Monika Zlateva is the Chief Commercial Officer at CT Interactive, a leading casino slot game provider. Established in 2012, the company serves as the online division of the renowned land-based gaming firm CT Gaming (also known as Casino Technologies). CT Interactive has harnessed decades of expertise from its land-based roots and is committed to pioneering innovative online casino games.
CT Interactive was founded in 2012, leveraging the extensive experience of its parent company in land-based gaming. "Back in 2012, the company adapted and taken advantage of all the experience and know-how from the land-based operation," Zlateva shares. The company has steadily evolved, incorporating new techniques and trends, such as cluster game systems and "buy bonus" mechanics.
Over the years, CT Interactive has achieved significant milestones, acquiring producer licenses in various jurisdictions, including Romania, Greece, Bulgaria, and Malta. The company now boasts a portfolio of over 250 games and releases at least two new games each month, with plans for future expansions and new offices worldwide.
CT Interactive prioritizes attending major industry events, where it connects with partners to understand market needs and player preferences. "We visit all the major events in the industry... to meet our partners, to understand their needs, and what players want," Zlateva states, emphasizing the importance of feedback for creating engaging and enjoyable games.
On responsible gaming, Zlateva explains that it involves balancing player risk with game mechanics. "Responsible game development for a studio means following certain directives and rules," she says. CT Interactive ensures fair play by working with certified RGS (RNG) systems and external auditing companies. "Our average RTP is about 96% and above," Zlateva highlights, showcasing the company's commitment to transparent and fair gameplay.
"We make sure that our games are paying according to the RTP... so the players know that the games are fair and they are paid accordingly."
Zlateva concludes the interview with a heartfelt message to both new and loyal players: "First of all, I would like to thank all the players who are enjoying, trying our games, and giving us the chance with each and every title." She hints at exciting upcoming releases for 2025 and invites newcomers to explore the company's games through demo versions available on their corporate website.
"For those who haven't tried: go to our corporate website ct-interactive.com, choose a title, play the demo. If you like the demo, try the real deal on your favourite website."
Martin Ivanov, Chief Operational Officer at CT Interactive, assumed the role in early 2024, marking the beginning of a new era for the company as it expanded its global presence. With a career spanning years of expertise, Ivanov has transitioned seamlessly from land-based operations to the digital realm of online gaming.
Before his promotion to COO, Ivanov spearheaded business development efforts in Latin America, gaining valuable knowledge about regional markets. His contributions helped CT Interactive establish a foothold in emerging economies. Today, his leadership drives innovation and growth across a diverse range of markets worldwide.
“My experience in Latin America taught me the importance of tailoring our approach to the unique needs of each market.”
At ICE 2025, Ivanov presented a strategic vision for the future of CT Interactive. A central focus for 2025 is expanding operations in regulated markets, with Brazil identified as a key priority due to its substantial growth potential. Regulatory advancements in Brazil make it an essential target for the company’s expansion.
In addition, CT Interactive is committed to strengthening its presence in the 18 jurisdictions where it currently operates. This includes introducing more games to its certified portfolio to cater to evolving client and player needs.
“Our goal is to offer fresh, engaging content while maintaining the high standards that our clients expect.”
Another cornerstone of CT Interactive’s 2025 plans involves enhancing relationships with existing clients while forging new partnerships.
“Our clients are the heart of our business, and their success drives ours.”
Entering uncharted markets presents unique challenges. Ivanov highlighted two primary obstacles CT Interactive encounters:
“Navigating regulations is an ongoing effort, but it’s essential to our success.”
“It’s about finding the perfect balance between innovation and familiarity.”
By tackling these challenges head-on, CT Interactive positions itself as a compliant and competitive player in diverse markets.
The gaming industry is crowded with competitors, especially at events like ICE 2025, where countless developers vie for attention. Despite this, CT Interactive has established a distinct identity. Ivanov attributed the company’s success to its deep-rooted history, which began with Casino Technology and evolved into CT Interactive.
“We’ve built a legacy that players and operators trust.”
Long-term relationships with operators, many of whom transitioned from retail to online gaming, have played a significant role in the company’s growth. These partnerships are built on years of trust and collaboration.
“In any business, relationships are the key. We’ve nurtured these partnerships for years, and they’ve been central to our growth.”
CT Interactive also benefits from its ability to internally test and refine products, enabling swift responses to market demands.
“This ensures our games are always delivered in their best form, meeting the expectations of both partners and players.”
By embracing innovation and analyzing player data, CT Interactive stays ahead of trends, delivering relevant and engaging products that resonate in an ever-evolving market.
In our interview in 2025 at SBC Summit Lisbon, we interviewed Monika Zlateva, the Chief Commercial Officer of CT Interctive, and Dimitar Nikolov, the Chief Product Officer of CT Interctive.
CT Interactive frames each release around entertainment value and long-term engagement, aiming for a steady cadence of fresh titles.
“We put the player at the center of what we do.”
The studio builds on classic slots shaped by 25+ years of production. Expect familiar mechanics like Expanding Wilds alongside newer options such as Buy Bonuses to widen player choice.
Trust is a core differentiator. CT Interactive is the first publicly traded iGaming company in Bulgaria and maintains broad regulatory coverage:
This mix of public oversight and licensing depth supports durable partnerships and player confidence.
Diamond Tree augments top titles with higher engagement, more frequent wins, and a jackpot chase. The mechanic originated in land-based play and was refined for online audiences.
“The upgrade delivers a stronger online experience.”
Operators gain from portfolio breadth, certified reach, and a tailored approach. The team also develops branded games aligned to partner identity, market trends, and site design.
“We help partners tell their brand story.”
Growth targets include Brazil and Argentina in LATAM, South Africa in Africa, and Greece in Europe.
The focus is on certified rollouts where local compliance, language support, and payment flows are clear.
Partner onboarding will prioritize operators with strong mobile traffic and localized CRM capacity.
“Expansion continues market by market, guided by regulation and partner demand.”
What is next for players:
Interface changes aim to reduce steps to first spin and surface key features earlier in the journey.
Accessibility, readability, and touch targets receive special attention for small screens.
“More players will experience the feature set as availability widens.”
Monika Zlateva, Chief Commercial Officer at CT Interactive, shares views on why operators expand their libraries, what defines an ideal game and partner, how trust is earned, and what is coming in 2026.
“More games bring more players and more revenue.”
Operators look for diversity to stand out. New content offers something unique that can capture attention and retain traffic.
The goal is a catalog that feels fresh and that keeps players exploring titles across sessions.
“To a great extent the app store analogy is correct.”
Studios want broad reach and strong visibility. In highly regulated markets plans adjust to local rules and certifications.
Rollouts follow compliance timelines. Market entry depends on licensing, integrations, and testing capacity.
“A sticky game that grabs interest and keeps players engaged.”
Key traits: engagement, retention, and shareability on social platforms.
Players should feel invited to go deeper into the experience and stay longer on the device.
“Know the business, act professionally, deliver what was promised.”
Reliability builds value for players and partners. Clear expectations, stable operations, and on-time launches matter.
“Create demand and operators will rush to the product.”
If demand is still forming the studio initiates outreach. If demand is proven inbound requests accelerate integration.
Work in technology can produce daily issues across AI, machine learning, and platform flows. A simple framework guides responses:
“Open communication shows how to fix today’s issue and avoid repeating it with the next partner.”
“A single lie can ruin trust between partners.”
The amount at stake does not change the damage. The shared objective is the player’s enjoyment and a stable long-term relationship.
“Trust means RNG working correctly and no technical issues.”
Fairness depends on a sound RNG, clean integrations, and prompt payouts.
When systems run smoothly players receive winnings and continue playing, which signals confidence in the product.
Industry focus: Watch which jurisdictions regulate next and what requirements will follow. Compliance changes shape release plans and partner onboarding.
CT Interactive roadmap: A new interface, more certifications, and expanded product lines.
“This is a very big start for CT Interactive and we will work to meet market demand.”
CT Interactive giveaway gifts to the CasinoLove community
Monika Zlateva, Chief Commercial Officer at CT Interactive, joined CasinoLove again at SBC Summit Malta 2026. This interview focused on CT Interactive's move beyond slot games and into a broader iGaming ecosystem.
The discussion covered player demand, operator needs, new revenue opportunities, one-stop shop integration, and the new brands that support CT Interactive's expanded product direction.
The interview opened with the question of why CT Interactive has moved beyond its traditional slot game focus. The answer was centered on players. Operators receive direct signals from their players, and those signals show a need for more types of entertainment.
It is the player and the signals the players gave to our operators.
Players still enjoy casino games, but many are also looking for something additional. This can mean live casino experiences, crash games, sportsbook products, numeric games, lotto, keno, scratch cards, and other formats that create more variety inside the operator's product offering.
For CT Interactive, this move is also connected to trust. The company has been active in the industry for many years and operates in 27 regulated markets. This gives the company direct contact with operators and a clearer view of what players are asking for across different regions.
When you build trust with your partners, you receive information from them and they tell you what the clients need, the players need.
This partner feedback helped guide CT Interactive toward portfolio diversification. The goal is not only to add more products, but also to create more excitement and more entertainment for the end user.
Diversify the portfolio so we please the end user, create more excitement, more entertainment.
From a commercial point of view, the logic behind the new verticals is simple. More products give operators more ways to engage players and more ways to generate revenue.
More products, more services, more opportunities to streamline money into the casino or into the operator in general.
Live casino, sportsbook, crash games, and other verticals can support the same operator from different angles. A player may come for slot games, but later try live casino. Another player may enter through sportsbook and then discover casino games. This creates more cross-sell opportunities inside the same platform.
The value is not only in the number of products. It is also in how they are connected. CT Interactive is presenting the expanded offer as an integrated approach, where operators can work through one technical solution and a simpler commercial structure.
Having an integrated approach, one solution, one technical solution, and a simplified commercial structure is what operators benefit from.
This can save time, reduce costs, and make product management easier for the operator. It can also support CRM campaigns, bonuses, and reward tools across different products.
Through integrated channels, CRM campaigns and bonus opportunities you can actually reward the client, cross sell products and create more excitement for the end user.
The one-stop shop model is built around easier integration and stronger return on investment for operators. Instead of adding every product separately through different commercial and technical processes, CT Interactive aims to provide a unified structure.
CT Interactive approaches this as providing a simple technical solution through one integration and a simplified commercial model.
The iGaming industry has grown quickly and has also become more regulated. This creates pressure on operators. They need fast launches, but they also need reliable partners who understand compliance, technical delivery, and long-term scaling.
Industry has grown too fast and it has become too regulated.
For operators, speed to market is important. Scalability is also important. If a business wants to add new verticals, enter new markets, or expand its product library, the technical setup should not slow down the business.
Speed to market and scalability is crucial.
CT Interactive's answer is a simple API with a modular structure. This means an operator can add the parts they need instead of being forced into one fixed package. The system can support unified back offices and unified CRM tools, which can then be used for cross-selling and player engagement.
This can be provided through a simple API with modular structure.
In practice, this means the operator can build a wider product offering while keeping the management structure simpler. That is important for both new operators and established operators that want to expand without adding unnecessary operational complexity.
CT Interactive has long specialized in casino content. For the new product direction, the company chose to work with specialized brands and companies that already have expertise in their own verticals.
The best way to keep the client's trust, the player's trust, is to partner with and to acquire companies which are specialized in what they do and what they do best.
This approach allows CT Interactive to expand without treating every vertical as the same type of product. Live casino, sportsbook, crash games, lotto, keno, and scratch cards each require different knowledge, different user experience, and different operational details.
The interview mentioned several brands that are now part of the broader ecosystem:
One of them is 7Mojos. It is specialized in live games, live studios.
Live casino is one part of the new ecosystem, but the interview also made clear that CT Interactive is not only adding live games. The company is also adding sportsbook technology and customized frontend options for operators.
We have a sportsbook solution now, sportsbook API, which is very important.
The focus is on serving selected clients at a premium level. CT Interactive wants to customize the product offer, help operators build their own brand story, and support them through an integrated commercial and technical structure.
We want to have good clients which we can serve to a premium extent.
This is especially important because operators do not only need games. They need a full setup that can match their market, their brand, their front-end design, and their player base.
Helping the operators tell their story and build their brand using all these products through an integrated solution.
CT Interactive's expansion also includes products that are popular in specific parts of the world. Crash games and peer-to-peer games are examples of formats that have strong demand in some markets.
We have also Macao Gaming which is specialized in crash gaming and peer to peer games.
Crash games are different from traditional slots because the player experience is usually faster, simpler, and more social. Peer-to-peer formats can also create a different type of engagement because the experience is not only between the player and the game system.
Miland Games adds another part of the product range. Numeric games, keno, lotto, and scratch cards can help operators reach players who prefer simple, familiar, and quick game formats.
We also have Miland Games which are specialized in numeric, keno, lotto, slot, scratch cards.
For CT Interactive, these additions are part of a wider support model. The goal is to make it easier for operators to open or expand their business with a full solution that can support multiple product needs.
We have taken the expertise on board, and we are all working together to fine tune the solution.
The compliance angle is also important. CT Interactive has broad multi-jurisdictional knowledge, which can help operators scale in regulated markets where technical, legal, and certification requirements matter.
We have very broad knowledge, multi-jurisdiction in terms of compliance.
When asked about her personal favorite among the new products, Monika Zlateva chose live casino. The reason was the feeling of being close to a real casino environment.
I would always go for the live casino, because this is really creating the feeling you are in a real casino.
The live casino product also has a specific setup that makes it stand out. According to the interview, the stream comes from a real casino in Sofia, not only from a standard studio environment.
We are streaming from a casino in Sofia which is very exciting.
The location mentioned in the interview is Palm Royale Casino in Grand Hotel Millennium in Sofia. This means players can play online and see the live stream from the same real casino environment.
This creates a connection between the online and land-based casino experience. A player can watch the stream online, while visitors in Sofia can see the casino environment in person. This is why the live casino product is personally the most exciting part of the new ecosystem for Monika Zlateva.
The 5th CT Interactive interview shows a company moving from a slot-focused supplier position into a wider iGaming ecosystem role. The main message is clear: operators want more products, players want more entertainment, and regulated markets require trusted partners who can support growth with simple technical and commercial structures.
CT Interactive's expanded direction includes live casino, sportsbook, crash games, peer-to-peer games, lotto, keno, scratch cards, and modular integration tools. The interview also shows that the company wants to build this expansion around trust, compliance, customization, and operator support.
Monika Zlateva, Chief Commercial Officer at CT Interactive, joined CasinoLove again at SBC Summit Malta 2026. This shorter interview focused on a topic from her expert panel: how gambling marketing has changed over the years.
The key message was direct. The iGaming industry has grown quickly, regulation has become stricter, and simple attention-grabbing tactics are no longer enough. Marketing now needs to be more creative, more transparent, and more connected to trust.
The interview opened with a question about how gambling marketing has changed over the years. Monika Zlateva pointed to two major forces: fast industry growth and stronger regulation.
The iGaming industry has changed a lot during the years. It has grown too fast and now it has become too regulated.
This stricter environment has changed what companies can do with their marketing. In the past, some campaigns could rely on easy messages, loud offers, or basic attention tactics. That is becoming less effective in regulated markets.
Those regulations and compliance have killed lazy marketing.
For CT Interactive, this does not mean marketing becomes less important. It means marketing needs to become better. Companies need clearer messages, stronger creative ideas, and better control over what they promise to players and partners.
The challenge is not only to attract attention. The harder challenge is to earn trust and keep it after the first contact.
We need to become more creative, more bold, in the same time having the right balance between gaining the trust and keeping the trust.
Attention has become expensive in iGaming. Many brands compete for the same players, the same traffic, and the same digital channels. Even when a company gets attention, it only has a short time to turn that attention into real interest.
Buying attention nowadays is very expensive, and then you only have a few seconds to keep that attention.
This makes trust one of the central points of modern gambling marketing. A player may see an ad, a streamer, an influencer, a bonus message, or a campaign, but the message must feel clear and reliable very quickly.
If the message is confusing, exaggerated, or inconsistent, the player can leave. If the message is simple and transparent, the brand has a better chance to build a relationship.
This is why Monika described marketing as a wider ecosystem. It is no longer only a separate advertising function. It is connected to partners, platforms, product delivery, compliance, and the full player experience.
Modern iGaming marketing is not only about campaigns. It is about how a company works with operators, platforms, affiliates, streamers, influencers, and other partners across the whole market.
It is not only the marketing, but it is a very complex integrated partnership model.
This means the message needs to stay consistent across different channels. A company cannot say one thing in a B2B meeting, another thing through a streamer, and something different in a platform campaign. The player or partner should receive the same core message everywhere.
For Monika, the important ingredients are simple language, transparency, consistency, and delivery. A company should not overpromise. It should create excitement, but that excitement should be based on something real.
Be transparent, be consistent and use integrated marketing to gain the trust of the players.
In this model, each channel has a role. Streamers, influencers, media partners, affiliates, operators, and platforms are not only traffic sources. They are part of the brand experience and they also protect their own reputation.
The interview also covered how the view of marketing channels has changed. Streamers and influencers are no longer treated only as distribution tools. They are now seen as partners with their own audiences, their own reputation, and their own brand value.
Different channels are not just viewed as different channels. Streamers and influencers are now viewed as partners.
This matters because credibility is not created only by the game supplier or the operator. It is also shaped by the person or platform communicating the message. If a streamer promotes a product, their reputation is connected to that message.
For iGaming companies, this creates a need for more careful partner selection. A credible partner can help explain a product in a more natural way. A poor partner choice can damage trust quickly.
All these channels are now viewed as partners, partners who are keeping on their reputation, on their brand names.
The message should therefore be clear, honest, and easy to understand. It also needs to create real excitement, not only short-term clicks.
Have a consistent marketing message and a consistent delivery, transparency, simplicity and of course creating true excitement.
Monika also spoke about the role of young people in modern marketing. New generations use different platforms, follow different creators, and react differently to content. Because of that, companies need people who understand how these users communicate.
Use the young generations, the young experts because actually they speak the language of those new users.
This is especially important in digital entertainment. The tone, speed, format, and emotion of marketing content can change quickly. Younger marketing team members can bring fresh ideas and help companies understand what feels natural to new audiences.
For CT Interactive, this is also connected to the company culture inside the office. Young people are brought into the marketing and PR department, including interns from universities.
We onboard young people working in our marketing and PR department.
These team members bring ideas from universities, from other industries, and from their own media habits. They help create open discussions inside the team and contribute to a more active creative atmosphere.
They come from the universities as interns with their fresh ideas, with their knowledge of different industries and most of all with the excitement of the youth.
When asked what CT Interactive does in this area, Monika focused on authenticity. The company wants to keep credible voices around its marketing and work with partners who can communicate in a genuine way.
For us, the most important is to retain our authentic voices.
This includes work with credible partners, streamers, and influencers. At the same time, CT Interactive follows restrictions, platform policies, and compliance rules. This is important because the company operates in a regulated industry and works with major platforms and partners.
We work with a lot of partners which are truly credible, streamers, influencers.
The B2B side also matters. CT Interactive needs to respect the policies of its partners, the rules of larger platforms, and the standards expected from a regulated company.
We are following strictly all the restrictions, all the policies of the partners, of the big platforms out there.
This connects back to the main theme of the interview. Marketing can be bold and creative, but it still needs to respect compliance, platform rules, and trust.
The final part of the interview returned to emotion. For Monika, marketing is not only about explaining a product. It is also about communicating emotion in a way that feels positive, real, and connected to what the company can actually deliver.
At the end of the day, marketing is about communicating the emotions and creating more emotions to the players.
This does not mean empty excitement. The emotion should be genuine. The campaign should match the product. The message should not promise more than the company can provide.
Positive, true and genuine, and deliver what you promise.
This is the core message of the 6th CT Interactive interview. Regulated iGaming marketing is no longer about lazy attention tactics. It is about trust, consistency, real creativity, credible partners, young talent, and honest delivery.
The marketing side of iGaming is changing. Regulation and compliance have made simple marketing less effective. Companies now need to be more creative, more consistent, and more transparent.
CT Interactive sees marketing as an ecosystem. Streamers, influencers, operators, platforms, and internal teams all shape how a message reaches players. In this environment, trust is not a slogan. It is something built through every channel, every campaign, and every promise that is delivered.