Interviews
Exclusive Q&A with Sujit Unni, Chief Technology Officer at Paysafe
How important are payment methods and speed of payment processing important for customer experience in online sports betting?
We talked with Sujit Unni, Chief Technology Officer at Paysafe, which had conducted a survey among US punters. He provided insightful and detailed answers on this and several other questions.
Read on for some fascinating perspectives on the past, present and future of the payment process and its role in online sports betting.
Q. Let’s start with the recent survey that Paysafe conducted among US sports bettors. What are the key takeaways from the survey?
A. Here are some of the conclusions we came to after surveying sports bettors in eight regulated US states:
Available payment methods influence players’ decision to use a brand: To fully capitalize on the growing opportunity of online sports betting, sportsbook operators should strongly focus on the player experience at the checkout. The payment methods that are available and the security of said methods are critical for players when it comes to evaluating which brand they choose to place their bets with.
Transaction security factors highly into choice of sportsbook: When asked to identify which criterion was most important when depositing funds with a sports-betting brand, bettors said the security of the transaction was more important than any other characteristic.
Easy and fast payments are critical: Just as important to players is the speed and ease with which they receive their winnings when they wish to cash out. According to four fifths (79%) of US sports bettors we surveyed, they have a negative impression of the sportsbook when their expectations related to cash out speeds aren’t met. This can result in the sportsbook taking a large reputation hit. A poor reputation spreads among players and can result in a significant brake on its growth.
The online sportsbooks themselves must be fast and efficient: It’s important to make sure the sportsbook’s payment platform is moving quickly and efficiently. The easier it is for a player to access payouts, the more likely they will be to continue using the platform. Those who adapt to these demands will position themselves well for significant growth.
Q. Everybody talks about the speed of payments. How does speed factor into the mobile process as a whole, and how does it contribute to the overall success of an online business, especially an iGaming business?
A. iGaming is changing more rapidly right now than ever before. Mobile’s role in this evolution is huge, given apps’ potential for speed and the strong relationship we’re able to build with end-users: We’re right there, in their pockets, whenever they pick up their phone.
But proximity alone is not enough. End-users will grow bored or burnt out if their experiences are slow, or if we’re not constantly offering new experiences and improving what’s already available.
Increasing the speed of our processes and the user experience is critical in that every second of load time anywhere within the app literally costs every company money, especially in iGaming, which is less of a considered purchase than traditional mobile shopping or eCommerce. iGaming customers are making fluid, real-time decisions; the more time they have to wait to get to the next step, the less patient they become and the more likely they are to drop off.
Speed is a function of many factors, and there are a number of processes that power the payments experience. We work with mobile DevOps platform Bitrise to increase the speed of all of the mobile processes that power the user experiences leading up to and including payments, as well as the behind-the-scenes operational processes that influence our ability to release updates to the app stores more frequently and faster.
The payments part of the mobile process is a particularly expensive place to be slow. Out-pacing competitors in that process is what’s creating the winners in this space.
Q. What are the ways by which Paysafe tries to accelerate its mobile processes and e-payments?
A. If you look at it from a very high level, the two primary ways we accelerate our processes and e-payments are through having the best talent and technology.
We stay competitive on the talent side by attracting and – just as importantly –
retaining the best people in the world in this space. We have been able to build on their expertise to constantly improve the speed at which we deliver value for merchants and consumers alike.
When you are investing in this level of talent, it’s important that you are not wasting their skills on things like troubleshooting, waiting around hours to test builds, or doing manual fixes to problems that could be automated. So, on the technology side, our mobile engineering teams use Bitrise to test all new code, reduce build times from hours to minutes, identify issues that might interfere with the user experience, and so on, before submitting releases to the app stores.
Our goal is to always do everything as fast as possible, without sacrificing our standards of quality and security.
Q. It looks like the ‘slow and steady’ will not win the races anymore. But could the focus on speed–especially in payment processing–be detrimental to the fraud-prevention measures?
A. Building on my last answer, it’s imperative to not sacrifice security to save time. I will say that one of the upsides of investing in technology like Bitrise is that it allows us to get the best of both worlds: Speed and security. In our mobile engineering processes, for example, Bitrise allows us to automatically run a number of security tests and checks that were previously slow, manual labour. Now they take up less time, are more consistently executed, and actually free up the team to work on innovations for our merchants and consumers. That’s not to say that there aren’t manual checks involved anymore, but those are fewer and more meaningful.
Q. Could you talk about the recent innovations that Paysafe brought to the payments ecosystem?
A. Given the nature of our business we are constantly evolving our value proposition and anchor around our philosophy of customer outcomes. We tend to think of innovation around key pillars including:
- Evolving our business to be a true cloud-based platform that supports multi-sided markets. This allows existing customers and merchants to access new features and stay engaged with our platform. The recent introduction of Openbucks, a product that allows store gift cards to be used at point of sale at other merchants in the Paysafe network, benefits customers who can now use restricted gift cards across a wider merchant base, and allows our merchants to accept a non-traditional payment method.
- Building out hybrid-business models with the wider finance eco-system through the launch of capabilities like pop-up banking with traditional banks like TSB. While serving as a revenue stream, this also allows banks like TSB to optimize their branch footprint and enables customers to access simple transactions using the Paysafe network.
We have also spearheaded a suite of embedded finance offerings with partners like Amazon and Google. Our offerings of cash to digital, digital wallets and processor agnostic payment methods makes us one of the few firms that can offer industry specific open loop and closed loop solutions.
Q. Allow me now to bring a customer perspective. What benefits do companies, especially those in the iGaming sector, gain from integrating the accelerated payment solutions of Paysafe?
A. Given our “born in gaming” origins, we believe we are one of the few payment platforms in the market that has a full suite of solutions to support both store based and online operators. This means our combination of brick and mortar, wallet, and cash solutions allow customers to seamlessly transact and play across the in-store and online offerings of our gaming merchants.
Solutions like our single integration API give our gaming merchants access to payment processing platforms that are accessible in multiple geographies through different processors, a host of local payment methods and a global network of banks. This in effect improves the customer experience and reduces revenue losses from declined transactions.
Effective risk and fraud management is a key differentiator, given the deep expertise and geographical coverage we provide the industry. Our investment in our risk and fraud infrastructure protects both merchants and customers while ensuring a seamless payments experience.
Q. The new technologies in the payment space have blurred the boundaries of national currencies to an extent. What are your thoughts on the influence of the laws and regulations of different countries on the growth of payment processes, especially for a highly regulated industry like iGaming?
A. The world is definitely a smaller place from a payments perspective today than it was five or six years back, largely enabled by the rapid adoption of disruptive technologies like blockchain, API driven ecosystems, and standardization of messaging services.
Like any financial service, payments are heavily influenced by regulation – and fortunately in a good way for the most part. Governments have been quick at recognizing how critical a scalable and democratized payments infrastructure is to drive economic growth and, as a result, we see regulation being enacted in in many markets. This is helping build out global payment ecosystems – for instance, UPI in India, Open Banking in Europe, or FedNow in the US. As this ecosystem continues to evolve, we see the emergence of trends like pay by bank and local payment methods continuing to grab market share from the card schemes, which will benefit both consumers and merchants.
iGaming is still in its infancy and, in certain markets like the US, can ride this wave of an open payments ecosystem to provide a far superior experience to its customers. Regulation in gaming is still evolving and it will look to more mature markets in Europe for insight as it starts to put in place legislation for the industry. Paysafe is leveraging its established presence in the EU to bring insight and product offerings to the US market that allow our gaming partners to not only grow their business in line with established legislation but also to build and offer products that consider future legislation that we think could be enacted.
Q. What is your take on the growth of mobile payments over the last few years?
A. Smartphones are a part of our daily lives today and are to a large degree considered indispensable. In the few years leading up to the pandemic, we were already seeing steady growth in mobile payments. The onset of the pandemic accelerated that growth by as much as 75% in some segments.
Some of the key drivers are:
The influence of digital transformation: As industry sectors, particularly financial services, have increasingly been disrupted and transformed, the mobile phone has emerged as an important customer engagement channel. As customer behavior matured to using mobile phones as a transaction medium, the need to support payments drove adoption.
The rise of emerging digital economies: The other big influence was the rise of emerging economies. India, for example, had a head start in becoming a digital economy with its population armed with mobile phones before they even had access to desktop computers. Countries like India that are supported by digital friendly government regulations, have a large unbanked population and an industry that’s very willing to provide payment and banking solutions, witnessed exponential growth in mobile payments.
Apps, wallets, and subscription services: As the number of apps hosted on Apple and Android platforms grew, people are increasingly using mobile phones to purchase a range of services, from buying tickets to ordering rides and subscription services. This adoption led to the creation of a full payment supportive ecosystem, including wallets (Apple Pay, Google Pay, and our own Skrill digital wallet, among others) and emerging payments volumes driven by a growing library of subscription services.
Payments continue to become easy and reliable: Having a credit or a debit card used to be the only way to make a payment on a mobile phone. However, payments have evolved to keep up with the emerging digital landscape. Today beyond these traditional payment methods, customers can pay with their bank accounts, cash, and by using over 200 local payment methods specific to geographies –which has democratized payments. That coupled with regulation to promote open banking systems and reliable real-time payments as well as faster payment infrastructure has helped drive the surge of mobile payments.
Increasingly secure and safe transactions: Wherever there is a financial transaction there is also the risk of fraud. Because of this, mobile phones have evolved to continually make transactions both convenient and safe. Whether it’s by using face ID, biometrics or contactless payments, the ability of the manufacturers to deliver secure payments was critical in driving the wider adoption of mobile payments.
Q. Let’s conclude with something about the future. Could you reveal some of the changes that you foresee coming in the mobile space? What about the payments sector?
A. With app store operators seeing pressure from governments around the world to loosen their grips on the mobile ecosystem – especially in terms of payments – we expect to see some massive changes soon.
Alternative app stores that allow more app choices for end-users and more payment processing choices for app store publishers are benefitting both merchants and consumers.
Additionally, we expect the consumer’s need for speed to increase even further, widening the divide between those businesses that can deliver on this expectation and those that can’t.
We’re confident that, between the talent of our team and partners like Bitrise, we’ll land on the right side of that divide.
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La Copa Mundial de 2026 promete ser un punto de inflexión para el mercado brasileño de apuestas deportivas, el primer gran test de estrés en un entorno totalmente regulado, con proyecciones que alcanzan los R$ 19 mil millones en movimiento en el país.
En este escenario, Stellar Gaming (EstrelaBet) se posiciona en el centro de esta transformación, donde la tecnología, la seguridad jurídica y la experiencia del usuario se convierten en pilares estratégicos de crecimiento.
En una entrevista exclusiva, Fellipe Fraga, CBO de Stellar Gaming, analiza cómo la madurez del mercado regulado, el avance del juego responsable, la evolución de la infraestructura tecnológica y la lucha contra el mercado ilegal van a moldear la “mejor Copa de todos los tiempos” para el entretenimiento digital en Brasil, y el legado que este evento dejará para la industria.
La Copa Mundial de 2026 es el primer gran ‘test de estrés’ del mercado brasileño totalmente regulado, con proyecciones de alrededor de R$ 19 mil millones en volumen de negocio en el país. ¿Cómo evalúa Stellar Gaming que la seguridad jurídica y la madurez operativa harán de este torneo la ‘mejor Copa de los últimos tiempos’ para el entretenimiento digital en Brasil?
Fellipe Fraga – En la Copa Mundial de 2022, todavía estábamos luchando por la regulación del mercado, lo que lamentablemente no ocurrió a tiempo.
Esta vez, tendremos la oportunidad de probar no solo a nivel tecnológico, sino también en términos de comportamiento del cliente, ya que veremos el impacto del mayor evento deportivo del mundo.
Además, en las operaciones reguladas, las herramientas de control previstas en la normativa específica garantizan una experiencia segura para el cliente y potencian el alcance del juego responsable.
Con esto, los próximos dos meses representan grandes expectativas para el sector.
En un evento masivo que atrae a millones de nuevos apostadores, las preocupaciones sobre el juego problemático cobran relevancia. EstrelaBet tiene una alianza pionera con la FUMEC. ¿Cómo funciona en la práctica la matriz predictiva de riesgos basada en inteligencia artificial para identificar patrones atípicos y garantizar que el Mundial sea un momento de ocio seguro, alejando a la marca del estigma del mercado ‘gris’ del pasado?
Una de las grandes ventajas del avance tecnológico es poder utilizarlo para mejorar la experiencia colectiva, y no es diferente cuando hablamos del juego responsable.
Al introducir mecanismos de machine learning con datos y conceptos de ciencia del comportamiento, podemos mejorar la predictibilidad del riesgo en comportamientos en los que el cliente muestra señales de alejarse del juego responsable.
Esto permite que la operación actúe para reducir estos riesgos, garantizando que el entretenimiento con apuestas sea únicamente lo que debe ser: diversión.
Sabemos que los usuarios brasileños son mobile-first y no toleran fricciones durante un partido importante. EstrelaBet ha mejorado recientemente el tiempo de carga en un 60% y reducido la latencia de las apuestas en vivo en un 80%. ¿Cómo se traduce esta infraestructura ‘Fórmula 1’, liderada por el equipo de tecnología, en confianza y retención del usuario en los momentos de mayor pico del torneo?
La principal dirección que debemos tomar es ponernos en el lugar del cliente y entender qué puede generar fricción en la experiencia. Un sitio inestable y lento no es bien recibido.
Por eso adoptamos una mentalidad que llamamos “EstrelaTech”, enfocada en el desarrollo tecnológico para mejorar la experiencia del cliente.
Esto genera automáticamente confianza en el rendimiento, la estabilidad y la calidad del servicio, lo que, junto con nuestros socios tecnológicos, permite ofrecer una plataforma donde el entretenimiento ocurre de forma más fluida.
El CEO de la marca, João Gerçossimo, trajo recientemente del SXSW el concepto de la ‘Economía de la Atención 3.0’, donde el sentido de pertenencia a la comunidad supera a las ofertas agresivas. ¿Cómo planea EstrelaBet aplicar esta filosofía durante el Mundial para fidelizar clientes sin depender únicamente de bonos de adquisición transaccionales?
El Mundial es una excelente oportunidad para acercar al cliente a la marca.
El 5 de junio lanzaremos una gran campaña que conecta al público y a la marca con el deseo nacional de conquistar el sexto título mundial.
Esta conexión va más allá del producto en sí y se centra en la relación entre el cliente y la empresa.
El trabajo de nuestro equipo de marketing ha sido excelente, incluyendo en la elección de socios de medios, que logran comunicarse con el público y transmitir los mensajes clave, no solo sobre entretenimiento, sino también sobre una mentalidad moderna en torno a la salud, la actividad física y la tecnología.
La integridad deportiva es un pilar de un mercado regulado sólido. Hoy, EstrelaBet utiliza sistemas de IA que alcanzan hasta un 90% de precisión en la detección de comportamientos sospechosos, como el abuso de múltiples cuentas. ¿Cómo se utilizará esta tecnología para proteger la plataforma contra fraudes durante la alta volatilidad del Mundial?
El producto de apuestas es, esencialmente, la incertidumbre del futuro, ya sea en un juego online o en un evento deportivo.
Cualquier situación que intente garantizar un resultado futuro vacía la esencia del producto.
Por lo tanto, defender la integridad deportiva es extremadamente importante para nosotros en sí misma, y combinada con nuestra pasión por el deporte como plataforma de entretenimiento, nos hace aún más comprometidos con su protección.
Con tecnología y alianzas, somos capaces de monitorear comportamientos sospechosos y rastrear intentos de fraude en tiempo real.
Aunque el Mundial tiene el peso de ser el mayor evento deportivo, con todas las miradas puestas en él y, en consecuencia, reduciendo el riesgo de comportamientos sospechosos en el campo, es fundamental garantizar que tampoco haya influencia negativa en las operaciones, permitiendo que no solo la IA sino también el diálogo con los socios funcione de la mejor manera posible.
Con la Copa del Mundo realizándose en las Américas (EE. UU., México y Canadá), la zona horaria es extremadamente favorable para los apostadores brasileños. Sumado al avance del 5G, ¿cuál es la expectativa de EstrelaBet sobre la explosión de las apuestas en vivo (in-play betting) y los micro-momentos durante los partidos de Brasil?
El mercado brasileño ya utiliza predominantemente el teléfono móvil. Los partidos que se jugarán, muchas veces fuera del horario laboral, permitirán potenciar el acto de sentarse a ver un partido.
Por lo tanto, la tendencia es un aumento significativo de la actividad durante la Copa del Mundo, donde el factor social —estar con amigos, ver el partido juntos y apostar— jugará un papel importante.
Tu, Fellipe Fraga, como CBO de la marca, ha sido vocal sobre el hecho de que restringir excesivamente las plataformas licenciadas solo empuja a los usuarios hacia el mercado ilegal. Durante un evento con la magnitud de la Copa del Mundo, ¿cómo pueden el sector regulado y el gobierno trabajar juntos para educar al público y evitar la fuga de ingresos hacia operadores no licenciados?
La Copa del Mundo es una enorme oportunidad para el sector público en sentido amplio, no solo el regulador, sino también el Gobierno Federal e incluso los legisladores, para unir fuerzas en favor del sector regulado.
Solo a través de operaciones adecuadas es posible tener datos, acceso a información de comportamiento y una recaudación fiscal correcta que permita el desarrollo del país, junto con la promoción adecuada de iniciativas de juego responsable.
Esperamos que esta conciencia ayude a combatir un mercado ilegal que, si no se enfrenta, solo beneficiará a actividades ilícitas.
Para el mercado, la Copa del Mundo de 2026 es considerada el “Super Bowl extendido”. Tras el pitido final el 19 de julio, ¿cuál será el principal legado de este torneo de US$ 35 mil millones para el mercado brasileño de apuestas deportivas, considerando los avances en gobernanza, tecnología y protección del usuario final?
El Mundial de 2026 permitirá una comprensión completa del comportamiento del cliente en el mercado de apuestas.
Tendremos datos, resultados e información recopilada de las distintas iniciativas y estrategias que adopte el mercado.
El aumento del volumen permitirá validar las tesis de juego responsable e integridad deportiva, así como garantizar que los usuarios traten las apuestas como entretenimiento adecuado durante los momentos de ocio mientras ven los partidos.
The post Stellar Gaming y la mejor Copa de todos los tiempos appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
The World Cup 2026 promises to be a turning point for the Brazilian sports betting market, the first major stress test in a fully regulated environment, with projections reaching R$ 19 billion in turnover in the country.
In this scenario, Stellar Gaming (EstrelaBet) positions itself at the center of this transformation, where technology, legal security, and user experience become strategic pillars of growth.
In an exclusive interview, Fellipe Fraga, CBO of Stellar Gaming, analyzes how the maturity of the regulated market, the advancement of responsible gaming, the evolution of technological infrastructure, and the fight against the illegal market will shape the “best World Cup of all time” for digital entertainment in Brazil, and the legacy this event will leave for the industry.
The World Cup 2026 is the first major ‘stress test’ of the fully regulated Brazilian market, with projections of around R$ 19 billion in turnover in the country. How does Stellar Gaming assess that legal certainty and operational maturity will make this tournament the ‘best World Cup of recent times’ for digital entertainment in Brazil?
Fellipe Fraga – In the 2022 World Cup, we were still fighting for market regulation, which unfortunately did not happen in time.
This time, we will have the opportunity to test not only at the technology level, but also in terms of customer behavior, as we will see the impact of the biggest sporting event in the world.
In addition, in regulated operations, the control tools provided for in the specific regulations ensure a safe experience for the customer and enhance the reach of responsible gaming.
With this, the next two months represent great expectations for the sector.
In a mass event that attracts millions of new bettors, concerns about problem gambling come into focus. EstrelaBet has a pioneering partnership with FUMEC. How does the AI-based predictive risk matrix work in practice to identify atypical patterns and ensure that the World Cup is a safe leisure moment, distancing the brand from the stigma of the ‘gray’ market of the past?
One of the great advantages of technological advancement is being able to use it to improve the collective experience, and it is no different when we talk about responsible gaming.
By introducing machine learning mechanisms with data and behavioral science concepts, we can improve risk predictability in behaviors where the customer shows signs of moving away from responsible gaming.
This allows the operation to act to reduce these risks, ensuring that betting entertainment is only what it is meant to be: fun.
We know that Brazilian users are mobile-first and do not tolerate friction during an important match. EstrelaBet has recently improved loading time by 60% and reduced live betting latency by 80%. How does this “Formula 1” infrastructure, led by the technology team, translate into trust and user retention during tournament peak moments?
The main direction we must take is to put ourselves in the customer’s shoes and understand what can create friction in the experience. A site that is unstable and slow is not well received.
That is why we adopted a mindset we called “EstrelaTech”, focused on technological development to improve the customer experience.
This automatically generates confidence in performance, stability, and service quality, which, combined with our technology partners, enables the delivery of a platform where entertainment happens more smoothly.
The brand’s CEO, João Gerçossimo, recently brought from SXSW the concept of the “Attention Economy 3.0”, where community belonging surpasses aggressive offers. How does EstrelaBet plan to apply this philosophy during the World Cup to retain customers without relying solely on transactional acquisition bonuses?
The World Cup is an excellent opportunity to bring the customer closer to the brand.
On June 5th, we will launch a major campaign that connects the audience and the brand to the national desire to achieve the sixth world title.
This connection goes beyond the product itself and is about the relationship between the customer and the company.
Our marketing team’s work has been outstanding, including in the choice of media partners, who are able to communicate with the audience and deliver key messages, not only about entertainment but also about a modern mindset regarding health, physical activity, and technology.
Sports integrity is a cornerstone of a strong regulated market. Today, EstrelaBet uses AI systems that achieve up to 90% accuracy in detecting suspicious behavior, such as multi-account abuse. How will this technology be used to protect the platform against fraudsters during the high volatility of the World Cup?
The betting product is essentially about uncertainty about the future, whether in an online game or a sporting event.
Any situation that tries to guarantee a future outcome empties the essence of the product.
Therefore, defending sports integrity is extremely important to us in itself, and combined with our passion for sport as an entertainment platform, it makes us even more committed to protecting it.
With technology and partnerships, we are able to monitor suspicious behavior and track fraud attempts in real time.
Although the World Cup carries the weight of being the biggest sporting event, with all eyes on it and consequently reducing the risk of suspicious behavior on the field, it is essential to ensure that there is also no negative influence on operations, allowing not only AI but also dialogue with partners to work in the best possible way.
With the World Cup taking place in the Americas (USA, Mexico, and Canada), the time zone is extremely favorable for Brazilian bettors. Combined with the advancement of 5G, what is EstrelaBet’s expectatio for the explosion of in-play betting and micro-moments during Brazil’s matches?
The Brazilian market already predominantly uses mobile phones. Matches taking place, often outside working hours, will allow the act of sitting down and watching a game to be enhanced.
Therefore, the trend is for a significant increase in activity during the World Cup, where the social factor—being with friends, watching the game together, and betting—will play an important role.
You, Fellipe Fraga, as the brand’s CBO, have been vocal about the fact that overly restricting licensed platforms only pushes users toward the illegal market. During an event with the scale of the World Cup, how can the regulated sector and the government work together to educate the public and prevent revenue leakage to unlicensed operators
The World Cup is a huge opportunity for the public sector in a broad sense, not only the regulator, but also the Federal Government and even legislators, to join forces in favor of the regulated sector.
Only through proper operations is it possible to have data, access to behavioral insights, and proper tax collection that will enable the country’s development, along with the correct promotion of responsible gaming initiatives.
We hope this awareness helps to combat an illegal market that, if not addressed, will only benefit illicit activities.
For the market, the 2026 World Cup is considered the “extended Super Bowl.” After the final whistle on July 19, what will be the main legacy of this US$ 35 billion tournament for the Brazilian sports betting market, considering the advances achieved in governance, technology, and end-user protection?
The 2026 World Cup will allow a full understanding of customer behavior in the betting market.
We will have data, results, and information collected from the various initiatives and strategies the market adopts.
The increase in volume will allow the validation of responsible gaming and sports integrity theses, as well as ensuring that users treat betting as proper entertainment during leisure moments while watching matches.
The post Stellar Gaming e the best World Cup of all time appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
Following the success of the inaugural Charity Gala by BGaming, the content studio is returning to The Phoenicia Malta on May 29th for another meaningful evening, bringing the industry together to raise funds for a valuable cause.
The invite-only event will raise funds for the DAR Bjorn in Malta, a care centre for people suffering from ALS, MS, and other life-altering neurological conditions.
In this article, we sit down with CEO BGaming, Marina Ostrovtsova, to discuss the story behind the event, the importance of DAR Bjorn, BGaming’s wider approach to charity, and more.
Can you start by telling us a little bit about DAR Bjorn and explaining why BGaming has chosen to support it?
DAR Bjorn is a cause very close to our hearts at BGaming. It is a neurological centre in Malta that provides care and treatment for people living with neurological conditions such as ALS and MS.
The centre was founded by Bjorn Formosa, who actually comes from the iGaming industry himself. He was diagnosed with ALS at just 28, and I think his story resonates very deeply with many people across our industry. Despite everything he’s faced, Bjorn remains incredibly positive, driven, and committed to helping others, which is something our whole team truly admires.
What also makes DAR Bjorn so special is the scale of the support they provide. Today, they care for around 60 residents across their centers and support nearly 800 more people in the Maltese community. The impact they have on people’s lives is very real and very visible.
And of course, Malta itself is an important home for many of us in iGaming. Supporting a local organisation that does such meaningful work felt like a very natural thing for us to do. We genuinely feel honored to support DAR Bjorn and to help contribute, even in a small way, to the incredible work they do every single day.
Last year was the inaugural Charity Gala by BGaming. What did you learn from that? And what has inspired you to return for a second year?
Last year’s Charity Gala was honestly one of the proudest moments for our team at BGaming. We raised more than €200,000 in a single evening, exceeding all our expectations. Those funds went directly toward supporting the construction of DAR Bjorn’s new Respite Centre, which is now becoming a reality.
But I think the most important thing we learned was how much real impact is actually possible when people come together around a shared purpose. Seeing the industry unite in that way was incredibly emotional and inspiring for all of us.
Sometimes in iGaming, we get so focused on the business side that we forget how influential and connected this industry really is. Last year reminded us that when companies, partners, and people decide to support something meaningful together, the result can be far bigger than anyone initially expects.
That’s really what inspired us to come back for a second year. Once we saw the tangible difference the Gala made for DAR Bjorn and the people supported by the centre, continuing the initiative felt like the only natural next step.
Can you tell us a little bit more about this year’s event and what makes it different from last year’s?
We really wanted this year’s Charity Gala to evolve naturally from what we created last year, not just become bigger, but also more ambitious and impactful.
One of the biggest additions this year is our partnership with NEXT.io as the official media partner, which has helped us bring even more visibility to the initiative across the industry. We’ve also expanded the overall experience for guests, with live music by Versatile, a charity raffle, an art auction, and several entertainment and fundraising activities throughout the evening.
But I’d say the biggest difference this year is the level of clarity around the impact itself.
Last year, the funds raised helped support the construction of DAR Bjorn’s new Respite Centre. This year, the focus shifts toward equipping that centre with very specific medical and care equipment, including ventilators, oxygen concentrators, specialised beds, and resident rooms. So people can very clearly see where the support is going and how it directly improves residents’ quality of life.
And honestly, one of the most inspiring things this year has been the level of support from the industry itself. Seeing companies like Flutter, Alea, SiGMA, MyAffiliates, 1spin4win, Finteq Hub, and Amusnet Gaming come together around the same cause really shows how deeply this initiative resonates within the iGaming community.
Art and creativity sound like they will be two key focuses for the evening. Can you tell us more about this?
Art and creativity have always been a very natural part of BGaming’s identity, so it felt important for us to bring that into the Charity Gala as well. This year, we’re incredibly lucky to collaborate with two outstanding artists, Gonçalo MAR and L7Matrix, both of whom are helping turn the evening into something much more immersive and emotional than a traditional charity event.
The Gala will feature an art auction with works by Gonçalo MAR, alongside a live art performance by L7Matrix during the evening itself. Art has this unique ability to create emotional connection and tell stories without words, which fits very naturally with the spirit of the initiative.
But what makes this year especially meaningful for us is the collaboration with the residents of DAR Bjorn themselves. Together with Gonçalo MAR, they participated in creative workshops that inspired a special merch collection connected to the Gala.
For us, it was important that residents were not simply beneficiaries of the initiative, but actual participants in it. Their stories and creativity became part of the project itself.
The collection will be available during NEXT Summit Valletta and online, with proceeds going directly toward supporting DAR Bjorn and the new Respite Centre.
The DAR Bjorn Charity Gala by BGaming is one of several CSR initiatives and events BGaming has been involved with in 2026. How does this align with the company’s wider philosophy?
CSR initiatives are a very important part of how we see BGaming as a company. We often describe ourselves as being “beyond” a game provider, and for us, that idea goes far beyond products or entertainment alone. It’s also about the kind of impact we want to have in the communities around us.
Whether it’s the Charity Gala by BGaming or initiatives like our recent collaboration with Centurion in Brazil, focused on supporting underserved communities, the common idea behind all of these projects is quite simple: if we have the ability to help, we should use it.
We don’t approach CSR as something separate from the business or as a short-term PR activity. It’s much more about responsibility and long-term involvement. We operate in many different markets around the world, and we genuinely believe it’s important to support the communities connected to them in a meaningful way.
I also think initiatives like this help show a different side of the iGaming industry. People often see the industry only through a commercial lens, but in reality, it’s filled with passionate people, strong communities, and companies capable of creating real impact when they come together around a shared purpose.
The industry has enormous reach, resources, and influence. And I believe projects like this are a reminder that those things can be used not only to grow businesses, but also to genuinely improve people’s lives.
The post An Evening Where Care Blooms: BGaming on the Return of the Charity Gala appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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