Press Releases
Parimatch: Consumers want stories, not spreadsheets
Parimatch’s Chief Product Officer Sergey Berezhnoy spoke at ICE London 2020 about how the operator plans to evolve the traditional sports betting experience with a focus not just on technology, but on storytelling. With a history in the video gaming industry, Sergey can see many narrative-building concepts that would translate nicely to the betting sector, although he believes the main overlap – esports – still has a few mountains to climb.
Following a strong 12 months in its home markets, Parimatch attended ICE London 2020 with a clear vision in mind for the future of its sports betting offer.
The international operator has grown its market share with bold marketing campaigns and a strong product backed by great tech, but the main focus for Parimatch’s Chief Product Officer Sergey Berezhnoy over the next year is to research, develop and evolve sports betting’s current customer journey. Many of the innovations at ICE provide the backbone of that journey, providing several payment methods, hundreds of ways to bet, and thousands of events and markets to bet on, with other exciting developments such as VR and AI further bolstering to the industry’s toolbox in recent years. For players, the customer journey is smoother than ever before, but for Sergey, that’s not enough. His background is in the video gaming industry, and he believes that to tap into the widest possible market, the sports betting sector has to develop a story around the act of betting that is as engaging and rewarding as current popular mobile games.
“I use one word, and it’s narrative,” said Sergey. “I joined this sector from the video gaming industry, and there the focus is not on waiting for the end result, but providing as much entertainment as possible on the way to it.
Unfortunately, sports betting is currently the opposite; you come, you bet, you leave. There is no story, no great focus on the clubs involved, and often there are very few relevant events to bet on. Players who are engaged with the betting culture might bet on anything, but new and casual players need a story to bring them in. Look at Snapchat, Instagram and Tik Tok, they only show short stories, but it’s enough to get consumers engaged.”
In fact, the immediacy of sports betting is something else Sergey wants to move forward. While the rise of in-play betting has helped, many results can take between a few hours or a few days to come through depending when bets are placed, so Berezhnoy intends to make sports betting on Parimatch something players can jump into and be rewarded whenever they choose.
“In betting, the distance between betting and reward can be very high, whereas in video games the award is more achievable. We are trying to shorten that distance, but not as short as casino games,” he said. “In our research, we have taken a lot from casual gaming. If you are riding the subway or tube, everybody plays casual games or goes on social media. The big question is, why don’t they bet? It’s about a customer journey, but many sports betting sites still look like excel spreadsheets. Instagram has changed the way we consume photos, it’s our ambition to change the way people bet on sports.”
Berezhnoy added that this will involve asking players human-centric questions on pre-selected content, providing a personal touch to short, targeted stories for players to bet through. Like in video games, they won’t be faced with a thousand choices, but with a few highly engaging ones based around content they already enjoy, whether that be through live, fantasy or virtual sports – or even esports. This is another aspect of gaming that Berezhnoy has a lot of experience in, however he still believes there’s a few challenges ahead before the rapidly rising pastime becomes a key vertical for the sports betting sectors.
“Games publishers are in control of esports and they are not interested in the regulations that are needed to elevate the level of trust required for bookmakers,” he explained. “Publishers want more players, and tighter regulations can put up barriers to that. With a few exceptions, they also don’t give access to their data feed, which makes it very difficult to trade. Sports betting operators are interested in the most popular games with the biggest events, but those publishers don’t need to include sports betting into their model to be successful, and these are major roadblocks for its expansion in the industry.”
Sergey hopes that this will change over the next decade, but in the meantime, he is looking forward to weaving the storytelling ability of video games into all of Parimatch’s sports betting offers.
“At the end of the day, most of us prefer to be told stories than to scour over spreadsheets, and that’s what I want to offer to our players,” he concluded.
GR8 Tech has rolled out CRM Bonus Shop—a fully integrated player-facing feature designed to drive engagement, increase retention, and optimize bonus budgets through gamified rewards.
The Bonus Shop enables operators to offer various virtual and real rewards, including free spins, free bets, gamification items, even physical items, spins in Wheel of Fortune, and more, in exchange for custom-branded artificial currency. Players earn coins through behavioral triggers like deposits or email verification, then choose their preferred rewards from a personalized shop interface.
Built directly into GR8 Tech’s CRM, the Bonus Shop offers full back-office control, real-time player wallet tracking, and complete front-end customization to match any brand’s tone, style, and language.
Key Benefits of GR8 Tech’s Bonus Shop for Operators
- Enhanced Player Choice & Satisfaction: Players select rewards they actually want, increasing perceived value and engagement compared to traditional fixed bonuses.
- Cost-Effective Bonus Management: Artificial currency provides greater value to players while reducing operator costs compared to traditional cash bonuses.
- Behavioral Motivation: Automated currency distribution encourages specific player actions, improving key performance indicators.
- Strategic Flexibility: A/B testing capabilities enable operators to compare traditional bonuses against gamified approaches and optimize strategies across different markets.
“Personalization is at its core. By tailoring offers to custom player segments, we ensure every user sees and can purchase the bonuses they truly want, boosting engagement significantly,” said Kateryna Schevchenko, CRM Product Manager at GR8 Tech. “Additionally, the platform gives operators full control over the in-game economy by allowing them to set custom ‘prices’ for products using virtual currencies. This flexibility helps optimize retention costs, manage bonus budgets effectively, and maximize ROI.”
With advanced segmentation tools and engagement elements like gamification, GR8 Tech’s CRM transforms player interactions into engaging, value-driven experiences. The company’s approach has led to impressive results, including a 25% uplift in first-time deposits, an average 80% retention rate, and 75% monthly active users interacting with gamified tools. GR8 Tech’s CRM is a strategic asset for operators aiming to deliver highly personalized and performance-oriented player journeys.
GR8 Tech. Platform for Champions
GR8 Tech is an award-winning provider, delivering high-performance sportsbook and iGaming solutions that empower operators to lead and win in competitive markets. Key elements of GR8 Tech’s comprehensive portfolio include the Hyper Turnkey solution, ULTIM8 Sportsbook iFrame, Infinite Casino Aggregation, and Platform Acceler8 suite, featuring its proprietary affiliate management platform, Aff.Tech.
With a geo-specific approach to solutions, a focus on practical innovations, and an operator-first mindset, GR8 Tech helps its clients achieve measurable results in their target markets quickly and efficiently. Trusted by top operators worldwide, GR8 Tech has over 100 successful cases and earned multiple recognitions, including the title of the Best Sports Betting Provider in CEE by GamingTECH Awards 2025.
The post GR8 Tech Launches CRM Bonus Shop to Boost Player Engagement and Retention appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
AI-driven gaming analytics
Chris Barranco Joins Quick Custom Intelligence as Director of Business Development
Quick Custom Intelligence (QCI), a leading provider of AI-driven analytics and enterprise solutions for the gaming and hospitality industry, today announced the addition of Chris Barranco as Director of Business Development.
Barranco brings 25 years of experience leading high-performing teams, driving revenue, and building durable client relationships. He is adept at solution-selling methodology and full sales-cycle management, with a proven track record of mentoring top-tier account executives, delivering high-impact presentations, and retaining key accounts. Known for a tenacious approach to new-business development and customer loyalty, Barranco will focus on expanding QCI’s market footprint, strengthening the partner ecosystem, and advancing go-to-market execution across QCI’s product portfolio.
“I’m excited to join the clear market leader and work with the exceptional team at QCI,” said Chris Barranco, Director of Business Development at QCI. “QCI’s commitment to turning data into action aligns perfectly with my approach to helping customers achieve measurable revenue impact. I look forward to working closely with our clients and partners to accelerate growth and deliver exceptional outcomes.”
“We’re delighted to welcome an industry veteran of Chris’s caliber to the QCI team,” said Andrew Cardno, CTO and Co-Founder of QCI. “His leadership, mastery of solution selling, and passion for customer success will further strengthen our ability to scale, deepen client relationships, and deliver the operational results our customers expect.”
As Director of Business Development, Barranco will lead initiatives to expand QCI’s presence across key markets, refine sales enablement programs, and collaborate with product and customer success teams to ensure a seamless path from discovery to measurable value realization.
The post Chris Barranco Joins Quick Custom Intelligence as Director of Business Development appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Press Releases
Soft2Bet’s MEGA Shortlisted for Product Innovation of the Year at Global Gaming Awards Americas 2025
Soft2Bet has been shortlisted in the Product Innovation of the Year category at the Global Gaming Awards Americas 2025, highlighting the innovative impact of its proprietary gamification engine, MEGA (Motivational Engineering Gaming Application). The solution’s first full-scale North American deployment with ToonieBet in Ontario has redefined the gaming experience by enhancing player engagement and retention.
ToonieBet uses the full range of MEGA’s innovative gamification features and data-driven iGaming solutions for player retention, including achievements, collectibles, long-term missions, and segmented rewards, to create personalized and localized experiences for every player.
Since launching, the brand has seen increased session frequency, stronger loyalty and sustained growth in lifetime value. These results have been further strengthened by ToonieBet’s partnerships with the Ottawa Senators and the Canadian Football League, where MEGA features prominently on rink-side LED boards and during broadcasts. This visibility highlights Soft2Bet’s highly focused approach, built around standout customer experience, performance and clean, adaptable design.
Already proven across Europe with brands , MEGA has consistently driven player retention and engagement. In Ontario, ToonieBet is seeing similar results by leveraging MEGA’s flexible tools, customizable UX/UI design and segmented features to deliver a deeply localized and highly personalized experience that attracts high-value players and supports sustainable profitability without disrupting daily operations.
“We are proud to be shortlisted for Product Innovation of the Year, as MEGA continues to enable us to deliver engaging, locally tailored player experiences, clearly demonstrated by ToonieBet’s success in Ontario. This nomination indicates that our approach is delivering big high performance results,” highlighted Martin Collins, Chief Business Development Officer at Soft2Bet.
In January 2025, during the Global Gaming Awards EMEA, MEGA won Product Launch of the Year and Soft2Bet was named Platform Provider of the Year, confirming B2B excellence in the industry.
About Soft2Bet
Soft2Bet is a leading provider of iGaming turnkey solutions, delivering high-quality products and services to online gambling operators. Soft2Bet is known for its Motivational Engineering Gaming Application (MEGA), proven to enhance retention and engagement. Soft2Bet has deployed numerous successful iGaming brands and holds more than 19 global licenses.
About Soft2Bet’s MEGA
Soft2Bet’s MEGA (Motivational Engineering Gaming Application) is a standalone, complete solution for integrating casino and sportsbook operator brands with gamification. MEGA provides a range of gamification engines and allows operators to customise gamification engines by setting rewards, bonus triggers, user segmentation, level of difficulty, and more.
The post Soft2Bet’s MEGA Shortlisted for Product Innovation of the Year at Global Gaming Awards Americas 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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