Interviews
SIS interview: Breathing new life into the 49’s offering
Jess Mills, Head of Product Proposition at SIS, caught up with European Gaming to discuss how the company has revamped the popular 49’s draw and the huge potential to grow the numbers product globally.
Why did SIS acquire the 49’s brand and how does its addition fit within the wider SIS strategy?
SIS’s strategy for a number of years has been to diversify further online and internationally and this has proved to be successful as we have made significant inroads into new markets across the world. It is important however to ensure you have a diverse portfolio of products as each territory has different needs due to customers wanting to bet on various things in different ways. 49’s therefore allows us to broaden our product portfolio in other verticals – numbers and virtuals – enabling us to target additional territories and help expand our international footprint.
49’s was a product and business that we knew inside out as we had been a strategic partner for 25 years, broadcasting the 49’s live draws out of our studios in Manchester and we had supplied the products to our customers in a number of key territories, so the acquisition seemed like a natural next step for us. In addition to this we felt we had the right skills and experience to develop the business and further expand the product internationally.
Can you tell us more about the revamp of 49’s and why this is so important to furthering the brand?
49’s has been a popular part of the SIS retail service for nearly 25 years. Operators and their customers really trust the brand, it’s reliable and is invigilated by a third-party auditor, which gives customers and operators a huge amount of reassurance and confidence in the product. That said, when we looked at the brand, it was clear to us that it required a refresh and there was room for improvement. The important thing was to modernise the product and bring it up to the present day but without alienating the existing loyal customer base in the process.
We redesigned the graphics and logos to be more modern, for example. They’re brighter and there’s more colour, which makes it look more engaging. We’ve also given the presenters a slightly new look, but they’re still the same presenters that everybody knows and loves, while the music has also been modernised, though you can still tell it’s the 49’s draw. We wanted to maintain all the best things about 49’s but bring the product up to date so it has a modern look and feel.
Key to the revamp has been the addition of the new 39’s and Fast 15’s draws. What was the thinking behind their development?
The 49’s brand is a very popular and trusted brand and we felt that it had the opportunity to expand the product portfolio. The new 39’s draw is a very similar format to the original 49’s draw but it involves 39 balls, and you pick five balls from there. It runs every 15 minutes, so it occurs much more frequently than our 49’s draws, which currently run twice a day. It’s also a slightly more streamlined product than the daily 49’s draws and is pre-recorded with our presenters. While it’s a slightly shorter product, you’ve still got a good chance of winning attractive cash prizes so there are some similarities.
As for Fast 15’s, we’ve gone in a completely different direction. There are only 15 balls, and you pick three out. While the chances of you winning are far greater, the chances of you winning life-changing amounts aren’t as high as with the other draws. It’s about reinvesting your winnings for future bets. It runs very frequently – every two minutes which means you never have to wait that long before the next draw.
Where is the 49’s product most popular and which new territories are you planning on targeting moving forwards?
49’s is an established product in the UK, Ireland, and South Africa with strong customer engagement, so there are plenty of opportunities within our existing territories to cross promote the new products. But there are other territories where customers like to bet on numbers, such as South America and Europe. We’ve got a great opportunity to take our new product portfolio to these territories where there are keen numbers bettors, but initially we are looking to build on the brand in the existing regions where we know we’ve got that core following.
What further changes have you got planned for the brand for the future?
Acquiring the 49’s brand really is the start of our journey, which is exciting for us as there are lots of opportunities to build on the product. As well as rebranding 49’s and getting the new 39’s and Fast 15’s draws up and running, we have also invested in a new 49’s website, which allows us to showcase the refreshed brand, put the presenters at the heart of it, and add our new products when they go live.
It also enables us to generate greater affiliate opportunities. Our new website will allow us to develop even more affiliate relationships with other operators that start to partner with 49’s going forward.
There are also additional opportunities for other live numbers products which don’t have to be draws. The 49’s portfolio also includes virtual horse and greyhound racing and we’ll be exploring different ways to enhance our virtuals offering too.
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Conferences
2026 Gaming in Holland Conference: #ReclaimTheMarket & More
Next week, the annual Gaming in Holland Conference returns to Amsterdam. Willem van Oort, independent iGaming consultant and founder of Gaming in Holland shares what attendees can look forward to at this year’s event.
What can attendees expect from this year’s conference?
As in previous years, the Gaming in Holland Conference will bring together the leading decision makers from the Dutch regulated gambling industry. Licensed operators, regulatory representatives, and key stakeholders from across the sector will all be in attendance.
This year’s speaker lineup includes the CEOs of Nederlandse Loterij and Holland Casino. In addition, FDJ, the new owner of Unibet, will be represented by a senior executive who will discuss the company’s perspective on the current Dutch market landscape.
The Netherlands Gambling Authority will also contribute two separate presentations: one focused on the regulator’s approach to upcoming legislation, and another dedicated to its new approach to player protection.
Alongside an extensive conference agenda, attendees will have plenty of opportunities to network and connect with industry leaders – including during the event’s traditional boat tour through Amsterdam’s iconic canals.
Apart from these highlights, are there other sessions you are looking forward to?
Like other years, H2 Gambling Capital will be sharing its latest growth projections of the Dutch market. This always offers a solid departure point for other discussions.
I am also looking forward to the presentation by Blask, which will offer an in-depth look at what kind of games Dutch players are interested in, as well as which game categories are featured prominently by both licensed and unlicensed operators. Do player demand and operators’ offerings actually match up? We will find out at the Conference.
Even more importantly, the Dutch government is expected to imminently publish a specific set of proposals to amend the Remote Gambling Act – including cross-operator deposit limits, an increased minimum age for high-risk games of chance, and much more.
Right now, we still think this will happen before this year’s conference kicks off. In that case, we will be hearing directly from the regulator how, exactly, the rules will change.
In addition to these specific sessions, tell us a little bit more about the idea behind Gaming in Holland’s new “Reclaim the Market” mission statement.
As is often the case in regulated markets facing stricter compliance measures, the Dutch regulated iGaming sector has seen market share shift toward increasingly aggressive offshore operators. This is a trend we want to halt – and ideally reverse. That ambition is at the heart of our “Reclaim the Market” initiative.
The good news is that licensed operators collectively possess a considerable amount of market power, enabling them to apply meaningful pressure on suppliers, payment providers, marketing affiliates, and other service providers that continue to facilitate the day-to-day operations of offshore operators. The key challenge lies in coordinating these efforts effectively so that this influence delivers tangible results.
Regulatory involvement is also essential. Neither licensed operators nor regulators benefit from the continued growth of the offshore market, making this an area where all parties share a strong common interest.
Looking a bit farther ahead, what do you think is necessary to keep the black market in check long-term?
I think that B2B licensing will become inevitable. It will be a lot of work for regulators, but I am convinced that this is the only way to introduce a meaningful separation, as well as a qualitative difference between licensed and unlicensed offerings. Players can tell that the onshore product is not evidently superior, but still, we expect them to accept worse RTP percentages due to the tax obligations and higher compliance burdens of licensed operators. While players generally prefer to play in the legal market, they will not do so at any price. That is just basic economics.
Even so, I believe the greatest opportunity for change lies in shifting societal attitudes toward gambling. In the Netherlands, for example, gambling is still generally viewed as somewhat taboo or socially questionable. In my view, that stigma can make it easier for players to drift toward illegal operators.
But what if gambling were treated as a fully legitimate and transparent form of entertainment? If it became more normalized and openly accepted, players might naturally gravitate toward licensed operators as the obvious and responsible choice.
That, I believe, is where significant progress can still be made.
The 2026 Gaming in Holland Conference takes place on June 4 at the KIT Royal Tropical Institute in Amsterdam. The full conference agenda is available here. Or click here to register.
The post 2026 Gaming in Holland Conference: #ReclaimTheMarket & More appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
BiS Awards
“Para EGT, el crecimiento sostenible en Brasil depende de la transparencia”
EGT y EGT Digital llegaron a Brasil con una trayectoria consolidada en más de 85 jurisdicciones, bajo la firme decisión de no replicar un modelo internacional en un mercado que exige una adaptación local.
Al frente de esa estrategia se encuentra Celina Guedes, quien lidera la expansión de la compañía en los mercados brasileños de juego, casinos y VLT.
Con más de 20 años de experiencia en los segmentos de casinos físicos y online en Brasil y América Latina, Guedes ha estructurado su enfoque en torno a lo que denomina “glocalización”: aplicar estándares tecnológicos globales al comportamiento, la regulación y las expectativas específicas del jugador brasileño.
Los resultados ya son visibles. EGT ganó la categoría de Mejor Solución VLT en los BiS Awards 2026. El despliegue en Paraíba validó el modelo VLT a escala operativa, con una recurrencia y un compromiso (engagement) por parte de los usuarios que superaron las proyecciones iniciales. En Río de Janeiro, la solución superó la Prueba de Concepto con Loterj, abriendo las puertas a uno de los mercados de juego más estratégicos del país.
In esta entrevista, Guedes analiza qué diferenció a EGT en el competitivo mercado brasileño, cómo funciona la integración omnicanal en la práctica y por qué cree que el crecimiento a largo plazo de la industria depende de la regulación, la transparencia y el juego responsable; no a pesar de ellos, sino gracias a ellos.
Celina, ¡felicitaciones por los BiS Awards 2026! EGT y EGT Digital ganaron en la categoría de Mejor Solución VLT. En tu opinión, ¿cuál fue el “factor X” que diferenció a su producto en un mercado tan competitivo como el de Brasil este año?
Celina Guedes – Creo que nuestro principal diferenciador fue la combinación de una tecnología robusta, la experiencia del jugador y la adaptabilidad al mercado brasileño. EGT ya cuenta con una trayectoria global consolidada en más de 85 jurisdicciones, pero en Brasil no nos limitamos a replicar un modelo internacional: localizamos la solución.
El mercado brasileño exige rendimiento, estabilidad, seguridad regulatoria y, al mismo tiempo, un entretenimiento accesible e intuitivo. Logramos entregar exactamente ese equilibrio a través de una solución VLT omnicanal que es altamente escalable y cuenta con una amplia aceptación por parte de los jugadores.
Además, la integración entre EGT y EGT Digital nos permitió ofrecer un ecosistema completo para operadores y loterías estatales, lo cual es esencial en un entorno cada vez más competitivo y regulado.
Mencionaste que EGT busca establecer “nuevos estándares más altos”. ¿Cómo equilibra la compañía la tecnología global proveniente de Bulgaria con las especificidades culturales y regulatorias del jugador brasileño?
Este equilibrio se logra precisamente porque EGT cuenta con experiencia global pero opera localmente con equipos que entienden profundamente cada mercado.
Brasil tiene características muy específicas: el comportamiento del jugador, el perfil de consumo, una legislación en evolución e incluso preferencias visuales y de jugabilidad. Es por eso que trabajamos en estrecha colaboración con los operadores y los organismos reguladores para adaptar las interfaces, los recorridos del usuario, los métodos de pago, la comunicación y las funciones a las expectativas brasileñas.
Al mismo tiempo, mantenemos los estándares internacionales de seguridad, cumplimiento y estabilidad tecnológica, los cuales son reconocidos a nivel mundial. Esta combinación de experiencia global e inteligencia local es uno de los pilares de nuestro crecimiento en el país.
La operación de Paraíba fue un hito en cuanto a despliegue a gran escala. ¿Cuáles fueron los principales aprendizajes de este proyecto y qué dicen los números iniciales de rendimiento sobre la aceptación del formato VLT por parte de los usuarios?
Paraíba fue extremadamente importante porque validó, en la práctica y a escala operativa, el potencial del modelo VLT en Brasil.
El principal aprendizaje fue la fuerte demanda que existe por un producto regulado que sea seguro y ofrezca una experiencia de entretenimiento de alta calidad. El público respondió de manera muy positiva desde los primeros meses de operación.
Los indicadores iniciales superaron nuestras expectativas en términos de recurrencia de usuarios, compromiso (engagement) y estabilidad operativa. Esto demuestra que los jugadores brasileños están abiertos al formato VLT cuando se presenta dentro de un entorno tecnológico regulado, transparente y confiable.

Respecto a Río de Janeiro: el producto superó la Prueba de Concepto (PoC) con Loterj. ¿Qué puede esperar el mercado de Río de este lanzamiento y cómo planea EGT escalar esta solución a otros estados que están configurando sus loterías en 2026?
Río de Janeiro es un mercado estratégico para toda la industria, y la aprobación de la PoC fue un paso muy relevante.
El mercado puede esperar una solución moderna y segura, diseñada para ofrecer una experiencia física y digital integrada. Nuestro objetivo no es solo desplegar terminales, sino construir un ecosistema sostenible para operadores, loterías y jugadores.
Creemos que muchos estados están observando de cerca los modelos que se están implementando ahora. Por lo tanto, nuestro enfoque es demostrar la eficiencia operativa, la capacidad de generación de ingresos y la responsabilidad regulatoria.
EGT está preparada para escalar rápidamente, ya que cuenta con la infraestructura tecnológica, la experiencia internacional y la adaptabilidad regulatoria necesarias para respaldar nuevos proyectos estatales en diferentes etapas de madurez.
La solución de EGT se describe como completamente omnicanal. Para nuestra audiencia, ¿cómo funciona en la práctica esta integración entre las terminales físicas y la plataforma digital? ¿El jugador se mueve entre ambos mundos con una sola cuenta?
Sí. Ese es uno de nuestros principales diferenciadores.
Los jugadores pueden comenzar su experiencia en una terminal física y continuar en el entorno digital utilizando la misma cuenta, billetera (wallet) e historial de interacción. Esto crea un recorrido fluido, moderno y conveniente.
La integración omnicanal permite a los operadores tener una visión unificada del comportamiento del usuario, lo que viabiliza campañas más inteligentes, programas de fidelización y mecanismos avanzados de cumplimiento.
En la práctica, conectamos lo mejor de ambos mundos: la conveniencia de lo digital con la presencia física y el alcance de las terminales VLT.
In un escenario donde el gobierno está bloqueando plataformas sin solvencia económica, ¿cómo protege la seguridad y transparencia del ecosistema de EGT Digital tanto a los operadores como a los usuarios finales?
Este movimiento regulatorio refuerza algo que EGT siempre ha defendido: el crecimiento sostenible depende de la regulación, la transparencia y la responsabilidad.
Toda la infraestructura de EGT Digital opera bajo estrictos estándares internacionales de cumplimiento, certificación y seguridad tecnológica. Trabajamos con sistemas auditables, controles antifraude, trazabilidad operativa, protección de datos y monitoreo continuo.
Esto protege a los operadores desde el punto de vista regulatorio y financiero, pero también brinda a los consumidores la confianza de utilizar una plataforma legítima, segura y supervisada. En un mercado que madura rápidamente, las empresas sólidas con una trayectoria internacional consistente ganan protagonismo de forma natural.
Estamos viendo un intenso debate en Brasilia sobre la ludopatía y el endeudamiento de los hogares. ¿Cómo incorpora la tecnología VLT de EGT mecanismos de Juego Responsable y controles de gasto para prevenir conductas compulsivas?
El Juego Responsable es un tema central para EGT a nivel global y también en Brasil.
Nuestra tecnología incluye herramientas para el control del tiempo de sesión, límites de depósito y de apuestas, alertas de comportamiento de riesgo y mecanismos de autoexclusión. Además, los operadores pueden monitorear patrones de comportamiento sospechosos de manera mucho más efectiva a través de nuestra tecnología.
Creemos que la regulación y la innovación deben ir de la mano. El objetivo de la industria debe ser proporcionar un entretenimiento seguro, sostenible y transparente.
Este es un debate importante y saludable para la madurez del sector, y EGT quiere ser parte de la construcción de un mercado responsable a largo plazo.
Celina, para cerrar: el Grupo EGT ya está presente en 85 jurisdicciones. Con Brasil alcanzando su madurez en 2026, ¿dónde ves a EGT Digital en el ranking nacional durante los próximos dos años?
Brasil se ha convertido en uno de los mercados de juegos y apuestas más estratégicos del mundo, y EGT ve un enorme potencial de crecimiento aquí.
Durante los próximos dos años, nuestro objetivo es consolidar a EGT y EGT Digital entre los proveedores líderes de tecnología y soluciones omnicanal en el país, expandiendo la presencia tanto en el segmento físico como en el digital.
Estamos invirtiendo fuertemente en expansión operativa, alianzas locales, innovación tecnológica y relaciones institucionales. Creemos que solo estamos al comienzo de la transformación de este mercado en Brasil.
Nuestro enfoque no es solo el crecimiento en números, sino construir una operación sólida y sostenible, reconocida por su excelencia tecnológica y la confianza del mercado.
The post “Para EGT, el crecimiento sostenible en Brasil depende de la transparencia” appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
BiS Awards
“For EGT, sustainable growth in Brazil depends on transparency”
EGT and EGT Digital arrived in Brazil with a consolidated track record across more than 85 jurisdictions — and a deliberate choice not to replicate an international model in a market that demands local adaptation.
At the centre of that strategy is Celina Guedes, who leads the company’s expansion in Brazil’s gaming, casino and VLT markets.
With over 20 years of experience across land-based and online casino segments in Brazil and Latin America, Guedes has built her approach around what she calls “glocalization” , applying global technology standards to the specific behaviour, regulation and expectations of the Brazilian player.
The results are becoming visible. EGT won the Best VLT Solution category at the BiS Awards 2026. The Paraíba rollout validated the VLT model at operational scale, with user recurrence and engagement exceeding initial projections. In Rio de Janeiro, the solution passed the Proof of Concept with Loterj, opening the door to one of the country’s most strategic gaming markets.
In this interview, Guedes discusses what differentiated EGT in a competitive Brazilian market, how omnichannel integration works in practice, and why she believes the industry’s long-term growth depends on regulation, transparency and responsible gaming, not despite them, but because of them.
Celina, congratulations on the BiS Awards 2026! EGT and EGT Digital won in the Best VLT Solution category. In your view, what was the “X factor” that set your product apart in such a competitive market as Brazil this year?
Celina Guedes – I believe our key differentiator was the combination of robust technology, player experience, and adaptability to the Brazilian market. EGT already has a consolidated global track record across more than 85 jurisdictions, but in Brazil we did not simply replicate an international model, we localized the solution.
The Brazilian market demands performance, stability, regulatory security, and at the same time accessible and intuitive entertainment. We were able to deliver exactly that balance through an omnichannel VLT solution that is highly scalable and widely accepted by players.
In addition, the integration between EGT and EGT Digital allowed us to offer a complete ecosystem for operators and state lotteries, which is essential in an increasingly competitive and regulated environment.
You mentioned that EGT seeks to establish “higher new standards.” How does the company balance global technology from Bulgaria with the cultural and regulatory specifics of the Brazilian player?
This balance is achieved precisely because EGT has global expertise but operates locally with teams that deeply understand each market.
Brazil has very specific characteristics: player behavior, consumption profile, evolving legislation, and even visual and gameplay preferences. That is why we work closely with operators and regulatory bodies to adapt interfaces, user journeys, payment methods, communication, and features to Brazilian expectations.
At the same time, we maintain international standards of security, compliance, and technological stability, which are globally recognized. This combination of global experience and local intelligence is one of the pillars of our growth in the country.
The Paraíba operation was a large-scale rollout milestone. What were the key learnings from this project, and what do the initial performance numbers say about user acceptance of the VLT format?
Paraíba was extremely important because it validated, in practice, the potential of the VLT model in Brazil at operational scale.
The main learning was the strong demand for a regulated product that is safe and offers a high-quality entertainment experience. The audience responded very positively from the first months of operation.
Initial indicators exceeded our expectations in terms of user recurrence, engagement, and operational stability. This shows that Brazilian players are open to the VLT format when it is presented within a regulated, transparent, and reliable technological environment.

Regarding Rio de Janeiro: the product passed the Proof of Concept (PoC) with Loterj. What can the Rio market expect from this launch, and how does EGT plan to scale this solution to other states shaping their lotteries in 2026?
Rio de Janeiro is a strategic market for the entire industry, and the PoC approval was a highly relevant step.
The market can expect a modern, secure solution designed to deliver an integrated physical and digital experience. Our goal is not only to deploy terminals, but to build a sustainable ecosystem for operators, lotteries, and players.
We believe many states are closely observing the models being implemented now. Therefore, our focus is to demonstrate operational efficiency, revenue generation capacity, and regulatory responsibility.
EGT is prepared to scale quickly, as it already has technological infrastructure, international experience, and regulatory adaptability to support new state projects at different stages of maturity.
The EGT solution is described as fully omnichannel. For our audience, how does this integration between physical terminals and the digital platform work in practice? Does the player move between both worlds with a single account?
Yes. That is one of our main differentiators. Players can start their experience on a physical terminal and continue in the digital environment using the same account, wallet, and interaction history. This creates a seamless, modern, and convenient journey.
The omnichannel integration allows operators to have a unified view of user behavior, enabling smarter campaigns, loyalty programs, and advanced compliance mechanisms.
In practice, we connect the best of both worlds: the convenience of digital with the physical presence and reach of VLT terminals.
In a scenario where the government is blocking platforms without economic substance, how does the security and transparency of the EGT Digital ecosystem protect both operators and end users?
This regulatory movement reinforces something EGT has always supported: sustainable growth depends on regulation, transparency, and responsibility.
All EGT Digital infrastructure operates under strict international standards of compliance, certification, and technological security. We work with auditable systems, anti-fraud controls, operational traceability, data protection, and continuous monitoring.
This protects operators from a regulatory and financial standpoint, but also gives consumers the confidence of using a legitimate, secure, and supervised platform.
In a rapidly maturing market, solid companies with a consistent international track record naturally gain prominence.
We are seeing an intense debate in Brasília about gambling addiction and household debt. How does EGT VLT technology incorporate Responsible Gaming mechanisms and spending controls to prevent compulsive behavior?
Responsible Gaming is a core topic for EGT globally and also in Brazil.
Our technology includes tools for session time control, deposit and betting limits, risk behavior alerts, and self-exclusion mechanisms. In addition, operators can monitor suspicious behavioral patterns much more effectively through our technology.
We believe regulation and innovation must go hand in hand. The industry’s goal should be to provide safe, sustainable, and transparent entertainment.
This is an important and healthy debate for the sector’s maturity, and EGT wants to be part of building a long-term responsible market.
Celina, to close: EGT Group is already present in 85 jurisdictions. With Brazil reaching maturity in 2026, where do you see EGT Digital in the national ranking over the next two years?
Brazil has become one of the most strategic gaming and betting markets in the world, and EGT sees enormous growth potential here.
Over the next two years, our goal is to consolidate EGT and EGT Digital among the leading technology and omnichannel solution providers in the country, expanding presence in both physical and digital segments.
We are heavily investing in operational expansion, local partnerships, technological innovation, and institutional relationships. We believe we are still at the beginning of the transformation of this market in Brazil.
Our focus is not only growth in numbers, but building a solid, sustainable operation recognized for technological excellence and market trust.
The post “For EGT, sustainable growth in Brazil depends on transparency” appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
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