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ONLINE GAMING VETERAN MORTEN TONNESEN JOINS SHAPE GAMES AS DANISH B2B PLATFORM AIMS TO ACCELERATE GROWTH IN THE US SPORTSBETTING & CASINO MARKET
onnesen brings a wealth of online gaming experience from PokerStars, BetWarrior
Online gaming industry veteran Morten Tonnesen has joined Shape Games as Chief Commercial Officer and also joins the Board bringing more than a decade of industry experience to the company as it aims to grow significantly in the U.S. online gambling market and across the world, Shape founder & CEO Christian Risom announced. Tonnesen was a long time marketing executive with gaming giant PokerStars and was most recently founder and CEO of sportsbetting operator BetWarrior.
Shape is a leading consumer app developer for major global brands and recently created Shape Games to address the specific needs of the online gambling industry. Risom and co-founders CPO Nicolas Linde, CIO Ole Gammelgaard and CTO Philip Bruce have created consumer apps for leading global brands including Apple, ebay, IKEA and Red Bull. Shape also has a long history with Danske Spil, Denmark’s state-run gambling operator of Oddset, the leading Danish online sportsbook.
Shape recently renewed a long-term agreement with Danske Spil and is accelerating growth in the burgeoning US sports betting market having launched with ballybet.com in Colorado and Iowa powering ‘Bally Friends’ with more US clients to come. The company is working in Latin America with BetWarrior.
Shape’s innovative and proprietary gaming software platform leverages best practices in consumer apps with first-class native customer engagement platform using predictive analytics and machine learning to inform back-end data and insights. This platform gives gaming operators the ability to improve customer experience and gain competitive advantage in the increasingly crowded marketplace.
Shape’s work with Danske Spil has been recognised with numerous industry awards for innovation, while the company has been named an industry rising star by respected industry media outlet EGR for each of the past two years.
“We are excited to bring Morten onboard and our clients will benefit from his deep management and marketing expertise in the online gaming sector,” Risom said. “We can deliver a full suite of products and services to local market land-based casino operators who are looking for a one-stop-shop consumer product partner to bring their business and their customers online. Morten’s deep experience will help us accelerate our growth and lead the way in the U.S. and European markets.”
Tonnesen said: “Shape Games has distinguished itself as a nimble, dynamic and innovative technology leader and I’m excited to help lead the company into its next stage of global growth. Shape’s consumer technology domain experience ensures that their modern, customer-focused apps stand above the traditional, clunky gaming apps from the first generation of online operators. This next generation must compete with not only other betting and casino companies, but with other entertainment choices including streaming and social games.”
Tonnesen points to Shape’s highly customisable native frontend as a unique innovation in the gambling industry and distinguishes the company as a sought-after B-to-B platform and service provider.
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Online festival spans 461 tournaments and includes three Main Events on May 24 plus a $500,000 GTD Sunday Storm PKO final on May 10.
PokerStars will run an online Anniversary Series with more than $50m in guarantees from May 10 to June 3, 2026, the operator said on April 27. The schedule includes 461 tournaments and is positioned to mark PokerStars’ 25th anniversary, alongside the 15-year milestone for Sunday Storm.
The festival’s buy-ins range from $5.50 to $15,000, with qualifiers starting at $0.55, according to the company. PokerStars said it will also distribute more than $650,000 in Anniversary Series Lucky Dip tickets during the series.
PokerStars is headlining the series with three Main Events on May 24:
- a $109 tournament with a $1.5m guarantee,
- a $1,050 Main Event with a $2.5m guarantee,
- and a $5,200 Main Event with a $2m guarantee.
Weekly Sunday events include Sunday Million, Sunday High Rollers, and Mystery Bounty specials, with Second Chance Main Events (PKO) scheduled for May 31.
The operator is also running a Sunday Storm 15th anniversary Progressive Knockout tournament with a $500,000 guarantee for an $11 buy-in. Phase 1 events are underway, with Phase 2 set for May 10.
“We’re proud to celebrate 25 years of PokerStars bringing big money poker tournaments safely to players around the world,” said Steve Clarricoats, Associate Director of Online Scheduling. “Putting $50 million up in guarantees shows our focus remains on bringing the best of PokerStars to more players in a variety of tournaments.”
More relevant data as follows:
- PokerStars: https://www.pokerstars.com/ Official operator site for tournament schedule and eligibility by market.
- PokerStars Blog: https://www.pokerstars.com/poker/news/ Company’s news hub where the full Anniversary Series details and formats are typically published.
- PokerStars Power Path: https://www.pokerstars.com/poker/promotions/power-path/ Source for information on the $0.50+ qualification routes referenced in the announcement.
The post PokerStars sets $50m+ guaranteed Anniversary Series for May 10–June 3 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
The supplier is nominated for Game Aggregator of the Year and Employer of the Year ahead of SBC Summit Malta on April 29.
Alea has been named a finalist in two categories at the upcoming SBC Awards Europe: Game Aggregator of the Year and Employer of the Year. The company announced the nominations on April 28 from Barcelona.
Founder Alexandre Tomic said the double shortlisting reflects a link between product delivery and company culture. “If people don’t care about what they’re building, it shows immediately. In the product, in the details, everywhere. Reliability can’t be bolted on later, it’s a consequence of that care.”
“We’ve spent years building a team that takes ownership and holds a certain standard. Seeing both nominations together just tells me we’re doing something right.” Tomic added.
The news comes ahead of SBC Summit Malta, where Alea said Tomic and COO Ramon Glieneke will take part in conference sessions on April 29. Tomic is scheduled to appear on “Casino vs Sports: Can Gamification Truly Cross Over?” while Glieneke is due to join “The COO Horizon: Challenges and Opportunities in 2026/27.”
Alea said its wider team will be onsite throughout the summit at Booth D22.
More relevand data as follows:
- SBC Awards: https://sbcevents.com/sbc-awards/ Primary source for the awards programme, categories and shortlisted companies.
- SBC Summit Malta: https://sbcevents.com/sbc-summit-malta/ Event page for agenda context and verification of sessions and timing.
- Alea: https://alea.com/ Company website for background on the supplier and its product offering.
The post Alea shortlisted for two SBC Awards Europe categories appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Bumper $6m guaranteed Main Events headline month-long online festival; as PokerStars turns 25 and Sunday Storm reaches 15 year milestone
PokerStars is marking 25 years at the heart of the game with an Anniversary Series guaranteeing over $50 million. Running from May 10 to June 3, the series celebrates a quarter century of leading the online poker revolution and kicks off with Phase 2 of the Sunday Storm as part of its 15th anniversary.
The Anniversary Series has been built with buy-in levels aimed at all players, with qualifiers starting at $0.55 and buy-ins moving all the way up to a high-rolling $15,000. A 461-tournament schedule will provide the big fields, big moments, and big prizepools that have defined PokerStars.
Players will also get the chance to take their share of over $650,000 of Anniversary Series Lucky Dip tickets that are going to be given away. In addition, Anniversary Series leaderboards will run from May 10 to June 3, featuring $100,000 in cash prizes across weekly Low, Medium, and High tiers, alongside the overall Player of the Series Leaderboard.
$50M SERIES, BUILT FOR EVERY PLAYER
The Anniversary Series delivers a full spectrum of buy-ins, from $5.50 to $15,000, as well as must-play flagship events that are expected to attract big fields:
- Three-tiered Main Events on May 24:
- $109 Main Event: $1.5M GTD
- $1,050 Main Event: $2.5M GTD
- $5,200 Main Event: $2M GTD
- Weekly Sunday highlights, including:
- Sunday Million
- Sunday High Rollers
- Mystery Bounty specials
- Second Chance Main Events (PKO) on May 31, giving players another shot at major prizes
The full tournament schedule, which includes various formats and structures, can be seen at: pokerstars.ro/poker/learn/news/anniversary-series/
CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF POKERSTARS
The Anniversary Series is more than a tournament festival, it’s a celebration of PokerStars’ legacy as a global leader in poker. Over the past 25 years, PokerStars has dealt more hands, hosted more tournaments, and created more life-changing moments than any other poker site.
“We’re proud to celebrate 25 years of PokerStars bringing big money poker tournaments safely to players around the world,” said Steve Clarricoats, Associate Director of Online Scheduling. “Putting $50 million up in guarantees shows our focus remains on bringing the best of PokerStars to more players in a variety of tournaments.”
SUNDAY STORM ANNIVERSARY
PokerStars is also celebrating the 15th anniversary of the Sunday Storm with a Progressive Knockout tournament with a $500,000 guarantee for just a $11 buy-in. Phase 1’s are underway with Phase 2, the final stage, taking place on May 10.
QUALIFY FOR LESS THAN A DOLLAR
True to PokerStars’ commitment to accessibility, players can qualify for the biggest events from as little as $0.50 via Power Path and $0.55 via satellites.
In addition, PokerStars will also introduce a revamped Power Path Pass on April 27, including a new $530 Bronze Pass offering 25% added value throughout the summer. The upgraded edition will be redeemable as an online ticket bundle for the Anniversary Series events, giving players the opportunity to unlock $530 worth of Anniversary Series tickets, plus 25% extra. More Bronze Passes with 25% added value will be redeemable soon.
For more details head to the PokerStars website, or visit the PokerStars blog.
The post POKERSTARS CELEBRATES 25 YEARS WITH OVER $50M GUARANTEED ANNIVERSARY SERIES appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
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