Industry News
European Casino Association Awards Four EDP 2021 Diversity Scholarships
The European Casino Association (ECA) has announced the successful candidates for this year’s ECA Diversity Scholarship, sponsored by AGEM, Clarion, the University of Las Vegas International Gaming Institute and the ECA.
The Diversity Scholarship is open to all ECA member employees and in its fourth year since inception is to award more candidates than ever before to participate in the renowned Executive Development Programme (EDP).
The EDP is a prestigious gaming leadership course, a partnership between the UNLV International Gaming Institute and the University of Nevada, Reno College of Business and Extended Studies. The scholarship covers the full cost of the programme, which this year, as last, is to be staged online due to ongoing travel and Covid-19 restrictions.
Over three decades, the EDP has become a reference point for gaming executives seeking to take their careers to the next level, whose aim is to build leadership and management skills and develop strategic thinking. It is a unique occasion to learn and share best practices with peers from around the world. The jury from the sponsoring organisations has examined the applications and awarded four ambitious male and female colleagues from the European land-based casino industry aspiring to a leadership position and hoping to broadening their professional education.
“The ECA scholarship programme recognises the contribution individuals have made within their daily roles that embody the inclusive nature of our profession. The ECA has awarded four candidates working in Monaco, Slovakia, Sweden and Slovenia to take part in the programme to promote the individual growth of the gaming professionals who, through their actions, have supported and enhanced diversity and inclusion within the industry,” ECA Chairman Per Jaldung said.
The ECA’s Diversity Scholarships for 2021 have been awarded to the following candidates:
- Joanna Petit – American Games Supervisor, Casino de Monte-Carlo, Monaco. “Being a young female manager has not been easy in a masculine world. I found my place and I have been able to unite my team through enthusiasm, professionalism, listening and communication.”
- Shalini Kolling – Human Resources Manager, Casino Cosmopol, Sweden. “I believe that the EDP needs more applicants like me who come from minority categories, and possess the foundation quality, that is a genuine hunger to ensure that the individuals and their organisation succeed.”
- Jan Pecha – Casino General Manager, Olympic Casino, Slovakia. “I am very positive regarding diversity. Under my leadership, everyone has equal rights. I believe the EDP will be a very valuable experience.”
- Darko Devic – Table Games Manager, Casino Mond, Slovenia. “I was pleasantly surprised that male members of our team can apply for the scholarship. In my opinion, it is crucial to be aware of inequality in the workplace in order to prevent it.”
“The partnership formed with Clarion, the Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers (AGEM) and the University of Las Vegas has created an opportunity for the ECA to reward four industry colleagues for their outstanding contribution to diversity and inclusion with the gaming sector. Each of this year’s recipients personify the values of this award, having a passion for the industry and an understanding and empathy for the diverse make-up of both front and back-of-house in the European casino business. The EDP is a perfect reward for such dedication to further their personal and professional growth,” ECA Secretary Hermann Pamminger said.
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Expanse Studios
Expanse Studios Launches Super Heli Premium Across Core Markets
Expanse Studios, a subsidiary of Golden Matrix Group Inc., has launched Super Heli Premium, an expanded version of its flagship crash game now live across core markets.
Super Heli Premium introduces four new gameplay mechanics designed to broaden player appeal and increase session engagement. The additions address operator demand for content that retains players without requiring promotional spend.
New Game Modes
Over/Under allows players to predict whether the crash multiplier will land above or below a set threshold, with maximum bet multipliers up to 24x. The mode rewards pattern recognition and adds a prediction layer to the base crash mechanic.
Range betting requires players to predict the multiplier range where the helicopter’s flight will end. Wider ranges offer lower payouts with reduced risk. Narrower ranges increase volatility and potential returns. The mechanic gives conservative and aggressive players different optimal strategies within the same game.
50% Cash-Out enables partial exits during active rounds. Players can secure half their stake at any multiplier while keeping the remaining half in play. The feature reduces all-or-nothing pressure and extends average session length.
Auto Play and Auto Cash-Out provide preset betting parameters for players who prefer hands-off gameplay across multiple rounds.
Regional Customisation
Operators can deploy market-specific visual themes (US, Greece, Egypt, Brazil, Japan) without changing core mechanics or RTP. The customisation supports localised marketing campaigns and cultural preferences across different jurisdictions.
The game maintains a 97% RTP across all modes and themes, matching the original Super Heli’s player return rate while adding strategic depth through the new mechanics.
Market Context
The original Super Heli became one of the most requested titles in European iGaming within months of launch, with operators reporting session lengths above industry averages and retention metrics “materially better than category norms”.
Super Heli Premium positions the title as a platform rather than a single game variant. Operators can configure volatility, bet limits and visual themes to match specific player demographics without requiring separate game integrations.
Expanse Studios currently operates across 1300+ B2B partnerships globally, with over 300 new operators added in Q3 2025 alone. Super Heli Premium expands the studio’s portfolio to 66 proprietary titles, all 100% owned IP with no licensing dependencies.
The game is now live across Expanse’s operator network in core markets globally.
The post Expanse Studios Launches Super Heli Premium Across Core Markets appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Champions League
Flashscore reveals data behind thrilling night of Champions League action
New data from Flashscore, the world’s leading platform for live scores and sports content, reveals that almost 34,000,000 users tuned in yesterday for one of the most dramatic nights in UEFA Champions League history.
The intensity of the matches generated a massive wave of digital engagement, with 18 matches all taking place at the same time on the final day of the league format.
From the football-mad streets of Brazil to the frozen research stations of Antarctica, fans across 239 countries and territories checked their phones as Benfica’s goalkeeper scored a 98th-minute header and Real Madrid crashed into the playoffs.
Martin Matejka, Marketing Director of Flashscore, said: “Yesterday wasn’t just a matchday; it was a global event and we were well prepared. When game-changing moments decide matches – from a goalkeeper’s stoppage-time header against Real Madrid to last-minute winners across Europe – the world doesn’t just watch, it reacts. Flashscore sent out over 700 million push notifications to our users as drama unfolded across the continent.
“Our data shows unprecedented engagement from all over the world, and I am glad we could bring these extraordinary moments to fans from Brazil to Antarctica.”
TOP MATCHES ranked by number of users
The drama at the Estádio da Luz dominated the global conversation, with nearly 10 million users following the Benfica-Madrid clash alone.
1 Benfica vs. Real Madrid (9,7M users): The undisputed main event. Fans flocked to the match detail as Benfica goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin scored a historic 98th-minute header to seal a 4-2 win, sending Real Madrid to the playoffs.
2 Barcelona vs. FC Copenhagen (8,3M users): Massive interest as Barcelona thrashed the Danes 4-1 to secure direct qualification to the Round of 16.
3 Napoli vs. Chelsea (5,9M users): A rollercoaster in Naples. Chelsea fought back to win 3-2, eliminating Napoli despite a stunning “Maradona-esque” pirouette goal from Antonio Vergara.
TOP PLAYERS ranked by number of users
1. Jorginho (995K users): The Kairat Almaty midfielder trended globally after scoring a penalty against his former club, Arsenal, at the Emirates Stadium—a major talking point that drove nearly 1 million profile views.
2. Anatoliy Trubin (725K users): The unlikeliest hero. The Benfica goalkeeper’s stoppage-time header against Real Madrid sent his profile traffic into the stratosphere.
3. Andreas Schjelderup (368K users): The 21-year-old Norwegian announced himself to the world with a brace against Real Madrid.
4. Kylian Mbappé (317K users): Even in defeat, the superstar commanded attention and ranked 4th. He scored twice for Madrid, but his team’s collapse was the bigger story.
TOP TEAMS ranking by users:
1. Real Madrid (1,6M users): The “Kings of Europe” falling into the playoff round after a chaotic 4-2 loss drove massive traffic.
2. Benfica (1,1M users): The victors of the night. Their miraculous comeback and “goalkeeper goal” made them the second most-clicked team worldwide.
3. Barcelona (930K users): Solid interest as they cruised to victory and the next round.
Flashscore Global Reach
While Brazil was the single most active nation, the traffic was evenly split across continents: In Europe the huge engagement was driven by fans in Italy, France, Poland, United Kingdom, Spain, Portugal, and Germany.
Africa’s continent showed massive interest, led by Nigeria, Ghana, and Ivory Coast. Football fever also swept across Asia, with significant user numbers from Indonesia, Kazakhstan, South Korea, and Uzbekistan.
The obsession reached the most remote corners of the Earth. Flashscore recorded active users from Antarctica and Christmas Island, proving that even in the most isolated locations, fans refused to miss the drama.
The post Flashscore reveals data behind thrilling night of Champions League action appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Hunter Hunstock
Playersoft Announces Remote Enrollment to Enable Hardware-Agnostic, Cloud-Driven Player Signups Anywhere
Playersoft has announced Remote Enrollment, a progressive web app that allows casino teams to enroll guests from virtually any location using any mobile hardware. By leveraging a cloud-driven architecture, Remote Enrollment supports true off-site capability for prospecting and remote sign-up.
Why it matters
Traditional enrollment workflows often depend on specific hardware, on-property connectivity, or fixed stations that can create bottlenecks and limit enrollment opportunities outside the property. Remote Enrollment removes those constraints with a hardware-agnostic progressive web app and cloud-driven architecture—while retaining the consistent, intuitive user experience Playersoft is known for.
What Remote Enrollment delivers
• A progressive web app that runs on virtually any mobile hardware—no special devices required.
• Cloud-driven operations to support off-site prospecting and remote signups.
• A dedicated prospecting feature that enables customer communication and information capture without creating accounts or introducing incomplete data into the player system.
• Conversion tracking from prospect to enrolled player to support measurable outreach efforts.
• Configurable security and policy controls aligned to property requirements.
• Integration with Playersoft ONE for operational oversight and reporting.
“Remote Enrollment is about making it easy for our clients to capture new players wherever the opportunity arises—without sacrificing control, data quality, or usability,” said Hunter Hunstock, President at Playersoft.
Availability:
Remote Enrollment is available now as part of the Playersoft ONE ecosystem.
The post Playersoft Announces Remote Enrollment to Enable Hardware-Agnostic, Cloud-Driven Player Signups Anywhere appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
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