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IGSA Takes Action to Enhance Cyber Resiliency with New Committee

Published

2 years ago

September 29, 2023

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With the recent string of cyber attacks on MGM Resorts and Caesars Entertainment, the world is reminded of the effect an intelligent group of hackers can have on even the most robust enterprises.

In the aftermath of these attacks, IGSA (International Gaming Standards Association) has announced its commitment to addressing the increased threat of cyberattacks by creating the Cyber Resiliency Committee (CRC).

Supported by global gaming giants such as Aristocrat Technologies, Light & Wonder and Axes.ai, the committee will establish guidelines for overseeing cybersecurity, managing cyber risks, and setting framework control criteria for casino operators and their associated networks.

It will include knowledge from experts within the IGSA membership to create a set of standards that are actionable and topical, taking into account emerging technologies and the present and future challenges specific to UK online casinos, betting sites, and general iGaming sectors.

Addressing Cyber Threats

While it is suspected that the hackers behind MGM Resorts and Ceasars Entertainment also orchestrated at least 52 other attacks across various sectors, mainly in the US, the casino industry is a highly lucrative target for cybercriminals.

Physical casinos handle a substantial amount of money but, moreover, hold a vast amount of personal and financial data. It was reported that as part of the recent round of attacks, Caesars paid “millions” to get their data back.

MGM Resorts was affected on several operating levels, including the use of hotel key cards, guest check-in, and the use of slot machines and ATMs.

Online casinos, built entirely from digital infrastructures, are at the frontline for cyber threats. Common attacks include Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS), which will flood the target website with traffic or send information to the site that triggers a crash, disrupting services and impacting the target’s reputation.

Building a Resilient Cyber Infrastructure

The creation of the IGSA’s CRC committee is proof that the industry is taking these threats seriously. By cooperating and forming alliances, the online casino and gaming sector can exchange resources, share threat intelligence, and safeguard against well-organized, multi-targeted attacks.

Regular audits are another way to prevent unwanted access to sensitive systems. Penetration testing, which entails a simulated and authorized attack by professional, ethical hackers, is a common way for enterprises to evaluate cybersecurity systems, allowing companies to better defend against such attacks.

Some cyberattacks, such as the one recently performed on MGM Resorts, are executed not only through hacking but by using additional methods such as social engineering. Social engineering involves the exploitation of “human error” to gain access to a computer system or to bypass multi-factor authentication.

This includes techniques such as phishing, baiting, or, in some extreme cases, contacting a company’s helpdesk to determine login information.

Adept cybercriminals are often convincing and have the necessary information to avert the sensation of suspicious activity. Employee training can mitigate some of the risk of human error, which many hackers rely on to access targeted systems.

Users should also take steps to prevent falling victim to cyber warfare. There are several strategies for safer online conduct, including using certified providers, creating strong passwords, and regularly updating gaming platforms.

AI

Scientific Games Appoints Ovie Doro as SVP of Data, Analytics & AI

Published

2 hours ago

February 2, 2026

Wladimir P.

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Scientific Games today named Ovie Doro as Senior Vice President of Data, Analytics & AI, a strategic hire that accelerates the company’s investment in data science, machine learning and AI-driven insights for its global lottery business. Doro will lead the expansion of SG Analytics, Scientific Games’ enterprise analytics group, to deliver stronger product performance, personalized player experiences and measurable ROI for lottery customers across retail and digital channels.

Driving analytics-led growth for lotteries

Scientific Games says the appointment marks a step-change in how it uses data and AI to inform lottery game development, optimize player engagement and support lottery beneficiaries. As head of SG Analytics, Doro will focus on turning large volumes of market and player data into actionable intelligence for product, sales and operations teams.

“Advanced analytics is critical to how Scientific Games supports our lottery customers and drives innovation and performance for sustainable growth,” said Pat McHugh, CEO of Scientific Games. “Doro brings deep experience understanding consumer behavior and building scalable analytics and data science capabilities at global organizations, and we’re excited to have him lead this mission-critical work.”

What Doro will lead at SG Analytics

Doro’s remit will include expanding capabilities in:

Market and channel intelligence to identify growth opportunities across regions and channels
ROI and growth modeling to quantify the value of product and marketing investments
Data engineering and standardized reporting to speed insights to decision-makers
Data science, machine learning and experimentation for personalization and cross-channel optimization
Visualization and business intelligence to make analytics accessible to commercial teams

These priorities are designed to better connect retail and digital play, enable experimentation-driven product improvements, and provide lotteries with measurable results that support their beneficiary missions.

Proven leader in enterprise analytics and ML

Doro brings more than a decade of experience building enterprise analytics and machine learning platforms for major consumer and e-commerce companies. Most recently he served as Senior Global Director of Data Science & Machine Learning Engineering at AB InBev, where he led the AI strategy for the company’s global B2B e-commerce platform. His prior leadership roles at Walmart and Jet.com focused on customer analytics, personalization, experimentation platforms and lifecycle modeling—translating applied research into production-grade analytics systems that drive growth and retention.

“Doro’s appointment strengthens our ability to translate data into action and value for our customers,” said Carrie Galvin, Chief Transformation & Strategy Officer at Scientific Games. “His experience building analytics capabilities that deliver real-world business outcomes will help us better serve lotteries through smarter products and performance insights.”

Background and reporting

Doro holds a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology and a Master’s degree in Applied Mathematics from KTH Royal Institute of Technology. At Scientific Games, he will report to Carrie Galvin and collaborate closely with leaders across product, technology, sales and operations.

With this hire, Scientific Games positions SG Analytics to accelerate AI-driven product development, deepen personalization, and deliver clearer ROI for lotteries worldwide—strengthening the company’s role as a data-first partner to the lottery industry.

The post Scientific Games Appoints Ovie Doro as SVP of Data, Analytics & AI appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Gambling in the USA

Scientific Games Announces Ovie Doro as Senior Vice President of Data, Analytics & AI

Published

2 hours ago

February 2, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

scientific-games-announces-ovie-doro-as-senior-vice-president-of-data,-analytics-&-ai

Scientific Games has named Ovie Doro (“Doro”) as Senior Vice President of Data, Analytics & AI, strengthening the company’s investment in advanced analytics, data science and AI-driven insights to support growth and innovation across its global lottery business.

Scientific Games has named former InBev, Walmart and Jet.com data science leader Ovie Doro as Senior VP of Data, Analytics and AI.

Doro will lead the expansion of the SG Analytics group, Scientific Games’ enterprise analytics practice that combines deep expertise with business intelligence tools, data and insights to support decision-making and increased performance of the company’s lottery products and services. His appointment advances the company’s industry-leading use of data and AI to help guide development of lottery games and technologies, enhance player experiences and deliver measurable, ROI-driven value for lottery customers—helping optimize performance in support of their beneficiary missions—across retail and digital channels.

“Advanced analytics is critical to how Scientific Games supports our lottery customers and drives innovation and performance for sustainable growth,” said Pat McHugh, Chief Executive Officer of Scientific Games. “Doro brings deep experience understanding consumer behavior and building scalable analytics and data science capabilities at global organizations, and we’re excited to have him lead this mission-critical work.”

Doro has more than a decade of experience in architecting and scaling enterprise analytics and machine learning platforms across global consumer and e-commerce organizations. Most recently, he served as Senior Global Director of Data Science & Machine Learning Engineering at AB InBev, where he pioneered the AI strategy for the company’s global B2B e-commerce platform, transforming it into an AI-enabled ecosystem that drove revenue growth and partner value across multiple international markets.

Doro has held senior data science leadership roles at Walmart and Jet.com, where he led teams responsible for customer analytics, experimentation platforms, personalization and lifecycle modeling. His work focused on translating applied research into production-grade analytics and machine learning systems that supported growth, retention and omnichannel engagement.

At Scientific Games, Doro will advance SG Analytics by translating data into action across market and channel intelligence, competitive and industry insights, ROI and growth modeling, data engineering, data science and machine learning, supported by standardized reporting and visualization. He will also play a central role in enabling analytics-driven product growth, personalization, experimentation and cross-channel optimization that connects retail and digital play.

Doro will report to Carrie Galvin, Chief Transformation & Strategy Officer of Scientific Games, and will work closely with leaders across product, technology, sales and operations organizations.

“Doro’s appointment strengthens our ability to translate data into action and value for our customers,” said Galvin. “His experience building analytics capabilities that deliver real-world business outcomes will help us better serve lotteries through smarter products and performance insights.”

Doro holds a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology and a Master’s degree in Applied Mathematics from KTH Royal Institute of Technology.

The post Scientific Games Announces Ovie Doro as Senior Vice President of Data, Analytics & AI appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

Gamblers Connect

Gamblers Connect has officially launched its iHub, a new dedicated page created to be your ultimate connection to the iGaming world

Published

5 hours ago

February 2, 2026

Wladimir P.

gamblers-connect-has-officially-launched-its-ihub,-a-new-dedicated-page-created-to-be-your-ultimate-connection-to-the-igaming-world

Gamblers Connect, the award-winning iGaming media and affiliate platform, is proud to announce the official launch of the iHub, a new dedicated page created to be your ultimate connection to the iGaming world.

The iHub exclusively features companies that have an official partnership or verified collaboration with Gamblers Connect, ensuring that every listing meets our editorial, commercial, and quality standards. To achieve this feat, we have successfully organized the complex web of the iGaming industry into a single, centralized location.

The sole purpose of the iHub is to function as a comprehensive database that allows anyone in iGaming, whether it is affiliates, operators, or players, to find the right solutions in one place. Unlike open directories, the iHub is a curated environment, only trusted, officially partnered companies are included, with no self-submissions or automated listings. The iHub, just as the industry itself, is built upon four essential pillars that cover every facet of the iGaming realm, including Affiliates, Game Providers, B2B Providers and Payment Solutions.

Every company featured within the iHub is manually reviewed and onboarded through an official partnership with Gamblers Connect, ensuring accuracy, relevance, and long-term value for the industry.

Gjorgje Ristikj, Founder of Gamblers Connect, said: “The launch of the iHub perfectly reflects our goal to be the most transparent source of information in the iGaming world. It marks a new milestone in our history, as it represents a step forward in our ongoing mission to bring clarity to the industry. By launching the iHub, we unite the four essential pillars in a transparent and centralised manner, giving our community the ultimate resources to navigate the iGaming landscape.”

The post Gamblers Connect has officially launched its iHub, a new dedicated page created to be your ultimate connection to the iGaming world appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.