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.
Conferences in Europe
Race Estoril Track With F1 Legend Barrichello During SBC Summit 2025

SOFTSWISS, a global tech provider with over 15 years of iGaming expertise, invites SBC Summit Lisbon delegates to take a spin on the iconic Estoril Formula One circuit on 16 September 2025. The experience features remote-controlled car racing on a true-to-scale replica of the track. The programme begins at 10:00 with an opening race at Space EN08, with the circuit then open all day for drop-in challenges and networking.
At 10:00 on 16 September, a showcase race on the Estoril mini‑track will bring together Rasmus Sojmark, CEO & Founder of SBC, Rubens Barrichello, F1 legend and Non‑Executive Director for Latin America at SOFTSWISS, and Ivan Montik, Founder of SOFTSWISS. Delegates are welcome to cheer on the participants and then take the controls themselves on the very same circuit layout.
Beyond the track, Barrichello and Montik will also appear together on the Super Stage for their fireside chat, Excellence Under Pressure: Evolving in a Fast‑Moving Space. Taking place on 16 September, the discussion will explore the shared disciplines of motorsport and iGaming innovation, highlighting how speed, reliability and agility translate into long‑term business advantage. Barrichello will also share lessons from F1’s rapid technological changes, while Montik will show how SOFTSWISS applies similar agility in iGaming, innovating quickly while ensuring compliance and stability.
The SOFTSWISS team looks forward to meeting partners and friends throughout the show. Visit us at Stand B160 to explore collaboration opportunities and learn more about our product ecosystem.
About SOFTSWISS
SOFTSWISS is an international technology company with over 15 years of experience developing innovative solutions for the iGaming industry. SOFTSWISS provides certified software for managing iGaming projects. The company’s product portfolio includes the Casino Platform, the Game Aggregator with over 30,000 casino games, the Affilka affiliate platform, the Sportsbook Software and the Jackpot Aggregator. The expert team counts over 2,000 employees.
The post Race Estoril Track With F1 Legend Barrichello During SBC Summit 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Balkans
GLI Returns as Sponsor of the Regulators’ Roundtable at EEGS 2025

The Eastern European Gaming Summit (EEGS) proudly announces that Gaming Laboratories International (GLI) will once again return as a sponsor of the highly anticipated Regulators’ Roundtable at EEGS 2025, taking place on 27–28 November at Inter Expo Center, Sofia.
As the global leader in testing, certification, and professional services for the gaming industry, GLI has supported regulators, suppliers, and operators across more than 480 jurisdictions worldwide for decades. With a strong mission to ensure integrity, fairness, and transparency, GLI plays a pivotal role in shaping a trusted and sustainable global gaming environment.
The continued sponsorship of the Regulators’ Roundtable underscores GLI’s dedication to fostering dialogue, collaboration, and knowledge exchange between regulators and industry stakeholders. As one of the flagship sessions of EEGS, the Roundtable offers an exclusive platform to address pressing regulatory challenges, explore innovative solutions, and discuss strategies that will define the future of the sector.
EEGS 2025 will once again unite regulators, operators, suppliers, and thought leaders for two days of high-level discussions, networking, and knowledge sharing, reinforcing its position as the leading forum for gaming innovation and regulation in Eastern Europe and beyond.
Learn more & register here: https://eegamingsummit.com/register-for-super-early-bird-ticket/
For any sponsorship availabilities, see here: https://eegamingsummit.com/sponsorship-2025/
Together with partners like GLI, EEGS continues to be the meeting point for innovation, regulation, and collaboration in the gaming industry.
The post GLI Returns as Sponsor of the Regulators’ Roundtable at EEGS 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Latest News
GoldenRace unleashes the season with updated Euro Champions and Euro League 2025/26!

GoldenRace is beyond excited to announce the highly anticipated updates to our flagship virtual tournaments: Euro Champions 2025/26 and Euro League 2025/26!
As always, GoldenRace remains committed to delivering the most authentic and immersive Virtual Sports experience on the planet, with realistic odds, your players’ favourite betting markets and stunning visuals that bring every tackle, pass and goal to life with breathtaking realism.
Euro Champions 2025/26: Feeling goosebumps yet?
The pinnacle of European club Virtual Football is back, and it’s ready to deliver an adrenaline rush like no other! We meticulously follow the real-world competitions, ensuring that our virtual tournaments are packed with up-to-date teams, reflecting all the new incorporations and roster changes. This means your players are always betting on the most current and realistic matchups possible!
Euro League 2025/26: The tournament of everyone!
Get ready for non-stop action with the updated Euro League! This is where every match feels like a final, and every team has a shot at glory. We’ve updated the competitors to let your players experience the thrill of new rivalries while watching emerging stars in action.
GoldenRace is proud to set the standard for Virtual Sports entertainment. Our dedication to realism, cutting-edge technology and thrilling gameplay ensures that you, our valued players and partners, always have the best. Don’t miss out on the action – get ready to experience the future of Virtual Football with the updated Euro Champions and Euro League 2025/26!
The post GoldenRace unleashes the season with updated Euro Champions and Euro League 2025/26! appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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