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OKTO: As cashless becomes king, land-based gaming requires an industry-specific solution

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As a provider of digital payments for the entire high street, fintech firm OKTO stands out as having a unique cashless solution that caters to the nuanced needs of the UK’s highly regulated land-based gaming sector. As demand for such solutions accelerates due to the global pandemic, Dimitar Shopov, OKTO Wallet Commercial Owner, explains how crucial it is that operators pick a partner that understands the specifics of their industry, whilst also evolving its technology to keep up to date with global fintech trends.

On a global basis, how busy has OKTO been since the start of the pandemic? Has there been a notable increase in interest and urgency for the installation of cashless systems?

It is a question we are increasingly asking ourselves as a society: “Do we still need cash?” The decline in the use of cash and the concurrent rise in digital and card payments has been charted for years, but the pandemic definitely marks the real beginning of the end of cash in many mature markets like the UK who is a fast adopter, ushering the interest and urgency toward cashless systems.

A combination of contributing factors play a role here; tech advances, measures from authorities, and actions from big retailers across the world that have already adopted the use of digital payments as a safer method to maintain social distance and contain the spread of the COVID-19. Cashless systems have increasingly become the new norm, simply due to the fact that society demands it.

Now, all our partners are asking us how we can help them transition to cashless operations and the driver is always the same; the ability to respond to their users’ demands, leverage user services and experience and reduce cost and risk of cash. And that is what we deliver with our OKTO.WALLET solution.

Is the UK a market you are monitoring in respect to its uptake of cashless payments?

The use of cash has been falling around the world and the pandemic along with the fear of infection from bank notes are accelerating the trend away from cash towards digital payments. The UK ranks higher than all other countries in the EU when it comes to cashless payments for a few years now.

Naturally, not everybody is ready for a digital switchover, but it’s apparent that more and more people turn to digital payment options. Cash’s share of in-store transactions in the UK plummeted from 45 percent in January to 23 percent in July, per a report from Square that analyzed data from hundreds of small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) across the UK while the digital will likely retain greater popularity. Therefore, as a fast adopter, the UK was a natural fit for us to invest in this market, creating a powerful solution, designed to address the needs of the Pub & AGC sector with the main mission to be the enhanced user experience.

And here comes the question: Will we ever have a digital alternative that offers the same mix of convenience and freedom as cash? For me the answer is yes. Contactless forms of payment have created a new level of convenience for people around the world, and this has provided a real boost for certain industries, from gaming and betting to hospitality sectors. OKTO.WALLET solution is not only the safe and fast transactional tool that both users and merchants demand but it also offers users the freedom to move and use their funds as they wish instantly.

How do you think Covid-19 has accelerated this increasing disdain for products and services that require cash payment? Does another round of government restrictions in the UK spell further worry for cash-only businesses?

A few years ago, while I was walking through London, I noted some signs dotted around a pub that announced the complete move from cash to customers: “Apologies, but it is the digital age.” Don’t forget that there are benefits in digital payments that make life easier not only for the pubs but for all retail businesses. Think about it, at the end of the night whatever the retail business is, the people there need to count up endless piles of coins, managers need to transfer bags of cash to be lodged at the bank, also there are the additional charges to processing cash transactions versus digital ones and so on. All these can be eliminated with the digital cashless payments.

The trend was there and Covid-19 came and sped up that trend. All the cashless benefits along with the fact that banknotes and coins have been identified as a medium for transmitting the pandemic is clearing the way for another stellar rise in digital payments.

I cannot see the crystal ball and make the prediction for further pandemic-related worries for cash-only businesses, but when you hear announcements from World Health Organization back in March, recommending people to turn to cashless transactions to fight the spread of Covid-19, and rapidly a number of governments and retailers across the world took action, you can realize the evident concern. This shift should not be underestimated, as cashless transactions become the norm and rapidly impact niche industries like hospitality and gaming.

A cash-free future is getting closer, and the new lockdown is further accelerating that shift, but this change won’t be a 100 percent switch over night, there will be a prolonged period cash and digital payment options living side by side. After all, consumer payment choice is one of the most essential ways to maximise a merchants revenue potential, and operators should ensure that they will offer their customers the same level of choice in payment options as other sectors of the leisure industry, offering cashless facilities and we are here to assist operations in this transition.

Despite being a fintech provider to many markets across the world, OKTO clearly sees gaming as a particularly important one. How does this focus on gaming, whilst also offering all the benefits of neo-banks such as Monzo and Revolut, put OKTO in a better position to serve the market than competing cashless solutions in this space?

There are plenty of cashless solutions available and it can be confusing at times, what and why different digital solutions are better suited to certain sectors, and this is especially true in gaming.

But, it’s crucial for any operation to back the right horse. It’s imperative to choose a reliable solutions partner and few providers are focusing on the nuanced needs of gaming operators, especially for land-based, which make us unique in what we do. At OKTO, we want to assist our partners to make informed decisions for both their businesses and customers. Now with the industry to face more challenges than ever gaming operators need a payment service to ease the burden rather than add to it. Industry-specific, mobile-first and open-loop are the keys here.

A payment provider with a mobile payment platform, tailored for the gaming industry that aims to reduce payment friction, enhance the user experience, allowing real-time e-money fund transfer in a simple, secure and fast way is the answer to their quest. When this comes with a universality, then this is a sure bet, as consumers can use, move and collect their funds anywhere, not just for gaming.

Having a dedicated team on gaming, are you confident OKTO is well-equipped to cater to the needs of such a heavily regulated industry, where the expectations for compliance, data protection, and social responsibility are higher than any normal consumer market?

It’s vital to choose the right partner as I previously said; one that utilises field-proven technologies and has the extensive know-how of key integrations across all physical touchpoints of a gaming venue ranging from gaming machines to Self-Service Betting Terminals and Cash Redemption Terminals as well as a strong understanding and proven ability to integrate the wallet with digital touchpoints. We have exactly this 360 approach through our OKTO.WALLET solution, that the operators need to get ahead.

Heavily regulated industries are not unknown to us. We have an extensive understanding of the current climate; and we have developed solutions that ease compliance issues. Utilising the highest level of data encryption, we ensure all users data are fully encrypted while also all fund transfers are audited using market-proven algorithms to detect fraudulent activity including not only Money Laundering but also game manipulation and cash peripheral attacks.

Social responsibility is also at the top of our minds. With tools available through the OKTO app, we cover the social responsibility quota, incorporating a strict age verification process, time-out periods, betting limits, and profit and loss calculator tools that further enhance consumer protection as well as a dedicated section embedded in the app with national problem gambling helplines.

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Incentive Studios launches five games with bet365 in Alberta

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Incentive Games, via its real-money gaming division Incentive Studios, has launched five titles with bet365 in Alberta, the company said on July 23, 2026.

The rollout makes Kicker, Mega Flight, Mega Flight Boost, Velocity and Squid Game Red Light Green Light Cashout available to bet365 players in the province. Incentive Games described it as Incentive Studios’ first launch in Alberta.

Ahmed Baker, Chief Commercial Officer at Incentive Games, said: “We are delighted to see our real-money games launch with bet365 in Alberta. As one of the world’s leading operators, bet365 has consistently demonstrated its commitment to delivering high-quality player experiences, making them an ideal partner as we continue expanding across North America.

“Launching in Alberta represents another important step for Incentive Studios and we’re excited to bring five of our most popular titles to players in the province.”

Rich Graham, bet365 Associate VP of Gaming, said: “Incentive Games has become an important partner for bet365 with its fresh, unique approach to game development, particularly in emerging verticals.

We’re really pleased to be furthering our partnership by being their first partner in Alberta, and are confident local players will love their products.”

Incentive Games said the Alberta go-live follows recent launches in Ontario, Brazil and Pennsylvania as it targets further growth in regulated markets.

The post Incentive Studios launches five games with bet365 in Alberta appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Amusnet

Amusnet Gaming Explains the Shift From Account Management to Revenue System Ownership

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Amusnet Gaming joined industry leaders, compliance experts, technology professionals, and gaming stakeholders at HIPTHER Baltics & Nordics: Tallinn 2026 for a day of discussions focused on digital governance, startup innovation, and Nordic market expansion. We spoke with Jack Lloyd, Partner Account & Commercial Manager – Operations Lead at Amusnet Gaming, about the evolving role of account management in iGaming – and why the industry is increasingly moving toward full partner revenue lifecycle ownership.

 

The phrase “revenue system ownership” suggests a much broader responsibility than traditional account management. How do you define this shift inside the modern iGaming ecosystem?

From a game provider perspective, “revenue system ownership” reflects the move away from managing accounts as standalone relationships and toward owning the performance of the content ecosystem inside each operator.

It means taking responsibility not just for delivering games, but for how those games perform once deployed – across lobbies, markets, player segments, and promotional layers. The provider role becomes directly tied to revenue outcomes, where success is measured by engagement, retention, and game-level performance, not just distribution.

How Amusnet applies this philosophy

At Amusnet, this means taking a proactive approach to portfolio management. We work closely with operators to analyse game performance, identify market-specific trends, and optimise content visibility through lobby positioning, promotional activity, and tailored launch strategies

What Amusnet is doing differently

Rather than focusing solely on new integrations, we place significant emphasis on post-launch performance. Once content is live, our teams continuously monitor engagement and revenue trends to identify opportunities for further optimisation and growth.

What tools or capabilities support this

Access to detailed performance data across multiple regulated markets gives us a broader view of player behaviour and portfolio performance, helping us identify opportunities that may not be visible when looking at a single market in isolation.

What are the biggest limitations of the classic account management model in today’s highly competitive and data-driven gaming market?

The traditional model is often too disconnected from product and performance reality. In many cases, account management sits between commercial, product, and operations without true ownership of outcomes.

For game providers, this creates friction between insight and execution. You may see performance trends, but lack the operational leverage to immediately impact game positioning, segmentation strategy, or market-specific optimisation.

In a highly competitive environment, this slows down portfolio growth and limits the ability to fully monetise content across operators.

How has the expectation from operators changed when it comes to account management and commercial partnership support over the past few years?

Operators now expect game providers to behave more like performance partners rather than content vendors.

It’s no longer just about supplying a strong game portfolio – it’s about actively contributing to how that portfolio is monetised inside the operator’s ecosystem. In the current market, a top-tier supplier’s commercial lead needs to understand API optimization, algorithmic recommendations, data segmentation, and local compliance constraints. If an account team cannot translate data insights into actionable revenue opportunities for operators, it risks becoming less relevant in today’s market

In practice, providers are expected to influence revenue outcomes, not just supply tools that generate them.

What are some of the biggest challenges companies face today when managing long-term growth across multiple regulated markets?

For game providers, the biggest challenge is scaling a consistent portfolio strategy across fragmented regulatory environments.

Each market affects how content can be certified, distributed, and positioned, which directly impacts performance. What works in one jurisdiction may not translate into another due to compliance constraints or player behaviour differences.

At the same time, without a consolidated performance view across operators and markets, it becomes difficult to optimise the portfolio holistically and understand true game-level ROI.

What internal skills or mindset changes do companies now look for when building high-performing account management or partnership teams?

The shift is toward hybrid commercial and product-performance thinking.

For game providers, it’s no longer enough to manage relationships – teams need to understand how games perform at a granular level and translate that into actionable portfolio decisions.

This requires strong analytical capability, but also a deep understanding of content strategy, player engagement, and how to influence operator-side execution. The mindset shifts from account servicing to active revenue and portfolio optimization ownership.

Looking ahead, how do you see partnership and revenue management roles evolving within the iGaming industry over the next few years?

Within game providers, these roles are evolving into fully integrated portfolio performance ownership functions.

The separation between account management, product, and commercial strategy will continue to fade. Instead, teams will be structured around full lifecycle responsibility for game performance across operators.

AI and automation will increasingly handle reporting and operational tasks, allowing commercial teams to focus on strategic portfolio decisions, market expansion, and optimisation of content performance at scale.

Ultimately, success will be defined by how effectively game providers can turn content into sustained revenue performance across diverse regulated markets.

The industry has moved beyond simple content distribution. Operators are looking for partners who can help them grow, not just suppliers who provide games. Our focus is on combining strong content with data-driven decision making and local market expertise to create lasting value for our partner.

Amusnet Gaming supported HIPTHER Baltics & Nordics: Tallinn 2026 as the sponsor of the Compliance & Operations Lab stage, as well as the Awards Ceremony & Closing Party Sponsor.

The post Amusnet Gaming Explains the Shift From Account Management to Revenue System Ownership appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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BGaming

BGaming Broadens Market Footprint via Bragg Gaming Group Deal

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Deal puts BGaming titles on Bragg’s bragg hub aggregation platform, with market-specific game lineups launching across three regulated jurisdictions.

BGaming has signed a distribution partnership with Bragg Gaming Group to launch a selection of its titles in Spain, the Netherlands and Peru via Bragg’s bragg hub aggregation platform.

Under the agreement, BGaming’s content will be delivered to operators connected to bragg hub. In Spain and the Netherlands, the initial rollout includes Bonanza Billion, Fruit Million and Wild Cash x9990. In Peru, the launch lineup includes Gemhalla, Aztec Clusters and Aviamasters.

BGaming said the deal supports its push to expand in regulated European and Latin American markets by widening access to operators through Bragg’s aggregation network.

Marina Ostrovtsova, CEO at BGaming, said: “Expanding our reach in regulated markets is a core part of our strategy, and Bragg Gaming Group gives us a strong, compliant route to do exactly that.

“Spain, the Netherlands and Peru are important markets for us, and partnering with an established aggregation platform like bragg means we can put our best-performing games in front of more players while meeting the standards each market demands. We look forward to building on this partnership and bringing even more of our catalogue to bragg’s operators over time.”

Hristofor Hristov, Commercial Director Aggregation & Strategic Partnerships at bragg, added: “Integrating BGaming’s high-velocity titles directly enhances the premium mix we deliver to operators across Spain, the Netherlands, and Peru.

“This rollout drives immediate value for our partners and underscores our commitment to bringing market-specific, top-tier content to key regulated regions via the bragg hub.”

The post BGaming Broadens Market Footprint via Bragg Gaming Group Deal appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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