Industry News
Rootz Promotes Two Team Members
With Rootz having experienced one of the fastest initial growth periods in the history of European online casinos, we have decided to promote internally as Rootz expands its footprint and prepares to grow the company in 2020 and beyond.
We are pleased to announce the promotions of two of our team members – Melanie Hainzer and Tony Kjaldstrom – to C-level positions within the company.
Ms. Melanie Hainzer has been promoted from Head of Marketing to the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) role while Mr. Tony Kjaldstrom is being elevated from Head of Casino to Chief Operating Officer (COO).
Melanie Hainzer, CMO
Having joined Rootz in early 2019, Ms. Hainzer has demonstrated a robust understanding of the iGaming industry. With over 10 years of experience in roles ranging from CRM Manager to Country Manager, Melanie brings broad experience to this position. Melanie has been an integral part of the early successes. Most notably, Melanie has been at the forefront of the marketing efforts for Wildz Casino, Rootz’s first online casino brand.
Responding to the news of her promotion, Melanie remarked, “It’s an honour to be not only considered, but promoted to an executive position at Rootz. I’ve been very happy to work for this company and am excited to assume a larger role. I’m looking forward to 2020 and beyond.”
Tony Kjaldstrom, COO
Mr Kjaldstrom also joined in 2019 and helped shepherd Rootz through the opening months, demonstrating tremendous competence and the ability to troubleshoot and manage a brand new platform. Tony has helped build and manage the casino platform and is playing a central role in planning the future strategy.
Tony also had some comments related to his promotion. “These are exciting times at Rootz and Wildz. I’m very grateful for this new position and will remain committed to seeing that Rootz doesn’t rest on its previous success and instead redoubles its efforts to make fantastic casino products even better. Let’s go!”
CEO’s Statement
Lasse Rantala, the Rootz CEO, had the following to say about these latest promotions: “Melanie and Tony are two of the hardest-working people in a company full of impressive workers. To be able to excel where there are so many motivated people is a testament to their extraordinary work ethic and ability.
Both Melanie and Tony helped to guide the company through opening months. Those first month required extraordinary time commitments and a focused attention to detail as Rootz worked to finesse our strategies and our custom platform in those early months. I have no doubt that the elevation of these two talented individuals into C-level roles will be a tremendous asset to this company for many years to come.
It is especially satisfying that we were able to fill these roles with current Rootz team members. We take great pride in being able to promote internally and look to do so in the future as much as possible.”
About Rootz:
Rootz Ltd is an iGaming technology company providing a full-scope platform, Rootz. Automate the Game, the Rootz slogan, has influenced product development from Day 1. Rootz believes human beings should be left to pursue their creative talents while allowing repetitive tasks to be managed by machines. This focus has allowed Rootz to build the next generation casino product, Wildz.com, an online casino customised to each individual user. Rootz Ltd is based in Malta and holds an MGA license.
Industry News
Evoke Announces the Establishment of a New Technology Committee

Evoke, one of the world’s leading betting and gaming companies with internationally renowned brands including William Hill, 888 and Mr Green, announced the establishment of a new Technology Committee of the Board effective immediately.
The Committee will be chaired by Independent Non-Executive Director Susan Standiford. Non-executive Directors Limor Ganot and Ori Shaked will also be members of the Committee.
The Committee will provide Board-level oversight of evoke’s major technology investments and initiatives, ensuring alignment with business strategy, risk management and operational effectiveness.
Jon Mendelsohn, Chairman of evoke, said: “In a world where technology is evolving at break-neck speed and in an industry where technology leadership is a core driver of sustainable success, our Technology Committee will play an important role in strengthening the Board’s governance and long-term strategy development. The Committee will focus on providing transparency and insight across our product, technology, data and operational initiatives as well as informing the Board and executive leadership on technology trends with the potential to shape the Group’s long-term competitive advantages.”
The post Evoke Announces the Establishment of a New Technology Committee appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Gambling in the USA
Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – May 19-25

Welcome to our weekly roundup of American gambling news again! Here, we are going through the weekly highlights of the American gambling industry which include the latest news and new partnerships. Read on and get updated.
Latest News
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa has been named the luckiest casino in the US according to a recent study conducted by Casinos.com. The resort claimed the top spot based on an in-depth analysis of Tripadvisor reviews, measuring the frequency of luck-related keyword mentions. With a 25.49% luck rate, Seminole Hard Rock Tampa topped the list thanks to glowing guest feedback, including frequent mentions of jackpots, hand pays and bonus wins. 50 reviews mentioned the word “jackpot,” and 19 even referenced a “hand pay.” Casinos.com tracked keywords such as lucky, luck, won, winning, success, jackpot, hand pay, winner, bonus, profit to determine which U.S. casinos inspired the most winning moments among visitors.
The Missouri Gaming Commission has announced that it has officially begun accepting applications for sports betting license. The Commission made the announcement following the unanimous approval of a resolution drafted Tuesday that approved the licensing process. The resolution passed after Gov. Mike Kehoe’s office reviewed it. The licensing period opens roughly six months after Missouri voters narrowly approved a constitutional amendment legalising sports betting. The measure passed by less than half a percentage point, with a margin of less than 7500 votes.
Underdog Fantasy has relaunched its draft-style daily fantasy sports (DFS) games in New York, nearly two months after it withdrew all of its DFS competitions from the Empire State. The decision to withdraw all DFS contests from New York in March came after a ruling from the New York State Gaming Commission in which the commission determined Underdog was not in line with the state’s current DFS law. An Underdog Fantasy spokesperson confirmed the company is still working under a temporary license. The New York State Gaming Commission agreed to allow the company to offer its draft DFS games with the temporary license. Most DFS companies in New York operate with a temporary license.
New Partnerships
Pollard Banknote Limited has congratulated the West Virginia Lottery on the successful launch of Royal Court Riches, its first eInstant game from the Pollard Digital Games Studio. Royal Court Riches has already demonstrated strong performance in multiple markets—in its first international launch, it achieved that jurisdiction’s highest tickets sold, total sales and gross gaming revenue within its first 30 days of release. Royal Court Riches is the first in a series of games from the Pollard Digital Games Studio slated to launch in West Virginia this year.
SYNOT Games has announced a new partnership with Caliente, one of Mexico’s top gaming platforms. This collaboration marks an exciting expansion for SYNOT Games, as it brings its acclaimed portfolio of gaming content to the Mexican market. It enhances Caliente’s offerings with an extensive array of high-quality slot games such as Respin Joker, Book of Secrets, Realm of Lions and Forest Maiden, designed to captivate players and boost engagement. Caliente with its strong presence in Latin America, is the perfect partner for SYNOT Games’ expansion into the region. The partnership aims to deliver an exceptional gaming experience, combining SYNOT’s visually rich, innovative games with Caliente’s extensive reach and reputation.
The post Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – May 19-25 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Industry Awards
Betsson Group Nominated in 14 Categories at the Women in Gaming Diversity Awards 2025

Betsson Group has been nominated in 14 categories at the Women in Gaming Diversity & Employee Wellbeing Awards 2025, hosted by Clever Duck Media. These include five company-wide nominations and nine individual nominations for eight of its employees.
These annual awards celebrate excellence in equality, diversity, inclusion and employee wellbeing across the global gaming industry. Since its launch in 2010, the event has solidified its position as one of the global gaming industry’s most respected diversity accolades.
The categories in which Betsson Group and its employees have been shortlisted include:
Company Category Nominations:
Best Diverse Place to Work
Community Engagement
Company of the Year (Operator)
Diversity & Inclusion
Great Place to Work Award
Individual Category Nominations:
Affiliate Leader – Shakyra Jonsson
Employee of the Year (Operator) – Lisa Mifsud
Excellence in Customer Service – Gabriella Larsson
HR Champion (Operator) – Tamara Klibadze
Innovator – Lena Nordin
Inspiration of the Year (Operator) – Lena Nordin
Positive Role Model of the Year (Operator) – Lara Lombardi
Star of the Future (Operator) – Jessica Carrillo Miranda
Young Leader of the Year (Operator) – Chellyanne Cassar
These nominations reflect the company’s ongoing dedication to creating a workplace where employees feel valued, respected and empowered to succeed. At Betsson Group, diversity, equity and inclusion are more than buzzwords; they are embedded in the company’s culture, values and daily actions. In previous years, Betsson has been recognised at the WiG Diversity Awards for Best Diverse Place to Work (2022 and 2024), Company of the Year (2019 and 2022) and for Diversity & Inclusion (2021). For the individual categories, Betsson employees have previously won Excellence in Customer Service, Star of the Future and Young Leader of the Year.
The post Betsson Group Nominated in 14 Categories at the Women in Gaming Diversity Awards 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
-
Asia4 weeks ago
PAGCOR CHAIRMAN, ENTIRE BOARD TENDER COURTESY RESIGNATION
-
Press Releases4 weeks ago
Discover ELA Games’ New Magical World With Rabbit Winpot Deluxe!
-
Anastasia Rimskaya4 weeks ago
Aviatrix now live with Vibra Solutions
-
Latest News2 weeks ago
The winners of the Casino Guru Awards 2025 announced: A night of celebration, integrity, and inspiration
-
Africa4 weeks ago
World Sports Betting Partners with Comrades Marathon Association
-
Africa4 weeks ago
SOFTSWISS Steps Onto The South African Tech Stage
-
Latest News2 weeks ago
That was unforgettable! – The Boomerang Bet “AC Milan vs. Bologna Trip” Instagram Giveaway winner shared his emotions
-
Asia4 weeks ago
Parimatch renews commitment to Southeast Asia at SiGMA Manilla