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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This exclusive interview with Pärt kickstarts the third edition of SBC Leaders for 2021, where she touches upon her ascent through Coingaming Group, the growth of crypto gaming and why she wants the company to continue disrupting across a number of industries. 

Pärt wasn’t the only leader who touched upon pushing boundaries, with Pariplay’s Andrew Maclean highlighting why the growing US gambling market was an opportunity that ‘could not be ignored’. 

New opportunities within the online space was a common theme in our casino section where Spribe’s Shalva Bukia and Fantasma Games’ Fredrik Johansson delve into the growing influence of mobile on game development and why desktop may be taking a back seat. 

Heading south to Latin America and we spoke with Fernando Facal, general manager of Hipódromo de Palermo, regarding the racecourse’s remote gaming licence and the challenges associated with the transition from land-based to online betting.

Back in the USA, Mike Smith, Sportradar’s head of advertising, unpacks the possibilities for ad tech as more states begin embracing gambling legislation, while IGT explains why partnerships are so crucial for the development and growth of tribal sports betting in the post-PASPA market.

In this latest edition of SBC Leaders, we also dive into the relaunch of bet365’s new affiliate programme, the rising popularity of women’s football and whether artificial intelligence is the best way to combat money laundering. 

Rounding off the magazine is a breakdown of the latest developments on the fourth National Lottery competition, and an exciting preview of CasinoBeats Malta and SBC Summit Barcelona. 

The new issue of SBC Leaders is available to download or read online HERE.

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Having launched in early 2019 under the governance of the Coingaming Group, creators of Bitcasino.io and Sportsbet.io brands, Slots.io customers can now benefit from access to Evoplay’s “top performing” slot titles, such as Hot777, Eleven Princesses and Fruit Nova.

“We couldn’t be more excited to integrate Evoplay’s pioneering collection of slot titles, which will provide our customers with unrivalled gaming experiences,” noted Sveinung Axelsen, retention manager at Slots.io.

“Evoplay places its partners at the heart of its operations, and the signing of a comprehensive content deal with the supplier marks a great milestone for us in our quest to offer the best games available.”

Evoplay’s Estonian market debut follows a successful period for the supplier, with partnerships secured across nine key European markets, including the UK, Croatia, Malta, Bulgaria and Romania, as the group seeks to continuously extend its global foothold.

Vladimir Malakchi, Evoplay CCO, added: “We’re delighted to partner with Slots.io, a well-deserved market leader based in a key market we’ve been looking forward to entering quite some time.

“Agreements such as this are integral to our success, and with a growing library of high-quality products, we believe that our content adds significant value to each of our partners.”

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The biggest sponsorship agreement in the club’s history also includes the option to be paid certain performance-based bonuses in Bitcoin at the end of each season.

Coingaming says that this will permit the club “the opportunity to take advantage of the new, high-growth currency if it feels it will bring significant future benefits”.

“The team at Sportsbet.io have built a successful business by challenging convention and disrupting the market, but in a responsible way, and their approach to our partnership with them has been no different,” David Thomas, Southampton’s CCO, explained. 

“In a short timeframe they’ve proven to be innovative, forward thinking and extremely supportive of the club, our fans and the wider community, and we’ve welcomed the opportunity to develop and promote safe gambling messages together. As such they have become valued partners and we look forward to the next chapter together”

Since taking over the front-of-shirt sponsorship in August 2020 at short notice, the Premier League outfit adds that the company has “worked tirelessly with the club to create a positive impact in the local community and highlight the importance of safe betting”.

This work included a ‘Listen To The Saint In You’ campaign that was launched during Safer Gambling Week, linking up with a number of Saints players to encourage fans to consider the risks before placing a bet.

Most recently Sportsbet.io also donated their shirt sponsorship to the Saints Foundation for the Premier League match against Burnley to help drive awareness of the Foundation’s fundraising efforts as they aim to raise vital funds lost due to the pandemic. 

This gesture alone helped the Foundation raise thousands of pounds on the day, a figure that was topped up by Sportsbet.io, who donated an additional £10k.

Maarja Pärt, CEO of the Coingaming Group, added: “Our first season as Southampton FC’s Main Club Partner has already exceeded all expectations. We’ve been inspired by the passion of the club and its fans, and it was an easy decision for us to extend our partnership with the Saints for another three years. 

“From the beginning, Southampton have been a perfect match for the fun, fast and fair way we do things at Sportsbet.io. We can’t wait to continue this journey with the Saints, and we’ll be doing everything we can to support the team and its community into the future.”

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Aiming to help raise awareness and vital funds for the club’s charity, Southampton’s main club partner is complementing the move with a potential £10,000 donation.

Saints Foundation’s logo will be displayed across the first team’s shirts during the match at St Mary’s on Sunday 4 April, with the match worn shirts then being auctioned off to raise further money to support the work Saints Foundation carry out in the local community.  

Saints Foundation are also asking fans to show their support during the charity matchday by making a £10 donation to the charity in place of the money they would usually spend on a match ticket. 

As a further show of their support for the charity, Sportsbet.io has also agreed to match the first 1,000 donations made by fans ahead of the charity matchday, up to a total of £10,000.

Joe McCallum, head of Sportsbet.io, said: “Supporting local communities in these difficult times is important and it is our absolute pleasure as partners of the Saints to help raise awareness for the club’s charity. The work Saints Foundation has been carrying out over the past year is invaluable and we’re here to support them every step of the way.” 

The gesture comes in direct response to a difficult year for Saints Foundation, who have missed out on over £300,000 of expected fundraising income. 

Despite those challenges, it has continued to support thousands of people in need across Southampton and the surrounding area during the past 12 months. 

Fans can also support the charity by purchasing a limited-edition replica shirt featuring Saints Foundation’s logo, with all proceeds from each sale going directly to Saints Foundation.  

David Thomas, Southampton Football Club’s chief commercial officer, commented: “We are incredibly grateful to Sportsbet.io for this unique opportunity that they are providing to Saints Foundation. Their generosity will help raise both awareness and vital funds so that our charity can continue to support the local community through these difficult times. 

“No doubt the thousands of participants who Saints Foundation support annually will be immensely proud to see the team take to the pitch displaying the charity’s logo on Sunday 4 April.”

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Under the terms of the agreement, OneTouch will take a selection of its live dealer products to the online casino later in the year, including live dealer Baccarat, Roulette and Blackjack. 

Tauri Tiitsaar, director of casino at Bitcasino, said of the entity’s latest partnership: “OneTouch is among the industry’s fastest-growing suppliers, so we are thrilled to be integrating its world class collection of slot and table games.

“The company’s impressive product offering fits well with our track-record of providing fun, fast and fair immersive gaming experiences, so we can’t wait to introduce it to our players. We are certain that these games are going to be a big hit.” 

Founded in 2014, and lauded as “the world’s first licensed Bitcoin-focused operator,” OneTouch states that the commercial partnership will represent a boost to its appeal amongst a wide range of audiences.

Ollie Castleman, head of marketing at OneTouch, stated: “Bitcasino is the industry’s foremost cryptocurrency specialist, and this partnership allows our offering to continue expanding across a diverse set of product verticals.

“Our unique mobile-first gaming suite has continued to go from strength to strength this year, and we’ve lined up an additional range of exciting product launches and operator deals for the coming period.”

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Becoming the latest in a number of agreements entered so far this year, the link-up will see Revolver Gaming’s entire suite be integrated with the Hub88 platform.

This will give operators the chance to access a wave of HTML5 slots content including Wishes, Squish, and the newly released Dragon Spins, which transports players to the Far East for a chance to win an emperor’s ransom.

Revolver currently has thirteen games in its igaming suite, with the likes of Space Traders, Multiplier Man, and Goodfishes “providing sharp visuals and thrilling features to players”. 

Ryan Lazarus, Revolver Gaming CEO, said of the link-up: “2020 has been a crazy year in many ways, but we’re absolutely thrilled to get to partner up with Hub88. Getting the chance to stand alongside many of the other quality developers on the Hub88’s platform is humbling and shows how far we’ve come as a software developer. We can’t wait to show the industry what else we have up our sleeve.”

Hub88 boasts more than 40 game developers on its platform, which provides casinos with in excess of 3,000 games to offer their customers. The company holds an Malta Gaming Authority license and also provides a series of insights for operating partners allowing them to view statistics on various products, including GGR, numbers of bets, and player wins.

Vladimir Negine, Head of Hub88, commented, “Our mission at Hub88 is to provide an effective and simple solution for our partners, and we are committed to offering players an extraordinary gaming experience. Revolver Gaming is well-known for their premium-quality gaming content and we couldn’t be more thrilled to partner up with them.“

Thus far in 2020 Revolver Gaming has signed multiple agreements with online casino entities, including Annexio, Slotegrator, Oryx, White Hat Gaming, Videoslots, and BlueOcean Gaming.

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The agreement, under the terms of which Kalamba will supply its remote gaming server, sees the firm’s portfolio of titles immediately go live on the Hub88 platform, including igaming offerings such as Caribbean Anne, and newly-released titles such as Miami Bonus Wheel and Blazing Bull. 

Vladimir Negine, head of Hub88, said: “We believe that Kalamba makes some of the best games around so we’re looking forward to achieving some really powerful results going forward, delivering excellent numbers throughout the rest of 2020 and beyond.” 

The integration sees Kalamba further expanding its global footprint in a series of partnerships that will enable the firm to enhance its own RGS platform, set for a full roll out later this year. Hub88’s integration platform currently hosts over 3,000 games from more than 40 providers.

Tamas Kusztos, head of sales and account management, said: “Hub88 is a great platform to work with and we’re really pleased to be available under the Hub88 banner which offers us potential in all the markets we serve. 

“Offering the Kalamba portfolio under a single API will bolster our core offering and further define our ever-expanding footprint.” 

Last week Kalamba Games partnered with Rootz’s flagship igaming brand Wildz Casino to challenge eight Twitch streamers to win the chance to give input in the design of a new slot title.

The newly unveiled cooperation marks the first time that a games supplier has teamed up with a casino to leverage the Twitch streaming platform in such a way.

The challenge is to run between April 27 – May 10 and will initially see the eight streamers compete to land the single biggest win on any of Kalamba’s back catalogue of games. 

The lucky winner will be invited to work with the company’s studio team and give their input on the development of a slot game.

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Under the terms of the agreement the Tron community is to be welcomed to use the currency for the first time with its two brands in the crypto gaming space.

Boasting transactions that “happen almost instantly and without any fees,” the deal is lauded as a “perfect match for the fun, fast and fair gaming experience” across the “customer-centric gaming brands”.

Games from a number of providers, including OneTouch, Evolution Gaming, GameArt and Kalamba, now offer native Tron play, meaning Bitcasino users can wager directly in TRX without the need for in-game currency conversions.

“We always work hard to put our customers at the centre of the universe, and by adding TRX gaming we are once again at the cutting edge of what is possible in this space,” noted Tim Heath, CEO of the Coingaming Group. 

“We are particularly excited to offer a low minimum deposit threshold and zero transaction fees, ensuring Bitcasino.io and Sportsbet.io gaming can be enjoyed by even more players for the first time.

“The Tron community is one of the most engaged, forward-thinking and dynamic in the cryptocurrency world. It is also passionate about gaming, so this is a great opportunity to introduce TRX holders to the fun, fast and fair world of the Coingaming Group brands. We are certain they will enjoy the ride.”

Sportsbet.io has already given away 1 million TRX to celebrate the launch through its ‘Last Man Standing’ competition, which saw the ultimate winner successfully predict seven correct outcomes. 

Justin Sun, the founder of Tron, explained: “One of the Tron Foundation’s core missions is to support growth by providing engaging, real-world use cases for TRX. 

“We’ve been aware of the market-leading gaming brands operated by the Coingaming Group for some time now; Bitcasino.io and Sportsbet.io are fantastic examples of what is possible when crypto-led products put the customer above everything else. 

“It is genuinely thrilling to see another world-class brand open its doors to the TRX community.”

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Built solely on the response of existing users the new introduction eliminates all generic, deposit-based bonuses in favour of instant, tailor-made rewards, as the firm builds upon an ambition of creating a transparent rewards system.

Custom made to the needs of its players, the program features seven levels and 22 milestone rewards, as well as a win-win feature which sees cashback received on wins and losses.

The loyalty club sees users set defined milestones and levels, including VIP status, which once unlocked offer a number of instant rewards tailor to personal preferences and based upon individual gameplay.

Striving to ensure that all players, regardless of their bankroll, are rewarded, with every wager moving them closer to the next milestone, the rewards have no preset value and are completely controlled by the gameplay of individuals.

Rewards include free spins on a player’s favourite games, up to 10 per cent cash rebates, points multipliers and real money awards in a player’s preferred currency with no wagering requirements. 

“We’ve shown our players the fun, fast and fair way of gaming and now it’s time to take it another step further,” stated Tauri Tiitsaar, director of casino at Bitcasino.

“Bitcasino’s new loyalty programme opens up the often complicated and confusing world of casino bonuses to our players, giving them the all-important insight and ability to determine their own gaming experience.   

“After receiving a lot of valuable feedback regarding how we reward players over the years, we knew from the beginning of the loyalty development process it was crucial for our players to be able to take full control of their rewards. I’m proud to say our revolutionary programme lets them do just that.”

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