Latest News
BGC Announces Grainne Hurst as its New Chief Executive Officer

The UK’s Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) has announced Grainne Hurst as its new Chief Executive Officer.
Grainne brings an unparalleled wealth of experience in the regulated betting and gaming sector, joining from global betting brand Entain, where she is currently Group Corporate Affairs Director.
The appointment comes as part of a wider restructuring of the BGC’s senior leadership, as current BGC CEO Michael Dugher moves to become Chair, replacing outgoing Chairman Brigid Simmonds OBE.
Grainne has held a number of senior roles in the land-based and online sectors, and brings a passion for increasing the number of high profile women in the industry, establishing the international arm of Global Gaming Women, where she is a board member, and oversaw the charity’s expansion to the UK, Europe, Australia and New Zealand.
Over almost a decade with Entain, Grainne has led the company’s activities and relationships with government and the public sector and successfully spearheaded the company’s rebrand from GVC to Entain.
She is also a board member of the Entain Foundation and created and delivered Entain’s multi-award-winning global safer gambling strategy, Changing for the Bettor.
She was previously a special advisor to the UK government and studied at King’s College London and Queen Mary University in London.
Grainne Hurst said: “I am delighted to be joining the BGC at such a crucial time for its members and the millions of customers they serve. I am very grateful to Michael Dugher for everything he has done in establishing the BGC and I look forward to working closely with him to move it forward. My focus will always be on ensuring that we have a well regulated industry which protects customers and looks after their interests. The betting industry in the UK has world leading businesses and iconic brands and I will work hard to ensure they remain so. There is much to be done and I look forward to getting started.”
BGC CEO Michael Dugher added: “Grainne’s appointment is excellent news for BGC and our members. She won a very tough, external recruitment process and clearly demonstrated that she has not only mission critical knowledge and experience in the regulated industry – both online and in the land based sector – but also a strong vision for continued change and improvement at the BGC. Driving further progress on safer gambling, whilst ensuring that the tens of thousands of people who work in the industry continue to have their voices heard, will remain at the heart of everything we do.
“Grainne’s wealth of experience, impressive leadership qualities, formidable campaigning skills and acumen will be essential in working with all of our members to take the BGC to the next level. She is someone who is rightly widely respected across the industry and, as I step back to become Chair of the BGC, I am confident she will work well with our talented staff to make a decisive impact as our new CEO.”
The post BGC Announces Grainne Hurst as its New Chief Executive Officer appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Latest News
Zimpler introduces ID+: A next-gen identification layer for digital payments

Zimpler, a leading Swedish company in Pay-by-bank solutions, today announced the launch of Zimpler ID+, a new identity layer designed to simplify compliance and accelerate user conversion within digital payment environments. By embedding biometric identification and regulatory checks directly into the first user interaction, Zimpler ID+ reduces friction in sectors with complex onboarding requirements.
“Zimpler ID+ gives our partners a direct path to compliance and conversion – cutting onboarding time, reducing drop-offs, and removing the need to build identity infrastructure in-house,” said Tobias Gunnesson, Chief Product Officer at Zimpler.
“While most verification flows still rely solely on deposit-based triggers or cookie tracking, we’re the first to enable verification at the point of entry – meeting compliance head-on and delivering a better user experience from the start.”
Purpose-built for highly regulated digital environments
Zimpler ID+ serves industries where compliance is critical and abandonment rates are costly, such as iGaming and financial services. It ensures users are verified from the start, without requiring deposits or post-registration identity checks.
Key features include:
- Quick onboarding: Verification and collection of KYC data takes place at the first point of contact, not only at the point of payment
- Seamless return user experience: Returning users can identify with biometric technology and are recognized with the help of cookies
- Works even without cookies: If cookies are unavailable, the user can easily identify themselves using a passkey
- Built-in compliance: Regulatory assurance at every step of the customer journey
By functioning as a unified identity layer from sign-up through repeat visits, Zimpler ID+ helps businesses minimize onboarding churn and maximize regulatory confidence.
Solving identification friction at scale
The launch of Zimpler ID+ comes as businesses across Europe face rising pressure to improve digital onboarding while maintaining regulatory standards. National ID systems remain foundational – but they weren’t built to optimize every business touchpoint.
Zimpler ID+ complements these systems by offering operators a plug-in layer of biometric identification and gathering of KYC information tailored to business needs. It removes the need for deposit triggers, repeated logins, or re-verification after a device change.
“With Zimpler ID+, we’re introducing a flexible approach that gives businesses more control over identity flows – without compromising security or relying solely on external systems” said Gunnesson.
Product availability
Zimpler ID+ is now available as a value-added service to select partners in Finland, with more markets to be added in the future.
By embedding advanced onboarding capabilities directly into its existing infrastructure, Zimpler expects ID+ to strengthen customer retention and enhance platform value across regulated sectors for years to come.
The post Zimpler introduces ID+: A next-gen identification layer for digital payments appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Gambling in the USA
Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – June 30-July 6

Welcome to our weekly roundup of American gambling news again! Here, we are going through the weekly highlights of the American gambling industry which include the latest news and new partnerships. Read on and get updated.
Latest News
The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario has issued monetary penalties totaling $350,000 against Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto for multiple violations of provincial gaming standards. The penalties follow an impromptu after-party that was permitted to take place in the pre-dawn hours directly on the casino’s gaming floor. On September 27, 2024, an electronic dance music event attended by thousands of people was hosted in the theatre adjacent to the casino at Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto. The event was marked by widespread intoxication, disorderly behaviour and numerous criminal and medical incidents – both inside and outside the venue – including alleged assaults, drug overdoses and acts of public indecency. Although paid duty officers were present, additional police and emergency services were required to manage the situation.
International Game Technology PLC, doing business as Brightstar Lottery, announced that Michelle Carney, Brightstar’s Vice President of Global Lottery Marketing, will be inducted into the Lottery Industry Hall of Fame as a member of the Class of 2025. The induction ceremony will take place this September at an industry event in Ontario, Canada hosted by the Public Gaming Research Institute (PGRI) in conjunction with the North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries (NASPL). In her current role, Carney is responsible for the development of marketing and communications strategies that support growth for Brightstar’s Global Lottery business, including lottery product marketing, trade shows and events, thought leadership communications and B2C marketing campaign materials to support customer launches of new game content.
Partnerships
International Game Technology PLC announced that its subsidiary, IGT Canada Solutions ULC (IGT), signed an eight-year agreement with Atlantic Lottery to supply its IntelligenEVO video lottery central system technology across Atlantic Canada. The agreement includes the option for multiple extensions and positions the Atlantic Lottery to become the first World Lottery Association (WLA)-affiliated lottery operator to deploy IGT’s next-generation central management system in a game-to-system (G2S) distributed market. With peak system security, network availability and responsible gaming functionalities, IntelligenEVO is a reliable, scalable solution that can meet the needs of today and in the future. The solution will accelerate time-to-market and enables the Atlantic Lottery to benefit from the system’s suite of player-focused functionality. The technology’s G2S and open API design optimises data collection and delivery and will enable Atlantic Lottery to customise their programme for evolving player needs.
EDGE Boost by EDGE Markets, a financial platform for smart bettors and gamblers, has partnered with World Series of Poker, the premier series of worldwide poker tournaments. The EDGE Boost debit card is now the preferred payment method for WSOP, offering ease of payment, safety and several exclusive on-site perks for tournament players. In past tournaments, WSOP players were limited to $10,000 per transaction and had to complete a lengthy approval process, often resulting in frequent cash deposits. Now, those using the EDGE Boost card through PayPal checkout can bypass traditional credit card verification. They can also make entries up to $250,000, which eliminates the need to carry large sums of cash at the event and increases security measures.
The post Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – June 30-July 6 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Latest News
Heavyweight Club by GR8 Tech Signals New Era of Operator Ambition at iGB L!VE

The iGaming industry got a taste of heavyweight ambition at iGB L!VE London 2025, where GR8 Tech unveiled its Heavyweight Club—an exclusive community that takes domination in iGaming markets as seriously as world champion Oleksandr Usyk takes defending his undisputed heavyweight title.
“iGB L!VE London was the ignition point for the Heavyweight Club. We showcased top-tier tech and connected with operators ready to lead, scale, and dominate. The energy, the conversations, the demand for real performance confirmed what we’ve always believed: the iGaming industry is hungry for heavyweight solutions and GR8 Tech is here to deliver,” said Sergey Ghazaryan, GR8 Tech’s CRO.
Industry Response Points to Market Appetite
With increased competition making differentiation more challenging, speed-to-market pressure intensifying as new markets emerge, and technology debt from legacy systems hindering operators’ growth, the industry is at a critical juncture. In 110 meetings with the sales team and over 65 conducted demos, operator feedback consistently centered on these exact challenges.
This shift is evident across the ecosystem. Mariia Shmelova, CEO of Aff.Tech—GR8 Tech’s proprietary affiliate management platform—observed similar patterns: “One major trend is the demand for greater transparency and performance accountability. Operators want to see exactly what’s driving traffic, conversions, and ROI. That’s why we’ve been doubling down on data—not just analytics, but actionable insights that affiliates and operators can use in real time. We’re also seeing growing interest in multi-geo, multi-brand campaigns, and our platform is built to support those kinds of complex setups with ease. Flexibility, automation, and smart integrations are the future.”
The conversations revealed a clear understanding: champion ambitions require champion tools. Operators emphasized the need for high-performance solutions that deliver geo-specificity for local market domination and margin mastery that turns competitive pressure into profit advantage. The response highlighted how operators are seeking partners who understand that every champion needs exactly the right tools for their specific fight.
GR8 Tech’s approach resonated because it addresses this reality with three key solutions designed for different use scenarios:
- Hyper Turnkey, which delivers fully managed casino and sportsbook operations that scale with ambition;
- ULTIM8 Sportsbook iFrame with its lightning-fast integration and market-specific customization capabilities;
- Infinite Casino Aggregation, offering premium gaming experiences with an operator-first flexibility.
This comprehensive approach ensures every operator gets precisely what they need to overcome their unique market challenges and achieve championship-level performance.
Heavyweight Club Momentum Builds Toward Next Championship Round
The “Fight for Greatness” collection drew significant attention on the show floor. Attendees’ enthusiasm for the showcased apparel and accessories, paired with strong performance of the online store, confirmed that the Heavyweight Club resonates far beyond technology—it’s a mindset people want to embody and a philosophy they want to wear.
GR8 Tech’s AR experience featuring Oleksandr Usyk became a magnet for attendees, with over 80 participants stepping into the champion’s world in one of the most memorable activations on the show floor. Winners of the AR experience didn’t just walk away with impressive pictures—they earned tickets to witness Usyk defend his undisputed heavyweight title against Daniel Dubois this July.
Just as Usyk will defend his title at Wembley, the Heavyweight Club will continue its championship journey beyond iGB L!VE. The next epic edition awaits at SBC Summit in September, where the movement will expand with new challenges and opportunities for operators ready to dominate their markets.
Ready to fight for greatness? Connect with GR8 Tech and step into the ring.
GR8 Tech. Platform for Champions
GR8 Tech is an award-winning provider, delivering high-performance sportsbook and iGaming solutions that empower operators to lead and win in competitive markets. Key elements of GR8 Tech’s comprehensive portfolio include the Hyper Turnkey solution, ULTIM8 Sportsbook iFrame, Infinite Casino Aggregation, and Platform Acceler8 suite, featuring its proprietary affiliate management platform, Aff.Tech.
With a geo-specific approach to solutions, a focus on practical innovations, and an operator-first mindset, GR8 Tech helps its clients achieve measurable results in their target markets quickly and efficiently. Trusted by top operators worldwide, GR8 Tech has over 100 successful cases and earned multiple recognitions, including the title of the Best Sports Betting Provider in CEE by GamingTECH Awards 2025.
The post Heavyweight Club by GR8 Tech Signals New Era of Operator Ambition at iGB L!VE appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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