EurAsia
Fast Track’s Simon Lidzén Wins Best CEO 2024 Award at Sigma Eurasia
In recognition of his visionary leadership within the iGaming industry, Simon Lidzén, co-founder and CEO of Fast Track, has been honoured with the prestigious Best CEO 2024 award at the Sigma Eurasia event.
The award – granted annually to exceptional industry leaders – not only recognises Lidzén’s outstanding leadership but also Fast Track’s significant contributions to the digitalisation of the iGaming industry and inspiring teams and businesses to embrace change with cutting-edge technologies and AI.
His ability to set and commit to a strategic vision and provide direction, coupled with a deep commitment to fostering a culture and environment where the team can succeed, has placed Fast Track at the forefront of the industry, earning the company a world-class NPS of +77 and Great Place to Work certification for two consecutive years, with a Trust Index of 91% ranking Fast Track amongst the best employers in the world.
Reflecting on this achievement, Lidzén highlights the unwavering commitment and innovative spirit of the Fast Track team: “I’m truly honoured by this award. It was something I never saw coming. I’m very passionate about driving change, and I get to do that every single day with my team at Fast Track. They’re the most incredible and capable group of people I’ve ever worked with. They push me to be better every day, and therefore, this award is as much theirs as it is mine.”
As Fast Track continues to push the boundaries of innovation and service excellence, Simon Lidzén’s leadership remains a driving force behind the company’s success and its lasting impact on the iGaming industry.
Compliance Updates
Armenia Launches Sweeping Gambling Payment Reform
Armenia accelerated one of the most aggressive gambling regulatory reforms in Eurasia after approving new measures to control digital platforms, advertising, payments and financial supervision across the betting sector. The strategy promoted by the government of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan aims to strengthen legal gambling operations, increase fiscal oversight and tighten control over offshore operators in a market that has expanded dramatically over the past decade.
The reform is being driven by the Ministry of Finance of Armenia led in 2026 by Vahe Hovhannisyan, together with the State Revenue Committee headed by Rustam Badasyan. The main political architect behind the changes is MP Hayk Sargsyan from the ruling Civil Contract party.
The core of the reform focuses on payments and financial monitoring. Armenia plans to block transfers to unlicensed gambling operators, strengthen AML/KYC requirements and connect licensed platforms directly to state monitoring systems operating in real time. Armenia is advancing the software operator selection for its centralised gaming monitoring center, following the legal framework established in early 2024 to connect platforms directly to state systems in real time.
The 2026 update focuses on accelerating the public tender for the private operator, rather than the initial creation of the monitoring infrastructure, with the State Revenue Committee (SRC) leading the technological implementation. The fiscal framework is also becoming stricter. Since July 1, 2025, Armenia has applied a 10% turnover tax on gambling operations, while online gaming license costs doubled in April 2025 and are scheduled to continue increasing annually through 2028.
According to official figures cited by lawmakers, Armenia’s gambling turnover reached approximately AMD 6.3 trillion in 2023, equivalent to nearly €14 billion, while online casino deposits climbed to AMD 811 billion during 2024.
The government also tightened gambling advertising restrictions, limiting promotions to luxury hotels, border checkpoints and authorised operator channels. Armenian authorities argue that the new regulatory model is designed to protect legal operators, reinforce financial traceability and modernise state supervision over one of Eurasia’s fastest-growing digital industries.
The post Armenia Launches Sweeping Gambling Payment Reform appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Armenia
TaDa to Participate in MAC Yerevan Summit
TaDa Gaming is going to participate in MAC Yerevan summit, one of the industry’s most influential gatherings for affiliate marketing and online gaming professionals, this 26-27 May.
With a strategic plan to: expand its footprint in Eastern and Eurasian markets; strengthen its partner and affiliate network; and demonstrate its 240+ portfolio of performance-driven content and award-winning gamification tools, TaDa will host live demonstrations, interactive play and one-to-one meetings at Stand G10.
In addition, the team will reveal TaDa’s seamless API integration capabilities, data-driven performance insights across key markets and the flexible collaboration models that make TaDa a valuable partner.
Speeding up successful outcomes in the conversion funnel is also critical. TaDa’s approach to Eastern and Eurasian markets has seen the provider expand from a supplier role into a “Growth Partner” for operators.
This has turned TaDa products into high-performance engines for traffic acquisition and business results and seen the company take the award for Game Studio of the Year 2026 at AIBC Eurasia.
Access to high growth markets across the region has been further enhanced by TaDa’s raft of gaming licences including the Romanian ONJN, UKGC and MGA and new player acquisition channels have already opened up for the ambitious content provider.
Visitors to Stand G10 will also be able to discover how TaDa combines its premium product content with integrated marketing strategies to optimise this traffic to amplify brand recognition and player engagement and retention; and to scale affiliate revenue engines.
Ray Lee, Director of Business Development at TaDa Gaming, said: “Our focus is on delivering content that performs. MAC Yerevan provides the ideal environment to connect with forward-thinking operators and affiliates who are looking for scalable, revenue-generating solutions.
“From our unique fish-shooting titles, trademarked slot series and award-winning Crash games, we are delivering next gen gaming that is shaping the future of iGaming. We welcome everyone to visit Stand G10 and find out more.”
The post TaDa to Participate in MAC Yerevan Summit appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Adjarabet
Octoplay launches in Georgia with Adjarabet
Deal extends Octoplay’s partnership with Flutter Entertainment as the supplier adds more regulated market launches in 2026.
Octoplay has entered the Georgian market after going live with Adjarabet, the country’s online gaming operator owned by Flutter Entertainment.
The launch extends Octoplay’s partnership with Flutter, following a series of operator integrations the studio says it has completed since the start of 2026. Since January, Octoplay said it has gone live with Paf in Finland, PokerStars in Spain and Italy, Superbet in Brazil, and Novibet in Greece.
The company also pointed to its “largest U.S. market entry to date” in Michigan in December 2025, where it debuted simultaneously with BetMGM, FanDuel, Fanatics and Rush Street Interactive.
“Launching with Adjarabet brings our content to Georgian players for the first time and marks another successful collaboration with Flutter Entertainment,” says Saba Ugrelidze, CEO (Chief Elvis Officer) at Octoplay. “This launch continues the momentum we’ve built across key markets worldwide, with five successful integrations since January alone.”
“We are pleased to partner with Octoplay and introduce their portfolio to our players,” says Avtandil Oboladze, Gaming Director at Adjarabet. “Having proven their quality across Flutter Entertainment’s network, Octoplay aligns with our commitment to delivering exceptional gaming experiences to Georgian players.”
Octoplay said it now holds active licenses in 17 jurisdictions: the United Kingdom, New Jersey, Michigan, Italy, Spain, Ontario, Sweden, the Netherlands, Denmark, Belgium, Greece, Romania, Malta, Slovakia, Brazil, Finland, and Georgia.
The post Octoplay launches in Georgia with Adjarabet appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
-
Asia5 days agoS8UL streamer Payal Dhare and OWND! launch gamer-curated fashion capsule
-
Asia5 days agoS8UL Announces Campa Energy as Title Sponsor for its Esports World Cup 2026 Campaign
-
Asia5 days agoEGT Digital to Debut Highly Anticipated “TNT Jack” Slot at SiGMA Asia 2026
-
Compliance Updates5 days agoPA Gaming Control Board Levies Fines Totaling $180,000
-
content-supplier4 days agoPragmatic Play adds football theme to Big Bass series with new slot
-
Africa4 days agoMozzartBet is Live on Fast Track’s AI-native CRM Platform
-
Amatic Industries5 days agoAmatic Industries to Participate in Belgrade Future Gaming Show
-
ANJL5 days agoBetting in Brazil under credit restrictions and regulatory debates



