SBC CIS Editorial Team is happy to present a quick recap of the gambling industry events, news, regulations and partnerships that happened last week.
More than 1,000 delegates gathered at the Sheraton Grand Metechi Palace in Georgia on October 23—24 for the first-ever SBC Summit Tbilisi, a conference and exhibition that encompassed Georgia and surrounding regions, including Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and the Balkans. The event was organised in partnership with the prominent Georgia-based iGaming and sports management company SMH Global, who first collaborated with SBC for the highly successful SBC Summit in Kyiv in the fall of 2021.
Throughout the event, the exhibition floor served as the perfect environment for attendees to fully engage with cutting-edge technologies and the most up-to-date services and providers. It played host to a diverse lineup of global and regional brands, such as Alea, Aviatrix, BetConstruct, Betlive, CreedRoomz, Crocobet, Leader–Bet, EGT Digital & Amusnet, EuropeBet, NLYC, Passimpay, Setanta Sports and VBET.
National Assembly of Armenia called on all departments to adopt new rules for managing gambling accounts aimed at strengthening the fight against gambling addiction. In 2022, the Assembly approved new restrictions preventing consumers across the country from making transactions using electronic money and payment terminals to fund their online gambling accounts. These new directives provide for a complete ban on all cash transactions. As a result, Armenian consumers will not be able to deposit or withdraw funds in Dram. According to the directive sent to the relevant institutions, online gambling accounts can only be topped up through banks that have a national licence to provide the relevant services.
Silvia Paleari, Director of Public Affairs at the International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA), in an interview with SBC, provided an in-depth look at the evolving dynamics impacting sports betting regulation in South American markets. As the governments of Brazil, Peru and Chile seek to regulate online gambling, IBIA plays a critical role in advocating for well-regulated and safe sports betting markets. It ensures the protection of all stakeholders, consumers and promotes the integrity of sporting competitions.
Malta Gaming Authority has warned AMGO iGaming Malta of the risk of getting their B2C online casino and sports betting licence revoked unless the company corrects three regulatory breaches. AMGO iGaming Malta operates gambling websites such as Gigapotti.com, Dragonaraonline.com, Pwr.bet, Jetbull.com and Fantasino.com. MGA has also revealed that Arabmillionaire Limited had had its licence revoked, including failure to pay two months of licence fees.
In another announcement from MGA we’ve learned that the Maltese regulator had officially confirmed that Carl Brincat would leave his position as CEO in January 2024. The announcement notes that MGA has begun a search for a new CEO to replace Brincat, who has held the post since January 2021, following the departure of former CEO Heathcliff Farrugia. Brincat played an important role in key initiatives related to changes to the Maltese gambling law. He actively supported amendments aimed at strengthening anti-money laundering measures, maintaining sporting integrity, and regulating the conduct and liability of gambling operators.
NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers announced the launch of a new direct-to-consumer (DTC) subscription streaming service in collaboration with broadcast partner Spectrum. Spectrum SportsNet+ will guarantee live coverage of the Lakers’ home games and offer exclusive content for fans. Subscribers will be able to enjoy 24/7 content thanks to a dedicated program. Spectrum SportsNet+ will be available through the NBA’s integrated digital platform and supported on a variety of streaming devices.
Novibet has confirmed Al Alevizakos as its Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for its pan-European online gambling group. An expert in corporate finance, audit and financial planning for mass market businesses, Alevizakos joins the outstanding Novibet team after a successful experience at Athens-based private equity group AXIA Ventures, where he served as Managing Director from 2020 to 2022.
Aviatrix NFT Casino has increased its activity in the Georgian market after receiving certification to provide its crash games in the country, in line with the company’s strategy to enter regulated markets around the world.
BetConstruct has expanded its capabilities by introducing the cutting-edge gaming platform BetChain, designed for desktop and mobile devices. BetConstruct representatives emphasise that this innovative platform will provide BetConstruct customers with a “user experience” focused on the integration of cryptocurrencies, with the goal of “attracting a wide audience of crypto players.” Customers will be able to “customise, update and deliver personalised experiences to end users” across various gaming platforms such as sportsbooks, esports, virtual sports, casinos, live casinos, TV games and third-party integrations using the platform.
Evoplay has entered into a partnership with BetFlag, expanding its range of slots and instant games in the Italian market. As part of the deal, Evoplay’s flagship games will be available on BetFlag’s platform, including popular slots such as Fruit Super Nova and Hot Triple Sevens, as well as the famous Penalty Shoot-Out instant game. With this new release of slot titles, Evoplay continues to strengthen its position in the Italian market, which is an important focus for the company. Evoplay was licensed in May 2022 and has already started collaborating with Tuko, Scommettendo and Sportbet, expanding its presence in Italy.
BGaming has made an important move in the Romanian market by entering into a partnership with Player.ro. This milestone in the gaming studio’s development comes with the addition of over 41 games, including the popular Aztec Magic Bonanza, Wild Cash and Space XY, to the Player.ro platform. The agreement is carried out under a Class II licence issued by the National Gambling Authority of Romania and will provide players with an exciting gaming experience.
Wazdan has announced its new strategic alliance with online casino Win2.ro, thereby expanding its partner network in the gambling industry. Players in Romania will now have access to Wazdan’s games such as Hot Slot: 777 Crown, Los Muertos, Mighty Symbols Diamonds, Mighty Wild: Panther and Moon of Fortune. This partnership is key in Wazdan’s expansion on the global stage, following successful deals throughout the year, including partnerships with Winbet to expand its presence in Bulgaria and with Estoril.pt in the Portuguese iGaming market this month.
BETER, a leading provider of cutting-edge sports, esports and live casino content and data, is expanding its horizons by adding Kaizen Gaming to its growing list of partners. The move, backed by global B2B iGaming marketplace Betbazar, adds another top tier operator to their portfolio. With the signed partnership agreement, Kaizen Gaming will have full access to BETER’s esports and sports content, including the world-famous Setka Cup table tennis tournament and fan-favourite ESportsBattle tournaments. It is planned to add new disciplines in the near future.
Pragmatic Solutions has integrated Endorphina’s portfolio of online slots into its platform. Pragmatic Solutions is known for its PAM platform, which provides iGaming operators with a modular and scalable solution. Their API-driven approach allows operators to extend the core technology through integrations, providing flexible customization to meet different regulations and brand requirements.
Stakelogic established a partnership with Balkan Bet, one of the leading gambling operators in Serbia. The deal, which guarantees further development of Stakelogic in the region, includes the placement of both classic and modern slots on Balkan Bet’s online real estate.
Pragmatic Play has expanded its reach into the Brazilian market with operator-partner Betmais now streaming the provider’s content. Betmais has successfully integrated Pragmatic Play’s diverse content categories, including slots, live casino and virtual sports. They offer over 300 Pragmatic Play slot games, including popular games like Gates of Olympus, Sugar Rush, Twilight Princess and Infective Wilds.
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