Latest News
Groove’s new product manager starts with a bang
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Groove launches new data-driven technology
Aggregator and platform Groove has developed a revolutionary product designed to deliver the best casino experience that has been nurtured through a year of painstaking development by Groove’s new Product Manager Shay Kababia.
The technology upgrade follows hot-on-the-heels of a Groove rebrand that reflects the futuristic direction of the company; along with a change of website and domain to groovetech .com as the refreshed brand’s expression around game-changing innovation.
Kababia and his team of developers have been working round-the-clock to realise an ambitious addition to the Groove offering, with the user-friendly data-driven recommender having an intuitive UI/UX set-up that provides operators with four levels of display based on player behaviour analytics: Recommended; new games; coming soon; and, may interest you as well.
With the help of the four levels, the new technology helps maximise casino ROI by aligning content to casino brand traffic.
Operators are now able to more efficiently manage the betting process and gather data on the outcomes of various initiatives in one screen using the new feature, while having full control of their own admin. The tool is easy to navigate and there are plenty of opportunities to discover new content from over 100 content partners as well as from the new GrooveStudio launched last week.
Through the rebrand, Groove’s twin pillars of turnkey (GrooveOn) and aggregation (GroovePlay), provided under an end-to-end technology umbrella, are supported by what is widely recognised as one of the best technical teams in the industry, further enhanced by the addition of Shay.
Groove has been able to establish itself as a benchmark for an operator cluster that includes tier-1’s and beyond, supporting a plethora of casino brands.
By offering a full suite of turnkey technology solutions over multichannel B2B iGaming for online and mobile gaming on all platforms, GrooveOn captures the entire B2B iGaming value chain.
Thanks to a wide range of carefully chosen game partners, GroovePlay continues to expand its library of games by over 100 each month. These games span bingo, sports betting, casino games, and content suitable for lottery providers. They also contain tried-and-tested classics as well as the most recent releases on the market.
Last year, Groove celebrated six years of offering turnkey and aggregation services to operators. Groove also keeps strengthening its ties to a wide range of stakeholders, such as payment processors, automated KYC, affiliate networks, artificial intelligence, and the best game developers in the world.
Groove’s Product Manager Shay Kababia said: “We have created this new tool so that operators with multiple brands will have a unique lobby for each brand based on key metrics. Our development team has pulled out all the stops to put Groove in a leading position with this introduction. It is already having an impact in our operator cluster.”
Yahale Meltzer, COO and co-founder at Groove, added: “Shay and his team have been instrumental in allowing us to realise our mission of improving service to our operator cluster. With the introduction of our new data-driven ‘Recommender’ tool, we are once again breaking the mould and upgrading how operators and their casino brands interact with the market.”
ADG
Arizona Boxing and Mixed Martial Arts Commissioner, Joe Pennington, Retiring After 24 Years of Service
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After serving over 24 years as a Commissioner on the Arizona Boxing and Mixed Martial Arts (“MMA”) Commission, Joe Pennington presided over his final commission meeting on Wednesday, February 19, 2025. Pennington was appointed to the Arizona Boxing and MMA Commission in 2001 by Governor Jane Hull and served under the next four administrations of Janet Napolitano, Jan Brewer, Doug Ducey, and Katie Hobbs.
During his tenure, Commissioner Pennington played a key role in strengthening safety protocols for fighters and reinforcing Arizona’s position as a leader in combat sports regulation. He is most proud of the Commission’s commitment to combatant safety, exemplified by the adoption of the concussion protocol and testing, the passage of 581679, the Boxing/MMA Omnibus Bill, in 2024, and the adoption of rules for Boxing, MMA, Kickboxing, Muay Thai, and Tough Man competitions. Last fall, the Arizona Boxing & MMA Commission was recognized as “Commission of the Year” at the North American Boxing Federation Awards Banquet for its regulatory efforts.
“It has been a pleasure to work alongside Commissioner Pennington over the last few years,” said Danny Vella, Executive Director of ADG’s Boxing and MMA Division. “I am grateful for his nearly two and a half decades of dedicated service and commitment to enhancing combat sports regulation in Arizona. I wish Mr. Pennington the best in his retirement and look forward to the continued impact of his tremendous contributions.”
“On behalf of the Arizona Department of Gaming, I want to extend our deepest gratitude to Commissioner Joe Pennington for his unwavering dedication and service to the Boxing & Mixed Martial Arts community in Arizona,” said Director Jackie Johnson, ADG. “Through multiple administrations, his commitment to integrity, fairness, and the growth of combat sports has left a lasting impact on the industry and the state. We thank him for his years of leadership and public service.”
Serving in his final commission meeting, Commissioner Pennington was presented a commendation from Executive Director Vella on behalf of Governor Katie Hobbs, receiving well wishes from several attendees of the Arizona Boxing and MMA Commission meeting on Wednesday, February 19, 2025, The Department and its staff wish Mr. Pennington a joyous and adventurous retirement, and we are forever grateful for his 24 years of service to combat sports safety and regulation in Arizona.
The post Arizona Boxing and Mixed Martial Arts Commissioner, Joe Pennington, Retiring After 24 Years of Service appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Latest News
Betano, a Global Leading Operator, Launches MGA Games Content in Portugal and Belgium
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The agreement signed between MGA Games, a leading provider of slots and casino games, and the operator Betano has resulted in the launch of 51 titles for the Portuguese and Belgian markets. Betano, one of the most prominent online casinos worldwide and part of the international Kaizen group, has entrusted the Spanish provider with the release of these new products, which include 3-reel slots, 5-reel slots, Megaways, and video bingos.
Among the 28 titles already available in Portugal are high-grossing games such as Popeye Caça Tesouros and the Portuguese Celebrities collection, an innovative series of slots featuring renowned figures from the country. Characters like chef Chef Chakall, DJ Diego Miranda, and other well-known personalities such as football legend Paulo Futre and TV star Teresa Guilherme provide a 100% localized experience.
MGA Games’ entry into the Belgian market has materialized with the launch of 23 slots, including hits like The Explosive Bandit and The Wizard Cat. With this move, the Spanish company strengthens its international presence and offers Belgian players an innovative gaming experience.
“This launch on Betano Portugal and Belgium reinforces our presence in the market and allows us to offer our games to a broader audience through a top-tier operator. We are confident that the combination of our technology and content, along with Betano’s expertise, will be a resounding success,” said Javier Lanfranchi, Commercial Director of MGA Games.
The post Betano, a Global Leading Operator, Launches MGA Games Content in Portugal and Belgium appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Central Europe
Altenar delivers sportsbook solution to MerkurXtip in Czech market
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Leading sportsbook technology provider grows European footprint with major local operator
Altenar, a leading sports betting and iGaming software provider, has signed an agreement to provide its fully-managed sportsbook solution to Czech operator MerkurXtip.
The Merkur brand, formerly known as the Gauselmann Group, was founded in the 1970s. Its Czech online brand MerkurXtip CZ launched in 2022 and provides more than 200 slots and sports betting across a wide variety of sporting events..
Altenar’s sportsbook solution will replace the existing sportsbook product on the operator’s merkurxtip.cz website, providing a range of innovative features to elevate the betting experience for players, enhance retention rates and increase revenue.
The agreement strengthens Altenar’s position in the Czech market, where it secured its first deal in 2024. It has enjoyed successful ongoing partnerships with Kingsbet CZ and DATA.BET.
Sam Hill, Sales Director at Altenar, said: “The Merkur Group is a fantastic business with real heritage across the industry.
“To be trusted to take their brand forward in the Czech market is testament to the quality of product and service that Altenar provides today across numerous regulated markets. We can’t wait to get started and look forward to the development of our partnership with the Group.”
Stanislav Sopko, CEO of MerkurXtip CZ, said: “This collaboration marks the start of a promising journey together. Through this partnership, we aim to provide MerkurXtip’s customers with exceptional sports betting products from Altenar and deliver the best-in-class gaming experience in the market.
“We will combine our strengths and expertise to create new opportunities, improve offerings, and drive forward innovation. Stay tuned for more updates as we embark on this exciting venture together. We look forward to achieving great things in the months and years ahead.”
The post Altenar delivers sportsbook solution to MerkurXtip in Czech market appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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