Industry News
Germany to Officially legalize online gambling and poker
Germany’s relationship with online gambling has been in a grey area for quite a long time. It was largely illegal, except for about 20-something operators who had permission. There were not many legal gambling sites in Germany, and the process of obtaining a license was extremely hard and complicated.
According to a new regulation that will take place starting the 1st of July, Germany will be legalizing online casinos and poker officially, on a state level. The legislation was passed at a meeting in Berlin.
When will it go into effect?
The changes will be implemented slowly as the regulatory body Glücksspiel Neuregulierung Staatsvertrag /GlüändStv/ will be instantiating online casinos and poker among legal ways to gamble online.
As of now, only sports betting will be allowed for companies who obtain the license from Darmstadt Regional Council, for which 30 companies have already submitted an application, and about the same number is allegedly making plans to do so in the near future.
What do you need to know?
Sports betting will also be one of the subjects that will undergo some changes with new guidelines. Mainly, live betting will be limited to a degree, specifically how the bets are made on final results and the next scorers.
Besides poker and sports betting, most other casino games will be fully allowed as well, including the oft-desired slots which are very popular all around the world. Due to their popularity, slots will come with some very strict guidelines that need to be followed by each and every casino offering them. As an example, the maximum bet per spin will be limited to €1, along with a mandatory €1000 deposit limit. Slots will also need to be advertised and offered separately from all other table games, and they may not be advertised between the times of 6AM and 9PM.
One of the main advantages that this change will bring is the safety of the consumer. As stated, online gambling is a grey area in many countries, and that includes Germany. The government officially stepping in to regulate the environment ensures that people may safely try out a lot of different casinos. Comparing the best casino bonus codes is something that many gamblers use as a main deciding factor for choosing an online casino, but what they often miss is the safety aspect of it, meaning how trustworthy and legitimate a casino is. There’s also the issue of reliability of the software itself, payment processing and more. With the government officially setting standards, the bar will be much higher, ensuring higher overall quality for all players.
While these regulations are in place for the consumer’s protection and are made with the best intentions in mind, many in the gambling community, and also from the regulatory environment as well, are quite discontent with these changes. The German Sports Association (DSWV) president responded that while this was a good and positive step towards modern and regulation-compliant gambling market, these changes also may lead to some “undesirable structural developments”, which may pose challenges for future regulations.
The primary concern that many experts have risen is that these changes and regulations may lead people to search for other international options where limits are much higher. This results in an increased risk of playing at websites that are, to an extent, shady, or worse – illegal. Benevolent as they may be, how these regulations turn out to work will only be shown by time, but for now, experts are optimistic in their anticipation.
Welcome to our weekly roundup of American gambling news again! Here, we are going through the weekly highlights of the American gambling industry which include the latest news and new partnerships. Read on and get updated.
Latest News
Merkur Gaming is going to participate in this year’s Peru Gaming Show, taking place from June 18 to 19 at the Centro de Convenciones Jockey Plaza in Lima. Representatives from the company’s German headquarters and its local subsidiary, Merkur Gaming Peru, will be on site to present the latest product innovations and engage with customers and visitors alike. The main attraction at the Merkur Gaming stand will be the linked progressive jackpot system Clash Link. This system stands out for its wealth of unique jackpot mechanics, which keep the excitement level consistently high.
PENN Entertainment has launched a new PGA TOUR-branded Blackjack game in New Jersey and Ontario. PGA TOUR Blackjack, now available via online Hollywood Casino in New Jersey and theScore Casino in Ontario, is the first iCasino game featuring PGA TOUR branding across any platform. PGA TOUR Blackjack, created by PENN’s in-house game development studio, PENN Game Studios, offers classic blackjack gameplay, plus poker and pairs side bets. The golf-themed table features official PGA TOUR logos, custom playing cards, chips and golf-themed celebrations. The new title is available on the standalone Hollywood Casino and theScore Casino platforms and is also accessible through ESPN BET in New Jersey and theScore BET in Ontario.
International Game Technology PLC announced the launch of IGT PlayDigital’s MEGA VAULT offering – a new innovation on its player engagement solution. Powered by the IGT PlayDigital Engagement Platform, a customisable suite of player engagement tools, MEGA VAULT brings together its industry-renowned engagement tools—Prize Drops, Leaderboards, Marketing Jackpots and more—into a single promotional experience. Designed to maximise excitement, engagement and rewards, MEGA VAULT aims to deliver seamless high-impact campaigns that captivate players and drive long-term retention.
Partnerships
Zitro has installed its revolutionary CONCEPT cabinets at the Casino La Cima in Mérida, Yucatán. The CONCEPT cabinets feature the Magic Lighting system, which syncs lights and sound with gameplay for a fully immersive experience, and the largest Screen Deck button panel on the market, offering unmatched comfort and ease of use for players and operators. This launch is backed by some of Zitro’s most successful titles — Fortune Legacy, Legendary Sword and King Fu Frog — all proven crowd favourites known for their engaging mechanics and strong performance.
Aristocrat Interactive, under NeoGames US, signed a six-year contract with the Michigan Lottery to provide its full solution of iLottery product offerings, reaffirming its leadership in the U.S. iLottery industry. Under the contract, from July 2026, Aristocrat Interactive will provide services to the Michigan Lottery for six years, with six additional one-year extension opportunities. The relationship with the Michigan Lottery began in 2014 with the launch of its iLottery programme using NeoGames’ iLottery platform and games. This new deal will provide the Michigan Lottery with eInstant games, draw-based games and add-on offerings produced by Aristocrat Interactive’s NeoGames Studio, along with continuing to leverage the company’s iLottery technology. Aristocrat Interactive will also provide the Michigan Lottery with a new website and mobile application services with Gambyt – a software company specialising in the lottery, casino and sports betting industries.
The post Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – June 2-8 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
The European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) has announced that this year’s European Safer Gambling Week will take place from November 17 to 23.
European Safer Gambling Week is an annual collaborative initiative to raise awareness about safer gambling in Europe and foster a strong culture of player protection. Organised by EGBA, the initiative serves as a platform to inform citizens about safer gambling and promote information and best practice-sharing between stakeholders across Europe’s gambling sector, including operators, regulators, technology providers, support organisations and experts-by-experience.
This year will be the fifth edition of the initiative and follows the unprecedented success of 2024, which saw 195 partners participate in a social media campaign across 26 countries reaching 3.1 million social media users with important safer gambling messages. There were also 20 events held during the week that gathered 3000 attendees.
Building upon this momentum, the 2025 edition will be underpinned by a social media campaign and an array of insightful workshops. These will aim to raise awareness about safer gambling, share best practices and tips, signpost crucial resources and services, and facilitate meaningful discussions about the latest developments in regulation and research.
Maarten Haijer, Secretary General of EGBA, said: “We’re pleased to announce the dates for European Safer Gambling Week 2025 and are excited to build on the exceptional momentum of last year’s campaign. The initiative has become Europe’s leading platform for safer gambling awareness and last year brought together a record coalition of 195 partners across 26 countries to promote player protection. This is a shared commitment and we invite organisations across the industry to join us for this year’s edition and help us foster a strong culture of safe and sustainable gambling in Europe.”
The post EGBA Announces Dates for This Year’s European Safer Gambling Week appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Evoke, one of the world’s leading betting and gaming companies with internationally renowned brands including William Hill, 888 and Mr Green, announced the establishment of a new Technology Committee of the Board effective immediately.
The Committee will be chaired by Independent Non-Executive Director Susan Standiford. Non-executive Directors Limor Ganot and Ori Shaked will also be members of the Committee.
The Committee will provide Board-level oversight of evoke’s major technology investments and initiatives, ensuring alignment with business strategy, risk management and operational effectiveness.
Jon Mendelsohn, Chairman of evoke, said: “In a world where technology is evolving at break-neck speed and in an industry where technology leadership is a core driver of sustainable success, our Technology Committee will play an important role in strengthening the Board’s governance and long-term strategy development. The Committee will focus on providing transparency and insight across our product, technology, data and operational initiatives as well as informing the Board and executive leadership on technology trends with the potential to shape the Group’s long-term competitive advantages.”
The post Evoke Announces the Establishment of a New Technology Committee appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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