Latest News
OpenBet Welcomes Sam Depoortere as VP of Platform Products
OpenBet, a leading technology, content and service provider to the sports betting industry, has appointed Sam Depoortere as its new Vice President of Platform Products to drive continued innovation within the company.
Depoortere has a wealth of industry experience, most recently serving as Business Director for TOTO (Sportsbook & Casino) at Nederlandse Loterij, the largest gambling operator in the Netherlands. During his tenure, he oversaw the operator’s online sportsbook, casino, and retail sportsbook divisions.
Previously, Depoortere was Marketing & Sportsbook Manager at TOTO and held positions with renowned brands such as Betway and Media Odds. OpenBet is well-positioned to benefit from his extensive operator experience, providing a solid foundation for the company’s continued focus on its platform products.
In his new role, Depoortere will be responsible for driving the sports betting provider’s platform solutions product strategy, playing a vital role in executing the growth of its solutions in the coming years. Based in Athens, Depoortere will report directly to Nikos Konstakis, Chief Product Officer at OpenBet, taking charge of product lifecycle management.
Sam Depoortere, VP of Platform Products at OpenBet commented: “I am thrilled to step into this role at OpenBet, an industry leader known for its innovation and strong partnerships.
“Leveraging my experience and insights from the operator side, I am committed to steering OpenBet’s platform products to new heights and ensuring that we remain at the forefront of delivering safe and entertaining betting experiences for players worldwide.”
Nikos Konstakis, Chief Product Officer at OpenBet, added: “With Sam joining the ranks, we are poised for even greater success. His in-depth understanding of best practices and unparalleled industry experience makes him a valuable addition to the team.
“As we look to the future, we are confident that with Sam’s extensive experience and leadership qualities, OpenBet will continue to redefine the standards in sports betting entertainment.”
Contributors Program
Gamblers Connect names Gali Hartuv as seventh 2026 Contributors Program voice
The Playa strategic advisor will publish on VIP operations, segmentation and retention, starting with an anonymous VIP Operations Survey 2026.
Gamblers Connect has confirmed Gali Hartuv, Strategic Advisor at The Playa, as the seventh voice to join its 2026 Contributors Program.
The independent B2B iGaming media platform said the programme will reveal one senior industry voice per month throughout 2026, with contributors publishing under the Gamblers Connect Contributor Editorial Code.
Gamblers Connect said Hartuv has more than 15 years’ experience in VIP management, including designing and optimising VIP programmes across more than 50 operator brands, and training “hundreds of professionals” now working in VIP roles across the industry.
Hartuv will publish across four areas: building VIP programmes that drive long-term value; AI-powered VIP identification and player segmentation; hyper-personalisation and retention strategy; and scaling VIP operations across different markets and cultures. His first contribution is a VIP Operations Survey 2026, an anonymous survey intended to benchmark how VIP teams work across iGaming operators, including portfolio sizing, tools, qualification thresholds, workflow standards and where time is spent during the week.
Partnerships and Operations Lead, Luka Dimitrijevic, said: “VIP management is where a great deal of an operator’s value is won or lost, and very few people can speak to it with Gali’s depth. He has spent his career turning high value player relationships into a discipline rather than guesswork, and he is refreshingly candid about what works and what does not. Through the Contributors Program he will share practical insight on VIP strategy, retention, and the smart use of AI, with content grounded in real results rather than recycled best practices.”
The post Gamblers Connect names Gali Hartuv as seventh 2026 Contributors Program voice appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Alberta
St8 extends TonyBet partnership to Alberta after securing supplier registration
St8 has extended its partnership with TonyBet into Alberta, expanding their Canada footprint following an earlier launch in Ontario this year.
Under the expanded agreement, TonyBet will use St8’s game aggregation platform through a single API integration. St8 said this provides access to its wider catalogue of casino content for players in Alberta.
St8 said the Alberta rollout follows its newly acquired registration to operate in the province as an iGaming Services Supplier, allowing it to provide aggregation services to licensed operators in the market. The company said its platform connects partners to more than 200 game providers via a single API.
David Fall, Business Development Manager at St8, said:
“Entering Alberta’s regulated market is a strong step for St8 that represents our continued efforts to bring our offerings to as many territories as possible, delivering top-tier results for partnerships at the local, national and international stage. We share this commitment with TonyBet, a company that we are very fortunate to be working with so collaboratively and closely as we continue to grow our presence across North America.”
Kiryl Liudvikevich, Head of Product at TonyBet, said:
“We’re proud that our work with St8 has enabled us to continue expanding across Canada. Through St8’s aggregation platform, we can seamlessly access games from the industry’s leading providers via a single integration, helping us scale efficiently while maintaining a strong focus on the player experience. St8 has cemented itself as our go-to partner for expansion into regulated markets, and we look forward to continuing our collaboration as we grow into new jurisdictions.”
The post St8 extends TonyBet partnership to Alberta after securing supplier registration appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Alberta
St8 continues partnership with TonyBet with an expansion into Alberta
The post St8 continues partnership with TonyBet with an expansion into Alberta appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
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