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French star Sarrazin completes Veloce Racing driver line-up
- Versatile French legend joins W Series Champion Jamie Chadwick for Season One
- Sarrazin aiming to add Extreme E success to impressive career CV
- Cross-country specialist Lance Woolridge appointed reserve and development driver
Veloce Racing has completed its driver line-up for the inaugural season of Extreme E, after signing successful French all-rounder Stéphane Sarrazin to partner reigning W Series Champion Jamie Chadwick. In support of this duo, South African cross-country and off-road specialist Lance Woolridge joins the team as reserve and development driver.
Sarrazin has enjoyed a long and diverse career in the sport, and arrives at Veloce boasting an impressive résumé. Whilst perhaps best-known for his sportscar racing exploits – with six podium finishes in the legendary Le Mans 24 Hours, two Le Mans Series titles and multiple victories in the FIA World Endurance Championship to his name – he has a far more versatile CV than many of his Extreme E rivals, which should serve him well in the pioneering new electric off-road racing series.
In 1999, Sarrazin contested the Brazilian Grand Prix and continued to carry out Formula 1 testing duties until the end of 2002. Four seasons in the FIA Formula E Championship yielded three rostrum visits and 21 points finishes, while in 2011 and 2012, he tested his mettle in Australia’s V8 Supercars Championship.
Since 2004, the Gard native has also made successful appearances in the FIA World Rally Championship, increasingly honing his off-road expertise. From 22 starts at the highest level, he has achieved ten points-scoring results – highlighted by a brace of fourth places – and in both Germany and France in 2005, he finished just one position behind Subaru World Rally Team stablemate and 2003 World Champion Petter Solberg.
Sarrazin’s first international rallying triumph came on the 2014 Tour de Corse – the finale of that year’s FIA European Rally Championship season – and from three Monte-Carlo Rally outings as part of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, he has never finished lower than fourth, with a podium to his credit in 2009. That experience makes him well-equipped indeed to deal with the variety of surfaces and conditions competitors are likely to encounter in Extreme E.
Stéphane Sarrazin, Driver, Veloce Racing, said:
“I am delighted to have agreed terms with Veloce Racing to contest the first season of Extreme E. This is a hugely appealing new series that has already attracted a lot of international attention – and all before the racing has even begun! As a driver, the concept is tremendously exciting and motivating – both on a competitive and personal level – and the challenge will be like no other.
“I’ve driven a lot of different types of car during my career, but the ODYSSEY 21 really is something special and it’s going to generate some incredible action. When we went testing together, it did not take me long to ‘click’ with the Veloce Racing guys – like me, they arrive in Extreme E with a lot of experience from different disciplines in the sport, and that can only be to our advantage over the forthcoming campaign. I can’t wait to go racing!”
Sarrazin and Chadwick will be supported throughout the forthcoming campaign by Lance Woolridge, who has established a fearsome reputation for his off-road endurance skills in his home country.
Born into a motorsport family – his father Neil Woolridge is a multiple cross-country champion on both two wheels and four, and tackled the iconic Dakar Rally in 1998 and 1999 – Woolridge already has 12 seasons of competition under his belt at the age of just 29. Not only that, but he has been breaking records every step of the way, including becoming the youngest driver in South African history to win a national championship cross-country event.
One of the leading protagonists in the South African Cross Country Series (SACCS), he secured consecutive Class T championship crowns in 2018 and 2019.
Lance Woolridge, Reserve and Development Driver, Veloce Racing, said:
“I’m thrilled to be joining Veloce Racing as reserve and development driver. Having tested the ODYSSEY 21 a couple of times now, I can vouch for the fact that it is a seriously impressive piece of kit and I’m confident that my background in cross-country rallying and with similar vehicles will enable me to offer valuable feedback to Stéphane, Jamie and the engineering crew. I’m looking forward to playing a key role behind-the-scenes to help give the whole Veloce Racing team the best possible chance of success.”
The 2021 Extreme E season will travel to five remote locations around the world, all of them damaged by climate change, as the series aims to shine a spotlight upon global environmental issues. The action will begin in AlUla, Saudi Arabia (3-4 April) before moving on to Dakar, Senegal (29-30 May), Kangerlussuaq, Greenland (28-29 August), Para, Brazil (23-24 October) and Tierra Del Fuego, Argentina (11-12 December).
Ian Davies, Team Manager, Veloce Racing, said:
“We are delighted to announce Stéphane as our male driver for the first season of Extreme E and to confirm Lance’s reserve and development role within the team. Both of them tested with us at MotorLand Aragón last month, and to be honest, they gave us a real headache in terms of who to choose. Since we didn’t want to lose either, in the end, we decided to sign them both.
“Both Stéphane and Lance worked extremely well with Jamie and Veloce’s engineering team at the test, and their different skillsets and experience complemented each other perfectly. Stéphane is very much an all-rounder – a master of endurance racing but also clearly extremely adept in sprint and off-road competition – while Lance is well-accustomed to vehicles like the ODYSSEY 21 from his cross-country racing and has a very well-developed mechanical understanding.
“Both guys were quick out-of-the-box in Spain, and we believe both will bring a great deal to Veloce Racing as we aim to hit the ground running in Saudi Arabia. We are confident that with Jamie and Stéphane driving and Lance working hard behind-the-scenes, we have a very strong team indeed.”
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As player expectations rise, generic casino lobbies are no longer enough — AI-driven personalization is becoming essential to engage, retain, and grow audiences.
In this evolving landscape, The Playa is positioning itself at the forefront of iGaming personalization. Slotegrator spoke with Viktoriia Grygorenko, CEO, about the company’s journey, emerging industry trends, and how data-driven experiences can boost revenue by up to 25%, and often beyond.
Founded at the intersection of artificial intelligence and iGaming, The Playa started as a small experimental project and quickly grew into a full-scale platform. Today, the company delivers solutions across the entire player lifecycle — from lobby personalization and acquisition intelligence to VIP insights and retention optimization — serving operators with a monthly GGR of over $10 million.
According to Viktoriia, the industry has long underutilized one of its most valuable assets: player data. “iGaming generates enormous amounts of behavioral data — from game preferences to betting patterns — but most operators still rely on basic segmentation,” she explains. “That’s a missed opportunity.”
The gap is even more obvious compared to global entertainment platforms competing for audience attention. As Viktoriia points out, top companies invest billions in learning what their users want and delivering it instantly, while many online casinos offer identical experiences to all players. However, the industry is beginning to catch up.
Internal research by The Playa shows that 77% of iGaming companies leaders believe AI will be a key competitive advantage within the next two to three years. At the same time, major operators are rapidly expanding their data science capabilities — a clear signal of where the market is heading.
Beyond technology, player behavior itself is evolving. A new generation of users is entering the market, bringing different expectations around user experience. Behavioral data can reveal differences in preferences and risk patterns — opening the door to more effective personalization strategies.
Looking ahead to 2026, Viktoriia highlights three major trends shaping the industry: a stronger focus on retention, the rise of true one-to-one personalization, and a redefinition of loyalty. Retention, in particular, is becoming critical as rising acquisition costs and tighter regulations put pressure on margins.
Read the full interview to discover how The Playa is transforming player experiences with AI-driven personalization and why growth in iGaming depends on understanding players at every step of their journey.
Contact Slotegrator to learn how customized solutions can help grow your business.
Slotegrator
ABOUT THE COMPANY
Since 2012, Slotegrator has been one of the iGaming industry’s leading software and business solution providers for online casino and sportsbook operators.
The company’s main focus is software development and support for online casino platforms, as well as the integration of game content and payment systems.
The company works with licensed game developers and offers a vast portfolio of casino content: slots, live casino games, poker, virtual sports, table games, lotteries, casual games, and data feeds for betting.
Slotegrator also provides consulting services in gambling license acquisition and business incorporation.
ABOUT THE PLAYA
The Playa is a leading iGaming company specializing in AI-powered personalization solutions, enabling operators to deliver tailored player experiences across the full lifecycle — from lobby personalization and acquisition intelligence to VIP insights and retention optimization.
Through advanced behavioral profiling and personalized player recommendations, the company provides iGaming operators with the tools they need to grow, retain players, and maximize revenue.
The post The Playa for Slotegrator: why personalized player experiences are the future of growth appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
ELA Games, the innovative slot developer, has secured nominations in two prominent categories at the upcoming SiGMA Americas Awards, one of the most prestigious events on the Latin American iGaming calendar.
The awards celebrate creativity, technical excellence, and market impact among the industry’s leading suppliers and operators. These nominations highlight ELA Games’ growing influence and its ability to create engaging slot content that resonates with players across Latin America and beyond.
ELA Games’ Nominations:
- Delegate Vote: Best Game Studio 2026
ELA Games is in the running for Best Game Studio, recognizing studios that make a significant impact on their local industry through innovative design, technical expertise, and creative excellence. - Public Vote: Most Played Game – Joker Winpot
The studio’s fan-favorite slot, Joker Winpot, has been nominated for Most Played Game. Departing from classic themes, Joker Winpot delivers high-energy gameplay, featuring a strikingly animated Joker and the strategic, interactive Winpot feature that has captivated players worldwide.
“It’s always an honor to be recognized by SiGMA, particularly in a region where we’ve focused so much effort,” said Marharyta Yerina, Managing Director at ELA Games. “Being nominated for Best Game Studio in Latin America shows that our games are resonating with local operators. Joker Winpot’s public vote nomination further proves that the interactivity of Winpot is appreciated globally, exactly as we intended.”
The winners will be revealed at the BiS SiGMA South America Expo, hosted at the Transamerica Expo Center in São Paulo, Brazil, from April 6 to 9, 2026. The official awards night will take place on April 6.
Voting is open until March 30, and players and iGaming enthusiasts are encouraged to visit the official SiGMA website to cast their votes for ELA Games and Joker Winpot.
The post 2026 SiGMA Americas Awards Features ELA Games in Two Major Categories appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Gaming
Soft2Bet launches MEGA Islands, a new gamification engine designed to increase player retention
Soft2Bet has unveiled MEGA Islands, the latest addition to its MEGA Suite, designed to enhance player engagement and retention across both casino and sportsbook offerings.
The new engine introduces a persistent progression system that carries over across sessions, giving players an ongoing reason to return. Through island-building, resource collection, and continual advancement, players embark on a long-term journey that transforms short play sessions into sustained engagement.
First previewed in Soft2Bet’s recent Lodur release, the MEGA Islands system allows players to develop their own islands over time. Resources earned through gameplay can be used to construct new buildings, upgrade existing structures, and unlock further stages of progression. Each upgrade opens new goals, creating a loop of continuous advancement that keeps players invested.
The engine also incorporates plundering mechanics, giving players an additional path to gather resources by raiding other islands. This feature not only accelerates growth but also maintains a dynamic and engaging progression loop. With no fixed endpoint, MEGA Islands is built to encourage repeat play through a satisfying cycle of building, collecting, and advancing.
“MEGA Islands is designed to make retention feel natural by providing players with a progression journey they want to return to,” said Yoel Zuckerberg, CPO at Soft2Bet. “By building islands, collecting resources, and unlocking upgrades—including through plundering—each session becomes part of a longer experience. It gives players a clear reason to come back while providing operators with a retention tool that integrates seamlessly across casino and sportsbook.”
The launch of MEGA Islands underscores Soft2Bet’s commitment to gamification as a driver of long-term growth. As part of the MEGA Suite, the new engine offers operators a powerful tool to extend player journeys, increase engagement cycles, and deliver consistent value in competitive markets.
The post Soft2Bet launches MEGA Islands, a new gamification engine designed to increase player retention appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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