From the 7th to the 8th of May, the Mediterranean Conference Center in Valletta, Malta, transformed into the global hub of iGaming innovation at NEXT Summit Valletta, and BETBY made a memorable mark with a powerful blend of star power, strategic thought leadership, and engaging tournament action.

The highlight of BETBY’s presence was the appearance of Magnus Carlsen, five-time World Chess Champion and BETBY’s global brand ambassador, who captivated the audience as the headline speaker of the summit. In an exclusive fireside chat titled “iGaming Chess World Championships – Hosted by Magnus Carlsen & BETBY,” Carlsen joined NEXT.io co-founder and managing-director Pierre Lindh on stage to explore the synergies between chess, poker, and iGaming. The chess GOAT shared personal reflections on his journey from prodigy to world champion, discussed how strategic thinking shaped his mindset, and drew parallels between classic board games and modern betting dynamics, offering a unique perspective that resonated deeply with both chess lovers and iGaming professionals.

Magnus Carlsen’s keynote was followed by a thrilling showpiece: a blindfold chess match against the winner of the inaugural iGaming World Chess Championship, a tournament hosted by BETBY in partnership with the Malta Chess Federation. Open to all delegates, the tournament offered a rare opportunity to go head-to-head in a high-stakes strategic challenge, with the once-in-a-lifetime prize being a live match against Carlsen himself. The tournament underscored BETBY’s commitment to creativity, innovation, and connecting gaming communities in new and exciting ways.

Continuing its thought leadership momentum, BETBY’s Chief Commercial Officer, Chris Nikolopoulos, took the stage on the second day of the event, contributing to a high-level panel discussion titled “LATAM – A flash in the pan or a long-term powerhouse?” Sharing the stage with fellow industry leaders, Nikolopoulos provided insights on the evolving dynamics of Latin America’s iGaming market. Topics included Brazil’s standout role, the growth potential in Colombia and Peru, and strategies for balancing short-term success with long-term sustainability. His participation cemented BETBY’s position as a key voice in the global conversation about emerging market opportunities and investment strategies.

NEXT Summit Valletta 2025 was a celebration of innovation, connection, and cross-industry creativity, with BETBY standing at the heart of it all. From inspiring keynotes and a groundbreaking tournament to meaningful conversations and strategic insights with both existing and potential partners, the event reinforced BETBY’s position as a bold, forward-thinking leader in the iGaming industry.

SolutionsHub is pleased to announce the promotion of Zita O’Kelly-Hills to Head of Operations, a leadership role central to delivering operational efficiency and scalable business infrastructure across its expanding portfolio.

A former legal professional, Zita brings a unique combination of expertise, operational insight, and leadership maturity to the role. Since joining SolutionsHub, she has steadily expanded her remit—taking on increasingly complex responsibilities in areas such as treasury, governance, and regulatory coordination. Her promotion recognises her significant contributions and the critical role of operations in SolutionsHub’s continued growth.

As Head of Operations, Zita will oversee the day-to-day functioning of the group and lead the refinement of internal systems and processes, while ensuring alignment with the strategic objectives set by the Board.

Zita’s background in legal services informs her disciplined, process-oriented approach, while her aptitude for optimising workflows and driving cross-functional collaboration has already resulted in meaningful improvements to the company’s internal efficiency and governance capabilities. In addition to overseeing essential operational functions, she continues to play a key role in supporting clients with complex governance requirements.

“Zita’s appointment comes at a pivotal time for SolutionsHub,” said Nick Wright, Chief Operating Officer. “Her attention to detail, governance expertise, and ability to bring structure to fast-moving environments make her an invaluable part of our leadership team. This promotion not only recognises her past performance but underscores the central role operations plays in keeping SolutionsHub agile, compliant, and future-focused.

It strengthens our operational foundation and positions us to support growth across both established and emerging service areas.”

We sat down with Ines Ledo, Content Lead at BetBrothers.es, to discuss the core principles behind BetBrothers’ content strategy, and what it takes to create a trusted resource for the Spanish betting community.

Ines, please share with us how you first became involved in the sports betting industry, and what led you to your current role as Content Lead at BetBrothers.es?

I started more than five years ago as a content writer, focusing on online casinos and sports betting. From the beginning, I really enjoyed the industry, and over time, I started managing content and leading a team of writers in another top affiliate project in Spain. That experience gave me a wider understanding of how the industry works, and especially, how important content is in the iGaming world. Exceptional content is a force driving engagement and market differentiation.

Now, as a Content Lead at BetBrothers, my mission is to channel all that experience into an ambitious vision. Here, we are aiming to create the most trusted resource for the Spanish betting community. This means going beyond surface-level information and entertainment. Our content is built around three key pillars — quality, value, and responsibility. It is created to help our users enjoy sports betting as a safe and fun form of entertainment.

Can you tell us about your core content philosophy and how it differentiates BetBrothers.es from other affiliates in Spain?

Over the years, I’ve seen how content has become less personal. Today, many articles sound the same, like they’re made in a factory, without real experiences or useful information for the user.

At BetBrothers, we want to do the opposite. We believe in authentic content, written by real people who test betting sites and online casinos. They don’t just look around. They deposit, they play, they interact with customer support, they research the terms and conditions, and then they compare these experiences, sharing their personal perspectives.

We’re user-first, always. Our philosophy is to provide real value to the user with our content, with responsibility as a basis, as we aim to contribute to creating a safer and more enjoyable betting environment for our readers. That commitment to honesty, authenticity and responsible betting is what makes us different.

How do you balance creating evergreen content (like guides) with timely, event-driven betting tips, especially considering the dynamic Spanish sports calendar?

Balancing evergreen and timely content is indeed a basis of our strategy. We do it through good planning and efficient team management.

On one hand, we have stable content like operator reviews and how-to guides on betting strategies — this is the foundation of the project. Such content educates users, provides lasting value, and forms the backbone of our search engine presence.

On the other hand, we produce daily betting tips from our sports experts. These bring dynamic elements to our content and keep users engaged on a daily basis. Our experts have truckloads of experience, some of them are sports analysts with deep statistical knowledge of specific leagues. So for us it’s also an opportunity to showcase our analytical capabilities.

Both types of content are equally important: one provides lasting value, the other keeps the user connected and engaged day by day.

Many affiliates diversify traffic sources. Beyond organic search, what other marketing channels are you exploring for BetBrothers.es?

Organic traffic, born from deep and useful content we provide, is definitely very valuable both for us and our partners. It’s the validation of value we deliver to users searching for information. However, we are actively expanding our reach.

Social media is already a key element of our multi-channel strategy. It’s a great way to build presence, engage in meaningful conversations with the users, and develop a community around our products.

We believe video content will become more and more important in the future too. It allows for richer, more engaging storytelling, and helps us build deeper connections with our audience. ​​Our philosophy is simple: meet users where they are, and connect with them beyond Google.

From your perspective, how has player behavior in the Spanish sports betting market evolved over the past few years, and how is BetBrothers.es adapting its content to meet these changing needs?

Today’s users are much more demanding, that’s for sure. They have more information, they compare everything available to them, and they look for real product value — both in the bookmakers and in the websites they visit. At BetBrothers.es, we thrive in this environment.

We don’t just repeat what everyone else says or does. Instead, we focus on creating useful content, replying to the questions readers may have, explaining complex features in a clear and easy way, test the products and give an opinion based on real experience.

Also, we put a big emphasis on responsible gambling by offering practical advice. We do that, as we believe this is an essential part of the value we should provide to the betting community.

Looking ahead, what are the key strategic priorities for BetBrothers.es in the next 12-18 months to continue its growth and strengthen its position in the Spanish market?

For the next 12-18 months, our goal is to find the perfect balance between three non-negotiable pillars: useful and high-quality content, a user experience adapted to today’s standards — especially on mobile — and a strong focus on safe and responsible gambling.

Our ultimate aim is for every BetBrothers visitor to instantly feel that they are at the most trusted sports betting hub in Spain. A place where they’ll find clear, honest and helpful information to make informed and enjoyable betting decisions.