This week in B2B news (30 May)

Fast Track opens Barcelona hub

Fast Track has opened a new office in Barcelona as part of its plans to attract and retain staff.

The new hub will house teams across product, engineering, marketing and partner-facing functions.

Simon Lidzén, Fast Track co-founder and CEO, said: “We’re excited to strengthen our presence in Europe by investing in a city that clearly reflects our values.

“Barcelona is international, innovative and well suited for long-term growth. This is about bringing in exceptional talent who share our vision and want to grow with us.”

Scientific Games handed UAE lottery licence

The United Arab Emirates’ General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority has granted Scientific Games a lottery supplier licence.

The supplier will now add the UAE to its list of 50 countries the firm supplies games, technology and analytics to.

Michael Conforti, Scientific Games president for international business, said: “We are extremely pleased that Scientific Games has been authorised as a lottery supplier in the UAE with this licence.

“We look forward to putting our more than 50 years of expertise to work in the UAE to offer high-performing products that will responsibly help drive revenue for lottery programmes supporting local communities and projects of national importance.”

GR8 Tech hires new head of casino business

GR8 Tech has appointed Lusine Khudaverdyan as its new head of casino business.

Khudaverdyan will be tasked with leading the firm’s growth and development in its casino vertical after joining from Endorphina.

Khudaverdyan remarked: “I was drawn to GR8 Tech not just for its proven and trusted product, but for the energy and ambition of its people.”

Sergey Ghazaryan, GR8 Tech chief revenue officer, added: “Lusine’s leadership will be instrumental in scaling our casino solutions and delivering sustained value to our clients and partners.”

Bet365 named Palmeiras stadium’s sports betting partner

Bet365 has been named the exclusive sports betting partner of the Allianz Parque stadium in São Paulo, Brazil.

Home to Brazilian football club Palmeiras, the deal will see the operator be able to advertise on pitchside LEDs during the team’s home games.

A bet365 spokesperson noted: “The visibility and engagement generated by this partnership are important in consolidating our presence in the country and promoting responsible gaming while offering the Brazilian public a premium sports betting experience.”

Marcelo Frazão, WTorre vice-president of entertainment, added: “The arrival of bet365 as the new sponsor of Allianz Parque reinforces the arena’s positioning as a space that connects relevant brands to high-impact experiences with the public.”

LuckyStreak names industry veteran as head of product

LuckyStreak has appointed Neil Brookes as its head of product.

Brookes will define and execute the supplier’s product roadmap and lead cross-functional collaboration.

Ady Totah, LuckyStreak CEO and co-founder, said: “For a long time, we’ve been building great tech – but now, with Neil, we’ve found the right person to bring a true product mindset to match it.”

Brookes remarked: “The mindset and ambition to build on what is already a successful business, to further innovate and entertain with a forward-thinking, people-centric approach really clicks with me and feels like the perfect fit.”

QTech bolsters platform with KA Gaming partnership

QTech has added to its aggregator platform after penning an integration deal with KA Gaming.

The partnership will see more than 833 games added to QTech’s platform, while also boosting KA Gaming’s global footprint.

Philip Doftvik, QTech Games CEO, said: “KA Gaming’s range of non-traditional games, led by their fish and crash content, is an overdue shot in the arm for an often-homogenised space.

“Wherever you set your scene in this ever-changing landscape, our platform champions a mobile-first mantra, packed with all the best localised games that cater to varied cultural tastes. You need locally adapted content to match up with client requests, and that’s where we excel.”