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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As a result, the new licence now allows Digitain to extend its global player reach and form fresh strategic commercial partnerships which will add to its pre-existing 100+ partner portfolios which covers 65 sports, 7,500 leagues, and over 3,000 markets.

Suren Khachatryan, Chief Commercial Officer at Digitain, stated: “This new licence deepens our access to a key market, giving further recognition to a market-leading portfolio that received a host of prestigious industry awards last year.”

As well as extending Digitain’s outreach, the certification also recognises its award-winning platform, casino software solutions and in-house gaming management suite, and is set to help the company build on its record-breaking 2019, with the aim of becoming the world’s leading software partner by the end of the year. 

Khachatryan added: “As well as being an important milestone for the company, the news affords more operators the chance to take advantage of our best-in-class sportsbook and casino technology. From highly advanced turn-key and white-label solutions to our premium quality in-house game collection, we’re on track to deliver another record-breaking year.” 

This is the latest deal to involve the MGA and follows on from the recent announcement that saw it grant regulatory approval to Push Gaming’s proprietary platform.

As a result, the slot and mobile game developer will now have full control of its own technology development and delivery schedule thanks to a B2B licence in Malta. 

Mario Petraglia, director of legal and compliance at Push Gaming, concluded: “We are delighted to see our efforts recognised. We’ve managed to set up a bespoke operational toolkit to support our award-winning gaming content in record time, propelling us from boutique game developer to the ranks of full-service supplier.

“Compliance is at the core of Push Gaming’s operations and we take great pride in spearheading the development of responsible gaming products in the industry. We look forward to bringing further innovation across all regulated markets in Europe and beyond.”

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As a result, Digitain not only extends its global player reach but is also now set to supply a wide array of Tier 1 B2C operators across the jurisdiction. Moreover, the provider is now authorised to form strategic commercial partnerships in the region. 

Suren Khachatryan, Digitain CCO, stated: “This new licence deepens our access to a key market, giving further recognition to a market-leading portfolio that received a host of prestigious industry awards last year.

“As well as being an important milestone for the company, the news affords more operators the chance to take advantage of our best-in-class sportsbook and casino technology.

“From highly advanced turn-key and white-label solutions to our premium quality in-house game collection, we’re on track to deliver another record-breaking year.”

The deal is Digitain’s latest expansion and builds on the December 2019 announcement that saw it granted a class 2 licence certification from the Romanian National Gambling Office (ONJN).

The class 2 certification allowed Digitain to roll out its full range of services across Romania’s regulated space, while licensed digital and retail operators in Romania also gain full access to Digitain’s entire product portfolio and software.

At the time Khachatryan concluded: “This new licence grants us deeper access to the Eastern European market, affording more and more sports fans the opportunity to enjoy our innovative sportsbook and play our exciting stable of games.

“Requests for proposal from licensees in the market have been strong and we expect to announce a raft of partnership deals in due course.

“Class 2 certification from Romania marks another important milestone for the company, enabling us to bring our award-winning platform to even more operators and their players across the planet. Approval from the ONJN bolsters Digitain’s ability to enter new markets with assurance as part of our wider expansion strategy.”

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Factoring out the myriad of science fiction novels and films that have been highlighting the digital realm for many years, the metaverse is still a relatively new phenomenon.

To truly understand how online gaming works within the meta space, Technamin’s Founder and CEO, Suren Khachatryan, stressed we, as an industry, need to define what the concept means for the sector. 

Speaking as part of CasinoBeats ongoing Heavy Meta Series, sponsored by SBC Advisory, Khachatryan asserted that, while everyone is still yet to tap into the full potential of the metaverse, the online gaming vertical already has elements which can be considered as “the first forays” into the virtual universe. 

“We have various casinos that are digital reproductions which give the player the illusion of being inside a physical gaming location, albeit looking at it through a screen,” Technamin’s CEO stated. “The metaverse will only serve to make this experience even more immersive and realistic for the player. 

“Lest we forget, cryptocurrencies will also play a big part here. It is very likely that these decentralised, digital currencies will dominate the metaverse, and their popularity today is a very visible hint that they will be around when the metaverse blooms into its ultimate form.”

“Some will embrace the metaverse with open arms, and others will be less accepting.”

Reminiscing on the early days of the internet, an idea which would be alien to most of us in this modern era, Khachatryan emphasised that “no one was sure what it was, or how big it would get” and believes the world as a whole could witness parallels when it comes to the metaverse. 

He added: “Some will embrace the metaverse with open arms, and others will be less accepting. 

“I think that in terms of online gaming, people will react positively, especially now, in a post-COVID reality where so many physical locations have shut down, having the ability to enter a ‘real’ casino from the comfort of one’s home will be a welcome relief. Keep in mind that AI is also expanding every day. 

“We now have engines that can replicate human beings. Instead of a computer dealing the cards, you will be greeted with a life-like replica of a person, adding more feel to the playing experience. The metaverse also allows people to be present in the same simulated environment from different physical locations. This will cover the social encounter side of things.”

“Standards must be met in order to ensure that players enjoy their time in total safety.”

However, when it comes to responsible gaming policies, Khachatryan stressed that “people are people”, whether in a physical location or in a virtual reality, and the need to enforce RG should be just as strict within the metaverse. 

“Standards must be met in order to ensure that players enjoy their time in total safety,” the CEO claimed. “The advancements we have made in online gaming allow us to follow responsible gaming regulations in a less rigid manner through customising the experience for the player. 

“The same can be done in the metaverse, in an even more exciting way. The more customisable the games and the environment, the safer everything will be for the player.”

Looking into how online gaming can make the metaverse inclusive for all, Khachatryan warned interested users that, at least in the early stages, the metaverse will “remain a bit inclusive” as the concept progresses. 

He continued: “It’s the same with every other phenomenon. As we move forward, new technological advancements will make it possible to mass-produce these devices and technologies for everyone to afford. 

“I think there’s great potential here for creating breathtaking experiences that players can enjoy.”

“I remember when VR headsets first came out, and not a lot of people could afford them. Now you can find affordable devices everywhere online. The same thing happened with flying drones and action cameras.” 

As with any uncharted territory, the risks remain an enigma until revealed. When addressing what risks the digital frontier will unveil, Khachatryan believes that this question can open a long chain of discussions. 

Technological aspects will no doubt come into question, with Khachatryan predicting that ethics may have a part to play in regards to risk. One factor which Technamin’s CEO stressed would play a factor, from a very superficial point of view, would be the physical aspect. 

“Many people complained that VR headsets induced headaches and nausea after being used for prolonged periods of time,” he explained. “Metaverse technology may cause the same issues.”

Alongside the aforementioned risks, Khachatryan highlighted the security potentially becoming problematic as everything will be based online with the potential of players and their information becoming exposed to greater risk. 

“We are living in very, very exciting times in the igaming industry and in general!” 

Moreover, he also brought up another potential concern – the length of player engagement: “Players will tend to stay in the virtual casinos for longer periods of time, with the experience being so immersive,” he explained.

“In terms of responsible gaming, this might be problematic. But on the other hand, I’m sure that responsible gaming tools will also evolve accordingly.”

With any new concept, the pros and cons list will forever grow, each overtaking the other at one point or another. However, Khachatryan concluded by expressing his thoughts that the online casino industry is “fully open to embrace” the metaverse but warned that the sector must “take every precaution to keep our players safe”.

Adding: “I think there’s great potential here for creating breathtaking experiences that players can enjoy. Imagine an online casino which is not just a screen you can click on, but a virtual world which you can inspect as you would do in a land-based casino, interact with other players directly, and even choose what type of clothing you can wear. 

“On top of that, you can pay with ease using crypto, and the entire experience is fully customised to your preferences. We are living in very, very exciting times in the igaming industry and in general!” 

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Lauded as “ambitious plans to support gaming and tech startups across the Caucuses,” the firm is aiming to develop a thriving tech ecosystem for development companies.

DigiTown is to offer free working space for an initial year to the region’s most ambitious tech startups in a full-service ecosystem, which it hopes will provide the foundations for harnessing growth at the crossroads between Asia and Europe.

In addition to striving to foster increased growth, Digitain has stressed that via the launch of Digitown it’s hoped that further foreign investment will be attracted “to a country already famed for its tech talents, as well as leading position within the B2B gaming tech space”.

Unveiling a scale model of the project’s headquarters, a custom-built complex located in Yerevan, at the ongoing World Congress on Information Technologies, Digitown is also currently under construction.

Suren Khachatryan, CCO at Digitain, said of the development: “Armenia’s contribution to tech world of IT and tech speaks for itself. As one of Armenia’s most successful companies, we’re delighted to be launching such as ambitious project – one that we hope will continue to put one of the most dynamic, fast-growing regions on the planet.

“As well as attracting investment and fostering entrepreneurship, we’re also looking forward to connecting with the Armenian global diaspora, many of whom will be getting involved in making our country a true open window to the tech world!”

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Under the terms of the agreement, Digitain will gain access to Digitain’s sportsbook, casino, payment gateways, sports data and statistics, as well as access to Digitain’s full-service enterprise tools for mobile, desktop and retail channels.

Suren Khachatryan, Digitain CEO, said of the deal: “We are delighted that our industry-leading solution is going from strength-to-strength the world over. Africa is a key market for us and we’re looking forward to this being the first of a few announcements on the continent in the coming months.”

The agreement is hoped to give Digitain the opportunity to tap into the Nigerian market, gaining access to a new audience, while also introducing Westernbet’s fans Digitain’s sportsbook offerings.

Commenting on the deal, Ajay Tripathi, managing director of Westernbet, added: “We are happy to announce our agreement with Digitain, and to have their Full Turnkey Solution.

“The technical solutions of the sportsbook, as well as scoreboards on our website display real-time match details using graphics and statistics are intuitive and easy to use, and are sure to be a real hit with our players from day one.”

Westernbet will be able to offer odds on 35,000 live events each month, with a casino solution that boasts more 3,000-plus games from major casino suppliers,such as Novomatic, Microgaming, NetEnt and Playson.

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Set to be led by Simon Westbury, who joined the group as head of international business development director at the end of last month, his short-term role has been stipulated as helping drive business across the United Kingdom.

The office opening follows a particularly busy year for Digitain, which has seen it expand its global footprint from Europe, through Asia and on to Africa and Latin America.

The new office is said to provide localised client-facing and account-management services in support of Digitain’s wider international growth ambitions, with new offices planned across a range of global locations in Asia, Africa and Latin America.

Westbury explained: “I am delighted to be leading Digitain’s drive into the UK and wider regulated markets. Digitain is a company which is a market leader in the gaming industry and, in keeping with our business principles of being as close to our partners as possible, the opening of a UK office is an exciting development in helping us achieve our aims.”

Joining the firm in June, 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.”

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Set to integrate content of the European RNG slots and video bingo developer, Digitain hails the recruitment of “one of the lightest and fastest suites of RNG games on the market”.

Suren Khachatryan, Digitain CCO, said of the new partnership: “WeAreCasino are re-imagining the slots space with deeper and varied gaming experiences. Combining compelling video offerings with more conventional games is a key component in unlocking player engagement across all mobile platforms, so we’re thrilled to have upgraded our platform again as we broaden its worldwide scope.

“We’ve integrated some superb casino content of late, premised on dazzling graphics and maths-enhanced gameplay. We’re now confident WeAreCasino’s games will quickly become firm favourites with new operators and players alike.”

Amongst the titles set to be made available via Digitain is the WeAreCasino suite of specialised slots and video bingo, which are “primed for deployment into breakout territories”.

The integration is set to deliver added power and flexibility to the sportsbook supplier’s casino platform, as it maintains its global expansion into emerging markets, from Asia to Africa and on to Latin America.

Marko Jelen, head of sales at WeAreCasino, added: “We’re truly delighted to have formalised this business relationship with Digitain. Their platform is one of most innovative around, and it’s a real honour to partner with such a progressive company, as they expand into exciting, emerging markets.

“Following this deal, all their customers will enjoy access to our full portfolio of products. And, thanks to our recent slot builder partnership program, that means popular titles such as lucky memes and fruity outlaws will also be made available to Digitain’s operator partners.”

Earlier this month Marko Jelen took over the reigns of the sales team at the casino content developer and platform provider, inheriting the role from the departed Christian Maglia.

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Under the terms of the new deal Digitain is to “arm itself with an innovative virtual games suite which majors in the HD-quality graphics, engaging gameplay and immersive soundscape,” which the firm stresses has become “Fazi’s table games trademark”.

Bojan Mitic, CEO at Fazi, said of the partnership: “We’re very pleased to have teamed up with Digitain, who share our core values and passion, to strengthen our position in a highly competitive space.

“We are thrilled to see our games delivered via one of the most sophisticated gaming platforms around, and we can’t wait to see how those games perform across territories which, in many cases, represent new markets for us.

“We have launched some fantastic content over the last year, with a wide variety of themes, features, and virtual models, and we hope they’ll quickly become firm favourites with operators and players alike.”

As a result of the fresh integration Digitain emphasises that is has added “more muscle” to the sportsbook supplier’s casino platform, as it strives to continue a strategy of broadening its global footprint into emerging markets, and bringing a new range of content to its existing portfolio.

Suren Khachatryan, Digitain CCO, added: “We have been working hard to forge fresh casino alliances recently, and are aiming to equip ourselves with progressive products from the best suppliers in the business.

“Like us, Fazi have been very successful in their expansion over the past 12 months, and together we present a compelling platform and content solution for operators. It’s fantastic to have them on board.”

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Boasting in excess of 55 worldwide partners, in addition to more than 400 land-based betting shops, Digitain, who provide omni-channel igaming to the online, mobile and land-based verticals, stresses that it’s pleased to add an “outstanding” array of content.

Suren Khachatryan, chief executive officer of Digitain, commented: “It’s always a pleasure to work with partners such as Patagonia, with whom we have a long-standing agreement.

“As a business, we share the same enthusiasm and adherence to the highest product delivery and customer experience to our combined international clients, thus ensuring the best-of-breed gaming content is available to the widest player base.”

Under the terms of the partnership Patagonia is to integrate its library of titles onto the Digitain platform, which is to include Pachinko 3D, Goal Bingo, Show Ball Plus and Pirates Bingo, among others.

Furthermore, it is also stated that its portfolio of games now features over 200 titles, and includes third-party games from Ortiz, RCT, Zest, FBM, Spinomenal, Ezugi and MGA.

Victor Arias, Patagonia Entertainment’s global business development manager, added: “Digitain’s igaming solution is in huge demand and our video bingo titles fit the company mission perfectly. Our games will help Digitain continue its amazing growth.”

Earlier this week Patagonia announced a content partnership with Iforium, as the organisation strives to expand its offering to various markets worldwide.

Under the terms of the deal the company is to integrate its library of casino content into Inforium’s Gameflex casino aggregation platform, which combines over 8,000 titles.

Patagonia is currently certified for Colombia, Mexico and the Philippines markets, and is working on enhancing the presence of its games portfolio for the regulated Spanish, Portuguese & UK jurisdictions.

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