Finnplay CEO Tops Global Tech Rankings as iGaming Industry Pivots to Trust and Compliance
- Gambling IQ
- Oct 22
- 3 min read
GamblingIQ's latest magazine, 'Game of Trust', unveils ‘The Trusted 10’ tech power list featuring Alea, EvenBet, Continent 8, Kambi, EveryMatrix and more
London -- September 15th, 2025 -- In GamblingIQ’s latest magazine, 'Game of Trust', featuring 'The Trusted 10' tech power list, a subtle cultural shift in iGaming leadership comes into focus. From Jaakko Soininen’s Nordic emphasis on cooperation and transparency, to Alex Tomic’s focus on security in building a trusted ecosystem of partnerships, to Michael Tobin’s insistence on compliance as a growth strategy; the list spotlights leaders defined as much by their governance values as by their technical expertise.
Heading the rankings of the world’s most influential iGaming technology leaders 2025 is Jaakko Soininen, managing director of Helsinki-based Finnplay, recognised for steering a modular platform strategy capable of flexing across Europe’s tightly regulated markets. Built on principles of transparency and low hierarchy, Finnplay has emerged as the Nordic standard-bearer for compliance-led engineering. “Trust has become the only real differentiator in iGaming technology,” the editors wrote. “The companies that can survive audits, adapt to local legislation, and withstand surges at peak sporting events will dictate the next decade.”
Reliability over novelty
Second on the list is Alex Tomic, founder of Alea. Together with business partner and fellow co-founder Charlotte Lecomte, Alea developed one of the world’s most reliable and secure aggregation platforms, delivering over 16,000 games through a single API via their proprietary Reverse Integration system. Third place goes to Dmitry Starostenkov, chief executive of online poker platform EvenBet, cited for guiding the business through two decades of expansion while resisting the temptation to pivot towards short-term growth markets. His reputation for localisation and player fairness sets him apart.
Infrastructure leaders rise
Michael Tobin, founder and chief executive of Continent 8, is ranked fourth. His Isle of Man-based infrastructure firm operates over 100 connected data centres globally, serving several clients named in the ‘Trusted 10’ list, and is known for offering fully regulated hosting, connectivity and cybersecurity for operators and platforms.
At fifth, Kris Saw, chief technology officer of sportsbook giant Kambi, was lauded for his architectural rigour in building scalable, low-latency betting products. Saw’s engineering-led style has been crucial in Kambi’s push into the US market, particularly during high-demand events such as the Super Bowl and March Madness.
Expanding reach, Elevating impact
The list also points to a generational and geographic broadening of influence. Michael Boylan, chief operating officer of Gibraltar-headquartered Pragmatic Solutions, appears in sixth position for driving its open, API-based iGaming platform across numerous regulated markets, such as the UK, Brazil, Ontario, Germany, and Spain, among others.
Aida Vardanyan, chief executive of Digitain Malta, took seventh, the only woman included this year. She has been central in transforming Digitain into a compliance and regulatory support hub, reinforcing the growing role of Malta as a European control centre for gambling technology.
Eighth place went to Florian Diederichsen of OpenBet, credited with strengthening its modular sportsbook systems to handle peak-event volumes while expanding into immersive content and fan engagement. He was followed by Mihnea Dobre of EveryMatrix, recognised for building resilience across business units, and Warren Murphy of Sportradar, cited for integrating content operations with product engineering at scale.
A sector at a crossroads
The ‘Trusted 10’ list underscores the maturation of a sector whose early growth was defined by speed-to-market and product innovation. As operators battle rising compliance costs and unpredictable regulatory environments, the premium is shifting to executives who can guarantee stability.
“The trusted leaders are those who subordinate rollouts to regulatory clarity, enforce API security, and protect against financial volatility,” the editors concluded. With iGaming’s expansion into North America, Latin America and Africa, and with governments worldwide tightening oversight, the value of such technologists is only likely to grow. For operators, the message is blunt: in 2025 and into the new year, trust is not a marketing slogan, but the price of admission.
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