Industry News
Gambling Business Group Receives Much Awaited Answers from UKGC
The Gambling Business Group (GBG), the strategic voice of the UK gambling industry, has finally received answers from the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) about the value and allocation of financial sanctions and voluntary settlements.
GBG had submitted a freedom of information request to the UKGC, which revealed financial sanctions totalling £58,946,578 over a five and a half year period between June 2014 and December 2019.
It was further revealed that the Gambling Commission has taken £756,997 from these funds to cover their own costs in carrying out the investigations. Some £24m of the penalties has been repatriated to those who fell victim to illegal gambling activity with £34,843,338 apportioned to agreed ‘socially responsible purposes’ as per the Commission’s Statement of Principles for determining financial penalties.
Providing more details on this, Peter Hannibal, CEO of GBG, said: “When we first wrote to the then Minister, Tracey Crouch and subsequently requested the information from the Commission, we were informed (by the Gambling Commission) that they did not consider it to be a priority. Under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA), citizens have the right to request information from any publicly funded body and to get answers, which I’m pleased to say we have now received.
“Apart from the straightforward issue of why did it take an FOI request to get this information in the first place, it appears that the Commission does not have an independent process in place for checking whether the funds they have allocated to socially responsible purposes have been spent effectively and have delivered the impact intended. This is despite the fact that within the Commission’s own Statement of Principles there is an obligation to meaningfully evaluate the effectiveness of the spend on socially responsible purposes.”
He added: “One of the few things that all stakeholders in UK Gambling can agree on is that all RET financial resources are vitally important and should be spent where they are most effective in reducing and preventing harm. Whether these funds are raised through donations, or via a levy, or as in this case through financial penalties, all funds are equally valuable and should as a result be subject to effective valuation.”
Gaming Corps
Gaming Corps launches Instant Blitz scratchcard-style game vertical
Gaming Corps, the Sweden-based publicly listed game developer, has launched Instant Blitz, a new scratchcard-inspired product vertical. The first title, also called Instant Blitz, is now live.
Instant Blitz plays across four rounds on a 3×6 active grid, where clusters of three or more matching symbols pay prizes that are added to a central Prize Pot. The grid can expand up to 6×6 via Lightning symbols, while Wheel symbols trigger a bonus with guaranteed rewards ranging from 5x to 1,000x the stake.
Other feature symbols include Multiplier, which doubles the total Prize Pot win, and Extra Rounds, which adds two additional rounds.
Alexandros Mavroudis, Product Owner at Gaming Corps, said: “Instant Blitz is an exciting launch for us because it introduces a new way of thinking about scratchcard-style content. We wanted to create something that keeps the immediacy players expect from the format but adds more structure and points of anticipation within a single session. The result is a game that feels fast and accessible on the surface but has far more going on underneath.”
Gaming Corps said the release supports low entry stakes, with bets starting from as little as 5p, positioning Instant Blitz as an option for operators looking to add lower-stake instant win content alongside other formats.
The post Gaming Corps launches Instant Blitz scratchcard-style game vertical appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
casino suppliers
Eeze promotes Aarti Carl, Kurt Vella and Shaun Cini in leadership reshuffle
Eeze has promoted three executives into senior leadership roles as the casino supplier scales its operations and reorganises key functions.
Aarti Carl has been appointed Chief People Officer to lead a newly repositioned People Function. Eeze said the function was previously HR and has been redefined to reflect a focus on culture, employee experience and organisational development.
Kurt Vella has been named Chief Legal Officer, responsible for overseeing Eeze’s global legal and compliance strategy.
Shaun Cini has been promoted to Vice President of Finance. Eeze said Cini will continue supporting strategic decision-making.
Lai Fatt Chiang, Chief Executive Officer at Eeze, said: “These appointments reflect both the strength of our internal talent and our commitment to building a leadership team that can support our continued growth.
“Aarti, Kurt, and Shaun have each made a significant impact on the business, and I am confident they will continue to play a key role in shaping our future.”
The post Eeze promotes Aarti Carl, Kurt Vella and Shaun Cini in leadership reshuffle appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Industry News
QTech Games names Iryna Alabuhina Head of Commercial for Europe
Former Hub88 senior account manager joins as QTech targets expanded European operator partnerships.
QTech Games has appointed Iryna Alabuhina as Head of Commercial – Europe, tasking her with expanding the company’s commercial footprint across the region.
Alabuhina joins from Hub88, where she served as Senior Account Manager working with operators across multiple international markets. Before that, she held business development and platform-management roles at SOFTSWISS, and later joined Evolution, where she focused on managing CIS clients and platforms.
QTech Games CEO Philip Doftvik said: “We’re delighted to have secured Iryna’s broad expertise and sharp sales skills for this dedicated commercial-lead role at QTech, as we continue to strengthen and scale up our influence across Europe. Aside from her fantastic experience, Iryna is a great cultural fit with QTech and a person with the right mindset that will help us grow even faster.
“We’re thrilled with Iryna’s fast start as a team player and leader, especially as QTech crosses the threshold of our next growth cycle, consolidating our incumbent position as the dominant aggregator for emerging markets.”
Alabuhina said: “I’m excited to join QTech Games as Head of Commercial for Europe, focusing on strengthening existing partnerships and driving new business growth. QTech is an aggregator renowned for its team morale and collaborative ethos, not to mention some defining points of delineation in the aggregation space – whether that’s its raft of tech-led product developments, rapid-fire integrations, simple invoicing structure, or offset pricing. I was also struck by QTech’s unique commercial model, rich portfolio and enterprising mindset.
“I’m now looking forward to broadening our horizons and partner-base still further, as I head up a talented commercial team for Europe, assembling the best online games and taking them to market across some territories of great potential.”
QTech Games is the top game aggregator for developing markets and a vital industry leader in game exploration. Its remarkable selection of continually updated content is highlighted by 200+ suppliers, more than 5,000 casino games, and over 1,000 live tables – and still growing! Consequently, this is integrated with a continuously growing international presence, exclusive gaming tools and services, and cutting-edge AI technology to enhance its partners’ offerings and improve their customer experience.
The post QTech Games names Iryna Alabuhina Head of Commercial for Europe appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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