Central Europe

Pixel Federation goes back to Slovakian roots to ramp up its successful CSR strategy

Published

5 years ago

June 10, 2021

Reading Time: 3 minutes

The largest game developer in Slovakia, Pixel Federation, has spent the last 14 years growing successfully, now boasting a staggering €47.8m annual revenue in 2020 and 120 million loyal players across international markets, however it has also consistently dedicated itself to contributing to Slovakia’s development. A strong focus on responsible business strategy has always been key to Pixel Federation’s operations and supporting its hometown of Bratislava was core to the CSR. Pixel rose admirably to the challenge of the pandemic, with focus splitting from its long-standing education and innovative development, towards fundraising resources for frontline workers, and now Pixel is adapting its CSR strategy once again, to focus on the environment.

Actively contributing to the green fight swept the games industry last Summer, with initiatives such as Playing for the Planet and Green Game Jams pointing the spotlight onto the impact gamers and respective developers can have on global issues. A sector heavily scrutinised for its environmental footprint and carbon waste, it was an important step for game developers to take towards counteracting their global footprint and joining together to conserve the environment. For Pixel Federation staff and expansive player communities, doing their bit for the planet continues to be a poignant issue and so the company has pledged to dedicate a large portion of its upcoming CSR to a number of environmental projects.

“Education, the environment, culture and sport are still only an appendix on the edge of many Slovakians’ understanding of life skills. It’s a long-term and unchanged situation in non-strength sectors as they don’t have a quick return on investment. We want to ensure that the Slovakia we leave behind is better than the one we were born into,” says Co-Founder, CSR Strategy lead and CLO, Lucia Šickova.

Breath of fresh air

Pixel Federation is a company rooted in strong community values, and the call from the players and staff was clear; the environment is key to our greater survival, and a worthwhile and meaningful investment. Rolling up its sleeves to get back to its founding roots, the company chose to collaborate with Bratislava city on the 10,000 trees project, the first 12 of which, planted through this green initiative, already stand proud on Šancova Street in Bratislava.

“I see this activity as a partnership with the city. Our motivation is not personal or corporate PR, our motivation is impact and something that will outlive all of us,” comments Co-Founder and former CEO, Šimon Šicko

Alongside dedicating time and funds to the 10,000 trees project, Pixel Federation will also work closely with BROZ (Bratislava Regional Conservation Association) which brings together professional conservationists dedicated to the protection and restoration of rare habitats in the Slovakian mountain range, Little Carpathians. These mountains are victim to extensive felling, often of healthy trees, leaving behind a sparse and barren environment. Funding from Pixel Federation will be used to mark healthy trees for forest rescue and rejuvenation of the local habitat.

With these projects already underway, Lucia is determined that Pixel Federation’s support for wider efforts won’t be fixed, to allow for spontaneous aid where needed. “Our CSR strategy has always been a combination of long-term, consistent support for the projects we believe in, as well as one-time support for efforts we see as an urgent need. In recent years, we have also supported the Kramáre Hospital, the well-known Red Nose initiative, and focused our efforts to fundraise for frontline workers when the COVID-19 pandemic first hit Slovakia,” affirms Lucia.

The results stand firm

At the birth of Pixel Federation’s charitable ventures, the main ambition was to raise awareness of gaming and provide opportunities for young people to encourage fostering creativity and innovative skills, a field that Slovakian education at the time did not consider worthwhile.

Pixel’s first education project was the Butterfly Effect: a unique and highly valued platform across the nation where successful Slovakian digital companies such as Sygic, Leaf, HubHub and Pixel Federation share their knowledge with young people, and the results are impressive. More than 130 programme graduates have successfully created 22 products and produced four new start-ups full of enthusiastic young talent. With long-term financial support from Pixel Federation, the dedicated people behind Edulienka were able to create a standardized education system that focuses on innovative and comprehensive development of 21st century skills in socially disadvantaged children. Distributed amongst a number of schools in Slovakia, Pixel’s time and funds supported this project to ensure the expansion of the first school from 15 to 100 pupils and enabled those from socially disadvantaged families to study.

Pixel Federation also initiated the pandemic driven platform Who will help Slovakia to aid Slovak medical facilities in the face of COVID-19. Together with a number of other parties, Pixel launched a nationwide fundraising project in a record time of just a few days, gaining wider support from several companies including tech giant Amazon, ČSOB Foundation and many others. In total, Who will help Slovakia, headed by Pixel Federation, successfully raised an incredible fund of more than €1.4 million.

There is little doubt that the results Pixel has derived from its dedication to supporting development within Slovakia speak for themselves. The education projects alone have enabled hundreds of students to develop otherwise unattainable life skills and helped transform Slovakia into a gaming industry to be reckoned with.

Austria

Austrian Brand Value Study: NOVOMATIC Defends Top Ranking

Published

1 week ago

July 3, 2026

Wladimir P.

In the 23rd edition of the Austrian Brand Value Study, the European Brand Institute (EBI) once again recognised the country’s most valuable and sustainable brands. NOVOMATIC continues its winning streak, ranking second behind Red Bull for the seventh consecutive year with a brand value of EUR 3.938 billion, up 2.0% from the previous year.

“This top ranking once again confirms the strong international appeal of the NOVOMATIC brand and the success of our long-term corporate strategy. We have succeeded in further strengthening the NOVOMATIC brand worldwide through continuous innovation, the expansion of our global presence, and a consistent focus on sustainable growth. The fact that we are once again among the leading companies in the Sustainable Brand Ranking shows that economic success and responsible business practices are inextricably linked at NOVOMATIC,” said Stefan Krenn, Member of the NOVOMATIC AG Executive Board.

This prestigious award highlights NOVOMATIC’s strong market position and sustainable growth. The company has consistently ranked among Austria’s most valuable corporate brands since 2020. The evaluation is based on international standards and considers factors including brand strength, brand potential, trends and economic performance.

NOVOMATIC’s renewed second place reaffirms its position as a leader in the Sustainable Brand Ranking. A key factor in this success is the Group’s corporate responsibility and ESG program, which firmly integrates environmental, social and governance aspects into the long-term corporate strategy. The effectiveness of these measures is regularly confirmed by independent ESG rating agencies.

The Austrian Brand Value Study is conducted annually by the European Brand Institute. For the 2026 ranking, 180 brand-name companies from 16 industries were analyzed, more than 45% of which are Austrian-owned. The evaluation is conducted in accordance with the international standards ISO 10668 and ISO 20671.

With its top rankings in both the Brand Value and Sustainable Brand categories, NOVOMATIC AG has once again underscored its position as one of Austria’s most important companies with international influence.

The post Austrian Brand Value Study: NOVOMATIC Defends Top Ranking appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Casinò Portorož

SYNOT Games Enters Slovenian Market with Casino Portorož Partnership

Published

1 month ago

June 5, 2026

Wladimir P.

synot-games-enters-slovenian-market-with-casino-portoroz-partnership

SYNOT Games continues its European expansion by officially entering the Slovenian market through a strategic partnership with the renowned Casino Portorož and its platform Casino.SI. This marks the provider’s first collaboration in Slovenia and a significant milestone in strengthening its presence across regulated European jurisdictions.

As part of the launch, SYNOT Games has successfully certified an extensive portfolio of 190 games for the Slovenian market – effectively making its full suite of content available to local players. The offering includes a comprehensive range of products, from top-performing slots to popular alternatives such as crash games and roulette, enabling Casino Portorož to deliver a diverse and engaging gaming experience.

The go-live will be supported by the introduction of a SYNOT Progressive Bonus with a €10,000 jackpot pool, designed to keep player engagement from day one. Looking ahead, the partners aim to further expand the integration by fully leveraging SYNOT’s proprietary ecosystem of promotional and engagement tools. The long-term plan is to introduce the full portfolio, including PEAK, Feature Free Rounds and Free Round Bonuses, enabling Casino.SI to maximise player engagement, boost retention, and deliver highly personalised, dynamic bonus experiences.

Martina Krajčí, Chief Commercial Officer at SYNOT Games, said: “We are very pleased to enter the Slovenian market through our partnership with Casino Portorož, a respected and established operator with a strong local presence. Bringing nearly our entire portfolio to Slovenian players demonstrates our commitment to delivering premium content tailored to regulated environments.”

Ksenija Bezek, Head of Online Operations at Casino Portorož, said: “We are delighted to partner with SYNOT Games and introduce their rich and diverse portfolio to our players. Their proven performance across regulated markets, combined with engaging features such as the SPB jackpot, aligns perfectly with our strategy to continuously enhance our offering and deliver innovative entertainment experiences to our customers.”

The post SYNOT Games Enters Slovenian Market with Casino Portorož Partnership appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Central Europe

Habanero goes live on Favbet Romania

Published

2 months ago

May 19, 2026

Wladimir P.

Deal adds Habanero’s slots and table games to Favbet.ro as the supplier targets further growth in CEE regulated markets.

Habanero has gone live with Favbet Romania, rolling out its slots and table games portfolio on the operator’s locally focused platform in Romania’s regulated online market.

Under the agreement, Favbet Romania players gain access to Habanero’s full catalogue. The companies positioned the launch as part of Habanero’s wider push to add regulated operator partners across Central and Eastern Europe.

Toni Karapetrov, Head of Corporate Communications at Habanero, said: “Favbet Romania is a well-respected brand in Europe and exactly the kind of partner we look to work with as we deepen our presence in the market. Romania players have a strong appetite for our content and we are confident our games will resonate well with their audience.

“Romania is an important market for us, and going live with this operator is another strong step in our continued European expansion across high-growth regulated markets.”

Cristian Sapovici, Head of Casino, Favbet Romania, said: “The collaboration between Favbet Romania and Habanero has been strong from the very beginning, and this co-branded collaboration agreement marks an important step in strengthening our strategic partnership.

“Our shared objective is to deliver a more integrated gaming experience for players in Romania, supported by consistent visibility, dedicated campaigns, and a stronger presence of Habanero content within the Favbet.ro ecosystem.”

Habanero said it is now live in 22 European regulated markets, and counts operators including Entain, Sisal and Betway among its partners.

The post Habanero goes live on Favbet Romania appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.