revenue from the retail and online space totalled £1.85bn, a three per cent drop from 2021, which 888 states is in-line with guidance.

Looking into its online sector, this vertical contributed £1.3bn in revenue for 2022 (2021: £1.57bn), a 15 per cent decrease from last year. This drop, according to 888, was primarily down to the strengthening of player safety measures in the UK regulated market. 

Moreover, the firm pointed to the closure of the Netherlands, with revenues outside these territories down four per cent, which it states reflects a “strong comparative period and refined market focus”. 

Fourth quarter figures also displayed a decrease in YoY online revenue (five per cent) for 888, though the company stated it was “stable” despite the drop. 

Despite the firm’s online shortcomings, 2022 was a successful period, revenue wise, for the company, partly in part to its acquisition of William Hill in July of this year. Retail revenues for the full year were up 54 per cent to £519m. The spike in this revenue reflects a full year of trading in 2022 with figures inflated due to the partial closures during the first half of 2021. 

Reflecting on its performance from 2019 figures, the average revenue per shop was up seven per cent. 

888’s retail performance in the fourth quarter was also boosted by the first winter World Cup, as the company reported revenues of £131m, up five per cent to the prior year and six per cent from Q3. 

The World Cup also aided William Hill with its acquisition of new customers and engagement of existing customers across both online and retail, with online player days up 22 per cent from the 2021 Euros. 

Itai Pazner, CEO of 888, explained: “During the fourth quarter of 2022 our teams continued to make rapid progress in integrating these two highly complementary businesses, and have started the process to migrate Mr Green to our proprietary global tech stack, as we execute against our strategic roadmap that we outlined at our recent capital markets day.

“Revenues during the fourth quarter saw continued strong trading in retail, and a robust performance online. As previously discussed, we continue to see pressure on our UK online revenues from regulatory change including the ongoing impact of the enhanced player safety measures, but I am confident we are building a sustainable leading business for the future.

“As we look forward, we remain focused primarily on successful integration, execution and de-leveraging in order to unlock the potential from our enlarged business.

Alongside the group’s FY22 results, 888 also confirmed that Yariv Dafna, Chief Financial Officer and Executive Director, will step down from his role following the publication. Stated to be a “mutually agreement”, Dafna will leave his position on March 31 this year will a search to identify his successor underway. 

“The board and I would like to thank Yariv for the contribution he has made to 888 including playing a crucial role in the completion of our transformational combination with William Hill and leading the recent successful financing of 888’s external debt,” Pazner added. “On behalf of everyone at 888, I wish him the very best in his future endeavours.”

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