Central Europe
Austrian Finance Minister Calls for New Gambling Regulator
Austrian finance minister Gernot Blümel has called for the creation of an independent gambling regulator in the country.
Blümel said he wanted to “untangle” multiple functions currently held within the Treasury. “Therefore, the areas of licensing and supervision should be outsourced to an independent gaming authority,” he said.
The minister was discussing the current state of affairs at Casinos Austria, the country’s gambling monopoly, which has been plagued by scandal in recent times.
Accusations made in relation to the betting operator’s appointment as the chief financial officer of Peter Sidlo, a Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) district councillor in Vienna, suggest that the move was designed to ensure that Novomatic could secure political favours from the party.
As per the whistleblowers, Novomatic, which held a 17.19% stake in Casinos Austria, was planning to secure a casino licence in Vienna. This would have essentially scrapped Casinos Austria’s monopoly. All associated parties have firmly denied the allegations.
In the wake of the scandal, Novomatic agreed to sell its share to Czech gaming conglomerate Sazka Group, which already holds a stake of almost 38% in Casinos Austria. Both companies stated that sharing joint control between the parties had not produced the anticipated results.
The deal would give Sazka a sizable majority, ahead of the Austrian state public investment body Österreichische Beteiligungs (ÖBAG), which retains a share of around 33%. While Sazka has promised to ensure ÖBAG will be represented on Casinos Austria’s executive and supervisory boards, the transaction has led to concerns that this may lead to loss of jobs and tax revenue.
While speaking with political discussion show Press Hour, Blümel mentioned he was aiming to negotiate an “Austria package” for the business, via ÖBAG, and secure commitments from Sazka to maintain its presence and staff numbers in the country.
“Casinos Austria is a traditional company in Austria that provides over 3,000 jobs. It is important to me that things settle down and that jobs, its location and tax revenue remain secure,” he said.
He added, “ÖBAG will, therefore, examine how best to ensure such an Austria package.”
London-based video virtuals and instant win games specialist Highlight Games Limited today announces that its flagship products are now live online in Poland with the Fortuna Entertainment Group.
Highlight’s flagship soccer products which feature genuine archive footage from some of the biggest leagues and teams in football are now available to Fortuna’s online customers. Iterations of the product include Italian Football featuring Serie A, Spanish Football featuring LaLiga and English Football featuring English Premier League teams. Additional content featuring ATP Tennis, MotoGP and other premier associations will be launched in the near future.
Steven Holmes, CEO, Highlight Games said: ‘I’m delighted to announce that Highlight Games’ premium video virtuals are now live online in Poland with our valued partners at Fortuna. It’s always an exciting time as we introduce our award-winning products to new customers, and we look forward to bringing additional content to Fortuna’s channels in the future.’
Erik Klems, Group RNG Product Manager, Fortuna Entertainment Group added: ‘Highlight Games’ exclusive soccer games featuring archive video footage are an incredibly exciting addition to our virtual sports offering and we can’t wait for our online customers to enjoy them. Highlight Games’ reputation as an innovator in the virtual sports market is undeniable, and we’re delighted to be working with them to bring their content to Poland.’
The post HIGHLIGHT GAMES LIVE ONLINE WITH FORTUNA appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Euro Games Technology will partner with the Casino Operations Summit for another year in a row. The Bulgarian gaming equipment manufacturer will be a gold sponsor of this year’s event, taking place from May 13 to 15 in Nova Gorica, Slovenia.
The conference is tailored to European multi-channel casino operators and will traditionally bring together keynote speakers who will elaborate on the latest topics in the industry. This year’s main themes will focus on how land-based casinos can successfully address the challenges of the modern world, remaininng relevant and attractive to players, and navigate the ever-growing importance of Casino Online Systems and Casino Management Systems.
In addition, attendees will be able to enjoy a selection of EGT’s newest high-potential products. Among the highlights will be the S 32-32 ST cabinet, which is part of the latest Supreme slot series. Following the contemporary design trends with its 2 high-resolution 32-inch UHD 4K monitors and a frameless UHD 4K display, this model will offer visitors an engaging gaming experience thanks to its numerous ergonomic features. It will also present the Supreme Red Selection and Supreme Bonus Prize Bonus Buy Selection multigames. The mixes offer a rich variety of well-known and brand-new slot titles from the company’s portfolio, allowing everyone to find their preferred type of game.
The slot display will be complemented by the jackpot top performer Bell Link with the multigame Bell Link 2, Bell Link Boost, as well as the popular cabinet G 50 J2 ST.
The post EGT will be a gold sponsor of Casino Operations Summit 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Ani Mkrtchyan, Digitain’s Chief Sales Officer, commented: “We are excited to expand the partnership with Gamingtec and support Betters.pl in delivering an outstanding sports betting experience in Poland. This collaboration aligns with our commitment to expanding in regulated markets and is yet another example of how we partner with industry leaders in gaming excellence—perfectly reflecting Digitain’s new brand slogan: ‘BUILT TO LEAD.’”
The post Digitain Partners with Gamingtec to Expand Presence in Europe appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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