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Pragmatic Play Appoints New VP of Strategy and Operations: Bhotesh Maheshwari
Pragmatic Play, a leading content provider to the gaming industry, has appointed former Rank Digital Head of Gaming Product, Bhotesh Maheshwari, as its new Vice President of Commercial Strategy and Operations as the company looks to further cement its position as a top tier supplier in regulated markets.
His core responsibilities will include overseeing commercial operations and building closer product partnerships with leading operators across Europe while expanding Pragmatic Play’s footprint in newly regulated territories across the globe.
The 39-year-old will also head Pragmatic Play’s Gibraltar office which serves UK, German, Spanish and Portuguese operators with a team of three executives working to achieve the supplier’s goals in the region.
Maheshwari has a long history in the gaming industry, working for both top tier operators and suppliers during his 15-year career. Since starting out as a retail manager for William Hill in 2006, he has worked closely with product teams to deliver gaming propositions customised for local player bases across UK, Europe, Latin America, and Asia.
Having spent eight years in a variety of commercial and product roles in the land-based gaming space for William Hill and Inspired Gaming, he moved to Betfair in an online gaming role supporting its arcade product and built an in-house gaming proposition and the innovative timed jackpot offering.
He eventually joined the Rank Group in Gibraltar in 2016 heading casino revenue and product development for online brands Grosvenorcasinos.com and Meccabingo.com.
Julian Jarvis, Chief Executive Officer at Pragmatic Play, said: “We are thrilled to have Bhotesh join us, and look forward to his impressive industry experience benefiting our growing team.
“The projects he has previously been involved with and the impact they have had on development in his previous roles bode very well for his future with us.”
Bhotesh Maheshwari added: “I look forward to working closely with the founders and management team at Pragmatic Play which has established itself as a leading multi-product provider in our industry in a very short time.
“We have hugely exciting expansion plans within regulated regions and new product verticals and it’s fantastic to be embarking on this next phase of growth for the company.”
Pragmatic Play currently produces up to five new slot titles a month, while also delivering Live Casino and Bingo games as part of its multi-product portfolio, available through one single API.
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PokerStars Big Game on Tour returns May 17 with Koon, Deeb and Berkey
Season 3 runs weekly on PokerStars’ YouTube channel through June 14 and includes a $50,000 staked ‘Loose Cannon’ amateur spot.
PokerStars will launch a new run of PokerStars Big Game on Tour episodes on May 17, with Jason Koon, Shaun Deeb and Matt Berkey set to headline the line-up. The series will air on the PokerStars YouTube channel, with weekly episodes through June 14.
The cast for the new instalment also includes MMA fighter Sean O’Malley and high-stakes cash game player Randy ‘3Coin’ Sadler, according to the company. The episodes follow the Big Game format, featuring No Limit Hold’em cash game play.
PokerStars said the season’s ‘Loose Cannon’ will be Canadian operations manager Andy Taylor, who will be staked $50,000 and will keep any profit made at the table. The company described Taylor as running a property maintenance company and, with his wife, a non-for-profit organisation focused on supporting young athletes in Toronto.
A teaser for the new episodes aired during the livestream of the €100,000 High Rollers Invitational at PokerStars European Poker Tour (EPT) Monte Carlo, which featured Koon. PokerStars noted Koon “took home €1,000,000” from the event.
Release schedule: May 17 (Episode 1), May 24 (Episode 2), May 31 (Episode 3), June 7 (Episode 4), and June 14 (Episode 5).
The post PokerStars Big Game on Tour returns May 17 with Koon, Deeb and Berkey appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Latest News
Jason Koon, Shaun Deeb, and Matt Berkey Headline New Instalment of PokerStars Big Game on Tour
Poker’s most thrilling televised cash game, PokerStars Big Game on Tour, will return on May 17 with a brand-new set of episodes featuring a stellar line-up headlined by PokerStars Ambassador and number three in the all-time poker money list Jason Koon, reigning two-time World Series of Poker Player of the Year Shaun Deeb, and American high-stakes poker pro and coach Matt Berkey.
MMA Fighter and poker enthusiast Sean O’Malley, and well-known high stakes cash game player and businessman Randy ‘3Coin’ Sadler complete the line-up, who will take to the felt against the ‘Loose Cannon’ to win big.
As always, each episode will showcase high stakes No Limit Hold’em cash game action in the beloved Big Game format, where one amateur player or ‘Loose Cannon’ is staked $50,000 and gets to keep any profit they make at the table.
Canadian Operations Manager Andy Taylor will shake up the felt as the ‘Loose Cannon’ hoping to beat the pros. Andy runs a property maintenance company as his main job and, alongside his wife, runs a non-for-profit organisation aimed at improving the skillset and mindset of young athletes across Toronto.
The teaser for the new Big Game episodes was aired during the live stream of the €100,000 High Rollers Invitational at PokerStars European Poker Tour (EPT) Monte Carlo, featuring Big Game player Jason Koon. Koon took home €1,000,000 after topping a field of some of the best in the world.
The first Big Game episode will air on PokerStars YouTube channel on May 17, with new episodes airing weekly and culminating on June 14.
- Sunday, May 17 – BGOT Season 3 Episode 1
- Sunday, May 24 – BGOT Season 3 Episode 2
- Sunday, May 31 – BGOT Season 3 Episode 3
- Sunday, June 7 – BGOT Season 3 Episode 4
- Sunday, June 14 – BGOT Season 3 Episode 5
The post Jason Koon, Shaun Deeb, and Matt Berkey Headline New Instalment of PokerStars Big Game on Tour appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
Apple
IBJR hails App Store approval as a milestone in the fight against illegal betting in Brazil
The Brazilian Institute for Responsible Gaming (IBJR) considers Apple’s decision to allow the distribution of regulated sports betting and online gaming applications on its Brazilian App Store a key milestone for the consolidation of a transparent and integrity-driven sector.
This measure strengthens regulation by making it easier for users to clearly identify operators that are duly authorized to operate in compliance with national rules.
Following Google’s decision, made less than a year ago, to authorize the distribution of sports betting apps on the Play Store in Brazil, this initiative acts as a powerful cybersecurity filter and helps protect consumers from the risks of the illegal market.
Since only operators licensed by the SPA are allowed to offer services to iOS users, the process of channeling traffic into the regulated environment is further strengthened.
However, for the measure to be fully effective, continuous enforcement is required, as several illegal apps can still be found on major platforms.

Data from Instituto Locomotiva, in partnership with LCA Consultoria, indicate that the illegal environment—much of it controlled by organized crime—moves around R$40 billion per year in Brazil and generates an estimated annual loss of R$10.8 billion in tax revenue.
In this context, actions that help distinguish legal operators from unauthorized ones are essential.
The presence of applications on both the Play Store and Apple Store reinforces the commitment to Responsible Gaming, as they integrate functionalities required by legislation and audited by the platforms.
These include strict age verification to prevent access by minors under 18, clear risk warnings related to gambling, and self-exclusion tools.
The post IBJR hails App Store approval as a milestone in the fight against illegal betting in Brazil appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
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