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Helsinki: The Home of Mobile Gaming Innovation Hosts Pocket Gamer Connects’ 40th Event
Returning to its roots after a successful Toronto sprint, the Pocket Gamer Connects (PGC) conference lands once again in the heart of Finland’s gaming landscape – Helsinki. Join Pocket Gamer on September 12th and 13th, at Wanha Satama, Pikku Satamakatu 3-5, Helsinki, Finland to celebrate the 40th instance of Pocket Gamer Connects.
Helsinki’s gaming influence extends beyond mobile, with a 16% rise in active developer studios and a remarkable 200% increase in developer studio investments post-pandemic, encompassing PC and console platforms. This legacy cements Helsinki’s role as a natural host for PGC, offering an environment where innovation and gaming unite effortlessly.
The countdown begins for this year’s Helsinki event, situated in the very birthplace of mobile gaming, Finland, renowned for its collaborative gaming community rooted in the mid-1980s demoscene movement. With some of the most well-known companies in the sector (including the likes of Supercell and Rovio, the latter recently attracting a SEGA takeover). At the forefront of innovation, Finland leads the charge in VR, XR, and metaverse technologies, too, with plans to invest up to 13 million Euros by 2030 to shape the digital future.
This year’s edition of Pocket Gamer Connects will feature 200 speakers such as Elina Arponen of Quicksave Interactive, Tommi Lappalainen from Rovio, Veli-Pekka Puolakanaho from Remedy Entertainment, Jussi Tähtinen of Nitro Games, Jaakko Kylmäoja of Fingersoft, and many more. The event will also feature tracks such as Ad Insights, AI Advances, Big Screen Gaming, Industry Visions & Values, and many more. Developers, publishers, along with other influential speakers have been invited to share their insights and experiences with a network that aims to grow the mobile games community.
Dave Bradley, COO of Steel Media says, “We’ve been hosting events in Helsinki now since 2014. It’s one of the most vibrant and collaborative ecosystems for games in the whole world. After successful events in Seattle, Dubai and Toronto already this year, we’re excited to be back seeing our friends in Finland. It’s always a huge pleasure to be able to host this event in the spiritual home of mobile gaming and innovation! And this year, we’ve partnered with Games Forest Club to support sustainability within the games industry. We won’t just be celebrating the booming games industry here, we’ll also be promoting environmental responsibility.”
Recognised worldwide, Pocket Game Connects brings together leading minds and innovators in the gaming industry. This year’s PGC event in Helsinki will broaden its scope to encompass themes such as AI and Web3. Attendees can also connect with investors and publishers, while showcasing their mobile games and offering live demos. Celebrating the 40th edition of PGC Helsinki signifies a notable milestone, providing participants with a valuable chance to engage in a significant event within the gaming community.
Pocket Gamer Connects returns on September 12th and 13th in Wanha Satma, Pikku Satamakatu 3-5, 00160 Helsinki, Finland.
Tickets for the event are now live, and available here. The event supports the work of indies (the Global Game Jam is PGC’s official indie partner) and there are heavily subsidised options for indie teams to take part and even showcase their games in the expo area.
Arena Platform
Evoplay expands product portfolio with Arena platform
Evoplay has launched Evoplay Arena, a free-to-play platform designed to bring players together through competitive, community-driven slot tournaments.
Built entirely around demo gameplay, the platform allows users to compete without deposits or real-money involvement. Players can join a wide range of tournaments—including daily, weekly, monthly, and seasonal formats—earning points and climbing leaderboards based on their performance.
Getting started is simple. After registering and selecting a tournament, players are automatically entered upon their first spin. Each competition clearly outlines its rules, duration, featured game, and scoring mechanics, while live leaderboards provide real-time updates throughout the event.
Scoring systems vary depending on the tournament format, typically factoring in results such as win values or applied multipliers. Once a tournament concludes, final standings are published and rewards are distributed to top performers.
Depending on the format, players can earn digital certificates or Arena Coins. Certificates highlight standout performances, while Arena Coins act as an in-platform currency, rewarding consistent participation and success.
Evoplay Arena also introduces Legends of Arena, a seasonal leaderboard that tracks performance across multiple tournaments. Players accumulate seasonal points automatically, with top-ranked participants receiving additional rewards at the end of each cycle.
Designed for both experienced slot players and casual competitors, the platform offers structured, leaderboard-based gameplay, risk-free access to popular Evoplay titles, and social features such as player chat to enhance interaction.
Ivan Kravchuk, CEO at Evoplay, said:
“Evoplay Arena introduces a new way for players to experience our games through competition and progression, without the need for real-money play. It’s built around accessibility, transparency, and long-term engagement, reflecting our commitment to delivering diverse and entertaining experiences.”
The post Evoplay expands product portfolio with Arena platform appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Gaming Awards
Soft2Bet shortlisted in three categories at SBC Awards Europe
Soft2Bet has been shortlisted in three categories at the SBC Awards Europe, highlighting the strength of its platform, gamification suite, and ongoing product innovation across key European markets. The recognition follows a year of strong performance and sustained business growth.
The company is nominated in the Acquisition & Retention Partner category for its proprietary Motivational Engineering Gaming Application (MEGA), as well as for Platform Provider of the Year. In addition, MEGA Clawee—a nostalgic claw-machine concept reimagined for online play—has been shortlisted for Industry Innovation of the Year.
Driving Performance Through Innovation
Soft2Bet’s recent results underline its strategy, with notable EBITDA growth, increased sportsbook revenue, and strong overall brand performance over the past 12 months. These achievements reflect the effectiveness of its performance-focused B2B model, which combines product innovation, MEGA-driven gamification, localisation, and regulatory compliance to support growth in highly competitive markets.
The Platform Provider of the Year nomination recognises the company’s all-in-one platform, integrating player account management, payments, CRM, segmentation, bonus and loyalty tools, risk management, and gamification into a single, mobile-first system. This unified approach enables operators to launch quickly, adapt to local requirements, and scale efficiently across both casino and sportsbook verticals.
Gamification at the Core
At the heart of Soft2Bet’s engagement strategy is MEGA Clawee, which brings a remote-controlled claw machine into the digital space. By blending skill-based gameplay with instant rewards, it creates a compelling retention loop designed to boost player engagement and long-term value.
Harrison Barrett, VP of Business Development at Soft2Bet, said:
“Being shortlisted in three categories at SBC Awards Europe is a strong endorsement of our vision. We focus on delivering high-performing platforms, meaningful localisation, and engaging product experiences that keep players coming back. MEGA plays a central role in that strategy, transforming engagement into long-term retention and value.”
For Soft2Bet, the nominations mark another milestone in a period of continued commercial growth, product expansion, and industry recognition, as it supports operators in launching, localising, and scaling through advanced platform technology and engagement-driven solutions.
The post Soft2Bet shortlisted in three categories at SBC Awards Europe appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Italy
REEVO Partners with StarVegas
REEVO has announced a new partnership with StarVegas, a well-established online gaming brand in Italy. Through this collaboration, REEVO’s in-house games are now available on the StarVegas platform, further strengthening REEVO’s presence in one of Europe’s most competitive regulated markets.
This partnership marks another important milestone in REEVO’s ongoing expansion strategy, as the company continues to grow its global footprint by bringing its high-quality gaming experiences to leading operators worldwide. By going live with StarVegas, REEVO reinforces its commitment to delivering engaging, performance-driven content that resonates with players and supports operator growth.
For REEVO, this collaboration highlights its ability to partner with trusted brands in key markets and deliver content that enhances player engagement and platform performance.
Karl Grech, Head of Business Development at REEVO, said: “Partnering with StarVegas is an exciting step for REEVO as we continue to expand our presence in regulated European markets. Italy is a highly competitive and dynamic market, and we are proud to bring our games to StarVegas players. This collaboration reflects our focus on delivering high-quality content that drives engagement, supports operator success, and creates long-term value.”
Paolo Marchi, Brand Manager of StarVegas, added: “The integration of REEVO within StarVegas marks an important milestone in our growth strategy in Italy. By combining a strong content portfolio with trusted partners, we aim to further strengthen our positioning and offer players an even more complete and diversified gaming experience. We are excited to start this collaboration and explore new opportunities together.”
The post REEVO Partners with StarVegas appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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