Industry News
FSB appoints Rob Wheeler as Business Development Director
Award-winning sportsbook and casino platform provider recruits highly experienced commercial executive
Award-winning platform provider FSB has appointed Rob Wheeler as Business Development Director to lead the company’s sales team as it continues to bolster both its senior team and rapidly grow its global footprint.
Wheeler joins FSB from Inspired where he was Commercial Director for its interactive division. He has also held senior positions at Playtech, IGT Interactive and Virtue Fusion.
He will be responsible for driving the Sunday Times Tech Track 100 listed company’s existing and new business across regulated and emerging markets. The fast-growing company achieved 13th place in the latest ranking with judges praising its market-leading software solutions that have generated a year-on-year sales rise of 175% in the past 36 months.
Wheeler joins just weeks after FSB announced new Chief Financial Officer Andrew Bowen (ACA) as it extends its scope and influence across the industry following a significant capital investment from Clairvest Group in mid-2019.
The company will announce further senior appointments in due course.
Rob Wheeler, Business Development Director, FSB, said: “I’m delighted to have joined FSB at such an exciting time. All the key ingredients are in place including a fantastic sportsbook and casino product offering, the flexibility to provide bespoke solutions in line with specific operator requirements, and a great team to deliver on our promises.
“The timing is right to exponentially grow our customer base across both emerging and regulated markets. We are led by a top-quality management team and now have the investment in place to scale.”
David McDowell, CEO at FSB, added: “I’m delighted to have Rob in place as we continue to attract some of the best industry talent and scale up both our senior team and the business overall.
“The combination of Rob’s experience working for some of the biggest providers in gaming and his commercial knowledge over more than 15 years is second-to-none. This will prove invaluable as we enter one of the most exciting phases of the company’s development. I’m very much looking forward to working with him and the team as we have big plans for 2020 and beyond.”
Fast Track
Fast Track Introduces “Tournaments” Feature
Fast Track has expanded its AI-driven gamification platform, Rewards, with the launch of “Tournaments”. This new feature provides operators with a powerful tool to strengthen player retention. By leveraging real-time leaderboards, Tournaments allow players to compete directly for prizes—a proven strategy for increasing session length and frequency of play.
Tournaments integrate with the company’s Singularity Model, allowing operators to match players to competitions based on how they play. A player who chases big wins can be entered into a multiplier-based competition. A volume player competes on turnover. The result is tournaments that feel personal and perform better.
For operators managing multiple brands, the feature removes duplication. A single tournament setup can be applied across all brands and languages through Player Origins, Fast Track’s multi-brand management layer.
“Operators have either built tournaments in-house or used tools disconnected from their CRM, both creating friction at scale. Tournaments in Rewards solves that, but the real value is in relevance. Connected to the Singularity Model, operators aren’t just running competitions – they’re running the right competition for each player,” Simon Lidzén, CEO of Fast Track, said.
The post Fast Track Introduces “Tournaments” Feature appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
European iGaming industry
Expanse Studios to Release Super Heli Premium in Late January 2026
Expanse Studios, a subsidiary of Golden Matrix Group, is going to release Super Heli Premium later this month, an expanded version of its flagship crash game with new gameplay mechanics and enhanced operator customization.
The original Super Heli became one of the most requested titles in European iGaming within months of launch. Session lengths consistently run above industry averages, and operators report retention metrics “materially better than category norms”. The game’s multi-bet mechanics created a tension loop that traditional slots struggle to match: players bet on a helicopter’s ascent, deciding when to cash out before it crashes.
Super Heli Premium will introduce several improvements designed to broaden player appeal and give operators more deployment flexibility:
• New gameplay modes expand strategic options beyond the base game’s single mechanic, adding prediction-based betting and range-based outcomes that reward both conservative and aggressive play styles
• Improved RTP, which will increase player return rates while maintaining the volatility profile that made the original title successful with operators
• Advanced cash-out mechanics will give players more control over risk management during active rounds, allowing partial exits while keeping stakes in play
• Thematic customization enables operators to deploy region-specific visual themes without changing core gameplay.
The additions position Super Heli Premium as a platform play rather than a single-variant release. Operators can configure the game to match specific audience segments, whether deploying for broad casual appeal or tailoring parameters for experienced players seeking deeper strategic layers.
Expanse Studios currently operates across 1300+ B2B partnerships globally, with over 300 new operators added in Q3 2025 alone.
Full feature details and technical specifications will be released at launch in late January 2026. The game will be available across Expanse’s global operator network, including active integrations in the US, Brazil, Europe, and emerging markets in Eastern Europe and Africa.
The post Expanse Studios to Release Super Heli Premium in Late January 2026 appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
Gaming Laboratories International
GLI Promotes Malvina Mikaelian and Reenesh Mahabeer to Senior Directors of Engineering
Gaming Laboratories International (GLI) has promoted Malvina Mikaelian and Reenesh Mahabeer to Senior Directors of Engineering.
Mikaelian has been with GLI for 22 years and is based in the Las Vegas lab. Over her history with the company, she has opened GLI’s South Africa and Las Vegas labs and has led the technical group through the most dynamic advances in gaming technology.
“Malvina brings a proven track record of technical leadership, operational excellence, and cross-functional collaboration. In her new role, she will lead strategic engineering initiatives, strengthen organizational execution, and help drive the next phase of innovation and growth for the global land-based division,” Andrea Bossard, Vice President of Engineering at GLI, said.
Mahabeer is based in GLI’s South Africa lab and has been with the company for just under 20 years, working his way from a Senior Engineer to his current position as Senior Director of Engineering. He has led his team through multiple changes in the South African gaming landscape, in both land-based and iGaming.
“Reenesh is a trusted, exceptional leader driving our global digital initiatives and accelerating innovation in emerging technologies. He combines vast market and technical expertise to deliver global consistency and a world-class experience for our clients, while inspiring peers and empowering his team,” Ginnie Hollis, Vice President of Engineering at GLI, said.
The post GLI Promotes Malvina Mikaelian and Reenesh Mahabeer to Senior Directors of Engineering appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
-
Booming Games6 days agoBooming Games and Live Play Mobile Launch “LivePlay™ Slots” with Exclusive Modo Debut
-
Arizona7 days agoArizona Department of Gaming Reports $44.9 Million in Tribal Gaming Contributions for the Second Quarter of Fiscal Year 2026
-
Affiliate Events6 days agoTaking Off with N1 Partners at iGB Affiliate 2026 in Barcelona: Grand Final and a Helicopter for the N1 Puzzle Promo Winner
-
Affiliate Management6 days agoN1 Faces: Daria Maichuk — “Communication as the Key to Strong, Effective Partnerships in Affiliate Marketing”
-
Affiliate Management6 days agoN1 Faces: Daria Maichuk — “Communication as the Key to Strong, Effective Partnerships in Affiliate Marketing”
-
Affiliate Events6 days agoTaking Off with N1 Partners at iGB Affiliate 2026 in Barcelona: Grand Final and a Helicopter for the N1 Puzzle Promo Winner
-
Global Expansion6 days agoProgressPlay Unveils Dual-Engine Strategy for 2026: Empowering Partners via Standalone and Sweepstakes Solutions
-
AI in iGaming7 days agoSCCG Announces Partnership Extension with Golden Whale – Driving AI-Led Optimization Across iGaming Operators and Platforms



