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ThunderSpin’s Halloween slot is set to scare the competition stiff
The world-class independent game studio, ThunderSpin, has launched a ‘spooktacular’ slot to entertain players and boost operator income in one frighteningly fun game, Halloween Witch Party.
As the season of the witch approaches ThunderSpin’s new 5-reel, 4-row video slot has been designed to appeal to players of all ages and genders across the world with the game coinciding with the launch of the brand’s new sports betting and casino site OLE!bet.
Confirming the commercial nature of its latest holiday-themed title, Jeff Letlat, CEO of ThunderSpin, explained: “As the name reflects, this game was created especially for the spookiest event of the year – Halloween! Linking games to events and celebrations such as Halloween is highly impactful to operators’ income with numbers growing dramatically around these titles. For us, it’s about diversifying our portfolio to have different games associated with different holidays resulting in strong percentage uplifts for operators and crucially, creating engaging gameplay for players.”
Halloween Witch Party joins ThunderSpin’s other high-quality modern slots linked to specific events and celebrations and full game portfolio, including Kingdom of Glory and Book of Treasures, providing high rewards for both players and operators throughout the calendar year.
The company’s latest game is played with 25 fixed winning lines, 1 bet level (fixed) equals 10 coins and different coin value as well as a maximum win per spin of 1000x bet. In addition to seasonal special symbols and a ghostly Avalanche Feature there are also multiple themed bonuses to ensure exciting and engaging gameplay centred around the Halloween theme.
ThunderSpin’s renowned game studio of 20 highly-skilled developers in Easter Europe undertake significant R&D to ensure its games are adaptable for different regions making them suitable across multiple markets. “We select universally popular themes,” he added. “As targeting specific cultures only would limit our growth opportunities. We prefer ‘products’ of popular culture. We develop game mechanics with interesting and popular features to reach the market and audience as fast and as wide as possible. We aim to elaborate diversity in portfolio, so anyone could find a game due to his/her preferences.
“With Halloween Witch Party, we wanted to focus on players who are aware of Halloween’s visual themes and ideas such as pumpkins and ghosts but whilst also using recognisable themes which appeal across the world.”
Corresponding with the Q3 release of its latest slot, ThunderSpin will also be debuting its sports betting and casino site OLE!bet, signalling a strong commitment to the future of betting in the face of COVID-19 restrictions across the LatAm region. “We debated pushing the launch backwards because of COVID but decided to push forward once sports events started again,” added Letlat. “While there will be an initial minor difference of no offline audiences for our platform, OLE!bet’s focus is on sportsbook and offering great odds. We are confident that in line with the target market, the product offers an all-in-one solution, which is what modern users demand.”
The OLE!bet sportsbook and casino brand offers a wide range of various sport and casino games, and the best service for its clients from all over the world resulting in a uniquely positioned platform for one of the strongest emerging markets in gaming. “LatAm is growing,” concluded Letlat. “As a region it has been hugely underestimated during recent years and now it is booming. Our website features the latest software, great promotions and a carefully selected collection of finest games which players should also check out while trying their luck on our latest release Halloween Witch Party which is available on OLE!bet just in time for the spookiest season.”
Carlo Santarelli
Gaming and Leisure Properties Inc. Names Carlo Santarelli Senior Vice President, Corporate Strategy and Investor Relations

Gaming and Leisure Properties Inc. announced that Carlo Santarelli has been appointed Senior Vice President, Corporate Strategy and Investor Relations, a new position at the Company. Mr. Santarelli will begin his new position on August 18, 2025 and will report to GLPI President and Chief Operating Officer, Brandon Moore.
Mr. Santarelli brings over 25 years of Wall Street experience in Equity Research and Investment Banking to his new role and joins the Company from Deutsche Bank where he was Managing Director of Gaming & Lodging Equity Research. Prior to Deutsche Bank, Mr. Santarelli held similar positions at Bear Stearns, JP Morgan and Wells Fargo. He consistently ranked highly in Institutional Investor and other sell-side analyst research polls as a thought leader in the space, providing unique perspectives on industry events and trends with his data-driven approach and stock picking talent. Carlo Santarelli graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a B.A. in Economics in 2000.
Peter Carlino, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of GLPI, said: “We’ve known and respected Carlo’s research work on the gaming, lodging and gaming REIT sectors for many years. Carlo brings to GLPI an in-depth knowledge of the industry and its participants, having experienced GLPI’s original formation of the gaming triple-net-REIT structure from a research analyst and capital markets perspective. We value his deep network of contacts among institutional investors, sell-side analysts and a wide range of gaming industry operators and we look forward to the value of his contributions.”
In his new role, Mr. Santarelli will work with Mr. Carlino and GLPI’s senior management to develop and evaluate growth opportunities and strategic relationships, and will oversee investor relations interactions.
The post Gaming and Leisure Properties Inc. Names Carlo Santarelli Senior Vice President, Corporate Strategy and Investor Relations appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Industry News
VIP Play Announces Departure of Chief Financial Officer

VIP Play, a technology-driven leader in interactive consumer engagement, announced that Jim Mackey, the Company’s Chief Financial Officer, will step down from his role, effective August 8, 2025.
The Company has initiated a transition process and is in the process of identifying a successor. Mackey will assist in an orderly transition over the coming weeks.
“We thank Jim for his contributions to the Company, particularly during a transformative period for our business. We remain focused on executing our strategic priorities, including financial visibility, operating efficiency, and delivering value to our stakeholders,” said Les Ottolenghi, CEO of VIP Play.
The post VIP Play Announces Departure of Chief Financial Officer appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
eSports
Esports Charts Becomes Official Viewership Analytics Partner of StarLadder Budapest Major 2025

Esports Charts, the leading esports viewership analytics provider, has partnered with StarLadder, a pioneering tournament organiser. The Budapest Major 2025 marks a highly anticipated comeback for StarLadder, as it is their first Counter-Strike Major since 2019 and a significant return to the top-tier esports arena.
As the official analytics partner of the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025, Esports Charts will provide comprehensive, real-time audience data and insights throughout the event. This will empower organisers, teams, sponsors and fans with unparalleled transparency and a deeper understanding of the tournament’s global reach.
Artyom Odintsov, Co-founder and CEO of Esports Charts, said: “We are thrilled and proud to provide viewership analytics for StarLadder for the Budapest Major 2025. Since both Esports Charts and StarLadder are Ukraine-born companies, we share similar values and deal with similar challenges, which brings us even closer.
“It’s genuinely exciting to follow how viewership will develop at this Major. But knowing the expertise, drive, and passion that the organizers are bringing, I have no doubt we’ll witness some incredible things happen in Budapest.
“Esports Charts has always been driven by a mission to provide the esports community with accurate, actionable data, and we look forward to showcasing the impact and audience engagement of this world-class event.”
StarLadder has been a driving force in global esports for almost 15 years now, since hosting its first tournaments in 2011. Renowned for its innovation and reliability, the company has organised some of the industry’s most iconic events. These include the StarLadder Berlin Major 2019, which accumulated over 44 million hours watched and remains in the top 10 CS events by this metric, and the legendary StarSeries tournaments which started back in 2012.
Viacheslav Shcherbakov, Sales and Partnerships at StarLadder, said: “We’ve been working with Esports Charts since their founding and have always valued their professionalism and integrity. In a market where reliable data is essential, Esports Charts provides honest, transparent numbers, exactly the kind of insights sponsors and stakeholders rely on when assessing the potential reach of a World Championship event.
“We’re confident that this partnership will result in a high-quality analysis of our tournament’s performance and the audience data we’ll report to our partners. It’s a collaboration built on trust, shared values, and a deep understanding of what it takes to elevate esports to the next level.”
The Starladder Budapest Major 2025 will be held from November 24 to December 14 in Budapest, Hungary. The event will bring together the world’s top 32 Counter-Strike 2 teams to compete for a $1.25 million prize pool and one of the most prestigious titles in esports.
The post Esports Charts Becomes Official Viewership Analytics Partner of StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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