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European Gaming Q1 2024 Meetup: Exploring Innovation, Marketing, and the iGaming Industry Hubs
HIPTHER’s staple Quarterly Meetups for the Gaming industry have officially returned for 2024! The European Gaming Q1 Meetup 2024 took place on February 28 online, featuring an incredible lineup of speakers, including Ilya Machavariani, CEO and Senior Partner at 4H Agency, Krysta Muscat and Kevin Perks, International Recruiters at Van Kaizen, Jekaterina Dubnicka, Marketing & Communications Manager at Slotsjudge, Eberhard Dürrschmid, CEO at Golden Whale Productions, and John Chyriwsky, Head of Marketing at Fincore Ltd. HIPTHER’s Co-founder and Host-Extraordinaire, Zoltan Tuendik, moderated the panel discussions.
The Meetup sessions explored the gaming and technology industry, focusing on various topics such as the importance of innovation and transformation in the sector, strategies to combat offshore gambling, the emergence of Malta and the Isle of Man as iGaming industry hubs, potential future hubs for the gambling industry, marketing strategies in the gaming industry, and innovation in the gaming with a particular emphasis on personalization.
Gaming and TECH: Future Journey and Fight Against Offshore Gambling
The meeting kicked off highlighting the importance and intersection of gaming and technology industries, which will be explored at the upcoming MARE BALTICUM and Prague Gaming & TECH Summits by HIPTHER. Our first guest, Ilya Machavariani, CEO and Senior Partner at 4H Agency delved further into technology and the latest strategies in the global fight against offshore gambling.
Ilya discussed strategies to combat offshore gambling, proposing a separation into active and passive instruments. He suggested that governments should legalize all verticals of the industry and ensure operators obtain licenses. Ilya also emphasized the importance of transparent and sensible regulations and the role of technology in identifying and preventing access to offshore gambling sites. He highlighted the challenges of regulating and blocking websites from a governmental perspective and the need for international cooperation.
The discussion ended with a focus on improved consumer protection measures and the importance of educating consumers about potential risks associated with illegal gambling activities.
Gaming Industry Hubs: Malta, Isle of Man and Beyond
For the 2nd Session of the European Gaming Q1 Meetup, we welcomed Krysta Muscat and Kevin Perks, International Recruiters at Van Kaizen, to discuss iGaming hubs and hotspots of the Gaming Industry. Kevin introduced their global headhunting company that primarily serves the gaming sector, recruiting for approximately 140 businesses. The discussion revolved around the factors contributing to Malta and the Isle of Man emerging as hubs for the iGaming industry, with Krysta highlighting Malta’s modernized infrastructure and highly regulated environment, and Kevin pointing out the supportive government and dedicated government agency in the Isle of Man, along with its tax breaks. Both islands were found to have a skilled workforce and a multilingual population. Kevin also discussed the benefits of living on the Isle of Man, emphasizing the slower pace of life, the island’s 40% open space, and its status as one of the safest places in Europe. The discussion ended on the topic of the government’s efforts to promote the island and attract businesses, with a focus on recruitment strategies for gaming companies in competitive markets.
The session concluded with a discussion on potential future hubs for the iGaming industry, with Krysta and Kevin emphasizing on the US, Canada, Spain, Portugal, the UK, and Bulgaria, highlighting the significant interest and potential opportunities in these regions.
Marketing, Communication, and Community building in iGaming
In this first Marketing-focused session, Zoltan hosted our special guest Jekaterina Dubnicka – Marketing & Communications Manager at Slotsjudge. The conversation focused on marketing strategies in the gaming industry, with Jekaterina explaining the shift towards more interactive and immersive content by leveraging social media and video interviews, and focusing on SEO tools to gain insights into audience interests. She also provided insight into the role of community in the gaming experience, the importance of navigating strict regulatory environments while maintaining compliance and a strong brand voice, the importance of innovation in content creation and delivery, and emerging trends in the gaming industry.
Innovation and Personalization in Gaming Industry
The last panel discussion focused on innovation in the gaming industry, with a particular emphasis on personalization. Eberhard Dürrschmid, CEO at Golden Whale, and John Chyriwsky, Head of Marketing at Fincore Ltd joined us to discuss innovation in iGaming and Sports Betting. John highlighted the potential for improvement in the area of personalization and user experience, suggesting that platforms should “step up” to respond better to user needs. Eberhard pointed out the industry’s flexibility and the importance of meeting customer expectations, while John emphasized the need to enhance customer experience, suggesting the use of real-time data to create personalized experiences. He cited examples of successful companies that prioritize customer experience, such as Amazon and Uber. Eberhard also discussed the potential of AI and machine learning in the industry. The conversation concluded with a group exercise where participants shared their hopes for technology implementation in the gaming industry by the end of 2024.
Coming up Next:
Watch the recording of the European Gaming Q1 Meetup on HIPTHER TV, and keep an eye out for our next European Gaming Quarterly Meetups!
Gaming Corps, a publicly traded game development firm located in Sweden, has secured a major new UK launch after going live with Rank Interactive across 12 online brands managed by Rank Group Plc.
The contract provides Gaming Corps with entry to one of the UK’s most prominent and well-known gaming and entertainment organizations, with the studio’s content debuting in Rank’s diverse brand portfolio, featuring familiar names like Grosvenor Casinos, Mecca Bingo, and Mecca Games.
Covering both physical and online platforms, Rank Group is a prominent name in British entertainment, with a legacy that goes back to 1937. Currently, the company caters to 3.1 million active clients, runs 109 casinos and bingo halls, and oversees over 80 online brands.
Currently, Rank Interactive players can access new Gaming Corps titles such as Wild Woof Returns, featuring Sheriff Woof Garret on a mission to catch the outlaw Feline Four, and Whole Lotta Honey, a high-volatility scatter-pay slot centered on an exciting Beehive feature. The launch also provides Rank with access to the broader identity of the Gaming Corps portfolio, defined by unique mechanics like Smash4Cash
, A-Maze-Cades, and X-My-Way, which have enabled the studio to establish a more identifiable product style.
Graham Greensmith, Chief Commercial Officer at Gaming Corps, said: “The collaboration with Rank Interactive is a very exciting step for Gaming Corps because these are brands with real history, real scale and a very broad player base. It gives us the opportunity to place our content in front of audiences that engage with online gaming in very different ways, whether that is through casino, bingo or slots-led brands. For us, that is what makes this partnership so compelling. It is not just about reach; it is about relevance across a portfolio that plays an important role in the UK gaming market.”
Nolan Frendo, Head of Content at Rank Interactive, said: “When content is being introduced across a multi-brand estate like ours, it needs to have broad appeal while still bringing something fresh into the mix. Gaming Corps gives us that balance. Their games bring strong visual themes, real personality and plenty of energy, and we see this launch as an exciting addition across a number of our key brands.”
The post Gaming Corps Makes Strategic UK Entry Via Rank Interactive appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Fast-growing content producer announces its involvement in a long-awaited sequel.
Renowned iGaming content developer BGaming aims to capture significant victories once more in Fishing Club 2, the follow-up to one of the firm’s most profitable #Casual games.
Participants settle in around a picturesque lake before dropping their lines into the water to discover what prizes they might reel in. The game offers a first-person perspective, engaging players directly in the action while conveying the soothing ambiance of an actual fishing experience.
BGaming has considered players’ opinions on the original game and provided them with greater freedom in their gameplay of Fishing Club 2. Players can fish at three spots located at dawn, dusk, and twilight. This provides each session with a unique twist and enables players to discover the atmosphere that suits their preferences.
The new Fishing Club game offers two bonus features. The Fishing Net bonus, capable of being activated for ×60 the player’s wager, spreads widely, while the TNT Bonus, valued at ×100 the wager, creates a massive blast in the water. You can acquire both of these by using the Buy Bonus button, ensuring a victory.
A skilled angler retains trophies, and the game enables players to track theirs with the well-known features Best Win and Best Catch. These show the greatest single-spin win amount and the largest multipliers achieved.
Vasili Pauliuchenko, Game Producer at BGaming, said, “The original Fishing Club title is one of players’ most-loved #Casual games by BGaming. Having listened to their feedback, we are taking them back to the open waters in Fishing Club 2 with a few pivotal updates.
We love to give our players more control over how they play, and that is on full display with Fishing Club 2. They can decide when and where they fish and what tools to use for most successful angling. We are sure that such personalization will be a hit with the game’s fans and those new to the series.”
The post Hook Huge Rewards in Fishing Club 2 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
The impact of EPIC Global Solutions’ gambling harm education program in NCAA colleges during 2025 has been unveiled through the release of a new report, which confirmed that student-athletes are demonstrating high awareness of identifying problem gambling among themselves and team mates.
The Impact Report details how last year saw EPIC’s team of lived experience facilitators deliver to 92 unique institutions and groups within the NCAA, serving over 25,000 people across the spectrum of collegiate sports. After beginning delivery of the initiative in 2022, the running total over the first four years has now exceeded events at more than 300 venues and has engaged more than 100,000 student-athletes, coaches, and support staff.
The mix of authentic stories, key advice on recognizing signs of gambling-related harm, and where to seek support when the issue is presented – delivered by former athletes and college students who speak from personal experience of problem gambling or sporting integrity issues – is intended to empower audiences to make more informed decisions around their personal relationships with sports wagering and other forms of gambling.
Proving the value of the concept, post-session evaluation showed that 96% of student-athletes and 97% of staff reported they could recognize the signs of harmful gambling behavior as a result of interacting with the presentations. Supporting integrity across collegiate sport, the study also confirmed that 84% of student-athletes and 89% of staff now have good or excellent awareness of the NCAA sports wagering regulations.
Clint Hangebrauck, MD of Enterprise Risk Management at NCAA, said: “2025 has proven that sport globally is under immense pressure from the dangers of sports betting. From integrity matters, harassment, and problem gambling, athletes represent a highly vulnerable population that are negatively impacted by the rapid expansion of sports betting.
“The team at EPIC continues to deliver customized education that resonates in ways a poster, digital learning or powerpoint presentation cannot. Their personal stories are a gateway to changing perspective, starting crucial conversations, and empowering athletes to avoid the potential pitfalls which lay before them.
“EPIC and the NCAA remain steadfastly committed to growing this program to meet the needs of our membership.”
Paul Buck, CEO of EPIC Global Solutions, said: “There has been an increase in integrity matters, reports of problem gambling, and athlete harassment. At the time of a fast-growing industry sector, it is vitally important that athletes are protected and educated across the entire NCAA population with effective and modern education in a diverse and impactful way.
“EPIC is proud to be the primary educators of college athletes in the US, putting lived experience at the heart of everything that we do, and we look forward to building the program even further in the months and years ahead.
“We thank the NCAA for being proactive and thought-leading in efforts for athlete safety and look forward to furthering an already strong relationship in 2026, 2027, and beyond.”
The post EPIC and NCAA Publish 2025 Impact Report for Gambling Harm Education Program appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
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