The use of cryptocurrencies in iGaming has become much more popular throughout this decade. As more and more consumers, particularly younger and digital native bettors, adopt crypto as part of their financial everyday, operators have begun to open crypto sportsbooks and casinos to meet this new demand.
However, some are approaching it from the wrong angle. That’s the opinion of Sergey Ghazaryan, Chief Revenue Officer at GR8 Tech, who spoke to SBC News live from ICE.
Ghazaryan, who as part of GR8 Tech’s week in Barcelona was showcasing the provider’s new crypto turnkey solution, said that simply offering the same product just with crypto capabilities misses the point of crypto in iGaming.
Crypto is a VIP environment
As part of GR8 Tech’s presence in Barcelona, the company unveiled its new Crypto Turnkey solution. According to Ghazaryan, the philosophy behind it is straightforward:
“Crypto is a VIP game. It’s an environment where very large players operate with very large sums, and they need speed. They need performance and they need bonuses that are tailored specifically to them.”
Unlike mass-market players, VIPs are not motivated by traditional wagering bonuses. Instead, Ghazaryan explained, they value mechanisms such as cashback, instant settlements, and frictionless performance.
“Good VIPs care about speed and performance. They don’t like waiting. That’s why we’re making significant investments to ensure our frontend outperforms everyone else. Our platform is designed so VIP players feel immediately comfortable because it’s built with them in mind.”
Why fiat logic doesn’t work for crypto
While localisation and personalisation dominate industry conversations, Ghazaryan stressed that audience-specific product logic is just as critical.
Crypto players, he explained, are typically highly loyal, community-driven, and digitally fluent. Offering them the same UX and risk framework as fiat players is no longer viable.
“There is no way to build a successful, profitable crypto project without focusing on VIPs. It’s not just about features, it’s about process and approach.”
That distinction extends deep into operations, including risk management and RTP strategies.
“Risk works differently in VIP space. You need speed, but you also need protection. Even RTP logic changes, sometimes you need higher RTPs and sometimes lower. It’s a separate model entirely.”
Inside GR8 Tech’s Crypto Turnkey
GR8 Tech’s Crypto Turnkey is a fully managed casino and sportsbook platform designed to support high-value crypto operations. It enables seamless crypto payments, flexible multi-wallet structures, and tailored engagement mechanics while supporting global expansion and reducing operational fees by up to 70%.
The solution has been in development for years. Ghazaryan said that was intentional.
“First and foremost, we have to be experts. Anything below that is mediocrity. Every person at GR8 Tech must be an expert because experts recognise experts. When we meet the right partners, we adjust everything to make that partnership succeed.”
From Heavyweight Club to Champions Club
At ICE, GR8 Tech also introduced the next evolution of its brand positioning.
In 2025, the company launched the Heavyweight Club – an exclusive initiative aligned with its ambassador partnership with Ready to Fight by the world heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk.
In 2026, that concept evolves into the Champions Club, celebrating performance, discipline, and elite standards across GR8 Tech’s partner ecosystem.
“We are genuinely committed to not being mediocre,” Ghazaryan said. “For us, mediocrity is failure.”
That mindset also shapes how GR8 Tech structures its commercial relationships. While revenue-share models exist, Ghazaryan is clear that GGR alone is not the ultimate measure of success.
“GGR isn’t a KPI for me, it’s a health metric. What I truly care about is my partners’ P&L. I need to understand it deeply, so they can afford better traffic, improve retention, increase conversion, and ultimately outcompete their market.”
Partners, not clients
This philosophy runs through the company culture itself. Internally, Ghazaryan is careful about language.
“I correct people when they say ‘client’. We say ‘partner’. Partnership means we care about the same bottom line and that makes teams far more proactive.”
The result is a high level of confidence – both in execution and in long-term ambition.
As Ghazaryan concluded:
“My commitment is to be the biggest, the greatest. We’re not called Number Three Tech. We’re not called Aspiring Tech. We’re called GR8 Tech, for great tech. ”