Conferences in Europe
Sponsors Spotlight: Winning the iGaming Technology Race – GR8 Tech Shares Winning Formula at the Prague Gaming & TECH Summit
Ahead of the highly-anticipated Prague Gaming & TECH Summit, organizer HIPTHER is thrilled to introduce and put the spotlight on the companies and people that help make the magic happen: our conference sponsors! These innovative, accomplished professionals and teams make magic happen everyday, and they will be joining us at the Prague Gaming & TECH Summit 2024 taking place on 26-27 March, to share insights, network and collaborate with you! Get to know them, connect, and meet them in Prague!
In this Sponsors Spotlight Interview, the #hipthers meet Artur Ashyrov, Chief Technology Officer at GR8 Tech, Main Stage Sponsor of the upcoming Prague Gaming & TECH Summit. Artur will be speaking at the Summit, offering an insightful exploration into the world of cutting-edge technology development.
EG: Hello Artur, thank you for taking the time for this interview. We are delighted to get to know you and introduce you to our readers! Speaking of introductions, let’s kick things off by hearing more about you and your role as a CTO at GR8 Tech.
AA: Thank you for having me! I’m thrilled to share insights into my journey and the impactful work we do at GR8 Tech. As the CTO, I focus on achieving revenue-driven company goals and developing our engineering team.
My overall journey in tech started in 2006, and since then, I’ve navigated through various sectors, from outsourcing projects to spearheading platform development in industries such as booking systems, CRM, media, iGaming, and more. I love solving complex challenges, driving meaningful tech advancement, and improving large, unwieldy projects to deliver great results, even if it goes along with challenging the status quo in technology, company culture, and mindsets.
At GR8 Tech, I’m also deeply involved in the GR8 Tech Academy, mentoring the next generation of tech professionals. This project, aimed at people entering IT and ensuring they have not just theory but hands-on experience, is very close to my heart. Many of the Academy’s graduates join our team and work to push the boundaries of what’s possible, using technology as a catalyst for growth and transformation.
EG: GR8 Tech’s “About” section on LinkedIn begins with the intro “GR8 Tech is an international iGaming solutions provider”. Breaking this description down, what are the solutions and products that GR8 Tech offers to clients?
AA: We create a full kit of iGaming products necessary to launch and run a long-term successful, profitable iGaming operation. The front and center of our product lineup is, of course, the high-performance GR8 Sportsbook platform, designed to handle high loads with ease and bring tangible financial results to the operators through unique margin management capabilities. The Sportsbook is complemented by many other products, from the Casino platform to the CRM system, payment gateway, iFrame, etc.
EG: So, GR8 Tech boasts a 360° suite for the iGaming industry, including a payment gateway and CRM system, as well as over 15 successful cases worldwide in its first year alone! What is the secret behind that vast and fast success? Something tells us it’s all about Tech – how do you make it “GR8”?
AA: Having a great background in technology, we are able to develop products that scale seamlessly but also evolve alongside our clients’ growing needs. Understanding that every business eventually requires increased processing capacity and flexibility, we preemptively integrate SDKs and APIs, and ensure data-sharing capabilities within our products, connecting and integrating it all into a unified, well-functioning ecosystem. It sets us apart from many competitors – and is rooted in our commitment to a data-driven approach, which creates additional value for our clients.
EG: In this first year of GR8ness in the industry, from your first steps till now, what are the most important milestones the company has conquered and its most significant updates?
AA: We are a young company but an experienced team with the long-standing, well-known tech behind the name. So, the biggest challenges for us were associated with finding our own B2B voice and our unique value proposition and presenting it to the market loud and clear. That’s exactly what we did last year, and I think the recognition our products received with nominations in several respectable industry awards, including the SBC Awards and SiGMA Awards, are our most significant milestones, showcasing the growing recognition of GR8 Tech in the industry. This year, we have already opened the business season exhibiting at ICE London, winning several new clients for GR8 Tech, and shortlisting in SiGMA Eurasia and SiGMA Africa. Quite a start – I’m excited for what comes next!
EG: GR8’s chosen brand language and communications are built around the concept of racing; in the race for innovation in the modern Tech scene – especially in iGaming – which emerging technologies are truly useful, and what’s overhyped?
AA: We are always looking at all emerging technologies, but we are very careful about implementing them for the sake of being “innovative.” We don’t enter the same race for innovation just to put a proud “AI-powered” sticker somewhere on our website for implementing Chat-GPT prompts in our products.
But we look at all trending technologies and implement them when they bring real value to customers. For example, AI has been in our systems for 4-5 years. Now, we are looking at LLM to enhance customer support and other functions.
It is also always interesting to find some useful applications for blockchain, but in our industry, it is really an overhyped technology because it is being pulled everywhere, just like Chat GPT. The metaverse is also very overhyped, and I don’t think this technology will change user habits dramatically because the convenience of AR/VR devices is still far behind the value of the experience. It will be interesting to see what kind of impetus the new Apple Vision Pro will give to this – it seems to me that this is the first step towards making these devices more convenient and mainstream.
EG: At the Prague Gaming & TECH Summit, you will be speaking about “Engineering Excellence”. Can you give our readers and the Summit’s participants an idea of what exactly constitutes Engineering Excellence in today’s Tech, and the key points you will be analyzing at the Conference?
AA: To understand engineering excellence, you should first think about what the industry is like nowadays. With technologies like Chat GPT, tech specialists can now super quickly do tasks for which before they were paid thousands – for their knowledge, expertise, and amazing coding. So these new technologies raise an interesting question: What is engineering excellence in the world where a machine can do a lot of ‘monkey jobs’ for you?
It turns out, today, technological excellence is not so much about technology but about the ability to think ahead, to design, to not overcomplicate things where they can be avoided, and so on. The latter is especially important, as it is a pressing issue in the industry, as everyone just loves to invent some problems and then create even more problems when trying to solve them.
Another interesting aspect is what engineering excellence is from the client’s point of view. I think that engineering excellence can be measured in how little you pay attention to your tech – everything just works, and that’s it. Not thinking about the number of cores in your processor or the capacity of RAM is the best indication that everything is just how it should be. But to make it so, developers should think rather broadly, investing in great technology and creating stable, scalable infrastructure that’s capable of providing this level of customer experience.
EG: Thank you for this very interesting and insightful interview, Artur! We look forward to seeing you in person at the Prague Gaming & TECH Summit, and hearing all about Engineering Excellence and the development process in your exclusive one-on-one session.
Join us in Prague to connect with Artur and the GR8 Tech Team:
Conferences in Europe
HIPTHER’s European Gaming Congress 2025 Marks Record Attendance and Announces Marek Plota as Ambassador of the HIPTHER Warsaw Summit
Reading Time: 3 minutes
The 2025 edition of the European Gaming Congress (EGC) closed its doors in Warsaw with record-breaking attendance, a strengthened industry footprint, and an announcement that marks a new chapter for HIPTHER’s European expansion: in 2026, EGC officially evolves into the HIPTHER Warsaw Summit with renowned legal expert Marek Plota appointed as its first Ambassador.
Held across two content-rich stages – the Compliance & Operations Lad and the TechXperience Stage – alongside the hands-on HIPTHER Academy Workshops, EGC 2025 delivered its most ambitious program to date. Attendance has now tripled compared to its reintroduction in 2023, establishing Warsaw as one of the most dynamic conversation hubs for gaming, compliance, and tech in Europe.
A European Outlook With Global Relevance
The Compliance & Operations Lab brought together regulators, lawyers, and industry specialists for a panoramic review of the evolving European ecosystem. Discussions spanned the Polish market’s legal framework, cross-border compliance from Paris to Berlin, key CEE territories, the Czech Republic and Romania, and an outlook on emerging priorities in the Baltics. Experts also explored global trends with a timely update on several LATAM jurisdictions.
A highlight of the Agenda was the IMGL Masterclass – “Regulators, Legislators, and the Power of One Voice: A Legal Strategy for Industry Unity” – which explored the future of collaborative governance and harmonization.
Fintech, taxation, licensing, and responsible gaming standards added essential layers to a program designed to help operators and suppliers navigate an increasingly interconnected regulatory landscape.
Tech, Innovation, and the Human Factor
On the TechXperience Stage, conversations shifted to the future:
– AI for competitive advantage
– The evolution of esports and startup innovation
– AEO & SEO trends redefining discoverability
– Personalization and the new player journey
– Cyber resilience in iGaming
– Strategic Event Preparation in B2B PR, Marketing & BizDev
These sessions brought together marketing leaders, technologists, founders, and innovators across iGaming, fintech, digital entertainment, and cybersecurity, underlining Warsaw’s emerging status as a cross-industry meeting point in Europe.
A Key Voice: Marek Plota’s Impactful Participation
Throughout the Congress, Marek Plota – Founding Attorney at RM Legal & Gaming in Poland – played a leading role as both moderator and speaker. His contributions spanned Poland’s gambling framework, European lessons for CEE markets, and strategic taxation and licensing standards. He also brought legal depth to the IMGL Masterclass, adding critical clarity to one of the most pressing topics for operators in the region.
Marek’s widely respected presence across national and international gaming markets, combined with his years-long collaboration with HIPTHER as panelist, moderator, sponsor, and advisor, made this year’s Congress a natural moment to formalize the partnership.
Introducing the Ambassador of the HIPTHER Warsaw Summit
HIPTHER is proud to announce Marek Plota as the Ambassador of the HIPTHER Warsaw Summit, beginning with the 2026 edition.
In his own words: “It’s a real honor to serve as an ambassador for the Hipther Warsaw Summit and the European Gaming Congress. My collaboration with Zoltan Tundik and the Hipther team goes back many years as a panelist, moderator, sponsor, and above all, as a friend. These events are truly unique in the global gaming and gambling conference calendar — intimate, insightful, and refreshingly personal. Unlike the vast expos, Hipther events give people a genuine chance to meet, talk, and exchange ideas without walking 50,000 steps from one meeting to another. We are already looking forward to the next editions and to working together to make these conferences a true must-have for everyone in the industry.”
Marek is a founder and a head of the legal team at RM Legal Law Firm and Gaming In Poland, jointly providing multidisciplinary and multijurisdictional support for leading international gambling operators in the Polish, European Union, and African markets. His gambling practice includes regulatory support at the pre and post-licensing stage, IT, and taxation services, as well as the unique service of performing a function of a gambling representative. RM Legal is the only law firm in Poland representing offshore companies operating legally in the Polish gambling market. Apart from gambling Marek specializes in corporate commercial law and international investment projects.
A New Era for Warsaw, Europe, and the Global Market
The transition from EGC to the HIPTHER Warsaw Summit marks a strategic evolution with HIPTHER enhancing the region’s growing importance: Poland now stands as a crossroads of regulatory influence, iGaming innovation, and international market expansion – connecting Western Europe, CEE, and fast-emerging global markets, from Africa to LATAM.
In 2026, the HIPTHER Warsaw Summit will continue shaping the conversations and connections that define the future of gaming and tech.
HIPTHER looks forward to welcoming the industry back to Warsaw next year for an even bigger, more influential, and more globally connected event – assisted by the expertise and vision of its new Ambassador.
The post HIPTHER’s European Gaming Congress 2025 Marks Record Attendance and Announces Marek Plota as Ambassador of the HIPTHER Warsaw Summit appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Reading Time: 3 minutes
NOVOMATIC Italia played a key role at SiGMA Central Europe 2025, one of the leading international events for the gaming and digital technology industry, which was held in Rome from November 4 to 6. The Group showcased ADMIRAL Pay, the payment institution authorised by the Bank of Italy, and Quigioco, its online gaming brand, presenting an integrated and sustainable vision for the future of payments and digital entertainment.
The synergy between the Quigioco gaming platform and ADMIRAL Pay was at the heart of NOVOMATIC Italia’s presence at SiGMA Central Europe 2025 was. This integrated solution offers legal gaming operators a concrete response to the ongoing transformation of the market, particularly in terms of regulatory compliance.
The combined structure of Quigioco and ADMIRAL Pay ensures fully compliant financial flow management by providing operators with technologically advanced tools that are aligned with the latest Italian legislative requirements. This infrastructure represents an integrated payment system and a complete digital ecosystem that is designed to support operators in an increasingly regulated and competitive market. The model is complemented by B2C solutions, including APay E-Wallet and APay Card, which interface seamlessly with the B2B architecture to expand additional growth opportunities.
Driving the market with technology and security
The collaboration between ADMIRAL Pay and Quigioco marks a key milestone for the Italian market: by adopting integrated digital payment systems, online gaming platforms can now deliver increasingly personalized and secure experiences to their users.
ADMIRAL Pay technology enables rapid conversion between cash and digital currency, ensuring instant and secure transactions that meet the highest international standards. For PVRs (Punti Vendita Ricarica: venues authorised to sell recharges for online gaming) and operators, this means access to an advanced payment tool that simplifies operations and guarantees efficiency, even during peak periods.
Meeting new regulatory and market demands
The digital payments and gaming sector in Italy is now subject to increasingly stringent regulatory standards that are designed to ensure maximum security, traceability and transparency. The integration of Quigioco and ADMIRAL Pay fully meets these requirements, offering a unique solution that strengthens compliance while enhancing the customer experience. By managing financial flows in a compliant manner, operators can reduce risks and provide players with immediate and secure access to their funds. This model translates into trust and long-term loyalty, creating value across the entire supply chain.
Responsibility and leadership: the pillars of the future
SiGMA Central Europe 2025 was also an opportunity to highlight NOVOMATIC’s commitment to promoting responsible gaming and continuous product innovation. The target is to maintain industry leadership by investing in technologies that not only enhance the user experience but also ensure maximum player protection and operator transparency.
“Our goal is to extend the success and expertise that have always defined NOVOMATIC Italia in the land-based sector into the digital world. We want to offer operators and players an integrated ecosystem that combines technology, security, and innovation, reaffirming our Group’s leadership in online gaming,” said Markus Buechele, CEO of NOVOMATIC Italia.
This strategic vision was recognized when NOVOMATIC Italia received the “B2B Industry Leader Italy 2025” award at the SiGMA B2B Awards, in honour of the company’s excellence and ongoing commitment to an innovative, responsible and sustainable approach to development. The Group is not only addressing evolving market and regulatory challenges but also paving the way for a future in which innovation and sustainability move forward together.
Through ADMIRAL Pay, Quigioco and the major innovations showcased at SiGMA, NOVOMATIC Italia demonstrates how the convergence of digital payments and online gaming can drive growth, security, and long-term sustainability across the industry. By being built on innovation, responsibility and strategic vision, this model is positioning the company at the forefront of a tech-driven and sustainable future.
The post NOVOMATIC Italia Showcases Innovation and Responsible Growth at SiGMA 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
2026 iGaming Trends Report
Presenting Industry Trends and Celebrating 100 Brands: SOFTSWISS Shines at SiGMA Central Europe
Reading Time: 2 minutes
SOFTSWISS, a global tech leader in iGaming solutions, has wrapped up a remarkable showcase at SiGMA Central Europe 2025. From the launch of the 2026 iGaming Trends Report to the live-built Alfa Romeo 4C handover, the company once again demonstrated why it stands as the industry’s leading technology provider and creative pioneer.
One of the main highlights of the event was the official release of the 2026 iGaming Trends Report. The fourth edition offers a data-driven overview of the macro- and microtrends shaping the future of iGaming – from the industrialisation of AI to regulatory shifts, cybersecurity evolution, and the rise of brand trust.
To mark the launch, SOFTSWISS hosted the 2026 iGaming Trends Marathon, a four-hour live event featuring global thought leaders. In the opening panel discussion, Ivan Montik, Founder of SOFTSWISS, Heathcliff Farrugia, COO of SiGMA, and Pierre Lindh, CEO of NEXT.io, arranged the ‘Ultimate Forecast Duel,’ exploring which trends will define the industry’s next chapter.
Another key moment was the Alfa Romeo 4C gifting, organised to celebrate the launch of the 100th brand powered by SOFTSWISS software in 2025. The sports car, assembled live during the expo at the SOFTSWISS stand, became a symbol of the company’s engineering precision and team spirit.
During a special ceremony, Ivan Montik handed over the keys to one of SOFTSWISS’ valued partners, Lottu, represented by Hugo Baungartner, Chief Business Officer, marking another milestone in a long-standing partnership based on trust and shared success.
About SOFTSWISS
SOFTSWISS is an international technology company with over 15 years of experience in developing innovative solutions for the iGaming industry. SOFTSWISS provides comprehensive software for managing iGaming projects. The company’s product portfolio includes the Casino Platform, the Game Aggregator with over 36,700 casino games, Affilka Affiliate Platform, the Sportsbook Software and the Jackpot Aggregator. The expert team, based in Malta, Poland, and Georgia, counts over 2,000 employees.
The post Presenting Industry Trends and Celebrating 100 Brands: SOFTSWISS Shines at SiGMA Central Europe appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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