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Exclusive Q&A with Mike Fox, CFO at Crystal WG
Q. Let us start with a quick intro of yourself for starters. Could you briefly describe your career?
A. I have 20 years’ experience in the gambling industry. For more than 10 years, I worked as the Group CFO of Euronext listed company Thunderbirds Resorts in Panama. I was lucky enough to work on some fantastic land-based casino projects in several emerging markets. At the time, the group operated 30 casinos and 10 hotels with 5,000 employees in the Philippines, Panama, Peru, Costa Rica and Nicaragua.
I played an integral role in helping expand our remit, opening two large properties in the Philippines – one included a hotel, golf course and casino and the other a hotel and casino. In Lima, Peru the group purchased six hotels and opened a flagship casino in the heart of Miraflores along with acquiring several slot parlors around the country. In Costa Rica, the group opened a flagship casino adjacent to the International Airport and subsequently several more casinos. In Panama, the group operated six casinos. At the time these properties were built, they were the best casino products to enter the markets.
In 2015, I joined Crystal Wealth Group to offer my financial consulting and investment experience for casinos, iGaming and the crypto/NFT space before helping launch new online casino BetCoco this year.
Q. You are a veteran casino professional. How challenging is a shift to the online casino segment?
A. One key difference is the ability to reach a global audience using the power of the internet. This is where a lot of time is spent with every territory we target in making sure we match the specific compliance requirements and own the correct operating licences to be able to offer our product to specific regions.
However, whether it’s land-based or online, the premise of operating a casino brand remains the same. If you can provide a service that surpasses customers’ expectations and offers them an experience that they cannot get anywhere else, they will return.
This is something we have focused on heavily in our design of BetCoco.
Q. Tell us about BetCoco. What are the immediate objectives of the company? Could you also tell us quickly about your job brief.
A. BetCoco is a fun brand that offers the best-in-class player experience with the leading games and services that the industry has to offer. Innovation is at the foundation of everything we do through creating the best features to continuously improve our user experience.
We initially launched in cryptocurrency, yet now offer fiat. One of our immediate objectives is to onboard new customers from the territories where we are operational. We are going to be working with the industry’s top affiliates and media partners to bring quality traffic to our site in every location we are situated.
My role is to facilitate this by focusing our investments on markets that are not necessarily saturated with competitors where our players get excited about a new brand with attractive bonus and loyalty programs.
Q. Could you now talk about your digital marketing strategies and the benefits that customers are going to get from BetCoco?
A. We’re quickly deploying exciting paid media marketing and affiliate campaigns to let the markets know about us such as in Brazil we are partnering with the top affiliates in the market to promote our recurring bonus offers.
We also have a very clear approach to making customer satisfaction one of our key goals. For instance, our aggressive customer bonus plan with 100% bonus up to 0.5BTC is designed to attract keen crypto players – and now we are on the verge of releasing industry-best bonus rewards for fiat customers.
Q. According to your recent press release, BetCoco wants to bring back “more thrill” for customers, which is something that “iGaming operators have lost in their brand promotions in recent years”. Could you elaborate a bit on this point?
A. We think some of the bigger operators with a large market share lose touch sometimes of what will attract players that are new to online gaming. Especially, in emerging markets like Latin America, Asia and Africa, we plan to be the trusted brand that excites new players to begin their online journey into iGaming.
Q. What are the features BetCoco offers as of now and in which markets they are available?
A. We have created a best-in-class suite of tech with our iGaming software platform integrated with the best gaming providers, My Affiliates for affiliate management and Customer.io for CRM. Our intention is to give our players a first-class betting experience and a seamless user journey. This includes making them feel special and appreciated with our special offers and VIP treatment.
We understand that some of our users enjoy the feeling of betting next to friends / other users. So, we are offering exclusive live tournaments and daily challenges and leaderboards with new games announced weekly. Our platform allows players to collect loyalty points and redeem for special rewards and prizes.
Q. Could you outline the new initiatives of BetCoco that are in the pipeline and likely to roll out in the next two years?
A. Our group is the process of launching new sites under a Malta license that will allow us to enter higher value markets. We are also acquiring best in class technology to continue to build additional brands under Malta licensing using our own CMS platform to allow complete control over the customization of our sites for each market.
Thanks to the metaverse and advanced VR Technology, players can now visit physical casinos from the comfort of their homes. We plan to have all kind of VR Games – Blackjack, Roulette, Poker, Game Shows, and even a Sports betting room, where the player can wager on a sports match and stay to watch the game next to other users, just like in Vegas! For this, player just needs to have a VR headset.
We have built relationships with the world’s best metaverse and VR tech companies and will integrate this technology into our brands over time.
We also plan to offer the ability to mint NFT slot machines with a shared revenue model and NFT player passes with in-app purchases.
Q. You plan to enter new markets, especially in Africa and Asia. What are your plans to tackle the fluid state of regulation in many of the African and Asian countries, with respect to cryptocurrency. For example, in India, a potentially large market, the legal stature of cryptocurrencies is in a disputed state. What will be your strategy?
A. While our view of the markets is worldwide, including Asia and Africa, we also see solid opportunities to secure country level licensing in places like Peru and Colombia. In addition, in the short term, we plan a major push in Brazil during the World Cup period. Since we have a presence in Latin America, for example, it allows us to understand better the local players and create brands that appeal to the particulars of each market.
Q. Finally, what is your take on the future of igaming segment, especially in relation to advances in technology such as machine learning and block chain?
A. Artificial intelligence and machine learning is becoming and will be a very important part of the iGaming industry in years to come.
From better understanding user experience through advanced data sets to more complex security measures via anti-money laundering detection software to faster transaction speeds via blockchain-powered cryptocurrencies, the advancements in technology can benefit the industry in so many ways – and it’s still growing.
These developments allow us to operate in a sector that is safer, more enjoyable and just generally more informed. For instance, with machine learning, we can hone the information we have on our customers to create better experiences. With blockchain, we can offer users the most streamlined and frictionless approach to playing.
As technology is always evolving, part of our mission is to evolve with it, so our players can enjoy the best and most advanced gaming. To bolster customer experience, we are already looking at planning to design and incorporate our own VR Games on-site. These games will be available in 1st person view, as well as in 3rd person view. Our VR Casino Games will offer players the most immersive experience on the market.

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Former Entain exec Jez White joins BetComply
BetComply, iGaming’s most trusted technical and regulatory compliance firm, has hired the former Entain executive Jez White in a new role overseeing safer gambling and sustainability.
White joins BetComply as the firm’s first Safer Gambling & Sustainability Specialist, following more than eight years at Entain, where he served as Director of Player Protection Systems and Analytics. His expertise across responsible gaming, risk management, and player protection technology has been instrumental in shaping industry standards.
In his new position, White will design and implement safer gambling strategies, audit existing safer gambling models and design CRM strategies for BetComply clients.
Daniel Brookes, CEO of BetComply said: “We’re thrilled to welcome Jez, who has been at the very cutting edge of regulated online gaming for many years now. Few, if any, can match his level of expertise, and this is a major coup for BetComply and our partners. His insights and experience will be invaluable as we continue to set new benchmarks in compliance and sustainability.”
Jez White, Safer Gambling & Sustainability Specialist at BetComply, added: “I’m incredibly proud of the advancements made in player protection during my eight years at Entain, and I’m now excited to join BetComply. They have very quickly emerged as the leading compliance firm in our industry, and I’ll be contributing to their vision of creating a safer and more sustainable gaming sector.”
While at Entain, White led the implementation of an industry-leading safe gambling strategy that incorporated pattern recognition models and real-time interaction technology.
BetComply has been expanding its senior team over recent weeks. In February, Paola Menchem was brought in to lead its legal and regulatory compliance services.
The post Former Entain exec Jez White joins BetComply appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Darts Player Prakash Jiwa Gets Eight-year Ban for Match Fixing
Darts player Prakash Jiwa has been banned from all Darts Regulation Authority (DRA) events for eight years after being found guilty of match-fixing and betting on darts.
The UK Gambling Commission’s Sports Betting Intelligence Unit (SBIU) supported the investigation by facilitating information gathered in the course of its enquiries.
Following a hearing before the DRA Disciplinary Committee on 21 January 2025, Jiwa was found guilty of fixing four matches and betting on darts. He was found not guilty of obstructing the enquiry.
The Committee has suspended him from playing in or being involved in any DRA-regulated events until 6 November 2031, provided he pays costs of £17,741.46 in full.
There is no suggestion that the other players in these matches were involved.
John Pierce, Commission Director of Enforcement, said: “All betting customers in Britain should have confidence that bets placed with licensed gambling businesses are on markets that are fair and free from betting-related corruption.
“Our Sports Betting Intelligence Unit works closely with partners such as the Darts Regulation Authority to support sporting integrity investigations and combat match-fixing. This decision sends a clear message that betting-related corruption in sport will not be tolerated.”
The post Darts Player Prakash Jiwa Gets Eight-year Ban for Match Fixing appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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HERO ESPORTS Asian Champions League: 6 Spots for Esports World Cup Up for Grabs in Teamfight Tactics Tournament
The HERO ESPORTS Asian Champions League (ACL), Asia’s premier multi-title esports tournament hosted by Asia’s leading Esports company Hero Esports, has announced that a total of six spots for the Esports World Cup are up for grabs in ACL Teamfight Tactics Tournament. Details regarding the tournament format, schedule and prize pool have also been unveiled.
The ACL Teamfight Tactics Tournament is set to commence on April 15 and will conclude on May 18. The total prize pool for the tournament amounts to $150,000, with six teams earning direct entry to the Esports World Cup.
Unlike previous Teamfight Tactics events, the ACL Teamfight Tactics Tournament features a 4V4 team battle format. This emphasis on teamwork will offer the audience a fresh and engaging viewing experience.
The ACL Teamfight Tactics Tournament is structured into three stages: Regional Qualifiers, Asian Challenge and ACL Grand Finals.
Registration for the tournament will open on March 23 and close on March 31. Teams must register in groups of four players. The Regional Qualifiers will be divided into APAC and CN regions. The eight highest-ranking teams from the APAC region and the seven highest-ranking teams from the CN region will qualify for the Regional Qualifiers. Team rankings are determined by the total points accumulated by the top three players in each team at the registration deadline. These points are calculated based on performance in the TFT Open, Tactician’s Crown and Regional Finals over the latest three seasons.
In the Regional Qualifiers, four teams from each region (APAC and CN region) will advance to the Asian Challenge through online competitions. The APAC Qualifier will take place from April 15 to 18, whereas the CN Qualifier is scheduled from April 24 to 27. Additionally, the top three teams from each region will secure spots in the Esports World Cup, while the fourth and fifth teams from each region will qualify for the Last Chance Qualifier of EWC.
In the Asian Challenge, which will take place from May 8 to 11, a total of eight teams from the Regional Qualifiers will compete for three spots in the Finals.
The post HERO ESPORTS Asian Champions League: 6 Spots for Esports World Cup Up for Grabs in Teamfight Tactics Tournament appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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