Central Europe

Slovak Gambling Authority raided again! Secured were especially the so-called crypto-mining machines

Published

3 years ago

September 22, 2022

Reading Time: 2 minutes

The Gambling Regulatory Authority seized 54 illegal gaming machines in a recent nationwide raid. This is the second successful move carried out by the Authority in the last four months to combat this type of illegal gambling.

Seized were especially the so-called mining machines and quiz machines. The majority were taken based on searches carried out by inspectors of the Office for the Regulation of Gambling (URHH). “As these gaming machines have not been issued or granted a valid licence, we consider them illegal. Our staff actively monitor these machines’ occurrence; most of them have been seized due to their diligent work. Some have also been seized because of complaints from the players,” said general director URHH, Dávid Lenčéš.

The recent seizures were carried out in all regions in accordance with § 81 article 11 of the Gambling Act in cooperation with the police force. According to the director general of the URHH, the role of the police officers was to maintain public order and security of the employees as public officials, as not every seizure went smoothly. “It has happened in the past that the office staff has faced physical attacks or had to remove some equipment by professional locksmiths. Illegal operators sometimes try to make the seizure impossible by fixing machines firmly against the floor or the wall.”

According to the Gambling Act, small operators, such as pubs, cannot operate gaming machines. The URHH must license each gaming machine since it is the only official body authorised to issue a licence.

However, some speculators try to bypass the law by operating machines that have been “authorised” by other entities or posing as knowledge competitions or cryptocurrency mining machines. In each case, URHH carefully investigates whether a gambling game is taking place on the device, regardless of its name, visual elements, or type of device.

The most significant number of machines was seized in the Bratislava Self-Governing Region, representing half of all. Nine machines were held in the Košice Region, 8 in the Banská Bystrica Region, 7 in the Nitra Region, 2 in the Žilina Region and 1 in the Prešov Region. Among the 54 machines seized nationwide, the majority were cryptocurrency mining.

A “mining machine” is a device that pretends to be used to mine cryptocurrencies, and a “quiz machine” seems to be a knowledge game. In both cases, the game played on these machines fulfils the characteristics of a gambling game. However, on these gambling games, the Authority is not granted an individual licence; if someone is operating them without a licence, it is undoubtedly an illegal activity.

Operating gambling without an issued licence is prohibited in Slovakia.

In many cases, these were premises where illegal technical equipment had been seized. “Their operators are unteachable, as they operate illegal machines again despite previous experience. On the other hand, there are more and more machines whose owners are persuaded by the vision of profit and place unlicensed machines on their premises. According to § 95 article 2 point h) of the Gambling Act, such operators are liable to a fine between 20 000 EUR and 250 000 EUR,” said Dávid Lenčéš. The penalty of up to 500 000 EUR faces the owners of the gambling machines if it is proven that they are operating gambling without an individual licence or a general licence. The sealed gambling machines have been taken to the URHH warehouse, from where they will go to further proceedings.

Central Europe

ScatterKings adds sugar-coated spin to Austria with bespoke win2day partnership

Published

3 weeks ago

December 17, 2025

Wladimir P.

scatterkings-adds-sugar-coated-spin-to-austria-with-bespoke-win2day-partnership

ScatterKings has made its debut in Austria, partnering with operator win2day to bring its vibrant, hand-crafted portfolio to one of Europe’s most tightly regulated markets.

Headlining the partnership is Sweet win2day, a mouth-watering title designed exclusively for the operator. Other standout ScatterKings games, including Coins of Cleo, Vikings and Hogs Christmas and Big Bob, have also hit the screens of win2day’s customers, with further releases scheduled to follow.

Win2day is operated by Austrian Lotteries, which was founded more than 50 years ago and holds the only licence to offer online casino gaming in the country. The brand has gained a rich heritage as a trusted name in the market, priding itself on being one of the industry’s most responsible operators.

Through this deal, the new and fiercely passionate provider is redefining what modern slot content looks like for local players.

For ScatterKings, every game stands as a testament to its philosophy – proven mechanics fused with genuine artistic vision. A true labour of love from battle-tested developers, the brand-new studio, years in the making, is channelling its expertise into games crafted with soul.

With a leadership team of seasoned industry veterans spanning years of experience, ScatterKings is primed to accelerate its global growth and continue building games that deliver non-stop thrills.

Steven Cross, CCO at ScatterKings, said: “Our launch with win2day is such a proud moment for us and it’s a partnership built on trust in both our vision and craft.

“Entering such an exclusive market is a powerful endorsement of the quality and personality our content brings. We’re here to deliver premium entertainment to players under the most respected regulatory standards.”

Georg Wawer, Managing Director at win2day, said: “As Austria’s only licensed online gambling operator, it is our responsibility to offer players exclusively high-quality, secure and fully compliant gaming content. With ScatterKings, we welcome a highly innovative partner whose technological excellence and creative strength perfectly match our uncompromising standards.

“The studio’s games are optimised to meet the strictest player protection requirements, ensuring that every title on our platform delivers not only great entertainment but also the highest level of safety and responsibility. Their growing portfolio will be a valuable and exciting addition to win2day.”

The post ScatterKings adds sugar-coated spin to Austria with bespoke win2day partnership appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry Newsroom.

Central Europe

Tom Horn Gaming strengthens its presence in Czech market through partnership with Kingsbet.cz

Published

1 month ago

December 4, 2025

George Miller

tom-horn-gaming-strengthens-its-presence-in-czech-market-through-partnership-with-kingsbet.cz

Reading Time: < 1 minute

Leading iGaming software supplier Tom Horn Gaming has announced a new partnership with Kingsbet.cz, marking another significant step in the company’s strategic expansion within the Czech market.

The collaboration sees Tom Horn Gaming’s engaging suite of top-performing games, including player favourites like 81 Frutas Grandes, Book of Aladdin, Flaming Fruit Deluxe, and 243 Crystal Fruits Deluxe, go live with Kingsbet.cz, providing Czech players with access to a rich selection of locally tailored gaming content.

With a portfolio built on distinctive mechanics that combine classic slot features popular among Czech players with innovative twists, the supplier is steadily enhancing its market presence and remains committed to delivering gaming titles tailored to local player tastes.

“The Czech Republic is one of our key regulated markets with strong potential, and the partnership with Kingsbet.cz, a trusted and fast-growing operator in the region, is another step in our expansion plans,” said Ondrej Lapides, CEO at Tom Horn Gaming. “We’re firmly focused on deepening our footprint in the region and delivering premium localised entertainment that Czech players love while supporting our operator partners’ growth in this dynamic market.”

David Vanek, CEO at Kingsbet.cz added: “Partnering with Tom Horn Gaming brings tremendous value to our offering. Their portfolio combines quality, innovation, and an understanding of what Czech players enjoy most. We’re confident this collaboration will help us deliver even more engaging gaming experiences and strengthen our position in the market”.

This latest partnership underlines Tom Horn Gaming’s continued focus on regulated market growth, reinforcing its mission to bring distinctive and entertaining gaming experiences to players worldwide while building strong, mutually beneficial relationships with operators in key regions.

The post Tom Horn Gaming strengthens its presence in Czech market through partnership with Kingsbet.cz appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Central Europe

game’s 2026 industry barometer – the mood in the German games industry is beginning to brighten

Published

1 month ago

December 3, 2025

George Miller

game’s-2026-industry-barometer-–-the-mood-in-the-german-games-industry-is-beginning-to-brighten

Reading Time: 2 minutes

• Nearly one third of games companies in Germany foresee an industry upswing in the coming year

• More than half expect a positive business development for their own company in the next twelve months

• Around one in three games companies anticipate new hires

After three challenging years, games companies in Germany are looking ahead with increased optimism. Nearly one in three companies (29 per cent) anticipate a positive development in the games industry in the coming twelve months, as compared with just 17 per cent one year ago. 31 per cent of games companies expect a negative development in the industry – a considerable drop from last year’s level of 45 per cent. These are the results of game’s annual industry barometer, which was published by game – The German Games Industry Association. Games companies in Germany look towards their own business development in the coming year significantly more positively, with over half (53 per cent) expecting business to be good in 2026, similar to last year’s number of 52 per cent. Only 12 per cent anticipate a downturn in business, compared to 15 per cent last year. In their personnel planning, the companies nonetheless remain initially cautious: around one third of games companies in Germany (32 per cent) anticipate hiring new employees in 2026, the same percentage as last year.

‘Confidence is returning to Germany’s games industry,’ says Felix Falk, Managing Director of game. ‘Following a difficult phase both here and abroad, positive signals, such as the strong gamescom 2025, and important policy initiatives, like the increased federal games funding and the announced federal tax incentives, are bringing improved prospects and greater optimism compared to a year ago.’

About game’s 2026 industry barometer

The data is based on an online survey conducted by game – The German Games Industry Association between 12 and 21 November 2025, involving a total of 202 German games industry association members, including in particular developers and publishers.

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