Industry News

Yalp is ‘social responsibility by design’

Published

6 years ago

January 10, 2020

John Rozek, Financial Compliance Director at Game Payment Technology to explain the depth of Yalp’s commitment to social responsibility at EAG Seminar

In addition to making its debut appearance at EAG, Game Payment Technology (GPT), the joint venture established by bacta, will be using its time at the ExCeL Exhibition Centre to participate in the EAG Seminar Programme. John Rozek, GPT’s Financial Compliance Director and a member of the team responsible for creating Yalp the cashless payments app which is being officially launched at EAG, will be drawing on his vast experience gained working in the payments sector to highlight how social responsibility lies at the heart of what Yalp is all about. He explained: “When we embarked on the development programme we were very aware of how a cashless payments app could, and should, incorporate key social responsibility initiatives in order to help players to take greater personal control of their gambling activities.

“In many ways I would describe Yalp as being a case of ’social responsibility by design’. It enables players to establish their own breaks in play, it provides session spend reminders and it has safe bet limits. Although players can reduce these limits at any time, it takes 24-hours to increase them. There is a period between when a player loads funds to when those funds are available for play and there’s the ability to set a cooling off period of between one week and six months. In terms of reporting features Yalp can provide a transaction history for both the individual’s card and his/her machine. Armed with the Yalp app players are able to take control and it is a case of providing them with all of the tools and mechanisms necessary to create their own social responsibility framework. The inclusion of secure biometric technology helps operators meet age verification requirements and promote safer gaming and data minimisation.”

Rozek, who has a long pedigree in the payments sector playing a major role in the integrated Chip and Pin solution, for which he won the Queens Award for Industry (Innovation) in 2004, has been taken back by the level of engagement there is with Yalp. He confirmed: “The response to the Yalp project has been extremely positive right from the outset but the extent and the depth of interest from the entire industry really struck home when we attended the Autumn Coin-Op Show. This was the first occasion that I was able to meet with members of the industry and demonstrate how far we had come with Yalp, listen to their operational needs and outline the road map moving forward. There is a level of genuine engagement that I’ve not necessarily experienced working in other industry sectors. Having a secure cashless payments app has moved from a ‘nice to have’ to a ‘must have’ and I look forward to once again meeting with the industry next week at EAG.”

ESG

Play’n GO publishes 2025 Sustainability Report with emissions and governance updates

Published

12 hours ago

April 22, 2026

Wladimir P.

play’n-go-publishes-2025-sustainability-report-with-emissions-and-governance-updates

Play’n GO has published its 2025 Sustainability Report, framing the year as a milestone as the supplier marks 20 years in the gaming industry. The report covers performance across four pillars—Players, Partners, People and Planet—and positions sustainability as tied to product design, operations, and partner expectations.

On climate reporting, the company said it has “achieved and exceeded” its long-term 90% reduction target for Scope 1 and 2 emissions, and reported a 69% absolute reduction in Scope 3 emissions versus its 2023 base year. Play’n GO also said its total material emissions for 2025 were kept below 500 MTCO2e.

The report also points to a move into land-based delivery. In 2025, Play’n GO said it launched its first land-based gaming solution in partnership with Genting UK, positioning the rollout as part of a “player-first, low-footprint approach” for regulated venues.

On responsible entertainment, the company said it continues to reject game mechanics it believes “compromise player trust or wellbeing,” and highlighted participation in discussions on digital wellbeing and cognitive health, including at the United Nations and G7. “We have always believed that great entertainment should be fun, safe and fair,” said Vanessa Björkbacka, Director of CSR at Play’n GO.

The report also outlines internal development and reporting infrastructure. Play’n GO said 43% of employees engaged in AI-related learning during 2025 and that average training time exceeded seven hours per employee globally. It added that reporting was further aligned to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and World Economic Forum Stakeholder Capitalism Metrics, alongside investment in “secure, AI-supported carbon data management.” “As expectations on transparency and accountability continue to rise, we see it as our responsibility to lead,” Björkbacka added.

The post Play’n GO publishes 2025 Sustainability Report with emissions and governance updates appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

complaint resolution

Casino Guru CRC returns $5.3m to players in Q1 2026

Published

2 days ago

April 21, 2026

Wladimir P.

casino-guru-crc-returns-$5.3m-to-players-in-q1-2026

Casino Guru’s Complaint Resolution Center (CRC) published 3,986 complaints in Q1 2026 and says it resolved 1,321 cases, returning $5,304,894 to players during the quarter.

Casino Guru said March was one of the CRC’s most active months on record, with the second-highest number of published complaints to date. The company added that ongoing cases exceeded 1,300, pointing to rising demand for third-party dispute mediation.

By volume, the most active complaint markets were Germany (657), the United Kingdom (270), Canada (240), Italy (207) and Australia (194), according to the CRC update.

Delayed payments remained the most common player-reported issue. Casino Guru also reported a March shift in complaint mix, with self-exclusion-related complaints rising to the second most frequent category for the first time in CRC history. KYC-related issues and blocked accounts were also among the most common complaint types, often linked to withdrawal delays.

Casino Guru said the quarter’s results reflect the increasing role of independent mediation as players look to third-party platforms to resolve disputes.

The post Casino Guru CRC returns $5.3m to players in Q1 2026 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

branded content

RubyPlay launches Firerose studio for operator-specific casino games

Published

3 days ago

April 20, 2026

Wladimir P.

rubyplay-launches-firerose-studio-for-operator-specific-casino-games

RubyPlay has launched Firerose, a new studio aimed at building operator-specific casino game experiences, as suppliers and operators push for more branded content to stand out in crowded markets.

The company said Firerose is designed to let operators combine RubyPlay’s existing game catalogue with the studio’s technology and creative resources, using operator-led insight to shape games around an operator’s brand identity rather than standardised supplier content.

RubyPlay said Superbet is among the first operators to launch Firerose-powered titles. The supplier did not disclose game names or specific performance figures, but said early results showed “strong engagement metrics”.

Firerose becomes part of RubyPlay’s multi-studio structure alongside Koala Games, Mad Hat Games, Ruby Studio, and Xslots, which the company said share technology, infrastructure and distribution.

Dima Reiderman , Chief Commercial Officer at RubyPlay, said: ”Firerose represents a deliberate shift in how we think about content creation and partnership. The market is no longer driven solely by volume, but by identity. Operators want experiences that feel native to their brand and help them clearly differentiate in increasingly competitive casino environments.”

Dr. Eyal Loz, CPO at RubyPlay, added: “Firerose was created to put the operator’s voice at the centre of the creative process. Every game starts with their brand, their audience and their story, and our role is to bring that to life through the full weight of RubyPlay’s creative capabilities.

“We’re shaping experiences that players immediately associate with the operator itself. That level of ownership is what allows operators to stand out in increasingly crowded casino environments.”

The post RubyPlay launches Firerose studio for operator-specific casino games appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.