Industry News
OKTO strengthens commercial team with two new management appointments
Ignacio García del Frade named as Country Manager Spain and Dimitar Shopov as Business Development Manager
OKTO Group, the financial technology provider specialising in digital payment and player engagement applications, has expanded its commercial talent with the recruitment of Ignacio García del Frade and Dimitar Shopov in key company roles.
García del Frade has come on board as Country Manager Spain to lead the company’s Spanish operations and help build its client portfolio in the local market. Shopov, OKTO’s new Business Development Manager, will be responsible for driving the commercial strategy and securing key partnerships in the gaming, retail and financial industries.
Frade joins OKTO from Win Systems, where he successfully accomplished the first installation of Wigos casino management system at several Spanish operators as Business Development Manager. His broad experience and network of contacts in the local gaming industry will be instrumental to accelerating OKTO’s growth in the country.
Shopov also brings a broad range of experience to the new role, having proved his project management skills as Partner Manager at Edentix, as well as serving as Sales Director for specialist payment and technology companies including Cashflows, Skrill and IBM.
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.”
Ignacio García del Frade, Country Manager Spain, said: “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.
Dimitar Shopov, Business Development Manager, said: “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.”
OKTO is currently attending ICE London 2020 to showcase its industry-leading payment solutions for gaming.
ESG
Play’n GO publishes 2025 Sustainability Report with emissions and governance updates
Play’n GO has published its 2025 Sustainability Report, framing the year as a milestone as the supplier marks 20 years in the gaming industry. The report covers performance across four pillars—Players, Partners, People and Planet—and positions sustainability as tied to product design, operations, and partner expectations.
On climate reporting, the company said it has “achieved and exceeded” its long-term 90% reduction target for Scope 1 and 2 emissions, and reported a 69% absolute reduction in Scope 3 emissions versus its 2023 base year. Play’n GO also said its total material emissions for 2025 were kept below 500 MTCO2e.
The report also points to a move into land-based delivery. In 2025, Play’n GO said it launched its first land-based gaming solution in partnership with Genting UK, positioning the rollout as part of a “player-first, low-footprint approach” for regulated venues.
On responsible entertainment, the company said it continues to reject game mechanics it believes “compromise player trust or wellbeing,” and highlighted participation in discussions on digital wellbeing and cognitive health, including at the United Nations and G7. “We have always believed that great entertainment should be fun, safe and fair,” said Vanessa Björkbacka, Director of CSR at Play’n GO.
The report also outlines internal development and reporting infrastructure. Play’n GO said 43% of employees engaged in AI-related learning during 2025 and that average training time exceeded seven hours per employee globally. It added that reporting was further aligned to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and World Economic Forum Stakeholder Capitalism Metrics, alongside investment in “secure, AI-supported carbon data management.” “As expectations on transparency and accountability continue to rise, we see it as our responsibility to lead,” Björkbacka added.
The post Play’n GO publishes 2025 Sustainability Report with emissions and governance updates appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
complaint resolution
Casino Guru CRC returns $5.3m to players in Q1 2026
Casino Guru’s Complaint Resolution Center (CRC) published 3,986 complaints in Q1 2026 and says it resolved 1,321 cases, returning $5,304,894 to players during the quarter.
Casino Guru said March was one of the CRC’s most active months on record, with the second-highest number of published complaints to date. The company added that ongoing cases exceeded 1,300, pointing to rising demand for third-party dispute mediation.
By volume, the most active complaint markets were Germany (657), the United Kingdom (270), Canada (240), Italy (207) and Australia (194), according to the CRC update.
Delayed payments remained the most common player-reported issue. Casino Guru also reported a March shift in complaint mix, with self-exclusion-related complaints rising to the second most frequent category for the first time in CRC history. KYC-related issues and blocked accounts were also among the most common complaint types, often linked to withdrawal delays.
Casino Guru said the quarter’s results reflect the increasing role of independent mediation as players look to third-party platforms to resolve disputes.
The post Casino Guru CRC returns $5.3m to players in Q1 2026 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
branded content
RubyPlay launches Firerose studio for operator-specific casino games
RubyPlay has launched Firerose, a new studio aimed at building operator-specific casino game experiences, as suppliers and operators push for more branded content to stand out in crowded markets.
The company said Firerose is designed to let operators combine RubyPlay’s existing game catalogue with the studio’s technology and creative resources, using operator-led insight to shape games around an operator’s brand identity rather than standardised supplier content.
RubyPlay said Superbet is among the first operators to launch Firerose-powered titles. The supplier did not disclose game names or specific performance figures, but said early results showed “strong engagement metrics”.
Firerose becomes part of RubyPlay’s multi-studio structure alongside Koala Games, Mad Hat Games, Ruby Studio, and Xslots, which the company said share technology, infrastructure and distribution.
Dima Reiderman , Chief Commercial Officer at RubyPlay, said: ”Firerose represents a deliberate shift in how we think about content creation and partnership. The market is no longer driven solely by volume, but by identity. Operators want experiences that feel native to their brand and help them clearly differentiate in increasingly competitive casino environments.”
Dr. Eyal Loz, CPO at RubyPlay, added: “Firerose was created to put the operator’s voice at the centre of the creative process. Every game starts with their brand, their audience and their story, and our role is to bring that to life through the full weight of RubyPlay’s creative capabilities.
“We’re shaping experiences that players immediately associate with the operator itself. That level of ownership is what allows operators to stand out in increasingly crowded casino environments.”
The post RubyPlay launches Firerose studio for operator-specific casino games appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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