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.”
Central Europe
CT Interactive strengthens presence in Slovakia with launch of new games on Tipos.sk
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CT Interactive has expanded its footprint in the regulated Slovak market with the launch of a new portfolio of high-quality games on Tipos.sk. The portfolio features a selection of popular slots, including 20 Mega Star, 50 Treasures, 100 x Fresh, Dancing Dragons, Lucky 3 Penguins, and more, with five titles offering the innovative Buy Bonus feature to enhance gameplay strategy and player choice.
The launch will be accompanied by an exclusive tournament with attractive prize pools, providing players with an engaging experience while boosting traffic and visibility on Tipos.sk.
“Our newly certified portfolio delivers a fresh and dynamic gaming experience tailored for the Slovak audience,” said Ivan Zoumpalov, Regional Manager for the Czech Republic and Slovak Republic.
Martin Ivanov, Chief Operating Officer at CT Interactive, added: “The expansion of our content offering on Tipos.sk represents a major step in our broader international growth strategy. We are pleased to deliver a compelling and diverse array of content to our esteemed partner, while reaffirming our long-term commitment to the Slovak market.”
This expansion underscores CT Interactive’s dedication to innovation, regulatory compliance, and delivering premium gaming content to players across global markets.
The post CT Interactive strengthens presence in Slovakia with launch of new games on Tipos.sk appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
2025 Gaming in Germany Conference
Evaluation of State Gambling Treaty key topic at 2025 Gaming in Germany Conference
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In two weeks, operators, industry analysts, and legal experts will once again gather in Berlin to attend the 2025 Gaming in Germany Conference. This year’s event will take place on Tuesday, November 11.
Key topic: Evaluation of 2021 State Gambling Treaty
The 2021 State Gambling Treaty (GlüStV 2021) is currently being evaluated by the German federal states, with a final report expected next year.
The outcome of this evaluation will determine to what extent Germany’s iGaming regulatory framework will be adjusted to reflect market realities. Already, it appears that certain things the industry has been clamoring for – e.g., easier game certification – will become a reality.
While the industry will certainly not get everything it wants, the direction of regulatory development could be toward improvement.
Willem van Oort, Founder of Gaming in Germany commented: “This year’s Gaming in Germany Conference is where important discussions will take place on which regulatory goals to pursue. Major stakeholders, including operators, trade associations, and the regulator, are all coming. I think this underscores the importance of our event. Moreover, it is the only conference aimed at the German market where both domestic and international stakeholders show up to connect and share insights and information. If you want to help shape the conversation and meet key stakeholders, Berlin is the place to be.”
Breakout program
In addition to high-level regulatory and policy-related information, the 2025 Gaming in Germany Conference also offers highly practical information on topics such as data compliance, game certification, RG, live casino, eSports, and much more. Breakout sessions will be hosted by trained experts and are highly interactive.
Agenda & registration
The 2025 Gaming in Germany Conference takes place at the DoubleTree Hilton Ku’damm in Berlin – just 100 meters from the magnificent Kurfürstendamm.
The event’s agenda – including breakout program – is available here.
Registration for the 2025 Gaming in Germany Conference is now open.
The post Evaluation of State Gambling Treaty key topic at 2025 Gaming in Germany Conference appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Affiliate Industry
MelBet Partners to Bring UFC Champion Kamaru Usman to SiGMA Central Europe
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SiGMA Europe is one of the most significant events in the iGaming industry. This year, the event is taking place in Rome and will bring together over 30,000 attendees, 1200 sponsors and feature four stages with 550+ top speakers.
On November 05, in partnership with MelBet Partners & Affiliates, former MMA legend and World Champion Kamaru Usman will join the event as a special guest. At booth 5067G attendees of SiGMA Central Europe have the chance to take photos, hear insights and what it takes to rise to the top on a global stage.
During the conference, there will be two activities available for guests at MelBet’s booth:
Punch Challenge. Anyone can come to the booth on November 4 and test their punching power. The person with the strongest punch will have the honour of competing against Kamaru Usman himself.
Want to get exclusive merchandise and take a photo with the MelBet Partners & Affiliates championship belt? Visit the booth. Follow MelBet’s official Instagram account and take a picture with the belt. Those who post a story with the championship belt and tag MelBet will automatically be entered into a drawing for exclusive UFC-themed merchandise.
There will also be a private party, Triumph of the Gladiators, exclusively for the partners and representatives of MelBet Partners & Affiliates, which Kamaru himself will attend. This evening will be an epic event, where history and modernity merge into one.
The post MelBet Partners to Bring UFC Champion Kamaru Usman to SiGMA Central Europe appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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