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GVC appoints of Sandeep Tiku as Chief Operating Officer

Published

5 years ago

July 24, 2020

Reading Time: 2 minutes

GVC Holdings PLC, is pleased to announce the appointment of Sandeep Tiku as Chief Operating Officer (COO), effective immediately.

Sandeep joined GVC as IT Director in 2014 and became the Group’s Chief Technology Officer (CTO) in 2016. Prior to this, Sandeep spent fourteen years at Valtech, a global digital agency focused on business transformation, where he was a global SMAC (Social, Mobile, Analytics and Cloud) practice head working for large enterprises in e-commerce and the digital and mobile spaces.

Whilst at GVC, Sandeep has led a number of significant technology and platform transformation programs involving technological revolution, people re-skilling and innovation, culminating in the completion of GVC’s industry-leading proprietary gaming platform. Sandeep’s work has ably supported multiple acquisitions of global gambling companies and the successful integration of these businesses thereafter. Sandeep was pivotal in the technical migration of Ladbrokes Coral onto the Group’s proprietary technology platform. The Ladbrokes Coral migration was the largest that GVC has completed and represented one of the final parts of what was the most complex integration process in the gambling industry to-date.

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A search is currently underway for Sandeep’s replacement as CTO.

GVC has also promoted Marc Lange to the position of Chief of Staff to the CEO. Marc has over twenty years’ experience in technology, strategy, management and consulting. He previously served as the Group’s integration director since February 2018 following the acquisition of Ladbrokes Coral. Marc joined the Group in 2012.

Andy Hicks, GVC’s managing director of retail, has been promoted to the GVC senior leadership team and will also report directly to the CEO. Andy has over twenty years’ experience in retail, having held senior positions at Dixons and Woolworths before joining Coral in 2009.

Shay Segev, Chief Executive Officer, commented: “I am delighted to be promoting GVC talent. Sandeep brings unparalleled experience and insight to the role of COO. We are first and foremost a technology business and this is at the heart of what we do – supporting customer services, trading, product and our people. It therefore makes sense for him to take on this broader role. His leadership of our technology strategy and teams, combined with his knowledge of our legacy stack and proven results through our integrations, means that he is the right person for the job. I’d also like to congratulate Marc and Andy who both are operational experts with proven track records of delivering large-scale change initiatives. Their progression to the senior leadership team is richly deserved.”

Latest News

Spielbanken Bayern and Stakelogic Launch brand new Live-Casino Offering

Published

11 minutes ago

July 11, 2025

Zoltan Tundik

Reading Time: < 1 minute

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

Published

1 hour ago

July 11, 2025

Zoltan Tundik

Reading Time: 2 minutes

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.

Latest News

Swintt Joins Forces with TOPsport to Capitalize on Lithuanian Market

Published

1 hour ago

July 11, 2025

Zoltan Tundik

Swintt Joins Forces with TOPsport to Capitalize on Lithuanian Market

Reading Time: 2 minutes

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.”

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