VIP Play, a rapidly expanding mobile sports betting and interactive gaming company, has announced the appointment of Robert Rippee, Ph.D., as Interim Chief Marketing Officer. With decades of leadership experience in gaming, marketing, and innovation, Dr. Rippee will be instrumental in advancing VIP Play’s market growth strategy through its collaboration with UNLV’s Black Fire Innovation hub.

“I see a tremendous opportunity to elevate VIP Play into one of the most innovative and customer-centric platforms in the sports betting and gaming industry. Using the model developed at UNLV’s Black Fire Innovation, we will accelerate product development and deliver experiences that increase engagement, loyalty, and long-term revenue growth. This is exactly the kind of forward-looking strategy investors should be excited about,” said Dr. Robert Rippee, Interim CMO at VIP Play.

Dr. Rippee brings an unmatched blend of executive industry experience and academic expertise. As former Senior Vice President of Marketing at Las Vegas Sands Corporation, he oversaw global brand growth and large-scale customer acquisition strategies that drove billions in revenue. His academic research at UNLV focuses on gaming convergence, esports, and consumer behavior, aligning directly with VIP Play’s goal of building highly engaging, revenue-generating gaming platforms.

Dr. Rippee recently retired after a decade as the Executive Director of UNLV’s Black Fire Innovation, where he led one of the most advanced gaming and hospitality technology innovation ecosystems in the world. By combining his innovation leadership at UNLV with his new role at VIP Play, the company gains a direct pipeline to breakthrough innovation, commercialization opportunities, and next-generation customer engagement strategies.

“Dr. Rippee’s proven ability to bridge cutting-edge academic research, innovation ecosystems, and gaming industry leadership makes him a powerful addition to VIP Play. His appointment signals to the market that VIP Play is not only competing—but leading—at the intersection of technology, gaming, and fan engagement. We expect this partnership with Black Fire to translate into meaningful shareholder value and accelerated growth,” said Les Ottolenghi, CEO at VIP Play.

RLX Gaming, the iGaming aggregator and supplier of unique content, will supply its portfolio of games to Hard Rock Bet Casino in New Jersey.

The partnership will see RLX Gaming’s extensive library of in-house and third-party titles made available on Hard Rock Bet Casino’s top-rated app.

Top-performing RLX Gaming slots such as Temple Tumble, The Great Pigsby and Bill & Coin will go live alongside a selection of the studio’s latest releases. This latest partnership underscores RLX Gaming’s commitment to offering flexible, global-ready content from studios that are shaping the future of online casinos.

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*RLX Gaming is the U.S. brand of Relax Gaming.

The Responsible Online Gaming Association (ROGA) has partnered with the Responsible Gambling Council (RGC) to launch a U.S. certification program for online operators promoting player well-being and responsible gaming.

The certification program will offer a structured, data-driven approach to evaluating operator practices in areas such as self-exclusion, marketing, staff training, and player support tools. It will provide independent validation of operator performance, encouraging progress beyond regulatory minimums, with a focus on long-term accountability and continuing evolution of responsible gaming standards.

“A sustainable online gaming industry must be built on evidence-based best practices, and this partnership with RGC will advance this mission by building a trusted and independent assessment to certify robust responsible gaming standards. Our members are committed to long-term progress, and with RGC’s support, this program will serve as a clear signal that the industry is backing that commitment with actions that will allow players to make informed decisions about the platforms they use,” said ROGA Executive Director Dr. Jennifer Shatley.

RGC has been a leader in player protection, prevention and responsible gaming solutions globally for over 40 years. RGC’s RG accreditation program supports land-based and iGaming operators to evaluate, monitor, and manage all aspects of their RG strategy. RGC’s expertise in this space will serve as an essential resource in the creation and management of ROGA’s certification program.

“We are proud to work with ROGA in setting a new benchmark for responsible gambling in the online space. The new certification program will build on years of evidence-based work and experience building RG Check as a trusted standard. By working together, we are creating a more transparent, accountable, and player-focused industry,” said Sarah McCarthy, CEO of the Responsible Gambling Council.

This partnership builds on previous collaboration between RGC and ROGA, including joint research conducted on how to increase engagement with responsible gaming tools and work on public awareness initiatives, such as the Know Your Play college education campaign. It reflects a shared commitment to strengthen industry practices and increase public confidence in online gaming.