Latest News
PlayStar introduces its newly formed Advisory Board

PlayStar, one of the top 10 online casinos in New Jersey, has announced the creation of a new Advisory Board. The board will support the company’s efforts to sustain its growth in The Garden State while exploring further expansion opportunities.
Comprised of John Finamore, Jai Maw, Carl Sottosanti, Alison Digges, Richard J. St. Jean and Terrence Gray – six luminaries from within the iGaming and investor communities– the Advisory Board will look to pool its wealth of combined knowledge to build on PlayStar’s success and take the brand to even greater heights.
John Finamore is a former Penn National Gaming and Station Casinos Executive with over 40 years of experience in hospitality and casino gaming. Throughout his career, he has been responsible for more than $3bn in annual revenues, 15 distinct properties and 8,000+ employees.
Jai Maw is the Co-founder and President of Betting Hero – one of the industry’s leading customer acquisition and retention companies. Since 2018, the business has attracted more than 600,000 new customers for leading operators across North America and is trusted as a voice-of-customer expert. Maw has been recognized by Global Gaming Business and Gaming Intelligence respectively as a 40 Under 40 and Hot 50 recipient.
Alison Digges has held significant roles in the online gaming industry at the C-suite level, most recently as the Managing Director of UK & Ireland at Entain PLC, where she was also a member of the Digital Board. Before that, she worked at IGT as Vice President of Europe, overseeing the P&L for their high-growth gaming and lottery business. Over the past four years, she has served as an advisory board member for several start-ups and also been a board member for The Restaurant Group during its time as a publicly listed company, up until its acquisition by Apollo Global.
Carl Sottosanti started his legal career at a large Philadelphia law firm. Following several corporate positions, he joined Penn National Gaming in 2003, where he specialized in M&A, corporate governance, commercial transactions, and compliance, last serving as EVP and General Counsel. He has been retired since 2021and has provided advisory services to various gaming and technology companies, as well as companies looking to enter the industry.
Richard J. St. Jean brings over 35 years of experience in the gaming and hospitality industry. Most recently serving as COO of Morongo Casino Resort & Spa, he has held senior executive roles at prominent companies such as Caesars Palace, Station Casino, and Penn Gaming. Richard is also the founder of Coastal Gaming, LLC.
Terrence Gray is a global investment management executive with over 30 years of experience leading strategy and driving growth for premier financial institutions, including Lazard, Global Thematic Partners, Deutsche Asset Management, Southern Bridge Capital, and Scudder Investments. Throughout his career, he has successfully raised over $5 billion across private and public markets.
Peter Ekmark, Chief Executive Officer at PlayStar, said: “At PlayStar, we’re incredibly proud of the significant strides our brand has made in the New Jersey market. Breaking into the state’s top 10 in 2024 is a true testament to how far we’ve come.
“That said, we’re not content to rest on our success – our goal is to continue building on this momentum and become a leading force in the industry, not only in New Jersey but across North America. The creation of our Advisory Board will help us achieve this by leveraging the collective expertise of five highly talented individuals from the casino and hospitality sectors.”
The post PlayStar introduces its newly formed Advisory Board appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Greece
Spinmatic goes live with Betsson in Greece

Spinmatic, B2B provider of premium casino games, and Betsson, a giant behind one of the world’s largest betting and online casino platforms, have partnered to bring some of the industry’s most exciting titles to Greece.
Following recent launches with leading operators in the region, Spinmatic continues its upward trajectory, delivering a portfolio that’s not only tuned to local markets but also stands out globally for its quality and creativity.
This exciting new deal builds on a long-standing partnership between Spinmatic’s sister company, GoldenRace, and Betsson – who have been enjoying the most realistic Virtual Sports and solutions on the market.
Anastasios Apostolou, Gaming Manager Greece at Betsson, proudly shared “We’re pleased to launch Spinmatic’s portfolio for our players in Greece. This addition enhances our offering with a selection of visually appealing and entertaining titles. At Betsson, we’re committed to continually broadening our content library to suit a wide range of player preferences, and Spinmatic’s games are a welcome addition to our diverse line-up.”
From fast-paced Crash games like Meteoroid Deluxe to the adventure-packed Ed Jones and the Book of Seth, Betsson players now have access to some of Spinmatic’s flagship titles. Whether they’re Jackpot chasers, retro lovers or high-speed thrill seekers, there’s a Spinmatic game ready to hit the mark.
“We are proud to see our games live with Betsson, a brand known for its high standards and player loyalty,” said Norbert Mathies, Managing Director at Spinmatic. “This partnership confirms that Spinmatic’s commitment to quality and innovation is exactly what leading operators are looking for.”
Greece’s regulated igaming market continues to offer exciting opportunities for forward-thinking brands. With major partnerships already live and more launches ahead, Spinmatic is demonstrating it’s ready to push even further.
The post Spinmatic goes live with Betsson in Greece appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Bill Hornbuckle
MGM Resorts Announces New Employment Agreement with CEO & President Bill Hornbuckle

MGM Resorts announced that it has reached a new employment agreement with CEO & President Bill Hornbuckle through December 31, 2028. As part of his new employment contract, the Company has also agreed to offer Hornbuckle an advisory agreement at the end of the term to assist with its integrated resort project in Osaka, Japan until its opening.
“Bill is an exceptional, visionary leader who successfully guided the company through the COVID-19 pandemic while also positioning the business for long-term growth through new digital ventures, strategic M&A opportunities, and expansion into new international markets. Bill has earned the trust, respect and admiration of his employees, peers, shareholders and this Board. We’re thrilled that he has agreed to remain in his role for the foreseeable future,” said Paul Salem, Chairman of the MGM Resorts Board of Directors.
“I am honored to continue leading this company at an exciting time of both digital growth and resort expansion in places like New York, Japan, Brazil and the Middle East. Our best days remain in front of us, and I’m thankful to our Board for their continued trust and support. The success we’ve enjoyed over the last five years is a testament to our leadership team and our employees who have embraced our culture of guest-centricity and continuous improvement. Together, we will continue to pursue our vision to be the world’s premiere gaming entertainment company,” said Hornbuckle.
As CEO, Hornbuckle oversees all aspects of MGM Resorts’ strategy, operations and hospitality and gaming development projects. He leads the company’s global development efforts and its digital gaming strategy. He is a member of MGM Resorts’ Board of Directors and serves as Co-Chairman of the Board of Directors of MGM China Holdings, which operates resorts in Macau. He is also Chair of the U.S. Travel Association, a non-profit organization focused on growing travel and tourism to the United States, and he previously served as Chairman of the U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board, which advises the U.S. Secretary of Commerce on policy, regulation, programs and issues that impact the travel and tourism industry in the US.
The post MGM Resorts Announces New Employment Agreement with CEO & President Bill Hornbuckle appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Annual American Business Awards
Scientific Games Wins Three 2025 American Business Awards for Lottery Retail Technology Innovation and Instant Scratch Game Achievement

Scientific Games was recognized with three prestigious honors in the 23rd Annual American Business Awards. The global lottery company won two Gold ABA awards for its retail technology, SCiQ and PlayCentral Powered by SCiQ, in the Operations Management Solutions and Emerging Technology categories, respectively. Scientific Games’ recently retired VP, Instant Game Production, Joe Bennett, earned a Silver ABA Award for Achievement in Management—Manufacturing, recognizing his career contributions in secure lottery instant game production.
Scientific Games President, Americas & Global Instant Products, John Schulz, said: “It’s an incredible honor to have SCiQ and PlayCentral Powered by SCiQ recognized with 2025 Gold American Business Awards. These awards reflect the strength of our innovation and the dedication of our teams to modernizing the retail lottery experience. We’re also deeply proud of Joe Bennett’s Silver Award. Joe’s leadership across three decades has helped define secure instant game manufacturing for Scientific Games and the industry during his tenure.”
This year, more than 3700 nominations from organizations of all sizes and industries were submitted to the ABAs. Winners were scored by more than 300 professionals worldwide during a rigorous judging process evaluating innovation, integrity, effectiveness, creativity, and growth. The Gold Award represents the highest honor in each category, reserved for the top-scoring entry, with the Silver Award representing the second-highest honor. The ABAs are nicknamed “Stevies” for the Greek word meaning “crowned”.
SCiQ is Scientific Games’ groundbreaking ecosystem designed to transform lottery instant game retailing. It brings advanced inventory management, security, and real-time sales tracking to retail locations, providing retailers, lotteries, and players with a smarter, more secure way to sell and purchase instant games. PlayCentral Powered by SCiQ extends the SCiQ ecosystem to lottery self-service retail environments. Integrating SCiQ technology into PlayCentral HD self-service vending machines allows for unprecedented inventory control, improved game security, and seamless retail operations, enhancing the player experience while optimizing lottery revenues.
Over his 34-year career at Scientific Games, Joe Bennett has driven significant advancements in digital transformation, manufacturing efficiency, and security innovation. He led the transition to a fully integrated digital production ecosystem and introduced patented encryption technologies that protect the integrity of instant lottery games. Under his leadership, Scientific Games now produces more than 53 billion secure, high-quality instant games annually. Bennett retired from the company in April 2025.
The post Scientific Games Wins Three 2025 American Business Awards for Lottery Retail Technology Innovation and Instant Scratch Game Achievement appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
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