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iGaming’s ‘Oscars’ a Wonderful Success
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520 industry experts attended iGaming Idol Malta’s most prestigious awards event on 26 September. 22 awards were handed out to recognise outstanding achievements of individuals working in the iGaming Sector.
As an industry that contributes over €1.2 billion and 12 per cent towards the national GDP and employs over 12,000 people in Malta, iGaming is an integral part of life in Malta. With that in mind, iGaming Idol has become the Oscars of the iGaming Industry, a sector that has made Malta the home for gaming excellence.
Now in its third year, the popularity of the event and the demand for participation for sponsorship grew tremendously with the attendance increasing by over 25 per cent between 2017 and 2018. This encouraged the organisers to find a new home to host the event, and they settled upon the Bay Arena, within the Intercontinental Hotel in St Julian’s.
iGaming Idol is built on three pillars: the Recognition of Individuals; Entertainment and Charity. With regards to the latter, the organisers are proud to have raised over €20,000 for the Malta Community Chest Fund Foundation through charity fundraisers and proceeds from the event this year alone.
Speaking at the Awards, the Hon Silvio Schembri, Junior Minister for Financial Services, Digital Economy and Innovation, referred to iGaming Idol as a staple in the iGaming calendar and an event that rewards excellence to critical people in the industry.
Referring to the sector, he said, “we want to embrace and celebrate these achievements and continue to ensure that both homegrown and foreign talent keep having Malta as the launch pad for their iGaming career.”
Minister Schembri also announced that, following the published consultation document in March that sparked conversations among stakeholders on the introduction of Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) and virtual currencies, the Malta Gaming Authority is taking things a step further and will be launching a Sandbox for DLT. Hon Schembri concluded his speech by presenting the first-ever ‘Hall of Fame’ Award to George Debrincat for his dedication to and proactivity in the industry since its inception.
The night continued with hosts – industry veteran Michael Casselli and the head reporter of Calvin Ayre and Coin Geek Rebecca Liggero – announcing the rest of the winners.
Finally, Michael Pederson, CEO of iGaming Idol, said he was overwhelmed by the response of the industry and made it a point to thank all those who contributed to the event. He stated: “iGaming Idol could not have happened without our headline partner Videoslots.com, our Platinum sponsors GamingMalta, IGT, Microgaming and BetConstruct, our Silver sponsor StudioSeven, and the many other sponsors and contributors who have made this, as well as the industry at large, a benchmark in gaming excellence.”
The complete list of winners is as follows:
CATEGORY | FULL NAME | COMPANY |
Hall of Fame | George Debrincat | Kindred Group |
Manager Idol of the Year | Ludvig Philip | Mr Green |
Casino Idol of the Year | Andy Whitworth | GVC Holding PLC |
Customer Service Idol of the Year | Daniela Azzopardi | NetRefer |
Affiliate Idol of the Year | Eoin Findlay | Mr Green |
SEO Idol of the Year | Milorad Matejic | GIG |
Social Media Idol of the Year | Joseph Ryan | Better Collective |
VIP Idol of the Year | Anthony Cabrera | GIG |
Fraud and Risk Idol of the Year | Kristino Vella | Hero Gaming |
Design and User Experience Idol of the Year | María Mora | GIG |
Casino Dealer Idol of the Year | Birdzhan Hyuseinova | NetEnt |
Compliance and Regulated Markets Idol of the Year | Ian Ince | Playtech |
Recruitment Idol of the Year | Alexandra Mirica | NetEnt |
Account Manager Idol of the Year | Yvette Grima | The Stars Group |
Sales Idol of the Year | Roger Admeus | GIG |
Consultant Idol of the Year | Reuben Portanier | Avviza |
Office Management Idol of the Year | Arpad Horvat | Mr Green |
Payments Idol of the Year | David Borg | Mr Green |
SPECIAL CATEGORIES | NAME |
Employer Branding of the Year | GIG |
CEO Idol of the Year | Martin Carlesund, Evolution Gaming |
Employer of the Year | Bethard |
Outstanding Contribution to the Industry | Ivonne Montealegre, The Malta Poker Festival |
Source: Latest News on European Gaming Media Network

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DATA.BET Teams up with Pragmatic Play Sports – Partnership to deliver full esports solution
DATA.BET, the trusted sportsbook solution supplier, has partnered with Pragmatic Play, a leading content supplier to the iGaming industry, to expand the gaming provider’s new esports betting product.
Through the collaboration, Pragmatic Play Sports can provide an esports solution that combines premium content with official data and best-in-class streaming technology.
DATA.BET will deliver its complete esports offering, giving Pragmatic Play Sports access to its odds feed and customisable Multi Widget that combines Scoreboards, Pitch Tracker, and low-latency live Video Streaming into a single interface.
Pragmatic Play Sports customers now have access to DATA.BET’s entire catalogue of 30+ esports disciplines, which includes some of the world’s most in-demand esports titles, such as Counter-Strike, Dota 2, EA Sports FC, Valorant, and League of Legends.
A broader rollout of additional disciplines is scheduled for upcoming phases through 2026. The collaboration equips Pragmatic Play Sports with reliable, premium esports content supported by strong infrastructure and seamless integration to meet the growing needs of its operators and customers.
“This is a long-term alignment where we will grow in the esports space together and deliver a strong, revenue-generating product to Pragmatic Play Sports and their clients,” said Otto Bonning, Head of Sales at DATA.BET. “We are eager to collaborate with such a forward-looking team and continue delivering tools that help drive global growth. For DATA.BET, the project reinforces its strategy of delivering modular, scalable integrations to global leading partners.”
Gareth Crook, SVP of Sports at Pragmatic Play, said: “We’re delighted to expand our new esports product in conjunction with DATA.BET. This partnership delivers a complete esports solution powered by official data, giving operators reliable pricing and extensive event and market uptime. Alongside this, Pragmatic Play provides a premium range of managed services – including trading and risk management of esports – to ensure operators have the confidence and support they need. Esports is one of the fastest-growing global betting verticals, and this launch reinforces our commitment to an official-data approach while adding a truly dynamic new product to our already extensive portfolio.”
This collaboration marks another step in DATA.BET’s roadmap for scaling esports accessibility across the betting industry.
The post DATA.BET Teams up with Pragmatic Play Sports – Partnership to deliver full esports solution appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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XSOLLA WEB SHOP AND SINGULAR JOIN FORCES TO DELIVER CROSS-PLATFORM LTV AND ROAS MEASUREMENT SOLUTIONS
Xsolla Web Shop And Singular S2S Integration Bridges The Gap Between Mobile Marketing And Web Transactions For Complete Campaign Visibility
Xsolla, a global video game commerce company that helps developers launch, grow, and monetize their games, today announced a new mobile-focused Server-to-Server (S2S) integration with Singular, a leading marketing analytics and attribution platform. The integration unifies mobile marketing data with direct-to-consumer web purchases, enabling developers to measure campaign performance and player value more accurately than ever before.
As mobile game makers increasingly turn to Web Shops to expand revenue streams beyond app stores, one challenge has persisted: how to tie those off-platform transactions back to mobile marketing spend. The Xsolla Web Shop + Singular S2S integration closes this gap by treating Web Shop purchases as attributable events, giving developers true Return on Advertising Spend (ROAS) and comprehensive Lifetime Value (LTV) insights.
Key advantages of the Xsolla Web Shop + Singular S2S integration:
- Capture both mobile and web purchases as part of a single funnel
- Link revenue directly to user acquisition and re-engagement campaigns
- Reveal the complete LTV picture across app and Web Shop transactions
With this integration, Web Shop purchases are transmitted to Singular as server-to-server events, then mapped back to the correct install source or re-engagement campaign. This provides growth teams with a single, trusted view of performance across all platforms.
“Having launched more than 600 mobile Web Shops, we’ve seen developers demand actionable data that connects web monetization with mobile marketing,” said Berkley Egenes, Chief Marketing & Growth Officer at Xsolla. “Our new S2S integration with Singular delivers that missing link, giving teams the clarity to optimize and scale their Web Shop strategies confidently.”
“Our goal at Singular has always been to simplify complex data and make it actionable for growth teams,” said Gadi Eliashiv, CEO and Co-Founder at Singular. “By partnering with Xsolla, we’re giving developers the full-funnel visibility they need to measure ROI and maximize revenue across every platform.”
Learn more about the S2S integration for Xsolla Web Shop and Singular at: xsolla.pro/singular
The post XSOLLA WEB SHOP AND SINGULAR JOIN FORCES TO DELIVER CROSS-PLATFORM LTV AND ROAS MEASUREMENT SOLUTIONS appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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eGaming Integrity Welcomes Hayley Ashton as Compliance Manager
eGaming Integrity is proud to announce the appointment of Hayley Ashton as its new Compliance Manager, effective immediately. Hayley joins the firm in response to growing client demand for enhanced compliance support across the Isle of Man’s eGaming sector.
Hayley’s career reflects deep expertise across the regulatory and financial services sectors. She has gained extensive experience in anti-money laundering frameworks, risk assessment, and governance best practices, with a proven ability to support organisations in maintaining the highest compliance standards.
With diplomas in Anti-Money Laundering and Governance, Risk and Compliance from the International Compliance Association, alongside a BA in Primary Education with Qualified Teacher Status from Leeds Beckett University, Hayley combines technical knowledge with strong skills in training, leadership, and operational delivery.
Emma Shilling, Director at eGaming Integrity, commented: “The demand for practical, outcome-focused compliance advice continues to grow as the GSC elevates standards and the island prepares for MONEYVAL. Hayley’s appointment reflects our commitment to meeting that demand, and her experience and proactive style will ensure clients get the support they need where it matters most.”
Hayley Ashton added: “I’m passionate about fostering compliance cultures that are both effective and sustainable. Delivering practical, outcomes-focused guidance tailored to real-world business contexts is where I believe compliance adds its most valuable contribution. I’m looking forward to working closely with our clients and helping them put robust, workable compliance practices in place.”
Hayley’s appointment strengthens eGaming Integrity’s team of industry experts and former regulators, reinforcing its leadership in mock audits, remediation and internal audits for the Isle of Man’s egaming licence holders.
The post eGaming Integrity Welcomes Hayley Ashton as Compliance Manager appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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