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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!
EMEA ESPORTS
MOVEMBER TEAMS UP WITH RIOT GAMES EMEA ESPORTS
TLDR:
- Movember is partnering with the League of Legends EMEA Championship (LEC), VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT) EMEA, and Game Changers EMEA Championship as the Official Mental Health Partner, supporting players, team staff and the wider community for the 2026 and 2027 seasons.
Date: January 20, 2026 [London]
What you need to know:
- Riot Games and Movember announce a multi-year partnership focused on embedding mental health and wellbeing into the EMEA esports ecosystem.
- The partnership will integrate mental health and wellbeing frameworks, support systems, and initiatives across the leagues.
- Movember will provide tools and resources to better manage competitive pressure, build healthier habits, and be encouraged to discuss mental health openly.
- Planned initiatives for the upcoming year include mental health training for players and staff, and player-only roundtables on stress and coping strategies, with a view to use this to cascade content and guidance to the wider esports community.
- Movember will share messaging on the broadcasts and on-site during events that highlight the importance of mental health and help reduce the stigma around honest discussions and seeking help when needed.
- Together, Movember and Riot Games aim to make the gaming environment a healthier environment for all.
Quote from Daniel Ringland, Head of VALORANT Esports, EMEA:
“Supporting the wellbeing of the VCT EMEA community, our players, and team staff is something we are committed to strengthening, so we’re thrilled to welcome Movember as a partner. While supporting open conversations and ensuring our players know trusted resources are available is a priority, this partnership also helps raise awareness around mental health and wellbeing across the wider VCT EMEA community. Movember’s expertise will help normalize these discussions beyond the competitive stage, and provide the tools so everyone connected to our ecosystem feels supported by professionals committed to making a positive impact.”
Quote from Maximilian Peter Schmidt, Director of League of Legends Esports, EMEA
“Partnering with Movember allows us to take our commitment to supporting the wellbeing of our players and teams to the next level. We want our community to feel empowered to speak openly about the challenges they face and know resources are available if needed. Gaming should be a safe and healthy space for everyone, and this partnership will help us ensure that the environment is maintained and strengthened.”
Quote from Dan Cooper, Global Director, Innovations at Movember:
“Movember is committed to bring community first solutions to today’s most urgent mental health challenges. Esports is a focus area for our work in mental health, and by working with Riot Games we aim to have a real impact and drive positive change in esports.”
The post MOVEMBER TEAMS UP WITH RIOT GAMES EMEA ESPORTS appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
2RBO Affiliates
2RBO Affiliates Wins “Affiliate Marketing Campaign of the Year” at the 19th International Gaming Awards
2RBO Affiliates is proud to announce that it was honored with the Affiliate Marketing Campaign of the Year award at the 19th annual International Gaming Awards (IGA).
The ceremony took place on January 18th, at the Intercontinental Hotel Barcelona, bringing together the global elite from both the online and land-based gaming sectors.
The “Affiliate Marketing Campaign of the Year” is a highly competitive category designed to recognize innovative approaches to brand recognition and popularity. In selecting the winner, IGA judges evaluate the unique strategies that generate the most significant impact, drive sales, and successfully develop a business’s identity.
“We are incredibly honored to receive this recognition from our peers and industry insiders,” said Aviv Rosenblit, Head of Affiliates at 2RBO. “This award validates our commitment to pushing creative boundaries and delivering scalable, sustainable growth for our partners through innovation and transparency.”
2RBO Affiliates continues to set the pace for the industry with its advanced platform and a portfolio of leading iGaming brands, including Betinia, Swiper, CampoBet, and ToonieBet. By seamlessly integrating unique gamification features with state-of-the-art designs, the program delivers an unmatched user experience that maximizes partner profitability and long-term engagement.
Supported by renowned industry newspaper The iGaming Post, the IGA is celebrated as the “biggest and best charity event of the year.” By winning this nomination, 2RBO Affiliates solidifies its position as a high-performance leader dedicated to fostering long-term partnerships through personalized support and innovative tracking tools.
For more information about the affiliate program and their award-winning campaigns, visit 2rbo Affiliates.
About 2RBO Affiliates
2RBO Affiliates is a high-performance affiliate program representing top-tier iGaming brands. By combining modern gamification and flexible commission models with real-time performance data and proactive compliance measures, 2RBO delivers a superior experience for partners worldwide, ensuring growth and loyalty in a competitive landscape.
About the International Gaming Awards (IGA)
The International Gaming Awards (IGA) recognizes excellence across the global gaming industry. Bringing together professionals from every tier—from mobile gaming innovators to luxury casino operators—the IGA celebrates industry leadership while raising vital funds for deserving charities worldwide.
The post 2RBO Affiliates Wins “Affiliate Marketing Campaign of the Year” at the 19th International Gaming Awards appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Eastern Europe
GameTimeTec Set to Access Emerging Markets Through QTech Games
QTech Games, the leading game aggregator for all emerging markets, has continued to maintain the momentum in its content pipeline, thanks to its latest deal with rising star supplier, GameTimeTec, a casino developer consistently producing dynamic content across slots, arcade, crash, dice, and card genres.
GameTimeTec’s ShowTime portfolio of slots and arcade-style games always brings something fresh, with popular titles now including Lucky Clover (Hold and Spin), Glory of Olympus (Unlocked), Air Gold (Miles Jackpot), Vikings Thunder, Chimon, SpinTop, Fortune Avengers, Sugar Love, and Celtic Bash. All these games ride on the back of exceptional maths modelling that varies the volatility spectrum, helping to foster some truly engaging gameplay.
The deal organically broadens GameTimeTec’s international footprint, unlocking unmined jurisdictions for diversified growth from Asia to Africa and Eastern Europe to Latin America.
CJ Shaw, CEO at GameTimeTec, commented: “We’re naturally thrilled to have teamed up with QTech Games to improve our distribution across emerging regions, seamlessly offering our fantastic games to a range of untapped operators.”
“It’s all about delivering more high-performing games, appealing to a broader range of players across the igaming spectrum – notably, slots, arcade, crash, dice, and card games. We strive to deliver balanced gameplay mechanics, varied volatility and sophisticated maths models, giving our games global appeal.”
Philip Doftvik, CEO, QTech Games, said: “GameTimeTec’s content brings a level of energy and engagement that we’re delighted to share across our sprawling network for emerging markets. Like us, they know that localised solutions comprise the key to success across this patchwork quilt of opportunities.”
The post GameTimeTec Set to Access Emerging Markets Through QTech Games appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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