Industry News
Allwyn Appoints Ifor Evans as Group Chief Technology Officer
Allwyn announced the appointment of Ifor Evans as its new Group Chief Technology Officer. Ifor will replace Tony Khatskevich, who, after six years of dedicated and exemplary service, has decided to move from his current role as Group Chief Technology Officer and become an Advisor to the CEO and Board of Directors. In this role, Tony will focus on offering strategic counsel on innovation, technology, IT and security matters. Ifor will take up the CTO role at Allwyn on 1 June 2024.
Ifor is an accomplished CTO with over 25 years of extensive experience in software engineering, systems and data architecture, IT management and project leadership. He joins Allwyn from Gamesys PLC/Bally’s Corp, where he has been Group Chief Technology Officer since 2019 and where he developed, maintained and operated highly capable gaming platforms.
Prior to Gamesys, he held the role of Group Chief Technology Officer (Southeast Asia) for Lazada, part of the Alibaba Group, working in Singapore. He also established Lazada eLogistics (LEL) as a separate entity within the Lazada Group, and led a team of over 400 individuals to create and implement a comprehensive technology strategy.
Robert Chvátal, CEO of Allwyn Group, said: “We are delighted to welcome Ifor as our new Group Chief Technology Officer to continue enhancing the innovation of the lotteries we operate. Allwyn wants to make its lotteries even more entertaining and attractive to new audiences, and in doing so have even more of a positive impact on society.
“Ifor is a dynamic business leader who has an excellent track record of delivering technology solutions across the gaming and IT sector. He has exceptional strategic capabilities, proven operational effectiveness and strong experience in our markets.
“I would also like to take the opportunity to thank Tony for his exceptional contribution and commitment to Allwyn over the past six years. He played a pivotal role in establishing a strong technology function for Allwyn, and conceived and led technology initiatives that have helped to drive innovation across the Group. In addition, Tony played a key leadership role in Allwyn’s winning bid in the UK and management of the transition. I’m very pleased that we will continue to benefit from Tony’s wisdom, knowledge, ideas and warm personality in his new role, where he will continue to help us to fulfil our business growth and ambitions.”
Ifor Evans said: “I am delighted to have been appointed as Group Chief Technology Officer of Allwyn. The company’s commitment to social impact is evident across its global footprint. I look forward to helping the team to develop even better lotteries and new game formats through the power of cutting-edge technology and future thinking.”
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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.
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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.
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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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