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SOFTSWISS Tech Race Summit 2026 unveils elite speaker line-up from AWS, Oracle and Cloudflare

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SOFTSWISS Tech Race Summit 2026 unveils elite speaker line-up from AWS, Oracle and Cloudflare

SOFTSWISS has unveiled a strong speaker line-up for its Tech Race Summit 2026, taking place on 10 September 2026 in Warsaw, an event that will bring together senior technology leaders from Amazon Web Services (AWS), Oracle, and Cloudflare.

The three key players in the technology race who are seldom featured together at the same industry event – despite playing a central role in the global race to build and scale modern digital infrastructure.

The summit will focus on the engineering and infrastructure decisions shaping high-load businesses. Attendees will gain direct access to the experts behind AWS cloud environments, Cloudflare’s global connectivity and security infrastructure, Oracle’s enterprise-grade cloud platforms, and other technologies that power mission-critical systems worldwide, offering insights into how leading providers address scalability, resilience, performance, and AI readiness at a global scale.

First of its kind, Tech Race Summit brings together practitioners from iGaming, fintech, streaming, and other high-traffic industries on a single stage. Sessions will cover real-time event processing at scale, observability and monitoring, cloud-native architecture, cybersecurity frameworks, and applied AI integration – delivered by engineers who operate these systems in production, globally.

Keynote speakers feature:

At the beginning of the month, SOFTSWISS announced former Google leader Andrey Doronichev as the first keynote speaker for its debut event.

Why is this a priority for the industry at this stage?

iGaming operators face a critical inflexion point. Latency challenges – identified as a bottleneck by 53% of organisations in 2025, up from 32% the previous year – directly threaten competitive advantage. Similarly, bandwidth constraints now affect 59% of enterprises, up from 43%.

Simultaneously, rapid AI integration creates compounding demands on infrastructure. AI infrastructure budgets are expected to triple by 2028, yet many legacy architectures were not designed with AI workloads in mind. The industry requires immediate access to proven approaches and decision-making frameworks.

Viktor Vedmich, AWS iGaming Tech Evangelist – one of the summit speakers, shared: “Most companies today have AI experiments – few have an AI platform. The gap isn’t technology; it’s maturity: aligning people, processes, and use-case identification into a repeatable system. We’ll discuss frameworks we’ve applied across dozens of enterprises to help them move from scattered pilots to production-grade AI that compounds value over time.”

Sergey Kastukievich, CTO at SOFTSWISS, added: “We were deliberate in bringing together experts from AWS, Oracle, Cloudflare, and other technology companies that are helping define the future of cloud infrastructure, AI adoption, and digital platforms. These organisations rarely share the same stage, yet the decisions they make today influence how businesses will build and operate technology tomorrow. Tech Race Summit is designed to give attendees direct access to those ideas, experiences, and future-looking perspectives”.

Tech Race Summit is built on a practical premise: the infrastructure challenges facing high-traffic platforms cannot be solved in isolation. The event creates a structured environment for cross-company knowledge transfer – giving attendees direct access to decision-making frameworks from engineers who have built and scaled systems at global load.

Early bird tickets available till June 30th on the Tech Race website.

Okada Manila revenue per visitor drops despite higher footfall: analysts

Viviana Chan
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Okada Manila revenue per visitor drops despite higher footfall: analysts

Okada Manila has seen visitor numbers recover in recent years, but higher footfall has not translated into stronger revenue per visitor, according to a Shared Research report on Universal Entertainment.

The report noted that the Philippine integrated resort recorded 5.78 million visitors in the year ended December 31st, 2025, up from 4.35 million in 2022. However, revenue per visitor fell from about JPY21,000 ($130) in 2022 to around JPY13,000 ($80) in 2025, based on an exchange rate of JPY161.57 to the US dollar.

Shared Research said this reflected a recent trend in which visitor growth at Okada Manila does not necessarily lead to higher revenue. Over the period, the resort recorded average annual visitor growth of 9.9 percent, while revenue per visitor declined at an average annual rate of 13.8 percent.

The trend comes as Universal continues to face pressure at the property. In its first-quarter 2026 results, the Japanese group said Okada Manila’s performance remained affected by intensifying competition in the Philippine gaming market, structural changes in the VIP segment, weaker mass-market performance and rising customer acquisition costs.

Universal’s Integrated Resort business generated net sales of JPY15.44 billion ($95.6 million) in the three months ended March 31st, down 16.0 percent year-on-year. Operating profit fell 92.8 percent to JPY23 million ($142,000), while adjusted segment EBITDA declined 55.7 percent to JPY2.04 billion ($12.6 million).

Universal said quarterly results improved from the previous quarter following measures including an overhaul of Okada Manila’s loyalty program, although they remained below the prior-year period.

Gaming remains the main revenue driver for the property. In the year ended December 31st, 2025, gaming revenue accounted for 87.8 percent of Okada Manila’s segment revenue, with mass-market customers contributing 68.2 percent and VIP customers accounting for 19.5 percent. Non-gaming revenue represented 12.2 percent of the total, although Shared Research noted that its share has been gradually increasing.

The report said Universal continues to focus on attracting mass-market customers at Okada Manila and expanding its customer base through loyalty marketing.

UAE hotels eye recovery by late 2026, Wynn Al Marjan opening may stay on track

Viviana Chan
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UAE hotels eye recovery by late 2026, Wynn Al Marjan opening may stay on track

The United Arab Emirates‘ tourism sector is set for a gradual rebound following the regional conflict that battered visitor demand earlier this year, with hotel executives pointing to a preliminary US-Iran agreement and the lifting of a key UK travel warning as triggers for recovery.

Abu Dhabi-based daily The National reported on June 23rd that the UAE hotel industry is recovering, with a full rebound expected by late 2026 or into 2027. Chief executives at Accor, Leva and Rotana told the newspaper they expect a strong resurgence over the winter.

The report said the UAE was removed from a list of countries the UK advises against traveling to following the signing of a US-Iran agreement, a shift expected to restore confidence among one of Dubai’s most valuable source markets. That agreement is a preliminary framework: a memorandum of understanding signed remotely by US President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on June 17th, which extends the ceasefire and sets a window of up to 60 days to negotiate a permanent deal. Accor regional CEO Duncan O’Rourke described the sector as already being in the recovery stage, with the high-end luxury market expected to lead the rebound.

The turnaround follows a steep downturn. According to data published by STR and CoStar, Dubai hotel occupancy collapsed to 22.8 percent for the week ending March 14th, the market’s worst performance since April 2020, down from a January-February average of about 84.8 percent. 

In early May, Moody’s Analytics warned that occupancy could fall to 10 percent in the second quarter, describing the scenario as an effective shutdown of large parts of the hospitality sector. Dubai responded with an AED1 billion ($272 million) support package approved on March 30th, centered on hospitality fee deferrals.

hotel

The National also flagged Wynn Resorts’ Wynn Al Marjan Island as a catalyst, noting that the country’s first gaming resort is expected to boost Ras Al Khaimah and neighboring emirates when it welcomes guests in 2027.

The $5.1 billion project has slipped slightly but remains on track. On the company’s 1Q26 earnings call on May 8th, CEO Craig Billings confirmed a “modest delay” to the opening while insisting that construction continues to progress.

Billings attributed the delay to logistical and shipping challenges in the Middle East tied to the conflict in Iran, while noting that deliveries had largely continued. He said the company was re-routing shipments and sourcing alternative materials where needed, with more than 22,000 workers on site. 

Wynn has said it is closely watching the situation and remains in regular communication with the US and Ras Al Khaimah governments to make informed decisions. The comments followed a Bloomberg report on May 5th that Wynn was weighing a postponement of the project’s first-half 2027 opening timeline.

Wynn’s construction updates show the project is well advanced. The tower topped out in December 2025 and, as of the company’s February update, had reached 299 meters, with all of the tower’s structural concrete complete and façade installation at 83 percent. All 1,530 guest accommodations are structurally complete, with interior fit-outs underway across 1,504 rooms and suites, while the surrounding low-rise buildings are 99 percent structurally complete. 

The connecting Wynn Bridge and the Wynn Oasis staff village are due for completion in late 2026 and summer 2026, respectively.

SJM becomes first Macau-based member of Global Sustainable Tourism Council

AGBrief Editorial
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SJM becomes first Macau-based member of Global Sustainable Tourism Council

SJM Resorts has achieved a major milestone in Macau’s sustainable tourism journey by becoming the city’s first organisation to join the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) membership programme, aligning itself with global leaders in responsible travel and reinforcing its role in advancing sustainability across the destination.

The GSTC is the internationally recognised body responsible for establishing and managing the GSTC Standards for sustainable tourism. In 2024, SJM’s flagship property, Grand Lisboa Palace Resort Macau, became the first resort in Macau to secure ISO 20121:2024 certification for its Event Sustainability Management System, further cementing the Group’s position at the forefront of green hospitality and setting a new benchmark for Macau’s tourism and MICE sectors.

Advancing the Next Phase of Sustainability

This milestone marks the next step in SJM’s sustainability strategy, guided by its CRAFT framework, which integrates sustainability across governance, operations and community engagement. Built around the vision “Rooted in Heritage, Crafting a Sustainable Tomorrow for Macau,” the framework is centred on five key pillars: delivering sustainable hospitality experiences, supporting community and cultural development, empowering people, strengthening climate resilience, and ensuring responsible governance.

Daisy Ho, SJM Resorts
Daisy Ho

By embedding the CRAFT approach across its properties, SJM continues to align its operations with internationally recognised sustainability standards while driving long-term value for stakeholders and the local community.

Ms Daisy Ho, Managing Director of SJM, said: “SJM has been part of Macau’s heritage for more than 60 years, and our commitment to building a greener future remains unwavering. Becoming the first GSTC member in Macau represents a natural evolution of our sustainability journey, and we will continue to support the city’s development as a leading destination for responsible tourism.”

Randy Durband, CEO of GSTC, added: “We are pleased to welcome SJM as a GSTC member and to support its commitment to advancing responsible, inclusive and sustainable tourism across its diverse operations spanning hospitality, MICE and attractions.”

Enhancing Macau’s Sustainable Tourism Proposition

Joining GSTC strengthens SJM’s ability to integrate sustainability across its hospitality and event offerings. Building on its ISO-certified capabilities, the Group is well positioned to enhance Macau’s competitiveness as a leading destination for sustainable MICE tourism.

Across its portfolio, including Grand Lisboa Palace Resort Macau and Grand Lisboa Macau, SJM continues to implement energy efficiency, water conservation and plastic reduction initiatives, demonstrating how world-class hospitality can align with sustainability goals and contribute to a more resilient and environmentally responsible Macau.

DATA.BET delivers strong first-year results with 39.7% GGR growth

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DATA.BET delivers strong first-year results with 39.7% GGR growth

DATA.BET marks the first anniversary of its sports betting vertical by unveiling performance results that highlight strong momentum and commercial traction based on data from newly acquired clients.

Key metrics reflect sustained revenue momentum and stable margins, with turnover up 30.7% QoQ, delivered consistently across all core benchmarks. Underlying this growth was a substantial acceleration in betting activity. The number of bets and stake volume rose 83.5%, while combo bets increased 160.5%. 

This engagement directly translated into player base expansion: the number of active users grew by 147.6% over the period, reflecting broad audience acquisition across the clients’ projects. These results are setting the context for the discipline and for tournament-level performance.

Behind these numbers lies a differentiated product stack designed to drive both operator revenue and user retention. Bet Builder, available across football, basketball, baseball, and American football, allows users to combine multiple selections within a single match — including Player Props on individual player actions such as goals, assists, and points. Streaming ensures users have direct access to live events without leaving the betting interface, while Widgets bring match data, player performance, and event progress across key sports.

DATA.BET launches Bet Builder feature for its sports betting offering

Powering the product is a set of official data partnerships built throughout the year. As official data providers, Infront for tennis, Odds Composer for basketball, Genius Sports, and BETER, ensuring that every major discipline is backed by verified data that clients can rely on.

The performance of DATA.BET’s sports betting infrastructure was reflected across multiple disciplines, with football leading user engagement among top-tier sports as bet counts increased by 107.5% and active users rose 173.1%. Table tennis also recorded a 172.5% increase in its player base, underscoring strong and sustained demand, while tennis delivered steady growth with bet counts up 33.6% and active players increasing by 35%.

Basketball, however, stood out in the commercial metrics most important to operators, with turnover rising 83.7% and its user base expanding by 96.8%, making it the highest-value discipline for clients seeking growth beyond betting volume alone. This momentum was further reflected at tournament level, where basketball delivered one of the year’s strongest breakout performances.

Niche sports also showed consistent growth, with turnover increasing by 56.6% and active players up 97.4%. Darts emerged as the standout discipline in this segment, recording a 15% rise in turnover supported by growing user interest and betting activity.

At tournament level, the English Premier League remained the most profitable competition of the year, with event count up 45.7% and nearly half of total betting volume generated through the 1X2 market.

Over the past twelve months, top-tier tournaments have led over low-tier disciplines across every commercial metric: 

  • 102.7 % turnover 
  • 187.2% profit  
  • 196.6% bet count 

At the same time, the low-tier segment continued to expand in player numbers and betting activity, adding to the broader growth of the recreational audience and overall sportsbook diversification. This stands in contrast to the DATA.BET report of Q1 Esports Performance, where niche tournaments are in the center of attention, underscoring how audience behavior can differ across verticals.   

“Taken together, the first year demonstrated that scale and stability are not opposing forces — broad coverage, official data, and engagement-focused features directly contributed to growth across turnover, player numbers, and betting activity”, said Yevhenii Ilchenko, Head of Sports at DATA.BET. “We built the vertical on the right foundations from the first, and the numbers reflect that. “

Zitro expands US footprint with CONCEPT debut at Ocean Casino Resort

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Zitro expands US footprint with CONCEPT debut at Ocean Casino Resort

Zitro’s growth in New Jersey continues as it goes live at Ocean Casino Resort, where players are already engaging with its CONCEPT cabinet featuring the high-performing ‘Legendary Sword’ title.

Ocean Casino Resort is a landmark destination on the Atlantic City Boardwalk, and its addition to Zitro’s growing U.S. presence represents another significant step in the company’s expansion across key regulated jurisdictions.

“We are always looking to offer our guests an outstanding gaming experience, and Zitro’s CONCEPT cabinet has been a valuable addition to our floor. We’re pleased with the early results and look forward to the partnership ahead,” said Ted Herzchel, VP Gaming Operations at Ocean Casino Resort.

Derik Mooberry, CEO, Zitro USA, added: “Seeing our content live at Ocean Casino Resort makes us very proud. The game is resonating with players, the casino’s team has been fantastic to work with, and this is exactly the kind of collaboration we want to keep building as we grow across the state.”

“Ocean Casino Resort is a standout property in New Jersey, and we’re proud to be working with Zitro to bring the CONCEPT cabinet to their casino floor,” shared Jason Peters, President & CEO at KGM. “It’s great to see the content now live as we continue to build momentum in the region.”

With its footprint in New Jersey continuing to grow, Zitro shows no signs of slowing down across the U.S., with new announcements are expected in the next few months.

Kambi extends strategic sportsbook partnership with BetWarrior across Latin America

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Kambi extends strategic sportsbook partnership with BetWarrior across Latin America

Kambi Group, a powerhouse of premium sports betting solutions, has announced a multi-year extension of its successful turnkey sportsbook partnership with BetWarrior, one of Latin America’s leading online sports betting operators.

Under the renewed agreement, BetWarrior will continue to leverage Kambi’s award-winning end-to-end sportsbook technology, benefiting from the scale, performance and liquidity of one of the industry’s most extensive networks.

Since launching its partnership with Kambi in 2019, BetWarrior has established itself as a major player in Argentina and has recently expanded into Brazil and Peru, further strengthening its regional footprint.

The extension underscores Kambi’s growing momentum in Latin America, where it continues to support operators with deep regulatory expertise, strong local market insight and a scalable, high-performance sportsbook solution.

“BetWarrior is one of the most ambitious operators in Latin America, and we are delighted to extend our partnership as they continue their growth trajectory,” said Werner Becher, CEO of Kambi. “This agreement highlights Kambi’s ability to deliver premium sportsbook solutions that drive long-term success in competitive regulated markets.”

Zeno Ossko, CEO of BetWarrior, added: “Kambi has been instrumental in our growth, providing a high-performance sportsbook that enables us to compete at the highest level. Extending this partnership is a natural step as we strengthen our position in Argentina and expand across regulated markets in Latin America. We look forward to continuing to deliver a best-in-class sports betting experience together.”

Cambodia’s Hun Sen to visit China from June 25th to 27th

Viviana Chan
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Cambodia’s Hun Sen to visit China from June 25th to 27th

Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen will visit China from June 25th to 27th, in a trip that comes as Phnom Penh seeks to deepen political, security and tourism ties with Beijing.

Hun Sen, who also chairs the ruling Cambodian People’s Party, is expected to use the visit to reinforce Cambodia’s long-standing relationship with China, one of the country’s closest diplomatic and security partners.

The trip follows the launch of Cambodia’s four-month visa-free trial for Chinese citizens on June 15th. The scheme runs until October 15th and allows Chinese nationals to enter Cambodia without a visa for stays of up to 14 days, with multiple entries permitted during the pilot period.

At the same time, Cambodia-China ties have been shaped by growing law-enforcement cooperation against online scam networks and transnational fraud. Cambodia has stepped up action against scam compounds, many of which have involved Chinese nationals and China-linked criminal groups.

In January, Cambodian authorities extradited Prince Group founder Chen Zhi to China. Chen was separately indicted in the United States on wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy charges over alleged forced-labour scam compounds in Cambodia. US authorities accused the network of running cryptocurrency investment fraud schemes that stole billions of dollars from victims in the United States and elsewhere.

The issue is likely to remain a key area of Cambodia-China cooperation alongside broader political, economic and tourism ties.

Digitain appoints Dario Jurčić as CCO to drive growth for Europe & Africa

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Digitain appoints Dario Jurčić as CCO to drive growth for Europe & Africa

The Armenia-based provider of sportsbook and iGaming solutions, Digitain, has announced the appointment of Dario Jurčić as Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) to strengthen its expansion across key regulated markets in Europe and Africa.

Bringing more than ten years of executive leadership experience, Dario joins Digitain with extensive expertise in commercial strategy, platform development, market expansion, and business transformation.

Throughout his career, he has led high-growth organisations, earning numerous international awards. In 2025, he was also recognised by industry peers as one of Central and Eastern Europe’s leading CEOs. 

As Chief Commercial Officer, Dario will lead Digitain’s commercial strategy with a particular focus on further strengthening Digitain’s position across Europe‘s regulated markets while advancing growth throughout Africa. He will also oversee Digitain’s expanding commercial operations across its European hubs, including Malta, Romania and the UK offices, alongside the company’s further planned expansion through a new Central European office.

This structure fully supports Digitain’s continued progress in key regulated markets, including the UK, where the company has further strengthened its position following its UKGC betting license and sportsbook and platform certification in February 2026.

Dario Jurčić, Chief Commercial Officer for Europe and Africa, commented on his new role: “Digitain has established itself as one of the industry’s most ambitious and innovative companies, and I’m excited to join at such an important stage of its growth journey. Throughout my career, I have focused on building scalable platform businesses and helping operators succeed in highly competitive regulated markets. I see a strong opportunity to further strengthen Digitain’s position across Europe while supporting its expansion throughout Africa.

What immediately stood out about Digitain was not only the quality of its products and technology, but also its culture. From my very first interactions with the teams, it was clear that Digitain is not only focused on building high-quality solutions, but also on scaling them with purpose across global markets. There is a strong foundation already in place, and I see a significant opportunity to further elevate the company’s commercial reach and brand positioning across Europe and Africa.”

Ani Mkrtchyan, Chief Sales Officer at Digitain, also shared: “We are delighted to welcome Dario to Digitain. His proven commercial leadership, deep understanding of the global iGaming ecosystem and outstanding track record of building successful businesses make him an exceptional addition to our leadership team. As we continue to expand in regulated markets and further strengthen our position across Europe, Dario’s experience and strategic vision will play a key role in deepening our partnerships and delivering even greater value to our partners.”

The new appointment reflects Digitain’s ambition to further strengthen its leadership across Europe’s most competitive regulated markets. With established commercial hubs in Malta, Romania and the UK, and a new Central European office opening soon, the company is entering its next phase – building on its strong market position to become the key technology partner for operators across Europe.

Macau hotel room rates soften in May despite occupancy above 90%

Viviana Chan
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Macau hotel room rates soften in May despite occupancy above 90%

Macau hotel occupancy remained above 90 percent in May, although average room rates eased year-on-year, according to data from Macau Hotel Association member hotels released via the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO).

The city’s overall hotel occupancy rate stood at 91.7 percent in May 2026, down 1.7 percentage points from 93.4 percent in the same month last year. The average room rate declined 1.1 percent year-on-year to MOP1,386.9 ($171.6), compared with MOP1,402.6 ($173.6) in May 2025.

The figures showed a mixed performance across hotel categories. Five-star hotels reported an occupancy rate of 92.3 percent in May, down 2.4 percentage points from a year earlier. However, their average room rate was broadly stable at MOP1,555.7 ($192.5), marginally higher than MOP1,555.1 ($192.5) in the prior-year period.

Four-star hotels recorded the only year-on-year increase in occupancy among the surveyed categories, rising by 1 percentage point to 88 percent. Their average room rate fell 2.7 percent to MOP1,117.4 ($138.3).

Three-star hotels posted the highest occupancy rate in May, at 95.1 percent, although this was 2.4 percentage points lower than a year earlier. The segment also saw the sharpest room-rate decline, with average prices falling 6.7 percent year-on-year to MOP891.8 ($110.4).

For the first five months of 2026, overall hotel occupancy was largely stable at 93.5 percent, down only 0.2 percentage points year-on-year. The average room rate for the period edged down 0.2 percent to MOP1,369.0 ($169.4).

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