Latest News
Sightline Payments Appoints Jonathan Michaels as Senior Vice President of Strategic Development and Government Affairs
Key new executive brings extensive industry experience and relationships to the Sightline Payments team to accelerate momentum on cashless gaming, responsible gaming, and more
LAS VEGAS, March 17, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Sightline Payments, a dynamic Financial Technology (FinTech) company that is enabling the next generation of cashless, mobile and omni-channel payment solutions for the gaming, lottery, sports betting, entertainment and hospitality ecosystems, today announced it has appointed Jonathan Michaels as Senior Vice President of Strategic Development and Government Affairs. Michaels brings a comprehensive knowledge of the gaming landscape to aid in Sightline’s continued growth across the sports betting, online casino, and brick-and-mortar verticals.
Michaels comes to Sightline from the American Gaming Association (AGA), where he served as Vice President of Strategic Alliances. During his tenure, Michaels drove the AGA’s efforts to grow its membership to adapt to the expanding landscape of the gaming industry including new participants such as tribal gaming operators, sports betting companies, regional casino operators, diversified gaming suppliers, and payment companies. Michaels also led several key initiatives for the AGA, including payment modernization and sports betting.
In his new role at Sightline, Michaels will oversee new market development and regulatory affairs, where he will work closely with the gaming industry and key stakeholders to continue driving success and innovation in the cashless gaming ecosystem. Michaels will also oversee Sightline’s engagement on responsible gaming; a top priority for the company.
“The addition of Jonathan to the Sightline leadership team as Senior Vice President of Strategic Development and Government Affairs is a significant strategic move for our organization, and we are delighted to welcome him to the team,” said Joe Pappano, Sightline Payments Chief Executive Officer. “I have personally witnessed the strength and impact Jonathan brings to an organization, and we look forward to his leadership in helping execute on our vision and driving some of our most important corporate initiatives.”
“This is a pivotal moment for the gaming industry and I’m excited to join Sightline to help them seize upon cashless gaming opportunities across the industry,” said Michaels. “I look forward to aiding Sightline’s efforts to be the most innovative and collaborative company in the gaming industry today.”
About Sightline Payments
Sightline serves premier gaming and entertainment operators in the United States, including the top-10 sports betting and gaming players. The Company has more than 1.5 million enrolled Play+ accounts across its current portfolio of more than 60 programs in 39 States, and is poised to build on this presence, commensurate with the expansion visible in the underlying markets it serves. One of the key segments the Company serves is online gaming (both sports betting and iGaming), which is expected to build from $2 billion in total revenue to $12 billion over the next five years. In addition, the Company’s digital payment solutions directly address the wider gaming industry’s opportunity to transform traditional gaming floors into cashless ecosystems, a $155 billion revenue market serving over 40 million customers annually. Sightline is based in Las Vegas, Nevada. Learn more at https://sightlinepayments.com.
Media Contact
Allie Potter
Skyya PR for Sightline Payments
[email protected]
218-766-8856
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8f9ce24d-e1f7-466f-9b62-e91844c5aa25
Pioneering the next chapter of regulated iGaming in Germany, Spielbanken Bayern and leading live-casino specialist Stakelogic have gone live with brand-new online live casino solutions.
On 28 May 2025, spielbanken-bayern-online.de rolled out a set of Automatic Roulettes. The launch marks the inaugural step in a phased roadmap that will soon see more Roulette and Blackjack.
Bavaria became Germany’s first state to introduce online live-casino games in April 2024. Since beginning 2025, Spielbanken Bayern has worked hand-in-hand with the Bavarian regulator and Stakelogic to craft a best-in-class solution that combines strict compliance with an engaging, secure, and reputable gaming offering.
Stephan van den Oetelaar, CEO at Stakelogic, added: “It is both an honour and a privilege to develop further with Spielbanken Bayern on Germany’s first legal online casino. The timeline was ambitious, but our combined teams delivered. In the coming months, we will continue to optimise and enrich the portfolio with additional premium content.”
This landmark collaboration cements Spielbanken Bayern’s position as Germany’s online live-casino trail-blazer while underscoring Stakelogic’s reputation for marrying regulatory rigour with next-generation player experiences.
The post Spielbanken Bayern and Stakelogic Launch brand new Live-Casino Offering appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Latest News
DoubleDown Interactive Enters into Agreement to Acquire German Social Casino Operator WHOW Games
DoubleDown Interactive, a leading gaming company delivering exceptional player experiences across multiple genres, announced that it has entered into a Share Purchase and Transfer Agreement with Azerion Tech Holding to acquire WHOW Games GmbH, a social casino developer headquartered in Hamburg, Germany.
The initial consideration for 100% ownership interest in WHOW Games is €55 million (approximately $64.7 million). An additional earn-out payment of up to €10 million, payable to Azerion at €5 million annually, is contingent upon WHOW Games meeting certain performance targets during each of the first and second year following the closing date. The acquisition will be financed through DoubleDown’s cash reserves and is expected to close during the third quarter of 2025.
DoubleDown intends to leverage WHOW Games’ proven expertise in the Europe market and partner-driven business model alongside its own operational strength, marketing capabilities and extensive gaming content to pursue growth opportunities in Europe, particularly in Germany. According to research from Eilers & Krejcik Gaming LLC, the European social casino market grew in 2023 and 2024 as compared to the overall market which has entered a mature stage. WHOW Games offers a versatile portfolio of social casino apps with proprietary brands such as MyJackpot and Lounge777 as well as third-party labeled social casino offerings including Merkur24 through strategic licensing agreements with prominent global brick and mortar casino companies.
In Keuk Kim, Chief Executive Officer of the Company, said: “This acquisition marks a significant step toward increasing our competitiveness in the growing German social casino market. Leveraging our combined operational expertise and enhanced scale, we aim to unlock valuable synergies. We are delighted to welcome the WHOW Games team to DoubleDown and look forward to working collaboratively on initiatives to drive growth across the business.”
Giovanni Valerio Valeriota, Chief Executive Officer of WHOW Games, said: “We are excited to begin this new chapter as part of the DoubleDown family. Their deep expertise in gaming makes them a natural fit for WHOW Games, and we believe that this partnership will accelerate our growth and innovation. I would like to express our sincere gratitude to Azerion, whose support and strategic guidance during our time together has been instrumental in shaping WHOW Games into the strong and dynamic company it is today.”
The post DoubleDown Interactive Enters into Agreement to Acquire German Social Casino Operator WHOW Games appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Swintt – the award-winning software provider behind recent slot sensations Big Max Pot Hunter and Big Fish – has announced it has formed a new partnership with established Lithuanian betting brand, TOPsport, that will see the studio further raise its profile in the country.
With the new deal now in place, Swintt is already live with 36 Premium releases on the TOPsport platform, with these giving players access to a roster of classically-themed games that combine the design elements of traditional land-based slots with exciting mechanics and bonus features.
Established in 2002, TOPsport is Lithuania’s first and largest gambling operator, boasting a strong bricks-and-mortar presence that includes 50 casino slot saloons spread across 26 towns in addition to its online enterprise. Given the brand’s rich land-based heritage, the SwinttPremium range seems to be ideally suited for its customers, who will enjoy the slots’ familiar look and feel.
Among the Premium options now available at TOPsport.lt, players will be particularly keen to try the acclaimed Extra Win X, which adds an innovative Bonus Wheel to the iconic fruit machine format, and Max The Winner, which features a unique gathering mechanic that sees the titular cartoon squirrel appear on the reels during the bonus feature to collect acorns and award prizes.
With these just being two of the standout examples from the new collection of Swintt slots that are now available at TOPsport.lt, the brand will be able to further cement its reputation as the country’s leading operator while Swintt continues to reach more players in the Lithuanian market.
David Mann, Chief Executive Officer at Swintt, said: “With TOPsport being Lithuania’s oldest and most-trusted betting brand, we’re delighted to be able to introduce our Premium releases to players on the platform. With all of these games offering themes and features that are inspired by traditional land-based slot machines, we’re sure they’ll prove a popular addition to their line-up.”
Linas Dargenavičius, Chief Commercial Officer at TOPsport, said: “With a diverse library of over 3,000 slot titles, TOPsport offers the most extensive selection of online casino games in Lithuania. The addition of SwinttPremium titles further strengthens our portfolio, bringing in games that resonate with players familiar with classic land-based machines. Their engaging mechanics make them a valuable extension of the experience we aim to provide.”
The post Swintt Joins Forces with TOPsport to Capitalize on Lithuanian Market appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
-
Latest News4 weeks agoAtlaslive Analysis: European Gambling Market Enters €123.4 Billion Digital-First Era
-
Latest News3 weeks ago
Meet 22Bet Partners at iGB Live London: Tennis, Talks & Wimbledon Dreams
-
Latest News1 week ago
Current Games Activates the Nitro on Neon-Soaked Arcade Combat Racer: Cyber Clutch: Hot Import Nights
-
Latest News7 days ago
Soft2Bet’s brand Don.ro Becomes Main Sponsor of CFR Cluj in Multi-Year Agreement
-
Latest News3 weeks ago
IGT Lottery Becomes Brightstar Lottery
-
Latest News3 weeks ago
Gen.G Opens “GGX”, the Next-Gen Cultural Gaming Space
-
Latest News7 days ago
NODWIN Gaming partners with Esports World Cup Foundation to manage media rights sales across South Asia
-
Latest News3 weeks ago
Precision, Power, Play: Visit PlayAmo Partners at Booth L20 During iGB Live 2025
