ZEAL Appoints Former Google Executive York Scheunemann as VP of Games

ZEAL Network AG has named York Scheunemann, a former Google executive with significant digital leadership experience, as its new vice-president of games. Scheunemann joined the Hamburg-headquartered lottery brokerage in the summer of 2026, following advisory positions supporting AI startups, family offices, Bayes Esports, and Appinio after his departure from Google in 2022. This leadership change occurs as ZEAL’s games division continues to accelerate both revenue and user growth within its portfolio.

A Strategic Appointment to Build on ZEAL's Games Momentum

York Scheunemann’s arrival at ZEAL Network marks a targeted move to reinforce the company’s games division. He succeeds Alex Green, who now leads ZEAL’s newly established prize draw business in the UK. Prior to joining ZEAL, Scheunemann spent over 12 years at Google in various senior roles encompassing digital marketing, ecosystem expansion, and corporate development.

Scheunemann’s post-Google tenure has included board responsibilities at EHL Group, a Swiss hospitality-focused training and advisory organisation. His advisory experience spans technology startups and established industry names—experience ZEAL intends to leverage to expand their instant win gaming segment.

"ZEAL has built a highly successful games business in a very short period of time, establishing it as an important growth driver for the company," said York Scheunemann, vice-president of games at ZEAL Network.

Performance Highlights: ZEAL Games Division Growth in H1 2026

The appointment comes as ZEAL Games reports a 17% year-on-year revenue increase in H1 2026, reaching €7.8m (£6.7m). This division focuses on instant win products, including slots and scratchcards, and now hosts approximately 790 games titles. Monthly active users rose 34% to 35,000 compared to the previous year. Despite this, the average revenue per user (ARPU) fell by 13% to €36.86, a dip management attributes to the "rapidly growing customer base"—a scaling effect common in expanding digital platforms.

ZEAL's games offering forms a core part of its digital lottery strategy, helping diversify the business beyond traditional lottery brokerage and supporting acquisition and retention in the German market and elsewhere.

ZEAL's M&A Activity: SevenCanyon Acquisition and UK Expansion

Earlier in 2026, ZEAL expanded its presence in interactive competitions with the £33.8m acquisition of SevenCanyon. SevenCanyon operates several UK prize draw sites, including 7days performance, Redline Competitions, and UK Carp Competitions. ZEAL’s strategy includes deepening engagement in the UK market, which will be overseen by Alex Green as part of the new business segment.

The group’s acquisition drive is designed to capitalise on complementary verticals within the gaming ecosystem, leveraging Scheunemann’s digital strategy expertise alongside ZEAL’s established lottery and instant games operations.

Leadership and Strategic Direction

ZEAL CEO Stefan Tweraser confirmed that the incoming vice-president’s background in scaling digital business models will be central to maximising the growth potential of ZEAL Games. As the business focuses on product development, building out its user ecosystem and forming relationships with international partners, Scheunemann’s technology and boardroom experience is seen as a strong asset.

"With York, we are bringing on board a leader with a proven track record of building and scaling digital business models over many years. His experience in international technology companies, combined with his strategic expertise as an adviser and board member, will help us further develop this important business area and unlock its full growth potential," said Stefan Tweraser, CEO of ZEAL Network.

Outlook for ZEAL Network and Digital Lottery Growth

ZEAL Network’s management continues to position games and instant win products as a key pillar of the company’s growth strategy. With digital lottery and prize competitions at the forefront of regulatory debate in Germany and the UK, the company’s leadership transition aims to secure competitive momentum in both established and newly entered markets.

ZEAL expects Scheunemann to focus on expanding the ZEAL Games portfolio, optimising platform performance, and supporting further international growth. For more sector updates like this, the news section tracks appointments and deals across B2B gaming.