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Q&A: Chris Armes Takes Charge as High 5 Games’ CTO
High 5 Games bolsters their executive leadership team with Chief Technology Officer, Chris Armes.
Chris brings to High 5 Games the experience of having managed global engineering teams for several Fortune 100 companies over the past 25 years. Since moving into iGaming in 2017, he’s never looked back and compares the burgeoning industry today to the dotcom business during the boom in the mid to late 90s.
In his position as CTO, Chris works closely with Jerry Wilson, who is in charge of creative strategy for game content and brands at High 5 Games. Another ally Chris counts on to help him meet deliverables is Gino Fratto, who leads the product and project management teams.
We put Chris under the spotlight to answer a few questions about what led him to High 5 Games, his management style and the challenges and opportunities presented by his new role.
Could you please tell us about how you got to where you are now?
Chris: My background is in software development and engineering on large-scale international projects. Throughout my career I’ve been fortunate to have been part of and manage many high-performing global teams across the full spectrum of the delivery experience. In every organization where I’ve led technology, my strong suit is the ability to balance product and customer needs to ensure the success and sustainability of any solution my team delivers.
How do you see your role as the CTO at High 5 Games?
Chris: I’m responsible for leading the development and implementation of the technology strategy for High 5 Games. This involves overseeing everything from building platforms to developing the technology behind H5G’s industry-leading games. Another key process I must carefully manage and oversee in my CTO role, is taking fresh products and features through the rigorous phases of testing and deployment before they are brought to market for our customers.
What is the best way to build and nurture a technical team in the iGaming space?
Chris: As a leader of a tech organization, you and the business are only as good as the team you build, which is why building the best technical team is your key to success. iGaming today reminds me a lot of the dotcom business during the boom when business differentiation was by finding people with the right kind of experience to join their team. Having a globally dispersed business is an opportunity to build a more talent-diverse team but close collaboration must be a focal point to get the most out of every individual.
How do you approach the challenge of aligning your engineers and developers with the broader objectives of the business?
Chris: The best way for teams to see the value of their work and how it contributes to the company’s vision, is to communicate these goals across the entire organization. This communication should be ongoing so that it forms part of the culture and everyone is aligned with these objectives. The biggest challenge often lies in balancing technological innovation with time to market. Engineers and product managers must be adept at delivering solutions through a phased approach. Being agile helps to ensure continuous innovation while at the same time preventing bottlenecks when a final product can’t be delivered all at once.
How do you balance the need for innovation with the stability and reliability required in a tech environment?
Chris: It’s important to have a regular release cadence for products and features which accounts for factors such as quality and time. If a technical solution is not ready for release, it’s often better to hold off and prevent a negative customer experience. The ‘tech debt’ that can accumulate when choosing an easy quick-fix over a better, more time-consuming solution, is another key consideration when project planning. I strive to create a team environment where we are not only solving problems but continually disrupting, so time is built into sprints for not only addressing the unexpected but innovation as well.
“As a leader of a tech organization, you and the business are only as good as the team you build, which is why building the best technical team is the key to success.”
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SlotMatrix, the world’s largest casino content aggregator, is embracing the holiday season with Santa’s Golden Christmas, a sparkling new slot packed with festive cheer, golden prizes, and heart-warming holiday magic.
Set in a winter wonderland, the game brings players closer to the jolly gift-giver. Snowflakes drift across the reels, each carrying the potential to boost Jackpot values or trigger Stanta’s Jackpot Wheel, where Mini, Minor, Major, Mega, and Grand prizes await.
The Free Spins bonus delivers even more festive excitement. Locking full reels clears columns, opens new positions, and increases the Free Spins Multiplier, which can climb from 1x all the way to 10x. Each cash prize collected during Free Spins is amplified at the end by this multiplier, turning generous gifts into golden wins.
Exclusively available through SlotMatrix, Santa’s Golden Christmas is enhanced by EveryMatrix’s proprietary gamification tools, including free spins and leaderboards, and can be seamlessly integrated with EngageSuite, the all-in-one player loyalty solution.
Carl Gatt Baldacchino, Head of Account Management, SlotMatrix: “We are nearing the end of the year, and we wanted to celebrate this wonderful season with a special game.
“The dazzling visuals, joyful audio, and ever-present chance of hitting Santa’s biggest prizes make this the perfect choice for the holidays. ‘Tis the season to be jolly, ‘tis the season to play Santa’s Golden Christmas.”
The post SlotMatrix kicks off festive season with Santa’s Golden Christmas release appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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CHESS SUPERSTARS CARLSEN, NAKAMURA, AND GOTHAMCHESS JOIN BETBY FOR CHESS MASTERCLASS AT ICE BARCELONA
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BETBY, the Tier 1 B2B sportsbook supplier, has announced an unparalleled activation for ICE Barcelona 2026, bringing together three of the most influential figures in chess: Magnus Carlsen, Hikaru Nakamura, and Levy Rozman (aka GothamChess). This will mark the first time that all three will appear publicly together in Europe, adding a landmark moment to one of the industry’s major events.
Magnus Carlsen, BETBY’s global brand ambassador, five-time World Chess Champion, and officially considered the greatest player in chess history, will be joined by Hikaru Nakamura, current world number two, five-time US Champion, and one of the best grandmasters of the modern era. They will also be accompanied by Levy Rozman, better known globally as GothamChess, the world’s largest chess streamer with more than 7 million YouTube followers and a central figure in chess’ surge in mainstream popularity.
This unique gathering underscores the shared vision between BETBY and the global chess community: innovation, strategic excellence, and the pursuit of new frontiers in digital entertainment. Chess continues to experience a cultural renaissance, fuelled by new competitive formats, digital viewership, and its recent inclusion in the Esports World Cup, where Carlsen claimed the inaugural title.
The activation also marks a major moment in the second phase of BETBY’s global campaign with Magnus Carlsen, “Leaders Choose Leaders.” This campaign is built on the idea that true leaders — in chess and business — recognise excellence and choose to surround themselves with others who operate at the highest level.
Carlsen, Nakamura, and Rozman will join BETBY at 12:00 pm on Day 2 (20 January) of ICE Barcelona, at stand 5K20 in Fira Barcelona Gran Via, offering attendees a rare opportunity to get up close and engage directly with three of the sport’s most recognisable figures.
The appearance will include a live press conference, as well as exhibition matches featuring Magnus Carlsen, Hikaru Nakamura, and Levy Rozman.
“Bringing Magnus, Hikaru, and Levy together at ICE Barcelona is a once-in-a-lifetime moment,” said Leonid Pertsovskiy, CEO at BETBY. “Anyone who loves chess knows how special this is. Having these three on the same stage guarantees an incredible show full of energy, personality, and the kind of excitement you rarely get to see live. We’re proud to create a moment that fans and our partners will remember for a long time.”
BETBY invites chess fans, industry professionals, and ICE delegates to witness this exceptional activation at stand 5K20, where strategy, entertainment, and elite talent converge in a show you won’t want to miss.
The post CHESS SUPERSTARS CARLSEN, NAKAMURA, AND GOTHAMCHESS JOIN BETBY FOR CHESS MASTERCLASS AT ICE BARCELONA appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Gaming Corps – a publicly-listed game development company based in Sweden, has partnered with Buzz Group, the company behind the UK’s largest omnichannel bingo operator, Buzz Bingo.
Buzz Bingo has a five-decade heritage, a cross-generational community of more than a million members, and 79 bingo clubs that welcome nearly 100,000 players each week. Its digital platform extends this community online, offering hundreds of slots and recreating the safe and sociable atmosphere that has long defined its venues.
Buzz Bingo’s digital platform will now feature a host of Gaming Corps’ standout titles such as 3 Pigs of Olympus, a light-hearted mythological slot packed with Instant Prize action and an escalating Bonus Pot, along with Anubis vs Horus: Twin Titans, where two of mythology’s most powerful deities face off in a battle for legendary rewards.
These join the wider portfolio of Crash, Mine, Table, Plinko and Slot content, all available across mobile, desktop and in-club Touchpads.
Adam Pentecost, Director of Customer Success at Gaming Corps, said: “Buzz Bingo has a unique place in British entertainment. Few brands have such deep community roots or such a loyal, cross-generational audience. That makes this partnership particularly meaningful for us. Our goal is always to build games that feel engaging from the very first interaction, and Buzz’s focus on sociable, inclusive play is a natural home for our content. We’re looking forward to supporting their continued growth across both digital and in-club channels.”
David Swaine, Head of Product Slots & Games at Buzz Bingo, added: “We’re pleased to bring Gaming Corps titles to buzzbingo.com as we continue expanding our online games library. Their mix of inventive mechanics, bold themes and easy-to-pick-up gameplay fits well with what our players enjoy, both in-club and online. We’re excited to add more of their releases over the coming months.”
The partnership marks Gaming Corps’ latest move in strengthening its position in the UK market, adding another recognisable British entertainment brand to its growing network of operator partners.
The post Gaming Corps signs new content partnership with Buzz Bingo appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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