Industry News
Rootz Promotes Two Team Members
With Rootz having experienced one of the fastest initial growth periods in the history of European online casinos, we have decided to promote internally as Rootz expands its footprint and prepares to grow the company in 2020 and beyond.
We are pleased to announce the promotions of two of our team members – Melanie Hainzer and Tony Kjaldstrom – to C-level positions within the company.
Ms. Melanie Hainzer has been promoted from Head of Marketing to the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) role while Mr. Tony Kjaldstrom is being elevated from Head of Casino to Chief Operating Officer (COO).
Melanie Hainzer, CMO
Having joined Rootz in early 2019, Ms. Hainzer has demonstrated a robust understanding of the iGaming industry. With over 10 years of experience in roles ranging from CRM Manager to Country Manager, Melanie brings broad experience to this position. Melanie has been an integral part of the early successes. Most notably, Melanie has been at the forefront of the marketing efforts for Wildz Casino, Rootz’s first online casino brand.
Responding to the news of her promotion, Melanie remarked, “It’s an honour to be not only considered, but promoted to an executive position at Rootz. I’ve been very happy to work for this company and am excited to assume a larger role. I’m looking forward to 2020 and beyond.”
Tony Kjaldstrom, COO
Mr Kjaldstrom also joined in 2019 and helped shepherd Rootz through the opening months, demonstrating tremendous competence and the ability to troubleshoot and manage a brand new platform. Tony has helped build and manage the casino platform and is playing a central role in planning the future strategy.
Tony also had some comments related to his promotion. “These are exciting times at Rootz and Wildz. I’m very grateful for this new position and will remain committed to seeing that Rootz doesn’t rest on its previous success and instead redoubles its efforts to make fantastic casino products even better. Let’s go!”
CEO’s Statement
Lasse Rantala, the Rootz CEO, had the following to say about these latest promotions: “Melanie and Tony are two of the hardest-working people in a company full of impressive workers. To be able to excel where there are so many motivated people is a testament to their extraordinary work ethic and ability.
Both Melanie and Tony helped to guide the company through opening months. Those first month required extraordinary time commitments and a focused attention to detail as Rootz worked to finesse our strategies and our custom platform in those early months. I have no doubt that the elevation of these two talented individuals into C-level roles will be a tremendous asset to this company for many years to come.
It is especially satisfying that we were able to fill these roles with current Rootz team members. We take great pride in being able to promote internally and look to do so in the future as much as possible.”
About Rootz:
Rootz Ltd is an iGaming technology company providing a full-scope platform, Rootz. Automate the Game, the Rootz slogan, has influenced product development from Day 1. Rootz believes human beings should be left to pursue their creative talents while allowing repetitive tasks to be managed by machines. This focus has allowed Rootz to build the next generation casino product, Wildz.com, an online casino customised to each individual user. Rootz Ltd is based in Malta and holds an MGA license.
ESG
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
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
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.
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