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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!
Bucharest
Eeze set for expansive new Bucharest office location
Eeze, the next-generation games provider, is set to move into its brand-new office space in the heart of Bucharest as it further scales the business at a rapid pace.
The 1,200 square metre space in the AFI Floreasca office project will serve as a major hub for both technical teams and live casino tables, making it the third key office for Eeze, alongside its Malta and London spaces.
The new office is situated in a modern business campus, with AFI Floreasca setting the benchmark for ESG compliance and energy efficiency in Bucharest.
The move further highlights the commercial progress the supplier has achieved over the last 12 months, with the Bucharest expansion following a planned major upgrade to Eeze’s Malta hub, which is well underway, and the opening of a fresh office in a landmark Hammersmith location in central London.
Lai Fatt Chiang, CEO at Eeze, said: “The commercial progress we’ve made has been reinvested in our core infrastructure, and we’re delighted to pave the way for us to move into a standout location in the heart of Bucharest’s business district.
“We have made a commitment to our staff to deliver best-in-class office space, and this latest step reinforces that, ensuring our employees can enjoy great places to work across our three hubs.”
The post Eeze set for expansive new Bucharest office location appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
BGaming
Land Diamond-Encrusted Prizes in BGaming’s Jewel Boom Super Drop
Popular iGaming content provider BGaming rolls back the years with the release of its new publishing title Jewel Boom Super Drop. The game belongs to the #Classic category of BGaming’s portfolio, combining retro aesthetics with modern mechanics to serve up an exciting slot experience.
The game uses a simple 1×3 EZ-Reel
setup inspired by one-armed bandit slot machines. It utilises a pay-on-line payout mechanic, with players securing wins when they land Coin symbols anywhere on the row.
Jewel Boom Super Drop puts a modern twist on classic gameplay thanks to the Collector symbols. These land on the middle reel and can trigger Super Spins and create multiplier boosts of up to x100. Additional multipliers can also land during the Super Spins.
Five of the game’s biggest prizes await those lucky enough to trigger the Jackpot feature. This may be triggered anytime players land a Diamond symbol. Players can win the Mini, Minor, Major, Mega, and Max Jackpots, which are worth x25, x50, x100, x200, and x1,000, respectively, by matching the same Jackpot symbols on the first and third reels. The game’s maximum win is x3,000.
The slot’s streamlined yet engaging gameplay makes it a perfect addition for operators seeking titles that deliver long sessions with minimal churn. It is rated medium-volatility and has an impressive RTP of 96.50%.
Igor Bondarenko, Product Owner of Publishing at BGaming, said, “Jewel Boom Super Drop is the perfect addition to our ever-growing #Classic gaming world, with the Collector and multiplier mechanics perfectly complementing the slot’s nostalgic vibes.
Like many of our #Classic titles, the game offers a familiar design while providing fresh, engaging features to help it stand out from similarly-themed slots.”
The post Land Diamond-Encrusted Prizes in BGaming’s Jewel Boom Super Drop appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Conferences
Gaming in Finland @ICE announces program
With Finland set to re-regulate its iGaming market this year, Gaming in Europe, in close collaboration with local stakeholders, has decided to host a Gaming in Finland Evening Conference at ICE Barcelona 2026.
The event will take place on January 19, 2026, from 18:00 until 22:00, at a location close to the main ICE venue.
Topics and speakers
At present, the following sessions have been confirmed:
Legal & regulatory update: Preparing your entry into the regulated Finnish iGaming market
Pekka Ilmivalta, Head of Finnish Office, Nordic Legal; Morten Ronde, Founding Partner, Nordic Legal
What sets Finland apart: The unique characteristics of the Finnish gambling market
Jari Vähänen, Founding Partner, The Finnish Gambling Consultants
Will the Finnish market be profitable? A scenario: 2027-2031
Mika Kuismanen, CEO, The Finnish Trade Association for Online Gambling
The Finnish iGaming market in numbers
Josh Hodgson, COO, H2 Gambling Capital
Knowns and unknowns of Finnish gambling compliance & how to prepare in the meantime
Niklas Bondestam, CEO, Ubetec; Jessica Maier, Co-Founder, EGARA; Paul Foster, CEO, Crucial Compliance
Gaming in Europe founder Willem van Oort commented: “I am extremely pleased that we managed to bring all these experts together. If you are interested in the Finnish market and would like to personally meet with local stakeholders, the Gaming in Finland Evening Conference @ICE is undoubtedly the place to do it. I think Finland is going to be an exciting market and I am happy that – here, too – Gaming in Europe can play a role in creating important connections between domestic and international stakeholders.”
When & where
The event takes place Monday, January 19, 2026, from 18:00 until 22:00 at the five-star Renaissance Barcelona Hotel – close to the Fira de Barcelona, where the main ICE event is located.
Please note that only those who have received definitive confirmation of their attendance will be allowed access to this event.
Register your interest now
Places at the inaugural Gaming in Finland event are strictly limited. If you are considering attending this event, please register your interest through this link: www.gamingineu/finland. We will let you know as soon as possible whether we have a seat available for you.
At present, 100+ decision makers have already confirmed their attendance!
Join our Gaming in Finland LinkedIn group
In the meantime, feel free to join our Gaming in Finland LinkedIn group, where we will share the latest news and updates on the Finnish market.
Sponsorship opportunities available
Sponsorship and media partnership opportunities are available. Please contact Willem van Oort at [email protected] for more information.
The post Gaming in Finland @ICE announces program appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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