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BIDSTACK EXPANDS US OPERATION WITH MAJOR HIRE FROM ADCOLONY
Bidstack, the in-game advertising and video game monetization platform, today announces that Jude O’Connor joins the company from AdColony as Chief Revenue Officer.
O’Connor’s appointment signals a significant acceleration of Bidstack’s expansion in the US market. The proven advertising leader is tasked with overseeing global revenue and growth, while leading the team across sales, publishing, marketing, and strategy. He will rapidly scale Bidstack’s local teams and steer a go-to-market strategy centered on educating the US market on Bidstack’s pioneering and revolutionary in-game technology.
A 20-year adtech professional, O’Connor joins Bidstack after more than seven years at AdColony, one of the world’s largest mobile gaming monetization platforms. During his AdColony tenure, he transformed the business into a two-time winner of AdWeek’s Mobile Ad Network of the Year award before leading the company to a $400 million exit in 2021. Prior to entering the gaming space, O’Connor worked at pioneering internet companies like Yahoo and AOL.
In 2022, the global gaming market as a whole will generate $196.8 billion. Mobile games, which make up 53% of the market ($103.5 billion) have been the proving ground for the native in-game format, which now is increasingly being explored by major cross-platform publishers of PC and console titles. Just last month, the IAB and MRC released updated guidelines for the measurement of in-game ads, heralding a new wave of mass adoption. As well as native in-game ads, Bidstack’s product offering includes in-menu and rewarded video formats that provide a powerful combination of brand awareness and performance for reaching the 3.2 billion global gamers.
Jude O’Connor, Chief Revenue Officer at Bidstack, commented:
“We’re approaching an inflection point where brands are ready to be part of the immersive, multi-touchpoint experiences that gaming offers at scale. Bidstack has spearheaded the growth of native formats, and its tech enables the cleanest and smoothest native in-game experience available in the market. I’m always attracted by the potential to build a business, and Bidstack is primed to power the next phase and evolution of video game advertising across all platforms.”
James Draper, Founder and CEO of Bidstack, said:
“I’m really excited to welcome Jude to Bidstack. Jude has an unrivaled track record of establishing and scaling businesses in the gaming and adtech space, and I look forward to working with him to help execute on our commercial vision, together. Attracting talent of this caliber is a testament to the growth of Bidstack as a business and the huge, untapped opportunity for in-game advertising within the market.”
Since launching into in-game advertising in 2017 with Sports Interactive’s legendary Football Manager series, Bidstack has run award-winning in-game campaigns for brands such as Marriott Bonvoy, Paco Rabanne, and Doritos, and works with world-leading game publishers such as Codemasters, and Take-Two Interactive.
Gamification
Soft2Bet launches MEGA Shoot World Cup gamification engine
Soft2Bet has launched MEGA Shoot, a football-themed gamification engine designed around the 2026 FIFA World Cup, aimed at helping sportsbook operators retain players during the tournament.
The product will be deployed across selected Soft2Bet brands including Betinia, Swiper, Campobet, ToonieBet and Elabet, with availability spanning markets including Denmark, Greece, Mexico, New Jersey, Ontario, Romania, and the rest of Canada, according to the company.
MEGA Shoot uses a player-versus-player best-of-five penalty shootout format. Players alternate between striker and goalkeeper, with the striker selecting where to shoot and the goalkeeper selecting where to defend. Each round resolves as a goal or a save before roles switch.
Soft2Bet said early internal results show 31.9% engagement among active players across selected brands, with 71.2% of MEGA Shoot players going on to play a second match. The company also claims a 13.5% player retention uplift.
Yoel Zuckerberg, Chief Product Officer at Soft2Bet, said: “The World Cup runs from 11 June to 19 July, so retention has to work across the full tournament calendar. MEGA Shoot gives operators a football game that players can understand quickly, with head-to-head competition tied to the sport they already follow. With almost 32% engagement among active players and about 71% converting into a second match, the early data shows how tournament-led gamification can strengthen sportsbook engagement during major football events.”
The post Soft2Bet launches MEGA Shoot World Cup gamification engine appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
european igaming
Kinetic Digital data: Slingo.com tops €285,992 jackpot as classic slots lead
Kinetic Digital has published new jackpot data across its casino brands, showing more than €600,000 paid out across the top 10 progressive jackpot wins. The biggest single payout in the dataset was a €285,992 win by a Slingo.com player.
In the breakdown, Slingo.com, Mega Casino and Genting Casino Online accounted for all of the top 10 wins cited in the release. Kinetic Digital said Slingo.com delivered three of the 10 largest jackpots, including the €285,992 payout on Fluffy Favourites Mega Jackpot, while its second-largest win was “more than €70,000.”
Mega Casino recorded four of the top 10 payouts, making it the most frequent brand in the top tier. Its largest jackpot in the dataset came from 777 Strike (€63,254), and another player won €48,684 on Piggy Riches 2 Megaways.
Genting Casino Online contributed two entries, with wins of €40,683 and €37,438 respectively.
Kinetic Digital also pointed to a portfolio-wide trend: the biggest jackpots skewed toward long-running slot franchises rather than newer releases. The company highlighted titles including 777 Strike, Age of the Gods and Rainbow Jackpots as prominent among the largest wins, suggesting established mechanics and jackpot networks continue to drive progressive play.
The post Kinetic Digital data: Slingo.com tops €285,992 jackpot as classic slots lead appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
csr
UAE Lottery partners SmartLife and GEMS to run financial workshop for bus staff
The UAE Lottery, operated by The Game L.L.C., partnered with SmartLife Foundation and Premier Schools Accommodation – GEMS Education to deliver a financial awareness workshop in Abu Dhabi on 18 June, 2026.
Held at GEMS Education’s Premier Schools Accommodation, the session brought together more than 60 school bus drivers and helpers for training on budgeting and saving basics, fraud prevention, and retirement planning. The workshop also included quizzes and certificates.
Suzan Kazzi, Associate Director – Corporate Social Responsibility at Momentum- The UAE Lottery, said: “Financial knowledge is a powerful enabler of confidence, and long-term financial stability. Through H.O.P.E., we are committed to driving initiatives that equip individuals with practical life skills to help them build better opportunities for themselves and shape a more secure future. This workshop reflects our belief in people-focused partnerships that create meaningful and lasting impact across communities.”
Abhijeet Oak, Vice President at SmartLife Foundation, added: “At SmartLife Foundation, we strongly believe that knowledge creates empowerment. Many bluecollar workers dedicate themselves tirelessly to supporting their families yet often have limited access to structured financial education. Through partnerships like this, we can help individuals make informed financial decisions, build healthier financial habits, and plan more confidently for the future.”
The organisers said the initiative sits under the “Opportunities” pillar of H.O.P.E., The UAE Lottery’s CSR platform covering Healthcare, Opportunities, Planet, and Enrichment, and is aligned with national priorities for social impact in the UAE.
The post UAE Lottery partners SmartLife and GEMS to run financial workshop for bus staff appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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