Central Europe
Hamburg Prototype Funding 2021: € 252,000 for 6 games projects in first funding round
The location initiative Gamecity Hamburg supports six promising games projects with a total of 252,000 euros. The non-repayable grant will enable the selected start-ups from Hamburg to develop prototypes in order to position themselves in the growing global games market. A total of 23 game developers and companies have applied with their projects for the 1st funding round 2021. The quality and number of applications shows the great potential of Hamburg as a games industry hotspot. The application phase for the second funding round 2021 will run from August 30 to October 18.
Dr. Carsten Brosda, Hamburg’s Minister of Culture and Media: “Hamburg is one of the leading games industry hubs in Europe. To maintain this position, the Senate of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg provides tailored support to the games industry, through the Prototype Funding program and other measures. It gives studios and developers who plan to start up, settle or open a branch in Hamburg the opportunity to develop and implement their ideas here and thus further strengthens Hamburg as a business location. The projects submitted this year were once again convincing through their multitude as well as their high quality and demonstrated the large potential of the games industry location Hamburg.”
“After we were able to launch the new Hamburg Prototype Funding and our Games Lift Incubator in 2020, this year already shows how well these two funding instruments work together. For example, Crumbling is the first game project to receive prototype funding that has previously successfully completed our incubation program. With the help of feedback from our mentors, the team has made a great leap forward and developed a convincing concept for the game and a marketing plan around an innovative virtual reality game mechanic,”, says Dennis Schoubye, Project Lead Gamecity Hamburg.
The application phase for the funding ran from March 29 to May 17. In an online pitch day, a pre-selection of the best project teams presented their ideas to the awarding committee.
The awarding committee, consisting of Hamburg games industry experts Nina Müller (Head of Publishing Goodgame Studios), Michael Schade (Co-Founder and CEO ROCKFISH Games), Valentina Birke (Project Manager Super Crowd Entertainment), Jens Unrau (Head of Department Media and Digital Economy of the Ministry of Culture and Media in Hamburg) and Dennis Schoubye (Project Lead Gamecity Hamburg) made the funding decision for the six projects.
In addition to a convincing presentation of the project and team, other criteria such as feasibility, promotion of young talent, location effect and market potential were factored in in the decision. A further prerequisite for funding from the Hamburg Prototype Funding is that the funded teams must be based in Hamburg or relocate to Hamburg if funding is approved, or open a branch office in the city.
The funded projects:
- THE INVITATION by tool1 – 60,000 euros
- ARC BREAK by SpiceVR – 50,000 euros
- Rocket Science GONE WRONG (working title) by James Rucks & Clemens Runge – 48,000 euros
- Crumbling by Team Crumbling – 39,782 euros
- The Hunt for Epic Treasure (working title) by Elecular – 35,200 euros
- Fantasma Ville by Torito Games – 19,140 euros
For the first time, there will be a second round of prototype funding in the current year 2021. Further teams of developers will be able to apply for funding for their project prototypes from August 30.
Further information on the Hamburg Prototype Funding can be found at: https://www.gamecity-hamburg.de/funding/
The application phase for the Games Lift Incubator will start on June 21. In this second funding program under the umbrella of Gamecity Hamburg, teams are supported with up to 15,000 euros and a three-month coaching and mentoring program by experienced, international experts from the games industry. All information about the Games Lift Incubator is available at: https://www.gamecity-hamburg.de/incubator/
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Central Europe
Oddin.gg Wins the Deloitte Technology Fast 50 Central Europe for the Second Year in a Row
Reading Time: 2 minutes
For the second consecutive year, Czech-based esports technology company Oddin.gg has taken the top spot in the Deloitte Technology Fast 50 Central Europe, underscoring the company’s sustained momentum and highlighting the global demand for an innovative and high-performing esports betting infrastructure.
The Deloitte Technology Fast 50 Central Europe program recognizes the region’s fastest-growing technology companies across sectors including fintech, software, communications, environmental tech, hardware, healthcare, media and entertainment. Rankings are based on percentage revenue growth.
Commenting on the win, CEO and Co-Founder Vlastimil Venclík shared: “Being recognized by the Deloitte Technology Fast 50 for the second year in a row is an honor. It reflects not only our growth, but the trust our partners place in us and the hard work of our team. Esports is evolving quickly, and we’re committed to delivering reliable, high-performing infrastructure that helps operators succeed, now and in the years ahead.”
Founded in 2018, Oddin.gg is dedicated to elevating the excitement of digital esports competitions and equipping sportsbook operators with reliable solutions that maximize engagement, betting activity and profitability.
Vlastimil Venclik credits the company’s growth to its industry expertise, its focus on the betting vertical, and its forward-thinking, customer-first product strategy.
“Our team blends former professional players with data scientists and engineers. That mix gives us the deep esports knowledge and technical capability needed to solve real challenges for operators and deliver measurable results, while also reducing their exposure to risk.”
Oddin.gg stands apart by offering a unified, end-to-end ecosystem for esports betting, allowing operators to work with a single vendor for odds feeds, risk management, widgets, BetBuilder, iFrame and 24/7 eSimulators while also producing and managing everything in-house. This integrated approach is a core pillar of Realms Group, where Oddin.gg leads the effort to shape how audiences experience live digital entertainment.
“We’re expanding in two major directions. First, by building faster, smarter, more interactive products that deepen engagement for fans and bettors. Second, by growing geographically, supported by recent certifications in Brazil as well as earlier approvals in the United States and Canada. This makes us one of the most secure and trusted providers in the market,” Venclik said.
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BC.GAME
BC.GAME Wins “Best Crypto Casino” at SiGMA Central Europe Awards 2025
Reading Time: < 1 minute
Global crypto entertainment brand BC.GAME has been named “Best Crypto Casino 2025” at the SiGMA Central Europe B2C Awards, held this year in Rome. The result has been published via SiGMA’s official channels and industry media, with BC.GAME listed among the winners in the cryptocasino operator category.
As part of the SiGMA Central Europe 2025 event in early November, the B2C Awards focused on operators that have shown notable performance in online entertainment and sports betting over the past year. The “Best CryptoCasino 2025” category is specifically dedicated to platforms built around crypto assets as a core feature of their offering.
According to award-related communications and public review sources, BC.GAME’s recognition is linked to its integration of crypto payments, multi-vertical product line-up and ongoing development in Web3-oriented use cases. Several third-party reviews have highlighted BC.GAME as a representative example of a platform that supports multiple cryptocurrencies, combines casino and sports content, and designs features with on-chain users in mind.
BC.GAME noted that the award serves as a form of interim feedback on the platform’s long-term commitment to the crypto segment. The company plans to continue improving the user experience around crypto payments, cross-device product performance and content operations, while expanding sports and esports-related partnerships in markets where such activities are permitted by local regulation.
As a crypto-native operator, BC.GAME incorporates mechanisms such as provably fair verification into its product design and combines these with a native token and promotional structures to deliver an integrated casino and sports experience for crypto community users. With continued nominations and awards within the SiGMA framework and other international programmes, BC.GAME is increasingly regarded as a long-term player in the crypto entertainment vertical.
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ADMIRAL Pay
NOVOMATIC Italia Showcases Innovation and Responsible Growth at SiGMA 2025
Reading Time: 3 minutes
NOVOMATIC Italia played a key role at SiGMA Central Europe 2025, one of the leading international events for the gaming and digital technology industry, which was held in Rome from November 4 to 6. The Group showcased ADMIRAL Pay, the payment institution authorised by the Bank of Italy, and Quigioco, its online gaming brand, presenting an integrated and sustainable vision for the future of payments and digital entertainment.
The synergy between the Quigioco gaming platform and ADMIRAL Pay was at the heart of NOVOMATIC Italia’s presence at SiGMA Central Europe 2025 was. This integrated solution offers legal gaming operators a concrete response to the ongoing transformation of the market, particularly in terms of regulatory compliance.
The combined structure of Quigioco and ADMIRAL Pay ensures fully compliant financial flow management by providing operators with technologically advanced tools that are aligned with the latest Italian legislative requirements. This infrastructure represents an integrated payment system and a complete digital ecosystem that is designed to support operators in an increasingly regulated and competitive market. The model is complemented by B2C solutions, including APay E-Wallet and APay Card, which interface seamlessly with the B2B architecture to expand additional growth opportunities.
Driving the market with technology and security
The collaboration between ADMIRAL Pay and Quigioco marks a key milestone for the Italian market: by adopting integrated digital payment systems, online gaming platforms can now deliver increasingly personalized and secure experiences to their users.
ADMIRAL Pay technology enables rapid conversion between cash and digital currency, ensuring instant and secure transactions that meet the highest international standards. For PVRs (Punti Vendita Ricarica: venues authorised to sell recharges for online gaming) and operators, this means access to an advanced payment tool that simplifies operations and guarantees efficiency, even during peak periods.
Meeting new regulatory and market demands
The digital payments and gaming sector in Italy is now subject to increasingly stringent regulatory standards that are designed to ensure maximum security, traceability and transparency. The integration of Quigioco and ADMIRAL Pay fully meets these requirements, offering a unique solution that strengthens compliance while enhancing the customer experience. By managing financial flows in a compliant manner, operators can reduce risks and provide players with immediate and secure access to their funds. This model translates into trust and long-term loyalty, creating value across the entire supply chain.
Responsibility and leadership: the pillars of the future
SiGMA Central Europe 2025 was also an opportunity to highlight NOVOMATIC’s commitment to promoting responsible gaming and continuous product innovation. The target is to maintain industry leadership by investing in technologies that not only enhance the user experience but also ensure maximum player protection and operator transparency.
“Our goal is to extend the success and expertise that have always defined NOVOMATIC Italia in the land-based sector into the digital world. We want to offer operators and players an integrated ecosystem that combines technology, security, and innovation, reaffirming our Group’s leadership in online gaming,” said Markus Buechele, CEO of NOVOMATIC Italia.
This strategic vision was recognized when NOVOMATIC Italia received the “B2B Industry Leader Italy 2025” award at the SiGMA B2B Awards, in honour of the company’s excellence and ongoing commitment to an innovative, responsible and sustainable approach to development. The Group is not only addressing evolving market and regulatory challenges but also paving the way for a future in which innovation and sustainability move forward together.
Through ADMIRAL Pay, Quigioco and the major innovations showcased at SiGMA, NOVOMATIC Italia demonstrates how the convergence of digital payments and online gaming can drive growth, security, and long-term sustainability across the industry. By being built on innovation, responsibility and strategic vision, this model is positioning the company at the forefront of a tech-driven and sustainable future.
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