CasinoBeats Malta Digital is set to take an in-depth look at the major recruitment and workforce management challenges facing operators and suppliers in Malta, with input from some of the leading HR professionals in the igaming industry.

The virtual conference and exhibition runs from 30 June to 2 July 2020, and day one is devoted to the subject of Working in Malta. The content track, sponsored by GamingMalta, will be accompanied by a series of themed networking events to allow delegates to share their own ideas and learn from each other.

How gaming businesses can cope with skills shortages, develop a positive workplace culture and offer the right support to staff as the industry recovers from the COVID-19 lockdown are just some of the issues set to be examined. While the agenda is focused on employment-related issues in Malta’s igaming community, many of the topics will resonate with HR directors and managers based further afield.  

One of the key sessions is Workplace Culture & Wellbeing, which features a panel of HR specialists from world-leading gaming businesses, including Lena Nordin (Chief HR Officer, Betsson Group), Cindy Macintos (HR Director, Pinnacle) and Richard Gordon (Employer Brand, Recruitment Marketing & Social Media Manager, GVC Group). 

They will look at how gaming companies can develop a well-defined workplace culture and how that benefits them in terms of recruiting and retaining the right staff in what is a competitive market. The panel will also share their ideas on how to attract skilled workers from overseas to Malta, while trying to prevent a salary-driven revolving door employment market developing on the island. 

Two further sessions will address how to overcome the difficulties in finding the right team members, as Malta’s reputation as the home of the online casino industry attracts more companies to relocate and an increasing number of innovative start-ups. 

Mind the Gap: Skills Shortage will investigate whether there is potential for igaming businesses to attract specialists from other sectors and look at which skills are genuinely transferable. Malta Gaming Authority’s Head of Information Kinga Warda and igaming consultant Anna Wallenstein will be among those debating whether the island’s casino industry is doing enough to nurture the talent it already has. 

The Resourcing Challenge will then look at the issue of how gaming companies can ensure they have the skills required to fulfil their compliance responsibilities. A panel featuring Sarah Yorston (Head of HR – South Europe, LeoVegas) will evaluate whether the positives of using third-party specialists outweigh the benefits of undertaking ongoing staff training to build stronger in-house compliance teams. 

Another important issue is to be tackled during the Destination Malta: COVID Update session, which will focus on how the island’s gaming industry plans to recover from the lockdown. Fiona Brown (Chief HR Officer, Catena Media) and communications specialist Natasha Gowans will also look at what businesses can do to support employees during the recovery and continue to bring in the additional skills they need to achieve their growth targets. 

In addition to the HR content and a keynote presentation by GamingMalta’s COO Ivan Filletti, delegates attending the first day of CasinoBeats Malta Digital can participate in themed networking sessions focused on the opportunities for workers in the island’s igaming sector and the country’s appeal as a destination for start-ups. 

Stewart Darkin, Managing Director of CasinoBeats, said:

“While all businesses in the online casino industry focus on technology, games and marketing, the really successful ones also understand the importance of looking after their staff and getting their recruitment procedures right. 

“Our speaker line-up includes HR professionals responsible for ensuring that happens in some of the world’s best-known igaming companies, so delegates can expect to pick up some invaluable insights on both Malta-specific and industry-wide employment issues.” 

The CasinoBeats Malta Digital agenda also includes tracks about the Future of Gaming, Technology & Innovation, Regulation & Compliance, and Payments. 

Away from the conference rooms, the 3,000 industry delegates will have multiple opportunities to make new contacts. In addition to the schedule of themed networking sessions, attendees can take part in workshops with sector experts, join in group discussions in the virtual networking bar or use the event platform’s chat facility for one-to-one conversations. 

There is also a 40-booth interactive exhibition showcasing the latest products from both leading suppliers and innovative start-ups, along with a programme of product presentations running throughout the event.  

Find full details of CasinoBeats Malta Digital, including information about how to register and the discounts available on company group passes, at the event’s official website. 

To find out more about exhibiting or to discuss the remaining sponsorship opportunities, please contact sales@sbcgaming.com.

Internet Vikings, the premium hosting provider from Sweden, has announced its first free webinar, covering hosting optimization and creating resource-efficient IT-environments, scheduled for June 25.

When Rickard Vikström and Victor Jerlin founded hosting provider Internet Vikings in 2008, by their own admission, they did not think about the scale their company could achieve. Indeed, “we were more interested in the quality of our services at the moment than in future plans,” reflected Victor. Now, after 12 years, such an approach has paid off – the company has grown to an international level and is well-known in the world of iGaming and beyond. Naturally, after more than a decade of unique experience in the industry, the team has accumulated a considerable amount of valuable knowledge, and will now share it through a series of unmissable webinars.

Free advice from the industry’s leading experts

The Vikings have announced a series of webinars in which company experts will share their experience, give practical advice, and answer questions from participants regarding various topics within their fields of expertise. The series is called Being Smart, and the first talk in it will be devoted to creating a resource-efficient IT-environment – 3 secrets how to pay less for hosting services. 

The Vikings have noted that more and more businesses are being very thorough when it comes to making decisions in favour of a certain hosting provider, and specific hosting options, with a view to optimising costs. Hence, the pressing topic of reducing hosting costs was chosen for the first webinar in the series, which will offer listeners both quick-to-use tips and fundamental principles for effective budgeting.

The webinar will also cover the following:

• What features you should look for in hosting
• Which hosting options will suit your specific business best
• Mistakes you should avoid when choosing a HSP
• How to reduce downtime
• How to handle DDoS-attacks

60 minutes that could save you a lot of time and money

The webinar will be of interest both to those specifically looking for ways to implement cost savings, and to those who are keen on improving their hosting in general. Of course, current Internet Vikings clients are also very welcome to attend, and will be able to pick up some great tips about how to make the most of their service. In fact, the Vikings are ready to share their expertise with anyone who wants to improve their knowledge and equip themselves for success. 

The webinar will be led by Rickard Vikström, founder and CCO of Internet Vikings. Rickard has been working in hosting since 2004 and during his career has seen many instances when improper hosting caused not only excessive expenses but also much bigger problems, often almost ruining businesses. Besides Internet Vikings, Rickard also founded Stay Security, Holm Security and Wincher, and his unique experience in the field of IT guarantees high-quality content and maximum value for every participant.

The webinar will be held on 25 June, from 15:00 to 16:00 CET and will be absolutely free. You can find out more details and register to it on the official website of Internet Vikings, as well as on the company’s social networks (Facebook and LinkedIn). You can also register directly clicking the button below right now.

AYO.NEWS says:

Rickard Vikström and the Internet Vikings crew definitely know a thing or two when it comes to hosting, especially in the iGaming sector – where balancing costs, performance and reliability can be challenging to say the least. So, be sure to register and make room in your schedule for this webinar – it could well be 60 minutes that saves you a lot of money and future headaches. See you there! 

‘AYO.NEWS says’ features the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of Pentagon Digital Limited or its affiliates or associates.

London-based video virtual sports specialist Highlight Games has entered a partnership with ComeOn Group. 

The global agreement will see Highlight supply ComeOn with its SOCCERBET, NBA Last 60, and IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship products to its online and mobile channels. 

SOCCERBET, in both English and Italian single match and league versions, NBA Last 60, and IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship will be made available on approved ComeOn, Mobilebet, and subsidiary online and mobile sites in Sweden, Norway, Finland, Germany, Poland, and New Zealand. 

Discussing the deal Director of Highlight Games, Nick Gardiner, said:

“Highlight Games is delighted to announce this deal with ComeOn Group which further extends its global footprint. SOCCERBET has already proven incredibly popular in the territories where it is live, and we expect the international appeal of our new NBA Last 60 and IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship products to mirror this success. We look forward to working with ComeOn to launch these compelling games in the near future.”

While Head of Betting at ComeOn Group, Lars Thomesen, added:

“We are the biggest international operator in Sweden and a big player in several other markets because we always strive to offer our players an awesome experience. In order to do so we want to offer a wide product portfolio with the best products available on the market. Our brand portfolio holds more than 20 brands and we are happy to partner up with Highlight Games and make their new exciting form of virtual sports available to our players.”

AYO.NEWS says:

The COVID-19 crisis and global sports shutdown really put virtual sports on the radar for many people, and products like SOCCERBET, which use real video footage, have proven invaluable for operators looking to keep bettors engaged through the long months of lockdown. 

Of course, with the very real threat of further waves of the pandemic, and more lockdowns, operators would probably do well to keep investing in improving their virtual offerings. 

‘AYO.NEWS says’ features the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of Pentagon Digital Limited or its affiliates or associates. 

All original content featured on this site is © Pentagon Digital Limited, 2020

Malta-based slot game developer Wazdan has announced four new international hires.

The company has appointed Albert Bellavista as Head of Business Development – Spain & Latin America, Sandrine Chen as Sales and Business Development Manager – Asia, Bekki D’Agata as Sales and Development Manager, and Katarzyna Pysz as Senior Campaign Manager. 

Bellavista has more than a dozen years’ experience in the betting and gaming industry, having worked for major players including Betfair and William Hill. Chen has extensive knowledge of the Asian market, with more than five years’ iGaming experience. Pysz has worked for multiple online and land-based businesses, including NetEnt, during her thirteen years in the iGaming industry. D’Agata is joining Wazdan from SiGMA, where she has been Head of Sales, and Events Director. 

Welcoming the new team members Head of Sales at Wazdan, Andrezej Hyla, said:

“We are delighted to welcome four new members to the Wazdan team. Our new team members share our unique Wazdan vision and passion for games. They will be supporting our business to bring new global partners on board and to deliver exceptional customer service to our existing clients. It’s a very exciting time for Wazdan, and we have our sights set on continued global growth.”

AYO.NEWS says:

With all the economic gloom out there, it’s great to see the Maltese iGaming sector is still investing in the future and hiring new talent. Wazdan has certainly hired a fair bit of experienced talent there, so we’re sure they’ll help power the company to new heights.

‘AYO.NEWS says’ features the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of Pentagon Digital Limited or its affiliates or associates. 

All original content featured on this site is © Pentagon Digital Limited, 2020

Online sports betting and casino operator Bethard has announced it will be ceasing all UK operations in July. 

Bethard was awarded a UK license almost three years ago, but yesterday it stopped accepting new sign-ups, and has now emailed customers informing them that it will be ceasing operations on 6 July 2020. 

Existing customers will still be able to log in and use Bethard services until the 6 July. Any bets still open after that date will be voided, and customers will have five weeks to withdraw their balances. 

The operator, which is also licensed in Malta, Sweden, Spain, Denmark, and Ireland, has not given a reason for its decision to withdraw from the UK market. 

AYO.NEWS says:

Though Bethard hasn’t yet provided a reason for its decision to withdraw from the UK, anyone familiar with the industry will appreciate that though the UK may still be the biggest single regulated market, it is rapidly becoming an over-regulated nightmare, with operators regularly taking flak from the Gambling Commission, Advertising Standards Authority, politicians, and mainstream media. Of course, the COVID-19 crisis won’t have helped the operator’s sports betting business recently either. 

With the Gambling-Related Harm All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) now recommending a complete blanket ban on all gambling advertising, a £2 stake limit for online slots, a ban on VIP promotions, and other draconian restrictions, we can’t say we blame Bethard for throwing in the towel. 

‘AYO.NEWS says’ features the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of Pentagon Digital Limited or its affiliates or associates. 

All original content featured on this site is © Pentagon Digital Limited, 2020

Game development studio Evoplay Entertainment has partnered with Serbian gambling operator Mozzartbet. 

The agreement will see Evoplay’s catalogue of more than 90 slots, table, and instant games integrated with Mozzartbet’s online casino. 

Evoplay, which launched in the UK market earlier this year, will significantly expand its global footprint through the Mozzartbet deal, with the operator being licensed in Serbia, Bosnia, Macedonia, Romania, Kenya, and Malta.

Commenting on the partnership CBDO at Evoplay Entertainment, Vladimir Malakchi, said:

“We are delighted to partner with Mozzartbet, a widely recognised operator with an impressive market reach.

“Our unique portfolio deploys the latest technology to offer an entertainment experience that truly stands out, and this partnership ensures that it will continue to be enjoyed by a growing legion of international fans.”

While Director of Online Casino at Mozzartbet, Miloš Ranđić, added:

“Evoplay Entertainment’s highly innovative casino suite has a proven track-record of popularity amongst a wide variety of players, so we are thrilled to have the company on board.

“The supplier’s groundbreaking catalogue is an ideal match for our premium quality customer offering, and we look forward to cultivating a long-term commercial relationship.”

All original content featured on this site is © Pentagon Digital Limited, 2020