Industry News
Stefan Backlund Joins Internet Vikings’ Board of Directors
Internet Vikings continues to attract senior experts to its Board of Directors. Stefan Backlund, an experienced guru in B2B marketing, joined the company in February of 2020 to help propel the Vikings’ marketing to the next level.
Internet Vikings has been actively growing since its establishment in 2008. By launching its Marketing Department and inviting Stefan Backlund to join the Board the company makes important steps for sustaining its growth.
As a proactive marketing professional Stefan has been involved in several companies such as Klarna and Philips. He has a long-term experience of work in the fintech field holding a VP Marketing role at Trustly, leading Swedish payments company. Also, he joined Katalysen, Swiss-Swedish Venture Partner firm, as its newest Partner and CMO in December of 2019.
“Internet Vikings’ potential is outstanding. The company has been growing steadily for 12 years and has developed a highly effective infrastructure. The fact that it has attracted such experts of the iGaming industry as Peter Ekmark and Jesper Kärrbrink proves that it is on the threshold of the major breakthrough now. I’m delighted to join this terrific team in such a special moment”, says Stefan Backlund.
Jesper Kärrbrink who became a Board Chairman last year comments: ”We continue to add senior experts to our board as our mission is to make sure that the company is growing to its full potential in 2020-21. It is going to be a fantastic and interesting journey. Now with Stefan as a Board Member”.
Internet Vikings’ CEO Peter Ekmark, who is developing the strategic direction v2.0 for the company, adds: “The experience that Stefan has will help our young and creative marketing team to reach a new stage of maturity. I see it as a perfect combination of wisdom and knowledge with ambition and drive”.
For the last six months, Internet Vikings made several major steps to establish itself as a leader in the sector. Being selected by Green Jade Games for hosting delivery and attracting such accomplished specialists as Kärrbrink, Ekmark, and now Backlund shows that the company is on its way to conquer the industry. There is a feeling that it won’t be long until we hear about their next glorious victory!
blask
Greece Led Europe’s iGaming Growth in 2025 — Now the Drivers Are Fully Explained
In the second half of 2025, Greece emerged as Europe’s fastest-growing iGaming market. While several major jurisdictions slowed or declined, Greek market demand rose by more than 50% between June and December, standing out as one of the year’s clearest growth stories.
According to data from Blask, the surge was not the result of a single tournament or seasonal spike. Instead, it reflected a structural shift driven by a combination of sports momentum, regulatory reform and casino market dynamics — factors that can now be traced in detail through Blask’s newly released Market Explanation feature.
Continuous sports momentum without demand gaps
Greece’s growth was underpinned by a tightly stacked sports calendar that sustained engagement across multiple months. EuroBasket 2025 in late August, the kickoff of the Stoiximan Super League, UEFA Champions League matchdays under the new league-phase format, and the EuroLeague season featuring Greek clubs created a continuous rhythm of high-interest betting cycles throughout autumn.
Rather than short-lived peaks followed by sharp declines, demand remained elevated well beyond individual events. This is a pattern clearly visible on the Blask Index trend line.
Casino reform reshaped demand behavior
One of the most significant contributors came from the casino segment. Greece’s decision to raise RNG stake limits from €2 to €20 altered the mechanics of the market, allowing online casinos to absorb demand during sports off-peak periods.
As sports-led acquisition increasingly converted into casino play, operators reported double-digit iGaming growth. Market Explanation analysis shows that this effect persisted over time, confirming the shift as structural rather than seasonal.
Enforcement redirected demand to licensed operators
Regulatory action further reinforced the upward trend. In December, Greek authorities blocked approximately 11,000 illegal gambling domains. Instead of suppressing demand, the move redirected player interest toward licensed platforms, strengthening regulated market performance.
The impact was amplified by the adoption of IRIS instant payments, which reduced deposit friction and improved conversion from interest to activity.
From tracking trends to understanding causes
To surface these drivers, Blask has introduced Market Explanation — an AI-powered layer within the Blask Index that allows users to click on any country’s trend line and instantly see a sourced breakdown of the forces behind the movement. Sports calendars, regulatory changes, casino dynamics and macro factors are analyzed together, turning raw demand signals into actionable market context.
Greece’s 2025 performance illustrates how this approach changes market analysis. Rather than simply observing that demand is rising, operators, suppliers and investors can now see why it is happening — and which levers are shaping the trajectory of a market in real time.
The post Greece Led Europe’s iGaming Growth in 2025 — Now the Drivers Are Fully Explained appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Crypto Turnkey
GR8 Tech Delivers 1.6× Higher Deposit Conversion and 3× Reduction in Transaction Costs for Crypto Turnkey Clients
Unlock Your Crypto Advantage at ICE Barcelona 2026
The post GR8 Tech Delivers 1.6× Higher Deposit Conversion and 3× Reduction in Transaction Costs for Crypto Turnkey Clients appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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.
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