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!
Latest News
Atlaslive Shortlisted in Three Categories at the European iGaming Awards 2026
Atlaslive has been shortlisted for three categories at the European iGaming Awards 2026: Best Customer Service Award, Best Sportsbetting Innovation, and Best iGaming Platform Supplier.
The European iGaming Awards is held annually during ICE Barcelona and brings together companies shaping the future of sportsbook and casino technology. The 2026 ceremony will take place on 19 January 2026 in Barcelona, recognising providers whose work has gained strong industry attention during the year.
Atlaslive’s shortlisting reflects a year of steady product improvement, new sportsbook features, and strengthened service operations. The company has focused on creating tools that support operator growth while keeping platform setup flexible and transparent.
“The shortlist recognizes the work our people do every day. Most improvements never make it into headlines, but together they shape the experience our partners and their players have every day. Being named in three categories tells us that this everyday work matters.”
—Anastasiia Poltavets, CMO, Atlaslive
About the European iGaming Awards
Organized by Datateam Business Media, the European iGaming Awards highlight companies that bring reliable products, thoughtful features, and stable services to the sector. Finalists are selected by a panel of industry professionals, with winners announced during the awards ceremony held alongside ICE Barcelona.
About Atlaslive
Atlaslive is a global B2B iGaming platform provider offering sportsbook and casino technology built for high-load environments. The company focuses on product quality, platform stability, and open communication with operators worldwide.
This document is provided to you for your information and discussion only. This document was based on public sources of information and was created by the Atlaslive team for marketing usage. It is not a solicitation or an offer to buy or sell any gambling-related product. Nothing in this document constitutes legal or business development advice. This document has been prepared from sources Atlaslive believes to be reliable, but we do not guarantee its accuracy or completeness and do not accept liability for any loss arising from its use. Atlaslive reserves the right to remedy any errors that may be present in this document.
About Atlaslive
Atlaslive, formerly known as Atlas-IAC, underwent a rebranding campaign in May 2024. It is a B2B software development company that specializes in creating a multifunctional and automated platform to optimize the workflow of sports betting and casino operators. Key components of the Atlaslive Platform include Sportsbook, Casino, Risk Management and Anti-Fraud Tools, CRM, Bonus Engine, Business Analytics, Payment Systems, and Retail Module. Follow the company on LinkedIn to stay updated with the latest news in iGaming technology.
Latest News
How RocketWisdom Turned From An Internal Activity Into a Marketing Case
When looking for ways to unite a community through genuine engagement, The Book of RocketWisdom shows what can happen when a brand chooses to honour its players. Originally created as a small tribute — a quiet gesture of gratitude toward the RocketPlay community — the project captures over 100 real strategies, insights and gameplay habits shared by players themselves.
What began as an intimate, non-public initiative has now taken on a life of its own. The book has been downloaded thousands of times and continues to appear in streams, media features and YouTube discussions — a rare case where authentic player voices grew into a meaningful, high-impact content project. Discover how a small, community-led initiative unexpectedly developed into a successful marketing case.
How the Project Started
RocketWisdom began very differently from what it is today. Initially, the project was not designed as a campaign or public initiative. It originated as a small, personal effort within the RocketPlay team — intended solely as a meaningful gesture to the existing community. The team wanted to better understand how players think about the game, how they make intuitive choices during play, and which personal strategies they rely on.
To explore this, RocketPlay didn’t turn to numbers — it turned to people. The team listened to real player voices, collecting their stories, habits and small rituals that shape how they play.
Based on the quality of insights gathered, the decision was made to convert this material into a document that would preserve the authentic voice of the community. That format eventually became The Book of RocketWisdom. Designed as a collection of 100 real strategies based on player stories, it was produced as a warm, personal project. The Book was something intended to remain exclusive to the community, not to be used as a tool for communication or promotion.
An Unexpected Turn
The turning point came from where no one expected it. While the book was still in its final layout, the contractor working on the design felt it was too special to stay unseen — and quietly shared it with a few streamers.
The reaction was immediate. During the final layout stage, the book designers — genuinely moved by the material — shared the book with a small group of streamers, believing it deserved to live beyond a private archive and reach the very players it celebrated.
On air, streamers opened it with surprise, asking, “What is this, and who made it?”
The RocketPlay team watched in real time as curiosity turned into enthusiasm. Within minutes, chat rooms lit up, inboxes began to fill, and it became clear that a tribute intended for a closed community was suddenly becoming a public discovery.

Streamers began flipping through the pages live, reacting to the strategies, laughing, debating them with viewers — all in real time. They still had no idea who created the book. But after a quick search of the title, they found an earlier mention of the project in industry media — one of RocketPlay’s previous publications — and realised the book belonged to RocketPlay.
That moment changed everything.
As soon as the connection was made, the viewer’s interest surged. The RocketPlay inbox filled up almost instantly — emails, DMs, comments, messages from every channel asking the same thing: “Where can I get this book?”
For a project that had never been announced publicly, the volume was overwhelming in the best possible way. It felt like the community had discovered a gift meant for them — and wanted to be part of it immediately.

What started as a quiet internal project had suddenly become something the community was actively asking for — and the momentum was too strong to ignore. The decision to open RocketWisdom to everyone was made almost instantly, driven by the simple thought: if players want it, they should have it.
Within days, the team assembled a dedicated landing page, prepared the book for public release, and shifted the project from an internal archive to open access.
Release and Reaction
The impact of that decision was visible immediately. Website traffic spiked on the launch day. At the time of writing this case, the book has already been downloaded more than 10,000 times. The number continues to rise, which suggests a strong level of sustained interest rather than a short-term campaign effect.
Following release, the project gained momentum naturally. Without formal promotion, RocketWisdom appeared in thematic media reports, industry articles, printed gaming publications and YouTube content. Several streamers integrated the book into their broadcasts, selecting individual strategies and testing them live for their audiences. Those who first showed the book were later contacted, and RocketPlay established partnerships with them, providing personalised bonuses to support their content.

At this stage, the project has featured in approximately 80 streams and has been referenced across more than 50 industry publications. It has also been covered in 3 major interviews and discussed by creators with high viewer reach.
What stands out about RocketWisdom is that it never started as marketing. It began as a warm, community-focused project — and only later turned into a high-performing communication case because players recognised themselves in it. Its success came from resonance, not planning.
For RocketPlay, the project became a reminder of who truly shapes the brand. And for the players, it became a gesture of appreciation that grew far beyond its initial intention. RocketWisdom continues to expand organically, showing that the strongest stories in iGaming still come from people.
The Book of RocketWisdom remains available for free download on the RocketPlay website. It contains 100 real strategies shared by actual players, and can be used by anyone wishing to explore them in practice.
Altenar
Altenar strengthens global footprint with Betico sportsbook agreement
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Leading provider delivers premium, fully-managed sportsbook to modernise Betico’s offering
Altenar, a leading sportsbook provider, has expanded its presence in key global markets through a new partnership with the Betico brand.
Founded in 2025, Betico has built a strong reputation for reliability and entertainment. Through the partnership, Betico will transform its sports betting offering by leveraging Altenar’s fully-managed sportsbook solution, combining advanced technology with its in-house PAM for maximum efficiency and scalability.
The collaboration will enable Betico to benefit from Altenar’s renowned sportsbook features, including customised betting options, advanced risk management, platform management, and robust compliance controls.
This partnership reinforces Altenar’s position as a trusted sportsbook technology provider in regulated markets, delivering high-performance, scalable, and adaptable solutions that meet the evolving needs of operators.
By combining innovation with operational excellence, Altenar continues to set the standard for reliability and growth in the global betting industry.
Vagelis Bairlis, Senior Sales Manager at Altenar, said: “We’re proud to support Betico’s growth as it enhances its offering with our premium sportsbook services, designed to deliver cutting-edge features and a seamless experience for players.
“This collaboration underscores Altenar’s ability to deliver reliable, scalable, and fully compliant solutions tailored to operators’ unique needs, ensuring sustainable growth in competitive global markets.”
Dmytro Dobronravov, COO at Betico, added: “We’re delighted to partner with Altenar as our new sportsbook provider. We were looking for a premium option to collaborate with, and Altenar’s reputation for innovation and dependability made them the perfect choice.
“Their fully-managed sportsbook solution, combined with advanced features and strong compliance standards, gives us the confidence to deliver an exceptional betting experience to our players.”
The post Altenar strengthens global footprint with Betico sportsbook agreement appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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