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Parimatch’s Head of Billing explores the future sound of payments

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Parimatch's Head of Billing explores the future sound of payments
Parimatch’s Head of Billing, Olga Golikova.
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In his keynote speech at this year’s World Gaming Executive Summit Parimatch’s CEO Sergey Portnov predicted payments will finally get the ‘attention they deserve’ at ICE London 2020 and with the growth of transaction technologies and advent of biometrics, Parimatch is poised for the payment push

“Payments are not about diversity, but rather about quality,” is the clear emphasis for Parimatch according to the company’s Head of Billing, Olga Golikova as the brand’s high-profile position in more than 10 countries continues to expand.

As a large-scale international platform and leading betting operator in the CIS region, the company’s focus on payment technology is more keen than ever following data analysis from the various markets in which the brand operates. Commenting on why payment experience is essential for the future of betting, Golikova explained: “Different payment methods are developing in different parts of the world. Where there is low penetration of plastic cards, mobile payments, e-wallets, prepaid cards are developing. And the logic is not that the operators are looking for a round of banks, but that the population simply does not have cards and a banking account. However, they do have mobile phones. For comparison, the turnover on cards in CIS region at Parimatch is 75%-80%, whereas in Africa mobile payments occupy this position. The issue is in the exclusive accessibility and user-friendly solutions for the end users.”

From AI & voice, to biometrics and Blockchain, the list of technologies disrupting the payments industry is growing rapidly, something which Parimatch is acutely aware of and investing in. As Head of Billing, Golikova determines that sometimes the shiny and flashy new of payment processes might not always be what they seem. “Technologies are developing at a frantic speed, and of course it influences the payment market,” she said. “Even 50 years ago, no one could have thought that everyone in the house would have a computer with Internet, and now we have payments with Face ID being tested. In the space of a few short years since contactless arose, you need neither your card nor your phone anymore. Payments using biometric sounds like a breakthrough. However, it is not that simple with biometry as it is still using highly confidential information and is regulated by many laws and rules.

“Technology, however, is just a wrapper for the old proven methods. Apple Pay and Google Pay are technical wrappers for plastic cards. There is still a bank behind them. Mobile payments based on customer mobile account. And this is another branch of technological development. Cryptocurrency is the third one. And so on. The one with the easiest payment flow is about to win!”

Parimatch works with over 100 global suppliers and is renowned for its international partnerships and recognisable brand ambassadors, including Mike Tyson and Conor McGregor, all of which form a crucial cog in how the company researches and drives new payment initiatives for itself and the sector as a whole. “If we talk about payment partners, then the exchange of experience is very important,” she stated. “What has long been implemented in one region may still only be developing in another. To share expertise is to help grow the market driving success for everyone. It’s a win-win situation!”

However, Golikova warns other commercial brands of the need to be careful when choosing partners, especially in terms of transaction technologies and solutions. “In payments, reputation is everything,” she advised. “The market is small, everyone knows each other. The second key component when choosing who to work with is fame. Coming to partners, especially large ones, with the initiative it is much easier to conduct a dialogue when I represent a world-class company with a recognisable brand and celebrity contracts like our new one Conor McGregor and UFC.”

Parimatch fosters a strong focus on responsible gambling and security, an approach which Golikova ensures is paramount for the brand’s payment systems whether it’s e-wallets, cryptocurrency or the next innovation. “It is an operator`s social responsibility to know our customer. This is very important not only for society, but also, for the operator. Customer verification is an important part of the fight against payment fraud. E-commerce and gaming are driving the online market and leading the way in payments going into 2020 and we hope to continue the trend of transactions being a top priority for the industry.”

When asked if she sees payment solutions being a differentiator for operators in new sports betting markets internationally Golikova concluded that to do this, Parimatch will need to become the size of Google or Amazon and “create its own wallet or something more innovative to spread it around the world!” As an industry where payments are finally getting the recognition they deserve, don’t rule it out!

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The Nomination Committee’s Proposal of Catena Media’s Board of Directors at the Annual General Meeting 2024

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The Nomination Committee’s Proposal of Catena Media’s Board of Directors at the Annual General Meeting 2024
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The Nomination Committee of Catena Media proposed re-election of the following members of the Board of Directors:

Øystein Engebretsen

Theodore Bergquist

Adam Krejcik

Sean Hurley

The Nomination Committee proposed that Erik Flinck and Dan Castillo be elected as new members of the Board of Directors.

Göran Blomberg, Esther Teixeira-Boucher and Austin Malcomb have declined re-election as board members.

The Nomination Committee proposed that there will be six (6) members of the Board of Directors, changed from seven (7).

The Nomination Committee also proposed Erik Flinck to be elected as Chairman of the Board of Directors.

Erik Flinck, born in 1980, currently provides high end business consulting combined with serving as Chairman for the digital health startup, dr HUD. Mr Flinck previously served as Head of BCG Sweden and has extensive experience from corporate management, growth and turnarounds from nearly 20 years of Management Consulting and serving as Head of Group Strategy and M&A at Sandvik AB. He has a Masters Degree in Engineering (Software development and Financial Mathematics) from the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm and a Masters Degree in Business and Administration from Stockholm University and Stockholm School of Business.

Born in 1980, Dan Castillo has accumulated over 20 years of experience across startups, growth companies and turnarounds. Since 2015, Castillo has invested in Catena Media, maintaining a close watch on its progression, especially after its IPO in 2016. He has previous experience of listed board work in Kotipizza which Orkla acquired in 2018. He currently serves on the boards of five companies in different sectors, including Quartr.com in Fintech and Hope Studios in movie production. His academic background includes studies in Finance and Economics at Linköping University.

The Nomination Committee of Catena Media consists of:

Nicklas Paulson, representing Investment AB Öresund (chair of the nomination committee)

Marianne Stenberg, representing Second Swedish National Pension Fund

Martin Zetterlund, representing Niklas Karlsson

Göran Blomberg, chairman of the board of Catena Media.

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IGT Announces Executive and Board Leadership Changes

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IGT Announces Executive and Board Leadership Changes
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International Game Technology PLC (IGT) announced that on March 21, 2024, its Board of Directors implemented changes to the Company’s Board and executive team.

Marco Drago announced that he will step down from his role as a non-executive director of the IGT Board of Directors. He will carry out his remaining term and depart from the Board at the conclusion of the Company’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) on May 14, 2024.

Enrico Drago has been appointed by the IGT Board of Directors as a non-executive director of the IGT Board. In addition, Enrico Drago will resign from his current role of CEO of IGT PlayDigital, and Gil Rotem, who is currently IGT PlayDigital President of iGaming, will expand his role to become IGT PlayDigital President and report directly to Vince Sadusky, CEO of IGT. These changes will be effective April 1, 2024. Enrico Drago will continue in his role as vice chairman of De Agostini S.p.A.

“As Marco Drago prepares to step down from his position on the IGT Board of Directors, I’d like to thank him for his many years of service and his unwavering commitment to driving results and creating value for all IGT stakeholders. Enrico Drago joining the Board and leaving his executive leadership position at IGT is a natural evolution that supports the Company’s vision for its next era of growth and transformation. Enrico’s value-creation mindset and understanding of global growth opportunities will enhance the Board and align with IGT’s strategic priorities,” said Marco Sala, IGT Executive Chair of the Board.

“Watching and guiding IGT through its evolution from a collection of companies that started with Lottomatica and GTECH grow into a unified global gaming leader has been very gratifying. We have been fortunate to have a great group of board members and business unit leaders that have helped drive IGT’s growth during this time. I thank them for their contributions and am certain that IGT is positioned for continued growth as we go forward with the bold initiatives we have undertaken,” said Marco Drago, IGT Non-Executive Director.

“Over the last five-plus years, IGT PlayDigital has established leadership positions in the global iGaming and North American sports betting sectors that will be foundational to the Company’s future successes. I thank the entire IGT PlayDigital team for all that we have accomplished in this time, and I look forward to supporting IGT in a new capacity and further helping the Company define its vision and strategy,” said Enrico Drago, CEO of IGT PlayDigital.

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Bidstack Executive Team Acquires Bidstack Limited and all its Subsidiaries

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Bidstack Executive Team Acquires Bidstack Limited and all its Subsidiaries
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The executive team of Bidstack has acquired Bidstack Limited and all the operating entities of the Group, from the administrators of Bidstack Group PLC. The deal sees James Draper, Founder & CEO, and the executive team of Bidstack Ltd become significant majority shareholders.

All contracts and client relationships will continue within the new ownership structure – safeguarding jobs for the UK and European-based staff.

Bidstack, the multi award-winning in-game middleware technology provider that initially set about bringing programmatic advertising revenue to the most renowned sports gaming franchises in the world, has diversified into a broader offering, taking advantage of the most advanced off-engine content management system in gaming.

Following the announcement of a partnership with the Washington Commanders, where the NFL franchise became the first-ever sports team to utilise a platform to control advertising within their virtual stadium, across official NFL games, from multiple studios and developers, the management team has been focusing on sports rights holders as a key customer type.

The executive team has the support of the world’s leading rights-holder professionals in the sports industry. It will continue to execute from its position as the leading technology for the sports industry, for fan engagement and brand activations, in video games.

The executive management consists of James Draper continuing as Chief Executive Officer, with Lisa Hau stepping up to Chief Financial Officer, Dave Garvey continuing as Chief Legal Officer, Will Stewart moving to Chief Product Officer and Daniel Barrigas to Chief Technology Officer.

James Draper, Bidstack’s Founder & CEO, said: “The acquisition is a pivotal moment for the next phase of growth for the business. Our technology is at the forefront of sports technology, and I couldn’t be more excited. I am proud that we are able to reward our ambitious and industry-pioneering team and have them as shareholders alongside myself.”

“I want to thank the staff and customers for standing by us during this strategic review, which has obviously been an uncertain period. For all of our customers to have stood strong alongside us is testament to the relationships we’ve built over the years, as well as the incredible staff we have here who have fostered those connections.

“The company can now focus on the enormous potential we have, to enable sports teams to get closer to their fans and improve the player experience by bringing their virtual IP to life, with real-time messaging, rewards and engagements.

“Thank you to the management team who have invested to protect the incredible work our talented group has produced. It’s extremely motivating to see the unwavering belief we collectively have in our vision and product. Sadly, the public market is an uncertain place currently, and it’s a challenging environment for growth businesses such as ours.

“The interest and support we’ve had from some of the leading players in the sports industry has given our team great confidence and motivation as we work with some of the world’s largest sporting franchises and leagues.

“Thank you to everyone’s support and to our Board of Directors, who have assisted myself and management throughout.”

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