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Exclusive interview with Domenico Mazzola, Commercial Director at Altenar ahead of London’s gaming show

Published

4 years ago

April 8, 2022

Reading Time: 3 minutes

“We’re looking forward to meeting all our ICE-bound friends!” – Exclusive interview with Domenico Mazzola, Commercial Director at Altenar ahead of London’s gaming show.

Altenar has been making a serious name for itself in the past 12 months as one of the industry’s fastest-growing sportsbook providers. We caught up with Domenico Mazzola, Commercial Director at Altenar, ahead of his team’s attendance at ICE London 2022 next week. With some fantastic commercial success across the UK, Europe, and LatAm, Domenico’s certainly got plenty to talk about!

Congratulations on Altenar’s recently announced commercial results for 2021 – what’s been key to powering your platform’s exponential growth?

Thank you, we’ve been working hard to achieve the targets we set ourselves as a company. I believe the key to powering Altenar’s platform growth is the continual driving force of our C-levels to seek change, whether this is adding something new to Altenar’s software or seeking new forms of sports betting entertainment like Esports.

Operators have seen the ease of use and success available to them with our vision – and through Altenar’s fantastic sportsbook, the product delivers the rest. With that, the world opening back up and having expos take place also powers Altenar’s growth and we’ll be attending ICE in London at booth S3-340, so come along and speak to our team of experts, we’re looking forward to meeting all our ICE-bound friends and partners after so long!

Which markets have proven most instrumental to Altenar’s development over the last year? How much of Altenar’s business is geared towards Europe vs the likes of LatAm and Africa?

We are placed around the world, but Europe, LATAM, and the UK have been instrumental to our development – this is because these individual markets require so much from us as a sportsbook provider, from adapting to the customers’ needs to finding and attaining the right licenses to operate, and it’s what’s really established us as one of the best providers out there.

Having access to unique challenges from a country or operating region allows Altenar to be at the top of our game and the forefront of sportsbook technology, and I’m sure that with the excellent development pipeline we have in place, we’re in for an exciting year ahead.

Given your UKGC and existing operations in the UK – how much do you see Europe’s largest betting market influencing Europe’s development in the decade ahead?

Each market is unique and for that reason, we treat each market that way. For instance, one market will prefer a certain type of sports betting to the neighboring market, and it rarely follows a domino effect.

If anything, the largest betting market might influence Europe’s development in terms of greater adoption of or legalization of online gambling, given the revenue intake can be so high and therefore beneficial to countries as a whole.

This means that more European countries could look to operate sports betting in the coming years as the UK houses some of the biggest names in the industry, we’ve learned a lot from deploying our range of products in the UK, and it’s been an invaluable experience that helps hone our strategy worldwide.

Looking to new markets where Altenar has gone live, such as the Netherlands and Bulgaria – which jurisdictions do you currently see as the most untapped across Europe, and indeed LatAm?

I believe that Brazil will be a very large market for Altenar and for Europe, there is an endless supply of jurisdictions that Altenar would love to be involved with, especially as Altenar is witnessing a greater adoption of sports betting across Europe as a whole.

Great things take time, and in Brazil’s case, it certainly has been that! We’ve achieved great success in neighboring markets, and while Brazil is no doubt a unique market on the continent for a multitude of reasons, I’m very confident that our experience puts us in a pole position for really catching local operators’ interest.

Esports, data, and virtuals are a key part of Altenar’s offering – what kind of demographics do you believe your products are appealing to and how do you plan to capture the interest of the next-gen player?

Altenar’s products are appealing to a wide demographic, purely because sports tend to lend themselves to a host of age ranges, backgrounds, and everything in between. It’s one of the most beautiful aspects of sports, so it’s no surprise that the same ethos extends into sports betting.

Esports will be one of the factors in capturing the next-gen player – as it already is doing, simply because it allows for a host of imaginative, creative, and almost fictional gaming that far exceeds the limits of traditional sports betting. For instance, a gamer can bet on the death of a dragon as opposed to a specific player scoring a goal. The scope of the industry is changing just as the player is – and it’s a very exciting time to be part of it.

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From ‘Mummyverse’ to Crash Games: Belatra Reviews a Landmark 2025

Published

3 days ago

December 23, 2025

George Miller

Editor’s Take

Why this matters: Belatra has been a steady hand in the slots world for a long time, but 2025 marked a distinct shift in strategy. By entering the Crash vertical with Goose Boom Bang and winning big at SiGMA Africa, the studio is clearly pivoting to capture the high-growth, high-frequency players in emerging markets. They are no longer just a “classic slots” developer; they are diversifying the portfolio to ensure relevance in regions like LatAm and Africa.

The Full Story

Belatra Games, the specialist online slots developer, has issued a strategic review of its 2025 operations, celebrating a 12-month period defined by entry into new game verticals, significant franchise expansion, and high-profile industry recognition.

The year was characterized by a dual strategy: deepening engagement in established markets while aggressively expanding its content portfolio to suit local preferences in emerging territories.

Portfolio Evolution: Crash and Battles 2025 saw Belatra move beyond its traditional slot roots. The company made its debut in the high-demand Crash game vertical with the launch of Goose Boom Bang, a title designed to tap into the fast-paced gameplay preference of younger demographics.

Additionally, the studio introduced a fresh game concept with the launch of Battles, a new format unveiled for the first time in 2025, with further development planned for 2026.

The ‘Mummyverse’ Expands For fans of classic slots, the highlight of the year was the aggressive expansion of the Mummyverse. Belatra nearly doubled the size of this franchise over the year, making it the most extensive game universe in their entire catalog.

The developer also focused on B2B localization, releasing a number of exclusive bespoke games created specifically for selected operator partners to meet specific local market tastes.

Awards and Recognition The company’s strategic shifts were validated by industry accolades. Belatra secured over 30 nominations throughout the year, with standout wins including:

Best Slot Provider (awarded by BitStarz).
Most Played Game of 2025 for Make It Gold at the SiGMA Africa Awards.
Player’s Pick Award.

Management Commentary Misha Voinich, Head of Business Development at Belatra, commented on the studio’s momentum:

“This year has truly defined who we are as a studio – ambitious, creative and focused on building long-term partnerships. We’ve expanded our universes, launched new ones and entered exciting new markets that will all help us carry this momentum into the New Year.”

The post From ‘Mummyverse’ to Crash Games: Belatra Reviews a Landmark 2025 appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry Newsroom.

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‘Chaos and Soul’: Ebaka Games Plots Global Expansion After Viral Launch

Published

3 days ago

December 23, 2025

George Miller

Editor’s Take

Why this matters: The “Instant Game” vertical (Crash, Plinko, Mines) is becoming crowded, but Ebaka Games is cutting through the noise with a distinct brand personality. By securing BMM Testlabs certification so quickly after launch, they are signaling to Tier 1 operators that despite their “chaotic” marketing vibe, the math underneath is solid and compliant. The backing of industry veteran Dmitry Belianin also adds immediate commercial credibility to the startup.

The Full Story

Ebaka Games, the fledgling studio that promises to bring “chaos and soul” to the iGaming sector, has outlined an aggressive growth strategy for 2026 following a landmark launch period in late 2025.

The studio, which officially debuted in November, reports that its initial rollout reached more than five million people worldwide. The launch saw its portfolio go live with the operator Menace, serving as the initial testbed for its mechanics and “Ebaka modes.”

The Product: Instant Games with Personality Ebaka is bypassing traditional slots to focus on the high-growth vertical of fast-paced, instant-win games. Their initial lineup includes:

Plinko
Mines
Tower
Limbo
Crash

Differentiation is achieved through unique mascots and signature gameplay tweaks designed to offer high win potential and distinct visual identities, moving away from the generic interfaces often found in this genre.

Regulatory Milestone Crucially for its 2026 roadmap, Ebaka Games has confirmed it has secured certification from BMM Testlabs. This accreditation validates the fairness and integrity of its RNG (Random Number Generator) and game engines, removing a major barrier to entry for regulated markets. With this certification in hand, the studio plans to launch with a number of “major brands” in the coming year.

Management Commentary Vitalii Zalievskyi, CEO of Ebaka Games, commented on the studio’s unorthodox approach:

“It’s only been a few weeks since we first introduced Ebaka Games to the world. The feedback has been breathtaking, and it vindicates the decision for us to take a different path to the rest of the industry. You don’t need huge marketing budgets to grab people’s attention if you are building something truly innovative.”

Industry Backing The studio describes itself as being “created by players for players” but boasts significant industry firepower in its corner. The team includes Dmitry Belianin, a well-known figure in the sector who is the co-founder of Blask and Menace, as well as Managing Partner at Already Media.

The post ‘Chaos and Soul’: Ebaka Games Plots Global Expansion After Viral Launch appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry Newsroom.

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Racing Meets Nightlife: SBK Backs ARC’s New ‘Friday Night Live’ Series

Published

3 days ago

December 23, 2025

George Miller

Editor’s Take

Why this matters: British racing has a well-documented demographic problem; its core audience is aging. “Friday Night Live” is a direct attempt to fix this by blending high-stakes racing with the “experience economy” (DJs, nightlife vibes) that appeals to Gen Z and Millennials. Bringing SBK on board—a mobile-first, app-only sportsbook—is a perfect demographic fit, while the Racing Post adds the necessary credibility to ensure the actual racing product remains the focus.

The Full Story

Arena Racing Company (ARC) has unveiled the strategic commercial lineup for its upcoming Friday Night Live series, confirming SBK as the Exclusive Betting Partner and The Racing Post as the Official Media Partner.

Set to launch in January 2026, Friday Night Live is a new initiative created in collaboration with youth-focused events company INVADES. The series is designed to overhaul the traditional race day experience, featuring fast-paced fixtures under floodlights, DJ sets, and significant entertainment elements sandwiched between races.

The Commercial Deal

SBK: As the exclusive betting partner, the Smarkets-owned sportsbook will take naming rights and on-course branding for all 35 races. Crucially, these races will be broadcast live on mainstream television via ITV Racing as well as Sky Sports Research.
The Racing Post: As the Official Media Partner, the publication will provide content, coverage, and promotion across its digital platforms, aiming to bridge the gap between established racing purists and the new audience ARC hopes to attract.

A High-Stakes Experiment The series is not just a marketing exercise; it carries serious sporting weight. Each of the five scheduled nights will feature over £200,000 in prize money. The fixtures will rotate across three of ARC’s all-weather tracks: Wolverhampton, Newcastle, and Southwell.

Management Commentary David Leyden Dunbar, Group Director of Commercial Strategy at ARC, was clear about the target audience:

“We have been very clear that one of the aims of Friday Night Live is to engage the next generation of racing fans… Both [partners] have shown real enthusiasm to work with us… as well as using the platform that these fixtures will offer them to also engage with more established racing and sports fans.”

Adam Baylis, Marketing Director at SBK, added:

“Friday Night Live [is] a fresh and engaging concept that brings a new energy to British racing. SBK has always been built around sport… our focus is on enhancing the live race day experience in a fun, social and responsible way.”

The 2026 Schedule The series kicks off immediately in the new year: