Experienced VIP management specialist joins the 2026 programme to share operational expertise and industry research with iGaming professionals.

Gamblers Connect has confirmed the appointment of Gali Hartuv, Strategic Advisor at The Playa, as the seventh contributor to join its 2026 Contributors Programme.

The year-long initiative sees a new senior industry expert introduced each month, giving readers access to first-hand operational insight from professionals with proven experience across key areas of the iGaming industry.

Hartuv's background spans more than 15 years in VIP management, during which he has designed and optimised VIP strategies for over 50 operator brands. He has also played a significant role in developing industry talent, training hundreds of professionals now responsible for VIP operations across the sector.

His editorial series will examine the future of VIP management, with particular emphasis on AI-driven player segmentation, hyper-personalised engagement, building effective VIP programmes and scaling operations internationally.

Launching alongside his appointment is the VIP Operations Survey 2026, an anonymous survey created to provide the industry with meaningful benchmarking data. It will explore how VIP teams are structured, the technology they use, player qualification methods and the operational challenges they encounter on a daily basis.

Commenting on Hartuv's appointment, Luka Dimitrijevic, Partnerships and Operations Lead at Gamblers Connect, said:

"VIP management is where a great deal of an operator's value is won or lost, and very few people can speak to it with Gali's depth. He has spent his career turning high-value player relationships into a discipline rather than guesswork, and he is refreshingly candid about what works and what does not. Through the Contributors Program, he will share practical insight on VIP strategy, retention and the smart use of AI, with content grounded in real results rather than recycled best practice."