Press Releases

Quickspin’s latest game is a great testament to their ‘portrait first’ focus

Published

6 years ago

January 16, 2020

Swedish slot specialist Quickspin, a Playtech Group company, has just released Skulls UP! – the first slot of the year to be developed with their ‘portrait first’ focus.

Quickspin always develop their slots with a clear focus on mobile devices – a strategy they’re planning on ramping up even further this year, with a special focus on their new portrait mode. Last year, the company updated their UX design with this new portrait mode, as well as the layout in their engagement tool Tournaments.

Skulls UP! combines a tropical theme with expanding reels, high volatility and the opportunity to win big. The features include Flaming Free Spins, Flaming Respins (Respin until you win) and Flaming Skull Wilds. In addition, the reels can expand to up to 6 symbols in height. Every Wild symbol you get during a Flaming Respin will open up a new position above the reels, which can increase the number of bet ways from 243 all the way up to 1,944.

Daniel Lindberg, Quickspin CEO: “We’re really excited to kick-start 2020 with our first release! We’ve got a diverse roadmap planned out for the year, and we’ll continue to push the boundaries with one innovative, high-quality slot per month, with a clear focus on mobile devices. Skulls UP! is a great testament to our strategy. Making full use of our new portrait mode, it’s a beautiful example of a game that was developed with our ‘portrait first’ approach.”

Founded in 2011, Quickspin rapidly established itself as a leading development studio for real money and social casino gaming, and the company was acquired by Playtech in March 2016. Now licensed in multiple jurisdictions, its award-winning content has seen the company sign agreements with a long list of leading operators.

Betty Tűndik Co-Founder at HIPTHER

HIPTHER Appoints Elena Stepanyatova as Event Content & Production Manager

Published

6 hours ago

April 30, 2026

Wladimir P.

hipther-appoints-elena-stepanyatova-as-event-content-&-production-manager

HIPTHER strengthens its growing international events portfolio with the appointment of an experienced leader in content strategy, production, and large-scale event execution.

HIPTHER is pleased to announce the appointment of Elena Stepanyatova as Event Content & Production Manager, joining the team during an exciting period of expansion across Europe and beyond.

With more than 20 years of leadership experience spanning executive management, sales development, business growth, and premium event organization, Elena brings a powerful combination of strategic vision and operational excellence to the HIPTHER ecosystem.

Throughout her career, Elena has successfully launched and scaled new ventures, managed teams of up to 60 professionals, negotiated with government institutions and VIP stakeholders, and overseen high-profile events for audiences of up to 2,500 attendees.

Most recently, as Partner & Executive Director of LLC “MAP,” she played a central role in building and managing an event management company from the ground up, leading recruitment, business development, event concept creation, and commercial strategy. She also directed international business tours for Russian-speaking entrepreneurs to destinations including the United States, South Korea, and Japan.

At HIPTHER, Elena’s responsibilities will include agenda development, speaker and moderator coordination, event content planning, production workflows, and enhancing the attendee experience across the company’s growing portfolio of conferences and summits.

Her first major assignment is already underway: helping shape and implement the agenda for HIPTHER BALTICS: Riga 2026, the next stop in HIPTHER’s expanding Baltics series.

Zoltán Tűndik, Co-Founder and Head of Business at HIPTHER, commented: “Elena joins us with exactly the kind of energy, experience, and execution mindset we value. Great events are built long before the doors open, and her ability to combine business acumen with production precision makes her a major addition to our team.”

Betty Tűndik, Co-Founder at HIPTHER, added: “Finding the right person for this role was not an easy decision. We spoke with several highly experienced professionals and went through a deep selection process, because this position requires much more than event knowledge alone. From our first conversations with Elena, and later when we met in Prague, it became clear that she understands not only events, content, and production, but also people.

Human understanding is incredibly important in our industry. Elena brings professionalism, intuition, structure, and a strong sense of psychology to the way she works. I am truly impressed by her experience and by the way she connects ideas, teams, speakers, and communities. We believe she is a perfect fit for HIPTHER, and we are excited to welcome her into our team.”

Elena Stepanyatova added:“When I first met Zoltán and Betty during the interview, I immediately thought that this was a place where I wanted to work — I liked it, and I liked them as people. When we met in Prague, I felt it was a true match. We share the same goals and values, not only in our work but also in life.

It is truly special when professional ambitions are fueled by team spirit. I am very happy to be a member of the HIPTHER team, and I believe I can bring something new and meaningful to it. Together, we will keep moving toward the stars and reaching the heights that inspire us.”

As HIPTHER continues to expand its footprint across gaming, fintech, technology, compliance, and innovation sectors, Elena’s appointment marks another important step in scaling world-class event delivery across multiple markets.

The post HIPTHER Appoints Elena Stepanyatova as Event Content & Production Manager appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Blask reveal

US prediction markets surge 5x in eight months, Blask reveal

Published

7 hours ago

April 30, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

us-prediction-markets-surge-5x-in-eight-months,-blask-reveal

New data from Blask reveals that branded demand for prediction markets in the United States has increased more than fivefold since August 2025, signaling a sustained resurgence in interest toward event-based trading platforms. To support deeper analysis of this fast-growing segment, Blask has also rolled out a dedicated prediction market analytics feature, enabling operators to track demand dynamics, competitive positioning, and regional distribution in real time.

Despite this rapid growth, the category has not yet reached its historical peak. Current demand levels remain approximately 49% below the all-time high recorded during the November 2024 US election cycle — a spike largely driven by a single, high-impact event.

From event-driven spikes to sustained growth

Unlike the sharp, short-lived surge seen in 2024, the current rally has developed steadily over eight consecutive months without a comparable macro trigger. This shift suggests a structural evolution of the category, moving from episodic attention toward more consistent user engagement. At the same time, the competitive landscape has consolidated rather than diversified.

A tightening duopoly

As of March 2026, Polymarket and Kalshi jointly account for approximately 94% of all branded demand in US prediction markets. Both platforms have strengthened their positions during the growth period, increasing their respective market shares while the overall category expanded.

State-level data reinforces this dominance. In Kansas, Polymarket controls 95.5% of branded demand, compared to Kalshi’s 3.5%, representing the most extreme imbalance. Louisiana shows the closest competition, with Polymarket at 59% and Kalshi at 35.3%. Across all states, however, the two operators overwhelmingly dominate user interest.

These insights are now directly accessible through Blask’s prediction market analytics, allowing operators to benchmark performance not just nationally, but at the state level where competitive dynamics can differ significantly.

Challengers remain marginal — but signals are emerging

Beyond the leading duopoly, the rest of the market accounts for just 6% of total branded demand. Myriad currently ranks as the closest competitor, holding under 1% share.

Meanwhile, Robinhood presents the fastest growth trajectory in the category, with a year-over-year increase of +983.4%. While its absolute share remains low at 0.24%, the momentum indicates potential early-stage positioning in the space.

Demand concentrated in key states

The expansion of prediction markets is national in scope, but demand remains highly concentrated geographically. California leads with 15.9% of total US branded demand, followed by New York at 10.8%. Together, these two states account for over a quarter of the entire category’s interest.

This geographic distribution further highlights the importance of granular analytics, as operators competing in prediction markets increasingly need localized insights rather than relying on aggregate national trends.

A maturing category

The latest data points to a category transitioning from volatility to structure. While prediction markets are still influenced by major real-world events, the current growth pattern suggests increasing baseline demand – and a competitive environment defined by scale rather than fragmentation.

As the market continues to evolve, the key question is no longer whether interest will return, but how it will be distributed – and whether new entrants can meaningfully challenge an increasingly entrenched duopoly.

The post US prediction markets surge 5x in eight months, Blask reveal appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

BETANO

Betano signs sponsorship deal with Argentina national football team

Published

21 hours ago

April 29, 2026

Wladimir P.

betano-signs-sponsorship-deal-with-argentina-national-football-team

Kaizen Gaming brand becomes an Official Regional Sponsor as World Cup 2026 approaches, with campaigns planned across digital, TV and OOH.

Betano has signed a new sponsorship agreement with the Argentina National Football Team, joining as an Official Regional Sponsor, the company said on April 29, 2026.

The deal was announced from Athens, Greece and Buenos Aires, Argentina, with the Kaizen Gaming-owned sports betting and gaming brand positioning the partnership ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026.

According to the company, the sponsorship will include “local 360° campaigns” featuring Betano’s tagline “Confiá” across digital media, television, and out-of-home (OOH) advertising. Betano also said it plans “high-engagement activations” intended to connect fans with the team.

In the release, Kaizen Gaming framed the agreement as part of a broader strategy to invest in top-tier sports partnerships to support international brand growth and “responsible gaming experiences.” Financial terms, territories covered under the “regional” designation, and contract duration were not disclosed.

More relevant data as follows:

Betano (Kaizen Gaming) official website; https://www.betano.com/ Primary source for brand and market presence details related to Betano.
Kaizen Gaming official website; https://kaizengaming.com/ Company background and corporate announcements for Kaizen Gaming, the owner of Betano.
AFA (Argentine Football Association) official website; https://www.afa.com.ar/ Authoritative reference for Argentina national team commercial partnerships and federation announcements.
FIFA World Cup 2026; https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/tournaments/mens/worldcup/canada-mexico-usa2026 Official tournament page to ground the timing reference to the FIFA World Cup 2026.

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