Industry News
Kaizen Gaming Partners with OKTO
Kaizen Gaming has partnered with digital payments provider OKTO to provide players of the Stoiximan and Betano brands with a physical-to-digital payment method.
Stoiximan.Cash and Betano.Cash is set to modernise the player’s payment experience in a faster, easier, safer and more compliant way. The totally immersed mobile on-premise payment solution enables players to top up their online gaming account instantly through any physical point-of-sale, while never leaving the Stoiximan and Betano mobile apps.
Kaizen Gaming aligned with its vision to differentiate through an exceptional customer experience in every touchpoint with the player and drive customer loyalty, enhance its members’ payment journey with an entirely seamless and frictionless topping up process with funds accessible in real-time, offering both convenience and security.
OKTO supports Kaizen Gaming via its proprietary payment technology and its country-by-country national retail networks, which will be reaching over 110,000 points-of-sale across six markets where Kaizen Gaming operates. Alongside, the fintech provider ensures the per-country collaboration with the necessary payment and electronic money institutions, always working towards fully compliant solutions.
The solution is now available in Greece and Cyprus under the Stoiximan brand, committed to bringing every Stoiximan player just a few steps away from experiencing the new mantra “Play with Stoiximan, Pay with Stoiximan.Cash” as well as in Romania under the Betano brand. The immediate next steps foresee the expansion of the solution across Europe, in the markets that Kaizen Gaming operates under the international brand Betano.
Kostas Georgoulas, Director of Strategic Accounts of OKTO, said: “Our partnership with Kaizen Gaming is in line with our mission to digitise the physical payment experience and provide consumers with the capabilities to transact across multiple channels seamlessly and securely while operating under the umbrella of one of the most recognisable brands in Europe. That kind of flexibility speaks to the player, making the payment process frictionless and creating a consistent experience.
At the core of our offering is a safe, secure and reliable electronic payments platform. Whether it’s mobile, online, or in-shop gaming, we aim to make payments effortless, faster, simple, and safe.”
Litsa Katsika, Customer Account & Payments Product Manager of Kaizen Gaming, said: “Our goal is to continually improve our products and services to offer the best experience to those who trust us for their entertainment.
Our cooperation with OKTO is based on our common belief that a digitized, seamless and secure payment experience forms an integral part of our members’ overall experience. In OKTO, we deem the reliable fintech partner and the wide network of point-of-sales nationwide and internationally to be necessary. Both should contribute to rapidly and effectively offering the ultimate payment solution that suits not only the demands of the next-gen player or mobile-first player but also the demands made by those that wish to enjoy the benefits of cash-based transactions.”
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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.
Expanse Studios
Expanse Studios Launches Proprietary Jackpot and Tournament System
Expanse Studios, a subsidiary of Meridian Holdings Inc., announced the deployment of proprietary jackpot and tournament mechanics across its portfolio, providing B2B operator partners with engagement tools designed to enhance player entertainment value.
The system introduces two jackpot formats—Happy Hour Jackpot and Mystery Jackpot—alongside four tournament competition variants. Operators can control prize structures, scheduling parameters and promotional configurations through platform interfaces.
Happy Hour Jackpot provides scheduled jackpot events aligned with operator promotional strategies, enabling coordinated marketing campaigns and player communication around jackpot opportunities.
Mystery Jackpot delivers multi-tier progressive prize mechanics integrated into gameplay, with operator-configurable prize values and event parameters that support diverse promotional objectives.
Tournament mechanics include four competition formats:
• Bonus Buy tournaments create competitive environments for players who choose to engage with bonus purchase features, with scoring designed to reward strategic gameplay decisions.
• Spin Count tournaments track player activity across gameplay sessions, offering multiple entry opportunities and achievement-based progression that accommodates different play styles.
• Combo tournaments combine multiple competition elements, enabling operators to design promotional events that appeal to diverse player preferences and gaming behaviours.
• Time-based tournaments operate within defined promotional windows, allowing players to participate according to their own schedules while competing for tournament prizes.
“Content providers increasingly compete on operational capabilities, not just game quality. This positions our portfolio as solutions-oriented infrastructure that helps operators execute diverse promotional strategies while maintaining control over player engagement parameters,” said Damjan Stamenkovic, CEO of Expanse Studios.
Tournament formats integrate with game interfaces through standardised promotional systems designed to enhance entertainment value while providing operators with promotional flexibility.
For Expanse Studios, the deployment strengthens competitive positioning in B2B partnerships where operators increasingly evaluate content providers based on promotional feature capabilities in addition to game performance metrics.
The post Expanse Studios Launches Proprietary Jackpot and Tournament System appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
AI
Former German Air Force officer launches Sparky Space AI platform for iGaming teams
Nils Ristau and Daniel Schmitz debut a work enablement platform aimed at day-to-day execution across product, retention and AI adoption.
Sparky Space, a new AI-powered work enablement platform founded by former German Air Force officer Nils Ristau and tech leader Daniel Schmitz, has launched and is now available globally for iGaming operators and suppliers.
The founders are positioning the product around execution support inside daily workflows as teams face tighter regulatory demands, faster product cycles and higher player expectations. The company cited industry research suggesting only 10-20% of learning is consistently applied in day-to-day work, creating a gap between training and on-the-job outcomes.
“In military operations, performance depends on clarity, structure, and disciplined execution in changing environments,” said Ristau. “The iGaming industry operates under similar pressure.
“Competitive advantage does not come from knowledge alone – it comes from how effectively teams apply it every day.”
Sparky Space said its platform supports areas including product development, player retention and AI adoption, with use cases spanning customer-centric experimentation, agile product and game development, decision-making and prioritisation, practical generative AI prompting, and cross-functional collaboration. The company said the tools are intended to help teams launch features, respond to regulatory change, and optimise marketing and support processes.
While initially focused on iGaming, Sparky Space said it has been built for broader use in other fast-moving, technology-driven industries.
Relevant data as follows:
- Sparky Space: https://www.sparkyspace.com Official company site for product and launch details.
- UK Gambling Commission: https://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk Regulatory context referenced in the article’s discussion of increasing compliance pressure.
- Malta Gaming Authority: https://www.mga.org.mt Key European regulator relevant to operators and suppliers navigating shifting regulation.
The post Former German Air Force officer launches Sparky Space AI platform for iGaming teams appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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