Latest News

Admix, Gamestream, Gamebake and PlayLa.bZ Appoint Raptor PR as Agency of Record

Published

5 years ago

June 17, 2021

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Raptor PR, the virtual-first digital PR agency for video games, media and tech brands, today emerges from soft launch into full communications agency mode having secured four retained accounts since January 2021. The quartet includes Admix, a $12M funded in-game advertising platform that is leading the ‘In-Play’ movement, Gamestream, the leading B2B whitelabeled cloud gaming solution, GameBake, the pioneering video games distribution solution, and PlayLa.bZ, the award-winning multi-dimensional motion arts research institute at Ravensbourne University London.

Founded in May 2019 by twenty-year tech PR veteran Rana Rahman, Raptor PR has transitioned from single freelancer status to a fully formed PR agency, offering a laser-focussed set of services designed to help emerging tech, games and media companies cut through the noise. Coinciding with the launch, its new website and gamified branding goes live today. Today Raptor PR is also proud to announce it is now a member of UKIE, the trade association for the UK’s games and interactive entertainment industry.

For its new clients, Raptor PR will be developing their entire global communications architecture, designed to scale-up their reach to meet new, untapped audiences. This includes global corporate messaging, earned and paid media strategy, social media strategy and community management, audio and podcasting, analyst and influencer relations, data analytics, market research, events, branding, web build, content marketing, and advanced copywriting services, powered by a team of veteran freelance journalists and communications professionals.

Rana Rahman, Founder and CEO of Raptor PR, commented:

“With COVID-19 bringing my long freelance consulting career to a halt last year, I had the opportunity to develop a virtual-first model for Raptor PR. There’s a new breed of tech entrepreneur which desires a hyper-agile agency model to mould around their evolving business needs. One which can truly adapt to suit an ever-changing environment. Our virtual model enables us to deliver best-in-class local services with global reach, unshackled by location, time-zone and resource. The goal for Raptor PR is to perfect a diverse, data-driven, virtual agency model that’s capable of adapting to rapidly changing client needs and variable economic conditions”.

Sam Huber, CEO and Co-Founder of Admix, says of Raptor PR:

“As a company with large ambition in the gaming space, it was very important for us to find a PR partner who understands our mission, and is equally as passionate about our industry. Rana and his team have a combination of experience and out-of-the-box thinking necessary to break through the noise and deliver real results.”

Mike Hudson, CEO & co-founder of GameBake, added:

“Gaming is the passion that drives GameBake, and finding a PR partner that has that same passion and drive to not just understand our mission, but to become a true part of the team has really helped unlock the creativity of the whole team to drive our PR machine.”

James Edward Marks, PlayLabZ Co-Founder, SEEDS Mentor, Artivist, Emerging Film Technologies Guest Lecturer, added:

“Raptor’s playful passion to mix shareable stories with byte & its knack for blurring boundaries within the arts, culture & emerging tech for social good third-space, feels like a natural synchronicity with our own. As PlayLa.bZ & GenieMo now look to expand minds and massage the mainstream with our Multi-dimensional Motion Arts innovations at Ravensbourne University London, and explore the rapidly evolving shape of DIY spatial social-cast communication & experiences to come.”

The core team is led by Founder and CEO Rana Rahman, and PR Account Director and audio specialist Rosie Lumley. Content is driven by Simon Judges and Thomas Huxter, AR by Angela May, HR by Utterclub founder Lorraine Barker. Industry partners include Mobidictum, the leading mobile gaming news platform in Turkey, broadcast PR specialist Hound Global, and US-based Briz Media Group. Over the past two decades, Rana has consulted for an eclectic mix of award-winning global PR agencies like JIN (UK, FR and DE), WITH PR, April Six, Borkowski.DO, Bubble Agency, Shine Communications, MSL UK, H+K, 3 Monkeys, Braben, Propeller Group PR. Rana’s previous brand experience includes the likes of PlayStation, Rovio, Philips, Microsoft, IONITY, SafeToNet, Fujifilm, AppLovin, Tappx, EMAP, Buena Vista International, MediaCom and Carat.

888.it

R. Franco Digital Shortlisted for Casino Platform Excellence at EGR Europe Awards 2026

Published

2 hours ago

January 8, 2026

Wladimir P.

r.-franco-digital-shortlisted-for-casino-platform-excellence-at-egr-europe-awards-2026

R. Franco Digital, the leading Spanish iGaming provider, has been officially shortlisted for Casino Platform Supplier of the Year at the prestigious EGR Europe Awards 2026. The nomination recognizes a landmark year for the company, characterized by the explosive growth of its IRIS Open Omnichannel Platform and a major commercial breakthrough into the Italian market.

The winners will be announced during a gala ceremony on February 18, 2026, at the Hilton Malta, where the industry’s top-tier operators and suppliers gather to celebrate European gaming excellence.

IRIS: The Engine of Omnichannel Growth

The core of R. Franco Digital’s success lies in its IRIS platform, a highly scalable, multi-jurisdictional solution that unifies casino, sports betting, and retail management.

IRIS Platform Milestones (2025-2026):

Jurisdictional Reach: Certified in 6 jurisdictions and operational in over 10 regulated markets.
Content Depth: Seamlessly integrated with over 1,600 games from global third-party providers.
Operational Stability: Provides 24/7 multilingual support and advanced real-time analytics for operators.
Commercial Momentum: Secured 50+ new operator partnerships and entered three new markets within the last 12 months.

Performance Highlights: 4 Billion Game Rounds

R. Franco Digital’s games portfolio has seen a massive surge in engagement, bolstered by 20 new high-performance slot releases in 2025. Standout titles such as Strange Spins, Aphrodite, Zorro: Final Duel, Ovomon, and The Phantom contributed to a record-breaking year.

Metric	2025–2026 Achievement
Total Game Rounds	4 Billion+ across regulated markets
Revenue Growth	30% Increase during the judging period
New Content	20 New slot titles launched
Expansion	Debut in the Italian regulated market

Strategic Italian Market Entry

A major factor in the EGR shortlisting was R. Franco Digital’s successful entry into Italy. The provider rapidly localized its content to meet the specific demands of Italian players through tier-one partnerships:

Stanleybet.it: Launched 19 games, including the Italian-exclusive debut of Strange Spins.
888.it: Successfully rolled out the popular Super 7 3×3 title.

“We’re proud to be shortlisted for this award, which reflects the strength of our IRIS platform and the quality of the content we’ve delivered over the past year,” said Javier Sacristán Franco, International Business Director at R. Franco Digital. “Our team has worked hard to support operators with reliable, innovative solutions… we are delighted to see that effort recognised.”

The post R. Franco Digital Shortlisted for Casino Platform Excellence at EGR Europe Awards 2026 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Big Hot Flaming Pots

Big Hot Flaming Pots: Tasty Treasures – Lightning Box Brings Land-Based Hit Online

Published

3 hours ago

January 8, 2026

Wladimir P.

big-hot-flaming-pots:-tasty-treasures-–-lightning-box-brings-land-based-hit-online

Light & Wonder has officially launched Big Hot Flaming Pots: Tasty Treasures, the digital debut of its highly successful land-based franchise. Developed by in-house specialist studio Lightning Box, this 3×5 slot offers 243 ways to win and a high-energy “three-pot” mechanic that has already become a staple on casino floors worldwide.

The game transitions the whimsical “dumpling-tossing” theme to online audiences, combining vibrant Asian-inspired aesthetics with a deep mathematical model designed for high-engagement sessions.

The Three-Pot Mechanic & Seven Feature Combinations

At the core of the gameplay is the persistent pot system. Landing specific colored coins fuels three separate pots—Yummy, Spicy, and Upsized. These pots can trigger individually or in any combination, leading to seven distinct bonus paths.

Feature Mode	Gameplay Enhancement
Yummy Mode	Increases the Hold & Spin respin counter from 3 to 4, significantly extending bonus life.
Spicy Mode	Introduces Chilli multipliers; landing a pepper adds its cash value to every symbol currently held on the board.
Upsized Mode	Unlocks a Dual Grid (two reel sets) for the Hold & Spin round, doubling the win potential.
Combined Modes	Triggering all three at once creates the “Mega Bonus,” featuring dual grids, 4 respins, and value-boosting peppers.

Innovation: The Stack N’ Hit Feature

Unlike traditional Hold & Spin mechanics where symbols simply lock until the round ends, Tasty Treasures introduces the Stack N’ Hit evolution.

Reel Clearing: When a vertical reel is filled with Bun symbols, the prizes are instantly collected, and the reel is cleared.
Persistent Respins: Clearing a reel creates open spaces for new prizes to land, allowing the bonus round to continue far longer than standard industry alternatives.
The Path to Grand: Each cleared reel activates a “Pepper Tracker” above it. Lighting up all five trackers awards the Grand Progressive Jackpot.

Jackpot Tiers & Base Game Depth

Operators benefit from a versatile math model that supports both consistent base-game performance and high-volatility jackpot chases.

Progressive Jackpots: Grand and Major tiers for life-changing win potential.
Fixed Jackpots: Minor and Mini tiers awarded through symbols landing during features.
Nudge Wilds: In the base game, Wild symbols can nudge to cover entire reels, assisting in achieving the 243-way payouts.

“Big Hot Flaming Pots: Tasty Treasures carries forward a brand that has already made its mark in land-based venues,” says Michael Maokhamphiou, Studio Director at Lightning Box. “This release offers operators a flexible, high-performing title that combines familiarity with fresh layers of engagement.”

The post Big Hot Flaming Pots: Tasty Treasures – Lightning Box Brings Land-Based Hit Online appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Blask Index

How Venezuela’s iGaming market is reacting to US pressure

Published

3 hours ago

January 8, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

how-venezuela’s-igaming-market-is-reacting-to-us-pressure

Blask data indicates Venezuela’s iGaming demand remained stable in the initial days following the US operation in Caracas.

On 3 January, US forces detained Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro, transporting him from Caracas to face prosecution in New York. The raid came after months of intensifying American pressure throughout 2025 — naval presence, targeted strikes, and a fresh sanctions package.

For Venezuela’s iGaming sector, the disruption poses a critical question: will demand collapse, or adapt?

First results

Blask’s daily Index remained within a tight corridor from 1–4 January, hovering in the high-200K zone. It dropped 5% to 257.4K on the day of the operation, before recovering the next day.

The data reveals no abrupt demand shift during this period. A slight decline sits within Venezuela’s normal daily fluctuations and does not point to a fundamental market change.

Rapid expansion, growing dominance

Venezuela stood out as one of iGaming’s strongest demand gainers in 2025. Blask Index surged 134.9% year-on-year — the second-highest growth worldwide.

This expansion came alongside increasing market dominance. By December, Triunfo Bet commanded 59% of Blask’s BAP (Brand Accumulated Power, measuring a brand’s portion of total user interest nationally), gaining 15 percentage points since January. The top three brands collectively reached over 85%, up 11 points.

The post How Venezuela’s iGaming market is reacting to US pressure appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.