Last month, in the build up to ICE, Digitain issued two press releases which signalled to the industry media exactly what one of the group’s core focuses would be in 2025.

The Armenia-based provider of sports betting and igaming technology solutions hired Aida Vardanyan to the role of CEO for Digitain Malta, while Gil Soffer was promoted from his previous SVP job at Galaxsys to be Chief Commercial Officer for the same region, working under the structure of global sales of Digitain. 

Announced just before the industry gathered in Barcelona in late January, Digitain was hinting towards its ambitions for 2025, news of which has dripped through in the last few weeks. 

So when SBC News sat down with Digitain’s Chief Sales Officer Ani Mkrtchyan on the VVIP section of the company’s stand, the discussion centred around the appointments of Vardanyan and Soffer. 

Image: Digitain

“As a young leader, I believe that Aida brings a fresh perspective and a new, innovative approach to leadership and she has over 10 years of experience in the igaming industry,” Mkrtchyan says. “She has a deep understanding of international finance, legal compliance and, she has a deep understanding of Digitain’s products and solutions.”

Malta is set to serve a strategic purpose for Digitain, which will use the island as a springboard for its entry into regulated European markets. 

Mkrtchyan explains: “The idea is to strengthen our position in Malta to support our smooth entrance into regulated European markets. We do need that hub and having a Malta office is going to serve that hub. 

“Currently, we are pushing hard with compliance and recently we have obtained very difficult-to-get licenses in Greece, Romania and the UK, so the plan is to enter these strictly regulated markets. The Maltese office will serve as the central hub for that.”

2024 marked a period of expansion for the Digitain Group, which acquired licences in the UK, Romania, Greece and Sweden amongst other European jurisdictions where it aims to grow a strong presence throughout the year. 

Asked about Digitain’s ambitions for the UK market in 2025, Mkrtchyan outlines that it aims to elevate the standard of technology throughout one of the world’s largest regulated markets. 

She says: “The plan for the UK is to target those operators who are using old and outdated solutions and the ones who have the big potential to grow. We also want to work with operators who are looking for new and innovative solutions, features and functionalities, but who currently lack that with their current providers. Now that we are armed with a UK licence, we can work with these kinds of operators.”

But what is it about the Digitain suite of solutions that can replace the “old and outdated” incumbent in the UK market? Mkrtchyan notes that the ingrained culture of Digitain is to be innovative and move technology forward in this space.

How, though, does Digitain foster this self-proclaimed ‘innovative culture’? 

“At Digitain, our product development teams are armed with the tools to do constant research and investigations to work out exactly what operators need and what they lack,” says Mkrtchyan. “They then bring these solutions to the table and produce something innovative that nobody else in the marketplace has developed to help the operator be competitive. 

“It’s our founders’ vision to always be innovative and so whenever we have a new product release, the first thing we interrogate is ‘what is innovative about this?’.

“We push very hard and invest very hard to find the best talents who can do the necessary research and who understand the market requirements.”

As the conversation rounds up, Mkrtchyan outlines her belief that Digitain is in for a bright future; the company unveiled its Built To Lead strapline earlier in the day alongside a brand new TV spot commercial ad. She believes that it repositions Digitain’s spot in the sector, much like ICE itself had repositioned from London to Barcelona. 

Repositioned it may be, but the Digitain roadshow will continue throughout 2025, taking in most of the regional and international events. 

As Mkrtchyan summarises: “We are going to attend all the biggest exhibitions and trade shows throughout the year, as we have done in previous years. Each one has regional importance and regional specifics. We need to go there with regional staff to show our strength, to show our potential and to showcase our products and solutions and most importantly to be close to local operators to listen to them and understand their needs better.”

Source