Industry News
Hero Gaming Holds “Innovation Challenge” to Discover Technology That Will Take Company to Next Level
iGaming operator Hero Gaming has held an “Innovation Challenge” designed to inject new technology and ideas to keep the company at the top of the industry, earlier this month.
The “Shark Tank-like” pitch challenge, which was launched internally via a virtual townhall hero meeting and hosted through a zoom conference, was designed by Marie Theobald, Chief People Officer, and Andrea Saliba, Head of Talent & Organisational Development of Hero Gaming.
The contest elicited eight workable ideas, including add-ons and segmentation automation, meant to make the iGaming playing experience more enjoyable. The three finalists were announced during the Company’s trip to Marbella. The innovation platform created by Hero Gaming offered a cash prize to the idea best suited for follow through to development by the company. The finalists then presented their ideas to the rest of the organisation.
“The iGaming industry is dynamic where talented individuals can learn on the job and move up in ranks very quickly. This contest was meant to encourage ambitious and creative minds that have the potential to take the company to the next level,” Saliba said.
This initiative did not only create a platform to share ideas and boost creativity and innovation, but it also served as a great team building exercise as teams were composed of individuals from different departments within the organisation which enabled participants to collaborate with new team members and build stronger relationships with them.
The judges were Georg Westin, Founder & Chairman of the Board of Hero Gaming, Tomas Backman, former CEO, Karin Fahl Hallberg, Head of HR and Sasha Koshlo, Head of Frontend Development.
“At Hero Gaming we are always looking for ways to improve the playing experience. We pride ourselves on originality and creativity and mentor our employees to develop groundbreaking gaming concepts. This event is a function of that mindset, but we are always innovative and reward those co-workers who excel at new ideas,” Westin said.
Powered by WPeMatico
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.
-
Caesars Digital7 days agoRubyPlay partners with Caesars Entertainment in Ontario to advance North American expansion
-
Africa7 days agoTaDa Gaming joins inaugural iGaming AFRIKA Summit in Nairobi
-
Amazons’ Wonders6 days agoSYNOT Games Enters into Partnership with Bulgarian Operator BETVAM
-
Aviator7 days agoSPRIBE Wins Interim Injunction in Brazil – Court Orders Betnacional to Immediately Cease Unauthorized Use of “AVIATOR”
-
Blueprint Gaming7 days agoBlueprint Gaming adds pots mechanic to Cash Strike with Triple Action Cash Strike
-
Asia6 days agoS8UL signs Team Question Mark roster for PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS ahead of EWC 2026
-
Caesars Digital7 days agoRubyPlay partners with Caesars Entertainment in Ontario to advance North American expansion
-
bingo6 days agoThe Swedish Bingo Association Receives a Reprimand for Lack of Information in Bingo Halls



