Latest News
A New Star Is Born: Ukraine’s Role in the Future of the CIS and Eastern European Markets
International betting and gaming industry event organizer SBC launches a brand new in-person conference and exhibition for the CIS and Eastern European markets. Presented by Parimatch, SBC Summit CIS brings together regional market leaders, national state authorities, and international partners to discuss the future development of the region.
Holding an event of this magnitude in Kyiv confirms Ukraine is becoming a significant new player on the gambling industry map. On the summit panels, state authorities and business representatives discussed the prospects for the region’s development as a gaming hub for Eastern Europe and the increased interest in the Ukrainian market from global players.
The participation of the Olympic gold medal-winner and First Deputy Head of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Youth and Sports, Zhan Beleniuk, who opened the summit, served as a powerful reminder of the strong connection between sport, government, and the entertainment industry.
Oleksiy Kucher, Head of Executive Body, State Regulatory Agency of Ukraine:
“It’s our firm position that regulation needs to be simple, transparent, and understandable for business. The state approves such a positive goal as the step out from the shadow of the gambling business, but it can fail at the stage of implementation. If we do not regulate relations between clients, businesses, and regulators, gambling may step into the shadows again. We do not want this, and we will not let it happen. Gambling in Ukraine is doing well now, and it will be even more accessible, so keep it up and develop.”
Besides the latest developments in Ukraine, the conference sees renowned expert speakers examine the scale of the opportunities in other markets in the region and the potential impact of the latest technological developments that will filter through into next-generation iGaming products, and how could we forget the region’s leading suppliers who came to demonstrate their latest innovations.
Maksym Liashko, co-CEO at Parimatch Tech, said:
“The legalization of the market has opened up many opportunities for the development of the industry, attracting international capital and benefits for the state. The betting and gaming industry brings innovative technologies, high-tech jobs, and increasing technical expertise among Ukrainian specialists, thanks to the legalization. Proof of this was evident in the showcases presented at the exhibition. And this is just the beginning of Ukraine unleashing its potential.”
Another integral part of the in-person SBC Summit CIS was responsible gambling. The development of responsible gambling became essential in Ukraine to establish a legal market and comply with international industry standards.
Paul Dent, Gambling Therapy Manager:
“Gambling Therapy is very pleased to be working in partnership with Parimatch, the first of its kind in Ukraine to develop and progress more responsible gambling. Through Gambling Therapy, an online and international service offered by Gordon Moody, we will be offering free practical and emotional support to those struggling with gambling as well as supporting affected others. This will take the form of a helpline available in Ukrainian and Russian with access to highly experienced counselors, along with native-speaking groups and forums available 24 hours a day.”
Rostyslav Maikovich, Chief Analytics Officer, leader of the Parimatch’s Responsible Gambling Project:
“Responsible gaming is a significant part of Parimatch’s business development and caring for customers. We take experiences from successful world practices and European countries in this area: Parimatch’s Responsible Gambling Project is being implemented in development, analytics, and communications with clients. For example, the absolute world heavyweight boxing champion and gold medal-winner of the 2012 Olympics, Oleksandr Usyk, joins Parimatch brand as the Responsible Gambling ambassador. Oleksandr helps us to highlight the values of responsible gambling to audiences around the world.”
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Caleta Gaming
Caleta Gaming launches Cluster Cup high-volatility football-themed slot
New 7×7 cluster grid title ships with tumbling wins, progressive multipliers, Super Tricks and a Free Spins feature.
Caleta Gaming has launched Cluster Cup, a new high-volatility slot inspired by football and pitched around major June sporting events. The title is now available to operators worldwide, the supplier said.
Cluster Cup uses a 7×7 cluster grid and a Tumbler Feature, where winning symbols disappear and cascade with new ones until no further wins are formed. Caleta said this is designed to support extended win sequences.
According to the studio, the game runs at an RTP of 93.42% and includes a Progressive Multiplier that increases during gameplay through a “Tumble Timer” mechanic, paying out at the end of each tumbling sequence.
The game also includes “Super Tricks”, triggered when three or more tumbles occur in a single spin, randomly activating one of four features: Wild Shots, Symbols Exchange, Red Cards, or Big Gloves. A Free Spins bonus is available through gameplay or direct purchase.
“With Cluster Cup, we aimed to translate the thrill of football into a slot experience, adding our own touch with an awesome art style and dynamic animations”, said Pedro Vahl, Game Designer at Caleta Gaming. “The combination of tumbling mechanics, evolving multipliers, and the Super Tricks system creates moments of real tension and excitement, just like a match where everything can change in a single play.”
The post Caleta Gaming launches Cluster Cup high-volatility football-themed slot appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Acquisitions/Merger
Waterhouse VC takes 3-year option to buy stake in Spinlab Studio
Waterhouse VC has secured a 3-year option to acquire an interest in Spinlab Studio, a no-code iGaming platform aimed at helping operators launch and scale online betting and casino businesses without building full infrastructure.
Spinlab Studio positions its product as a full-stack platform that streamlines integrations across payments, games, compliance and backend systems. The company says the platform is built to support operators targeting regulated markets, with compliance, payments and responsible gambling tools included in the core product.
Tom Waterhouse, Chief Investment Officer of Waterhouse VC said “Spinlab Studio is one of the fastest-moving platforms we’ve seen in this space, with strong early demand from operators. They are addressing a key operational challenge – helping operators bring products to market more efficiently and quickly without the usual complexity”.
Leon Lanen, Co-Founder of Spinlab Studio said “Launching an igaming operation is still too complex and expensive. Spinlab Studio removes that friction so operators can get to market quickly and focus on building their business. We aim to do for the igaming industry what Shopify did to e-commerce”.
Spinlab Studio said it launched in January 2026 and has onboarded around 30 operators. It offers a free trial and pricing that starts from approximately US$1299 per month, with tiered plans that scale with operator activity. The company also said it recently closed an oversubscribed seed round backed by founders and early investors of “one of Europe’s leading listed igaming technology companies”, with proceeds allocated to sales expansion and platform development.
The post Waterhouse VC takes 3-year option to buy stake in Spinlab Studio appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Conferences
Gaming in Holland Conference publishes initial agenda for June 4 in Amsterdam
Gaming in Holland has published the initial agenda for the Gaming in Holland Conference, set for Thursday, June 4 at the KIT Royal Tropical Institute in Amsterdam.
The preliminary programme includes a keynote on “Market developments & regulatory responses” from Ella Seijsener, Director Licensing & Supervision at the Netherlands Gambling Authority (KSA). Two boardroom sessions are confirmed with Arjan Blok, CEO of Nederlandse Loterij, and Petra de Ruiter, CEO of Holland Casino.
Other listed sessions include “The challenge of the black market: Towards a European response” with Pascal Chaffard, Chief Online Betting and Gaming Officer at FDJ United; “The Dutch gambling market in numbers” with Josh Hodgson, COO at H2 Gambling Capital; and “Player protection in the Dutch market” with Floor van Bakkum, Team Manager Player Protection at the KSA.
A panel titled “#ReclaimTheMarket: Will players go along?” will feature Dr. Andreas Ditsche (iGaming.com) and Richard Dennys (Mr. Gamble), moderated by Martin van Geest (Meneer Casino). Additional agenda items include a session on comparing onshore and offshore game popularity (Jeffrey Haas, Blask Business Intelligence) and one on KSA reliability assessments covering licensing and M&A approval (Frank Tolboom, Franssen Tolboom Advocaten).
Gaming in Holland founder Willem van Oort said: “While the annual Gaming in Holland Conference has always been THE place to get the latest news and updates on the Dutch gambling market, this year we are tackling one of the major issues facing licensed operators in regulated markets: How do we reclaim lost market share from increasingly aggressive illegal competitors? Obviously, there are no simple solutions, but that doesn’t mean that stakeholders in the regulated market are powerless. As all key decision makers and stakeholders in the regulated Dutch gambling market will be present in Amsterdam, I am certain that we can get a fruitful discussion started.”
The post Gaming in Holland Conference publishes initial agenda for June 4 in Amsterdam appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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