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Casino Guru Awards introduces judges for Responsible Gambling Tools category

Casino Guru Awards has revealed the names of the judges for the Responsible Gambling Tools category.
After the announcement of the Casino Guru Awards last week, Casino Guru News is excited to outline one of the most important categories for the upcoming ceremony and the people who will decide what the best companies in it are. The Casino Guru Awards category for “The Best Implementation of Responsible Gambling Tools” is set in a way to make sure that all entries are judged objectively and fairly, we have secured the services of industry specialists with proven track record and extensive understanding of the subject matter.
Casino Guru Awards is thrilled to introduce Gordon Moody CEO Matthew Hickey, Responsible Gaming Foundation General Manager Kevin O’Neill, Responsible Gambling Council Director, Standards and Accreditation Tracy Parker, Gamban VP of Strategic Partnerships Stephen Aupy, Entain SVP for American Regulatory Affairs and Responsible Gambling Martin Lycka, Kindred Head of Responsible Gaming & Research Maris Catania from, and Genius Gaming Consult – Senior Consultant Regulatory Frameworks James Mpiirwe, Betknowmore Head of External Affairs Matt Smith, Gambling Addiction Expert Jody Bechtold, and Pieter Remmers, Founder Assissa Consultancy Europe as the judges for this crucial category which is a focal point of everything Casino Guru Awards is about.
- Matthew Hickey is an industry veteran with 20 years of experience under his belt. Gordon Moody is focused on providing treatment to people who are severely addicted to gambling.
- Kevin O’Neill’s position as General Manager for the Responsible Gambling Foundation gives him the opportunity to drive industry standards and resonates with his genuine interest in promulgating responsibility during gambling activity to both player and operator.
- Tracy Parker primary interest is on collaborating with organizations through her position at the Responsible Gambling Council and foster meaningful industry-wide change. Parker is determined to help organizations introduce safer gambling experiences by tapping into best practice research, employee training policies, and more.
- Stephen Aupy from Gamban is working on helping key stakeholders in the industry achieve commercial sustainability while ensuring high player protection standards. Aupy comes from a philosophy of “lived experience” in approaching responsible gambling tools and initiatives.
- Martin Lycka has more than 12 years of experience working on various responsible gambling initiatives in listed gambling companies. He is currently with Entain. Lycka is also part of the Entain Foundation, the Entain Foundation US and the American Gaming Association’s boards and has a deep understanding of the RG aspect of the industry.
- Maris Catania is specializing in understanding the early symptoms and signs of gambling addiction, and she has been working hard to expand the industry’s understanding of what early signs should be addressed and what responsible gambling tools need to be used to achieve that. Her work with Kindred Group has been crucial to this end.
- James Mpiirwe is a legal practitioner with 13 years of experience. He pioneered the National Responsible Gaming Policy of Uganda, and he has used his more than a decade of experience to drive impactful and meaningful change in the industry.
- Matt Smith has been with Betknowmore as Head of External Affairs for years now. He has lived experience of gambling and he is passionate about providing support and training services to prevent and address personal and societal harms caused by gambling.
- Jody Bechtold is an esteemed problem gambling specialist and co-author of “The Gambling Disorder Treatment Handbook: A Guide for Mental Health Professionals” Her experience spans multiple organizations and institutions that are studying and looking to help tackle problem gambling.
- Pieter Remmers is the Founder of Assissa Consultancy Europe, a household organization that provides responsible gambling training to the industry. Under his leadership, Assissa has worked and brought around impactful changes in a number of regulated markets across Europe and his own track record with gambling goes back to 1989.
Casino Guru will also bring its own judges to the process as well with Head of Content Maros Gasparik and Sustainable & Safer Gambling Lead Simon Vincze also weighing in. Vincze brings a unique insight into the online gambling industry and how it can become safer for everyone at attested by his work on the Global Self-Exclusion Scheme and Casino Guru Academy.
Each of the judges of the panel has a deeper understanding of problem gambling and the problems that the industry faces, and how important responsible gambling tools can be. This is why Casino Guru Awards has seen it fit to only invite people who truly understand that.
All of these judges have had different although similar experience with understanding, fostering, and even developing Responsible Gambling Tools. Because of this, Casino Guru Awards feel strongly that the panel of judges will be able to distinguish the most accomplished companies in this field.
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Gambling in the USA
Plaza Hotel & Casino Partners with Aristocrat Gaming™ to Debut Downtown’s First Buffalo & Mo’ Friends™ Slot Area

Ribbon cutting event and launch of player promotion: Thursday, Sept. 4, 11 a.m.
On Thursday, Sept. 4 at 11 a.m., the Plaza Hotel & Casino will hold a ribbon cutting to celebrate the debut of a new dedicated area for fans of the wildly popular Buffalo and Mo’ Mummy
slot game franchises and other player-favorite Aristocrat Gaming titles. With 63 games, the Buffalo & Mo’ Friends slot area at the Plaza is the only one in downtown Las Vegas.
Located between the casino cage and the Plaza Rewards Players Club, the Buffalo & Mo’ Friends area at the Plaza features numerous fan-favorite Aristocrat Gaming titles, including:
- Buffalo Ultimate Stampede
,
- Buffalo Ascension
,
- Buffalo Power Pays
,
- Buffalo Triple Power
,
- Coin Trio Buffalo
,
- Buffalo and Friends
,
- Buffalo Diamond Extreme
,
- Mo’ Mummy,
- Mo’ Mo’ Mo’ Mummy
,
- Spooky Link
,
- Ultimate Fast Cash
,
- House of the Dragon
,
- Phoenix Link
,
- Jackpot Carnival
,
- Firecracker Fortunes
,
- Dragon Link
,
- Lucky Looters
and more.
The eye-catching wraps, bright lights, and distinct game sounds, Buffalo & Mo’ Friends welcomes players to a dedicated space of entertainment and excitement with their favorite games and ones they have yet to experience.
“Our goal on the casino floor is to offer the newest and most popular games to our guests, and our players are big fans of the various Buffalo and Mo’ Mummy games. So, we are thrilled to partner with Aristocrat Gaming on this dedicated game area that sets the Plaza apart from the rest of downtown Las Vegas,” said Jonathan Jossel, CEO of the Plaza Hotel & Casino.
“We pride ourselves in creating entertaining games that invite players to step into a world of fun with favorite characters, themes and gameplay features,” said Kurt Gissane, Chief Revenue Officer for Aristocrat Gaming. “The creation of the Buffalo & Mo’ Friends gaming area has truly been a collaborative effort with the Plaza team, wanting to give their players Mo’ and the new Buffalo & Mo’ Friends area certainly delivers. We look forward to seeing player excitement when they see all their favorite Aristocrat games in one vibrant area.”
To celebrate the debut of Buffalo & Mo’ Friends on Thursday, Sept. 4, the Plaza will offer Plaza Rewards players a variety of Buffalo-branded swag items and the chance of larger prizes based on the number of points accumulated daily. The Buffalo-themed promotion will last until Oct. 4 or while supplies last. Full rules available at the Plaza Rewards Players Club.
Trademark HOUSE OF THE DRAGONTM owned by Home Box Office, Inc. Used with Permission. Copyright © Home Box Office, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
The post Plaza Hotel & Casino Partners with Aristocrat Gaming™ to Debut Downtown’s First Buffalo & Mo’ Friends™ Slot Area appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Gambling in the USA
INTRALOT, Inc. signs contract with Montana Lottery to deliver next-generation lottery technology

INTRALOT S.A. is pleased to announce that its U.S. subsidiary, INTRALOT, Inc., has been awarded anew contract to provide the Montana Lottery with a next-generation lottery operating system and related services, including continued support for its Sports Bet Montana wagering product.
The new contract award follows a competitive Request For Proposal procurement process and marks the third contract between INTRALOT and the Montana Lottery, extending a nearly 20-year partnership built on innovation, reliability, and results.
The new agreement spans seven years with three one-year extension options and will ensure a fully modernized solution for nearly 1,300 retailers statewide. Under this new contract, INTRALOT will deploy its industry-leading LotosX Omni solution, which delivers a unified, future-ready lottery experience for players across the state using LotosX
, a best-in-class gaming platform engineered for upmost security, scalability, and innovation. INTRALOT will also design and provide an upgraded retail network infrastructure that will include the award-winning PhotonX retailer terminals and peripherals, plus new self-service terminals and multi-product vending machines, making the gaming experience more convenient and entertaining than ever for Montanans.
Bob Brown, Director of the Montana Lottery commented “We are very pleased to extend our business relationship with INTRALOT, a company that has been our partner for nearly two decades. This new contract ensures our lottery system remains modern and secure, allowing us to provide our retailers and players with the best possible experience. The LotosX Omni solution and new retail technology will be a game-changer, helping us to deliver an even more engaging experience for our players and continue to generate important revenue for the STEM scholarship program and for the State of Montana.”
Richard Bateson, CEO of INTRALOT, Inc. commented “We are honored to enter our third contract with the Montana Lottery and continue to partner with the Lottery as it embarks on its next phase of growth. With this new agreement, INTRALOT is bringing fresh resources, expanded expertise, andstate-of-the-art technology to reset and strengthen our local presence in Montana. At the heart of this transformation is our LotosXTM platform, a modular, microservices-based system that accelerates time to market, enables player-centric innovation, and delivers enhanced security and player protection through a proven and future-ready architecture.”
Since 2006, INTRALOT has played a pivotal role in Montana’s lottery success, helping to increase sales by an impressive 286% through technology upgrades and operational enhancements. Notably, INTRALOT introduced sports wagering to the state in 2020, uniquely tailored to Montana’s regulatory framework, and powers the Lottery’s wildly successful raffle game
The post INTRALOT, Inc. signs contract with Montana Lottery to deliver next-generation lottery technology appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Gambling in the USA
West Virginia University Announces New Gift to Support the Center for Gaming Research and Development

West Virginia University’s John Chambers College of Business and Economics is proud to announce the establishment of a new fund for the Center for Gaming Research and Development, generously seeded by gaming industry veterans Chen and Benjamin Truman.
Launched with the mission to promote research on responsible gaming practices and consumer protection in gambling markets, the Center leverages leading-edge expertise — including Chambers College like Professor Brad Humphreys, an internationally recognized researcher in the economics of gaming markets.
This new fund will enable the Center to:
- Expand its research initiatives into gaming markets, including analysis of transactions level data provided by gaming operators in West Virginia to identify and understand problematic gambling behavior and ensure fair pricing of wagers.
- Enhance integration of gaming-focused research and analytics into curricular offerings in the Chambers college, including cybersecurity, business data analytics, finance, management information systems, and economics.
- Develop courses, training, certificates, initiatives and other activities designed to foster innovation in gaming technology development, and prepare students for careers in racing, gaming, gaming operations, hospitality management, guest relations, entertainment, and other amenities typically offered in conjunction with gaming operations.
- Foster deeper collaboration with policymakers and industry stakeholders to translate research insights into impactful policy and practice.
The Center’s research, education, and outreach will have an important impact on the lives of state residents, college students throughout the state, gaming industry firms operating in the state, and state gaming regulators. This generous gift will allow the Center to fulfill the role envisioned by the state legislature when they passed The Responsible Gaming and Research and Industry Development Act. — Professor Brad Humphreys, Director, Center for Gaming Research and Development
This strategic investment by Chen and Benjamin Truman, a WVU alumni, underscores their commitment to evidence-based research and responsible industry practices. It will help propel the Center’s mission to safeguard consumer interests within evolving gaming markets.
We’re thrilled to see West Virginia University take a leadership role in shaping the future of iGaming and sports betting policy. As industry veterans, Chen and I are proud to support a mission that will not only advance responsible gaming but also help set the global standard for innovation and consumer protection in this space.” — Benjamin Truman, Co-Founder, Absolutebet.
About the Center for Gaming Research and Development
The Center was created by an Act of the West Virginia legislature, the Responsible Gaming and Research and Industry Development Act. The Center is dedicated to advancing academic research, analyzing gaming data including transactions level data, developing courses and initiatives to prepare WVU students for careers in the gaming industry, and shaping policy and industry standards through collaboration, education, and data-driven insight. It seeks to mitigate inherent risks in gaming—such as problem gambling and pricing opacity—by empowering informed decision-making among consumers, regulators, and industry players.
About the John Chambers College of Business and Economics
Located at West Virginia University, the Chambers College combines rigorous academic programs with an emphasis on cutting-edge research, equipping students to address real-world challenges across business disciplines.
The post West Virginia University Announces New Gift to Support the Center for Gaming Research and Development appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
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