Industry News

The house doesn’t actually always win

Published

6 years ago

January 14, 2020

Casinos are perhaps the most interesting places you could visit on the planet. Museums are nice, but casinos are great. Aside from all the natural marvels that they have rose from the depths of the Earth or the brilliant man-made structures, casinos are fascinating in their own way.

Let us tell you about one thing that makes these places worth visiting, maybe even more than once, whether or not you are a gambling enthusiast.

For a long time, these places have been like the song of a siren, that lures nearby sailors on the water of life itself. At the mere sight of a gambling spot, the first thought that crosses one’s mind is that one could get rid of one’s financial worries and struggles forever with a small investment and a bit of luck. Maybe right now you’re thinking that such don’t happen. Well, it could, and it has.

Some Lucky Gamblers

Cynthia Jay Brennan
She became one of the luckiest people on Earth in 2000, the beginning of a new millennium. And more than that, she became a new entry in the list of humans who won big in a casino. And when I say “big” I wish I could say that it were a joke, but we’re talking more than 34 million dollars in this case. Depending on your lifestyle, this amount of money could not only allow you to never work a day in your life again, but your grandchildren would also be set for life.

Elmer Sherwin
Dubbed by some “the luckiest man in Las Vegas”, she is a two-time Megabucks winner: in 1989 and in 2005. That’s a bit crazy, isn’t it? And how much did luck really have to do with it? Well, Elmer’s biggest win was just about over 21 million dollars. Now put yourself in the shoes of someone who had just got richer by a huge amount. What would you do with all the money? Spend it all in one night? Invest it in some Silicon Valley start-up? Or perhaps you’re feeling a little charitable and you do something like what Elmer did and invest a considerable amount in the Hurricane Katrina relief fund?

Richie Rich
$39.7 Million: a twenty-five-year-old engineer from Los Angeles came to Vegas to support his favorite basketball team. With Vegas being Vegas, he decided to spend some time at a casino. So after he spent 100 dollars on slot machines, he became one of the biggest winners in the city. He won a sum just a little shy of 40 million dollars at the Excalibur casino in Las Vegas. Boom, just like that.

Spend some money, make some money

These three are just a few people who played in a casino and actually won. That does not mean, by any means, that everyone would; or that if you go right now and pull the lever on a slot machine you will certainly join the ranks of such winners. Nope, it doesn’t work like that, nor will ever. But what it does mean is that it is possible. Always and at any time. Even though the odds are not exactly in one’s favor, winning happens all the time. Si why not you?

What we find fascinating about this (and perhaps we are not the only ones) is that it takes very little involvement. Obviously, there are a number of different ways you could go about making millions of dollars, but very few of them are as simple as inserting a few coins/bills and pressing a button. Makes you think, doesn’t, it?

“You must spend money to make money” is another thing that people say, and it turns out that in 99% of the times that is correct. And let’s not focus only on gambling for this one. Think about starting a business or taking a journey into self-development. At first, before you can even think about the profits you can make you have to do a little spending yourself. Whether that spending is renting a workplace, hiring a specialist in advertising or business planning, it is quintessential that it all starts with something you have invested in. Even if it’s just time, energy, effort, thinking. It’s all resources. You could say it’s a “be the change you want to see” type of situation, meaning that if you want people to spend resources on your business you have to spend some of your resources first.

Online Casinos

The casino land scape is changing and while these where 3 lucky winners from players who played offline, there are tons of big jackpot winners who have played online casino slots.

The Mega Moolah jackpot winner of €13,209,300, won in October 2015, by a 26-year-old British man. The Mega Fortune, Finnish Jackpot winner who took home €17,861,800 in 2013. The Hall of Gods jackpot winner of $8.63 in 2017. These are just a few examples of some bigger jackpot winners.

Playing casino online has also become more popular and common than playing casino offline. Online casino offers you a bigger selection of slot games, no waiting times, and accessibility from anywhere. This is even more true in today world, as online casinos now also offer you the ability to play on your mobile.

In addition, given that online casinos have much lower cost (they don’t have to pay huge sums of money in rent), they also give players more beneficial offers such as free spins, free bonuses without deposit for new players, big deposit bonuses like 250% up to a certain amount. That means that if you deposit 100, the casino will give you an additional 250 to play with. For example, in Romania, Maxbet casino offers new players 100 RON, about 20 euros in free money without the need to make a deposit just to test them out.

BC.GAME

BC.Game Names Kar Kheng Giam as CEO

Published

13 hours ago

March 26, 2026

Wladimir P.

BC.Game, a leading global crypto-focused online gaming platform, has announced the appointment of Kar Kheng Giam (“KK”) as its new Chief Executive Officer. Giam brings over 30 years of international leadership experience across gaming, technology, and consumer industries.

Before joining BC.Game, KK served as Vice President International at Coyote Bioscience, leading global expansion initiatives. He also co-founded Topgame and Tinymobi, developing successful mobile social and casino-style games. Earlier in his career, KK held executive positions including CEO roles at multiple organizations and regional leadership at Nabisco Asia.

In his role as CEO, KK will oversee BC.Game’s strategic direction, operational leadership, and financial performance, with a focus on scaling globally, expanding into regulated markets, and driving innovation in crypto gaming.

“BC.Game has built a strong global community by combining cutting-edge technology with engaging entertainment experiences,” KK stated. “With the rising adoption of crypto in online gaming, our focus will be on enhancing the platform, building trust, and strengthening our presence in licensed markets.”

BC.Game currently holds licenses in multiple jurisdictions, including Anjouan, Nigeria, Kenya, Mexico, and Tanzania, as part of its long-term strategy to expand into fully regulated markets worldwide. This appointment aligns with the company’s ambitions to grow its global footprint and strengthen compliance while delivering innovative gaming experiences.

The post BC.Game Names Kar Kheng Giam as CEO appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

2025 financial results

ZEAL Reports Strong Double-Digit Growth

Published

14 hours ago

March 26, 2026

Wladimir P.

ZEAL Network SE, Germany’s leading online lottery provider, closed 2025 with another year of robust double-digit growth.

Despite a weaker jackpot environment, the company significantly strengthened its core lottery business, accelerated diversification, and expanded its customer base—setting a solid foundation for long-term scalability.

The group delivered 16% revenue growth, reaching €218.5 million, while EBITDA rose 11% to €68.8 million. EBIT also climbed 12% to €60.1 million year over year. These results reinforce ZEAL’s strategic focus on building a multi-pillar digital entertainment ecosystem.

“At every level, our results confirm that our strategy works,” said Dr. Stefan Tweraser, CEO of ZEAL Network SE. “Expanding scalable products alongside our strong core lottery business increases resilience and positions us for ambitious future growth.”

CFO Andrea Behrendt highlighted continued investment in reducing jackpot dependence: “Our efforts create a sustainable and profitable growth structure.”

Core Lottery Business Continues to Lead Growth

ZEAL’s primary lottery brokerage remains its strongest revenue driver. Even with softer jackpot cycles:

Monthly active users climbed 8% to a record 1.558 million.
Lottery billings reached €1.1 billion, up 2%.
Gross margin increased to 17.7%.
Lottery-specific revenue surged 16% to €195.3 million.

These gains underline the brand’s ability to attract and retain large numbers of customers independent of jackpot volatility.

Dream House Raffle Becomes a Major Growth Pillar

The Traumhausverlosung (Dream House Raffle)—launched in 2024—has rapidly evolved into a strong secondary revenue stream. With guaranteed winners and high-appeal prize structures, the charity lottery generated:

€38.9 million in billings across four draws in 2025.

This success demonstrates the value of proprietary lottery products that complement ZEAL’s core business and enhance market differentiation.

Games Segment Accelerates With Expanded Portfolio

ZEAL also posted substantial growth in its digital Games division. The company extended its catalog to 650+ games, adding 400 new titles and strengthening collaborations with leading game developers.

As a result:

Games revenue increased 46%, reaching €14.4 million.
Active user numbers rose sharply.
Player protection remained a top priority, supported by AI-driven safeguards.

Customer Base Expansion Remains a Strategic Priority

ZEAL made targeted investments to grow its user base, acquiring 1.171 million new customers in 2025. As expected with aggressive acquisition:

Customer acquisition cost (CPL) increased to €46.47.
Marketing spending rose 20% to €68.6 million.

This investment is key to sustaining ZEAL’s long-term market position and unlocking additional cross-sell opportunities in games and charity lotteries.

2026 Outlook: Continued Growth and Diversification

Looking ahead to 2026, ZEAL aims to expand its German market leadership and scale its charitable lotteries freiheit+ and Traumhausverlosung, while continuing to strengthen its Games offering.

Forecasts for 2026 include:

Revenue between €250–260 million
EBITDA between €70–75 million

These projections already factor in increased investment to accelerate diversification and future-proof the business.

The post ZEAL Reports Strong Double-Digit Growth appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

iGaming Select

iGaming Select launches initiative to champion product and tech innovation

Published

22 hours ago

March 26, 2026

Wladimir P.

igaming-select-launches-initiative-to-champion-product-and-tech-innovation

iGaming Select, a fresh supplier hub dedicated to highlighting and evaluating iGaming technology, is now operational with a distinct goal to simplify the process for operators in finding the top products within an ever-growing and marketing-focused environment.

iGaming Select, created by BetComply CMO Martin Hodges, iGP CMO Michael Baker-Mosley, and Digital Footprints founders Sharon McFarlane and Steve Lee, gathers authenticated reviews of numerous iGaming products, allowing truly innovative solutions the opportunity to rival bigger players.

Martin Hodges, Co-Founder at iGaming Select, said: “The way operators select suppliers is no longer working. It has become less about technology and product, and more about visibility, marketing budgets and noise. iGaming Select is founded on the simple principle that great technology should be easy to identify, giving operators a place to evaluate and compare suppliers based on what they actually offer.”

Operators are now confronted with numerous suppliers presenting similar solutions, and iGaming Select assists decision-makers in discerning valuable information through clear product capability descriptions, organized categorization, relevant operational details, and reviews based on actual usage.

The platform will also offer perspectives on how innovation can grow sustainably, giving operators, suppliers, and investors a better grasp of where lasting value is generated.

The post iGaming Select launches initiative to champion product and tech innovation appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.