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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!
Latest News
NOVOMATIC celebrates the grand opening of Spielbank Rostock

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The Spielbank Rostock officially opened its doors on October 16 with a glamorous celebration that marked a new chapter for premium entertainment in northern Germany. Following a comprehensive construction phase, the new venue at Petridamm stands as an impressive example of contemporary casino design, technological innovation, and first-class entertainment.
Grand opening with guests from politics, business, and media
During the exclusive pre-opening event, media representatives and invited guests from the areas of politics and business were given an exclusive first tour of the new casino. The management of Spielbanken MV GmbH & Co. KG, a subsidiary of the NOVOMATIC AG Group, was joined by NOVOMATIC Executive Board Member Stefan Krenn, who officially opened the event with a speech highlighting the project’s significance as a model for sustainable investment, regional value creation, and innovative entertainment culture.
An evening full of highlights and entertainment
At 4 p.m., the doors opened to the public for an evening filled with highlights, culinary delights, and premium entertainment. Musical performances by the Rostock band 4FUN and pianist Maximilian Kraft ensured a lively atmosphere and added the perfect finishing touch to a festive night.
“With the new Spielbank Rostock, we have created an experience that goes far beyond traditional gaming. This project perfectly reflects our philosophy of combining technology, design, and entertainment at the highest level – while embracing responsibility and innovation, all with a regional touch. From the very first night, we wanted to offer our guests an open and welcoming atmosphere that invites interaction, conversation, and celebration,” emphasized Thomas Fritz, Managing Director of Spielbanken MV GmbH & Co. KG.
A special highlight of the evening was the official opening of the new BOLD event area – a spacious club with a contemporary bar and lounge atmosphere designed to host live entertainment, themed evenings, show programs, and poker tournaments with up to ten tables.
Modern gaming at the highest level
As the only casino in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern to combine classic table games and modern electronic gaming, Spielbank Rostock offers a premium gaming experience. Guests can enjoy four Roulette tables, two Blackjack and two Poker tables, as well as a modern gaming floor of more than 1,300 m² featuring around 130 NOVOMATIC electronic gaming terminals of the latest generation.
The venue also sets new standards in sustainability and technology. In addition to the advanced thermal insulation, the waste warmth generated by the gaming terminals is used to heat the building, while a state-of-the-art photovoltaic system on the roof contributes to its overall energy efficiency.
The innovative NOVOVISION casino management system was implemented as the new operational business backbone that ensures the highest security standards in the areas of player protection and compliance, including automated checks against the nationwide OASIS exclusion database. All 130 electronic gaming machines and jackpots, the cash handling via TITO, the access system and player management as well as all business processes and the entire AML monitoring are centrally managed via NOVOVISION
.
A strong regional driver for economy and tourism
With a total investment of around EUR 8.9 million and up to 90 new staff, Spielbank Rostock is not only the largest and most modern casino in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern but also an important tourism and economic catalyst for the region.
The post NOVOMATIC celebrates the grand opening of Spielbank Rostock appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
BETBY
BETBY ENHANCES ESPORTS BETTING EXPERIENCE WITH EXPANDED TOP-TIER PLAYER PROPS COVERAGE

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BETBY, the leading provider of innovative sportsbook solutions, has further strengthened its esports portfolio by expanding its player props coverage across the most popular competitive gaming titles: Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2, League of Legends, and Valorant.
The update extends to both pre-match and live betting, introducing a variety of new markets that add depth to the esports betting experience. Among the highlights are new player performance markets such as total kills available across all four titles, total headshots for Counter-Strike 2, or most kills for Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2, and League of Legends.
These markets bring a new dimension to esports betting, allowing users to follow individual performance metrics and in-game outcomes in real time. By covering both live and pre-match events, BETBY ensures that its partners can deliver an immersive experience at every stage of competition.
This enhancement follows a series of updates that have reinforced BETBY’s position as a tier-one esports content provider. Over the past twelve months, BETBY’s work in esports has been recognised with six industry awards, reflecting growing recognition of the supplier’s esports excellence and contribution to shaping the future of the esports betting ecosystem.
Kirill Nekrasov, Head of Sportsbook Product at BETBY, commented: “Esports audiences are incredibly engaged and data-savvy, they follow players and statistics as closely as the matches themselves. By expanding our player props coverage across major titles, we’re giving operators the ability to offer users a more granular and dynamic betting experience, both before the match and live in-play. Combined with our already launched H2H markets across all top-tier titles and MVP offerings for major tournaments, this update further strengthens our position as a leading B2B esports solutions provider.”
To find out more about BETBY’s cutting-edge sportsbook solution visit booth 4045 during SiGMA Central Europe. Attendees will have the opportunity to engage with BETBY’s team, and discover how the supplier’s solutions and services can be their winning aspect for their iGaming project.
The post BETBY ENHANCES ESPORTS BETTING EXPERIENCE WITH EXPANDED TOP-TIER PLAYER PROPS COVERAGE appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
gaming and gambling harms
Ygam achieve milestone of reaching 5 million young people

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Ygam has now surpassed the milestone of reaching an estimated five million children and young people across the UK through its portfolio of prevention programmes.
Founded in 2014, Ygam has now delivered its award-winning training and resources on gaming and gambling harms to over 32,000 delegates.
Ygam’s reach extends beyond the education sector, with training delivered to more than 5,500 professionals working across health and social care — including hospitals, health boards, GP surgeries, and community nursing settings. This work, aligned with a public health approach to preventing gambling harms, has directly contributed to the digital safeguarding of nearly half a million children and young people accessing health services.
With growing concerns from parents and carers about the role of gaming and gambling in the wider online safety conversation, Ygam has become a trusted and respected source of advice and guidance for families. The charity has delivered workshops to more than 4,500 parents and carers.
Ygam is a national charity with a footprint across every region of England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, and a presence in 64 of the UK’s 76 cities.
Ygam’s work has also seen a significant increase in the longevity of its reach, with nearly 100,000 resource downloads of its award-winning resources, and at least 50% of educators implementing these materials into their lessons.
Helen Martin, Interim CEO of Ygam, said: “This milestone is more than just a number – it’s a reflection of the positive impact we’re making in every corner of the UK. We’re incredibly proud of the growing community that shares our passion for safeguarding children’s wellbeing in an increasingly complex digital world, where gaming and gambling are more accessible than ever. From schools to sports clubs, parents to practitioners, and colleges to community centres, we’re raising awareness through the powerful tool of education. As we mark this extraordinary achievement, the demand for our resources has never been greater. We remain committed to expanding our reach and deepening our impact, ensuring that every child has the knowledge and confidence to navigate the risks of gaming and gambling harms.”
But there’s so much more to do – help us reach the next 5 million…
The post Ygam achieve milestone of reaching 5 million young people appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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