Industry News
Games Global – setting the standard in iGaming
Games Global made an instant impact upon entering the iGaming scene last May, and has seen wonderful growth in its debut year, firmly establishing itself as the pre-eminent supplier in the industry. We sit down with Chief People and Transformation Officer, Leila Goelz, to reflect on the brand’s impressive success so far and the role its people play in the company’s success.
The last year has been nothing short of a whirlwind, and we have gained great momentum as our company has evolved and our team has grown. Our strategic objectives have been ambitious but we have come together to deliver. I couldn’t be prouder of our Globlalites who have truly embraced the values of Games Global with passion and dedication to achieve our vision, To Be The One.
Any business is only as good as its people, and at Games Global, we are privileged to have a diverse team, who are the heartbeat of our company. We constantly seek opportunities to drive an engaging, inclusive, and supportive environment where everyone can bring their best selves to work. We want our people to thrive and be the best they want to be.
We’ve defined who we are as a business and created strong corporate values that resonate with our people to build a culture that everyone can relate to and feel a true sense of belonging. Over a year in and our culture continues to evolve whilst staying true to our values of Authenticity, Boldness, Togetherness and Responsibility.
As a global business, we have carefully created and implemented a range of global policies whilst appreciating the cultural nuances and ways of working within each of our locations and teams. It is not a one size fits all approach. For our business to continue to innovate, evolve, and achieve success we must sustain an environment that fosters diversity, inspires creativity, and breeds innovation.
How the iGaming industry is becoming an interesting proposition
This industry has always been fast paced. This in turn creates exciting job opportunities across the industry with a diverse range of roles requiring unique skill sets. However, we must ensure that we evolve to remain competitive from a talent perspective and the working environment is a key component, as this helps us to underpin the culture we wish to create.
Technology is obviously key in iGaming and to remain ahead of the curve, technology advancement is critical to success. As such, the industry landscape is rich in opportunities for working with the latest technologies and innovations offering exciting career opportunities. The technology space as a whole is highly competitive and is constantly advancing. iGaming is now competing with the wider technology industry; strategies to attract and retain talent have never been more important.
An environment that is engaging, encourages collaboration, fosters innovation, and appeals to our diverse demographic is critical. Our policies and processes need to support a positive working environment, we must take care of the basic needs of our people, have quality technology and tools and our leaders must be empowered and take accountability to support their teams.
To attract the best, we need to provide and be the best. The iGaming industry has in the past led the way in this space, pushing other sectors to up their game in terms of the working culture.
Hiring of talent within our industry is competitive yet despite these challenges we have experienced a headcount growth rate of over 30%. People have joined us from all over the world across a variety of roles and each bring with them great value to our culture and business.
Retaining the best talent comes with great responsibility. Our People Strategy is committed to the support, development and growth of our people and we take this seriously. Over the past 12 months we achieved a promotion rate of 11% in comparison to SHRM’s benchmarking report stating 6% as the average, but there is room for improvement.
We have a robust talent management strategy in place which is continually evolving and for 2023 we have a commitment to increasing our internal hires to ensure we are getting our people ready for the next stage in their career which results in a bigger internal talent pool.
Strong internal and external partnerships
Integrating new studio partners worldwide adds to our collective knowledge base and our content portfolio, which engages a variety of audiences and diversifies our product offering.
There are a number of fundamental factors that we look for in our studio partners. We look for brands that are bold but make decisions backed by data and research. We love innovation and seek out projects that push our imagination and leave a positive mark on the industry.
We want to work with creative and passionate people, who share the same drive as we do in delivering cutting edge content. Authenticity is essential, as we aim to remain true to ourselves, to our ethos, and to each other.
This shared passion and vision allows us to create memorable experiences for players. We are able to boast a catalogue of iconic titles and a constant stream of innovative content that includes the biggest range of jackpot products.
Our diversity is our strength, and it was evident in the quality of work produced and delivered over the past year. We’ve exceeded expectations on multiple fronts and I can’t wait to see how our teams raise the game even further in the coming months.
At Games Global we endeavour to go above and beyond to ensure high-quality products are delivered. We thrive as a team and succeed as one. Together, we achieve. Together, we can Be The One.
AGA
AGA Announces Gaming Hall of Fame Class of 2026
The American Gaming Association (AGA) announced the Gaming Hall of Fame Class of 2026, recognizing four individuals whose careers have profoundly shaped the legal gaming industry:
• Holly Gagnon, Board Member, Bragg Gaming Group
• Bill G. Lance, Jr., Secretary of State, Chickasaw Nation
• Scott Olive, Principal & Founder, HRG Studios
• Timothy J. “Tim” Wilmott, Retired Chief Executive Officer, PENN Entertainment
“The Gaming Hall of Fame recognizes the individuals whose vision, innovation, and dedication have helped shape today’s legal gaming industry. Holly, Bill, Scott, and Tim have each left a lasting mark through decades of service and leadership. Their contributions have set a high standard for those who follow,” said AGA President and CEO Bill Miller.
“This year’s inductees reflect the remarkable breadth of the gaming industry – from commercial and tribal gaming operators to suppliers. Each of them has helped advance gaming in significant ways, and we’re proud to welcome them to the Gaming Hall of Fame,” said AGA Chairman Lou Jacobs.
Since 1989, the Gaming Hall of Fame has celebrated the achievements of industry legends who have driven the commercial and tribal gaming industry forward. The Class of 2026 will be formally inducted at an invitation-only ceremony during the Global Gaming Expo (G2E) in Las Vegas this fall.
This year’s selection committee members include:
• Eric Schippers, SVP, Public Affairs & Government Relations, PENN Entertainment Inc.
• Mark Fulton, President, Cherokee Nation Entertainment
• Trevor Croker, CEO & Managing Director, Aristocrat Technologies
• Sherri Sosa, SVP, Human Resources, Hard Rock Las Vegas Hotel & Casino
• Mark Lipparelli, Chairman Emeritus, International Center for Responsible Gaming
• Kirsten Clark, Executive Director, IAGA
• Siobhan Lane, Executive Vice President & Chief Executive Officer, Gaming, Light & Wonder; Chair, Global Gaming Women
• Dr. Brett Abarbanel, Executive Director, UNLV International Gaming Institute
• Lou Jacobs, Co-CEO, Delaware North; Chairman, AGA
About the 2026 Inductees:
Holly Gagnon, Board Member, Bragg Gaming Group
Holly began her 34-year gaming career on the opening team of Foxwoods Resort Casino in 1992, at the birth of modern tribal gaming in America. She went on to hold senior financial and operational roles at Caesars Entertainment and MGM Resorts International before serving as President and CEO of Pearl River Resort, CEO of Chumash Enterprises for the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians, and CEO of Seneca Gaming Corporation for the Seneca Nation of Indians. Named NAFOA Executive of the Year in 2016, Gagnon is a recognized champion of tribal economic development. As a founding member of Global Gaming Women and Distinguished Fellow at the UNLV International Gaming Institute, she has helped develop more than 300 gaming executives. She currently serves as a board member of Bragg Gaming Group.
Bill G. Lance, Jr., Secretary of State, Chickasaw Nation
Bill has served the Chickasaw Nation for decades in senior leadership roles spanning commerce, healthcare, and governance. As Secretary of Commerce for more than thirteen years, he oversaw more than 60 gaming, hospitality, retail, media, manufacturing, and tourism businesses employing approximately 7000 people. He also served as Administrator of the Chickasaw Nation Health System, overseeing construction of the 370,000-square-foot Chickasaw Nation Medical Center in Ada, Oklahoma. Lance currently serves as Secretary of State, representing the Chickasaw Nation in civic, business, and governance capacities.
Scott Olive, Principal & Founder, HRG Studios
Scott is one of the most influential game designers in the history of the slot machine industry. His career spans more than three decades, beginning at Aristocrat Gaming in 1997, where he helped drive the adoption of penny and Australian-style slots in U.S. gaming markets. After co-founding True Blue Gaming in 2007, Olive established HRG Studios in 2012, where he went on to create some of the most commercially successful slot titles ever produced.
Timothy J. “Tim” Wilmott, Retired Chief Executive Officer, PENN Entertainment
Tim spent more than three decades as one of the gaming industry’s most respected operational leaders. He served as Chief Executive Officer of Penn National Gaming from 2013 until his retirement in 2019, having previously served as President and Chief Operating Officer from 2008 to 2013. Before joining Penn National, Wilmott served as Chief Operating Officer of Harrah’s Entertainment and Division President of its Eastern Division, holding a series of leadership positions at Harrah’s properties dating back to 1988.
The post AGA Announces Gaming Hall of Fame Class of 2026 appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
Industry News
Wazdan schedules three-stage Network Promotion campaign for summer
The operator-facing series runs 29 June to 13 September and uses Mystery Drop and Mystery Multiplier Drop mechanics.
Wazdan will launch a summer-long Network Promotion series for partner casinos, running from 29th June to 13th September. The campaign is structured in three stages with breaks between each phase.
The promotion will use Wazdan’s Mystery Drop
and Mystery Multiplier
Drop mechanics. The supplier said the programme is designed to be easy for operators to activate and will be supported with marketing materials, including promotional assets, brochures and newsletter content for partners to use across their own channels.
Alongside the promotion, Wazdan has a summer content roadmap with three slot releases scheduled: Mighty Hot
: Amazonia (30th June), Magic Fruit$: Cherries (30th July) and Mighty Crown
: Empire of Gold (6th August).
Radka Bacheva, Head of Sales and Business Development at Wazdan, said: “Summer presents a valuable opportunity for operators to keep engagement levels high, and this promotion has been designed to deliver exactly that through Wazdan’s proven promotional tools.
“Combined with our upcoming game releases, we are excited to offer partners a strong seasonal campaign with plenty of player appeal.”
The post Wazdan schedules three-stage Network Promotion campaign for summer appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Casino Content
ICONIC21 launches Football Cup-branded casino games and debut network tournament
ICONIC21 has rolled out three limited-edition Football Cup-branded casino games and launched its first network tournament, ICONIC Showdown Football Cup, running from 9th of July to 19th of July.
The new titles are Football Cup Roulette, Football Cup Blackjack 360, and Football Cup Gravity Blackjack. ICONIC21 said the releases showcase different customisation approaches, including green screen production for the roulette environment and an updated visual rebrand for its RNG blackjack table.
For Football Cup Gravity Blackjack, ICONIC21 said it used its latest LED technology and applied the Gravity Series multiplier mechanic, with a custom felt, a football gate, and bespoke 3D-printed decorations.
Alongside the three new games, ICONIC21 pointed to its previously launched slot Soccer World Championship, plus The Kickoff and Top Card, which it said received football-season branding and UI/UX updates.
The ICONIC Showdown Football Cup tournament covers 11 games in total and is positioned around the quarter finals, semi-finals and final period. ICONIC21 said 1,000 winners will share a €50,000 prize pool, and operators can enroll via their account manager or by contacting the company directly.
Edvardas Sadovskis, Chief Product Officer at ICONIC21, said:
“What I’m most proud of with this project is the turnaround. We built three fully branded, technically distinct games, enhanced existing ones with promotional branding, and launched our first-ever network tournament around them, all timed to coincide with peak player interest and traffic.
That kind of speed doesn’t happen by accident, it reflects how this team works. ICONIC Showdown is a meaningful first step for us as a provider, and launching it during the Football Cup, with this much energy around the game, feels like the right way to do it. We’re genuinely excited to see how the leaderboard shapes up and even more excited for the finals.”
The post ICONIC21 launches Football Cup-branded casino games and debut network tournament appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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