Industry News
NOVOMATIC Recognised as a Top Performer in PwC Austria’s ESG Ranking
In this year’s Environmental, Social, Governance study by PwC Austria, the international gaming technology company NOVOMATIC ranks first in the sector with its sustainability performance, making it one of the top performers in the industry.
New ESG requirements through EU regulations such as the CSRD (Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive) demand that companies adapt quickly to the new developments. In the course of the ranking, the audit and consulting firm PwC Austria examined the sustainability performance of the 155 companies with the highest turnover in the country based on publicly available information. The focus of the methodology was not only on the transparency of sustainability reporting, but also and above all on a measurable improvement in the evaluation criteria compared to recent years. The evaluation criteria of the study are based on the recently published European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS).
“In our study, we took the view of an external client or investor who is not looking at a multitude of good deeds, but at how a company’s ESG performance has measurably improved in recent years,” said Agatha Kalandra, board member, partner and ESG leader at PwC Austria.
“This award is further proof of the outstanding ESG commitment within the Group and confirms once again that, in addition to transparent reporting, priorities must also be set in various areas. This can be seen, for example, in the national and international expansion of our photovoltaic systems or in recently achieved awards such as Best Employer in Lower Austria and the top ranking in the Austrian Leading Companies Award,” Johannes Gratzl, Executive Board Member of NOVOMATIC AG, said.
Groove
Groove Technologies Targets High-Growth Sweepstakes Market Following Strategic Appointment
Groove Technologies, a prominent iGaming aggregator and platform provider, has today revealed a strategic enhancement of its sweepstakes operations through the internal elevation of Michael Kitseliuk to the newly established position of Sweepstakes Account Manager. This action highlights Groove’s dedication to continue expanding in one of the industry’s most vibrant and swiftly growing sectors.
The appointment comes after a phase of rigorous technical advancement and evaluation, placing Groove’s enterprise-grade platform to provide unmatched sweepstakes solutions. The platform, famous for its cutting-edge player engagement features, live analytics, and a collection of more than 15,000 games from over 150 leading providers, is now enhanced to achieve new heights of scalability and profitability for operators using the sweepstakes model.
Michael Kitseliuk, with three years of essential experience from Groove’s technical operations team, will lead this initiative in his new role. His profound technical knowledge guarantees a smooth and straightforward integration experience for partners.
“I’m thrilled to be leading the charge on Groove Sweepstakes,” said Kitseliuk. “This vertical represents the forefront of market accessibility. The lighter regulatory footprint allows operators to launch faster and tap into vast audiences with incredible speed. We’re not just following a trend; we’re empowering our partners to unlock a significant new revenue stream and open doors to previously complex markets.”
The need for high-quality sweepstakes material has reached unprecedented levels. Groove’s strong entertainment ecosystem, which introduces more than 150 new games each month, is distinctly suited to drive this expansion. The firm has assembled a robust stream of content, prepared for delivery via its sophisticated platform.
Rachel Tourgeman, Head of Partnerships at Groove, highlighted the extensive preparation and market offering: “This isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. We’ve undertaken rigorous, bespoke technical testing for each provider to guarantee a flawless experience for both the operator and the player. This diligence means we can now offer our operator cluster access to a vast network of nearly 50 premier game providers specialising in sweepstakes coins, all integrated and ready for launch.”
This strategic focus amplifies Groove’s core strengths: speed, variety, and technological excellence. By dedicating new leadership to the sweepstakes vertical, Groove ensures its partners can capitalise on this growth with a competitive edge.
Yahale Meltzer, Co-Founder and COO at Groove, concluded: “Our promotion of Michael into this dedicated role signals a new era for our sweepstakes platform. We are harnessing its full potential to offer operators super-fast integrations, a proven and diverse game library, and a technically superior platform. This is a definitive step in providing a complete, market-leading solution for every segment of the iGaming industry.”
The post Groove Technologies Targets High-Growth Sweepstakes Market Following Strategic Appointment appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Adam Kamiar Commercial Director at Wildz Group
Wildz Group unveils Blingi
The Wildz Group has launched a new online casino offering to enhance the company’s expanding portfolio. Blingi aims to connect with new audiences through an innovative strategy for iGaming entertainment.
Says Adam Kamiar, Commercial Director at Wildz Group, “Blingi is a product we feel simplifies many of the processes customers experience when exploring an online casino. Our teams have focused on optimising the journey, making it easier and faster from the first click. The result is an online casino product that focuses on what matters: the world’s most popular games in a seamless environment from start to finish”.
Blingi offers players the chance to get stuck right into the good stuff, offering:
- Trustly Pay N Play – players can receive their winnings to their bank account within minutes of approval, with instant money transfers 24/7 – 365 days a year.
- No registration required.
- A huge range of big-name games from world-renowned providers.
- Frequent promotions | value adds | bonus opportunities
Operators licensed by the MGA have indicated that the casino’s branding and product range will particularly attract players in the region where it operates.
Wildz Group’s online casino brands, including Wildz, Wheelz, Caxino, Spinz, Chipz, and Tuplaus, present appealing iGaming options to players, whereas Blingi provides a distinctive user experience featuring Daily Cashback.
Kamiar further comments on shifting market conditions: “Our consumers are keen gamblers, so we’re making sure to offer superb products based on top-notch security and compliance so that they can play with complete peace of mind. Our goal is to ensure that we’re leading the way when it comes to player protection across world-class products in every market in which our brands are available.”
Wildz Group has established key collaborations with top game providers globally to guarantee that players enjoy casino platforms tailored to their desires—an approach centered on players that has secured the company substantial market share. The selection of games is enhanced by the deliberate implementation of reliable and secure payment methods. Blingi is the inaugural brand of Wildz Group to provide Trustly, an open banking payment method favored by iGaming customers.
“2026 is not without its challenges,” concludes Kamiar, “but we feel that we’ve got all our resources in place to make a lasting impact in industry, so we’re confident that we can say ‘watch this space’, knowing that good things are to come”, he concludes.
The post Wildz Group unveils Blingi appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Adam Lewis Chief Executive Officer at AxiumAI
AxiumAI taps ex-Entain leader Claire Painting to lead customer experience as CXO
Extensively experienced Painting collaborates to develop experience strategy as AI revolutionizes sportsbook interaction.
AxiumAI, a frontrunner in AI-powered autonomous player engagement, has announced the appointment of Claire Painting as Chief Experience Officer (CXO), enhancing the company’s leadership team as operators transition to AI-enhanced player engagement.
Recognised for uniting marketing, product, UX, and technology teams to create seamless, consumer-focused experiences at scale, Painting will play a key role in aiding AxiumAI’s ongoing growth and future vision as the provider enhances its AI-driven engagement platform for global operators.
Painting brings over 20 years of experience in the international sports betting and gaming sector to AxiumAI. Most recently, she worked as the Director of Player Experience at Entain, where she managed a worldwide cross-functional team of more than 100 experts located in the UK, Gibraltar, Vienna, Hyderabad, and Manila.
While at Entain, she defined and executed the player experience strategy for the operator group’s global range of brands. This encompassed supervision of essential processes like registration, payments, account management, compliance, promotions, and gamification, along with the creation of worldwide UX/UI design systems and frameworks for measuring customer experience.
The appointment strengthens AxiumAI’s leadership as the company enhances its autonomous player engagement abilities and aids operators in providing real-time, personalized 1:1 player experiences.
Claire Painting, Chief Experience Officer at AxiumAI, said: “The future of player experience will be defined by technology that understands context, adapts in real-time and delivers meaningful interaction at scale. AxiumAI is building that capability, and I am excited to help shape autonomous engagement that will inspire players and drive step-change growth for operators.”
Adam Lewis, Chief Executive Officer at AxiumAI, added: “Claire brings exceptional expertise in player engagement across marketing, product and customer experience. Combined with her ability to connect teams and technology around the player, she is uniquely positioned to lead this area at AxiumAI. She will play a key role as we continue to build intelligent, customer-led solutions for operators globally.”
The post AxiumAI taps ex-Entain leader Claire Painting to lead customer experience as CXO appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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