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Exclusive Interview with Matthew Stafford, CEO at BlockChain Innovations Corp
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It is my great pleasure to bring to you my latest interview. This week we once again focus on the role of blockchain in the gambling industry as it still is a trending topic. And what better way to get a glimpse into the vertical, then asking the experts of the industry. Matthew Stafford has been appointed as CEO of BlockChain Innovations Corp. this April and he has since than given speech at many industry events. It is high time we got the chance to pick his brain in our unique style. See below our interview with Matthew.
Let’s start with a few words about yourself. Our readers love to hear top-class professionals describing themselves.
Matthew: Thank you for a very kind introduction. I’ve spent 10 years in regulated gaming and public markets as an attorney, most recently with Scientific Games and NYX Gaming Group where I helped take that company public in Toronto in 2014 through its acquisition of Openbet Technologies Limited; the world’s largest sportsbook platform provider in 2016. I’ve had the opportunity to work with hundreds of gaming clients both brick-and-mortar and in the digital space, as well as payment providers, data and compliance vendors and the multitude of gaming software platforms around the world.
You took over as CEO of Blockchain Innovations Corp (BCI) about four months back. What are your early reflections on the job?
Matthew: It’s a very exciting and busy time. We are bringing a disruptive technology to two markets – both the commercial gaming industry for operators and the public market in Toronto for investors.
There is a lot of interest in both sectors around the technology and what it can do. In the capital markets, it’s about building blockchain companies as a value-added segment that gives depth to cryptocurrencies beyond price speculation and mining. For the gaming industry, it’s about building a modern gaming and payment platform that is compatible with conventional technologies so that our operator clients can offer blockchain wagering now and be poised for the future.
You studied law and started your career as a legal intern. How does your legal background help in your functioning as the CEO of BCI, especially as cryptocurrencies and other blockchain financial solutions are still viewed with suspicion by the regulators in several countries.
Matthew: I was fortunate enough to work in gaming – at leading slot manufacturer Aruze Gaming America, Inc. – before graduating law school. As the Assistant General Counsel there, I obtained over 150 gaming licenses for the company worldwide and won approval for hundreds of devices. I also oversaw regulatory compliance at NYX and that foundation provided me with the ability to navigate complex regulatory issues, just like the treatment of crypto and blockchain with regulators. A working partnership and understanding of the regulatory schemes behind those agencies is crucial in terms of finding a viable solution for the industry in any circumstance.
What is important to note regarding uncertainties around crypto and blockchain is that, although perhaps skeptical, regulators are addressing the issue. There is positive movement towards adoption; the regulation/licensing frameworks that are being considered are being conducted by many jurisdictions and the outcome is to find that balance of providing the industry with competitive technology while meeting the regulatory objectives within a particular jurisdiction.
Can you tell us more about BCI’s soon to launch cryptocurrency wallet, Pebwallet, and its PebbleShare tipbot?
Matthew: Pebwallet.com is our fully-functional cryptocurrency wallet for users to manage and exchange multiple cryptocurrencies for smart-contract coins. They can also buy, sell, and exchange wagers via our PebbleShare tipbot. The wallet communicates to any existing operator’s PAM via an API and, in addition to standard transaction accounting and reporting, operators may permit wagering between players using pay-as you-go cryptocurrency where no money is on deposit as well as players with fiat currency on deposit, in their existing operator account.
Once activated, users with popular cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum may then exchange those coins for PebbleCoin and begin placing smart-contract wagers. PebbleCoin, the gaming-by-design crypto-currency BCI’s technology utilizes, is one of the first cryptocurrencies to use smart contracts and trade them as freely as coins.
BCI claims that its blockchain social betting solution has something unique and innovative that the competitors, especially Bitcoin and Ethereum, do not have: basically, BCI’s solution does not have a lag in provable transaction confirmation. Could you explain about its practical real-time implications?
Matthew: BCI has provably instant confirmation of transactions, or bets integrated within its technology and our cryptocurrency PebbleCoin. The confirmation time for Bitcoin is 1 hour and Ethereum is 180 seconds. The implication of that 180 seconds to 1 hour is that live wagering environments are not possible with Bitcoin or Ethereum since there is an ability for one side to “roll-back” the transaction on the blockchain. If this were the case, users could cancel bets when the line prices move against their position – that’s not feasible in a betting market.
These are good times to be a betting solution provider in the USA, as the US supreme court has repealed PSPA, which would inevitably lead to the legalization of sports betting in many US states. How do you see the prospects for BCI?
Matthew: We see a lot of opportunity for operators to be “born on the blockchain”, that is to have a blockchain wagering offering for their players as their sole platform or a complementary offering to their player base. With the 6-3 United States Supreme Court decision striking down a 1992 law prohibiting such sports betting outside of Nevada, and the American Gaming Association estimating there is over $250 billion wagered annually in the US, it is a promising time for the sector.
Those figures mean that the demand for suppliers in the US will exceed the capabilities of conventional platform providers. We anticipate operators that want to be live when authorized by their state will look to blockchain as a modern technology that is able to offer a full solution for their sports wagering operations. Along those lines, because of the near-zero cost to operate our system, Tribes and state sports lotteries stand to gain the most from a blockchain solution since those savings go directly back to the taxpayer or tribal entities managing gaming operations for the tribe.
About BlockChain Innovations Corp.
Blockchain Innovations is headquartered in Las Vegas. The company designs and develops market ready blockchain technology for public and private real-money wagering and peer-to-peer gaming companies across the globe.
The company’s blockchain technology consists of a fully functional crypto-currency wallet, a tipbot – PebbleGo for easily sending and receiving smart contracts, and its smart contracts platform – the ideal wagering eco-system for instant confirmation, where contracts are tradeable, divisible, transferable and new wagering not available in traditional retail or online markets.
The company’s technology is built around PebbleCoin, a gambling-by-design cryptocurrency that has been mined since 2015. Pebblecoin’s unique features make it the only crypto-currency that can facilitate real-time wagering.
For more details visit www.blockchaininnovations.info
Source: Latest News on European Gaming Media Network

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Jelly, True Rippers BGMI star, speaks out against cyberbullying: calls for a safer, more respectful ecosystem
Jelly, one of India’s leading Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) athletes, representing Infinix True Rippers, has issued an appeal to the esports community to stand against cyberbullying and threats in the esports ecosystem.
Following the BMPS 2025 Semifinals 2, where Jelly was performing with the sole goal of helping his team qualify for the grand finals, the player faced a wave of online hate, including abusive messages and death threats, all for eliminating a rival and his former team.
In a heartfelt statement, Jelly explained: “I am here to qualify just like every other team. If there is a fight against GodLike, I cannot just put my guns down and I also don’t know who is in front of me. Every team on this stage is here to play for victory. I wanted both teams to qualify, theirs and mine, but because of mistakes, neither of us made it. It is not because of one fight alone that things went wrong.”
Jelly also condemned the personal attacks he has faced and appealed for a safer esports ecosystem:
“No player deserves hate or threats for doing their job and competing. We put in countless hours to train, just like any athlete in any sport. We need to stand for fair, safe, and respectful esports, without fear of abuse.”
With esports continuing to grow as a mainstream sport in India, the need for stronger measures to protect players from cyberbullying and online harassment is more crucial than ever. Jelly emphasized that athletes, content creators, and fans deserve a positive, supportive environment to thrive.
The 24-year-old pro has pledged to use his platform to promote safe gaming practices and challenge toxic behavior within the gaming community.
Infinix True Rippers, the team Jelly represents, also extended their support to his statement, reiterating their commitment to building a culture of fairness, mental well-being, and respect in Indian esports.
The post Jelly, True Rippers BGMI star, speaks out against cyberbullying: calls for a safer, more respectful ecosystem appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Optimove Ignites APAC Expansion with Leading iGaming Operators Joining Platform
Magency Life, WeClub Malaysia, and 2up.io sign on following Optimove’s regional launch
Optimove, the creator of Positionless Marketing and the #1 Player Engagement Platform in iGaming, today announced that three leading APAC iGaming operators: Magency Life, WeClub Malaysia, and 2up.io have selected Optimove as their player engagement platform. This follows the company’s formal launch of operations in Asia-Pacific and underscores its momentum in the region.
The announcement comes immediately after Optimove’s appointment of iGaming veteran Jack Wheeler to head the APAC region. Wheeler and team are driving regional growth and supporting operators in scaling player engagement strategies through data, personalization, and AI-driven orchestration.
“Our rapid adoption in the region is validation that iGaming operators in APAC are forward thinking, with a deep commitment to meaningful player engagement,” said Jack Wheeler, Senior Account Executive and Head of APAC. “Optimove’s ability to empower operators that embrace Positionless Marketing to increase marketing efficiency by 88% is ushering the APAC iGaming industry into an era where real-time marketing execution is scalable.”
Optimove’s Positionless Marketing Platform gives marketing teams the power to independently launch and optimize campaigns across channels without waiting on engineering, creatives, or analysts.
The company’s Optimove Ignite+ program, played a key role in accelerating adoption across the region. The comprehensive program is designed to accelerate growth for emerging iGaming and sports betting operators. It offers exclusive access to Optimove’s #1 Player Engagement Platform, along with expert CRM guidance, actionable insights, and proprietary industry benchmarks. Optimove Ignite+ empowers operators to enhance player engagement, improve marketing efficiency, and scale efficiently in a highly competitive market.
“These partnerships mark a major step forward in our mission to help operators across APAC build deeper, longer-lasting relationships with their players,” said Motti Colman, VP of Revenue at Optimove. “It underscores that Positionless Marketing, and its ability to free marketers to execute personalized player journeys without bottlenecks, is a key to growth in competitive markets. We’re honored to be chosen.”
With regional operators facing rising competition and evolving player expectations, Optimove provides the tools to act instantly on data, deliver personalized experiences, and drive lifetime value all from a single, AI-powered platform.
The post Optimove Ignites APAC Expansion with Leading iGaming Operators Joining Platform appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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PepsiCo Returns as Main Partner of the Esports World Cup 2025
PepsiCo brings back Pepsi and introduces Mountain Dew, energising the global gaming community at the world’s largest esports event.
The Esports World Cup Foundation (“EWCF”) today announced its renewed partnership with PepsiCo, establishing Pepsi and Mountain Dew as Main Partners of the Esports World Cup 2025, set to take place this summer in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. With Pepsi and Mountain Dew joining the EWC, both iconic beverages will fuel and energize the worldwide gaming community.
The renewed partnership marks the continued expansion of PepsiCo’s footprint in gaming and a bold step forward in delivering world-class experiences to fans in Riyadh and around the globe.
Following its debut as a Founding Partner in 2024, Pepsi returns to the Esports World Cup with an expanded presence across the 2025 festival. Activations will include immersive fan zones, large-scale product sampling, and co-branded content with artists, creators, and players.
Mountain Dew, joining as a Main Partner for the first time, is levelling up players’ game in EWC 2025 to EWC 2025. A long-standing supporter of gaming, the brand will deliver immersive on-site experiences, exclusive merchandise drops, and branded competitions that resonate from grassroots to pro. With a digital-first campaign themed “Dew levels up your game,” Mountain Dew will activate across KSA social channels, broadcast, and festival touchpoints — reinforcing its ambition to lead in gaming culture and power the next generation of players.
Both brands will feature prominently throughout the event — from the Opening Ceremony to hospitality areas — with branded fridges and product placement across esports venues, the Players’ Lounge, and festival grounds, uniting music, gaming, and entertainment to deliver high-energy fan experiences.
Mohammed Al Nimer, Chief Commercial Officer at Esports World Cup Foundation, said: “We’re excited to have Pepsi and Mountain Dew back as Main Partners for the second year. These are brands that truly get gaming and its fans. With their support, this year’s Esports World Cup will be an even bigger celebration of community and creativity”
Returning to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from July 7 to August 24, 2025, the Esports World Cup will unite global gaming communities for a celebration of esports culture. With 25 tournaments across 24 games, 2,000 elite players, and 200 Clubs from over 100 countries, the EWC will feature the largest prize pool in esports history, over $70 million. Fans can expect exclusive experiences, from high-stakes competition to live music, anime cafes, retro arcades, cosplay, and more, drawing millions of fans online and in person.
To learn more about EWC, visit esportsworldcup.com and follow Esports World Cup Foundation on LinkedIn.
The post PepsiCo Returns as Main Partner of the Esports World Cup 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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