Latest News
George Daskalakis Shares About Kaizen Gaming’s Journey and Vision at Athens Tech Festival
George Daskalakis, Co-Founder and CEO of Kaizen Gaming, outlined the company’s remarkable evolution from a 20-person local startup into a global decacorn, sharing insights into overcoming the Greek financial crisis and the pandemic, learning from failure and pursuing a vision to make Betano the world’s most trusted iGaming brand.
Daskalakis shared these reflections during a fireside chat titled “Crazy Enough to Try: From Greece to the Globe” at the Panathenea festival in Athens, a modern reimagining of the ancient Greek festival designed to bring together technology ecosystems, startups and investors.
Building a Decacorn Against the Odds
Kaizen Gaming began its journey in 2012, bootstrapped without ever raising external capital, with a team of just 20 people. The business was launched through the Greek brand Stoiximan, which was gradually acquired by Greek retail monopoly OPAP, now part of Allwyn, from 2018 onwards. The proceeds were reinvested into talent, technology and the development of the company’s international brand, Betano.
Today, Kaizen Gaming operates across 20 markets in Europe, the Americas and Africa, employing approximately 3000 people worldwide.
“With just 20 people and a €700k investment, we managed to build a decacorn from Greece,” Daskalakis told the audience, reflecting on the commitment required to scale the business.
Forged in Crisis: Turning Adversity into Opportunity
Daskalakis spoke candidly about the major macroeconomic disruptions that tested and strengthened the company’s resilience.
“The defining moment for Kaizen Gaming came in 2015, when capital controls and the closure of banks in Greece wiped out nearly all of the company’s revenue overnight. The sources of 93% of our customers deposit methods were switched off,” Daskalakis revealed.
The COVID pandemic in 2020 wiped out half of the company’s business due to the global suspension of live sport. However, having already navigated the challenges of the financial crisis five years earlier, the team was confident it could once again turn adversity into opportunity.
In both instances, after the initial shock, Kaizen Gaming responded quickly and decisively. The company doubled down on the Greek market in 2015 while many international operators shifted their focus elsewhere, emerging as one of the market’s biggest winners just a few months later.
Failing Forward and Thinking Globally
International expansion did not come without setbacks. Daskalakis openly discussed the company’s initial failure in Poland, citing mistakes in market entry strategy, recruitment and localisation, which ultimately led to the closure of operations within a year.
Applying those lessons in Romania soon afterwards helped the company unlock a formula for international growth. Daskalakis encouraged the next generation of entrepreneurs to adopt a global mindset from the outset.
“When we first expanded, we were building for Greece and not for the world. My advice to B2C founders is: Start locally but keep a global mindset in the way you build from day one, especially in the era of AI,” he said.
The Vision: Number One in the World
Moving away from financial valuations, which Daskalakis noted were “never the goal”, he emphasised that the real reward comes from building a company and seeing the talent it develops compete successfully on the global stage. “Profits are the applause,” he said.
Looking ahead, Kaizen Gaming remains focused on international expansion and delivering a premium customer experience.
Already ranked among the top five iGaming brands globally and consistently recognised as “Operator of the Year” at major international industry awards, the company is also leveraging Betano’s high-profile partnership as an Official Supporter of the FIFA World Cup 2026.
“Our vision is for Betano to become the number one, most trusted brand in the world in our industry,” Daskalakis said.
Advice for Founders: Stay Grounded and Choose the Right Partners
Concluding the discussion, Daskalakis shared personal advice for entrepreneurs, highlighting the importance of strong partnerships and maintaining balance outside of work.
“Choose the right partners,” he said, making special mention of his business partner and Kaizen Gaming Co-Founder, Dimitris Maris. “Stay in control of your company if you can or otherwise choose carefully who you bring into it as a partner; you might be better off rejecting a bigger ticket now in order not to pay the price down the road.”
Finally, he urged entrepreneurs not to lose sight of who they are beyond their businesses.
“Don’t lose yourself. Life is so much more than a company,” he said, encouraging founders to protect relationships with family and friends and maintain “non-productive” hobbies. At the same time, he acknowledged that “to build something special, you have to be obsessed about it.”
The post George Daskalakis Shares About Kaizen Gaming’s Journey and Vision at Athens Tech Festival appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Company plans to roll out SOCCERBET with LALIGA archive footage on its own platform in Italian retail after the World Cup.
Highlight Games Limited said its proprietary platform has passed Italy’s ADM collaudo process, the technical certification required for gaming platforms. The company announced the approval on 14 July 2026 from London.
Following the conclusion of the World Cup, Highlight said it will launch its Spanish SOCCERBET product featuring archive LALIGA footage on its own platform across Italian retail channels. The company added that operators will transfer to Highlight’s platform over the months that follow.
The supplier said the certification allows it to deliver its content via its own “zero-cost streaming technology” in Italy and gives it control over its product roadmap in what it called its most important market.
Steven Holmes, CEO, Highlight Games said: ‘This is a huge moment for Highlight as we bring our video-based technology stack to the Italian market and join a select few who are able to offer an officially ADM certified platform. Italy is where SOCCERBET has proven itself time and again and passing the ADM collaudo means we can now deliver that content on our own platform, with our zero-cost streaming solution, exactly as it was designed to be experienced.
‘Owning the technology end to end means we control our own roadmap, resulting in faster launches, smoother integrations for our operator partners and a richer experience for players. Our products consistently perform at the top of the market wherever they are live, and with our platform now officially certified in Italy, we have everything in place to build on that momentum.’
The post Highlight Games’ platform clears Italy’s ADM collaudo certification appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
The 10-week phased event runs Daily Heats through September 6, with raffles awarding more than $100,000 in $109 tickets each week.
PokerStars is allocating more than $800,000 worth of $109 Daily Heat (Phase 1) tickets through its “Ticket Machine” promotion ahead of the Sunday Million 20th Anniversary Finals (Phase 2) on Sunday, September 6.
The Sunday Million 20th Anniversary is being run as a 10-week phased tournament, with Daily Heats running now through September 6. Players who advance from a $109 Daily Heat carry their stack into the Finals, with PokerStars noting that only one stack may be carried through to Phase 2.
To enter the Ticket Machine, players must opt in to the “Ticket Machine” ICE Challenge and complete weekly poker challenges. Each completed challenge adds entries to a Saturday raffle, with PokerStars saying more than $100,000 in $109 Daily Heat tickets will be awarded each week. Players can complete each challenge up to four times, for a maximum of 24 raffle entries per week.
PokerStars said that, after the first two weeks of Daily Heats, 270 players from more than 40 countries have already qualified for the Finals, including 50 who qualified into Phase 1 via satellites. Brazil and Ukraine lead the qualifiers list with 33 players each, according to the operator.
The operator has set a $5 million guarantee for the Sunday Million 20th Anniversary. Additional qualification routes include satellites starting at $0.55, special edition Spin & Go’s from $0.75, and “Wildcard Wins”, described by PokerStars as a new leaderboard promotion running until July 19. PokerStars also said players redeeming a $530 Bronze Pass will receive “25% extra value in the bundle” for a limited time, including an additional $109 Sunday Million 20th Anniversary ticket and $23.50 in tournament tickets.
The post PokerStars puts $800,000 in Sunday Million Anniversary tickets into Ticket Machine appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Kickoff Roulette Ronaldinho launches with a Gold Number mechanic and English/Portuguese language support.
CreedRoomz has named former football star Ronaldinho as brand ambassador for its new live casino game show, Kickoff Roulette Ronaldinho. The supplier said the title is now available for integration by B2B partners.
The company positions the product as a roulette-led live game show built around a football theme, running from a virtual studio. According to CreedRoomz, the game includes a “Gold Number Mechanic” where randomized lucky numbers can add multipliers from x50 to x700.
When asked about the crossover between football and casino entertainment, Ronaldinho said: “The fact that football is a global passion also helps, so I believe everyone will like “Kickoff Roulette Ronaldinho” for that reason.. and for the innovation of everything that is happening.”
CreedRoomz said the game is available in English and Portuguese, framing Portuguese language support as relevant for operators targeting Brazil and other Portuguese-speaking audiences. Armen Mnaskanian, Head of Sales Department at Creedroomz, said: “Bringing Ronaldinho into the CreedRoomz family represents a massive leap forward for live casino entertainment. Football and iGaming both thrive on passion and excitement. By fusing Ronaldinho’s legendary star power with powerhouse monetization mechanics, we are giving our partners the ultimate competitive edge and a next-generation casino offering.”
The post CreedRoomz signs Ronaldinho to front new Kickoff Roulette live game show appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
-
Latest News7 days agoEeze opens 1,200 sqm Bucharest hub for technical teams
-
Latest News7 days ago
Play’n GO strengthens Latin American presence with Betano Colombia launch
-
Latest News6 days ago
BetMakers Technology Group Selected to Distribute ATG Horse Racing Content Across Australia and New Zealand
-
Compliance Updates7 days ago
Kasinohai Audit: Most Slots Could Be Affected by Finland’s Draft Gambling Rules
-
Latest News7 days ago
Belatra signs cooperation deal to distribute slots via VeliGames
-
Compliance Updates7 days ago
Pernambuco court revokes Spribe’s interim relief in Aviator trademark dispute
-
Latest News7 days ago
R. Franco Digital releases fighting game-themed slot Spin Fighters
-
Compliance Updates6 days ago
ACMA Warns MMA Fighter Jamie Mullarkey for Breaches of Online Gambling Laws
