Conferences in Europe
Evoplay Brings the Future of iGaming to GamingTECH CEE Summit
HIPTHER Agency and the #hipthers are thrilled to introduce the Main Stage Sponsor of the upcoming GamingTECH CEE Summit taking place in Budapest, on 26-27 September, 2023!
GamingTECH CEE is the rebranded CEEGC, the conference having a 7-year tradition of being the leading iGaming industry event in the Central and Eastern European region during Autumn. This year, the most popular in-person industry gathering in CEE proudly features Evoplay as its Main Stage Sponsor!
Being an industry-leading iGame provider dedicated to innovation, with a mission to go beyond the traditional approach to game development and change the global perception of gambling products, Evoplay’s values and future-first outlook perfectly align with the innovative spirit of Hipther and GamingTECH CEE.
We caught up with Ihor Zarechnyi, Head of Sales at Evoplay, to find out more about the company’s achievements, latest news, and the importance of the Central and Eastern European region for the company.
Hello Ihor, thank you for joining the #hipthers for this interview! Would you please tell our readers a little bit about yourself and your role at Evoplay?
I serve as the Head of Sales at Evoplay. My role primarily involves managing our company’s sales strategies, forging key partnerships, and expanding our footprint in various markets worldwide.
I’ve always been passionate about the iGaming industry and its dynamism. What I find most exciting about working at Evoplay is the opportunity to be at the forefront of innovation in such a fast-paced environment. We’re constantly pushing the boundaries to create unique, engaging gaming experiences that resonate with players across the globe. As the Head of Sales, I’m privileged to lead the charge in bringing these exceptional products to a broader audience.
Evoplay is a well-known iGaming company by now, boasting an incredible portfolio, Awards, and numerous partnerships, but could you give us a summary and more insight about the company and its achievements?
Evoplay is a pioneering force in the iGaming industry, consistently pushing the boundaries of traditional game development to deliver unique, immersive, and memorable experiences to players across the globe. We are proud to be recognised for our innovative approach, as reflected in our robust portfolio, numerous awards, and strategic partnerships.
The company was established in 2017, and in a relatively short space of time, we’ve successfully developed over 200 engaging slots, table, and instant games that are enjoyed by players in multiple jurisdictions. Our gaming content is distinctive, not just because of our immersive graphics and engaging gameplay but also because we’ve introduced groundbreaking technology such as our Spinential system and various exciting mechanics. For instance, we’re known for pioneering the first 3D/VR slot games in the industry and creating award-winning Instant Games.
Our continuous work for innovation has been recognised and celebrated within the industry, leading to us being awarded Innovator of the Year at the EGR and Mobile Gaming Provider of the Year at the Malta Gaming Awards.
Evoplay launched a major rebranding campaign in 2021. What spurred this decision, and what was the secret of its success – especially amidst the challenging period of the pandemic?
The decision for the rebranding in 2021 was driven by our desire to reflect the immense growth and evolution Evoplay has undergone since our inception in 2017. We had established a strong foothold in the iGaming market, innovated with 3D/VR slots, and won significant industry awards. It felt like the right time to redefine our brand identity to align with our evolved stature and future ambitions.
The rebranding was also an opportunity for us to clarify our mission and values, making it known that we’re not just another gaming company—we’re an innovative entity committed to changing the perception of gambling products and enhancing the player experience.
The pandemic certainly presented its challenges, but it also brought about opportunities. With more people turning to online entertainment, there was a significant potential audience for our products. It was the perfect time to present a new, revitalised brand that stood for innovation, entertainment, and trust.
As for the secret to its success, I believe it was our authenticity and commitment. Our team worked tirelessly to ensure that the rebranding wasn’t just cosmetic but truly representative of our ethos and vision.
Evoplay recently published about tapping into the next-gen market with crypto iGaming business. How do you facilitate crypto gambling for your clients and their customers, and how do crypto casinos work with Evoplay?
The rapid rise of cryptocurrency, no doubt, has made significant waves across industries. Especially in iGaming, where things like decentralisation, instant transfers, and security are paramount, cryptocurrency offers compelling advantages.
The way in which crypto casinos and Evoplay work together is quite straightforward. These crypto-based platforms incorporate our exciting and popular games into their offerings and we saw an impressive 5.3x increase in bets placed via cryptocurrency in the second quarter of 2023 compared to the first one. That alone shows the growing appetite for our innovative products in the crypto gaming space.
In essence, our commitment to pushing boundaries and flexibly responding to market trends makes us an ideal partner for crypto casinos. We’re excited to offer captivating, innovative gaming experiences to players in the crypto space and look forward to the future prospects this brings for our partners and the wider industry.
Looking back to Evoplay’s previous achievements and ongoing breakthroughs, which game titles, moments and partnerships would you consider as key milestones for the company?
In terms of game titles, Dungeon: Immortal Evil and Necromancer are a couple that have created quite a buzz in the industry. They were some of the first games to showcase our prowess in immersive technology and set a new standard for player engagement.
We have joined forces with industry heavyweights such as EveryMatrix, SoftGamings, Relax, and Oryx and this has been monumental for us. These alliances broadened our reach, enabling us to introduce our innovative games to an even wider audience.
But perhaps the most meaningful milestone of all is the growth of our company and the Evoplay team. We started as a small group with a vision, and now we’re a globally recognised name in iGaming, respected for our continuous innovation.
Your social media team recently posted about the most popular characters in slots! Which one do you prefer, and which Evoplay title is your personal favourite?
Each character has its own charm and appeal, and they all play a crucial part in creating the immersive experiences we’re known for. But if I had to pick, I’d probably go with Star Guardians. It’s one of our flagship games, and it’s really a standout because of its unique RPG-inspired gameplay. It’s not just a slot game – it’s an adventure! The game’s choose your own path style mechanics empowers players to select which character they’d like to play as alongside an enticing first-person shooter mechanic and stunning visuals, makes it a truly immersive experience that really showcases what we’re all about at Evoplay.
Taking into consideration Evoplay’s opening to crypto iGaming, and the strategic expansion of Hipther’s Events to technology and the intersection of gambling with blockchain, fintech and web3, we’d say that your Main Stage Sponsorship for GamingTECH CEE is a match made in heaven! What is the message that Evoplay would like to impart to the event’s participants?
Absolutely, it’s indeed a match made in heaven! The core message we at Evoplay want to impart to the participants at the GamingTECH CEE Summit is that the future of iGaming is here, and it’s brimming with opportunities. Our industry is at an incredibly exciting crossroads where innovative technology, such as blockchain, fintech and web3, is opening up new ways to engage and entertain players like never before.
At Evoplay, we’re fully committed to harnessing these cutting-edge technologies to redefine the iGaming experience.
So, be open to change, embrace innovation and join us on this thrilling journey to shape the future of iGaming. Let’s seize these opportunities together and make the iGaming industry even more engaging and inclusive for players across the globe.
Thank you, Ihor for this insightful interview, and thank you, Evoplay for “Bringing the Future of iGaming. Today”!
For more information about the company, and to get in touch with the Future of iGaming, dear readers, Contact Evoplay directly.
We look forward to seeing you in Budapest at GamingTECH CEE for the annual reunion of the best companies and professionals from Gaming and Technology in Central and Eastern Europe!
Speaking of the best in the industry, Evoplay has been Shortlisted in the BEST ONLINE CASINO PROVIDER IN CEE Category of the GamingTECH Awards!
→ Join the #hipthers in an event that will redefine the future of gaming in the CEE region, and vote for Evoplay in the GamingTECH Awards!
Get Your Tickets for GamingTECH CEE Now!
→ Looking to take a leaf out of Evoplay’s strategy book and sponsor Hipther Agency’s next big event? Become A Sponsor!
Euro Games Technology will partner with the Casino Operations Summit for another year in a row. The Bulgarian gaming equipment manufacturer will be a gold sponsor of this year’s event, taking place from May 13 to 15 in Nova Gorica, Slovenia.
The conference is tailored to European multi-channel casino operators and will traditionally bring together keynote speakers who will elaborate on the latest topics in the industry. This year’s main themes will focus on how land-based casinos can successfully address the challenges of the modern world, remaininng relevant and attractive to players, and navigate the ever-growing importance of Casino Online Systems and Casino Management Systems.
In addition, attendees will be able to enjoy a selection of EGT’s newest high-potential products. Among the highlights will be the S 32-32 ST cabinet, which is part of the latest Supreme slot series. Following the contemporary design trends with its 2 high-resolution 32-inch UHD 4K monitors and a frameless UHD 4K display, this model will offer visitors an engaging gaming experience thanks to its numerous ergonomic features. It will also present the Supreme Red Selection and Supreme Bonus Prize Bonus Buy Selection multigames. The mixes offer a rich variety of well-known and brand-new slot titles from the company’s portfolio, allowing everyone to find their preferred type of game.
The slot display will be complemented by the jackpot top performer Bell Link with the multigame Bell Link 2, Bell Link Boost, as well as the popular cabinet G 50 J2 ST.
The post EGT will be a gold sponsor of Casino Operations Summit 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Conferences in Europe
Portside Game Assembly announces talks and roundtables for June 27th’s premiere of the conference for indie game leaders
Gamecity Hamburg is setting sail with the premiere edition of Portside Game Assembly – a dedicated B2B conference for international indie game leaders – taking place aboard a ship cruising Hamburg’s famous harbour on June 27. With a carefully curated program of keynotes, impulse talks, and roundtables, the conference offers a rare opportunity for studio directors and decision makers to connect in a focused and collaborative setting. Designed to spark fresh perspectives and actionable insights, the event brings together voices from acclaimed indie studios worldwide like Benjamin Laulan (COO & Co-Founder Evil Empire), Philomena Schwab (Founder Stray Fawn Studio), Søren Lundgaard (CEO Ghost Ship Games), Mauricio García (Studio Director The Game Kitchen), Kevin Zuhn (Creative Director & Co-Founder Young Horses Inc.), and more speakers. Tickets for the full conference experience, including a Networking Brunch and the Games Industry Party, are available at portsideassembly.com.
As the premiere of the Portside Game Assembly on June 27 is approaching, the laser-focused program for indie game leaders takes shape.
Keynotes, impulse talks and roundtables: This is the program
By offering a confidential setting for studio directors, the Portside provides value through relevant conversations and strategic networking, which is also reflected in the diverse yet focused conference program. These are some of the program highlights:
- Keynote: Benjamin Laulan (COO & Co-Founder Evil Empire): The “Triple-i Initiative Deep Dive” keynote on how to create your own announcement space and talk directly to your audience when you can’t really relate to other existing showcases.
Impulse Blocks:Impulse Blocks consist of two to three impulse talks, all of which relate to an overarching topic, followed by an open discussion about the perspectives shown and an opportunity for participants to share their own experiences. The discussions will be moderated by Mariève Beauchemin (Programs Director & Co-Founder Indie Asylum) and Andreas Suika (Creative Director & Game Designer).
- Mining for Your Next Gem – How to Decide which Games to Develop
A defining and crucial decision for every indie game studio is: what of the (probably many) game ideas should be pursued? Where should studios allocate their resources – and what game will help a studio prevail? Three speakers will share their approaches to these questions in 10-minute impulse talks:
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- Philomena Schwab (Founder Stray Fawn Studio): Game Idea Validation
- Jonas Tyroller (Founder Grizzly Games): You Don’t Need a Hook
- René Habermann (Director bippinbits): Don’t Ship the Wrong Game
- Games Are Made by People – How to Foster a Good Company Culture
Founding and maintaining an independent game studio and managing a small to mid-size team comes with a lot of responsibility: from growing or having to downsize a team to maintaining a company culture where talent is nurtured, developed, and kept long-term.
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- Mauricio García (Studio Director The Game Kitchen): Keeping the Indie Mindset while Going Big
- Kevin Zuhn (Creative Director & Co-Founder Young Horses Inc.): Hold Your Horses: Why Slow is How We Grow
- From Dev to Dev – Why to Invest in Other Studios
More and more indie studios take the leap to market not only their own games but also put their resources and experiences on games from other developers. Two speakers will share their motivations and learnings from investing in games and studios that are not their own:
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- Søren Lundgaard (CEO Ghost Ship Publishing): Developer by Day, Publisher by Night
- Christian Nyhus Andreasen (COO Fair Games): How to Lose 50% and Still Prosper – Angel Investment Lifestyle
Roundtables:
Roundtables have a more interactive concept than impulse blocks and encourage participants to discuss all aspects of the overarching question from the very beginning
- Roundtable 1: Mobile Ports – When, Why & How? Moderated by Ali Farha (Senior Producer Star Stable Entertainment)
- Roundtable 2: Stronger Together – Business Cooperations Between Indies. Moderated by Manny Hachey (Creative Director Positive Impact Games)
- Roundtable 3: (Self-)Publishing – The Good, the Bad, the Ugly. Moderated by Sophie Atkin (Director & Founder Secret Sauce)
- Roundtable 4: Longtail FTW – How to Make the Most out of Your Game. Moderated by Leonie Wolf (Associate Art Director Maschinen-Mensch)
The Portside Game Assembly website offers a detailed view on speakers, program topics and participating studios: https://portsideassembly.com/program/
The premiere of the Portside Game Assembly is supported by these great sponsors and partners: Photon and Twin Harbour Interactive!
Selection of already confirmed participants:
More than 60 studios from over 15 countries have already registered for the Portside Game Assembly conference on board the MS Princess. Besides already announced participants like Evil Empire, Stray Fawn Studio, The Game Kitchen, Toukana Interactive, Ghostship Publishing, and others, further acclaimed studios join the conference:
- Digital Sun (Moonlighter, Cataclismo) / Spain
- Keen Games (Enshrouded) / Germany
- Young Horses Inc. (Bugsnax, Octodad) / USA
- Gamious (Lake, Turmoil) / Netherlands
- Color Gray Games (The Case of the Golden Idol) / Latvia
- Massive Damage (Star Renegades) / Canada
- Beam NG (BeamNG.drive) / Germany
Further participating studios can be found on the Portside Game Assembly.
The post Portside Game Assembly announces talks and roundtables for June 27th’s premiere of the conference for indie game leaders appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Conferences in Europe
Inaugural iGaming Event for Technology Leaders: Technology in Gaming Conference 2025
The iGaming industry is getting a dedicated space for its most forward-thinking technical leaders with the launch of the Technology in Gaming Conference 2025 (TiG 2025) — an exclusive new event created specifically for CTOs, CIOs, and senior technology stakeholders in the iGaming world.
Taking place on 1st July 2025 as part of London iGaming Week in partnership with iGB Live!, this specialist conference will bring together some of the most innovative minds in technology to explore the future of cybersecurity, infrastructure, artificial intelligence, compliance, and scalability. TiG 2025 is designed to give technical leaders a forum tailored to the real challenges and opportunities shaping iGaming today and in the years to come.
“I am delighted to see other organisers bringing their own events that meet the need of specialist verticals within the industry as part of London iGaming week. The team at iGB L!VE are pleased to be able to support this event, and encourage iGaming senior IT professionals to join what we know will be an event that offers excellent content and networking opportunities for them” said Naomi Barton, Portfolio Director at Clarion – Organiser of iGB Live!
Topics on the agenda include:
- Scalable architecture & infrastructure
- AI & machine learning in iGaming
- Compliance & security in regulated markets
- Future-ready platform innovation
- Engineering teams, DevOps, and automation
“As an industry driven by technology I think it’s important to create a space that speaks specifically to the leaders developing and driving the change that has such a big impact on the growth and development of such an exciting sector” commented Shona ODonnell, Event Director.
Pretty Technical, a leading provider of iGaming software and platform solutions, is proud to be named the headline sponsor of this inaugural event. The company’s commitment to innovation and modern architecture makes it a natural fit for an event designed to shape the next chapter of gaming tech.
“As a business that thrives on building technology designed for the next decade, not the last, we’re thrilled to support TiG 2025 and connect with the talented tech leaders shaping the future of iGaming,” said Emma Blaylock, CEO Pretty Technical.
The event is also sponsored by Claranet, experts in modernising and managing critical applications and infrastructure 24×7, and Marshall Wolfe, a dedicated hiring consultancy specialising in digital and technology sectors.
Registration is now open with tickets currently discounted by £200 until 31st May.
The post Inaugural iGaming Event for Technology Leaders: Technology in Gaming Conference 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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