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The Credit Thing goes live with TrueLayer’s Open Banking recurring payments, bringing VRP to consumers for the first time

Published

4 years ago

May 19, 2022

Reading Time: 3 minutes

TrueLayer, Europe’s leading open banking platform, announced that The Credit Thing has successfully implemented its recurring payments API and made the first consumer Variable Recurring Payments (VRP) transactions in the UK.

The Competition and Markets Authority has mandated the UK’s nine largest banks to provide VRPs that support the automatic transfer of money between two accounts belonging to the same person, referred to as ‘sweeping’. TrueLayer is the first open banking provider to offer a single API that enables businesses to connect to select UK banks, including HSBC, to take recurring payments as a replacement for direct debit and card-on-file payments.

The Credit Thing is focussed on helping the more than 15 million people in the UK who are left behind by incumbent services due to thin credit histories. Using open banking to securely link bank accounts during the application process, consumers whose credit histories look thin or non-existent can prove their creditworthiness. In addition, by applying in-app rather than online, virtual cards are issued as soon as they are approved, which can then be added to Apple Pay or Google Pay or used to pay for purchases online.

An existing TrueLayer customer for standalone consumer payments powered by open banking, it is now using the firm’s recurring payment API to deliver an improved experience for consumer repayments. Rather than clunky direct debits that can take days to process, with TrueLayer consumers can mandate recurring payments in seconds and The Credit Thing receives instant notification.

Consumers also have far more control, with a single payment approval that removes the need to re-authenticate or re-authorise transactions, through a payment consent that is tied to a bank account and doesn’t expire until it’s revoked by them. Unlike both direct debit and card-on-file, recurring payments with TrueLayer provide The Credit Thing with instant access to the funds deposited. It’s also a more cost effective alternative, removing the fees incurred by card payments and their potential for chargebacks, and the operational overheads of managing direct debits.

Colin Hollingsbee, CIO for The Credit Thing, commented: “Could this be the beginning of the end for Direct Debits? VRP is a real game changer. We pride ourselves on providing great experiences and being at the cutting edge. That’s why we’re excited to be the first in the industry to do this with TrueLayer, reinforcing our philosophy to deliver on innovation.

“This isn’t innovation for the sake of it. It delivers meaningful benefits – consumers are firmly in control, the service is secure and user friendly, the cost of service is ultra competitive, and regular payment approval rates are likely to be phenomenal.”

Kirill Zotin, CTO for The Credit Thing, added: “VRP integration may sound complex, but with the TrueLayer partnership it was seamless. It took just a few weeks from our first conversation to live payments. This is what the future of banking looks like, when agility and innovation pushes the boundaries of available services. I’m really glad that consumers using The Credit Thing already experience the future of payments.”

Matt Parish, Product Lead for VRP at TrueLayer, commented: “This is a significant day for the UK payments industry – the first business using variable recurring payments to deliver a better consumer experience. TrueLayer’s first-of-its-kind API brings the transparency, speed and control of VRP to more people in the UK as a replacement for direct debit and card-on-file payments. We’re delighted to be working with an innovator like The Credit Thing who has seen the massive potential of VRP to support its business.”

TrueLayer is the market leader having launched the industry’s first recurring payments API for both sweeping and sweeping in early May. This was followed by NatWest Group signing an agreement with TrueLayer to provide VRPs as a new payment option for businesses and consumers.

EGT

EGT opens Netherlands office in Den Bosch

Published

9 minutes ago

May 20, 2026

Wladimir P.

egt-opens-netherlands-office-in-den-bosch

EGT has officially opened a new office in the Netherlands in ’s-Hertogenbosch (Den Bosch). The launch was marked with an event on May 13 attended by representatives of local operators, partner companies and industry professionals, the company said.

Guests toured the office showroom and were introduced to EGT’s latest land-based and iGaming solutions offered on the Dutch market.

Yuliana Ilieva, Director of EGT Netherlands, said: “I would like to thank everyone who is here with us tonight to celebrate this milestone for EGT Netherlands. The opening of the office in Den Bosch – the capital of North Brabant province and a strategic location in the country – is an important step for EGT and clearly states the company’s long-term commitment to this market, where we already have a strong footprint in both the land-based and online segments. Our new local presence will allow us to be closer to our current and future clients and to develop our partnerships here even more effectively. Despite the challenges of the highly regulated Dutch gaming environment, we are confident that our personal approach to each customer, combined with our products, developed specifically for the Netherlands, will contribute to the growth and success of both our and operators’ business.”

Nadia Popova, Chief Revenue Officer and VP Sales & Marketing at EGT, added: “We see enormous potential in the Dutch market and are ready to invest in our sustainable development here. I believe that our new office, with its strategic location and talented and dedicated team, will play a key role in achieving our main goals of expanding and solidifying EGT’s positions as a preferred gaming provider in the country.”

The post EGT opens Netherlands office in Den Bosch appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

content partnership

QTech Games adds PLAYSTAR content in new aggregation deal

Published

9 minutes ago

May 20, 2026

Wladimir P.

qtech-games-adds-playstar-content-in-new-aggregation-deal

QTech Games has signed a provider partnership with PLAYSTAR (PS) to add the supplier’s slots and card games to QTech’s aggregation platform.

Under the deal, QTech’s operator clients can access PLAYSTAR titles including Deng Deng, Super Gems, Lucky Ace 2, and Mahjong Origin, alongside card games such as Tui Dummy and Hi-Low.

The companies positioned the agreement as part of PLAYSTAR’s expansion beyond Asia, with QTech highlighting distribution into emerging markets including Africa and Latin America.

Angel, BD at PLAYSTAR, said: “QTech is a natural habitat for our superior content which awaits players every time they enter through an online casino’s digital doors. After initial success in our home territories over our first decade of operations, PLAYSTAR is now broadening our reach across emerging markets via QTech’s flexible gateway to high-potential regions.”

Philip Doftvik, CEO at QTech Games, said: “It’s a feather in our cap to have integrated more premium content from PLAYSTAR. They’re a proven performer who prioritise the immersive experience that users enjoy at the heart of every game. Recent industry recognition as a rising-star supplier underscores their ascendant curve, and we’re delighted to have added PS to QTech’s stable of stars.

“We now look forward to showcasing these games across new markets which, in most cases, break new ground for PS.”

The post QTech Games adds PLAYSTAR content in new aggregation deal appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Altenar

Altenar rolls out World Cup Lobby event hub for sportsbook operators

Published

1 hour ago

May 20, 2026

Wladimir P.

altenar-rolls-out-world-cup-lobby-event-hub-for-sportsbook-operators

Altenar has launched a dedicated World Cup Lobby designed to help sportsbook operators package World Cup content in a single event hub during this summer’s tournament.

The company said the lobby is built for high-traffic periods, with a curated destination where operators can surface relevant markets, statistics, promotions and betting opportunities in one place. Altenar pointed to a “record 104 matches” across 16 cities as the context for simplifying tournament discovery and navigation.

The World Cup Lobby combines Altenar’s sportsbook with widgets and navigation built for major tournaments. Altenar said interactive team and player carousels surface BetCards, markets and promotions via swipeable feeds, with team and player pages providing access to statistics and related betting opportunities.

Other features include integrated standings, knockout trees and outright markets, aiming to keep users moving between matches, teams, players and selections without switching across multiple pages. Altenar said operators can localise the lobby by prioritising teams, competitions and markets for regional audiences, and use player behaviour to surface personalised recommendations.

Nikos Zygouris, Head of Sportsbook Product at Altenar, said: “Major tournaments such as this year’s World Cup create huge engagement and our goal with the new lobby is to build an environment where players can explore everything around the competition in one place.

“The World Cup Lobby brings together markets, statistics, teams and personalised recommendations into a single experience, helping operators to deliver a more intuitive and engaging sportsbook during the biggest moments in the sporting calendar.”

The post Altenar rolls out World Cup Lobby event hub for sportsbook operators appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.