Press Releases

YGAM to confirm future strategy at ICE London showcase

Published

6 years ago

January 29, 2020

YGAM, the UK-based charity that works to inform, educate and safeguard young people against problematic gambling and social gaming, will be using its appearance at ICE London (4-6 February, ExCeL London, UK) to outline to the industry the ambitious targets it has set for 2020. Under the leadership of chief executive and co-founder Lee Willows, YGAM has set out an agenda which will see it work with at least 3,000 educational organisations to deliver practitioner workshops, engaging with approximately 600,000 young and vulnerable people in 2020. It will also seek to extend its student programme to 25 universities, reaching approximately 175,000 students, as well as establishing a target of reaching a minimum of 5,000 parents in 2020. YGAM’s trading subsidiary YGAM Innovation will continue to provide best-in-class, City & Guilds certified training to customer facing colleagues in the gambling industry and related sectors in collaboration with Betknowmore UK.

Speaking ahead of YGAM’s appearance as part of the Consumer Protection Zone at ICE London, Lee Willows said: “2020 is YGAM’s sixth anniversary and we feel that is well-worth celebrating. We have an exemplar team of 26 employees, which is due to increase to 42 in Q1. Working in collaboration with members of the Betting & Gaming Council and GamCare, we are going to deploy a high-population, national education programme that will see us jointly deliver at least one session of gambling awareness to all 11-19 year olds in Britain over the next four years.

“Our Parent and Families work will be enhanced with support from Lottoland, whom we worked with in 2019 to develop a pilot with the support of Playtech. We will be working with GVC and Ascot to further develop our university and student engagement work and we are particularly keen to use our attendance at ICE London to talk to other operators who would be happy to work with YGAM and, in the process, enable us to extend this work further.”

He added: “YGAM has enjoyed a long-standing relationship with Clarion Gaming and, without doubt, ICE London provides an exceptional platform for charities to further raise awareness of their social purpose and to thank their supporters. With initiatives such as the Consumer Protection Zone and the pop-up talks around safer gambling and social responsibility across the show floor, ICE London continues to pioneer, lead and set the benchmark. It enables all organisations to not only take stock of current issues but, as importantly, to plan for the future.”

Codere Online

Codere Online Launches iOS Poker App in Mexico, Advancing Its Multi‑Product Expansion Strategy

Published

19 hours ago

February 19, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

codere-online-launches-ios-poker-app-in-mexico,-advancing-its-multi‑product-expansion-strategy

Codere Online Luxembourg, S.A. a leading online gaming operator in Spain and Latin America, today announced the launch of its new iOS Poker application in Mexico, reinforcing the Company’s strategic objective to provide customers with access to a complete suite of online gaming products. As part of this multi‑product roadmap, both Bingo and the Android Poker app will form the next steps in expanding the Company’s offering in the country.

Developed in partnership with Playtech, one of the world’s most established gaming technology providers, the new iOS Poker app integrates directly with Playtech’s player‑vs‑player (P2P) Poker network. This allows Mexican users to compete in real time with players across multiple operators, ensuring deeper liquidity, a more dynamic environment and a superior competitive experience.

Codere Online continues to observe strong demand for Poker in Mexico, with more than 1,300 unique active users per month already engaging with the vertical across existing channels, a clear indicator of the product’s relevance and potential as mobile availability expands.

“Launching the Poker app for iOS in Mexico is a key step in delivering on our commitment to offer customers all major online gaming categories,” said Alberto Telias, Chief Marketing Officer at Codere Online. “Poker has quickly emerged as a highly attractive vertical for our users, and through our partnership with Playtech, we are bringing them a premium, high‑liquidity platform that elevates their experience.”

The new app offers a stable and intuitive interface with access to cash tables, multi‑table tournaments, Sit & Go formats, and fast‑paced modes. It also incorporates Codere Online’s robust responsible gaming tools to ensure that customers can enjoy Poker in a safe and controlled environment.

“This release reflects our strategy to broaden our product offering and enhance the user experience across all key gaming verticals,” said Ran Licht, Head of Product at Codere Online. “Playtech’s P2P network enables us to deliver a feature‑rich Poker environment connected to a broader operator ecosystem, and we look forward to expanding our product suite with additional verticals currently in development.”

“We are proud to partner with Codere Online and bring our P2P Poker network to their players in Mexico through their new iOS app,” commented Marat Koss, Playtech Chief Interactive Gaming Officer. “Codere Online players will now boast access to one of the most liquid and competitive poker networks in the entire industry.

The post Codere Online Launches iOS Poker App in Mexico, Advancing Its Multi‑Product Expansion Strategy appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

Akhil Sarin

Akhil Sarin Joins Bet It Drives: Stake’s Growth and What iGaming Gets Wrong About Marketing

Published

20 hours ago

February 19, 2026

Wladimir P.

akhil-sarin-joins-bet-it-drives:-stake’s-growth-and-what-igaming-gets-wrong-about-marketing

Season 4 of Bet It Drives is back, and Episode 2 features Akhil Sarin, CMO at Easygo and the marketing and partnerships mastermind behind Stake.

Sarin dives into the realities of iGaming marketing, sharing how some of the most cost-effective campaigns can deliver massive impact—including a low-budget idea that went viral with over 16 billion impressions.

Key insights from the episode include:

Stake’s most valuable partnerships and why they worked
What sets their sponsorship strategy apart
Common mistakes iGaming marketing teams make
The one thing Sarin wishes teams focused more on
Biggest red flags and warning signs in partnerships
Leadership lessons and internal trust challenges

The episode also features a fun “Confess or Call” segment, highlighting a late-night call to a senior exec about a high-stakes, unconventional idea—a true test of trust and creativity.

“This season is about open conversations, and Akhil was straight with us,” said Yevhen Krazhan, CSO at GR8 Tech and host of Bet It Drives. “iGaming marketers will rethink spend, partnerships, and what truly drives growth after this episode.”

Season 4 also includes a CEO debate with Cedomir Tomic (Founder, Alea) and Oleksandr Feshchenko (CEO, GR8 Tech), along with upcoming insights on crypto payments in iGaming and esports betting strategies.

Watch or listen to Season 4, Episode 2 on:

The post Akhil Sarin Joins Bet It Drives: Stake’s Growth and What iGaming Gets Wrong About Marketing appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

ELA Games

SiGMA Eurasia: ELA Games MD Marharyta Yerina Talks Progression Milestones in Dubai

Published

20 hours ago

February 19, 2026

Wladimir P.

sigma-eurasia:-ela-games-md-marharyta-yerina-talks-progression-milestones-in-dubai

At SiGMA Eurasia on February 11, Marharyta Yerina, Managing Director of ELA Games, joined the panel “Progress Paths: Making Milestones Matter” to discuss innovative approaches to player retention and engagement. The session, moderated by Tim French (Commercial Manager, Greco Fast Track), explored how studios can design progression systems that go beyond conventional loyalty schemes.

Marharyta emphasized that maintaining player interest often comes from subtle design choices rather than overt progress bars. She highlighted how optimizing volatility and feature frequency creates natural anticipation, keeping players engaged through gameplay rhythm. She also advocated for micro-goals—short, intra-session milestones—and stressed the importance of audio-visual feedback to make moments feel rewarding in real time, rather than relying on long-term VIP systems alone.

The panel featured diverse perspectives from the industry, including Alena Tsuranova (CCO, Megafair) and Bulat Fakhrutdinov (Head of Partnerships, Betronic Software), who discussed how commercial strategies and partnerships shape the player journey.

Marharyta’s participation underscores ELA Games’ commitment to player-centric design and demonstrates how the studio’s “For Players, By Players” ethos translates into creating games that keep audiences coming back, while fostering long-term value in partnerships.

The post SiGMA Eurasia: ELA Games MD Marharyta Yerina Talks Progression Milestones in Dubai appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.