Industry News
888 Holdings Plc Appoints Per Widerström as CEO
888 Holdings plc has announced that it has appointed Per Widerström as its Chief Executive Officer, with effect from 16 October 2023.
Per has more than 17 years of experience in the online gaming industry, having most recently held the position of CEO at Fortuna Entertainment Group, a market leading omni-channel betting and gaming business across Central and Eastern Europe, from 2014 to 2022. Prior to that, Per held a succession of senior roles across leading online gaming businesses from 2006 onwards.
Upon Per joining the Group, Lord Mendelsohn will return to the role of non-executive Chair, whilst ensuring a smooth transition of responsibilities.
Lord Mendelsohn, Executive Chair of 888, said: “We are delighted to be able to appoint Per following what has been an extensive and comprehensive search process. The Board unanimously agreed that Per was the clear standout candidate to lead the Group to build on the strong platform for growth and value creation that has been established.
“Per has extensive experience in both public and private companies, and a long track record with a proven ability to execute value creation plans. As well as being an energetic and inspiring leader, Per brings nearly two decades of highly relevant industry expertise into the role. He has a strong and proven track record of driving growth and delivering transformation programmes at multiple leading online gaming businesses, and the Board is very pleased to appoint someone with the skillset to deliver our objective to become a much stronger international multi-brand operator, leveraging our technology and data capabilities to drive an acceleration in growth.
“Per not only understands the power and exciting potential of the business, but the Board is also very pleased with his strong record and reputation on governance and compliance.”
Per Widerström, incoming CEO of 888, said: “I am delighted and honoured to become the Group’s new CEO. Following 888’s combination with William Hill, the Group has a world-class portfolio of betting and gaming brands, an outstanding technology platform, and an exceptional team. Together these attributes mean it is exceptionally well positioned to become a clear global industry leader.
“It is incredibly exciting to be joining at such a key moment in the Group’s long-term development. 888 has a clear and attractive opportunity ahead of it and I am very much looking forward to getting started and working with the rest of the team to build on the strong progress already made and achieve the Group’s full and very exciting potential.”
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.
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