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Xanada Investments Announces the Launch of the Xanada Pitch Contest 2025

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11 months ago

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$50,000 Investment Prize & Global Exposure Await the Next Big iGaming Startup

Xanada Investments announced the launch of the Xanada Pitch Contest 2025, a global competition aimed at supporting iGaming startups seeking investment and growth opportunities in partnership with NEXT.io and Lilith PR Agency.

The contest offers a $50,000 equity investment to the winning startup, along with strategic mentorship, industry connections, and marketing support.

The competition will follow a two-stage selection process. From February 10 to April 1, 2025, startups can submit their applications online. Following the initial evaluation, the top five finalists will be announced on April 10, 2025, and will proceed to a live pitch event at the NEXT Summit in Valletta on May 8, 2025.

A Panel of Experts Will Choose the Winner

The final five startups will pitch their ideas live on stage at NEXT Valletta to a distinguished panel of judges, including:

  • Vladimir Malakchi – CEO & Managing Partner, Xanada Investments
  • Pierre Lindh – Co-founder & Managing Director, NEXT.io – The World’s iGaming Community
  • Dmitry Belianin – CEO & Founder at Belianin, Co-founder & Managing Partner at Blask
  • A Secret Judge – To be revealed soon

“A Unique Chance to Scale and Succeed”

“The Xanada Pitch Contest is raising the bar for startup competitions. This is a rare opportunity for iGaming startups – whether they are launching, growing, or looking to scale – to showcase their vision in front of key investors and decision-makers. We are committed to bringing together the brightest minds in the industry to support the next wave of innovation,” said Vladimir Malakchi, CEO & Managing Partner of Xanada Investments.

Who Should Apply?

The contest is open to Pre-Seed, Seed, and Series A startups operating in the iGaming sector. Startups at various growth stages – whether developing new solutions or scaling existing ones – are encouraged to apply.

Application and Key Dates

  • Applications Open: February 10 – April 1, 2025
  • Top 5 Finalists Announced: April 10, 2025
  • Live Pitch Event: May 8, 2025, at NEXT Summit, Valletta

For further information and to apply, visit https://xanada.investments/contest or reach out to Xanada Investments at [email protected]

The post Xanada Investments Announces the Launch of the Xanada Pitch Contest 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Compliance Updates

Global Gaming Solutions welcomes the Isle of Man Government’s commitment to the iGaming sector

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January 13, 2026

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Global Gaming Solutions has welcomed a statement from the Isle of Man Government reaffirming its commitment to the iGaming sector. It comes after a year that tested confidence across parts of the industry.

The Isle of Man Government highlighted its strong iGaming history in a statement released today by the Department for Enterprise. The Island’s reputation comes from robust regulation, political and economic stability, and close working between Government, regulators and industry. The statement reaffirmed that iGaming remains a core and enduring part of the Isle of Man’s economy, now and into the future.

The Chief Minister said the Government has strengthened its understanding of risk in response to a more complex global environment. He added that additional resources and frameworks are now in place to respond to emerging threats. The statement confirmed that ICE 2026 in Barcelona is the starting point for a coordinated programme of engagement. Digital Isle of Man and other agencies will continue to make the case for the Island as a secure and trusted home for well-regulated iGaming.

Responding to the announcement, Global Gaming Solutions said the statement provides important reassurance for existing licence holders and prospective businesses operating in the sector.

Mark O’Neill, Managing Director of Global Gaming Solutions, said:

“The Isle of Man Government’s reaffirmation of its commitment to the iGaming sector provides important clarity and reassurance for existing licence holders and the wider global industry. The Island’s long-standing focus on robust regulation, awareness and mitigation of emerging risks and constructive engagement with industry continues to underpin its reputation as a trusted and well-governed jurisdiction.”

Global Gaming Solutions added that clear, public affirmation of Government support plays a valuable role in maintaining confidence during periods of change, particularly for jurisdictions with a strong international reputation for regulatory quality and cooperation.

The Isle of Man Government stated that it will continue to work closely with industry. The aim is to support sustainable growth, meet international standards, and secure the sector’s long-term success. The Government will carry out further outreach and information sharing over the coming year to ensure regulatory expectations and emerging risks are clearly understood.

The post Global Gaming Solutions welcomes the Isle of Man Government’s commitment to the iGaming sector appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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SCCG Enters Strategic Arrangement with Vanguard Strategies to Advance a Breakthrough Digital Engagement Platform for the Global Lottery Market

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January 13, 2026

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SCCG Management, a leading advisory firm in the global gaming industry, today announced that it has entered into a strategic arrangement with Vanguard Strategies involving proprietary intellectual property designed to redefine digital engagement across segments of the global lottery industry, with an initial focus on the U.S. lottery market.

The intellectual property provides the proprietary foundation for a fully integrated, regulator-compatible digital ecosystem intended to modernize how lottery stakeholders engage players, distribute content, and unlock new revenue streams across both retail and digital environments. The platform has been architected to align with existing regulatory frameworks while enabling meaningful expansion of participation, engagement, and monetization.

While specific technical and commercial details remain confidential, the underlying framework is designed to address long-standing structural limitations within the lottery sector—creating the potential for category-level innovation and substantial incremental revenue generation at scale.

Under the arrangement, SCCG will provide strategic advisory support, market positioning guidance, and selective industry engagement to help evaluate opportunities aligned with the platform’s long-term vision. The initiative is intended to surface interest from qualified stakeholders across the lottery ecosystem, including operators, suppliers, strategic partners, and institutional participants.

“This initiative represents a rare convergence of regulatory compatibility, digital innovation, and market-scale opportunity,” said Stephen Crystal, Founder and CEO of SCCG Management. “The lottery sector remains one of the largest and most under-digitized segments of regulated gaming. Working alongside Vanguard Strategies, we are approaching this thoughtfully and selectively, with a focus on long-term value creation rather than short-term exposure.”

The U.S. lottery market is one of the largest regulated gaming markets globally, generating sales of over one hundred billion dollars annually while remaining structurally constrained in terms of digital engagement. Solutions capable of operating within regulatory guardrails while meaningfully expanding participation and revenue potential remain exceptionally limited.

Additional information regarding the initiative will be shared on a confidential, case-by-case basis following initial discussions.

The post SCCG Enters Strategic Arrangement with Vanguard Strategies to Advance a Breakthrough Digital Engagement Platform for the Global Lottery Market appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

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Paysecure’s Merchant Base Grows Fivefold; Company Targets Rapid Expansion in 2026

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January 13, 2026

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Paysecure, the innovative payment orchestration firm, has reported a notable increase in merchant partners and a series of new senior appointments in December to accommodate a considerable rise in demand.
The company is swiftly expanding as the demand for payment orchestration solutions increases, especially in the worldwide iGaming industry.
In 2025, after the introduction of its main payments orchestration platform, Paysecure experienced a five-fold growth in the number of merchants utilizing its technology. This demand mirrored the rising competition in e-commerce markets, heavier regulatory requirements, and worldwide consumers seeking quicker checkouts.
To support the expanding international companies they have newly acquired, Paysecure has launched a comprehensive partner integration initiative throughout the year, achieving over 150 integrations, along with significant partnership announcements with WorldPay, DECTA, and Approvely. Top payment providers have acknowledged Payescure’s superior platform, which experienced enhanced acceptance rates, better transaction recovery rates, and increased profitability for merchants through additional redundancy features.
This commercial achievement has triggered a surge of new senior appointments to enhance the firm’s payment and sector-specific knowledge, signifying a pivotal year for the company. Total headcount rose by 131% in 2025. In the Senior Management Team, Sam Milton has come to Paysecure as Head of Sales from Paytently. He has dedicated the last ten years to iGaming and ecommerce payments with companies like Trustly and Vyne. Moreover, iGaming and payments specialist Jessica Rhodes has transitioned to Paysecure as Marketing Director from BR-DGE.
Viktoriia Degtiarova, Co-Founder and Chief Commercial Officer at Paysecure, said: “We’ve had a transformative 2025 and we’re excited to carry this momentum into 2026. We have built a powerful payments ecosystem that covers the entire payments lifecycle and offers a broad range of functionality for operators of any scale. Paysecure thrives in some of the most complex and fragmented markets, enabling our clients to launch faster and scale with confidence. Our clients grow alongside us, and this strong momentum is the clearest indication that the market is demanding independent, flexible, and technologically advanced payment orchestration.”
Product development
The growth of the business was supported by the robustness of Paysecure’s orchestration solution suite and further boosted by the introduction of Dynamic Cashier in 2025. The Cashier module enhances customer revenue by enabling infinite customization and customer segmentation during the payment process.
Alongside Paysecure’s fundamental orchestration services, featuring its AI routing system, redundancy and resilience capabilities, real-time analytics, and improved payment integration, these solutions have significantly contributed to positioning Paysecure as a top orchestration provider in the iGaming industry.
As regulatory complexity grows in localized markets, orchestration solutions have equipped operators with the necessary compliant and advanced technological options for a contemporary iGaming business, enhancing their risk decision-making abilities and payment clarity. As regulators in 2025, including those in the UK and Germany, require more stringent KYC procedures and Brazil enforces a ban on third-party payments, payment orchestration has evolved from a straightforward task into a crucial aspect of customer satisfaction and managing business risk.
With an eye on 2026, Paysecure is enhancing its capabilities to satisfy the growing need for smart, data-driven payment solutions. AI-enhanced functionalities such as real-time outage detection, automated recovery of transactions, and smart payment method selection will bolster merchant resilience in intricate markets while providing a more personalized and competitive customer experience. These developments solidify Paysecure’s role as a versatile, forward-looking orchestration ally.

Next stop ICE

Paysecure will participate in ICE Barcelona from January 19 to 21, sharing space with top payment organizations and operators atstand 4G30, showcasing its orchestration platform, which offers extensive market intelligence and tailored solutions for operators. Visitors can enjoy Payscure’s Crack the Code Game at its booth and interact with one of the leading orchestration solutions available today.
Data represents the future of all sectors and is the vital lifeblood of AI. Within iGaming, various groundbreaking uses of AI are currently reshaping the player experience, enhancing transactions, and facilitating comprehensive, real-time risk management.
The Paysecure orchestration platform serves as an intuitive data center, and in 2026, we will enhance its functionality to assist operators in visualizing their data, improving analytics, and utilizing AI for more effective smart routing and risk management at both transactional and business tiers.
Amit Hooja, Co-Founder and CEO at Paysecure, said “Our vision is to reshape the global payments landscape, empowering the world’s most ambitious digital businesses to scale globally and perform locally through seamless, intelligent payment orchestration. We have ambitious growth targets and we are well placed to meet them in 2026. I look forward to meeting the industry at ICE in Barcelona to discuss the future of payments and how Paysecure is at the forefront, leading the innovation.” 

The post Paysecure’s Merchant Base Grows Fivefold; Company Targets Rapid Expansion in 2026 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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