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Smarkets announces strengthened executive team
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Smarkets, one of the world’s largest betting exchange and prediction market platforms, has this morning announced a strengthened executive team.
Robin Harrison, a former engineering team lead at the company, has re-joined the company as Chief Technology Officer after a year in the role of Head of Engineering at Asto, a fintech startup backed by global bank Santander.
Meanwhile, Tom Hardman and Céline Crawford have been promoted to Chief Operations Officer and Chief Communications Officer respectively.
Hardman, who formerly held the title of Head of Business Operations, is one of Smarkets’s longest-serving employees having joined in 2010 after graduating from Oxford University. During his time at the company, he has overseen many areas including finance, legal and customer support.
Crawford has been with Smarkets since 2015 after working in the banking and communication sectors for over a decade at companies including finnCap and Commerzbank.
Smarkets have also hired Chris Baldacchino as Chief Compliance Officer. He joins after holding the same position at Hero Gaming, having previously been COO at the Malta-based firm.
The quartet join CEO and Founder Jason Trost on the company’s executive team.
Trost said: “I’m delighted to welcome Robin and Chris to the company, as well as adding two of our most dedicated employees, Céline and Tom, to the executive team.
“Robin, having been a team lead at Smarkets previously, is well-placed to develop and advance our class-leading product further, while Chris’s industry expertise will be invaluable as we look to expand to new territories, such as the emerging US market and other European countries.
“Both Céline and Tom are integral employees who have been with the company for many years and fully deserve their promotions, having played a big part in our recent success.”
The C-suite announcement comes shortly after Smarkets revealed that it had over £150m of trading volume on its exchange during the recent Cheltenham Festival, with all-time records broken for concurrent users on both the company’s web and app platforms. Read more at smrkts.co/chelt19
Source: Latest News on European Gaming Media Network
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SkillOnNet Strengthens Casino Offering with Launch of TaDa Gaming Content
TaDa Gaming content now live across SkillOnNet brands
Global entertainment brand SkillOnNet has announced a new content partnership with Malta-based TaDa Gaming, which sees the fast-rising studio’s portfolio of cutting-edge games rolled out to its network of brands and operators.
Players at SkillOnNet brands like PlayOJO and LuckyNiki now have access to TaDa Gaming’s growing catalogue of more than 200 titles, spanning video slots, crash games, fish-shooting, table and card formats, and bingo. Highlights include player favourites such as TriLuck™’s 3 Charge Buffalo, Fortune Hook, and Golden Bank 2 – all known for their strong maths models, engaging features and immersive design.
The launch follows a series of high-profile content deals for TaDa Gaming in 2025, demonstrating the studio’s commitment to global expansion and localization, blending globally appealing mechanics with regionally tailored themes.
For SkillOnNet, the deal reinforces its strategy of building the world’s most awe-inspiring games library by partnering with the very best emerging and established developers in the industry. With licenses from key jurisdictions including the UK, Malta, Sweden and Greece, SkillOnNet offers TaDa Gaming an unbeatable route to market across Europe and beyond.
Jani Kontturi, Head of Games at SkillOnNet said: “We’re constantly expanding our content offering to give our operator partners the very best in entertainment. TaDa Gaming has quickly established itself as a studio that delivers variety, quality, and innovation, and we’re delighted to bring its titles to our platform. We believe its content will resonate strongly across multiple markets.”
Ray Lee, Director of Business Development at TaDa Gaming said: “Partnering with SkillOnNet marks another important milestone for TaDa. Their wide distribution network and strong operator relationships will allow us to showcase our content to more players worldwide. We’re excited to see how our games perform with SkillOnNet brands.”
The post SkillOnNet Strengthens Casino Offering with Launch of TaDa Gaming Content appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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SPAYZ.io white paper uncovers the opportunities, challenges and ambitions on the minds of payments professionals
SPAYZ.io, a global provider of advanced payment technologies, has launched a new white paper that reveals the opportunities, concerns and ambitions of the payments sector. Titled “Optimizing Merchant Payment Flows in Challenging iGaming Markets”, the white paper draws from the insight of leading industry professionals, backed by the insights SPAYZ.io has compiled throughout the year from its extensive network of merchants and partners.
The white paper provides timely insight into the latest payments trends for operators and payment processors that operate in high risk industries, giving a qualitative and quantitative analysis of the user payment behaviours and habits, the existing and future challenges that prevent transaction completions and the in-demand payment solutions.
It also highlights the strategic recommendations for businesses seeking to future-proof their operations. From embracing alternative payment methods to navigating evolving compliance frameworks, the report equips stakeholders with actionable intelligence to stay ahead of disruption and capture new growth opportunities in a rapidly shifting landscape.
The insight bridges the gap between users, operators and payment providers, giving advice on how to choose the right payment provider and the importance of trust in the industry.
“The payments sector is scaling at pace. To be successful, payments processors and operators need to be equipped with the latest knowledge and insight to make sure they are actively responding to market needs, particularly in emerging markets,” Tatiana Sokolova, Head of Marketing at SPAYZ.io commented.
“SPAYZ.io is known for its market intelligence, which is why we have decided to release this whitepaper. It provides a useful snapshot for where the industry is at the moment, and what needs to be factored into the future decisions of operators and merchants as they begin to map out their growth strategies for 2026.”
Copies of the whitepaper can be downloaded here https://bit.ly/3JS7iW7
The post SPAYZ.io white paper uncovers the opportunities, challenges and ambitions on the minds of payments professionals appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Thunderpick World Championship 2025 Announces Finals Dates and Teams
Thunderpick World Championship (TWC), one of the largest independently sponsored CS2 tournaments in the world, today announced the dates and teams for its 2025 Finals. With a $1 million USD prize pool on the line ($850,000 for the finals), the championship will bring together 20 of the top Counter-Strike teams to compete in front of a global audience this fall.
The TWC Finals Closed Qualifier will run Sept. 9 to 11, determining the final teams punching their ticket to the TWC Finals (LAN stage) in Malta on Oct. 15 to 19.
Teams competing at TWC 2025 include:
- The MongolZ – Defending Thunderpick World Champions, currently ranked #3 in the world
- NAVI – Ukrainian powerhouse, former Major champions, and a perennial top 10 team
- FURIA – Brazil’s top CS2 roster, known for their aggressive playstyle (#8 world ranking)
- Aurora – Rising Russian squad, solidified as a global top five contender (#5 world ranking)
- Ninjas in Pyjamas (NiP) – Legendary Swedish organization with a rich Counter-Strike legacy
- SAW – Portugal’s leading team, climbing steadily in the European scene
- BB – Prominent CIS roster competing at the highest international level
- ECSTATIC – Denmark’s up-and-coming team with upset potential
- TNL – South Korean squad representing Asia’s growing CS2 presence
- Nemiga – Belarusian veterans with experience on the international stage
- BIG – German giants, fan favorites with multiple international titles
- ENCE – Finnish-led team, known for deep runs at Majors and top-tier consistency
- PARIVISION – Fast-rising CIS squad making waves in qualifiers
- KOLESIE – Underdog team emerging from the Eastern European circuit
- OG – European mix team, returning to TWC after competing last year
- JiJieHao – One of China’s strongest representatives in CS2 competition
- Team Legacy – International lineup with veteran leadership
- M80 – North America’s breakout team with a young, talented roster
- Imperial – Brazilian fan favorites led by seasoned veterans
- 9z – South America’s rising stars, representing Argentina and Uruguay
This year’s tournament features four Top 10 ranked teams, setting the stage for one of the most competitive editions yet. The MongolZ’s return to defend their 2024 title among the presence of perennial powerhouses like NAVI, FURIA and Aurora.
“As we enter our third year, the Thunderpick World Championship continues to push the boundaries of competitive Counter-Strike,” said Kelly Sanders, Head of Strategy at Thunderpick. “With top teams from around the world converging on Malta and the return of defending champions The MongolZ, fans can expect an unforgettable event full of high-stakes gameplay.”
The TWC 2025 Finals are presented in collaboration with Hotspawn, the leading hub for esports news and analysis. Together, Thunderpick and Hotspawn are committed to elevating the fan experience with innovative production, compelling storytelling, and fair play at the heart of the competition.
The post Thunderpick World Championship 2025 Announces Finals Dates and Teams appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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