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Exclusive Q&A with Colin Steil, Co-Founder and COO of Cartesi

Published

5 years ago

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Reading Time: 6 minutes

 

We usually start with an introductory question. Tell us about yourself. How have you become a blockchain entrepreneur?

I’m Colin, Co-Founder and COO of Cartesi. I am a previous venture capitalist and start-up founder with a passion to make blockchain a reality. I have an expertise in execution and years of experience in community building and business operations across the globe.

I originally got into blockchain while working for my previous venture capital firm, SOSV. We were actively investing in companies in a wide variety of verticals that were always trying to push the boundaries of technology. Some of these companies had discovered blockchain technology early on and were integrating into their existing products, or starting exchanges (such as Bitmex). I got to learn about blockchain through assisting our portfolio companies and fell in love with the technology and the possibilities it brang. From here, I eventually met my current business partners and Cartesi was born.

What is the story of Cartesi? What is special about Cartesi in the blockchain universe?

The Cartesi founding team initially got into blockchain as a result of Augusto Teixeira (our Chief Scientific Officer) being friends with Serguei Popov (Founder of IOTA and inventor of the Tangle).

Serguei Popov, one of our Advisors, initiated Augusto into the crypto scene through the Bitcoin whitepaper and sparked his interest in the technology, knowing that Augusto is a leading expert in cryptography and game theory.

Augusto had the original idea of creating a trustless marketplace for data scientists. Basically, it would allow specialists and companies to engage in a service agreement without the need to know each other or a reputation system. In order to implement that, he invited Diego Nehab (our CTO) to design and implement a reproducible VM capable of running Linux. With this architecture and the protocols Augusto had envisioned, we would be able to make generic computation verifiable by the blockchain. More specifically, the blockchain would be able to initiate routines in the emulator to verify the results sent by the specialists after they completed their jobs. The system would protect the two parties involved, only releasing the funds if the results were proven to be correct.

Later on, after engaging in long discussions, we realized we were tapping into a broader scope. Before Cartesi even had that name, we understood we could actually create a versatile layer-2 Linux infrastructure to overcome the problems of scalability of computation and infrastructure for blockchain applications.

Cartesi is special in the blockchain universe in the sense that it allows decentralized applications to be run within a Linux environment in a way that’s verifiable by the blockchain. Complex processing can be executed off-chain free from blockchains’ computational limits and corresponding fees.

By offering a Linux runtime environment, Cartesi is the only software-based verifiable off-chain compute system that gives developers a vast array of software that evolved in the last 30 years and that enable the applications we use on the Internet today.                                                                   

You have talked about the twin major objectives of Cartesi in other interviews as well: increasing network efficiency and reducing programming difficult over blockchain? Could you share details about real life projects that actually achieved the objectives?

For sure! No software application is built in isolation. Mainstream mobile/desktop/web Applications today depend on multiple software dependencies that took decades to mature on operating systems like Linux. Cartesi brings all this software infrastructure to blockchain applications. Whereas without Cartesi, blockchain applications cannot use mainstream software, libraries and services, unless they sacrifice decentralization in some way.

Then, there’s the second problem. Besides being hampered by insufficient software infrastructure, decentralized applications also suffer tight on-chain processing limits. So, they can hardly offer a compelling alternative to mainstream centralized applications. They are often hard to build, being clunky and limited for developers and DApp users.

Cartesi solves these three problems by

1) offering developers the software and tools supported by a full Linux OS

2) moving off-chain all the heavy computation over large amounts of data, that blockchains cannot do

3) offering services and a token economy that allows users to securely rely on the network and remain free from inconveniences of blockchain tech (e.g. slow confirmation times, requirement to remain online to resolve disputes, and others).

We have only just recently open-sourced and launched our decentralized tournament infrastructure with Cartesi. With this, we have recently released our first DApp, Creepts – a tournament on a tower defense game. This game showcases a fully decentralized game that was developed using conventional software stocks on Linux and also requiring billions of microprocessor instructions (and thus impossible to run on-chain): https://creepts.cartesi.io

The most significant product from Cartesi for the gaming industry must be Creepts, the blockchain-based game. Tell us more about it.

Creepts is the world’s first fully decentralized tower defense tournament game built with and running on Linux. It is built on top of Cartesi’s Layer-2 Linux solution for blockchains, which is available as an open-source software stack that is under active development.

Currently, Creepts is playable on the Rinkeby Ethereum testnet. In Creepts, players compete against each other to see who can claim the highest score in a fully-featured, real-time, browser-based Tower Defense game map. Players join a tournament by committing their high-scores and game moves to the blockchain, at a negligible cost. The game’s smart contracts then decide who the winner of the tournament is.

In order to play Creepts, players will currently have to go through a rigorous setup experience, downloading docker, setting up Infura, and installing the Cartesi Node. To simplify this in the future, we are now working on a read-write version of Creepts, which will present users with a similar experience to running a normal app without having to deal with any idiosyncracies of blockchain technology.

Is Creepts publically available now? If not, when can we expect to have its public release? 

Yes! Creepts is publicly available now on the Creepts website: https://creepts.cartesi.io. We are currently offering both a read-only version which is playable immediately (although centralized) as well as instructions on how to setup the fully decentralize version on Ethereum’s Rinkeby testnet.                                                                   

What are the values and features that do you think Creepts add to the existing crowded world of games? 

Cartesi frees blockchain Layer 2 development from restrictive programming environments. The Creepts game logic that determines player’s scores is implemented in Typescript and runs over a Linux OS. The blockchain components of Cartesi do not care what the software used to write the Creepts DApp is. All it cares about is that Creepts can run inside of the Cartesi RISC-V machine emulator to produce verifiable and disputable game logs and player scores to the tournament contracts.

Cartesi also allows Creepts to be the first blockchain-based multiplayer game that is able to mathematically prevent one of the most impacting cheating vectors in decentralized and competitive virtual worlds from being exploited, which is the injection of arbitrary content into the persisted game state. Creepts can do so while accepting arbitrary off-chain (Layer 2) game logic, written for a Linux OS, incurring massively reduced computational costs for the Layer 1 components of the DApp.

What are the things do you think blockchain technology can bring changes to (let’s say ‘revolutionize’) the gaming and gambling industry?

Blockchain technology brings a lot of advantages and fixes a lot of problems we face in games and development today, largely due to having to trust people. Blockchain can make games self-hosting, so if players love it and are there to pay the transactions, it will never go away or be changed unless mutually agreed upon.

Full decentralization will also make game systems transparent and traceable, with provably fair game-play. This can potentially allow for much higher stakes and bids in tournaments, gambling, or games involving money.

Another big factor is in-game asset ownership. This is something that has already evolved and is quite popular. Blockchain brings the potential for players to truly own their in-game assets, and would even allow them to bring them into other games – this opens up a whole new class of gaming possibilities.

Cartesi is not an exclusive programming platform for the gaming sector. Still, what are the ways in which the existing gaming and gambling software and technologies can make use of Cartesi?

Correct, Cartesi is a general-purpose infrastructure that will enable a new wave of DApps that were not possible before. We are not limited to gaming, but it is a great showcase given the market for DApps and for Cartesi’s technology.

Now that we’ve released our decentralized tournament infrastructure, gaming companies can easily create never before seen tournament DApps without having to know about blockchain development, they can even create these complex games with any software of their choice. In addition, we’ll be launching our SDK and documentation next quarter, which will guide developers to build with Cartesi and venture into different kinds of game development.

We’re looking forward to see what people can come up with in terms of games on Cartesi!

The ongoing Corona outbreak is really in the process of crippling the world economy. Hope your company’s operations are going smoothly. Some experts say this would be like pressing a reset button on all fronts. How do you estimate the future of blockchain technology in a reset world? We would love to hear your views on this.

Our thoughts are with all those who are affected by the current outbreak that is going on. We hope it gets better soon.

It is very hard to predict or understand the effect coronavirus will have in how the world works, but one thing that has become clear is how decentralization is important in times like this. For instance, governments may be acting in haste by printing loads of money to cover up for lack of preparation, which is basically another way to tax the poor. Blockchain, DeFi and cryptocurrencies could be used to protect yourself against government actions such as these depending on where you live in the world. Individuals are growing increasingly scared of authoritarian methods that are employed by governments, and it may be used as an excuse to escalate this authoritarianism around the world, where blockchain would be another good defence.

We are of course hoping things become stable soon and the world carries on. Wishing everyone safety and good health!

If you have some important topic you would like to discuss, we are ready to talk to you! Please contact me on [email protected] and we can set up an interview.

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Interviews

Inside the Matrix: A Conversation with EveryMatrix Founders on Europe, Expansion, and Staying Hands-On

Published

2 days ago

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June 23, 2025

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Reading Time: 4 minutes

 

By Maria Emma Arnidou, Event Marketing Director at HIPTHER, for the European Gaming Media

During the recent EveryMatrix Media Day at the company’s opening of their new London office, Co-Founders Ebbe Groes (CEO) and Stian Hornsletten sat down with press to share key insights into their strategic vision. In this exclusive Q&A, we explore their views on the European Market, the evolution of EveryMatrix’s business model, leadership philosophy, and the company’s experience in the ever-evolving U.S. market.

Europe is filled with local heroes. It’s far more fragmented than most people think.

 

You discussed emerging markets in your presentation. What about Europe – is it considered saturated, or are there still areas of growth?

Ebbe Groes: I really don’t think Europe is saturated at all. In fact, big parts of it are still underdeveloped. Take France for example, it doesn’t allow online casino. Germany has effectively banned it. That’s two of Europe’s three largest economies where casino is either outlawed or nearly impossible. So yes, there is still plenty of room for growth.

Stian Hornsletten: And the market is getting more concentrated around a few bigger players, but even then, it’s not as centralized as in the U.S.

Ebbe Groes: Exactly. Europe is filled with local heroes. You won’t find many players dominating across the board. Kindred, Betsson – they’re strong, but when you go country by country and look at market share, the picture is very fragmented. Even with the economies of scale in marketing – say you sponsor a Premier League team – you’re still not getting the full return unless you’re present across multiple markets. That’s what makes Europe so different from the U.S., where a few big players hold all the cards.

We started with a sportsbook. Now we’re building an ecosystem.

 

EveryMatrix today operates across multiple verticals with a deeply diversified portfolio. Was this the vision from the start, or did it evolve as the company grew?

Stian Hornsletten: The vision definitely evolved quickly as we grew. We started with OddsMatrix, a B2B sportsbook product that was meant to be an off-the-shelf, managed solution – something that didn’t exist back then. Within a year, we had already expanded into turnkey and PAM solutions. By 2010–2011, we had launched the CasinoEngine and started specializing in product verticals.

We’ve always been very innovation-driven. We keep developing new products – some of which are still under wraps – and R&D remains one of the most exciting parts of what we do. Today, most of our top 10 clients are turnkey. While we still offer standalone modules, our growth has come from cross-vertical synergy.

 

Despite this scale and complexity, you both remain deeply involved in the company’s day-to-day operations. How do you manage to stay on top of everything across products, people, and processes?

Ebbe Groes: It helps that we’ve been here from the start. I wouldn’t want to be hired into this role now and try to learn everything from scratch – but I’ve had 18 years to absorb it all. We’ve built the company in a way that each vertical operates almost like its own business. For example, the sports division has its own CTO, product team, trading team, and even its own support function. That independence gives us breathing room.

It allows me to focus on high-level strategy, like acquisitions – take FSB, for instance. That required a lot of focus at the start, but eventually it will transition into the core business and require less direct involvement.

Stian Hornsletten: Over the years, we’ve also developed strong planning, reporting, and KPI structures across the business. That consistency makes it easier to monitor everything and integrate new divisions. Whether we open a new office or onboard a new team, we already have the systems in place to support them.

Ebbe Groes: And the same goes for finance and HR. When we opened the London office, the HR team already knew how to handle it – we’d opened three the year before. That kind of maturity allows us to move fast without creating chaos.

“In Europe we have 150 competitors in content; in the U.S., maybe 10.”

 

And what about the U.S. – a market many see as the holy grail of iGaming? What’s your current position there?

Ebbe Groes: To be honest, the U.S. was a tough lesson. We entered hoping to provide a full turnkey solution, but the market didn’t evolve the way we expected. Many well-funded B2C operators pulled out, and that left little demand for companies like us to offer the full stack. We pivoted to focus on one thing: our own gaming content.

Stian Hornsletten: We’re now live in four out of five regulated U.S. states for our own content, and we have agreements with all the major operators. Some new games from SlotMatrix are set to launch by summer, and they’ve already shown strong performance elsewhere – which gives us hope. If we manage to capture even 1–2% market share with our own content, that would already be meaningful.

But it’s been a long and costly process. Every state has its own regulatory requirements, separate hosting, and certification needs. And if one state’s not ready, operators won’t promote your games nationally. It’s frustrating, but it also reduces competition. In Europe we have 150 competitors in content; in the U.S., maybe 10. So if we can endure, there’s long-term potential.

The post Inside the Matrix: A Conversation with EveryMatrix Founders on Europe, Expansion, and Staying Hands-On appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Review Fatigue Is Real: How to Make Casino Comparisons Clear, Honest, and Huma

Published

1 week ago

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June 18, 2025

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Sebastian Jarosch is the founder of Mithrillium Media Ltd, and a very famous figure in the iGaming industry. His contributions to the market have been immensely influential. Jarosch has overlooked several projects relating to the online gambling market, most notably those involving affiliates. Because of his past works, we believe he is uniquely qualified to address the topic of Review Fatigue, that seem to be plaguing the industry right now.

Actions speak louder than words. And Jarosch’s actions have earned him several of the most notable industry awards. Among the most notable are the Casinomeister 2020 Awards for Best Casino Group, the AskGamblers Awards for Best Partner in 2021, and the Affpapa Awards Affiliate Programme of the Year 2022.

Interview Questions:

What is “review fatigue,” and why do you think it’s becoming a growing issue in the iGaming space?

Review fatigue happens when players are faced with repetitive, overly long, or generic content. With so many casinos offering similar bonuses, games, and licensing, users quickly lose interest if every review sounds the same. Many reviews lack real insight and simply list features without context, often sounding too good to be true. As a result, players tend to skim or move on entirely, especially if they’ve already seen the same structure and wording on multiple other sites.

How can overly technical or overly promotional content alienate users instead of helping them?

When content is too technical, it can confuse or intimidate newcomers. Ideally content is educational and written with the player in mind. On the flip side, a sales pitch feels dishonest, especially to experienced players who know what to look for. Users are looking for clarity and guidance, not marketing sugar coated casinos. If a review sounds like it’s trying to sell rather than help, it erodes trust immediately. Players want transparency, real pros and cons, not just buzzwords.

What are the most important things players want to see in a casino comparison, and what can we safely leave out?

Players want to know the promotions, payment methods, withdrawal speeds, licensing, game variety, and reliability of a casino. They also care about things like support quality, KYC, ownership, RTPs, and real player feedback. What they don’t want is generic content that could apply to any casino and offers no real value. Sites like Casino-Groups help players pick the right casinos based on individual preferences.

How do you balance clarity with completeness when writing or designing reviews?

It’s all about prioritizing information and guiding the reader. We aim to answer the most important user questions right at the beginning, often using summary tables to make things easier to digest. More detailed information comes later for those who want to dive deeper. It’s important to avoid walls of text and explain complex terms in plain language. The goal is to give users exactly what they need to know, without bombarding them with unnecessary information.

Do players trust shorter, more digestible content more than long-form reviews today? Why or why not

Shorter content tends to convert better because users find what they’re looking for quickly, without digging through long paragraphs full of filler. Dense, meaningful content with no waste often performs best. A short, clear, and well-structured review can build more trust than a long one filled with fluff. That said, some players do enjoy longer reviews, especially when they’re broken up with visuals, clear sections, and genuinely useful insights.

What role does tone of voice play in making reviews feel more human and less “salesy”?

A review should feel like it’s written by a real person who’s an expert in the field, not by ChatGPT or a salesperson. We use conversational language where possible and speak directly to the user. If something’s bad or a bonus is just average, it needs to be mentioned. That kind of honesty builds far more credibility than flashy design or empty buzzwords.

How do you verify and present information (e.g., licensing, terms, payment speed) in a way that’s both accurate and user-friendly?

We manually verify everything by signing up, testing support, and reading the fine print. We also check licenses through official registries and monitor user feedback on watchdog sites. To present the information clearly, we use tables, lists, screenshots, and both internal and external links to relevant pages. All our reviews follow a consistent format so players know what to expect and can easily find the details they need.

Have you experimented with visual elements like comparison tables, badges, or rating meters to reduce cognitive load?

Pictures speak a thousand words and help break up content into smaller, more digestible sections, reducing review fatigue. We use comparison tables for things like bonus terms, game selection, and payment methods. Every review includes a rating, and we apply badges to highlight our top casinos. This makes it easier for users to compare options at a glance and make smarter decisions with less effort.

What strategies do you use to keep review formats consistent while still personalizing the experience for different user types?

We follow a consistent structure that works well for both SEO and conversions. However, if a specific area needs emphasis or additional context, we’re happy to deviate from our standard format to ensure topical completeness. Some casinos offer unique features that deserve extra attention, and in those cases, we’ll add dedicated sections. The framework is consistent, but we stay flexible where it counts.

Looking ahead, how do you think casino reviews will evolve to meet changing user expectations and attention spans?

We’ll see more interactivity, personalization, and smarter use of data. Reviews could adapt in real time based on user preferences, highlighting crypto options for one user and game selection for another. AI chatbots may help users find the best match and answer questions about a casino instantly. Integration with platforms like Discord or Telegram where players can exchange themselves could also make reviews feel more social and trustworthy. Reviews need to become sharper, more authentic, and more genuinely helpful than ever before.

The post Review Fatigue Is Real: How to Make Casino Comparisons Clear, Honest, and Huma appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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From Cost Center to Growth Driver: Rethinking Geolocation in a Regulated World

Published

1 week ago

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June 17, 2025

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Reading Time: 3 minutes

 

In a fragmented and fast-evolving regulatory landscape, geolocation has become a critical pillar of compliance, fraud prevention, and operational strategy. But as new formats like sweepstakes, prediction markets, and DFS+ gain traction, and new global markets opening up, operators face increasing pressure to adopt location solutions that are not just accurate, but adaptive.

Ron Braunfeld, Chief Revenue Officer at Xpoint, shares his perspective on how operators can navigate this complex ecosystem, what trends are shaping demand, and how early client feedback has helped define a smarter approach to geo-compliance.

 

In a market crowded with both low-cost entrants and premium vendors, how should operators navigate the geolocation landscape to ensure they get the best solution for them?

Operators should look beyond sticker price and evaluate geolocation providers on overall value and risk mitigation. It’s easy to be tempted by bare-bones, bargain offerings that perform only basic location checks, but those can leave compliance gaps or blind spots. In contrast, premium solutions tend to bundle critical features like fraud detection, high uptime, and real-time support as standard features, turning geolocation from a mere checkbox into a comprehensive compliance tool.

Operators should select a partner that scales with their business. For example, a startup might start with a usage-based plan and expand as it grows, while a large multi-state operator should see volume-based discounts. In short, the best approach is to weigh long-term reliability and capability over rock-bottom cost, ensuring the geolocation service can prevent costly missteps and even unlock useful insights, not just verify a location.

 

Which verticals or regions have shown the biggest, unexpected appetite for precise location verification?

One surprising vertical has been daily fantasy sports (DFS). Initially, DFS platforms weren’t under the same strict state-by-state regulations as sportsbooks or online casinos, so many assumed they’d take a minimal compliance approach. Instead, as DFS grew, operators became highly proactive. Mature DFS companies began demanding the same level of precision and fraud resistance as regulated betting operators, recognizing that even a small number of out-of-state users slipping through could pose serious legal and reputational risks​.

Another unexpectedly hungry segment is sweepstakes and skill-gaming platforms. These businesses occupy a gray area in terms of gambling law – sweepstakes-based casinos or prize games aren’t clearly ‘gambling’ in the traditional sense. With legal scrutiny mounting, states are already debating whether sweepstakes constitute gambling, proactive operators have implemented precise geolocation controls. Some have even asked providers for state-by-state geofencing to ensure they don’t inadvertently allow play from jurisdictions that might challenge their model​. It’s essentially anticipating regulation. By acting as if they are regulated and rigorously geofencing where users can participate, they demonstrate a commitment to operating above board. It shows that across the board, from fantasy sports to sweepstakes games, the industry increasingly views precise location tech not just as a legal hurdle, but as a foundation for a trustworthy, scalable operation.

 

Which upcoming innovations or market trends do you expect will have the biggest impact on geo-compliance demand over the next two years?

Several forces are converging to reshape the future of geo-compliance. Geolocation is becoming deeply integrated into the broader security and personalization stack. The most forward-thinking operators are starting to link location intelligence with fraud prevention, responsible gaming, and even targeted marketing. In the next two years, the biggest differentiators won’t just be accuracy or uptime, they will be the ability to power multiple use cases from a single, trusted location platform.

Meanwhile, global market expansion is driving both scale and complexity. Jurisdictions such as Brazil and the UAE are rolling out or tightening their regulatory frameworks, often requiring location validation as a condition of licensure. This will push operators to adopt flexible, modular compliance infrastructure that can be customized market by market, as more areas continue to regulate.

 

How does early adopter feedback shape your commercial and product roadmap, and what’s a key lesson you’ve learned from client insights?

Client feedback is often the earliest signal of where the market is heading. Operators on the front lines, especially those pioneering new betting formats or entering emerging jurisdictions, tend to uncover challenges that aren’t yet on most providers’ radar. Listening to those early adopters can reveal opportunities to build products that solve real pain points, not just theoretical ones.

Another recurring theme is the need for transparency and flexibility in partnerships. Leading operators now expect their compliance agreements to function as living, breathing documents, regularly updated to mirror regulatory shifts, market developments, and evolving risk profiles. Providers that explain their data sources clearly, pivot swiftly when rules change, and scale support in lockstep with client growth earn lasting trust. This feedback loop, where operators push boundaries and providers refine solutions, has emerged as a core driver of innovation in geolocation. Partnerships are no longer static contracts, they’re collaborative roadmaps for confident, sustainable expansion.

 

The post From Cost Center to Growth Driver: Rethinking Geolocation in a Regulated World appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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