Industry News

Entain Increases Investment in its In-house Games Studios

Published

5 years ago

July 9, 2021

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Entain PLC is going to double the investment in its in-house games studios to accelerate and expand its ability to provide customers with new and exclusive products and experiences.

Headcount will double to around 300 people across Entain’s three in-house studios in the UK, Italy, and India within a year, to deliver exciting, exclusive new products and experiences across all its markets, including the US. CR Games, Entain’s UK games studio based near Oldham, Manchester, will initially create 8 new roles taking its headcount close to 50.

New content includes free-to-play slots tournaments, believed to be the first of its kind, giving customers a great choice of free games to play and win cash prizes.

Following the recent sponsorship between its PartyCasino and PartyPoker brands and McLaren, customers will get exclusive access to Formula 1 themed casino content and games later this year. Entain is also developing new experiences for customers using immersive technologies and plans to upweight this capability at its in-house studios. The Group’s first VR product for customers – a multi-activity sports club – is due later in the year.

“We love giving our customers great experiences and exciting entertainment as that is the bedrock of what we do. Increasing our investment across all three of our in-house games studios will provide more of that for our customers across all our global brands,” Jette Nygaard-Andersen, Chief Executive of Entain, said.

“By widening our offer with new and exclusive games, such as free-to-play tournaments, we give existing and new customers more reasons to use our products. This not only helps to grow our business but brings fresh insight, so we can further improve the offer for our customers,” Jette Nygaard-Andersen added.

“Our priority is always to create exciting, engaging products that give our customers choice. Not only does this enhance the experience for the millions of people who enjoy our products, but is an important driver of Entain’s growth. These exclusive, innovative, and tailored games are really valued by our customers. Developing more of our own games means we have complete control over what goes into them, not just in giving our customers a great experience, but also keeping them safe,” Colin Cole-Johnson, Gaming Director at Entain, said.

blask

Blask data: lottery drives 78% of France’s gambling search demand

Published

2 hours ago

April 14, 2026

Wladimir P.

blask-data:-lottery-drives-78%-of-france’s-gambling-search-demand

New category-level analysis breaks down non-branded iGaming demand by vertical across France, Brazil, India, Italy and Switzerland.

Blask says lottery-related queries account for around 78% of total gambling search demand in France, outweighing online casino (~10%) and live dealer, betting and poker (each ~4%). The company positions the data as evidence that sports betting is not the primary driver of gambling demand in every market.

Blask said the figures come from non-branded search data and are part of a new category-level analysis feature designed to break down demand across verticals and subcategories within each market. The tool is intended to help operators compare player intent across jurisdictions, including “lottery in France, football betting in Brazil, or culturally driven formats in India.”

Outside France, Blask’s data shows Brazil is more betting-led, with online betting at ~52% of demand, which the company attributes largely to football. Lottery represents ~25%, fantasy sports ~11%, while casino (~6%) and live dealer (~2%) remain smaller segments.

India is described as more evenly distributed, with lottery at ~35% and live dealer at ~29%, and online casino, betting and fantasy each at roughly 10%. In Europe, Italy’s demand is reported as seasonally influenced by football, with fantasy sports leading at ~37%, while Switzerland is presented as casino-first, with online casino at ~38%.

Across the markets analysed, Blask said two themes recur: older categories often remain the biggest, and regulation heavily shapes demand. Where certain verticals are restricted, the company said interest tends to shift into adjacent or offshore segments rather than disappearing.

The post Blask data: lottery drives 78% of France’s gambling search demand appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Continent 8 Technologies

Continent 8 appoints Cris Kuehl as Chief Data, Information & AI Officer

Published

5 days ago

April 9, 2026

Wladimir P.

continent-8-appoints-cris-kuehl-as-chief-data,-information-&-ai-officer

Continent 8 Technologies, a leading provider of managed IT solutions for the global iGaming and online sports betting industry, has appointed Cris Kuehl as its Chief Data, Information & AI Officer.

Cris brings over 20 years of expertise in AI, analytics, and data strategy, with senior roles including VP of Artificial Intelligence & Data Science at Akkodis and Global Head, CX Analytics & AI at Foundever. His career focuses on helping regulated organisations adopt secure, scalable, and practical AI capabilities.

At Continent 8, Cris will oversee the company’s global data, AI, and information strategy, driving innovation in analytics, automation, cybersecurity, and customer-centric intelligence. He will also shape AI-enabled product development, champion responsible AI practices, and strengthen data governance for the iGaming, tribal, and enterprise sectors.

Michael Tobin, CEO and Founder of Continent 8, said:
“Cris’ expertise across data, AI, and regulated environments is a perfect fit for our organisation. His leadership will help us provide secure, high-performance solutions that deliver measurable value to customers.”

Cris Kuehl added:
“I’m thrilled to join Continent 8 at such a pivotal moment. AI is transforming how organisations operate, collaborate, and protect their data. Continent 8 is uniquely positioned to lead this transformation in the iGaming and online sports betting sector, and I’m excited to drive the next chapter of innovation.”

The post Continent 8 appoints Cris Kuehl as Chief Data, Information & AI Officer appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

iGaming

PRAGMATIC PLAY BRINGS LEGENDARY SLOTS IP TO LIVE CASINO WITH GATES OF OLYMPUS ROULETTE

Published

5 days ago

April 9, 2026

Wladimir P.

pragmatic-play-brings-legendary-slots-ip-to-live-casino-with-gates-of-olympus-roulette

Pragmatic Play, a leading iGaming content supplier, has launched Gates of Olympus Roulette, a live casino experience that merges classic roulette with thrilling slot-action, delivering a game show truly fit for the gods.

Set in a temple-inspired studio with a marble-encased roulette wheel at its centre, the game immerses players in a Grecian fantasy world, complete with striking visuals, dramatic sounds, and charismatic presenters.

Each spin offers the chance to hit a Bonus Number and up to seven Lucky Numbers, carrying multipliers of 50x–250x to boost straight-up bets. The Super Booster feature further amplifies wins by multiplying the Bonus and selected Lucky Numbers 2x–10x, enabling potential payouts of up to 2,500x in the base game and 10,000x in the bonus round.

Landing the Bonus Number triggers the Gates of Olympus bonus game, where Zeus presides over a 6×5 slots grid. Starting with 15 spins, players win whenever 8–12+ matching symbols appear anywhere on the reels. Multipliers up to 500x can strike randomly on any spin or tumble, and three or more scatters award five additional spins.

Following the success of Sweet Bonanza CandyLand, which brought the iconic Sweet Bonanza slot to live casino audiences, Gates of Olympus Roulette underscores Pragmatic Play’s expertise in transforming beloved slot IPs into cross-vertical live experiences. The launch complements recent game show hits like Money Time and Mega Roulette 3000.

Sharon McHugh, Director of Public Relations at Pragmatic Play, said:
“Gates of Olympus Roulette is a spectacular addition to our portfolio, bringing one of our most celebrated IPs into the live casino spotlight. The epic studio design, dynamic roulette-slot fusion, and immersive Grecian theme showcase Pragmatic Play’s commitment to creating truly standout player experiences.”

The post PRAGMATIC PLAY BRINGS LEGENDARY SLOTS IP TO LIVE CASINO WITH GATES OF OLYMPUS ROULETTE appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.