Latest News
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!
Blueprintx
Zingo Bingo Launches “Your Era” Nostalgia Series Featuring Kerry Katona and Pat Sharp
Zingo Bingo Launches “Your Era” – A Social-First Nostalgia Series for 2026
Zingo Bingo has officially unveiled Your Era, a new short-form social media content series celebrating iconic throwbacks, shared nostalgia and the cultural moments that defined generations. The series launches in February 2026 and will roll out weekly across TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.
Designed to strengthen Zingo Bingo’s identity as a home of nostalgic fun, Your Era focuses on authentic conversation rather than traditional promotional content. The format highlights music, fashion, technology and pop culture milestones that shaped each guest’s personal journey.
Kerry Katona and Pat Sharp Headline Series One
The first confirmed guests include Kerry Katona, singer and media personality best known from Atomic Kitten, and Pat Sharp, the iconic radio and TV presenter associated with classic UK entertainment shows. Additional celebrity names will be revealed throughout the year.
Each episode features five themed nostalgia segments crafted to spark memories, conversation and emotional connections among viewers.
What to Expect from “Your Era”
Every guest takes part in recurring throwback features designed to boost engagement and relatability:
- The Memory Bag – Guests reveal five nostalgic items and share the stories behind them
- Flashback Files – A rapid-fire interview covering music, fashion, tech and cultural trends
- Mixtape Memories – Guests curate throwback tracks for the official Your Era playlist
- Taste of the Past – Sampling retro sweets and snacks while rating nostalgia levels
- Yesterday’s News – A humorous headline-guessing game using real throwback media stories
The series aims to tap into the growing popularity of nostalgia-driven digital content while positioning Zingo Bingo as a community-led entertainment brand.
Built by Kinetic Digital and Blueprintx
Your Era has been developed by Zingo Bingo’s operators, Kinetic Digital, in collaboration with long-term creative partner Blueprintx. Blueprintx has previously supported digital and television campaigns for Kinetic Digital brands including Prime Casino and Slingo.
The production strategy prioritises shareable, short-form content optimised for social discovery and influencer amplification, with episodes distributed across dedicated platform pages as well as guest channels.
A Strategic Play for Community Engagement
Jack Watson, Brand Manager at Zingo Bingo, said the series reflects the brand’s commitment to fun, familiarity and connection.
“Your Era is about celebrating the music we replayed, the fads we cringe at and the memories that still make us smile. It’s designed to bring people together through shared nostalgia while reminding audiences that bingo is about enjoying those moments collectively.”
Series one will feature six guests throughout 2026, with new weekly segments designed to drive audience engagement and repeat viewership.
The post Zingo Bingo Launches “Your Era” Nostalgia Series Featuring Kerry Katona and Pat Sharp appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
app launch Feb 2026
Vibra Solutions Powers Betxico Mobile App Launch in Mexico — Scalable iGaming Platform
Vibra Solutions, the LatAm-focused iGaming technology company, today announced the launch of Betxico’s new mobile app, strengthening Vibra’s presence in Mexico and accelerating Betxico’s rapid growth as one of the country’s fastest-expanding online betting and digital casino operators.
Built for scale and local market needs, the Betxico mobile app represents the latest milestone in a strategic partnership that prioritizes performance, regulatory compliance and user experience. The platform delivers robust support for high concurrent users and real-time transactions, making it well suited to Mexico’s dynamic mobile-first audience.
Fast, local, and scalable technology
Vibra Solutions and Betxico co-developed a scalable technical architecture designed to:
- Support large volumes of simultaneous users and real-time wagering activity
- Ensure low-latency, secure transactions across sportsbook and casino verticals
- Provide localized features and compliance-ready workflows for Mexico’s regulated market
- Enable rapid updates and continuous product innovation through an agile integration model
These technical strengths help Betxico quickly roll out competitive features while reducing time-to-market and operational friction for both mobile and web channels.
Partnership built on growth and trust
“Seeing Betxico establish itself in such a competitive market is extremely rewarding,” said Werter Luna, CEO of Vibra Solutions. “Their high standards and sustained trust have driven product evolution at every stage.”
Francisco Salazar, CCO of Betxico, added: “We’re proud of our progress in Mexico. Having Vibra Solutions as our technology partner was fundamental — allowing us to move forward with confidence and a strong focus on the user.”
Why this matters for Mexico and LatAm
The Betxico app launch underscores Vibra Solutions’ strategy to deliver regulated-market expertise across Latin America by combining localised product design with enterprise-grade platform engineering. For operators and partners, the app demonstrates how technology-led partnerships can accelerate growth while prioritizing player safety, compliance and seamless UX.
Operators, affiliates and players can expect ongoing feature rollouts and performance optimizations as Betxico scales its footprint in Mexico’s competitive iGaming market.
The post Vibra Solutions Powers Betxico Mobile App Launch in Mexico — Scalable iGaming Platform appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Latest News
ACR POKER LAUNCHES LARGEST PHIL’S THRILL EVER – AN XXL EDITION WITH $1.5 MILLION GUARANTEED
Aspiring high-stakes players can advance through the ‘Road to the Big One’ satellites and earn their ticket into one of the biggest weekly events on the ACR Poker schedule
ACR Poker is taking its popular weekly high-stakes tournament to another level with Phil’s Thrill XXL, featuring a massive $1.5 million guaranteed prize pool and taking place on Sunday, March 1st. And now with the ‘Road to the Big One’, players of all levels have the opportunity to compete in the $10,300 buy-in showdown, starting from just $95.
The Road to the Big One begins with Beast Satellites, where players can buy-in for $95 on Sunday, February 15th or 22nd at 5:05pm ET. Both satellites guarantee 50 tickets to the next stage, the Mega Satellites, which take place on Sunday, February 22nd and March 1st at 11:05am ET. Players also have the option to buy-in directly to the Mega Satellites for $1,050, with each guaranteeing 20 seats into Phil’s Thrill XXL event, starting Sunday, March 1st at 2:30pm ET.
“Playing Phil’s Thrill is always a highlight for me. The mix of elite competition and atmosphere is unlike any other tournament,” said ACR Pro Chris Moneymaker. “I love how the Road to the Big One gives every player the chance to start small, earn their way into one of the biggest tournaments on the schedule, and battle for massive prizes alongside some of the best players in the game. That journey is what makes it so exciting.”
Designed to deliver the excitement and intensity of high-stakes poker, Phil’s Thrill unites poker’s elite and fearless competitors eager to battle for massive prize pools every week, including ACR Pros Chris Moneymaker and Chris Moorman.
The inaugural event on July 6th last year attracted 46 players for a $460,000 prize pool. Momentum quickly followed, with the August 17th Phil’s Thrill tournament setting a record of 79 entries and a massive $790,000 prize pool. Last Sunday’s 62-entry event generated a $620,000 prize pool, with ACR Poker CEO Phil Nagy finishing in 12th place and ‘FASTPLAYFAST’ claiming the crown, bragging rights, and $173,600.
Poker fans can also get front-row access to Phil’s Thrill action through ACR Poker’s live stream on Twitch, hosted by ACR Pro Rob Kuhn, who welcomes big-name guests every week such as Dylan Linde, Lewis Spencer, and Martin Zamani, among others.
For further details on the ‘Road to the Big One’ Phil’s Thrill XXL, visit ACRPoker.eu.
The post ACR POKER LAUNCHES LARGEST PHIL’S THRILL EVER – AN XXL EDITION WITH $1.5 MILLION GUARANTEED appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
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