Stefan Tweraser joined Germany lottery brokerage Zeal as CEO in September, bringing with him a diverse career spanning e-commerce, consulting and rocket ship engineering.
Speaking to iGB recently, the CEO explained how his background has prepared him for a role in the gambling sector, including a deep understanding of how regulation can work in a sector’s favour.
“Prior to Zeal I worked at Rocket Factory Augsburg, where we built launch vehicles for satellites – an environment that is highly regulated,” he says.
“What I learned there is that regulation, when applied well, provides a clear framework for innovation: it defines where you can innovate and where you cannot compromise – for example, on safety. At Zeal, this translates into areas such as responsible gambling, where similar principles apply.”
Tweraser said the board was seeking someone with experience in regulated industries. Additionally, he brought a deep understanding of highly scalable digital platforms.
Part of his discussions with the board focused on leveraging regulation to help drive innovation.
“I am convinced that regulation is an enabler for the right kind of innovation, when applied correctly,” Tweraser told iGB.
“Without it, innovation risks being driven by short-term tactics or questionable practices. Strong and consistently enforced regulation creates a level playing field and allows companies to focus on what truly matters: delivering value to customers.”
Experience in ecommerce
Prior to Rocket Factory, Tweraser held c-suite roles at independent music platform Deezer. He also spent time at Google and A1 Telekom Austria.
His experience working with other ecommerce platforms also prepared him for Zeal’s overall strategy, as it positions itself as more than just a gambling product.
“That experience is directly applicable to Zeal, where demand can increase significantly within very short periods of time, particularly around large jackpots. Managing these dynamics – both in terms of technology and customer experience – requires a different mindset than more predictable e-commerce models.”
Prior to his time getting to know the industry and Zeal itself, Tweraser said he had “underestimated the attractiveness of the sector”.
“What caught my attention was the ability to operate across the entire value chain. However, as I developed a deeper understanding, I became increasingly impressed by the underlying customer motivation,” he added.
“What is particularly compelling is how our product teams translate this into differentiated offerings.”
Zeal beats revenue forecast in FY25 despite weak jackpot period
In March, Zeal reported revenue growth of 16% across the entire business, to €218 million in FY25.
The operator said revenue growth across lotteries was despite a “weak jackpot environment” in 2025.
Revenue for the period was 2% higher than the €205 million to €215 million forecasted in September. EBITDA hit €68.8 million, reaching the top-end of the previously forecasted €63 million to €68 million.
The company is bullish for the year to come and expects to continue to grow its marketing investment at a faster rate than its revenue.
Additionally, Tweraser said Zeal was seeking further investments in the prize draw sector, potentially expanding its reach outside of Germany.
The CEO remains extremely confident of lottery’s growth as a sector. “At first glance the category may seem somewhat traditional. But in reality, only very few products offer people the opportunity to dream big – even if only for a few moments,” he tells iGB.
“I do believe the category can be highly engaging if it is positioned and communicated in the right way.”
Tweraser replaced long-term CEO Helmut Becker who left the sector after 10 years at Zeal network.
Becker told iGB in June last year he would pivot to investing in new start-ups and entrepreneurship, seeking investments that spanned various sectors, “broader” than gaming.
Original article: https://igamingbusiness.com/people/zeal-ceo-rocket-science-prepared-me-for-gambling-regulation/
