Videoslots

Ulle Skottling has been promoted to the position of deputy chief executive officer a Videoslots, officially beginning the new role at the turn of the month.

The Swede joined the online brand as chief operating officer in September 2016 after a two-year spell at NetEnt, where he had risen to become deputy managing director.

As a result of the promotion, Skottling will now focus on building the company’s cooperate structure and organisation as it strives to ascend to the next level.

Alexander Stevendahl, Videoslots chief executive officer, said: “Ulle has worked tirelessly to get Videoslots to where we are today and fully deserves his new title and position of authority.

“We now have the opportunity to grow the business, not only in terms of the huge range of games for which we have become famous, but into new regulated markets where we can entertain a new generation of players with those games.”

Salsa Technology

Salsa Technology has appointed Alberto Alfieri as chief operating officer, as the igaming turnkey services provider aims to accelerate its growth momentum.

A seasoned industry executive, Alfieri served as CCO of European multi-brand online casino operator Evoke Gaming prior to the firm’s acquisition by Mr Green.

In his CCO remit, Alfieri will be tasked with leading the development of Salsa Technology’s commercial projects, product roadmap and the firm’s intended operational recruitment drive to pursue new market openings within South America.

“Salsa Technology’s expansion has been exceptional and I’m honoured to be able to play a major role in the company’s next chapter,” Alfieri noted.

“Focus will be on strengthening Salsa’s market leading position in LatAm and accelerating European progress through the omni-channel platform and game aggregation platform which includes proprietary content. We will also boost the range of tools we can offer to our clients to ensure player protection across our products.”

PointsBet

Sara Perlman has joined NBC Sports Edge and PointsBet, the official sports betting partner of NBC Sports, as a sports betting host and content creator.

In her role, Perlman will double as a host and moderator for daily and recurring video, helping create betting-related content to showcase PointsBet’s unique and premium platform. She will interact with the betting community at large, as well as the firm’s existing client base, providing entertainment via information and analysis.

“Sara is a tremendous addition to the PointsBet content team,” said Johnny Aitken, CEO of PointsBet USA. “She brings a wealth of experience as both a multimedia talent and a seasoned bettor.

“Our fans, clients, and the larger sports betting industry will enjoy her energy and appreciate the insights Sara will deliver regarding PointsBet’s premium product and ever-changing offerings.”

Continent 8 Technologies

Global network solutions provider Continent 8 Technologies has strengthened its global sales team with the appointment of Melissa Lamb.

Set to be based from the organisation’s offices in Ta’Xbiex, Malta, the appointment as part of the global sales team comes as the firm seeks to expand its customer base both in Malta and beyond.

David Black, managing director of EMEA at Continent 8 Technologies, stated: “We were delighted and humbled by the exceptional candidates showing interest in Continent 8 for this role.

“In the end Melissa’s knowledge, not only of the local business community but also her extensive international experience, made her the ideal candidate. We are delighted she chose to work for Continent 8 and I have no doubt she will be a great asset to our growing business, and for Malta.”

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Becoming an SPP member, the global managed hosting, connectivity, cloud and cybersecurity solutions provider noted that the enhanced AWS collaboration has allowed it to introduce a new variety of services to simplify AWS cloud environments and infrastructure management. 

Edward O’Connor, CTO at Continent 8 Technologies, stated: “The AWS Solution Partner Program milestone underscores Continent 8’s commitment to continuing its position as the service and solutions provider of choice to the igaming and online sports betting market.”

The new managed and professional services include Regul8 Guardrails, which provides customers with “customised designs and configurations for easy-to-integrate compliance across cloud environments while accelerating time-to-market and expansion into new jurisdictions”.

Meanwhile, the Managed Hybrid Network service will “address the connectivity challenges between on-premises infrastructures, AWS Outposts, enterprise networks and AWS Regions” to ensure customers benefit from a resilient and secure hybrid cloud connectivity path away from the public internet.

The Kubernetes Everywhere service will make it easier for “customers to manage their containerised deployments, ensuring consistent, resource-friendly and cost-effective operations across cloud environments, data centres, edge computing infrastructures and within AWS regions using Elastic Kubernetes Service”.

In addition, the Managed AWS Outposts will build upon Continent 8’s existing AWS Outposts portfolio with the likes of Fanatics, FanDuel and Hard Rock Digital to streamline the “procurement, logistics, workload migration and ongoing management of AWS Outposts, allowing customers to focus on launch activities”.

O’Connor continued: “Whether it’s hyperscale, hybrid, public or private cloud management, Continent 8 remains steadfast in delivering trusted, bespoke, best-practice and value-added cloud experiences for our customers.”

Continent 8 also complements its services with a dedicated team of more than 30 AWS-certified and AWS-trained experts to “deliver and support high-touch AWS solutions tailored to each customer’s unique requirements”.

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With both approvals from the Nevada Gaming Control Board, the first approval permits Continent 8 to provide its services via a data centre site located in the Silver State. 

The second approval allows Continent 8 to provide its services to Nevada-licensed operations from its New Jersey site, meaning licensed operators and suppliers can utilise the company’s Atlantic City data centre to launch in Nevada and “benefit from zero-compromise connectivity, performance and latency for optimal user experiences”.

Nick Nally, Chief Revenue Officer at Continent 8 Technologies, stated: “Our bold and customer-centric approach has positioned us as the number one igaming infrastructure provider for operators and suppliers targeting the US market and adding Nevada to our growing network of states strengthens this position. 

“That we have also uniquely secured approvals to service Nevada customers from both in-state and out-of-state is further evidence of how we provide our customers with solutions they simply can’t get elsewhere. And this has only been possible because of our close relationship with regulators and the prowess of our infrastructure.”

Continent 8 is now live in 30 US states with “further launches in the pipeline”.

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Caesars Entertainment

Caesars Entertainment has appointed Kim Harris Jones to its board of directors, growing its board membership count to 10.

Harris Jones brings experience in strategic corporate leadership to Caesars, both as an executive and a board member. She retired from Mondelez International as Senior Vice President and Corporate Controller in 2015 after it was spun off from Kraft Foods, where she had worked since 2009 as SVP and Corporate Controller.

“Kim Harris Jones is a tremendous addition to the Caesars Entertainment leadership team,” commented Gary Carano, Executive Chair of the Board at Caesars Entertainment.

“With her extensive experience in finance and a reputation as a thoughtful and engaged leader inside some of the largest consumer-packaged goods and automotive companies, Kim’s addition will give us another lens through which to see stronger, more dynamic future possibilities for Caesars Entertainment.”

Before Kraft, Harris Jones spent 17 years at Chrysler, holding several leadership positions including Senior Vice President and Corporate Controller. She also worked at General Motors for six years and has been featured in publications such as BoardProspects Magazine, CFO Magazine, Black Enterprise Magazine and Savoy Magazine.

Tom Reeg, CEO of Caesars Entertainment, added: “I’m pleased to count Kim Harris Jones among our board of directors. Kim shares our vision for strategic, collaborative innovation. She has outstanding experience navigating complex issues and implementing transformation for optimisation.

“I look forward to working with her, the rest of our board, and the management team to continue to drive results for our guests, our team members, and our shareholders.”

Bragg Gaming

Bragg Gaming Group has appointed Neill Whyte as Chief Commercial Officer, bringing over 18 years of igaming experience to the company’s leadership team.

Whyte most recently worked as CCO at Digital Gaming Corporation for its B2B igaming division, helping to launch and grow its content distribution business in the US. He has also held roles at Apricot Investments, Genera Networks and Microgaming.

Matevž Mazij, CEO at Bragg, commented: “I am very pleased to be announcing today the appointment of Neill Whyte as Chief Commercial Officer at Bragg. His igaming product and market knowledge, together with his record in driving growth from developing successful and mutually beneficial commercial partnerships are exceptional.

“As we leverage our broad content and product portfolio to grow in existing and new markets, including in the United States, Canada, Latin America and Europe, Neill’s unique combination of knowledge, skills and experience in this sector are a perfect fit for our ambitions at Bragg.”

At Bragg, Whyte will lead the company’s global commercial teams to drive growth across all product verticals, including proprietary online casino content, exclusive content from partners, the HUB casino content aggregation platform, Fuze player engagement and its player account management platform and turnkey solutions.

Whyte added: “It’s an honour to join Matevž and the wider teams at Bragg already in place across North America, Europe and India. I have been impressed with the depth and quality of the content, product and technology offerings at Bragg, and its ability to rapidly adapt, certify and deploy this content and technology in newly regulated markets is a distinct advantage.

“We also have a huge opportunity to grow our footprint with our existing customers in markets in which we are already established. Our content and product roadmaps are second to none, and I’m planning to get on the road in the coming weeks and months to meet the team and our customers and to start building for the next stage of mutual growth. I can’t wait to get going.”

White Hat Gaming

White Hat Gaming has appointed Justin Psaila as its new Chief Financial Officer.

Psaila brings nearly two decades’ worth of industry experience to the company after spending eight years at Betsson Group and almost nine years in his previous CFO role at Gaming Innovation Group.

Phillip Gelvan, CEO of White Hat Gaming, said: “We are delighted to announce that Justin Psaila will be joining the White Hat Gaming team as CFO. Justin is well respected in the industry, and I have no doubt his appointment will strengthen our already impressive executive team.

“White Hat is consistently working to deliver on its global expansion goals, and Justin will be key in ensuring the company’s financial objectives are attained.”

Overseeing White Hat’s financial division, Psaila will assist the provider in enhancing its operations globally, particularly in the US.

Commenting on his appointment, Psaila said: “I am very happy to be starting my new position as Group Chief Financial Officer at White Hat Gaming.

“I am joining a brilliant team and look forward to helping deliver on White Hat’s ambitious growth plans across the US and beyond.”

Sportradar

Behshad Behzadi has been named Sportradar Group’s Chief Technology Officer and Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer.

Based at Sportradar’s headquarters in Switzerland and reporting to CEO Carsten Koerl, Behzadi will help drive the usage and adoption of AI and technology to enhance its product offerings and roadmap to deliver hyper-personalized experiences for sports fans. 

He will also use his experience in leading initiatives aimed at improving internal operational efficiency to help optimise processes and drive innovation across the business.

Koerl said: “We are proud to welcome Behshad, a world-renowned leader in harnessing generative AI and other advanced technologies, who marries a unique blend of technical expertise and business acumen.

“His proven track record in developing and commercialising product strategies to accelerate growth and innovation, as well as spearheading initiatives aimed at improving internal operational efficiency, will bolster our leadership position, keeping Sportradar at the forefront of technological advancement.”

Behzadi brings over 20 years of experience to Sportradar, having previously worked for Google Zurich, playing a key role in Google’s AI-first strategy as Co-Founder of Google Assistant, Google Lens, Google Smart Display and the Next Gen Assistant. Most recently, he led Google Cloud’s Conversational AI and applied Generative AI initiative.

Behzadi said: “Sportradar is an exceptional company and category leader operating at the global intersection of sports, technology and digital content. I am very excited to join an organization that pushes the boundaries on technology and puts a premium on innovation.

“I look forward to working alongside Carsten, the rest of the executive management team and their talented group of creators to continue Sportradar’s history of innovation as the Company enters its next exciting chapter.”

Continent 8 Technologies

Continent 8 Technologies has appointed Jamie Garcia as a Regional Sales Director.

Garcia brings over 10 years of experience to Continent 8, having held senior positions at the likes of Scientific Games and Williams Gaming. She joins from Gaming Laboratories International where she was a Senior Account Executive. 

Commenting on her new role, Garcia said: “My skillset is ideally suited to the role of Regional Sales Director. I’m looking forward to using the experience and expertise I have built over my career to provide even more support and value to our customers. 

“North America is an incredibly exciting market with big opportunities for operators and suppliers to explore, but they need the regulatory guidance and technical infrastructure and cybersecurity creativity for their iGaming and online sports betting requirements, and that’s exactly what Continent 8 provides.” 

At Continent 8, Garcia will be responsible for driving infrastructure growth and cybersecurity opportunities in the igaming and online sports betting market, supporting new strategic sales initiatives to benefit the company’s service portfolio.

Brian Koh, CCO at Continent 8 Technologies, added: “Jamie has a proven track record at high-calibre organisations such as GLI and Scientific Games. 

“This is just the sort of expertise we want to bring to our organization and US sales team. This is a market that has shown tremendous growth potential, and we want to continue to support our customers in the new and upcoming regulated states in which they operate. 

“With Jamie on board, we can deepen the relationships we have with our customers and ensure they are getting the most out of the infrastructure and cybersecurity solutions and services we provide.”

Lightning Box Games

David Little has announced that he is leaving Lightning Box Games.

In a LinkedIn post, Little stated that he would be stepping down from his position as Director of the slots content supplier, a company which he co-founded in 2004 alongside CEO Peter Causley.

Little said: “After 20 incredible years, the time has come for me to step back from Lightning Box, a company I had the privilege of co-founding and building alongside some outstanding individuals. As I move on to new ventures, I want to express my deep gratitude to everyone who has been instrumental in our journey and success.

“As Lightning Box continues to flourish under new ownership, I am proud to see the legacy we built together reaching new heights. Thank you to the entire “Box” team and everyone at Light and Wonder for making it an absolute pleasure to work with.

“For now, a deserved break. For the future, stay tuned.”

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Continent 8 will support Fanatics by hosting the operator’s in-state data centres through AWS Outposts, as well as managing on-premises infrastructure and services in 20 US states.

Bob Pascucci, VP of Technology at Fanatics Betting and Gaming, commented: “Infrastructure is the foundation upon which we build our sports betting and casino experience.

“In Continent 8, we have a partner with an unrivalled reputation for supporting its customers, enabling us to continue to drive growth at pace.”

Fanatics will also utilise Continent 8’s Gaming Exchange, which is described as a private internet that allows customers to “connect securely via a virtual private network across its backbone network” to share “traffic at the lowest latency, securely and privately”.

Michael Tobin, CEO and Founder at Continent 8 Technologies, added: “We have worked with Fanatics Betting and Gaming – a top-tier US operator – from day one of their launch, supporting them as they have grown state-by-state.

“Fanatics is a high-calibre operator that understands the importance of infrastructure in delivering the top-quality player experience it is building its reputation on. 

“Our leading digital infrastructure solutions provide the reliable connectivity operators need to deploy their online sportsbooks and casinos in regulated US states quickly and compliantly.”

Earlier this month, Continent 8 announced that it is set to bring its managed hosting, connectivity, cloud and cybersecurity services to the Brazilian igaming market.

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The company stated that the move will help address the customer demand in the Brazilian online gambling market ahead of its anticipated launch later this year, subject to regulation.

Operators and suppliers will be able to utilise Continent 8’s suite of digital and cloud offerings, including its Public Cloud, Gaming Exchange and cybersecurity solutions. 

“Brazil looks set to be a hugely significant market and one that our customers are keen to explore,” commented Luana Monje, Sales Executive at Continent 8 Technologies.

“Digital and cloud infrastructure is the foundation of any successful online business, and we are delighted to be launching in Brazil to support new and existing customers with our solutions and services as they make their move in the market.” 

The expansion into Brazil is a continuation of Continent 8’s growth across Latin America, as the company is already providing its services to customers in Colombia, Peru and Puerto Rico.

Michael Tobin, Founder and CEO of Continent 8 Technologies, added: “For more than 25 years, we have been supporting customers as they launch into new and growing markets, and we couldn’t be more excited to be doing this in Brazil. 

“This is a market that offers tremendous potential to both operators and suppliers, but they must have the right foundation in place to maximise the opportunities on the table. Continent 8 has the experience, expertise, and solutions to help businesses do just that.”

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National Indian Gaming Commission

The National Indian Gaming Commission has announced the resignation of its Chair E Sequoyah Simermeyer, bringing an end to his nine years with the commission.

As Chair, Simermeyer helped set regulatory conditions for the post-pandemic recovery. From joining the NIGC in 2015, he served as Associate Commissioner and Director of the Office of Self-Regulation, before being confirmed as Chair in 2019.

NIGC confirmed that additional details on the transition will be forthcoming.

Commenting on his time with the NIGC, Simermeyer said “I’ve witnessed firsthand how tribes across the Indian gaming industry have pursued economic sustainability through gaming by relying on – and cultivating – the robust regulatory reputation for which Indian gaming is well known and made better when supported by effective and efficient measures by Indian gaming’s regulators. I’m proud of the integral part this agency has played in meeting the challenges of an evolving industry.”

He added: “My time with NIGC has been some of the most memorable and impactful years of my career. As a Native person, I’m truly blessed to have been surrounded by experts dedicated to protecting and preserving the valuable resource Indian gaming represents for our communities.

“I’m thankful for the advice and counsel of my fellow commissioners and NIGC staff, and the support and hard work of the nearly 5,000 tribal regulators who work alongside NIGC day-in and day-out to keep Indian gaming strong now, and for the next 35 years.”

Great Canadian Entertainment

Great Canadian Entertainment has appointed Pauline Alimchandani as Chief Financial Officer, effective March 31, 2024, subject to customary regulatory approvals. 

Alimchandani will be responsible for overseeing the company’s finances and will be replacing current CFO Darren Gwozd, who is stepping down from the role.

Matthew Anfinson, CEO of Great Canadian, noted: “I am delighted to welcome Pauline to our exceptional senior management team. 

“Her extensive public company experience and deep record of successful leadership roles in finance, capital markets and financial reporting will be immensely valuable as we continue to remain focused on delivering long-term growth and creating value for our stakeholders in a socially responsible way. I look forward to her contributions.”

Alimchandani has over 18 years of experience, most recently serving as CFO for Northland Power, where she oversaw a global team across several key functions and chaired the organisation’s Investment Committee.

“I am very excited to join Great Canadian and see a significant opportunity to build upon the company’s strong financial and operational foundation, while developing capabilities that further establish the Company’s competitive advantage,” added Alimchandani.

Continent 8 Technologies

Continent 8 Technologies has grown its global commercial team with the additions of Sebastian Fernandez and Luana Monje as Sales Executives.

Fernandez and Monje will help Continent 8 with its relationships in Latin America and maximise its solutions and services potential, in addition to supporting new customers in the region, particularly in Brazil once the market launches.

Brian Koh, CCO at Continent 8 Technologies, said: “I would like to extend a very warm welcome to Sebastian and Luana who join Continent 8 at a pivotal time for the LATAM gambling market.

“Latin America is a thriving market with a lot of latent potential, something that the opening of Brazil will help to unlock. We are well positioned to help customers looking to launch into this market, and Luana will undoubtedly play a significant role in ensuring they go live with the best infrastructure and security in place.”

Based out of Buenos Aires, Fernandez joins Continent 8 from Dell Technologies, where he worked in several roles including a Senior Systems Engineer and most recently Account Executive.

Based in Sao Paulo, Monje joins from AWS (Amazon Web Services) where she held the role of Demand Generation Representative.

Fernandez noted: “I’m excited to be joining the Continent 8 team and to bring over a decade of IT experience to this role. This is an incredibly exciting region with huge potential on the table, but organisations must have the right infrastructure in place if they are to maximise the opportunity.

“This is something that Continent 8 is renowned for, and we look forward to working with businesses across the region.”

Monje added: “I couldn’t ask for a better start to the year. I look forward to sharing my AWS expertise and knowledge of the LatAm market with the team and of course our customers.”  

Glitnor Group

Glitnor Group has strengthened its C-Level team with the appointment of Mel Camilleri-Bland.

With over 15 years’ worth of igaming experience, Camilleri-Bland will join as Chief Operations Officer for LCKY Group, replacing the outgoing COO, Cameron Brown.

Before joining Glitnor Group, Camilleri-Bland was Group Director of Compliance for BVGroup, working as Head of B2B brands, COO of Mayfly Entertainment Limited, Managing Director of Monarch Sensation and A2D Entertainment, as well as Director of Operational Excellence for BetVictor.

Camilleri-Bland commented: “Having spent over a decade-and-a-half in the igaming industry working in various management, consultancy and customer service roles across multiple continents, I’m delighted to now be able to utilise my expertise on the B2C side of Glitnor Group.

“As a business, Glitnor has made giant strides forward over the past few years and I’m really looking forward to coming in at such an exciting time for the group. The team we have here is already amazing and I sincerely hope that the skills and industry know-how that I’ve accumulated over the past 15 years can add another dimension to that as we look to take things to a whole new level in 2024 and beyond.”

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PENN Entertainment

PENN Entertainment has confirmed that it will soon be undergoing a leadership change, with theScore’s founding family – John Levy, Benjie Levy, Aubrey Levy and Noah Levy – stepping down from their respective roles.

John will depart from PENN in mid-February, followed by Benjie, Aubrey and Noah in April. In addition, the company also stated that it is in the final stages of its search for a new Head of Interactive.

“This transition plan comes at a natural inflexion point, with the migration to our proprietary technology platform complete, theScore’s media and betting business delivering record results, and ESPN BET off to a strong start,” said Jay Snowden, CEO and President of PENN Entertainment. 

“The Levys are a family of successful entrepreneurs and are truly pioneers in the sports media and gaming industry. I am very proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish with them, including the development of an extremely deep and talented bench at PENN Interactive. 

“With this experienced, best-in-class team firmly in place, we are well prepared for this to be a seamless transition and to continue growing our position as a leader in online gaming and sports media.”

In October 2021, PENN acquired Score Media and Gaming, integrating theScore with PENN Interactive. Benjie became Head of Interactive and John assumed the position of Executive Chairman of theScore.

Benjie Levy commented: “Working at PENN has been extremely rewarding and we want to thank Jay, Todd George and the entire PENN team for their partnership and support as we brought these two organisations together to execute on our uniquely integrated media and betting strategy. 

“Our focus on creating industry-leading technology and products has been second only to our efforts in building a world-class team and fostering a special place to work. We could not be more proud of this team and what we have accomplished together, and we look forward to watching as they continue to build upon the successful foundation we established at theScore.”

John Levy added: “The enduring success of theScore is due to the passionate and committed team that helped launch, develop and innovate our products to provide the best possible fan experience. 

“Empowering fans with a seamlessly integrated media and betting experience has been core to our mission since day one. That strategy has led to the success of theScore and theScore Bet in Ontario and ESPN BET in the US and will continue to differentiate this online gaming business going forward.”

Global Gaming Women

Global Gaming Women has appointed Lauren Bates to President of the Board of Directors.

A longtime senior executive in the industry, Bates most recently served as GGW’s first Vice President, a role now held by Siobhan Lane, Light & Wonder‘s EVP & Group CEO of Gaming. 

Replacing Lane as the non-profit’s second VP is Brandi Ellis, SVP of VIP Marketing at Caesars Entertainment. All these appointments went into effect on January 1, 2024, and run until 2026.

Bates replaces outgoing GGW President and current Boyd Gaming Corporation SVP of Legal Operations and Regulatory Compliance Cassie Stratford, who departs following the completion of her two-year term.

“Lauren’s demonstrated work ethic and determination has had a huge impact in promoting the recent growth and success of Global Gaming Women, which I’m looking forward to seeing continued under her leadership as President,” stated Stratford. 

“It has been incredibly rewarding to work with so many to advance GGW’s vision for the betterment of our industry, and thanks to the support of our sponsors and community, this new leadership team will bring their incredible energy to bring our mission to new levels in the years to come.”

GGW has also appointed Samantha Huff-Schlueter, Senior Manager – Assurance Services Group at RubinBrown LLP, as Treasurer; Kate White, Vice President of Intelligence & IT Program Management at PENN Entertainment, as Secretary; and Kelci Binau, Attorney at McDonald Carano, as General Counsel. 

In addition, the non-profit has also approved the following new members to its board of directors for 2024-26: Karin Bernkopf, Senior Director of Marketing and Gaming at IGT; Adi Kasunic, Vice President of Human Resources at The Venetian Resort Las Vegas; Tashina Lazcano, Director of Marketing & Communications at Konami Gaming; Cortney Luvera, Senior Manager at The Coca-Cola Company; Suzanne Trout, EVP & CMO at Cordish Gaming Group; and Julie Woodruff, Vice President of Finance at Seminole Casino Hotel Immokalee and Seminole Brighton Casino.

Bates added: “Since 2011, the focus of Global Gaming Women has been to support, inspire, and influence the development of women in gaming. Today, every member of GGW’s Board of Directors is centred on that same mission. 

“With the investment, success, and geographic expansion achieved in the last two years by outgoing president Cassie Stratford, GGW has a solid foundation for even greater growth, which I aim to accomplish.”

SIS

SIS has hired Joel Anyaegbu as Commercial Manager – West Africa to oversee the supplier’s commercial development and international growth in the region.

Based in Nigeria, Anyaegbu brings a wealth of industry experience to SIS, including business operations and sales knowledge having most recently worked as Regional Manager for betBonanza. 

Joe Andrews, Head of Sales – Africa at SIS, said: “Joel’s proven commercial acumen within the African market will be a real asset to our plans of continued international expansion through the delivery of a set of products that will resonate with players.

“As well as our live numbers draws, our round-the-clock racing offering and end-to-end Competitive Gaming solution offer additional value for operators in Africa as significant drivers of revenue. We know that the bettors in the region are football mad and our esoccer product in particular will be a huge success.”

Anyaegbu will be tasked with promoting SIS’s horse and greyhound racing offering to online and retail operators, in addition to the company’s events-based sports simulation product Competitive Gaming and range of 49’s live numbers draws.

“The progress that SIS continues to make internationally is impressive, and I can’t wait to bring my industry knowledge to the table as the new Commercial Manager for West Africa,” added Anyaegbu.

“Recent content deals have demonstrated the company’s commitment to commercial expansion in regions where players have a proven appetite for its content. I look forward to furthering that progress.”

Continent 8 Technologies

Continent 8 Technologies has strengthened its cloud team with the addition of Matteo Gabrielli as Senior Technical Solutions Architect.

An Amazon Web Services specialist, Gabrielli joins Continent 8 directly from AWS where he was a Senior Solutions Architect for Digital Native Businesses.

Over a four-and-a-half-year period at AWS, Gabrielli held several positions, supporting a variety of betting and gaming businesses with technical guidance to help them innovate and build cloud solutions on AWS.

Edward O’Connor, Chief Technology Officer at Continent 8 Technologies, said: “Matteo is a very important hire as we continue to enhance our cloud offering to better support our customers with their hybrid and public cloud strategy. 

“Matteo has a great deal of customer-facing solutions experience. That we can bring in someone as experienced and talented as Matteo demonstrates our commitment to expanding our cloud business and collaboration with AWS as an advanced partner.

“Our customers already trust us with the deployment and management of their AWS Outpost solutions and they leverage extensive network peering with AWS; we’re going to offer customers so much more in 2024 and our new team members will play a big role in that.” 

At Continent 8, Gabrielli will be tasked with supporting and maintaining customer relationships by helping to deliver AWS products and services, as well as developing the cloud product roadmap for the company’s customer base.

Gabrielli added: “I am excited to support Continent 8’s incredible customer base in maximising the potential of the cloud.

“Continent 8 has built a great team of cloud specialists and I’m thrilled to be working alongside some truly talented people as we continue to enhance our offering and strengthen our relationship with customers by supporting them on their cloud journey.”

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Seminole Hard Rock

Seminole Hard Rock has promoted Keith Sheldon to the position of President of Entertainment and Brand Management for Seminole Gaming and Hard Rock International. 

Reporting to Hard Rock International Chair and Seminole Gaming CEO Jim Allen, Sheldon will take charge of brand management, consumer marketing, brand partnerships and sponsorship revenue generation, as well as continue to oversee all facets of entertainment including programming, talent buying, nightlife and industry relations.

“I am honoured to work with incredible performers, partners, and Team Members at Hard Rock and Seminole Gaming and look forward to growing our unique brand offerings for entertainment lovers and guests around the world,” said Sheldon.

Sheldon has been President of Entertainment at Seminole Hard Rock for the last four years, booking headline entertainment, sports and lifestyle events for the company alongside securing partnerships.

“Since Keith joined our team in 2020 to lead our entertainment efforts, he has played an integral role in elevating Hard Rock and Seminole Hard Rock brands through strategic partnerships and once-in-a-lifetime events for our guests,” added Allen.

“We’re excited for Keith to continually build upon those incredible entertainment experiences with new partners and bolster our brands in new and exciting ways in his expanded role.”

The Star Entertainment Group

The Star Entertainment Group has appointed Janelle Campbell as CEO of The Star Sydney, pending all necessary regulatory approvals. 

Reporting to Group CEO and Managing Director Robbie Cooke, Campbell brings over 20 years of casino industry experience to the role. 

“I am excited to be joining The Star at a pivotal moment in the company’s history and to help shape the future for a venue that has been an iconic Sydney destination for almost 30 years,” stated Campbell.

“I am clear on the strategic priorities, including the urgent focus on ensuring our remediation actions drive a return to suitability and the removal of the existing licence suspension. 

“In parallel, we need to ensure that building the trust and confidence of our regulators, guests, team members, other stakeholders and the broader community is always front of mind while building a culture of high-performance excellence.

“We want to be known for delivering world-class experiences and I’m looking forward to The Star Sydney shaping a successful future of sustainable long-term growth.”

Campbell previously worked as Director of Finance and Financial Controller at Conrad Treasury in Brisbane, as Executive Director of Finance for Conrad Jupiters and Treasury Casinos Queensland and as SVP of Finance for Melco Resorts & Entertainment in Macau. 

Cooke added: “I’m delighted to welcome Janelle to the team as part of our organisational restructure. Janelle is a highly regarded, very experienced and extremely talented senior casino executive.

“Janelle has strong leadership skills, with experience in overseeing large-scale operations 

managing teams of up to 1,200 and a great track record in developing and implementing strategic business plans. During her time at Melco Resorts & Entertainment, Janelle oversaw the finance, supply chain and AML functions among other responsibilities.

“I look forward to working with Janelle on our ongoing transformation program at The Star Sydney as we pursue our number one objective of returning our Sydney casino to suitability.”

ReferOn

Affiliate platform ReferOn has hired Alexia Gauci as a B2B Sales Manager, who brings igaming experience in sales and digital B2B marketing to the role.

David Harris, B2B Affiliate Team Manager at ReferOn, noted: “We are delighted to have Alexia join the team; her contributions will significantly strengthen the team and the company’s growth in providing market-leading services to our partners.”

Gauci added: “I am glad to join the team of such a technologically advanced product and create additional value for partners. I am looking forward to engaging with all of our interesting prospects and I am ready to invest in achieving goals in accordance with our strategy.”

Continent 8 Technologies

Continent 8 Technologies has made two recent appointments, adding Dave Phillips as Vice President of Network, as well as Andrew Mudge as a Regional Sales Director.

Phillips has spent the past 15 years at Google, holding a variety of leadership roles in engineering, operations, delivery and product teams. 

In his new role, Phillips will be responsible for overseeing the company’s global network across more than 100 locations in four continents, leading a global team of networking specialists located in the UK, Europe, US, Canada, Singapore and India. 

Edward O’Connor, CTO at Continent 8 Technologies, said: “Dave is a highly experienced network technologist with an incredible amount of Internet industry experience having been at Google through their hyper-growth phase over the past 15 years.

“Our network is one of the largest and best connected in the business. For over 25 years our industry’s biggest brands have relied on the Continent 8 network and hiring Dave to lead our global team will help to ensure that we continue to innovate on behalf of customers for the next 25 years.

“Dave is joining a fantastic team – with his experience and the immense creativity of our group, I’m certain that we’re going to invent great ways to help our customers in 2024 and beyond.”

Phillips added: “Continent 8’s connected network is quite simply the backbone of the igaming industry and I’m thrilled to be joining the company. 

“I’m excited by the extraordinary growth facing Continent 8, further developing our innovative product set and strengthening our position as the infrastructure partner of choice for many of the biggest operators and suppliers in the global gaming industry.” 

A global gaming specialist, Mudge previously spent eight-plus years in various roles at international IT service partner Viadex Global, spending the last 12 months focusing on its US business.

Using his market experience and understanding of IT infrastructure, Mudge will support Continent 8’s US customers while also spreading awareness of the company’s solutions and services.

Brian Koh, VP of Sales & CCO at Continent 8 Technologies, said: “Andrew is a great addition to our commercial team, bringing not only knowledge of the industry but also of the US market.

“This is an important region for us, and we are thrilled to be able to leverage his understanding of the market and the infrastructure that operators and suppliers need to succeed here. This, combined with his experience in the gambling sector, makes him a strong asset as we continue to grow.

“I’d like to take this opportunity to welcome Andrew to the global Continent 8 team and look forward to working with him as we strengthen our position as the leading infrastructure provider in the US and beyond.”

Mudge added: “It’s an honour to be joining Continent 8 at such an exciting time for the business. Having worked closely with the team during my eight years in the industry, I am very aware of the strong presence and dominant brand they have developed globally.

“I’m proud to be joining the leading infrastructure provider for gambling operators and suppliers, worldwide.”

Sportingtech

Sportingtech has named Tom Ustunel as its new CEO, who has been working with the company for the past two years.

Previously, Ustunel has worked as Chief of Gaming Operations at GAN and as Betting and Gaming Director at News UK, leading projects with a product development focus. As CEO, Ustunel will lead Sportingtech as it expands in the global markets where it is present.

Ustunel said: “Sportingtech has been on an incredible trajectory in recent years, and 2023 saw unprecedented success which we are looking to not only replicate but also build on.

“I am thrilled to be working with such a talented team of people across the entire business during what promises to be an exciting time as we look to further cement ourselves as the go-to provider for operators.”

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Due to ODDSworks’ licence with the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, the supplier requires a full audit of its cybersecurity provisions. Continent 8 was chosen to review its security using Vulnerability Assessment Penetration Testing. 

Having worked together across several US states, such as New Jersey and Michigan, Continent 8 conducted the audit using its dedicated cybersecurity division – C8 Secure – using VAPT to examine ODDSworks’ compliance with PGCB legislation. 

Patrick Gardner, Managing Partner at C8 Secure, stated: “Cybersecurity is a hot topic in the online and land-based gaming industry, and ODDSworks are an example of a company that is prioritising cybersecurity.

“Having cybersecurity provisions in place is not only a must when it comes to protecting the organisation, but also when it comes to compliance. Pennsylvania is setting the standard when it comes to protecting the igaming market.

“The regulatory landscape and requirements across different states can make it incredibly complex for operators and suppliers operating in these markets. Of course, we can assist other operators and suppliers with their cybersecurity audits in Pennsylvania and any other regulated US state.”

Pennsylvania requires both operators and suppliers to carry out annual security audits with the use of VAPT via a third-party, hence ODDSworks’ decision to select Continent 8. 

Following the audit, which was conducted ‘on time and under budget’ within eight weeks, Continent 8 alerted ODDSworks of certain vulnerabilities in its security before sending off the audit to the PGCB, which approved the final review. 

Steven De Mar, Executive VP at ODDSworks, added: “At ODDSworks we are taking cybersecurity seriously – the industry is under attack. Continent 8 has done an incredible job at supporting us through our cybersecurity audit in the state of Pennsylvania. 

“We were impressed by the speed at which the audit was planned, undertaken and reported on, as well as its scope and depth.

“We already knew that Continent 8 was at the top of its game having used its hosting solutions in other US states, but its cybersecurity audit for us shows that it really does set the standard for others to follow.”

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