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IGT Streamlines Business and Leadership Under New Organizational Structure
International Game Technology PLC today announced a new organizational structure focused primarily on two business segments: Global Gaming and Global Lottery. This new structure is designed to:
- provide greater responsiveness to customers and players;
- increase IGT’s effectiveness and competitiveness in providing products and solutions that address the opportunities of each market segment;
- harmonize best practices across both B2B and B2C channels in each product category; and
- reduce complexity and increase organizational efficiency to support IGT’s intrinsic value.
“A simplified organizational structure grounded in our core competencies creates a stronger, more focused IGT,” said Marco Sala, CEO of IGT. “We have always maintained a customer-first mentality and are positioning ourselves to meet ever-evolving needs in a dynamic, global marketplace. Global product segments enable us to leverage our extraordinary talent, unique insights as both an operator and service provider, and economies of scale to continue delivering unrivalled gaming experiences and create value for all stakeholders.”
Reporting to Marco Sala, Renato Ascoli will serve as CEO, Global Gaming; Fabio Cairoli will serve as CEO, Global Lottery. This new structure is effective from July 1, 2020, and IGT will start reporting its financial results under these two business segments starting with the third quarter of 2020. Financial results for the second quarter of 2020 will be reported in line with the legacy organizational structure.
The Global Gaming and Global Lottery segments will have all of the key operating capabilities and autonomy necessary to manage the business, including product management, sales, technology and research and development. The business segments will be supported by central corporate support functions that remain largely unchanged from a leadership standpoint, with the addition of a New Business and Strategic Initiatives function. The new structure addresses key synergy and development areas, while continuing to ensure appropriate governance.
Global Gaming will have full responsibility for the IGT Gaming business, consolidating North America, International and Italy B2C Gaming responsibilities. This includes PlayDigital, Sports and Italy Gaming — led by Enrico Drago — as well as Global Gaming Sales, Global Gaming Product Management, Global Gaming Studios, Global Manufacturing, Operations and Services including Global Gaming Technology.
Global Lottery will have full responsibility for the IGT Lottery business, consolidating North America, International and Italy. This includes Global Lottery Sales and Operations, Global Lottery Product and Sales Development, and Global Lottery Technology and Support. This structure enhances global strategic vision and framework, leveraging proven customer focus and execution while positioning the organization for improved collaboration and best practices sharing.
Reporting to Marco Sala, Walter Bugno will lead a New Business and Strategic Initiatives corporate function. In line with the strategic objective of having a clear focus on our business’ priorities within IGT’s portfolio, this group is responsible for leading business development in jurisdictions where IGT is not present, and where — while there may be a company presence — there is no defined product segment presence.
Additionally, the New Business and Strategic Initiatives group is responsible for managing new in-country initiatives during the start-up phase and offering on-demand commercial support globally for key accounts with multiple product requirements. It will also be responsible for managing key strategic initiatives within existing jurisdictions as needed and as determined by company leadership. The group will work in unison with the two new global business units in delivery of all initiatives, with financials rolling up to Global Gaming and Global Lottery.
Executive Biographies
Prior to his appointment as CEO, Global Gaming, Renato Ascoli served as CEO, North America of IGT PLC. In this capacity, other than serving all North America Customers, he held global responsibility for product development, manufacturing, product management, technology and delivery of all the Company’s portfolio outside of Italy.
Prior to his appointment as CEO, Global Lottery, Fabio Cairoli served as CEO Italy of IGT PLC, where he was responsible for managing all business lines, marketing services, and sales for the Company’s Italian operations. Through his leadership of the largest lottery operator in the world, Mr. Cairoli shares insights and best practices with other organizations in the Company.
Prior to his role as leader of IGT New Business and Strategic Initiatives, Walter Bugno served as CEO, International of IGT PLC, where he was responsible for the management and strategic development of the International region. He led the Company’s lottery, gaming, and interactive businesses throughout Europe (except Italy), as well as in the Middle East, Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa, and the Asia-Pacific region.
For more information about IGT, visit IGT.com, go to Facebook at facebook.com/IGT, follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/IGTnews, or watch IGT videos on YouTube at youtube.com/igt.
About IGT :
IGT (NYSE:IGT) is the global leader in gaming. We deliver entertaining and responsible gaming experiences for players across all channels and regulated segments, from Gaming Machines and Lotteries to Sports Betting and Digital. Leveraging a wealth of compelling content, substantial investment in innovation, player insights, operational expertise, and leading-edge technology, our solutions deliver unrivaled gaming experiences that engage players and drive growth. We have a well-established local presence and relationships with governments and regulators in more than 100 countries around the world, and create value by adhering to the highest standards of service, integrity, and responsibility. IGT has approximately 12,000 employees. For more information, please visit www.igt.com.
SOURCE International Game Technology PLC
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Affiliate Industry
SiGMA exclusive: Aleksandra Drigo on traffic shifts, transparency, and the future of SEO affiliates
In an exclusive interview for the SiGMA News, Aleksandra Drigo, Chief of Business Development at SEOBROTHERS, shared her perspective on the future of affiliate marketing in Canada.
She discussed how Alberta’s upcoming market launch could reshape competition, why transparency has become a cornerstone of operator-affiliate partnerships, how compliance is changing the way affiliates choose partners, and why localisation, trusted brands, and data-driven decision-making will define the next generation of SEO affiliates.
Regulation will reshape Alberta’s affiliate landscape
As Alberta prepares to regulate its online gambling market, affiliates are entering a more challenging environment. While regulation brings greater transparency, it also increases compliance demands, acquisition costs, and competition – particularly from larger, well-funded companies.
“Many affiliates, especially independent SEO players, may decide not to enter fully regulated markets and instead focus on regions with more predictable economics and lower regulatory pressure,” Aleksandra said.
Bigger brands gain the advantage
According to Drigo, regulated markets naturally favour established affiliate businesses, whereas smaller publishers face much higher barriers to entry despite niche opportunities still existing.
“Regulated markets tend to favour larger players. Big affiliate companies have the resources for legal support, compliance teams, advanced tracking infrastructure, and long-term investment without expecting fast ROI.”
Compliance is now a deciding factor
Operator selection is no longer based solely on commercial terms. Affiliates increasingly assess partners by their transparency, reporting quality, responsible gaming standards, responsiveness, and ability to meet local regulatory requirements.
“We pay close attention to how consistent an operator is in terms of reporting, responsible gaming policies, speed of communication, and local regulations compliance. Reputation risks affect both sides. If an operator lacks transparency or fails to follow compliance standards, it directly impacts the affiliate business as well.”
Communication matters more than financial disputes
Drigo believes that most partnership conflicts arise not from payment issues, but from poor communication and limited access to performance data.
“Financial disagreements can usually be resolved quickly if there is trust and clear communication between both sides. Whereas, when affiliates do not receive timely information, face unclear reporting, or get no explanation for performance changes, tensions escalate very quickly. In regulated markets, communication and transparency become just as important as the financial terms themselves.”
The future belongs to trusted brands and localisation
Looking ahead, Drigo expects meticulous localisation, brand authority, first-party audiences, and community-driven products to define success in regulated North American markets. As AI reshapes search, affiliates will need stronger technology, diversified traffic sources, and compliance-friendly SEO strategies to remain competitive.
“With AI and online search ecosystem changes already transforming the SEO landscape, affiliates need to become much more flexible and technology-driven than before. And compliance-friendly SEO strategies and diversification beyond traditional search traffic are becoming increasingly important.”
The post SiGMA exclusive: Aleksandra Drigo on traffic shifts, transparency, and the future of SEO affiliates appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
Belgium
EveryMatrix to replace Betcenter Belgium sportsbook platform in omnichannel deal
Merkur Group-owned operator will migrate retail and online sports betting across 50+ shops and hundreds of terminals onto EveryMatrix’s full stack.
EveryMatrix has agreed an omnichannel partnership with Betcenter Belgium to power the operator’s sports betting platform, replacing an in-house legacy setup with EveryMatrix’s full technology stack.
Under the deal, EveryMatrix will migrate Betcenter’s customer activities and operations and deliver sportsbook services across both retail and online channels. Betcenter operates online and in more than 50 retail betting shops, with 600 Self Service Betting Terminals (SSBTs) and 300 SSBT-light units, according to the companies.
The agreement extends EveryMatrix’s relationship with Betcenter owner Merkur Group, following a March announcement that EveryMatrix would power Merkur’s Cashpoint brand in Denmark for online sports and casino and more than 1,000 sports betting terminals in 230 shops.
Ebbe Groes, Group Co-CEO & Co-Founder, EveryMatrix, said: “To be able to extend our partnership with Merkur Group in Belgium so soon after agreeing to work with its Cashpoint brand in Denmark is something you rarely see in our industry.
“There has been, and continues to, be an enormous amount of hard work put into both making and delivering these deals on both sides so I’d like to thank the Merkur Group and my own internal EveryMatrix teams for making this a reality.”
Mathias Dahms, Managing Director of the Sports Betting Division, Merkur Group, said: “We have learned to regard EveryMatrix as a reliable and competent partner and look forward to taking the next step with them on this challenging project in Belgium.
“Through this partnership, we will consolidate our market-leading position in Belgium and further expand it with new products.”
The post EveryMatrix to replace Betcenter Belgium sportsbook platform in omnichannel deal appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Blueprint Gaming
Blueprint Gaming rolls out Rapid Fire Jackpots to NetBet UK
The expanded integration will bring Blueprint’s full Rapid Fire Jackpots portfolio into NetBet’s casino lobby over time.
Blueprint Gaming has expanded its partnership with UK-facing operator NetBet by rolling out its Rapid Fire Jackpots
progressive jackpot content to the operator’s casino lobby.
The companies first partnered in 2025, with NetBet already offering Blueprint releases including Fishin’ Frenzy
Lure ‘Em In, Eye of Horus and King Kong Cash. NetBet has also run a selection of Rapid Fire Jackpots
titles, including Fishin’ Frenzy
Big Catch 3, The Goonies
Quest for Treasure 2 and Fishin’ Frenzy
Even Bigger Fish 2.
Under the extended collaboration, Blueprint said the entire Rapid Fire Jackpots
portfolio will be integrated into NetBet’s casino lobby over time, starting with an initial batch of titles now made available to NetBet players.
Rapid Fire Jackpots
launched in June 2024 and is positioned by Blueprint as a complementary mechanic to its Jackpot King
product, designed to deliver more frequent jackpot wins. Jack Lawson, Senior Account Manager at Blueprint Gaming, said: “Rapid Fire Jackpots
has added a new dimension to our portfolio since launch, giving players access to more frequent jackpot drops alongside the premium gameplay experiences our content is known for.
“Expanding the rollout of the mechanic with NetBet allows us to build on the strong momentum already generated through our partnership, while further cementing our position as a leading supplier in the UK market.” Claudia Georgevici, PR Manager at NetBet Casino, said: “Blueprint Gaming’s titles have proven to be a strong addition to our casino lobby over the past year, and the integration of Rapid Fire Jackpots
is set to further boost that offering.
“The mechanic’s combination of achievable, frequent jackpot wins and engaging gameplay delivers exactly the type of experience that resonates with our players, making it a valuable addition to our growing content selection.”
The post Blueprint Gaming rolls out Rapid Fire Jackpots to NetBet UK appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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