Digicode
Digicode Appoints Itai Zak as Executive Director for iGaming Division
Digicode, a leading provider of innovative software solutions, has appointed Itai Zak as Executive Director for the iGaming division. In this role, Itai will drive the growth and strategic direction.
With over 15 years of experience in the iGaming industry, Zak brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to Digicode. He has a proven track record of successfully leading and scaling businesses in the online gaming sector, gaining experience as the CEO of SBTech, GoWild Gaming, and Spiral Solutions.
Under Itai’s visionary leadership, GoWild Casino not only seamlessly transitioned to a state-of-the-art iGaming platform but also achieved an astounding 450% increase in profitability, driven by Itai’s strategic expansion into new markets and his ability to build and lead a formidable team of over 300 professionals.
At SBTech, Itai was instrumental in redefining the company’s sales, marketing, and business development approach, transforming SBTech into a leading provider of turnkey sports betting and iGaming solutions. His efforts have helped grow the company from 60 to over 600 employees across multiple global locations, with significant year-on-year growth in net profit.
Itai’s appointment is a testament to the company’s commitment to innovation, excellence, and strategic growth within the iGaming sector. His proven track record in navigating complex regulatory environments, coupled with his forward-thinking approach to product and market strategy, positions Digicode for exciting advancements in its iGaming offerings.
“We are thrilled to have Itai Zak join our team. His deep understanding of the iGaming landscape and leadership skills will be invaluable as we continue to innovate and expand our foothold in this dynamic industry. Also, Itai’s proven track record in navigating complex regulatory environments, coupled with his forward-thinking approach to product and market strategy, positions Digicode for exciting advancements in its iGaming offerings,” Max Maslii, President and global CEO at Digicode, said.
In his new role, Zak will develop and execute Digicode’s iGaming strategy, focusing on driving revenue and growth. He will work closely with the product development and sales teams to deliver cutting-edge solutions tailored to the unique needs of iGaming operators.
“I am excited to join Digicode and lead their iGaming division. Digicode has a proven track record of delivering innovative software solutions, and I am eager to contribute to their continued success in the iGaming market,” Itai Zak said.
Affiliate Management Platform
Digicode Announces the Launch of DigerClick – a Fully-Owned, Scalable Affiliate System for Growth-Driven Businesses
Digicode, a global technology consulting and software engineering company, announced the launch of DigerClick, a next-generation affiliate management platform designed to give operators complete ownership, transparency, and control over their affiliate operations. Unlike traditional systems that rely on third-party networks and incur recurring fees, DigerClick is delivered as a fully owned platform, empowering companies to scale without vendor lock-in or hidden costs.
DigerClick introduces a new era of autonomy for operators, built for businesses seeking to grow their traffic, conversions, and revenue while protecting their data and intellectual property.
A New Standard in Affiliate Ownership
At the core of DigerClick is its full code ownership model, allowing clients to operate independently of external networks or SaaS platforms. With no recurring fees and no third-party intermediaries, businesses gain complete control over performance data, payout structures, and system customization.
The platform is engineered with a highly scalable architecture that supports smooth growth from 50 to 5,000 affiliates without compromising performance.
Key Features Include:
- Full Code Ownership: No recurring fees, no vendor lock-in, and full protection of proprietary data and IP.
- Scalable Performance: Designed to grow alongside the business, supporting large affiliate ecosystems.
- Affiliate Management Tools: Self-registration and streamlined onboarding for partners.
- Smart Campaign Management: Assign offers, monitor performance, validate affiliate reports, and optimize campaigns in real time.
- Advanced Reporting & Payouts: Real-time analytics, BI, and complete click-to-revenue transparency. Supports CPA, rev share, hybrid, and custom payout models with flexible reconciliation options.
Built for “Growth Leaders”
DigerClick is tailored for companies that rely on performance-driven partner ecosystems, including:
- iGaming Operators seeking to scale player acquisition and retention.
- E-Commerce Brands and Digital Product Creators looking to monetize subscriptions and downloads without intermediaries.
- Publishers and Promoters who require full ownership of margins, reporting, and payout flexibility.
By removing “Third-Party Chains,” DigerClick gives businesses their own affiliate engine, maximizing margins and operational control while ensuring long-term sustainability.
“With DigerClick, we’re giving businesses something they’ve never truly had in the affiliate space, complete ownership,” said Alex Karichensky, CEO of Digicode Europe. “No recurring fees, no third-party dependencies, and no compromises on performance. It’s a platform built for companies that want to grow on their own terms, with total transparency and full control of their data and margins.”
The post Digicode Announces the Launch of DigerClick – a Fully-Owned, Scalable Affiliate System for Growth-Driven Businesses appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Conferences
Digicode to Showcase Products Supporting iGaming Scale at ICE Barcelona 2026
Digicode, a strategic partner to operators navigating scale and complexity in the digital gaming sector, is attending ICE Barcelona 2026 – the global iGaming and betting industry’s flagship event taking place from January 19–21, 2026, at Fira Barcelona Gran Via.
Barcelona marks the beginning of ICE’s 2026 chapter and is already a hub where pivotal next-step decisions are being made on ownership structures, production efficiency, and operating models built for sustainable growth. Digicode will present its product portfolio, developed to support operators at various stages of growth. The company’s solutions are designed to enhance operational efficiency, optimize production processes, and enable greater control over product development and ownership as organisational and technical complexity increases.
“ICE Barcelona presents an ideal platform to speak directly with operators about the hard questions shaping their next stage of growth. Our focus is on addressing real operational constraints and outlining realistic, scalable paths forward. We look forward to demonstrating how Digicode’s products and operating approaches support these objectives,“ said Alex Karichensky, CEO Europe at Digicode.
Digicode’s presence at ICE Barcelona 2026 will feature thought leadership and strategic engagement across the three-day programme. Attendees are encouraged to connect with the team to explore solutions tailored to high-growth environments.
Digicode Leadership Attending ICE Barcelona 2026:
- Alex Karichensky, CEO Europe
- Ihor Sheiko, Executive General Manager
- Igor Zhalii, Senior Product Manager & Game Producer
- Meir Shachar, Senior iGaming & Sports Betting Advisor
The post Digicode to Showcase Products Supporting iGaming Scale at ICE Barcelona 2026 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Central Control
Hyperlocal vs. Global: Is the Future of iGaming in Deep-Market Strategy?
Reading Time: 3 minutes
Itai Zak, Executive Director of iGaming at Digicode and former CEO of SBTech, the tier-one sportsbook and technology provider acquired by DraftKings in 2019, also serves as CEO of Gemstone Interactive, a boutique solutions partner for iGaming operators. A veteran executive and long-time advocate of player-first innovation, he offers a sharp look into the future of iGaming. With a history of guiding major brands through expansion and transformation, Zak is not someone who follows trends for the sake of activity. In his view, the real battleground for long-term growth is not how many markets an operator enters but how deeply they engage in the ones they already serve. His question to operators is direct and strategic: Where are you truly winning, and why?
Let’s explore the deep-market strategy powering sustainable growth, blending financial realism, adaptive tech, and real-time personalization into a focused vision that favors precision over presence.
Why Global-First Is Losing Ground
Just a few years ago, a successful operator was often defined by their geographic footprint. Launching in multiple regions created the illusion of momentum. But today, market saturation, regulatory fragmentation, and rising player expectations are exposing the limitations of this model.
Itai Zak explains that, “Europe was once a centralized opportunity. Today, it’s ten different countries with ten different frameworks.” From a compliance and cost perspective, this has created operational bottlenecks. Each jurisdiction now requires bespoke workflows, regulatory reporting, responsible gaming oversight, and even tailored user experiences.
Worse, players have evolved. A “universal” interface or product no longer works across markets. In emerging territories such as Brazil and India, success depends heavily on how well an operator adapts to cultural preferences, local payment systems, and region-specific content.
The Rise of Deep-Market Strategy
What we’re witnessing is a strategic shift from volume-based growth to depth-based dominance. There are 4 main drivers behind this pivot:
1. Fragmented Regulation Requires Granular Commitment
The days of a single gaming license acting as a passport are over. Today, compliance is not just about legality; it’s about infrastructure. Operators must build and maintain localized compliance engines to keep up with rapidly evolving standards. “What works in Sweden will likely fail in the Netherlands. Operators need dedicated regulatory teams per region.”
2. Player Experience Is Hyperlocal by Default
Consumer expectations are shaped by local context. Nordic players prefer richer desktop UIs and immersive casino features. In contrast, Indian players expect mobile-first simplicity and local payment flows like UPI. LATAM regions are seeing explosive growth, but only for operators who integrate payment rails like PIX and deliver Spanish/Portuguese-tailored content.
Uniformity no longer means scalability; it means irrelevance.
3. Efficiency Beats Vanity Expansion
There’s a growing recognition that it’s better to be exceptional in one market than average in many. Deep-market strategy prioritizes:
- Higher Lifetime Value (LTV)
- Increased retention
- Lower Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC)
- Improved regulatory predictability
4. Retention Is the New Growth Lever
Global growth might bring short-term user acquisition, but retention requires local trust, familiarity, and relevance. The deeper your market understanding, the more likely you are to convert players into loyal customers.
Is Global Expansion Dead?
Not quite. What’s emerging is a hybrid model – global infrastructure combined with hyperlocal execution.
Basically, this dual-layered approach is “a shared chassis with localized controls.” Operators need scalable back-end platforms – compliance engines, CRM systems, bonus engines, but allow for front-end freedom. Local marketing, payment, and content teams execute based on what actually works on the ground.
In practice, this means:
- Platform consistency at the core (RGS, risk, KYC, CRM)
- Market-specific UX/UI, payment flows, and offers
- Country-level dashboards to monitor local KPIs
- Flexible brand architecture to launch sub-brands per market
Knowing When to Deepen vs. Expand
There is a straightforward framework to determine whether it’s time to grow outward or dig deeper:
Expand if:
- You’ve fully optimized LTV in your current markets
- Your infrastructure can absorb additional regulatory complexity
- You have access to local partners or brands in the new region
Deepen if:
- Your retention or conversion metrics are below industry benchmarks
- There’s untapped potential in localized features or payment integrations
- Local competitors are outperforming despite a smaller reach
This lens helps operators avoid reactive expansion and instead invest where sustainable growth is most likely.
The Digicode Approach: Local Autonomy, Central Control
At Digicode, we’ve seen this shift firsthand. The operator clients are no longer asking for “just another multilingual skin.” They’re asking for:
- Modular platforms that can launch and manage multiple brands with independent rulesets
- Configurable compliance per market
- Local bonus engines that adapt to regulatory constraints
- Player lifecycle tools tuned for cultural buying behavior
What powers this? Our ability to separate back-end scalability from front-end customization, giving operators speed, control, and precision as they go deeper into high-performing markets.
Final Thought: Strategy Is Local
The market is maturing. The future of iGaming isn’t about being everywhere, but being someone to someone in specific markets. The brands that win long-term will be those that go deeper than their competitors are willing to, speak to players with cultural fluency, and build infrastructure that adapts intelligently.
Itai Zak put it simply: “Don’t ask how many countries you’re in. Ask where you’re winning and why.”
If local precision is your next competitive edge, Digicode’s experts can help you deliver it without losing control of the big picture.
The post Hyperlocal vs. Global: Is the Future of iGaming in Deep-Market Strategy? appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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