As Managing Director, Ruf will be responsible for both the growth of current markets and securing new ones. She will also be the force behind new international acquisitions.

The former Managing Director, Stefan Bruns, will be moving to a new role within the Management Board of the sports betting and iGaming business segment of the Gauselmann Group.

Dieter Kuhlmann, Gauselmann Group Management Board member, said: “We are delighted that in Irina Ruf we have been able to win a new managing director with extensive expertise and experience, in particular, in international operations.

“Based on her wide-ranging career path to date, Ms Ruf brings to the job all the prerequisites to successfully continue and expand Merkur Casino’s international business activities.”

Ruf joined Merkur Casino in October 2014 as Head of Business Development. She has since held the roles of Operations Manager and Special Task Operations Manager.

The most recent role she held within the company was the Executive Operations Director, which she started in June 2020.

This appointment marks the first time a woman has held the role of Managing Director at Merkur Casino.

Ruf said: “I am looking forward to developing new geographical markets and implementing exciting projects together with my team.

“One particular focus will be on developing the online markets.”

Recently, Ruf was involved in securing a deal between content provider, CT Interactive, and MerkurXtip for the Czech Republic market.