Infrastructure provider strengthens commercial team as it continues to push ahead with ambitious expansion plans in the USInfrastructure provider strengthens commercial team as it continues to push ahead with ambitious expansion plans in the US
Continent 8 Technologies has further expanded its global sales team with the appointment of Andrew Mudge as Regional Sales Director. This is the latest in a series of important commercial hires as the company continues to scale at pace.
Mudge is a global gaming specialist who has spent more than eight years working in various roles at international IT service partner, Viadex Global. He has significant experience in helping online gambling operators and suppliers leverage infrastructure to drive growth.
For the past 12 months, he has been focused on Viadex Global’s US business, a market where Continent 8 has been deploying an ambitious expansion plan and where it is already live in 30 states and counting.
Mudge will use this market experience and deep understanding of IT infrastructure to support the company’s existing US customers while making more operators and suppliers aware of the solutions and services it has to offer.
This includes award-winning global managed hosting, connectivity, cloud and security solutions. By taking a first-to-market approach in the US, Continent 8 has emerged as the go-to infrastructure provider for the biggest names in the business, supporting 85% of operators on the EGR Power US Rankings 2023.
Brian Koh, Vice President, Sales & Chief Commercial Officer at Continent 8 Technologies, said: “Andrew is a great addition to our commercial team, bringing not only knowledge of the industry but also of the US market.
“This is an important region for us, and we are thrilled to be able to leverage his understanding of the market and the infrastructure that operators and suppliers need to succeed here. This, combined with his experience in the gambling sector, makes him a strong asset as we continue to grow.
“I’d like to take this opportunity to welcome Andrew to the global Continent 8 team and look forward to working with him as we strengthen our position as the leading infrastructure provider in the US and beyond.”
Andrew Mudge, Regional Sales Director at Continent 8 Technologies, added: “It’s an honour to be joining Continent 8 at such an exciting time for the business. Having worked closely with the team during my eight years in the industry, I am very aware of the strong presence and dominant brand they have developed globally.
“I’m proud to be joining the leading infrastructure provider for gambling operators and suppliers, worldwide.”
Andrew, along with the global Continent 8 commercial and executive team will be attending ICE London, 6 – 8 February 2024 at ExCeL London, at stand N3-110.
Dave Phillips joins as VP of Network and will oversee operations, build, development, and engineering teams globally for the service provider whose network now spans over 100 data centre locations
Continent 8 Technologies, the award-winning infrastructure provider to the global gambling industry, has named former Google executive, Dave Phillips, as Vice President, Network as it continues to welcome senior talent to its team amid rapid expansion across the globe.
Dave is a highly experienced member of the Internet community having spent 15 years at Google where he held a range of leadership roles in Engineering, Operations, Delivery and Product teams.
As Vice President, Network, Dave will be responsible for overseeing the company’s global network which now spans more than 100 locations across four continents, including 30 states in the US and counting. The scale of the company’s network makes it one of the best connected in the world.
He will lead a global team of networking specialists, located in the UK, Europe, USA, Canada, Singapore, and India, ensuring the company maintains its position as the leading provider of secure, high speed and low-latency connectivity to the iGaming industry and beyond.
Edward O’Connor, Chief Technology Officer at Continent 8 Technologies, said: “Dave is a highly experienced network technologist with an incredible amount of Internet industry experience having been at Google through their hyper-growth phase over the past 15 years.
“Our network is one of the largest and best connected in the business. For over 25 years our industry’s biggest brands have relied on the Continent 8 network and hiring Dave to lead our global team will help to ensure that we continue to innovate on behalf of customers for the next 25 years.
“Dave is joining a fantastic team – with his experience and the immense creativity of our group, I’m certain that we’re going to invent great ways to help our customers in 2024 and beyond.”
Dave Phillips, Vice President, Network at Continent 8 Technologies, added: “Continent 8’s connected network is quite simply the backbone of the iGaming industry and I’m thrilled to be joining the company.
“I’m excited by the extraordinary growth facing Continent 8, further developing our innovative product set and strengthening our position as the infrastructure partner of choice for many of the biggest operators and suppliers in the global gaming industry.”
We are back at ICE 2024, from 6-8 February, the largest iGaming and land-based casino event.
Discover the power of Continent 8 first-hand! Drop by our Stand N3-110 to discover how we can connect, manage and secure your iGaming business with world-class global hosting and cloud solutions.
Our executive, sales and product teams will be available at the Stand throughout the show to discuss your needs.
Get in touch via sales@continent8.com or complete the form here.
Award-winning infrastructure and cybersecurity services provider undertakes comprehensive cybersecurity audit and VAPT as part of supplier’s licensing requirements in Pennsylvania
Continent 8 Technologies, the gaming industry’s trusted infrastructure and security partner, was chosen by ODDSworks, an interactive gaming content provider, to undertake a regulatory security compliance audit and vulnerability assessment penetration test (VAPT) in the US state of Pennsylvania.
As a supplier licensed by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB), ODDSworks was required to undertake and submit for approval a full audit of its cybersecurity provisions. With an existing relationship through hosting across several states including New Jersey and Michigan, the company reached out to Continent 8 to plan and carry out the audit and VAPT so that it could meet its regulatory obligations.
The audit was undertaken by Continent 8’s dedicated cybersecurity division, C8 Secure, and used Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing to examine ODDSworks’ provisions under the requirements set by the PGCB.
The regulator is one of the most stringent in the US when it comes to cybersecurity and expects operators and suppliers to meet standards such as:
Operators and suppliers are also required to carry out an annual security audit and VAPT via a third party, and that’s why ODDSworks turned to Continent 8.
Continent 8 brought together a dedicated team of specialists for the efforts, which was completed in less than eight weeks, on time and under budget. It even identified vulnerabilities that were not within the scope of the work being carried out. The audit and VAPT reports were submitted to the PGCB and has been approved by the regulator.
Patrick Gardner, Managing Partner at C8 Secure, a Continent 8 company, said: “Cybersecurity is a hot topic in the online and land-based gaming industry, and ODDSworks are an example of a company that is prioritising cybersecurity.
“Having cybersecurity provisions in place is not only a must when it comes to protecting the organisation, but also when it comes to compliance. Pennsylvania is setting the standard when it comes to protecting the iGaming market.
“The regulatory landscape and requirements across different states can make it incredibly complex for operators and suppliers operating in these markets. Of course, we can assist other operators and suppliers with their cybersecurity audits in Pennsylvania and any other regulated US state.”
Steven De Mar, Executive VP at ODDSworks, added: “At ODDSworks we are taking cybersecurity seriously – the industry is under attack. Continent 8 has done an incredible job at supporting us through our cybersecurity audit in the state of Pennsylvania. We were impressed by the speed at which the audit was planned, undertaken and reported on, as well as its scope and depth.
“We already knew that Continent 8 was at the top of its game having used its hosting solutions in other US states, but its cybersecurity audit for us shows that it really does set the standard for others to follow.”
Regional Sales Director tasked with fostering existing customer relationships and driving sales growth
Continent 8 Technologies, the award-winning provider of managed hosting, connectivity, cloud and security solutions to the global online gambling industry, continues to drive growth with the appointment of Khaled El-Din as Regional Sales Director.
Based in the UK, Khaled joins Continent 8’s global sales team as it continues to enter new regulated markets around the world, a move that is increasing its addressable audience and customer base.
Khaled is a highly experienced sales specialist and joins the global IT business from swcomms where he was Sales Manager. He has also held sales roles at Solar Communications and Chartered Developments. His knowledge of infrastructure, connectivity and hosting solutions, plus his experience working with large organisations to determine their needs and creating bespoke solutions for them, makes him perfectly suited to Continent 8.
In his new role, he has been tasked with managing and amplifying existing customer relationships, as well as supporting the overall sales division with driving new revenue growth across core regulated markets including Europe and the Americas.
Nick Nally, Chief Revenue Officer at Continent 8 Technologies, said: “Khaled is a fantastic addition to our global sales team, and we look forward to benefiting from his experience, skills, and commitment to customer satisfaction, as we look to better support existing customers and connect with new ones.
“With Khaled in the team, we can keep driving awareness of our solutions and services among those not currently working with Continent 8, whilst doubling down on the support we provide to those that are.”
Khaled El-Din, Regional Sales Director at Continent 8 Technologies, added: “This is a very exciting time to be joining Continent 8 as demand for its managed hosting, connectivity, cloud and security solutions is on the rise.
“Continent 8 works with many of the biggest names in the industry, and it’s an honour to be working closely with the team, as well as an impressive collection of customers that trust in our solutions and our people. I am looking forward to playing a part in helping operators and suppliers access the infrastructure they need to succeed as the gambling market continues to grow at pace, globally.”
AWS specialist joins go-to infrastructure provider to the regulated global online gambling industry
Continent 8 Technologies, the award-winning provider of managed hosting, connectivity, cloud and security solutions to the global online gambling industry, has welcomed Carl Bonner as Regional Sales Director.
The appointment augments Continent 8’s global sales team at a time when demand for its solutions and services continues to rise amid the ongoing roll-out of regulated online gambling in key jurisdictions around the world.
Carl is a highly experienced cloud specialist and joins Continent 8 from AWS (Amazon Web Services) where he has been senior account manager for the past three and a half years, co-founding the Betting & Gaming division, supporting a range of well-known iGaming brands with various AWS services.
Prior to that, he held senior roles at cloud-based enterprise software company, Oracle. This has seen him work with some of the biggest brands in Europe including Pret a Manger, WHSmith, Shazam, UiPath and ESET, supporting their cloud strategies and deployments.
He brings this wealth of experience to Continent 8 where he will be responsible for supporting the provider’s multi-cloud strategy and growing its customer base in core regulated iGaming markets, such as the fast-growing US market.
Continent 8’s multi-cloud strategy allows it to support customers with its regulated Public Cloud, Private Cloud, as well as Hyperscale Cloud solutions. It holds AWS Advanced Tier Consulting Partner status so that it can assist customers with AWS projects and deployments. It is also a Microsoft Silver Partner, augmenting its existing cloud offering with Microsoft Azure Stack.
Brian B. Koh, Chief Commercial Officer at Continent 8 Technologies, said: “I’d like to welcome Carl to our global sales team and look forward to benefitting from his unrivalled experience with supporting well-known brands in the iGaming sector with cloud-based solutions.
“We are the go-to regulated cloud provider for the biggest operators and suppliers in the industry, and with Carl onboard, we will be able to better support existing customers and drive awareness of our solutions and services among those not already working with Continent 8.”
Carl Bonner, Regional Sales Director at Continent 8 Technologies, added: “Joining Continent 8 allows me to share my passion for cloud-based solutions with operators and suppliers in the iGaming industry, making them aware of the huge upsides they can unlock by utilising the cloud.
“I am thrilled to be joining such a respected business as Regional Sales Director and working with the wider team to not only meet but exceed our goals for growth.”
Jeremie Kanter, Director of Regulatory Affairs at Continent 8 Technologies
The global gambling industry has undergone a significant transformation in recent years. Government policies and ever-evolving stringent regulations continue to shape the undulating landscape for operators. Responsible gambling is not limited to the protection of vulnerable gamblers. With so much money and sensitive personal information being exchanged online, gambling sites have become a hot target for bad actors; therefore, it is essential that the industry takes cybersecurity seriously.
As quickly as technology advances, so do methods of hacking and scamming. Online gambling companies need to have many layers of defence to protect themselves and their customers. Cybersecurity, backed by Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning, plays a pivotal role in safeguarding the gaming environment from a multitude of threats whilst protecting players and transactions and strengthening operators’ responsible gambling obligations. Cybersecurity measures ensure online sports betting platforms effectively enhance the integrity of their platform and demonstrate their commitment to fair play, transparency, and player safety.
One of the most critical aspects of cybersecurity in the online sports betting industry is protecting sensitive information. Cybersecurity solutions shield customer data from breaches with advanced encryption techniques and intrusion detection systems. AI-driven security systems can identify and mitigate potential threats in real time, ensuring a robust defence against data breaches and cyber attacks. This not only secures player information but also safeguards gambling operators’ trustworthiness and brand integrity.
Another essential consideration for operators is preventing fraud and taking anti-money laundering (AML) measures. The gambling industry is particularly susceptible to fraud, with hackers constantly devising new scams to exploit vulnerabilities. Robust cybersecurity measures underpinned by machine learning algorithms analyse vast amounts of information, including transaction records, customer information, and other financial data, to identify suspicious activity, enabling operators to intervene promptly. By employing effective cybersecurity measures, operators can protect their players from these types of illegal activities whilst minimising reputational damage.
Regulatory compliance is not just a legal requirement but also a means of building trust with players and regulatory authorities. By prioritising cybersecurity, iGaming operators can ensure they are not only following regulatory requirements, but they proactively avoid any potential legal or financial risks. Robust cybersecurity measures and AI systems help operators manage compliance by automating reporting, monitoring transactions, and ensuring adherence to data protection laws.
Part of an operator’s responsible gambling obligations include safeguarding players from addiction. How can the deployment of cybersecurity and AI-driven technology help in this regard? AI and machine learning algorithms can analyse player activity patterns and behaviours, identifying early signs and markers of harm. It can also track time spent gambling and prompt players to take a break. This information can be used to intervene and offer support to players who may be at risk. AI-driven chatbots provide real-time assistance to players seeking information and resources on responsible gambling. These chatbots can provide guidance and support and direct players to relevant resources when they exhibit risky or erratic behaviour. Offering immediate interaction with customers in need reinforces the industry’s commitment to responsible gaming and player wellbeing.
The gambling industry faces unique cybersecurity challenges that require a comprehensive and proactive approach. Responsible gambling is not just a legal requirement but a compass and an ethical obligation of the gambling industry. The importance of cybersecurity in the online sports betting industry cannot be overstated. Embracing a security-first mindset is essential for the gambling industry to thrive in an increasingly digital and interconnected world where the stakes are high.
Continent 8 can play a pivotal role in helping online gaming operators promote responsible gambling. By implementing advanced cybersecurity measures powered by AI-driven interventions, we can add significant value to operators, ensuring a safe and secure gaming environment while fostering responsible gambling practices. This not only benefits players but also enhances the reputation and trustworthiness of the operator.
Continent 8 Technologies has grown its regulated and community public cloud offering ,both in terms of locations and capability. And as we have done so, we face the reality of economic headwinds in both hardware and software licensing, as well as wanting to differentiate our high-touch customer culture, and security by design approach.
Therefore, we are making some changes to our cloud portfolio offering, changing pricing where we must, but adding value where we can, to provide a best-in-class high-value offering to our customers.
We are increasing prices for public cloud resources, whilst adding Edge Cloud to support virtual server, Network as a Service Edge (NaaS), CDN capability and support future container-only deployments and further up-the-stack managed offerings.
We are removing optional “Product” customer support as an uplift fee, and baking this into our service inclusively for all new or renewal subscriptions – all customers will benefit from our trained, certified, and dedicated support team access.
We are deprecating our “FLEXIBLE” model of public cloud subscription for primary public cloud, moving all subscriptions to “COMMITTED”, utilising the FLEXIBLE model for secondary business continuity use for all new or renewal subscriptions. The relative discount in COMMITTED versus FLEXIBLE will remain.
Due to the growth in our network and internet capacity and capability, we are bringing down the cost of per GB bandwidth charged to customers in all locations for all new or renewal subscriptions.
We have created committed bandwidth tiers allowing customers to fix their bandwidth fee costs and achieve greater savings through that commitment.
We are bundling WaaP (WAF) protection licensing within our public cloud, on top of the existing DDoS mitigation included, to offer full L3-7 protection.
To summarise, for all new and renewing customers;
Continent 8 faces the same economic challenges as many businesses, with increases in costs for co-location space and power, technology hardware and software licensing as well as other inflationary pressures. As a result, we have no choice but to pass on as little as we can of these costs to customers in resource fees.
Being customer-focussed and high touch is part of our culture and values, therefore committing to provide product support from the outset inclusively differentiates us from the public cloud market. We also acknowledge that the majority of our customers want the certainty and budgeting ease of committed cloud resources and bandwidth.
Adding additional cyber-protection capabilities leverages our own growth in capability and allows customers to benefit from the investments we have made in providing security services to protect customers infrastructure and technology.
Growing our bandwidth capacity for not just world class peering and reachability, but also DDoS mitigation, we can pass on savings in our reduced per GB bandwidth costs.
New pricing is in effect for all new quotes and renewals undertaken through our RSD and CSM teams. To benefit from the additional services and lower bandwidth pricing we encourage existing customers to look at how they can benefit from earlier commitment to renewal.
By adding WaaP (WAF) to new and actively renewing customers we are taking a secure by design and delivery approach to our customers infrastructure. As we have added NaaS services such as Firewalling and Advanced Threat (IDS / IPS) capabilities we are proud to offer customers the benefits of our investments in cyber protection.
Remember, all Continent 8 public cloud services are;
To learn more about the changes and take advantage of the new bundled capabilities and pricing benefits, please contact your Regional Sales Director or Customer Success Manager.
Operators and suppliers will gain immediate access to industry leading managed hosting, global connectivity and cybersecurity services and solutions
Continent 8 Technologies, the leading technology solutions provider for the online sports betting and iGaming industry, is set to cut the ribbon on a Curaçao data centre footprint next month.
The strategic site expansion comes on the heels of numerous transformation initiatives set out by the Curaçao Gaming Control Board, including revising the licensing procedure for operators on the island.
Existing and future operators and suppliers will now be able to access Continent 8’s full range of services and solutions via the Curaçao site including direct connectivity to its unique network of over 100 locations across four continents, protection through its muti-layered cybersecurity offering and best-in-class managed hosting solutions.
Customers will be supported out of the most advanced multi-tenant Tier-IV data center in the Pan-Caribbean region, run to the highest technical and operational standards.
Continent 8 continues to drive its global expansion and strategic initiatives in Latin America and the Caribbean with four sites currently open and numerous additional locations planned for the coming year.
Michael Tobin, Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Continent 8 Technologies, said: “We have been powering operators and suppliers in regulated jurisdictions for 25 years, providing compliant hosting solutions, globally. Thanks to our experience, regulatory knowledge, and market-leading solutions, we have become the trusted infrastructure partner to the industry.
“Our move into Curaçao comes at a time when operators and suppliers need infrastructure solutions they can rely on, and this is exactly what we have built our name and reputation on.”
Nick Nally, Chief Revenue Officer at Continent 8 Technologies, added: “We pride ourselves on our agility and ability to provide solutions to customers, quickly. We realised an opportunity and we had to move fast to ensure operators have the very best hosting solutions.
“With the changes being made in Curaçao with regards to online gambling licences, strengthening the application process to attract a wider range of operators, those looking to seek a licence can be assured that they can capitalise on leading services and solutions from Continent 8.”
Craig Lusher from our product team reviews the latest attack data with the intensity of attacks peaking in July and with one customer being hit 98 times over the three-month period
The third quarter of 2023 saw a significant reduction in DDoS attacks launched against Continent 8 customers.
The total number of attacks hit 359 during the period, down from 1,106 in Q2 where there was a continuation of the tumultuous adverse events that marked December 2022 with a well-orchestrated campaign that coincided with the World Cup and the festive holidays.
This saw Continent 8 defend 3,367 separate DDoS in the fourth quarter of 2022 alone.
In the third quarter of 2023, the intensity of attacks peaked in July with 195 separate incidents recorded. This was followed by August with 112 and September with 52. Over the three months, 24 unique customers were attacked making it a widespread issue rather than being isolated to a few customers.
On average, each customer faced 15 attacks in Q3, but one customer was subject to 98 attacks indicating a targeted effort and underscoring the need for all organisations to have specialised protective measures in place.
When it comes to the characteristics of attacks, there was great cause for concern with the largest attack hitting a staggering 149.7Gbps which could potentially cripple the most robust networks. The average size of attack was 2.27Gbps – manageable but not negligible.
The highest Peak Packets Per Second (PPS) recorded was 14.6 Mpps, and while this was substantially down on the 317 Mpps recorded in May 2023, it still indicates the scale of some of the attacks launched against Continent 8 customers during the quarter.
This highlights the importance of considering not just the throughput but also the volume of Packets Per Second because even low throughput attacks could involve millions of packets per second, threatening network equipment rather than just internet bandwidth.
This is why it’s vital to take a multi-layered approach to cybersecurity so that systems, networks and data are properly protected from different types of attack at a time when the volume and length of attacks remain high.
One customer was subject to an attack lasting more than 20 hours – so close to a full day. This shows the persistence of attackers. That said, the average attack duration during Q3 was 0.76 hours which comes to about 45 minutes.
This suggests most attacks were aiming for quick disruptions rather than prolonged engagement. Again, this is different to the previous quarter where the longest attack lasted an astounding 800 hours.
Interestingly, there were no attacks exceeding 1 Tbps, but there were four attacks exceeding 100 Gbps and four more in the range of 10-100Gbps. The majority of attacks – 350 altogether – were under 10 Gbps. This compares to a peak attack size of 560 Gbps in Q2.
When it comes to repeat attacks, 10 customers were hit for a second time in a 24-hour period – interestingly, in Q2 there were no instances of customers suffering repeat attacks within 24 hours – so this marks the return of attackers going after the same target multiple times.
The stats for the period from 1 July 2023 to 30 September 2023 relate to our customers based in different locations around the world. Key highlights include:
This quarter’s results show that attack tactics have changed once again with attack size reducing but with significant Packets Per Second being delivered via attacks.
This means that the threat has changed somewhat from earlier in the year – ensuring internet bandwidth is always vital but now more than ever organisations need to protect their network equipment and systems.
There has been a lot of discussion around the changing cyber threat landscape, but this quarter’s stats show that action is crucial if organisations are to ensure resilience and mitigate an attack which is now a case of when and not if.
Our solution continues to evolve and in recent months we have amplified our scrubbing capacity to 2.5+Tbps, as well as increased our scrubbing centres geographically deployed across multiple continents. Locations include Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, Miami, London, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Singapore, Hong Kong and Sao Paulo.
Our proven platform is one you can rely on with a capacity only matched by the largest DDoS providers on the planet. Learn more about our DDoS solutions here or contact Craig via craig.lusher@continent8.com