Built to Win: How SciPlay Leaders Cultivate a Culture of Success

Seventeen years is a lifetime in the fast-paced world of mobile gaming. So, when someone like Justin McFarlane spends nearly two decades at a single company, you have to wonder what’s keeping him there. At SciPlay, it’s a compelling mix of innovation, collaboration, and the thrill of a new challenge.

Today, McFarlane is the general manager of Jackpot Party Casino Slots — a top 10 ranked mobile game. His journey from art leader to game manager is a testament to the dynamic and challenging work environment he has helped shape. The team McFarlane leads is guided by one central goal: to deliver the most engaging experience possible for all players.

“That focus starts from the moment a player boots up the game through each spin to when they put it down,” he shared. “Every interaction is carefully crafted to ensure the game is intuitive, exciting and fun.”

McFarlane has learned a lot about leadership over the years, particularly the value of clear communication and providing context, both of which he says are critical to managing 80 team members spread across the globe. 

“I make it a priority to share the purpose behind our work as often as possible,” he said.

Chen Stopiky has had a similar trajectory at SciPlay. Since joining the company nearly a decade ago, Stopiky has built a dynamic career, first as a product manager on Quick Hit Slots and then as director of product for Bingo Showdown before stepping into his current role as general manager of Bingo Showdown. 

With a clear mission to make Bingo Showdown the top bingo game on the charts, he's fully invested in its success.

Without any other bingo games at SciPlay to use as a benchmark, the Bingo Showdown team is always thinking outside the box. This challenging situation has made the team stronger and more adaptable.

For Stopiky, the greatest part of leading his team hasn’t just been the exciting technical challenges that come with it; rather, his favorite part has been building his team out over time, which has enabled him to hire individuals with “the perfect balance of talent and passion.” 

“That’s made working on this project incredibly rewarding,” Stopiky said. 

Over the years, McFarlane and Stopiky have guided their teams through many achievements. Their priority now is to build upon the existing strong foundations so their teams can continue to thrive while  defining the next chapter of SciPlay. 

What are some of the challenges your team has faced and overcame over the years, and what have you and your teammates learned as a result?

McFarlane: One of our biggest ongoing opportunities is putting ourselves in our players’ shoes, trying to anticipate how they’ll experience a new feature. We ask ourselves: Is it easy to understand? Is it fun? We are very fortunate to have amazing VIP and customer support teams that help us stay close to the player experience. Through them, we get firsthand insight that helps us learn, adapt and improve.

Stopiky: SciPlay is a data-driven company with most of its portfolio in the social casino genre. Bingo Showdown is unique as it is the only bingo title here at SciPlay. That means we don’t have internal benchmarks to compare against, as our social casino games do, which really pushes us to think creatively about how to constantly improve and evolve the players’ experiences. 

The Bingo Showdown team operates with a unique tech stack. Since the game was acquired years ago from another company, our central teams have to approach us differently, which is a constant but welcome challenge. This situation has taught us to be highly adaptable and creative, relying on constant testing and experimenting with a wide range of tools to find what works best.

What is one of your favorite memories of the work your team has accomplished so far? 

McFarlane: There are so many incredible memories! Some of my favorites go back to the initial release of Jackpot Party in 2012 and the game’s unexpected growth. We had to pivot quickly from a technical standpoint. I often tell the story of how no one saw the success coming, and while most were celebrating, our Chief Technology Officer, Forrest Stowe, and his team were performing miracles to build the tech stack in real time. Another moment that stands out was during the creation of “v3,” Jackpot Party’s current game design. We shifted from a static, non-animated game to one with dynamic movement. When Digital Media Designer Kent Stowe demoed the new level-up animation to the team, the collective “Oooooohhh” from the room as the game came to life was incredibly memorable. 

More recently, we held our first “Forward Fest,” a cross-functional, full-day internal workshop focused on building alignment, clarity and momentum for the quarter ahead. The collaboration and real-time problem-solving that transpired between our teams was incredible and one of my most rewarding moments as a general manager.

Stopiky: The best part of being the general manager on Bingo Showdown has definitely been building our team over time. As we’ve seen new opportunities, we’ve been able to hire some amazing people who have the perfect balance of talent and passion. We’re so fortunate to have both an incredible team and the opportunity to develop and work on a fun game. We’ve even completely reinvented the game’s economy, not just once, but twice! With every major feature launch and every big change, the team feels an incredible buzz and excitement. It’s a very collaborative and rewarding environment.

“My leadership philosophy really centers on accountability and empowerment.” —Chen Stopiky, GM, Bingo Showdown, SciPlay

As a leader, how do you ensure that team members stay engaged and feel supported? Do you have a certain leadership philosophy you’d like to share?

McFarlane: I’m a big believer in context and communication. The Jackpot Party team is over 80 people worldwide, so keeping everyone aligned is crucial. I’ve learned that when people understand the “why” behind a decision, the “what” becomes much more meaningful — and the output improves.

Stopiky: It all starts with open and direct communication. At SciPlay, it’s OK to disagree — in fact, we encourage it! Whether it’s giving feedback, challenging assumptions or even raising a contrarian view, honest discussion helps us understand all perspectives of an idea. This leads to much stronger decisions, especially when everyone feels they’ve truly had a chance to voice their thoughts and align on the path forward. My leadership philosophy really centers on accountability and empowerment. My job is to align the team on our overall direction and, most importantly, the reason behind what we’re doing. But then, it’s up to the individuals to roll up their sleeves, make plenty of tactical decisions, and get the work done. I make sure they feel completely empowered to do that. And to support them in making those right decisions, I’m committed to constantly providing context, ensuring they always understand the bigger picture and why we’re doing what we’re doing.

What is the team culture like, and how do you help build that culture as a leader?

McFarlane: The culture of the Jackpot Party team is energetic, fast-paced and fun. Working in mobile games moves quickly, and our team brings a great sense of humor and camaraderie to the work. Everyone looks out for each other, and I do my best to foster that by being approachable, transparent and celebrating wins, both big and small.

“Everyone looks out for each other, and I do my best to foster that by being approachable, transparent and celebrating wins, both big and small.” —Justin McFarlane, GM, Jackpot Party, SciPlay 

Stopiky: The Bingo Showdown team is incredibly close-knit and self-sufficient. We celebrate every win together and learn from every setback together, always supporting one another. It’s fantastic to be surrounded by people who, regardless of their individual roles, are all passionately working toward the same goal. We definitely embrace a “work hard, play hard” mentality, and I think that shared experience helps us all stay connected and driven.

What are some of the most important lessons you’ve learned being a leader at SciPlay, and how do you apply those lessons to your day-to-day work?

McFarlane: One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is the value of clear communication and in-person interaction. It’s easy to underestimate how much can get lost in virtual spaces — tone, intent, energy and urgency. Even a quick face-to-face sync can completely realign a conversation or build trust. In my daily work, I try to prioritize those in-person moments, whether it’s a desk-side chat, a walk-through instead of a Slack thread, or just being present and available. Communication isn’t just about sharing information; it’s about building connections and ensuring we’re moving forward together.

Stopiky: The biggest lesson I’ve learned as a leader here is the importance of being humble. Just because people look to me for guidance doesn’t mean I have all the answers. The best solutions can truly come from anyone, and there’s something to be learned from every individual and every interaction. With that in mind, I actively try to be the last person to speak in meetings and to ask more questions than I provide answers. This approach helps ensure I’m not inadvertently shutting down discussion or impacting the direction of the conversation too early. 

The other crucial lesson is that context is essential. As any team grows, so does the risk of misalignment and miscommunication. Since leaders, including myself, can’t be in every single room or part of every decision, the only way for team members to feel confident they’re making the best choices is by deeply understanding the “why” behind what we’re doing. I make it a priority to constantly provide that context, empowering everyone to make sound decisions even when I’m not directly involved.

Looking ahead, what are you most excited to accomplish with your team over the next year?

McFarlane: In 2025, I’ve been most excited about transforming Jackpot Party into a more player-focused experience than ever before. We’re building tools and systems that recognize different player attributes and tailor the game accordingly. This allows us to deliver varied, meaningful experiences to each player while also reducing overhead and complexity for our team. It’s a huge leap forward, and one I believe will elevate the game and the team.

Stopiky: Our biggest goal for the next year is to push Bingo Showdown right to the very top of the mobile charts for bingo games globally. It’s a competitive market, but we’re determined to be a top five bingo game. We’re incredibly excited to see what our team can accomplish to get us there!