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.”
The post Allwyn Appoints Ifor Evans as Group Chief Technology Officer appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
blask
Greece Led Europe’s iGaming Growth in 2025 — Now the Drivers Are Fully Explained
In the second half of 2025, Greece emerged as Europe’s fastest-growing iGaming market. While several major jurisdictions slowed or declined, Greek market demand rose by more than 50% between June and December, standing out as one of the year’s clearest growth stories.
According to data from Blask, the surge was not the result of a single tournament or seasonal spike. Instead, it reflected a structural shift driven by a combination of sports momentum, regulatory reform and casino market dynamics — factors that can now be traced in detail through Blask’s newly released Market Explanation feature.
Continuous sports momentum without demand gaps
Greece’s growth was underpinned by a tightly stacked sports calendar that sustained engagement across multiple months. EuroBasket 2025 in late August, the kickoff of the Stoiximan Super League, UEFA Champions League matchdays under the new league-phase format, and the EuroLeague season featuring Greek clubs created a continuous rhythm of high-interest betting cycles throughout autumn.
Rather than short-lived peaks followed by sharp declines, demand remained elevated well beyond individual events. This is a pattern clearly visible on the Blask Index trend line.
Casino reform reshaped demand behavior
One of the most significant contributors came from the casino segment. Greece’s decision to raise RNG stake limits from €2 to €20 altered the mechanics of the market, allowing online casinos to absorb demand during sports off-peak periods.
As sports-led acquisition increasingly converted into casino play, operators reported double-digit iGaming growth. Market Explanation analysis shows that this effect persisted over time, confirming the shift as structural rather than seasonal.
Enforcement redirected demand to licensed operators
Regulatory action further reinforced the upward trend. In December, Greek authorities blocked approximately 11,000 illegal gambling domains. Instead of suppressing demand, the move redirected player interest toward licensed platforms, strengthening regulated market performance.
The impact was amplified by the adoption of IRIS instant payments, which reduced deposit friction and improved conversion from interest to activity.
From tracking trends to understanding causes
To surface these drivers, Blask has introduced Market Explanation — an AI-powered layer within the Blask Index that allows users to click on any country’s trend line and instantly see a sourced breakdown of the forces behind the movement. Sports calendars, regulatory changes, casino dynamics and macro factors are analyzed together, turning raw demand signals into actionable market context.
Greece’s 2025 performance illustrates how this approach changes market analysis. Rather than simply observing that demand is rising, operators, suppliers and investors can now see why it is happening — and which levers are shaping the trajectory of a market in real time.
The post Greece Led Europe’s iGaming Growth in 2025 — Now the Drivers Are Fully Explained appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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The post GR8 Tech Delivers 1.6× Higher Deposit Conversion and 3× Reduction in Transaction Costs for Crypto Turnkey Clients appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Fast Track
Fast Track Introduces “Tournaments” Feature
Fast Track has expanded its AI-driven gamification platform, Rewards, with the launch of “Tournaments”. This new feature provides operators with a powerful tool to strengthen player retention. By leveraging real-time leaderboards, Tournaments allow players to compete directly for prizes—a proven strategy for increasing session length and frequency of play.
Tournaments integrate with the company’s Singularity Model, allowing operators to match players to competitions based on how they play. A player who chases big wins can be entered into a multiplier-based competition. A volume player competes on turnover. The result is tournaments that feel personal and perform better.
For operators managing multiple brands, the feature removes duplication. A single tournament setup can be applied across all brands and languages through Player Origins, Fast Track’s multi-brand management layer.
“Operators have either built tournaments in-house or used tools disconnected from their CRM, both creating friction at scale. Tournaments in Rewards solves that, but the real value is in relevance. Connected to the Singularity Model, operators aren’t just running competitions – they’re running the right competition for each player,” Simon Lidzén, CEO of Fast Track, said.
The post Fast Track Introduces “Tournaments” Feature appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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