Latest News

BGC Urges UK Government to Give Protection for Gambling Industry Jobs Amid Coronavirus Concerns

Published

6 years ago

March 18, 2020

The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) has urged the UK Chancellor to take steps to protect gambling industry jobs following the Prime Minister’s public advice to avoid social gatherings and crowded places, such as pubs, clubs and theatres. BGC members directly employ more than 70,000 people across the UK.

BGC has consulted its members on the impact of the restrictions being put in place to help tackle COVID-19. BGC informed that the most immediate priority for emergency assistance is with employment costs. It has also highlighted the model of support introduced in other countries.

BGC also calls for banks to extend existing SME support on interest suspension and repayment holidays. The BGC has called for reform of business rates in their budget submission.

Last week, the customer levels have dropped by up to 90% at some casinos. Betting shops face a decrease of up to 60% trade on sports betting alone as confirmation came through that the Grand National will be cancelled along with all other major sporting events.

Michael Dugher, BGC chief executive said:

“We face an unprecedented challenge to keep both customers and staff safe during the COVID-19 health crisis.

“Like all other parts of the hospitality, leisure and entertainment industries, the immediate priority for the future of our members in the casino, bingo and betting industry is the ability to pay staff. We urgently need temporary government support to help cover payroll costs, relief and time to pay duties and taxes, as well as access to finance. Treasury in particular need to step up and understand that insurance simply doesn’t cover the impact of a pandemic.

“We are speaking with the Government to ensure they are fully aware of the crisis facing our members and discussing the steps necessary to help the leisure industry and their staff through this incredibly challenging period.

“This is a national emergency. The Government’s public health response has to be matched in scale by emergency help for businesses and employees. The Treasury cannot let people in the hospitality, leisure and entertainment hang out to dry.”

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Funding

EasyWin closes second seed round at $20m valuation

Published

2 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Wladimir P.

easywin-closes-second-seed-round-at-$20m-valuation

Real-money casual puzzle tournament startup says an EU private investor backed the April 2026 round.

EasyWin, a U.S.-based real-money gaming startup, said it has closed its second seed funding round at a $20 million valuation. The company announced the round in April 2026 and said it was backed by a private investor from the European Union.

The company previously closed its first seed round in December 2025 at a $15.5 million valuation. That round included funding from Velo Partners, Vladimir Nikolsky and several private angel investors.

EasyWin was founded by Ivan Leshkevich, a former executive at mobile game publisher and developer Mamboo Entertainment. The startup, which currently has a team of eight, says it has built a global tournament platform for casual puzzle games with cash prizes and operates across major markets.

Since launching in 2025, EasyWin reported 25% month-over-month growth in user spending and a 4.9 average user rating. It also said it has expanded into 12 countries with localized legal opinions and payment infrastructure, received PayPal approval for its MCC, and completed payments-stack integrations with global providers.

The company also said it has obtained GLI certification “confirming compliance with U.S. regulations for skill-based gaming products.” Leshkevich said: “In the long term, we aim to become a leading global skill-based gaming platform. To achieve this, we focus on a strong product USP and new AI-based dev tools.”

The post EasyWin closes second seed round at $20m valuation appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

bingo

Plaza Hotel & Casino sets $250,000 Super Bingo event for July 3-5

Published

2 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Wladimir P.

plaza-hotel-&-casino-sets-$250,000-super-bingo-event-for-july-3-5

Downtown Las Vegas property says the July Super Bingo will be its largest prize purse to date, with sessions on July 4-5.

Plaza Hotel & Casino will stage a $250,000 “Super Bingo” event in Las Vegas July 3-5, positioning it as a special edition tied to the nation’s 250th anniversary. The operator said the prize pool is the largest in the series’ history.

“The Plaza will be celebrating its 55th anniversary and the 250th anniversary of our great country in July, so it is only fitting that we make our Super Bingo event that month our biggest and best ever,” said Jonathan Jossel, CEO of the Plaza Hotel & Casino. “Our Super Bingo events have always drawn a packed crowd to our convention space, and we anticipate the July event to sell out quickly.”

According to the Plaza, Super Bingo draws nearly 1,000 attendees, including visitors traveling from Hawaii and Canada. For the July edition, bingo-only registration is set at $250 per person for gameplay on Saturday, July 4 and Sunday, July 5. The Plaza is also offering an optional five-night hotel package priced at $200 per person, with no resort fee, for check-in July 2 and check-out July 6.

The Plaza outlined the payout structure as 20 games paying $1,999 each day, plus a daily “super coverall” of $60,000, second place of $15,000, and third place of $10,020. The casino said prizes will be paid in cash and players must be present to win.

Outside of the special event, the Plaza said its bingo room runs six daily sessions at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m., 5 p.m., 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. and is located two floors above the main casino.

The post Plaza Hotel & Casino sets $250,000 Super Bingo event for July 3-5 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Latest News

EasyWin closes second seed round at $20m valuation

Published

2 hours ago

May 6, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

U.S.-based real-money gaming startup says the round was backed by a private investor from the European Union.

EasyWin, a Delaware-based real-money gaming startup, said it has closed its second seed funding round at a $20 million valuation in April 2026. The company said the round was backed by a private investor from the European Union.

The announcement follows EasyWin’s first seed round, which the company said closed in December 2025 at a $15.5 million valuation. EasyWin said that round included funding from Velo Partners, Vladimir Nikolsky and several private angel investors.

Founded by Ivan Leshkevich, a former executive at mobile game publisher and developer Mamboo Entertainment, EasyWin said it has built a global tournament platform for casual puzzle games with cash prizes. The company said it operates across major markets with a team of eight people.

EasyWin said that since launching in 2025 it has delivered 25% month-over-month growth in user spending and maintains a 4.9 average user rating. The company also said it has expanded into 12 countries with localized legal opinions and payment infrastructure.

On product and compliance milestones, EasyWin said it received PayPal approval for its MCC and completed full integration of its payments stack with leading global providers. The company also said it has obtained GLI certification from an independent testing agency, which it said confirms compliance with U.S. regulations for skill-based gaming products.

“In the long term, we aim to become a leading global skill-based gaming platform,” said Ivan Leshkevich, founder of EasyWin. “To achieve this, we focus on a strong product USP and new AI-based dev tools.”

The post EasyWin closes second seed round at $20m valuation appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.