TrueLayer appoints Villani as head of igaming

Villani joins from a business development and sales role at Trustly, having also gained key industry experience at the likes of Microgaming over the last decade. He will oversee TrueLayer’s igaming strategy going forward.

Villani said: “Open banking is creating a huge opportunity for the industry to embrace innovation – from supporting responsible gambling initiatives through enhanced player identification and affordability checks, to faster payments that deliver a better player experience. TrueLayer is leading the way as a positive force in the industry with PayDirect, enabling players to receive instant payouts.

“I’m looking forward to working with operators across Europe, helping them to maximise the benefits of open banking with TrueLayer by providing a better end-to-end player experience, from setting up an account through to instantly receiving their winnings.”

TrueLayer’s UK country manager Jamie Morton added: “iGaming operators are experiencing increasing margin and regulatory pressures, especially those operating in the UK and mainland Europe. Increasingly, many see open banking as an answer to these issues, whether reducing payments processing fees, increasing conversion rates, or solving verification processes.

“As we continue to expand, we need people who understand the nuances of the different operators and the markets they play in. That is why we’re delighted that Roberto has joined us, bringing his expertise in iGaming and payments. With his strong track record of working with the biggest names in the industry throughout Europe, I have no doubt he will help take us to the next level.”