Industry News
eCOGRA Announces Leadership Transition
eCOGRA, the leading Testing, Inspection, and Certification company serving the iGaming industry, announced two changes to its leadership structure.
Following a period of outstanding international growth, which has seen eCOGRA expand to 39 jurisdictional approvals, including most recently Peru and Brazil, as well as establish new offices in Europe and the US, the business announced Will Shuckburgh has been appointed to the newly created role of Group CEO from 1 July 2024. As part of the transition to a fully global business, the Company also announced Shaun McCallaghan, who has been with the Company for 16 years, the last 6 of which have been as CEO, will take on the new board role of Senior Director, Operations and Regulatory Affairs.
Will Shuckburgh brings a proven track record leading customer focused businesses through periods of high growth and international expansion. Will, who joined eCOGRA in January 2024, is set to assume the role of Group CEO, following a 6-month hand over period. He has previously held positions as Managing Director at Nectar, Executive Vice President & Chief Membership Officer at Rakuten, as well as Chief Executive Officer of Invincible Brands, amongst others. In these roles, he successfully designed and executed strategies, to achieve profitable growth across multiple markets where client experience was essential.
Shaun McCallaghan has been a driving force behind eCOGRA’s success in recent years. Shaun’s approach is underscored by hard work, unwavering client loyalty and service, and the building of robust regulatory business relationships. Shaun has played a key role in securing dual accreditations, expanding jurisdictional coverage, diversifying the service offering, and enlarging eCOGRA’s client and staff base, while also successfully extending Testing, Inspection, and Certification services into North and South America. These, amongst many other achievements, have helped eCOGRA continue to grow and support clients in the ever-changing regulatory environment in which they operate.
Shaun now looks forward to taking up his newly formed role of Senior Director, Operations and Regulatory Affairs. This role will focus on ensuring clients will continue to receive the same high quality and reliable services that they have been accustomed to from eCOGRA. Shaun will continue to be a member of the board.
Mark Brooker, the Group Chairman, said: “Will’s appointment brings fresh energy, insight and strategic vision, aligning perfectly with eCOGRA’s commitment to excellence across each of its markets. The changes also reflect eCOGRA’s commitment to stability and innovation, with Shaun continuing to play a key role in the Company’s future success through his new role of Senior Director, Operations and Regulatory Affairs.”
David Cowan, representing the majority shareholder Hanover Investors, commented: “This transition signifies a natural evolution in eCOGRA’s leadership landscape in response to the strong growth of the business. Shaun’s transition enables a more hands-on approach to delivery, ensuring eCOGRA’s expansion maintains the highest standards of service to positively elevate the client journey. Meanwhile, Will Shuckburgh, is a seasoned high-growth CEO with an impressive track record, who brings visionary leadership and transformative abilities to the business. Known for identifying and capitalising on emerging opportunities, Will’s focus on fostering a culture of collaboration, and continuous improvement will elevate eCOGRA’s global presence. Together Will and Shaun will maintain our steadfast commitment to excellence and have the full support of the Board and the Shareholders.”
The post eCOGRA Announces Leadership Transition appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
The European gathering of casino operators, known as the Casino Operations Summit, attracted numerous representatives of the gaming industry to Amsterdam from 23 to 25 April. Among the significant participants was also the SYNOT Group, which attended the prestigious event as a Platinum Sponsor this year.
The Casino Operations Summit is considered as one of the most significant events in the world of the gaming industry, specifically tailored for European multi-channel casino operators (both land-based and online). The event presents the latest approaches to casino operations, as well as new trends in products, technology, marketing and customer services. The Summit also included a variety of presentations on current topics in the land-based and online business. The main theme of the three-day conference was “Think Different”.
“SYNOT Group participated in the Casino Summit Operations for the third time and we were delighted to become a Platinum Sponsor of the event this year. Previously, we were involved in this event as a Golden Sponsor. We are proud to have played a role in supporting this prestigious Summit, which provides us with a unique opportunity to exchange insights and experiences with other leaders in the European casino industry. This event also gave us the chance to meet with business partners and establish many new contacts. There was a great interest in our products, which makes us very pleased and motivated for further expansion,” Miroslav Valenta Jr, Sales Director of the SYNOT Group, said.
The event is a unique platform providing an opportunity to discuss trends in the gaming industry. SYNOT Group, a leading player in the development and supply of gaming technology, presented the most advanced products and innovations as part of the Summit.
Among the products on display was the Magic Ball Link multi-game progressive jackpot system installed in the Eclipse FL-32 cabinets with LED jackpot display. The latest version of Magic Ball Link offers eight unique linked titles, including new games The Wild Job and 88 Pearls, which join popular titles such as Aztec Jaguar and Tiki Princess.
Furthermore, visitors had the opportunity to try out the premium VLT gaming system Super Link, which offers a selection of twenty captivating linked games, each with a Pay to Win and Linked Bonus feature. The Super Link system was presented in SYNOT’s most advanced cabinets, the UP2-32.
The latest model of cabinet with 27″ monitors, the UP1-27, which made its debut at the recent ICE exhibition in London, was also exhibited in Amsterdam. The cabinet was exhibited together with the Firebird Red and Firebird Blue gaming systems, which offer six unique Hold & Respin game titles in addition to popular classic games.
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The leading slot provider, Endorphina, has just announced its new partnership with the renowned StarVegas go-live. Both Endorphina and StarVegas.it have been on the market for over 10 years, providing the iGaming world with a wide range of casino games catering to many different players. With this partnership, the companies strive to create a better gaming experience for players worldwide.
Recognized for its approach to game development, Endorphina continues to strengthen its position in the iGaming market. Endorphina implemented a few new features the previous year, including Jackpot RTP+ and Bonus Pop. Furthermore, the company began experimenting with AI, which resulted in the creation of Joker Ra. In 2023, Endorphina managed to increase its total spins by 31%.
“Working closely with each operator is important for our growth to expand our number of partners in the region. Therefore, it brings us great pleasure to have our games added to StarVegas.it after a smooth collaboration that we know it will resonate in the perfect way for their customer base as we attract new players looking for fresh and quality content.” – Zdenek Llosa, Senior Partnership Manager at Endorphina.
“I’m extremely proud of this new important go-live on Starvegas. Being partners with AdmiralBet and StarVegas allows us to increase our brand awareness and is a significant step forward for our growth in the Italian market. I personally want to express my gratitude and satisfaction to Paolo Marchi, Marco Bassignano, our technical partner Tuko, and all the others who supported us in launching such an important new collaboration.” – Luca Richter, Business Development Manager at Endorphina.
StarVegas.it is a well-established online casino platform offering a diverse choice of attention-grabbing casino games to many iGaming enthusiasts. The company is distinguished for its exclusive promotions, good customer service, and constantly fresh assortment of games.
“We are very happy to announce the launch of Endorphina on Starvegas. After the release of the games on AdmiralBet a few weeks ago, we are delighted with the expansion of our partnership. We are confident that we can achieve important goals together and strengthen our collaboration with a brand that is increasingly growing in the Italian market.” – Paolo Marchi, Brand Manager StarVegas and AdmiralBet.
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Prominent gambling companies have been actively lobbying against Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker proposal to increase the tax on legal sports betting and leaning on several questionable assertions ranging from unproven to untrue. The Campaign for Fairer Gambling (CFG) is an independent gambling reform group with deep knowledge of the gambling sector’s business practices, both in the UK and now in the US.
Closely monitoring gambling initiatives in states across the US, CFG has taken particular note of the current battle in Illinois, where Gov. Pritzker proposed a tax increase on legal sports betting from 15% to 35%. This measure is aggressively opposed by the Sports Betting Alliance (SBA), comprising Fanatics, Draft Kings, FanDuel (Flutter), and BetMGM (Entain).
SBA has lobbied against Gov. Pritzker’s proposed tax increase under the messaging banner “Why It Matters,” but has not substantiated its claims. SBA claims to have demonstrated public support for its agenda, but CFG believes signatures of support were collected under false pretenses.
“It’s no feat of strength to push a fantastical narrative, then collect signatures and proclaim a mandate. Global gambling conglomerates are expert at positioning sports betting as a foot in the door before the real floodgates inevitably open. Sports betting often serves as a gateway to slots and table games down the line, because they bring in even more revenue — not to mention harm,” said CFG founder and funder Derek Webb.
“In Britain, there’s been a long history of gambling trade bodies making misleading representations. In fact, one group with shared ties to some SBA members is now defunct after having libeled a reform advocate. CFG is here to urge policymakers and the public to proceed with caution and not rely upon gambling companies who are globally notorious for exaggerating benefits and not owning the harm they create,” Webb added.
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