Payments · iGaming · Regulated markets

Build the rails.Open the market.

I’m Bryan Blake, an international payments and regulated-markets entrepreneur with experience across the UK, Europe, the United States, Asia and the Middle East. I work with operators, payment providers and founders on partnerships, licensing-sensitive market entry and reliable payment experiences.

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Global experience

International perspective, grounded in local markets.

Experience across mature banking centres, fast-growing payment ecosystems and regulated gaming jurisdictions provides a practical view of what changes from one market to the next—and what does not.

Bryan’s work has spanned the United Kingdom, Europe, the United States, Asia and the Middle East, together with historic pre-sanctions market experience in Russia. His focus is the commercial relationship between regulation, payment infrastructure, market entry, partnerships and customer behaviour.

United Kingdom

Banking, acquiring and regulated gaming

Corporate banking, merchant acquiring, alternative payments, FX and commercial leadership across established financial institutions and gaming markets.

Europe

Cross-border payments and partnerships

European merchant services, localisation, payment-provider selection and licensing-sensitive growth across distinct national markets.

United States

Gaming payments in changing regulation

Commercial insight into the evolving US betting and gaming landscape, including payment readiness, market access and regulatory change.

Asia

Local payment behaviour at scale

Experience of market localisation, payment preferences, commercial partnerships and the importance of trusted regional infrastructure.

Middle East

UAE growth and regional opportunity

Current focus on the UAE’s emergence as a centre for fintech, international business and regulated gaming, including market-entry strategy and partnerships.

Historic experience

Russia before sanctions

Historic pre-sanctions market experience that contributed to a practical understanding of geopolitical risk, payment access and rapidly changing operating conditions.

The reference to Russia is historical and relates solely to experience gained before the current sanctions environment; it does not indicate present-day activity.

What I bring

Commercial judgement for complex markets.

My work sits where payments, technology, regulation and customer experience meet. I translate market needs into partnerships and practical commercial plans.

Payment strategy

Provider selection, alternative payment methods, settlement, payouts and the customer journey across international markets.

Strategic partnerships

Commercial negotiation and relationship building between operators, payment providers, technology partners and advisers.

Market entry

Commercial planning for gaming and fintech businesses entering new jurisdictions, alongside qualified legal and compliance specialists.

The journey

A fighter-pilot ambition became a life built across service, banking, aviation and entrepreneurship.

I began with one ambition: to become a fighter pilot. That path first led me into military service, then into banking and trading while bringing up a young child. From there, I progressed through corporate banking and international payments, taking on increasingly senior commercial roles.

Aviation never left me. Alongside my banking career, I trained privately and earned my Commercial Pilot Licence. I then took the entrepreneurial step of building my own EMI and payments business before founding Hexopay in 2017.

Hexopay brought the journey together: disciplined execution, regulated finance, international relationships and the confidence to build from the ground up. Its purpose was clear—connect gaming merchants to trusted payment solutions across global markets.

ServiceMilitary foundations

CPLQualified commercial pilot

2017Hexopay founded

Career

Built across payments, gaming and growth.

A selected career record drawn from Bryan’s professional profile and published industry coverage.

2018 — present

Co Pilot · Arcus

An aviation company and a personal link to Bryan’s long-standing interest in flying and aircraft.

2017 — 2025

Founder & Chief Executive · Hexopay

Founded and developed an international payments business focused on iGaming, online casino, sportsbook and lottery merchants.

2016 — 2026

Founder · GB Global

Innovation, investment, business building and commercial strategy. The venture concluded in 2026.

2014 — 2017

Director, International · Secure Trading

Commercial strategy across EMEA and emerging markets, with responsibility for global gaming and FX partnerships.

2012 — 2014

Director, Corporate Management · Worldpay

Delivered acquiring, gateway, FX, alternative-payment, treasury and fraud solutions to ecommerce merchants across UK and European gaming and FX markets.

2011 — 2012

Country Corporate Sales Director · AIB Merchant Services

Led corporate card-acquiring sales nationally after progressing through the regional sales organisation.

2010 — 2011

Regional Sales Director · AIB Merchant Services

Managed regional acquisition, corporate relationships, payment partnerships and product integration across the UK.

2010 — 2020

Emerging Market Payment Advisory · GB

Independent advice to merchants on payment-provider selection, payment costs, supply chains and international processing. The advisory activity concluded in 2020.

2008 — 2009

European Business Development Director · Acxiom

Developed European sales strategy for corporate banking clients, addressing operational, sales and customer-retention challenges.

2007 — 2008

Corporate Manager · Royal Bank of Scotland

Business development and corporate acquisition across the North East and wider UK market.

Institutions and businesses across the journey

HexopaySecure Trading / Trust PaymentsWorldpayAIB Merchant ServicesAcxiomRoyal Bank of ScotlandHalifaxBarclays

Awards & recognition

Recognised by payments and gaming peers.

Verified personal honours and company shortlists from established payments and gaming organisations. Nominations and shortlists are identified clearly.

Gaming Intelligence · 2020

Named to the Gaming Intelligence Hot 50.

Personal recognition
Selected among leaders shaping the international betting and gaming industry, with the profile highlighting Hexopay’s early growth and customer relationships.

View recognition

SBC Awards · 2020

Shortlisted for Leader of the Year alongside senior figures from major international gaming businesses.

Independent industry recognition during Hexopay’s growth.

View shortlist

Merchant Payments Ecosystem · 2023

Nominated for Influencer of the Year among recognised leaders from the international payments sector.

A peer-facing nomination from a major payments-industry ecosystem.

View nomination

SBC Awards · 2019 & 2020

Hexopay shortlisted for Payment Solution of the Year in consecutive years.

Company recognition
The 2020 shortlist also included Hexopay for Mobile Payment Solution of the Year.

View 2020 shortlist

SBC Awards · 2022

Hexopay shortlisted for Payment Solution of the Year.

Company recognition
Selected alongside established international payment providers serving the gaming sector.

View shortlist coverage

EGR B2B Awards · 2023

Hexopay shortlisted for Payments Company.

Company recognition
Recognition of the payment platform within the international online-gaming supplier market.

View shortlist coverage

Interviews & coverage

Watch, read and listen.

Video interviews, conference discussions and published commentary from established payments and gaming channels.

SiGMA TV · 13:45

Bryan Blake, CEO & Founder, Hexopay

Payments, competition, technology, compliance and the future of the industry.

SiGMA Panel · 18:00

Tech giants, payment solutions and emerging markets

An expert discussion about market entry, regulation, pricing and payment providers.

SiGMA · Malta Week 2021

Customer experience, onboarding and payment gateways

A short interview on Hexopay, seamless payments and industry breakthroughs.

Payment Expert · Interview

Why reputable and trusted alternative payment methods matter

On customer choice, local preferences and selecting payment partners for international operators.

Read interview SBC News · Interview

A cautious approach to the US Wire Act

A founder’s view of the changing US sports-betting payments landscape following PASPA.

Read interview Payment Expert Forum · Panel

Why payouts are fundamental in emerging markets

Practical observations on pay-in, pay-out and launch readiness for gaming operators.

Read coverage SiGMA · Interview

Solving payment challenges for online gambling operators

Local methods, secure transactions and the role payments play in regulated-market growth.

Read interview Gaming Intelligence · Recognition

Gaming Intelligence Hot 50

Industry recognition connected to Hexopay’s early growth and customer relationships.

View recognition Gambling Insider · Feature

Choosing the right payment methods for each market

A feature on localisation, consumer preferences and the commercial value of a focused payment mix.

Read feature SBC Events · Speaker profile

Payment Expert Forum industry speaker

Confirmed among senior payment and gaming leaders for SBC’s international Betting on Sports programme.

View programme LinkedIn · Current thinking

Payments, partnerships, regulation and growth

Follow Bryan’s commentary on developments across payments and the global gaming sector.

Follow on LinkedIn

Explore

Experience, expertise and the story behind the work.

Detailed background for clients, event organisers, journalists and executive-search teams.

Profile

Work with Bryan

Market entry. Payments. Board judgement.

I help payment providers, gaming operators, investors and leadership teams turn regulated-market complexity into clearer commercial decisions, stronger partnerships and accountable execution.

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