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Livespins unveil Michael Pedersen as Chief Commercial Officer
Innovative social gaming platform appoint former Flutter and NetEnt employee to add significant commercial leadership experience to key role
Up-and-coming provider of socially-charged casino games, Livespins, has announced that it will be significantly bolstering its ranks with the appointment of Michael Pedersen, who will take the reins as the brand’s Chief Commercial Officer this month.
Michael arrives at Livespins with over 14 years’ experience in the online gambling industry, having previously enjoyed successful spells at Flutter and NetEnt, where his commercial leadership skills were a major driving factor in the ongoing growth and development of both brands on a global stage.
With an MBA from the University of Leicester and executive programs at Stanford under his belt, Michael will now turn his attention to managing all aspects of Livespins’ commercial strategy, including sales, account management and marketing. He will also be a key figurehead for the brand at conferences, media events and forums as it looks to expand its operations going into 2022.
Having launched at the iGamingNext: Valletta conference earlier this year, Livespins
The proprietary platform allows multiple players to view their favourite streamer and bet behind their play, effectively creating a group bet and a shared betting experience on the same spin. Each player is free to choose the bet amount and number of spins they prefer. Adding a further degree of user engagement is the ability to chat with the group and add reactions as the streamer spin the reels and the anticipation builds.
Michael Pedersen, Chief Commercial Officer at Livespins said: “Livespins is undoubtedly one of the most exciting and innovative brands in the online gambling industry and I’m delighted to be given the opportunity to add my commercial leadership experience to what is already a highly-skilled team.
“I’ve been an early believer in creating social casino experiences and the Livespins
Robin Reed, Co-founder at Livespins said: LiveSpins was founded with a vision to socially charge the iGaming space. As we are moving to web 3.0 – we need the industry to follow suit if we are to stay relevant and increase the appeal of our product. Since delivering his master thesis on Social Media a decade ago, Michael has worked both on the supplier and operator side and has both the passion, experience and network needed to make LiveSpins valuable to users, game studios, streamers and operators alike. We are extremely pleased to see Michael join us”
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Fruit Cha Cha Cha
Fruit Cha Cha Cha Brings Rhythm and Rewards to Classic Slot Play
TaDa Gaming invites players to step onto the dancefloor with Fruit Cha Cha Cha, a lively slot release that blends classic fruit symbols with rhythmic gameplay, reactive features and steady win potential. Designed for smooth pacing and frequent action, the game offers a low to medium volatility experience with a maximum win of 1600x.
Set on a vibrant 5-reel, 3-row layout, Fruit Cha Cha Cha transforms familiar slot mechanics into a playful sequence of movement and interaction. Colourful fruit symbols take center stage, supported by upbeat visuals and energetic animations that keep every spin feeling light, dynamic and engaging.
The core of the gameplay revolves around the Symbol Collection. In the base game, whenever a specified symbol lands as part of a winning combination, it is collected and stored. Once all required symbols have been gathered, players unlock the Free Game, awarding 10 Free Spins where enhanced payout values and additional feature triggers come into play.
Adding unpredictability to both the base game and Free Game is the Bomb Symbol. When a bomb appears, it explodes outward from its position, transforming surrounding symbols into new ones. This chain-reaction effect can quickly reshape the grid, opening new win paths and extending the life of a spin with sudden bursts of activity.
Another standout feature is Cross Fever, which can be triggered when matching symbols form an X-shaped pattern on the reels. Once activated, the matching symbols lock in place while all other positions re-spin. If additional matching symbols land during the re-spin, they too become locked, continuing the sequence until no further matches appear. This creates a flowing lock-and-respin style moment that builds anticipation spin by spin.
During Free Games, payouts are further enhanced, with improved symbol values compared to the base game. Wins are calculated based on the number of matched symbols and the number of completed combinations, allowing rewards to scale naturally without relying on complex mechanics. Multiple winning combinations can be paid in a single spin, keeping the action consistent and satisfying.
With its balance of classic fruit slot familiarity, interactive features, and rhythmic pacing, Fruit Cha Cha Cha delivers a relaxed yet engaging experience that appeals to players who enjoy steady rewards and feature-driven gameplay without extreme volatility.
Sean Liu, Director of Product Management at TaDa Gaming, said: “Fruit Cha Cha Cha is designed to feel fun, fluid, and approachable. By combining familiar fruit symbols with interactive features like Bombs and Cross Fever, we’ve created a game that keeps players entertained while maintaining a smooth and enjoyable rhythm.”
The post Fruit Cha Cha Cha Brings Rhythm and Rewards to Classic Slot Play appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Benjamin Parker
University of Bristol Graduates Create Toolkit to Help Students Avoid Gambling Harms
Two graduates from the University of Bristol have developed a new toolkit designed to protect students from gambling-related harms.
The toolkit, ‘From Freshers’ Week to Losing Streak’, began as a final-year project at the University of Bristol’s Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, where, as students, Benjamin Parker and Jordan White researched student gambling behaviour and ran a survey with support from the Bristol Hub for Gambling Harms.
Benjamin Parker, co-founder of Fair Play Toolkit, the organisation behind the toolkit, said: “Lots of my mates gambled, and I had a suspicion that it was happening all the time.
“When we investigated university student gambling and discovered how pervasive gambling harms are, we felt we had to develop a solution. There is a massive gap between the awareness of universities and the scale of the problem.”
Having received £8000 funding from Runway, the University of Bristol’s start-up accelerator, Ben and Jordan have been working to bring the toolkit to universities with Ara Recovery For All, a charity that supports those affected by gambling harms in the South-West and Wales.
Recent research highlights the scale of the issue. YGAM (Young Gamers & Gamblers Education Trust) have found that nearly half of students (49%) reported gambling in the past year, and of those who gamble, 63% of students were at risk of harm from gambling. The risk is even greater for students in their final year of study and those accessing university financial hardship funds, two significant factors linked to problem gambling.
The educational toolkit includes guidance, practical tools and a pre-designed awareness campaign to help universities better understand gambling harms and improve access to wellbeing support. Its purpose is to increase understanding of the issue, to signpost to specialist services, and to create a single source of information about gambling harms for universities and their students.
Ben and Jordan have designed the toolkit to be integrated into already existing university structures to ensure that universities strengthen support for students while keeping implementation simple and sustainable.
Jordan White, co-founder of Fair Play Toolkit, said: “As well as strengthening access to support, we want students to reflect and question their own relationship with gambling, and feel empowered to have conversations with their friends about it.
“People only talk about the wins, not about the losses, and often wait until they are in crisis before seeking help. But there are resources available for people who want to feel more educated and informed on the topic.”
Dave Hewer, Education and Prevention Team Lead at Ara Recovery for All, said: “‘From Freshers’ Week to Losing Streak’ is an excellent example of students recognising a growing issue and developing a thoughtful, evidence-based response. When Jordan and Ben approached Ara Recovery for All, we were impressed by the quality of their work and the practicality of their ideas.
“Students aged 18 to 24 are consistently highlighted as being at higher risk of experiencing gambling harms if they choose to gamble, yet they are not a group who typically seek support.
“By partnering with Jordan and Ben and developing a full version of the toolkit in collaboration with university stakeholders, we aim to help institutions strengthen safeguarding, increase staff confidence and make university students more aware that free, confidential support is available, all without adding to staff workload.”
Dr Vanessa Marshall, Hub Manager at the Bristol Hub for Gambling Harms Research, said: “Understanding and addressing gambling harms experienced by the student population is an important and very relevant issue.
“The Bristol Hub for Gambling Harms Research is pleased to facilitate and follow Ben and Jordan’s journey from an initial idea to a product that has come to fruition, and which will continue to grow. We wish Ben and Jordan every success with launching the toolkit.”
Thanking The Bristol Hub for Gambling Harms Research for their support, Jordan added: “The Bristol Hub for Gambling Harms Research have been highly supportive of our work. The Hub introduced us to leading academic researchers in the field, helped us to disseminate our student survey to institutions across the UK, and provided opportunities to engage with wider stakeholders, which ultimately led to the fruition of our partnership with Ara Recovery for All.
“As graduates, the Hub has recognised and championed our own expertise on university gambling harms by inviting us to speak at their annual colloquium and to provide our input into ongoing research. We are incredibly grateful for their support, particularly the guidance and encouragement from Dr Emily Crick, Research Development Associate at the Hub.”
The post University of Bristol Graduates Create Toolkit to Help Students Avoid Gambling Harms appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Africa
Sun International Appoints Mark Sergeant as Chief Operating Officer of Gaming
Sun International CEO Ulrik Bengtsson has announced the appointment of Mark Sergeant as chief operating officer: gaming, responsible for land-based revenue across the group.
Sergeant will head up the casino operations from February, reporting directly to the CEO. He also brings over 25 years of credible leadership experience across all spheres of Sun International’s operations, from gaming to leisure and hospitality, having led two of the UK’s largest casino groups.
As the group managing director at Genting Casinos he oversaw a portfolio of 35 casinos across the UK, an international casino operation in Cairo, a UK integrated gaming and leisure resort, and two online gaming businesses.
Sun International said the appointment marks another giant leap forward for the group as it pursues its strategy to become a digitally-led, market-leading omnichannel gaming company of scale.
Bengtsson said: “Mark brings all the right skills to drive our gaming operations forward as well as a fresh new perspective for how we can continue to build world-class capabilities”
“In addition to his notable skills, we were also impressed by his leadership expertise and his passion for people. He is widely recognised for building high‑performing teams, developing future leaders, and cultivating service‑driven cultures that will ultimately deliver exceptional customer experiences. He has also played a significant role in championing Responsible Gaming strategies, ensuring operational excellence while upholding the highest standards of compliance, integrity, and customer care.”
The post Sun International Appoints Mark Sergeant as Chief Operating Officer of Gaming appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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