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Anzu Appoints Former Activision Blizzard Executive Ruben Dehouck as a New Strategic Advisor

Published

5 years ago

October 14, 2020

Reading Time: 2 minutes

The world’s leading in-game advertising platform Anzu.io today announced the appointment of Ruben Dehouck as a Strategic Advisor. Ruben has a long and successful track record in the video game industry, having spent more than ten years at Activision Blizzard in various globally operating roles. During his tenure there, Ruben led marketing operations for the industry-leading Call of Duty franchise, was in charge of commercial operations for the breakthrough kids video game franchise Skylanders, and owned strategic partnerships with key industry partners, including PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo.

Dehouck joins an impressive group of strategic advisors for Anzu, including David Sable, Takuya Banno, and Jamie Gutfreund. The vast experience that Dehouck brings will contribute to Anzu’s overall gaming strategy and strengthen the company’s position specifically within the AAA gaming segment. Asked about his perspective on the exciting future Anzu is creating, Dehouck said, “In-game advertising offers developers and publishers a compelling new revenue stream, but only if it’s done right. Anzu’s cutting-edge tech solution ensures non-intrusive, blended real-world advertising in video game ecosystems. It’s a solution that understands and respects gamers’ expectations. I’m excited to help drive in-game advertising to new heights and leverage the enormous appetite of leading global advertisers to build meaningful relationships with the ever-growing, 3 billion plus global video game audience.”

Anzu has already launched campaigns with global brands, including Vodafone and Samsung and game companies such as Ubisoft. And the in-game advertising company continues to focus on its commitment to bringing innovative changes to the ecosystem. Its partnership with CHEQ provides the first-ever ad verification solution for console gaming, while its partnership with Kantar’s project Moonshot enables brands to measure advertising campaign effectiveness accurately. Additionally, advertisers and game developers can feel confident when working with Anzu as it is the first company of its kind to earn an ISO 27001 Certification.

Anzu, the winner of this year’s ESI Clutch Digital competition, has also attracted the attention of those in the esports arena. A few months ago, Anzu signed a partnership deal with Berlin-based esports venue developer VERITAS. More recently, the company expanded its exclusive partnership with Axis Games to bring the first-ever programmatic in-game ads to a live esports tournament.

As the company continues to carve out its path, Dehouck will be a key advisor. Anzu Co-founder and CEO Itamar Benedy said, “We are thrilled to have Ruben on board. He brings a wealth of experience, and his knowledge, which sits at the intersection of gaming, advertising, and strategic partnership development, will be invaluable to us as we move forward.”

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G2 names Skin.Club official skin partner for its CS2 team

Published

27 minutes ago

April 13, 2026

Wladimir P.

g2-names-skin.club-official-skin-partner-for-its-cs2-team

Skin.Club branding will appear on G2 jerseys, social channels and content series, with in-person activations planned.

G2 has partnered with Skin.Club as the official skin partner for its Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) team, with the deal spanning team jerseys, content and live experiences.

Under the agreement, Skin.Club will feature on G2’s CS2 team jersey as an official partner. The partnership also includes logo placement across G2’s social channels and integration within content series throughout the year, plus a “series of in-person activations,” according to the companies.

“Partnering with Skin.Club marks an exciting step forward for our G2 CS team,” said Alban Dechelotte, CEO of G2. “We’re always looking to work with brands that genuinely understand the Counter-Strike community, and Skin.Club brings both passion and innovation to the space. Together, we aim to create engaging experiences for fans while continuing to push the competitive ambitions of our roster.”

“At Skin.Club, we’re focused on creating experiences that bring the Counter-Strike community closer together,” said Dan Tar, CMO of Skin.Club. “Collaborating with G2 allows us to work alongside one of the most iconic teams in esports and deliver new ways for fans to engage. Drive, Love, Counter-Strike!”

Financial terms and the partnership duration were not disclosed.

The post G2 names Skin.Club official skin partner for its CS2 team appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

GGPoker

Marius Kudzmanas wins WSOP Europe Main Event for €2m

Published

27 minutes ago

April 13, 2026

Wladimir P.

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WSOP says the €5,300 Main Event drew 2,617 entries and created a €13.085m prize pool, the largest open event in European history.

Marius Kudzmanas has won the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Europe Main Event, taking home the €2,000,000 top prize and the WSOP Europe Main Event Champion’s gold bracelet, WSOP announced on April 11, 2026.

WSOP said the €5,300 Main Event attracted 2,617 entries and generated a €13,085,000 prize pool, calling it the largest open event in European poker history.

Across the wider WSOP Europe festival, WSOP reported more than 80 countries represented, 15 WSOP gold bracelets awarded, over €39,500,000 in prizes, and 15,779 total entries across all bracelet events.

WSOP also highlighted Switzerland’s Anna Eggenberger winning the inaugural WSOP Europe €1,000 Ladies Championship for her first bracelet, topping a 197-player field that WSOP said was the biggest ladies championship event ever held outside of Las Vegas.

WSOP executives framed the turnout as a signal of momentum heading into the summer WSOP in Las Vegas, scheduled to run May 26 through July 15. “We are absolutely thrilled with the phenomenal success of this year’s WSOP Europe, which has set new parameters for poker on the continent,” said Ty Stewart, Chief Executive Officer of WSOP. Gregory Chochon, Chief Operating Officer of WSOP, added: “This edition of WSOP Europe was the best yet, and we’d like to sincerely thank all of the players, dealers, staff, partners, and media that came together to make the festival so special. A core WSOP goal is to continually refine and improve our events – with that in mind, we can’t wait for the action to kick off next month in Las Vegas!”

The post Marius Kudzmanas wins WSOP Europe Main Event for €2m appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Casino Operators

LuckyStreak adds Popiplay slots to LuckyConnect aggregation API

Published

1 hour ago

April 13, 2026

Wladimir P.

luckystreak-adds-popiplay-slots-to-luckyconnect-aggregation-api

Deal makes Popiplay’s 75+ game portfolio available to LuckyConnect customers, with new releases auto-synced via the platform.

LuckyStreak has added Popiplay to its iGaming content aggregation API solution LuckyConnect, expanding the aggregator’s third-party slots catalogue. The partnership was announced on 13th April 2026.

Under the deal, Popiplay’s full games library becomes available to LuckyConnect customers “instantly, with no additional technical work required,” according to LuckyStreak. The company said new Popiplay titles will be auto-synced with customers’ game management systems as they are released.

Popiplay, founded in 2022, is a Scandinavian slots studio with a portfolio of more than 75 games. LuckyStreak highlighted mechanics across the catalogue including Bonus Buy and Chance x2 & x3.

Rory Kimber, Commercial Director at LuckyStreak, said: “Popiplay is a great example of the new wave of studios building content for how players actually engage today. Their focus on performance, streamer appeal, and player-first design makes them a strong addition to LuckyConnect and highly relevant for operators targeting modern audiences. We continue to build a portfolio that balances proven performers with ambitious, high-growth providers, and Popiplay fits that strategy perfectly.”

Almir Kudic, CCO at Popiplay, said: “Partnering with LuckyStreak is an important step for us as we continue to grow our distribution. It gives us the opportunity to bring our games to a wider audience while working with a partner that shares our focus on quality and player engagement. We’re excited about what we can achieve together.”

The post LuckyStreak adds Popiplay slots to LuckyConnect aggregation API appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.