News
Startup Pitch at SiGMA this November
This November, SiGMA will have the pleasure of hosting Malta’s largest gaming exhibition and 2017 takes the cake as the biggest one yet. Eleven conferences and a large sold out floor plan are bringing a multitude of people this year so expect a crowd at the Malta Fairs and Conventions Centre from the 22nd-25th of November. Main executives and exhibitors showcasing here will include of Mr. Green, Blexr, Bet365, William Hill, Better Collective, Poker Stars, Catena Media, Malta Gaming Authority, Cherry, Microgaming, XLMedia, Ladbrokes, and many, many more.
Amongst the lavish networking dinners and appealing conferences that will be taking place throughout the week, an exciting startup pitch will be drawing eyes and attention for the second year in a row. After a successful first run in 2016, SiGMA’17 is coming back with sixty startups and several investors all under one roof. All sixty startups will be awarded with a booth at SiGMA, invitations to networking events, SiGMA PR, free office space to use at SiGMA’s Gaming Hub, as well as free consultancy and potential leads from leading industry veterans. However, only ten of these innovative startups will have the chance to present their pitch to a panel of investors. In a Dragon’s Den-like environment, each startup will have three minutes to present their project. Following the pitch, a Q&A session will allow the investors and the audience to get involved.
Of the investors, Morten Klein Founder and Chairman of Klein Group will be sharing his intelligence as “one of the 50 most significant people in the world within the gambling industry.” Klein Group consists of a group of companies with different investments within the iGaming industry, e-commerce, real estate and venture companies.
Another significant mind, present at the Startup Pitch will be Carla Maree Vella, CEO/COO of Optimizer Invest. With ten years of experience in online marketing and five years in iGaming, Vella’s entrepreneurial drive serves her well and her opinion will be strongly valued on the investor panel.
Another businesswoman on the panel of investors will be American entrepreneur, Julie Meyer. Meyer is the Founder and CEO of Ariadne Capital as well as Managing Partner at the Ariadne Capital Entrepreneurs (ACE) Fund, Ariadne Ecosystem Economics™ Fund and the Founder of EntrepreneurCountry.
In addition, we will have the pleasure of seeing innovator, Mark Blandford, considered by many to be one of the founders of the developed online gaming industry. Blandford was the owner of a betting shop chain when the Internet began proving its potential. In 1998, he launched his first interactive betting service from Alderney and was one of the first to see the significance and growth potential in online gaming.
Entrepreneur, Robin Reed, has a real heart for startups and will take a place on the investor panel at SiGMA this year. Together with Frode Fagerli, Reed founded Gaming Innovation Group (GIG) in 2008. As a rapidly growing technology business, the Group offers cutting-edge Cloud based services and Performance Marketing through its three B2B products.
Another investor, Simon Collins, is Founder of both Gaming Realms and Cashcade Ltd. and will be scrutinizing the startups at this year’s lineup. Gaming Realms is a bingo based consumer preposition, which publishes and licenses next-generation mobile gaming content. Similarly, Cashcade Ltd is an online bingo focused gaming business.
Roger Walker, a Partner with Partis Solutions, provides direct support to board execs and corporate development teams from some of the largest gaming industry operators and investors and will be offering his support to the lucky ten startups this year. Walker’s clients range from publically listed £multi-billion operators and B2B suppliers, investment banks, private equity/venture capital houses to smaller private firms and early stage entrepreneurial start-ups.
Industry expert, Ory Weihs will have a seat on the panel as one of the investors analyzing the startups at SiGMA. As one of the Founders and the CEO of XLMedia Group, he is responsible for business development and strategy, focusing on technical abilities and expanding the Group’s reach.
Rickard Vikström, Founder and Chairman of Polarbear Group, works with sales and product development and will also be critiquing in this year’s Startup Pitch. Vikström is no stranger to starting a company as he has founded and sold several in the last decade. He will be a strong force in the panel of investors this year.
There is still time to get your foot in the door if you wish to attend. For more information on the show or to book your tickets, please log in to www.maltaigamingsummit.com or send an email to [email protected].
News
Power affiliate QiH Group rebrands to Quantum to reflect ambitious diversification strategy
The tech powerhouse has a new website, name and branding that are set to take the affiliate marketing company into the next 10 years.
Quantum International Holdings, the affiliate formerly known across the tech, sports, iGaming betting industries as QiH Group has launched its official rebrand to Quantum. With a new-look website, logo and assets, the company has chosen the pared down name to reflect the strategic direction it will be taking, starting in 2026.
Speaking about the change, Quantum CEO Jamie Walters said: “I’m incredibly proud and excited to share the next chapter in our journey: the evolution of QiH into Quantum. For over a decade, QiH has been our foundation, a story of success, growth and innovation in iGaming. But the world – especially digitally – moves fast, and so do we.
“‘Quantum’ was already in our name, so we’ve simplified and streamlined, and it now represents the next version of who we are and where we’re going. A rebrand is about a lot more than a new logo, colours and identity – we’ve also evolved our mindset, ambition and of course, our strategic direction.
Walters continues: “Over the past few months, the Quantum team has worked tirelessly to get to this exciting new stage for our growth. We’re building on everything that has already made QiH Group so brilliant – our talent, creativity, and data-driven approach – and supercharging it to perform on the biggest global stage.
“Our vision is simple: to expand our affiliate marketing roots to become the world’s most-used digital comparison service, delivering simplicity and value to millions of users around the globe.”
Tom Murch, creative director at Quantum, shared: “The rebrand brief was simple: evolution. This wasn’t just about a new identity, it was about building on a decade of growth and turning momentum into acceleration. Quantum is the brave new chapter in our story, a brand, a strategy, a mindset, and a framework for high performance culture at scale and where elite talent can really thrive.”
The story so far
QiH Group was launched in London in 2014 to address a gap in the iGaming affiliate market for smart, digital-first, data-focused affiliate partnerships for iGaming operators.
The company has seen a host of accolades, such as:
-
Moving from 21st to 15th on EGR Global’s Power Affiliates list in 2025
-
Growing from five initial employees to 60 now
-
Hiring an experienced C-suite of talent, including a CFO, CMO and CTO and promoting internally for their COO
-
Building our entire tech team from outsourced to a fully in-house, tech capability, expanding the team from 0 to 14 employees this year
-
Shortlisted for eight major awards in iGaming, from Employer of the Year to Affiliate of the Year
-
Fostering years-long relationships with Tier 1 operators
“2026 and beyond are going to be incredibly exciting times for Quantum, and we’re so pleased to be bringing a new look, simplified name and a honed strategic direction and operational delivery for our clients – and of course, an environment where our talented and ambitious team can thrive,” says Walters.
Awards
Casino Guru wins in Casino Affiliate category at the EGR Operator Awards 2025
Casino Guru is proud to announce that it has won in the “Casino Affiliate” category at the just-concluded EGR Operator Awards 2025. The company was distinguished amongst the world’s leading casino affiliates and crowned with the ultimate accolade.
The awards ceremony was held at the De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms in London on October 22, 2025, and marked the 20th anniversary of the EGR Operator Awards.
Commenting on the award, Matej Novota, Head of Casino Research at Casino Guru, had this to say: “This recognition confirms our commitment to delivering one of the best possible experiences for casino players worldwide. We are grateful to the EGR Operator Awards for this distinction, which reinforces that our work toward a safer and more transparent industry is making a real impact. Casino Guru will continue to guide players toward better and fairer gaming experiences, and we are honored to receive this award.”
Casino Guru has repeatedly delivered one of the most comprehensive services in helping inform player opinion. The website focuses exclusively on reviewing online casinos and bonuses based on criteria that matter to the players, such as fair bonus policies and general terms and conditions, ease of withdrawals, and more.
Casino Guru has also served as a trustworthy mediator in disputes between players and casinos, having returned more than $52m in player funds through the Complaint Resolution Center, and making sure it offers a comprehensive service that goes beyond its meticulous reviewing process.
To help quantify the data points Casino Guru leverages to make decisions about what casinos are worthwhile, the company has developed the bespoke Safety Index metric, which gauges a casino offer based on player-specific preferences, overall fairness, and industry standards, and assigns a rating that players can trust.
This is the latest distinction secured by Casino Guru over the past several months. Casino Guru is also contending in various categories for the SiGMA Central Europe B2C Awards as well as in the AffPapa iGaming Awards LatAm.
News
Gamblers Connect Partners with Bazoom to Improve Link-Building Solutions for the iGaming Industry
Gamblers Connect, a leading and trusted iGaming Medium & Affiliate website for the iGaming sector, is pleased to announce a new premium partnership with Bazoom, a sophisticated link-building platform.
This strategic alliance is designed to introduce Gamblers Connect’s expansive network to a best-in-class resource capable of addressing one of the most persistent challenges in the highly competitive digital landscape of iGaming: the efficient acquisition of high-quality backlinks.
The iGaming industry, encompassing affiliates, operators, and marketers, operates within one of the world’s most fiercely contested digital ecosystems, where achieving visibility and digital authority is a constant battle.
This collaboration is a direct response to this challenge, spotlighting a solution that moves beyond traditional, manual outreach methods.
Bazoom has successfully streamlined the process by offering an intelligent marketplace where users can efficiently discover, filter, and secure link placements from a vast global network of nearly 100,000 media outlets, utilizing familiar SEO metrics for precision targeting.
A core component of Bazoom’s offering is its integrated content engine, which handles the creation of high-quality, tailored content, included in the price of the link purchase. Operating on a model of transparent, pay-per-link pricing without any mandatory subscriptions, the platform offers a truly scalable solution built for all stakeholders, from solo consultants to major agencies.
The partnership is founded on a shared commitment to excellence, which is encapsulated in the mutual philosophy: “Scale with quality, not noise.”
Gjorgje Ristikj, Founder of Gamblers Connect, commented on the synergy: “Bazoom and Gamblers Connect share the same philosophy, scale with quality, not noise. This is a partnership with a clear direction and shared ambition to empower our community.”
Kristoffer Krog, Head of Global Partnerships at Bazoom, added: “We are very excited to partner up with industry leaders, to align our collaboration and reach new heights together.”
This strategic collaboration underscores a mutual dedication to providing the iGaming community with the tools necessary for sustained digital growth and authority in a transparent and results-driven manner.
-
News2 weeks agoAll Roads Lead to the Helicopter — N1 Partners Turns SiGMA Central Europe 2025 into a Pit Stop for Deals
-
Awards2 weeks agoReferOn in the Spotlight: Nominated for the Prestigious “Best Affiliate Software 2025” Award at SiGMA Europe Rome
-
Affiliate Announcements2 weeks agoIZIGROUP Partners with PartnerMatrix to Expand Global Reach
-
Awards6 days agoCasino Guru wins in Casino Affiliate category at the EGR Operator Awards 2025
-
News1 week agoGamblers Connect Partners with Bazoom to Improve Link-Building Solutions for the iGaming Industry
-
News4 days agoPower affiliate QiH Group rebrands to Quantum to reflect ambitious diversification strategy

