How the industry surprised guests at Dine Drink Dance in Limassol
Limassol has rapidly become a strategic entry point for gaming companies targeting the CIS market. An international business environment, a developed technological ecosystem and a favourable geographical location have transformed the city into a base for growth and scaling.
Today, Limassol is the centre of a new generation of iGaming events, combining business opportunities and a modern lifestyle. On 8 August, SiGMA hosted iGathering Dine Drink Dance, an evening where industry representatives shared insights and opened up access to new markets and strategic partnerships. The event was supported by Colibrix and NuxGame, recognised innovators in the iGaming sector.
During the event, SiGMA News asked Denis Kosinskiy from NuxGame, Hanna Kartoshkina from Betwinner, Kristina Egorova from BlazeBet and Tatyana Romanyukha from Techisland about this year’s discoveries.
Denis Kosinskiy on the implementation of AI
Denis Kosinsky, COO at NuxGame, was surprised by the results of implementing artificial intelligence in all aspects of the company’s work. He said that the company began using AI to configure the functionality of the administrative platform.
Next, NuxGame plans to implement AI agents that will assist operators in using the administrative panel. In addition, the team uses AI to personalise content and products, primarily for players. In terms of content generation, this applies to both game materials and banners.
‘Why did we decide to implement AI? First, it’s a trend that sells. It’s not just a fashionable innovation – it saves employees time,’ Denis shares.
The company has integrated AI into simple work processes, for example, in product management, where it generates ideas, creates prototypes, and even writes email messages. Thus, AI helps the team not only in creating content, but also in optimising business processes. ‘We use it to automate tasks both in internal systems and in those that operators work with,’ Denis continues.
‘The results surprised us. Previously, an operator needed a team of 20 people to handle a certain volume of tasks. Now, one operator can handle a volume equivalent to the work of 40 people, thanks to increased productivity. This approach also applies to our development – all employees have started to work faster and more efficiently, including the operational teams.’
‘AI has become an integral part of our work. And this is just the beginning.’
Hanna Kartoshkina on the African market
Hanna Kartoshkina, Affiliate Programme Manager at Betwinner, shared the realities of affiliate programmes in Africa. She represents the region’s leading operator, which is present in many countries, including Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon and Mozambique.
According to Hanna, Africa is a specific region, and to work successfully there, you need to understand its internal specifics. Since these are developing countries, the average cheque is significantly lower. Young companies entering the market with traffic from Facebook, for example, may find it challenging to approach this market: the volume is large, but the quality is low, and the return on investment is usually low. ‘Therefore, you need to test and adapt for a long time,’ Hanna explains.
Hanna notes an interesting point: while casinos have a better return on investment in Europe, sports betting is more profitable in Africa due to the region’s high popularity of sporting events.
Working with the African market requires constant attention and diligence. It is necessary to analyse data daily, communicate with the teams that generate traffic, and find out what creatives they use, as well as what funnels they build. ‘For example, one of my partners unsuccessfully tried 12 creatives, and then shot a video with an African playing Aviator – and it worked. This case shows how important it is to choose the right creatives,’ Hanna shares.
The Betwinner team continues to test traffic sources year after year actively. ‘In-App Traffic is a classic that gives high LTV in Africa. And if you need a quick return on investment, it’s better to use direct partners, Telegram and Twitter channels, where people show off their beautiful lives and share promo codes,’ Hanna continues. ‘Such communication works for a wide audience.’
‘In Africa, you can’t just place a bet and walk away. If a manager does that, it’s not worth working with them. You need to seek information, ask questions, and find an approach. That is the main rule for successful work in the African region.’
Khrystyna Ehorova on the human factor
‘This summer, I was surprised not so much by the industry itself as by my own experience in it,’ begins Khrystyna Ehorova, COO at BlazeBet. She has not been working in iGaming for very long, and the differences in this industry are particularly noticeable to her. ‘Compared to other industries, iGaming seems quite closed,’ Kristina continues.
‘But when you start working, building your network, when people start recognising you – through LinkedIn, Instagram, participating in events – great opportunities open up.’
A year after moving from a payment provider team to a startup, Kristina noticed some changes: the cost of traffic, regulatory pressure and payment system commissions had increased. She said: ‘I see how difficult it is for operators now, especially those working in Tier-1 markets. It seems that online casinos are big money, but in reality, it’s much more complicated.’
Leading a startup team that developed a platform from scratch, she noticed another feature: ‘I know how slow large platforms work and how difficult it is to reach managers. In a startup, you need to act quickly and make decisions on the fly.’
Summing up, Kristina called her year in the industry a tremendous experience: ‘There are often big changes in iGaming, and the main thing is to be open to them and be able to react quickly.’
Tatyana Romanyukha on the impact on Cyprus’ development
Tatyana Romanyukha, CEO of Techisland, was surprised by the rapid growth of the technology industry over the past year. Techisland is a non-profit organisation, IT association and community that brings together the technology sector in Cyprus. The company acts as a facilitator between the state and various sectors of the economy.
According to Tatyana, IT is one of the key sectors of the Cypriot economy today. It accounts for 16% of the country’s GDP, and its direct contribution to the economy exceeds €8 billion per year. It is one of the fastest-growing IT industries in Europe, with Cyprus ranking second in terms of growth rate. ‘The industry is very diverse, and I see that iGaming is also actively developing, thanks in part to organisations such as SiGMA. It’s awe-inspiring,’ notes Tatyana.
As a community and association, Techisland brings together various sectors of the technology and innovation economy. It is essential for the team that more and more iGaming companies join the community, establish specialised committees, and promote their ideas in the field of legislation. Tatyana emphasises the importance of legislative influence: ‘This is important for the development of the iGaming industry and for Cyprus as a country to create attractive business and legal conditions for this sector.’
The company strives to bring together as many areas as possible, including iGaming, to create positive change in the country. It is already successfully advocating for the initiatives and needs of the IT industry and its employees. ‘As we are a Cypriot association, it is important for us to start with those areas where we can have a direct impact,’ Tatyana emphasises.
Techisland can become a platform that conveys the requests of iGaming companies to relevant stakeholders, both within the state and in the market. ‘We strive to ensure that everything happens transparently, efficiently and with benefits for the industry,’ concludes Tatyana.
This article was first published in Russian on 14 August 2025.
