Industry News
Playtech Receives Takeover Proposal from JKO-led Consortium
The bidding war for Playtech has intensified as the company confirmed on Thursday that it has received a preliminary inquiry from JKO Play Limited, which is seeking access to certain due diligence information to explore the terms of the offer.
“Consistent with its fiduciary duties, and in accordance with Rule 21.3 of the Code, the Board further confirms that JKO has been provided with access to due diligence information for this purpose,” Playtech stated.
“Discussions with JKO are at an early stage and ongoing. As such, there can be no certainty that JKO’s approach will result in an offer for the Company, nor as to the terms on which any offer might be made.”
JKO’s interest came after Playtech received a £2.7 billion takeover bid from Australian gambling equipment maker, Aristocrat Leisure. Gopher Investments, which is a Playtech shareholder and is purchasing Finalto, also made a bid for the gaming software company.
JKO is controlled by former Formula One team-owner Eddie Jordan and Keith O’Loughlin, a former executive at U.S. slot machine maker Scientific Games. The offer will be made by a JKO-led consortium called JKO Play.
Despite the competitive bids, Playtech and Aristocrat have already agreed to the terms and the fate of the deal will be decided by shareholders voting on January 12.
“Aristocrat believes that the terms of the recommended acquisition and the compelling strategic rationale provides certainty for Playtech shareholders with no contingent value or other complicated structures for shareholders to realize value. Aristocrat also believes that the combined group will provide greater opportunities to Playtech employees,” Aristocrat said in a statement after JKO’s interest in Playtech.
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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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