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EGT Digital Enters into Strategic Partnership with IRIS Solutions
EGT Digital has entered into a strategic partnership with IRIS Solutions, an innovative company that provides business solutions for open banking. Thanks to the services provided by IRIS Solutions, EGT Digital will be able to offer to part of its clients one more way for more personalised and secure payments, as well as will minimise the time for depositing funds.
IRIS Solutions is the trusting supplier of open banking solutions in Southeast Europe. The company is licensed by the Bulgarian National Bank as a European Payment Service Provider (PSP), in accordance with the Second EU Payment Services Directive (PSD2), and has more than 60 integrated banks and payment institutions in its portfolio. IRIS Solutions offers a variety of products – from Account aggregation, Data analysis and processing, to Payment initiation, API Monitoring and Account Information services.
Open banking is a process in which banks provide secure and reliable access to financial information from their databases to third-party financial service providers (Third Party Providers or TPP). This is done only with the user’s consent through standardised and secure APIs. This new opportunity allows licensed fintech companies to offer products related to Payment initiation and Account information services. For the end user, this means new financial solutions and products that reduce costs and save time for carrying out financial transactions.
EGT Digital utilises the “Payment initiation” service. This new capability in the Payment Gateway is now offered as an option with one of the operators in the Bulgarian market. The “Payment initiation” service allows a payment to be made from a bank account by redirecting the user to the website or application of a chosen bank, enabling making a deposit seamlessly within a few clicks. The functionality can easily be integrated with various systems, allowing end users to perform “Account-to-Account” (A2A) payments. Each payment initiated in this way requires identity verification and guarantees the highest level of security for both the client and the institution. To use the service, the end user does not need to install a mobile or desktop application.
The integration of this modern solution is another step that demonstrates the company’s commitment to offering the best service. It enables:
- Improved players protection – by providing real-time access, operators can implement responsible measures such as limits and self-exclusion tools based on the financial profiles of the players.
- Compliance with regulatory requirements, such as Anti-Money Laundering (AML) provisions and “Know Your Customer” (KYC) standards, by providing access to verified financial data and ensuring transparency of financial transactions.
- Access to financial data for personalising offers, adapting marketing strategies, and efforts to engage and retain players.
- Rapid receipt of funds. When depositing funds through CCB (Central Cooperative Bank) and Revolut, users receive the deposited amount via instant payment within 10 seconds.
Georgi Mihaylov, DCEO of EGT Digital, said: “As a technology company, it is important for us to be focused оn delivering the highest possible quality to our current and future partners. The iGaming industry is extremely competitive and constantly evolving. This challenges us to meet the ever-changing needs of the business. Enriching our portfolio with innovative solutions, we strive to be on top of the tendencies, thus providing our clients with a wide selection of secure and fast transactions. So far, we are very pleased with the IRIS Solutions product and are excited to work together.”
Open banking is creating a new field for innovation in the financial sector worldwide and in Europe. Countries such as Australia, Canada, UK, Brazil, Japan, Singapore, the territory of Hong Kong, and others are providing various initiatives and regulatory frameworks to meet today’s business needs. In 2023, the value of open banking transactions globally reached $57 billion and is expected to grow to $580 billion by 2027.
Against this backdrop, Europe has developed and adopted a regulatory framework (PSD2) which is in the process of being upgraded (PSD3). Its aim is to impose security standards and increase competition in the banking market, supporting innovation and development in the sector. In Bulgaria, open banking is offered by the BNB-licensed IRIS Solutions and several other companies, which rank our country alongside countries such as Croatia, Austria, Greece and Luxembourg in terms of the number of regulated providers.
Selda Ali, Technical Leader and Development for IRIS Solutions, said: “The partnership with EGT Digital shows that Bulgaria can be among the leaders in applying financial technologies for the gaming industry. This is also further proof of the endless applications of open banking and the fact that a directive from Europe can become one of the most successful Union policies for increasing competition in the financial sector. We are pleased to be part of this journey, and I am confident that with EGT Digital, we will reach new horizons, placing the customer at the center with their desires and needs.”
The post EGT Digital Enters into Strategic Partnership with IRIS Solutions appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Eastern Europe
Totogaming Joins Cernica Pantelimon RunFest: Not Just Present, But Fully Participating
“We weren’t just present — we were participants of Runfest. And that’s one of the most important aspects,” said Artak Ashkhatoyan, Deputy CEO of Totogaming.
On July 6, Totogaming joined the Cernica Pantelimon Runfest in Romania, once again emphasizing the importance of promoting amateur sports and a healthy lifestyle.
“Supporting such initiatives is a priority for TotoGaming. First, 50% of the proceeds from RunFest will be donated to the CLOVES Romania Foundation, supporting children affected by CLOVES Syndrome. And second, we’ve always believed in showing our passion for sports through actions, not just words. Have you noticed how we’re constantly rushing through life, yet when we look back, it often feels like we haven’t moved at all? It’s important for us to lead by example and show the importance of participation. This is exactly the message we’re promoting through our team’s active involvement in the marathon. After all, there can never be too much sport in our lives,” said TotoGaming’s Deputy CEO, Artak Ashkhatoyan.
A Simple Concept, a Powerful Impact
The concept of this sports event is straightforward: choose a distance between 1 to 21 kilometers and run. The goal? Make sport an integral part of everyday life. The crowd certainly embraced that, gathering as early as 8:30 a.m. — on a Sunday morning.
Totogaming contributed in two distinct capacities: as an official sponsor and as an active participant. A dedicated team of 13 employees represented the company at the Cernica Pantelimon RunFest, with 7 of them proudly taking part as runners.
More Than Just a Run
It wasn’t an easy challenge — especially because among Totogaming’s runners were people for whom running isn’t a daily habit, or even part of their life at all. Yet they couldn’t miss the opportunity, not least from the perspective of corporate responsibility.
“We just finished the 7.5-kilometer race!” shared Petrut-Adrian Toea from the Totogaming team.
“It was amazing, honestly. Around the 2-kilometer mark, I had this little battle with myself — I told myself I had to finish the race, no matter what. And I did it! I came in around 60th place out of over 100 runners, which for me is a really good result.”
“I see my participation as a small contribution toward promoting a healthy lifestyle. In my close circle, everyone knows I’m not exactly the sporty type. I’m not athletic, and I usually prefer having fun in other ways. But showing up here, early in the morning, in this intense heat, and completing almost 8 kilometers with just one short break — I think it set a good example.”
“I hope seeing someone like me finish this challenge motivates my friends to try something similar for their own health. I believe that’s a meaningful contribution”, – added Petrut-Andrea.
Totogaming also made it possible for every attendee to bring sport into their lives — quite literally. At the Totogaming tent, participants could ride stationary bikes and receive prizes based on the number of points they earned through their efforts.
Whether they were running, cycling, or simply cheering for friends, the goal for everyone was the same: to reach the destination of champions — by bringing sport into everyday life.
The post Totogaming Joins Cernica Pantelimon RunFest: Not Just Present, But Fully Participating appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
BMM Testlabs, the world’s original gaming test lab renowned for exceptional product compliance and certification services, today announced the promotion of Sacha McLaughlin to Vice President of Global Quality Assurance.
BMM’s President of Land-Based Gaming & Inspections, Kirk White, said, “Sacha has consistently demonstrated exceptional leadership, operational excellence, and a customer-first attitude. Her experience and passion will be critical as we continue to grow our QA services to meet the always-evolving needs of the global gaming industry.”
With over 18 years of experience in software implementation and seven years in the gaming industry, McLaughlin brings extensive knowledge of both agile and waterfall development methodologies, test planning, project management, and cross-regional team leadership. She is recognized for her ability to build and scale QA organizations that deliver quality, speed, and value to customers.
McLaughlin joined BMM in 2018 and has held roles of increasing responsibility within the Company, most recently serving as Senior Director of Quality Assurance. Throughout her tenure, she has been instrumental in expanding BMM’s QA capabilities and helping customers launch products into the global gaming market more quickly, with a focus on regulatory compliance, functionality, fairness, and security.
The post BMM TESTLABS PROMOTES SACHA MCLAUGHLIN TO VICE PRESIDENT OF GLOBAL QUALITY ASSURANCE appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Major findings from the newly launched report include playable ads having the potential to deliver impression-to-install rates 16 times that of non-playable formats for emerging gaming apps and a 20% increase in spending on interactive ads year over year.
Liftoff, a leading AI-enabled growth platform for the mobile app economy, has published its seventh annual Mobile Ad Creative Index. The report explores top creative trends that are attracting and scaling in ad spend across consumer apps and games. It also highlights the expanding role of AI in creative production, testing, and optimization.
This year’s Mobile Ad Creative Index specifically analyzes creative concepts that have excelled in scale for Liftoff’s highest-spending advertisers over the past 12 to 48 months. It is based on findings from over 4.7 trillion impressions, 263 billion clicks, and 1.1 billion installs between 1 January 2023 and 31 May 2025.
Highlights from the report include:
Top consumer apps are investing in interactive ads to compete for engagement
In 2024, the share of spend on interactive ads for top apps increased by 20% year over year. The share of spend increased by 2% for spenders outside the top tier. Top-spending apps differentiate their campaigns by adding innovations to evergreen concepts such as social scrollers, carousels, and scratch-offs.
Playable ads deliver returns across ad budgets for mobile game advertisers
In 2024, the share of spend on playable ads for top games averaged 35% higher than other games. Across all ad budgets, however, playable ads delivered higher conversion rates. Impression-to-install rates were 8 times that of non-playable formats for top spenders and 16 times that of non-playable formats for other game advertisers.
Tailoring “metaplay” elements to motivations can improve performance
“Metaplay” elements—gameplay that diverges from an app’s core design to appeal to a broader audience—are widespread, but top games gain an edge by tailoring their metaplay ads to the publisher audience. The report found that aligning “metaplay” creative with publisher audiences resulted in a 93% increase in installs-per-mille.
UGC is becoming a key differentiator in driving scale for consumer apps
The share of spend on user-generated content (UGC) increased 11% for top-spending apps, with social and utility apps seeing the most significant jump of nearly 30% between 2023 and 2024.
Widespread adoption of Gen AI leads to more customized ad experiences
Creative teams increasingly leverage AI to enhance top-performing assets with 3D and motion and to create and test variations. Top advertisers also use AI to recombine their assets in customized ad experiences that break away from standard video to playable formats.
Yann Zeller, Chief of Staff, Creative at Liftoff, said: “Today’s creative landscape is shaped by a single, powerful truth: attention is the commodity, and brands, games, and influencers are all vying for it. Great mobile ad experiences can earn attention by aligning context with behavior. As ad formats become richer and AI expands our ability to personalize and adapt creatives at scale, we’re able to unlock new insights into user behavior and motivation. We see users spend meaningful stretches with the right content, sometimes 60 to 90 seconds when the ad feels personal or prompts meaningful participation. This isn’t just a better way to advertise—it’s a better way to tell stories and the most exciting brief we’ve had in years.”
Soren Steelquist, Director of Creative Production, said: “The proof is in the data—more and more consumer apps are incorporating UGC into every stage of their marketing, and programmatic is no different. UGC works because it’s authentic and relatable, and users are more likely to be influenced by ad when it’s coming from a trustworthy source. To see higher impact from UGC creatives, work with a partner that can match the right creator with your brand and develop winning concepts that resonate with audiences.”
The post Liftoff’s 2025 Mobile Ad Creative Index Reveals UGC Is a Key Differentiator for Top Apps appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
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