Digitain

The casino and sports betting platform provider has recruited Simon Westbury as its head of international business development, bringing a wealth of experience to the role.

Expressing delight to be joining the firm as well as excitement at “ambitious expansion plans,” Westbury’s most recent role was as CCO of VSoftCo where he was responsible for growing the firm’s customer base, strengthening relationships with partners and elevating the brand to become a stand-alone leading supplier within the virtual sports space. 

Suren Khachatryan, CCO at Digitain, said of the appointment: “His proven ability to work with a wide range of commercial stakeholders, as well as his deep understanding of global markets, makes him a perfect fit for us. I’m very confident that he will play a major role in helping us achieve our growth targets and contribute to our success for many years to come.” 

Svenska Spel

Eva Stoppel is to take up the role of CFO at Swedish state-owned gambling operator Svenska Spel, and will formally assume the position on Sunday September 1, 2019.

Forming a part of group management and reporting to the CEO, Stoppel joins from Swedbank after a long career in the Bonnier Group that included being investment director at Bonnier AB, and CFO of Bonnier News, Daily News and Scribona Sverige.

Patrik Hofbauer, president and CEO at Svenska Spel, commented: “I am very happy to welcome Eva Stoppel to Svenska Spel. In addition to her extensive experience as CFO she has valuable expertise in business development and change management. 

“She also has knowledge of digital transformation, something that will be a great asset for us. With Eva, we get a CFO who has all these key elements and who also knows how it is to work in regulated and highly competitive industries”

Of the appointment Stoppel added: “I am very pleased to be entrusted with responsibility for the finance and business support function for Svenska Spel. I hope to contribute with my experience in charge of management and digital transformation in other competitive industries”

Helio Gaming

Lottery games provider Helio Gaming has strengthened its operational arm, with the appointment of Keith Galea as chief operating officer.

Bringing a “demonstrable track record of operational success,” Galea joins Helio from Bit8 where he occupied the chief product officer position, but despite the new role will maintain his position of managing director at his consultancy firm Consult Labs.

Richard Mifsud, CEO at Helio Gaming, stated: “We’re delighted to announce the appointment of Keith as COO. Having invested in Helio Gaming, he understands how we work, and the experience he offers will take us to the next level.

“The addition of Keith will play a major role in helping us achieve our growth targets, and be an important member of the team for many years to come.

Okto Group

Okto Group, the financial technology provider, has appointed Simon Dorsen as director of gaming as it strives to consolidate its presence and drive its growth in the industry.

Set to be supported by “a growing team of gaming experts,” Dorsen joins as the firm sets a vision to gamify the payment experience, and establishing Okto “as the true player’s wallet”.

Filippos Antonopoulos, co-founder of Okto, said of the appointment: “Simon is an industry veteran with a gamer’s heart and the entrepreneurial spirit to drive growth and positive disruption in our industry. We welcome him with delight.

“We have been tailoring our market-leading payments and financial ecosystem to the gaming industry to provide a full-service payments and fintech model. Simon’s proven ability across a wide range of well-known gaming suppliers and operators, as well as his deep understanding of the technology behind it, makes him a perfect fit.

“I firmly believe that he will play a major role in successfully growing our gaming business.”

Bringing 16 years experience across the gaming and payment sectors, Dorsen has previously held senior roles with Trustly, GTech and IGT, where he is credited with establishing the company’s first omni-channel sales team.

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In his new role, García del Frade is set to lead the company’s Spanish operations and help build its client portfolio in the local market, whereas Shopov will take responsibility of securing key partnerships in the gaming, retail and financial industries as well as driving OKTO’s  commercial strategy.

Simon Dorsen, Director of Gaming at OKTO, said: “The talent we have in our company continues to grow and it is fantastic to see our team expand internationally with individuals that we know will play a major part in OKTO’s journey.

“Ignacio and Dimitar both bring valuable knowledge, skills and expertise to their respective roles and we are positive they will continue to drive our commercial success and business growth.”

Frade, whose experience and network of contacts in the local gaming industry look set to aid the accelerating of OKTO’s growth in the country, joins the financial technology provider from Win Systems, where he successfully accomplished the first installation of Wigos casino management system at several Spanish operators as business development manager. 

García del Frade added: “I am delighted to be joining the OKTO team at such a pivotal point in its journey and am looking forward to delivering results in the Spanish market.

“OKTO’s suite of payment applications for the betting and gaming sector will deliver real value for operators in terms of building customer acquisition and retention, and I believe its business in Spain will go from strength to strength.  

Shopov also brings a broad range of experience to the new role, having previously proven his project management skills throughout his time as partner manager at Edentix, as well as in the role of sales director for specialist payment and technology companies including Cashflows, Skrill and IBM.

Shopov concluded: “I have been incredibly impressed not only with OKTO’s fast and seamless mobile payment technology but also with its value-added services that will significantly enhance the customer experience both in online and retail environments.

“I’m excited to be working with my new talent colleagues to help drive the business forward and cement its position as the go-to mobile payment provider for gaming.”

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The agreement is set to give a host of Italian operators access to OKTO’s payment solutions for gaming through a seamless integration with ARESWAY’s EOS open platform for VLTs.

As a result, players using ARESWAY VLT machines will now be able to access funds whenever and wherever they want through the utilisation of the OKTO.WALLET mobile payment system.

Simon Dorsen, director of Gaming at OKTO Group said: “ARESWAY’s innovative EOS Open System provides unparalleled penetration in the Italian market, so we are thrilled to bring the company on board as a partner.

“Our cutting-edge technology further enhances ARESWAY’s retail offering, boosting incremental revenue for its operator partners by transforming the player experience”

With over two decades of experience in the Italian gaming industry, ARESWAY develops advanced solutions for the retail betting industry, boasting an engaging in-house gaming suite and innovative open platform for electronic gaming machines.

Fabio Massimo Molinari, CEO at ARESWAY, added: “We are delighted to integrate OKTO’s fast, simple and user-friendly payment system, proven to lengthen session times and attract new customers.

“We pride ourselves on enhancing the player experience for all our operator partners, so integrating OKTO’s world class payment services is a big win for us.”

The retail partnership follows on from the recent OKTO announcement that saw the digital payment and player engagement application specialist strengthen its commercial team with the appointments of Ignacio García del Frade and Dimitar Shopov as country manager Spain and business development manager respectively. 

In their new roles, García del Frade will lead the company’s Spanish operations and help build its client portfolio in the local market, whereas Shopov will take responsibility of securing key partnerships in the gaming, retail and financial industries as well as driving OKTO’s  commercial strategy.

At the time, Dorsen concluded: “The talent we have in our company continues to grow and it is fantastic to see our team expand internationally with individuals that we know will play a major part in OKTO’s journey.

“Ignacio and Dimitar both bring valuable knowledge, skills and expertise to their respective roles and we are positive they will continue to drive our commercial success and business growth.”

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As part of the link-up, visitors at the London Hippodrome will be able to utilise the company’s Okto.Wallet payment method that will be available in the Hippodrome Casino Members mobile app. 

Simon Dorsen, Okto’s Chief Commercial Officer, explained: “The Hippodrome was the first to interpret changes in legislation bringing about a new style of UK casino that has put the venue firmly on the world map. Now the established cornerstone of West End life introduces Okto to its visitors, being always in the front line of digitalisation.

“Under the terms of our agreement the Okto.Wallet payment method will be embedded within the Hippodrome Casino mobile app, providing customers with enhanced payment experiences and capabilities. 

“The proprietary platform meets all the niche demands of gaming customers, allowing users to transfer funds responsibly and enjoy real-time payments.“

Echoing the thoughts of Dorsen, George Constantinou, Head of online of Hippodrome Casino, added: “Since opening nearly a decade ago on July 13, 2012, the Hippodrome is the UK’s largest and subsequently most popular casino and entertainment venue has set new standards in everything that it has done and that includes digital payments and the first casino membership app that includes a customer wallet.

“The Okto.Wallet is a digital payment method that delivers safe and secure transactions which will be embedded into our members mobile app, which at the same time is embracing safer gambling which is a philosophy close to the heart of the Hippodrome business. 

“The Okto app features responsible gambling tools including secure KYC and age verification. These features are vitally important to progressive brands like the Hippodrome. We are pleased to be working with the team at Okto and look forward to building a strong relationship going forward.”

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The first implementations will see Okto integrated with the existing in-venue cashless infrastructure via the GeWeTe hub at the Merkur Bingo Hall in Cricklewood, North London, and the Merkur Slots high street gaming centre in Shepherds Bush, West London. 

“Our goal as a Group is to strive to be the very best in everything that we do,” explained Sacha Blouda, general manger at Merkur UK

“As well as the obvious criteria such as the best venues, people, and machines it also means providing our customers with the best experience and the best choice of options to play and to pay. 

“Everything is led by our players – delivering choice will always be at the very top of the agenda and that includes a recognition that new demographics are seeking a smooth, seamless digitised customer journey.”

Okto’s latest agreement with Merkur Slots and Bingo has followed similar deals with Regal Gaming and Leisure, Inspired Entertainment and Bob Rudd.

Simon Dorsen, CCO at Okto, who is responsible for directing the roll-out of the Okto.Wallet in the UK, added: “This is another major agreement and one that we are incredibly pleased to confirm with Merkur, one of the most respected and recognised names in world gaming.

“We started our relationship with Merkur UK less than six months ago in May 2021 when we signed an agreement with Regal Gaming and Leisure. 

“Adding to the relationship in this way means that we are now active in the Pub, AGC and Bingo sectors which I believe reflects the appeal of the app with players, what it can deliver from a commercial perspective but also its’ role in delivering a safer gambling experience with tools including age verification, time-out periods, a profit and loss calculator, the ability to set spending limits, and access to helplines for the small percentage of machine players who experience problems gambling. 

“Through its 360 programme, I know how serious Merkur UK is about delivering a safe gambling experience, and I am delighted that the Okto.Wallet will be able to contribute to that commitment and philosophy.”

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Following the agreement with Rob Rudd, Okto will extend the brand’s cashless payment product within the UK, which is available directly on gaming machines via Okto.Wallet to a leading 60 per cent share of the pub’s machine market. 

Simon Dorsen, chief commercial officer at Okto, remarked: “We are honoured to collaborate with Bob Rudd and our agreement is a fantastic way to prepare for the trade show season starting with ACOS later this month. 

“The team at Bob Rudd had to be convinced that our solution would meet the highest requirements of their PubCo customers and most importantly those of machine players.”

Dorsen also stated that the UK population has “embraced the cashless revolution” and lauded Okto.Wallet as an “experience that puts gaming on a level playing field with the rest of the high street”.

He added: “In essence, the partnership secures broader payment options for consumers enabling them to quickly deposit and withdraw funds on gaming machines in a safe, transparent, seamless, and trouble-free way courtesy of the Okto mobile app.”

Echoing Dorsen, Simon Broadbent, head of gaming and operations at Bob Rudd, stated that collaborating with Okto will “complement our existing contactless and cashless solutions” and the company looks to ensure that its customers and consumers “have access to all products in the marketplace”.

“The acceleration in cashless and contactless payment solutions over the last 12 months has been well documented and one of our business philosophies has always been to drive innovation and embrace new technology to help develop increases in cash box and the customer experience,” noted Broadbent. 

“Okto is a key partner for us in helping to fulfil this, not only from a business perspective, but also in terms of social responsibility and safer gambling, both of which are crucial to helping move the industry forward as a whole.

“As a truly independent operator with access to all products in the marketplace, we are excited about the possibilities Okto.Wallet offers as a cashless solution and look forward to implementing the roll out across our Category C machines throughout October.”

The partnership with Okto and Bob Rudd follows the former’s recent link-up with Inspired Entertainment, which saw the fintech provider offer its electronic money payment platform on Inspired gaming machines across UK pubs. 

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Lauding a great year for technology during 2019, particularly for the mobile gaming sector, Dorsen stresses that the “wallet revolution is already mainstream” as a reminder is sent to operators of the importance of paying attention to regulatory hurdles.

Making a bold prediction to CasinoBeats regarding the year ahead he stated: “I’m going to go big here and say that 2020 is the year that cash is no longer king. As it stands, the cost of carrying cash for gaming operators is increasing significantly, and many are having to ‘float’ a large portion of cash to regular players that keep regularly coming back within a short period. This needs to change.

“As ever, regulation will be where the buck starts and stops”

“For operators, the cash ‘float’ isn’t sustainable, and for players, elongated withdrawal times in a digital age are proving to be a significant pain point. Today’s demographic wants the freedom to receive their money fast and in a safe, secure way that allows them to spend it how and when they choose. 

“If operators want to stay ahead in 2020, they need to work with licensed, innovative companies that understand both gaming and fintech, and can deliver on the latest in payments technology. I predict that operators that adapt first and begin to embrace the cashless revolution now will be reaping the rewards come end of the year.”

Continuing to look ahead to the next 12 months, Dorsen, who spoke at last year’s Payment Expert Forum at Olympia London on betting’s future relationship with fintech, suggests different licenses are required to limit the movement of funds between retail and online.

“As ever, regulation will be where the buck starts and stops, and the importance of paying attention to regulatory hurdles in 2020 should never be underestimated by operators,” he says. “Europe in particular is a true patchwork of regulatory regimes. Separate licenses for online and retail that limit movement of funds between the channels are essential. 

“This is none more so the case than when it comes to AML and KYC procedures. Gaming operators who are scrambling to solve these solutions themselves would do well to invite an expert to provide the answer for them. By bringing in an already certified solution, you’re good to go across multiple markets with a ready-made provider that already has the required regulatory approval. 

“With the relevant licences, PSPs are well positioned to integrate onboarding and identity checks into the overall payments process, leveraging the best technology and security software available. Choosing the right partner can help operators optimise the identification process in a compliant and cost-effective manner that actually boosts customer engagement and helps establish a trusting relationship from the get-go.”

“The wallet revolution is already mainstream”

To conclude, Dorsen takes a look back to 2019 and a period which sees technological advancements progress at an even quicker rate than adoption: “It’s been a great year for new technology, especially when it comes to mobile gaming. The industry has developed in leaps and bounds over the past year, and we’re seeing plenty of new opportunities emerge for us as digital wallet tech continues to go mainstream. 

“The wallet revolution is already mainstream, as we’ve seen with Revolut and Apple Pay achieving high adoption. Gaming and betting operators are becoming increasingly interested in understanding how they can leverage our OKTO.WALLET to streamline operations and minimise costs.

“When it comes to the customer, we’re seeing a rapid uptake. Mobile transactions already account for 54 per cent of digital payments in Europe and are growing globally by 10 per cent. With technology advancing at an even quicker pace than adoption, payment solutions are offering a whole new level of convenience for customers dedicated to reducing friction in gaming transactions.

“Fast payouts build brand trust with the player, driving repeat betting, visitation and deposit ratios, and I’m looking forward to seeing operators continuing to capitalise on that in 2020.”

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Speaking on the Gender equality panel in online gaming, she stated: “For betting operators The old way of thinking is that men are the only customers, emphasising that if you look at football stadiums, they are no longer made up of a majority of men, but are now filled with families.”

Cecilia Paolino-Uboldi, partner at SlotGuru also detailed that when it comes to increasing diversity and improving the bottom line, it’s vital that companies show their employees from top to bottom that there is a strong chance, for them and they are involved in the decision making process.

Consultant Simon Dorsen, also outlined the importance of altering the culture within companies, allowing them to be representative of its customer base, affirming that the customer base for casino operators is evolving very quickly.

The hugely popular panel was hosted by the founder of the All-in Diversity project, Kelly Kehn, who launched the initiative last year to tackle the issue of diversity and inclusion on a global scale and has seen her  industry-driven project go from strength to strength.

The panel that sparked lively debate amongst an engaged audience at the Olympia as the crowd sought to offer their opinions on the importance of diversity and how it can be improved industry wide.

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