Latest News
CashtoCode announces new leadership team and record growth figures
CashtoCode, the instant cash payment service for online merchants, today announced its new leadership team following a hugely successful 12 months. iGaming is a key market for CashtoCode and by offering operators access to a new market sector of customers who prefer cash payments, CashtoCode grew revenues by 500% in 2020. It also added more than 100 new merchants to its platform and can now be used by customers across 150,000 retail locations in Europe (including thousands of Paypoint locations in the UK, as well as gas stations and supermarkets). CashtoCode’s unique approach is its highly controlled, closed loop cash deposit mechanism. The service is designed to make compliance easy for merchants and iGaming operators, and eliminate fraud/money laundering concerns – since its cash deposit codes can only be redeemed by customers verified by the merchant and cannot be transferred between individuals.
The new team consists of three accomplished payments and iGaming professionals, with vast experience building international payment products and navigating complex regulatory landscapes. The objective of the new leadership team will be to continue CashtoCode’s growth trajectory, winning more new merchants, new users, and expanding geographically:
Jens Bader – Chief Executive Officer
Payment industry veteran and entrepreneur. MuchBetter/MIR co-founder, ex-CCO at Secure Trading and paysafecard
Christian Machmeier – Chief Technology Officer
A technology-expert with previous senior roles at Gameforge and Audi
Patrick Lebenbauer – Director of Global Marketing
A marketing leader in the iGaming & payments space with previous leading roles at Tipico & KaFe Rocks.
“CashtoCode offers a second life to cash, which remains hugely popular despite the growth of card, open banking and online payments,” said CashtoCode CEO, Jens Bader. “We enable merchants to target a market sector that they couldn’t reach without an instant cash deposit partner. For example, in iGaming, helping operators capitalise on the growing intersection of iGaming and cash. During the pandemic, many venues and activities that would typically take cash payments were not open, but their customer-base never left. These are people who still prefer to pay by cash wherever possible, for privacy, self-control and security reasons. Many have not switched to online banking, but have instead utilised services like ours to pay with cash for their online activities.”
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asia-pacific
Groove shortlisted for Best Aggregator at SiGMA Asia Awards 2026
Groove has been named a finalist for Best Aggregator 2026 at the SiGMA Asia Awards, with the ceremony scheduled for 2 June 2026 at the SMX Convention Centre Manila during the SiGMA Asia Summit.
The shortlist was announced by Global Gaming Insider, according to the company. Groove said its platform aggregates more than 15,000 games from over 150 providers via a single API.
Giusy Campo, Business Development Director at Groove, said: “This shortlist is external recognition of a truth we already feel internally: Groove is moving at a different pace. Asia is not a single market, it is a collection of distinct regulatory environments, player behaviours, and partnership opportunities”
Campo added: “Our platform is built to respect that complexity, not smooth it over. Being named a finalist for Best Aggregator tells us that our approach; deep integration, localised content strategies, and commercial precision; is resonating with the operators who matter most in this region. We are not just bringing games to Asia. We are bringing a roadmap for sustainable growth.”
Yahale Meltzer, Co-Founder and CEO of Groove, said: “The aggregation space is crowded. Differentiation is everything. This nomination confirms that our vision, transforming aggregation from a commodity into a strategic growth discipline, is taking hold.” He added: “Operators across Asia are no longer asking for just volume or speed. They are asking for structural resilience, data intelligence, and a partner who can execute across fragmented regulatory landscapes with precision. Groove delivers that. To be recognised alongside the best in Asia is a privilege, but the real work continues in Manila and beyond. We are here to win, not just awards, but the trust of the operators who build their businesses on our platform.”
The post Groove shortlisted for Best Aggregator at SiGMA Asia Awards 2026 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
data providers
DATA.BET reports 168% turnover growth from virtual content in Q1 2025–Q1 2026
DATA.BET says turnover from its virtual content grew 168% between Q1 2025 and Q1 2026, with the supplier reporting the product accounted for 39% of total virtual sports turnover and 45% of profits over the period.
The company said the content is developed fully in-house and delivered through automated bot-vs-bot matches that run 24/7 without dependence on real-world fixture schedules. DATA.BET positioned the format as a way to provide continuous events and reduce operational overhead for operators.
Across the same period, DATA.BET reported +299% active users, +129% across clients GGR, +246% events per quarter, and +218% bets placed.
DATA.BET also said the audience profile overlaps with live football bettors, which it believes supports retention during seasonal breaks. The supplier added that the algorithm-driven format “carries no fraud exposure,” supports In-Stream Betting overlays, and provides near-zero latency between broadcast and market updates.
“Over the past year, our bot-vs-bot virtual content has delivered consistent, measurable results across every operator deployment. Building e-Football in-house gives us the flexibility to configure it to what each operator actually needs — whether that is a specific league structure, a particular mix of bot and player content, or a branded competition format,” mentioned Rostyslav Likhtin, Head of Product at DATA.BET.
The post DATA.BET reports 168% turnover growth from virtual content in Q1 2025–Q1 2026 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
content studios
155.io makes fintech debut with Coverd partnership
155.io has signed a partnership with US-based fintech platform Coverd, marking the content studio’s first move into fintech. The deal was announced Thursday 21st May 2026.
Under the agreement, 155.io’s real-world games will be integrated into Coverd’s platform. Coverd said the integration is designed to turn everyday transactions into interactive experiences where users can win the chance to have purchases covered through 155.io gameplay.
Sam Jones, Founder & CEO of 155.io, said: “This partnership gives us the opportunity to bring our content to a completely new audience. We share a philosophy with Coverd around disrupting and modernising industries through more interactive experiences. They understand that younger audiences expect entertainment and engagement across every digital touchpoint, including finance, which is exactly how we think about design.”
Albert Wang, Coverd co-founder, added: “Today’s consumer is actively embracing gamified products across every category, so there’s no reason personal finance should stay in the stone age. We’re excited to work with 155.io to make financial experiences more interactive and give everyone a chance to live big by winning back their purchases. 155.io’s next-gen content fits perfectly with what we’re building at Coverd.”
155.io said the integration will bring its interactive content—built around live-action footage and real-time mechanics—to Coverd users. The studio’s portfolio includes Rush Hour from its CCTV Game
library, alongside Ducks.io and Snow Run.
The post 155.io makes fintech debut with Coverd partnership appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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