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Baltic regulators panel discussion and round table confirmed at MARE BALTICUM Gaming Summit (Tallinn, Estonia)

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Baltic regulators gather this August in Tallinn at the 3rd edition of the MARE BALTICUM Gaming Summit (live conference).

 

The Baltic online and land-based gambling industry has been hit hard by the COVID-19 lockdowns and tax revenues of the Baltic states have fallen drastically during the first semester of 2020.

In Estonia, the restrictions imposed due to coronavirus are having a significant impact on gambling tax receipts, to the extent they are paralyzing many activities, including those related to social welfare, financed by the tax and under the auspices of the Ministry of Social Affairs, the ministry says.

Lithuania’s gambling revenue for Q1 2020 has fallen 2.8% year-on-year to €25.9m, with an increased online contribution not enough to offset land-based declines caused by Covid-19.

Despite the decline in revenue, turnover across all licensees was up 13.8% to €296.5m in the three months to March 31. This was due to a significant jump in the contribution from online betting and gaming, which climbed 54.2% to €201.2m, meaning the channel accounted for 67.9% of market turnover in Q1. With Lithuania’s land-based venues closed from 16 March, turnover for the channel was down 20.8% to €94.3m.

The Latvian parliament (Saeima) has passed a bill on June 5 that effectively allows the return of gaming. Under the bill, both online and land-based gaming operations can return to business. As a result, the gambling industry in Latvia is planning to return as of June 9.

All gaming operations in Latvia were banned after a bill introduced on March 22. This was a direct result of the country’s government aiming at reducing the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19). Back in April, the Latvian government updated the bill, effectively banning online gaming with an instant effect.

At the live edition of MARE BALTICUM Gaming Summit that will be held on the 6th of August in Tallinn at Radisson Blu Hotel Olümpia Tallinn, the Baltic regulators are joining a unique panel discussion and round table discussion to bring the latest information about the outcome of the lockdowns, but also to discuss together with the industry the way forward.

The panel discussion will be moderated by the MARE BALTICUM Gaming Summit Ambassador, Andrius Gabnys (Attorney At Law – Gabnys Law Firm) and will be joined by Sören Meius (Estonian Ministry of Finance), Lolita Sumskaite (Ministry of Finance Lithuania) and Signe Birne (Director of Lotteries and Gambling Supervisory Inspection of the Republic of Latvia). More names from the Baltic regulatory bodies will be added in the upcoming weeks.

Make sure to book as fast as possible as the seating is limited! You can choose one of the packages that include either delegate pass or delegate pass and accommodation combo (VIP Package)!

As mentioned in earlier press releases, the conference is going ahead as planned and based on official sources, Estonia has allowed from June 1 for citizens from EU and EEA countries with a slow current spread of COVID-19 to enter the country without the requirement of a 14-day self-isolation period.

You can consult the list that is updated weekly on the following link.

As in earlier years, the conference will also feature the next edition of the Baltic and Scandinavian Gaming Awards (BSG Awards). Read more here…

MARE BALTICUM – The Baltic and Scandinavian Gaming Summit will once again bring together the leading companies in the Baltic and Scandinavian region for a full day of quality learning and networking with local regulators and industry experts.

You can find more details about the Agenda here or you can register here!

Browse the official event website here: www.marebalticumgaming.com

You can view the photo gallery from the inaugural event on the following link.

Browse the video archives of the panel discussions which were recorded on the 7th of May at the virtual edition of the conference.

For further inquiries about the 2020 live edition of MBGS and BSG Awards (6 August – Tallinn, Estonia), speaking/attending/sponsoring options, make sure to send an e-mail to Andrada Bota (B2B Sales Executive at Hipther Agency) or subscribe to the weekly newsletter on the following link.

Visit www.marebalticumgaming.com for more details!

For media-related inquiries, please contact Alexandru Marginean (Marketing Specialist at Hipther Agency).

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Introducing the newest testing tool for AI-boosted customer engagement

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Is AI technology really at the point where it can truly add value to customer engagement? Tugi Tark’s new sandbox environment allows operators to find out. 

Tugi Tark, the Estonian-based international AI customer service company, has launched its sandbox this week with the aim of giving operators the ability to explore how AI could work for their players, using their specific casino policies and player profiles, all in a real-world scenario.

By testing an unlimited number of situations wherein players interact with AI agents, the sandbox allows operators to experience how conversations and escalation flows would work if they implemented Tugi Tark as their customer service solution.

Harpo Lilja, CEO of Tugi Tark, explains: “The sandbox is essentially a controlled environment we’ve created where operators can test the AI agent capabilities against their own needs. They can configure the sandbox to their specific casino policies and adjust the agent’s tone of voice  — which gives them a first-hand preview of how our AI agent can serve their players.

He continues: “One reason we built the sandbox is that we know from conversations with operators that people are still hesitant about whether AI solutions have reached a point in customer service where the impact is worth implementing – or if AI technology is still at a level where it risks alienating players due to poor quality. And people don’t want to commit if they don’t really know what they’re getting, which is often the case, as companies usually don’t provide enough testing to do so.

What does the sandbox allow operators to do?

Tugi Tark’s sandbox can mimic everything operators need to see how it actually works, including:

  • player frustrations

  • technical troubleshooting

  • KYC concerns, bonus requests

  • payment issues, and more.

Casinos can manually add synthetic player data without integration, which showcases how well the AI agent can handle player inquiries when it has access to both policy documentation, player data, and gaming history.

Tugi Tark’s hybrid AI model blends operational automation with human oversight, focused on compliance, emotional intelligence, empathy, service mindset, and player safety. And now, that’s available for operators to test fully using their own unique circumstances.

The testing environment allows manual casino player profile inputs, such as name, account creation date, birthday, KYC status, account limits, player segment, available bonuses, transaction and game history, and a brand’s all policies.

Using intuitive automation, the AI agent is contextually appropriate for each conversation – there are no drop-down menus or prompts, but rather, ‘natural’ language that mimics how humans communicate. For example, if users misspell, abbreviate, or use slang, the agent will understand, and if not, it will ask follow-up questions until it does.

Another feature that was integrated for customer comfort is that if a player is a little vague, rather than return the classic AI chatbot “I didn’t understand your inquiry”, the agent can check all the KYC documentation, including status, player history, exact amounts and date, so it can ask intuitive follow-up questions and arrive at a solution more quickly and thoroughly.

“With the sandbox up and running, any operator in dozens of languages and geos is able to test how Tugi Tark’s AI  agents will work, on their site, within their player base. That means without having to endure lengthy sales pitches or commit to a product, operators are able to test exactly what it’s like having our technology work for them,” concludes Lilja. “And the great thing is that the entire process has a setup time of 30 minutes.

The post Introducing the newest testing tool for AI-boosted customer engagement appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Baltics

Bombay announces strategic C-Suite appointments with a view towards regulated online growth

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Bombay Group is pleased to announce two strategic appointments to its C-Suite, Rhiannon Bach as Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), and Lauren Findlay as Chief Digital Officer (CDO). Bach and Findlay join the executive leadership team at a pivotal moment in the Group’s evolution.

The Group encompasses Bombay Club Tallinn, the exclusive Bombay Yacht and Jet, a collection of high-end restaurants and bars, the five-star Burman Hotel, and most recently the launch of Yolo.com, a newly licensed, Estonian-regulated online casino. Yolo.com is set to become a unique digital destination where players can unlock exclusive rewards and experiences across Bombay’s prestigious offline assets. Bombay forms part of Yolo Group’s luxury B2B and B2C offering, covering a suite of online and land-based options.

Bach will lead the global marketing and advertising for Bombay Group, overseeing the company’s Clubs, maritime operations, and expanding hospitality and concierge brands. Her mandate includes strengthening brand identity, elevating guest experiences and expanding loyalty and VIP engagement across markets. With a career spanning four continents, Bach brings more than 15 years of senior leadership experience in casino marketing, hospitality, and technology. She has held executive roles with multinational casino operators in Macau, Australia, and the United States, and most recently served as Head of North American Growth for Atomize RMS, a Sweden-based hospitality technology company.

Findlay is tasked with leading the Group’s new flagship online casino, Yolo.com, and driving the digital transformation of Bombay Group’s luxury offline ecosystem into a seamlessly integrated premium digital experience. She brings over 15 years of combined experience in iGaming, agency, and e-commerce, having previously held senior leadership roles including Commercial Strategy Director at LeoVegas Group, Chief Marketing Officer within Happy Hour Group. More recently, she has served as Fractional CCO/CMO for multiple start-ups and scale-ups through her consultancy. Her expertise lies in go-to-market launches, brand development, and optimising commercial performance across digital acquisition and retention operations.

“We are delighted to welcome Rhiannon and Lauren to the executive leadership team,” said Kevin McGowen, Chief Executive of Bombay Group. “The combined and extensive international backgrounds of both individuals and proven track record make these executive appointments exceptionally well-suited to lead Bombay’s digital and marketing strategies as we continue to expand globally.”

These appointments underscore Bombay Group’s commitment to investing in world-class leadership and delivering innovative, memorable experiences to guests worldwide.

The post Bombay announces strategic C-Suite appointments with a view towards regulated online growth appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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SEOBROTHERS ambassador Jevgenijs Aleksejevs crowned IBF Europe Middleweight boxing champion

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Latvian boxer and SEOBROTHERS ambassador Jevgenijs “The Hurricane” Aleksejevs has captured the IBF Europe Middleweight title, defeating Poland’s Przemysław Zyśk in a commanding performance at the KOK 127 World Series event, held on Saturday night at the Xiaomi Arena in Riga.

The victory continues Aleksejevs’ unbeaten streak and marks his second major title. In September 2024, the 32-year-old claimed the IBO European Middleweight belt.

Eugene Ravdin, Head of PR at SEOBROTHERS, said: “Congratulations to Jevgenijs and all the team behind him. This title took an awful lot of effort from an awful lot of people. We’re proud of Jevgenijs. Winning the IBF Europe title confirms his place among Europe’s top middleweights.”

Aleksejevs dictated the pace from the opening bell, targeting the body and mixing in precise combinations. Zyśk, known for his resilience and inconvenient style, attempted to disrupt Aleksejevs’ rhythm through frequent clinches, but struggled to find momentum.

As the fight progressed, Aleksejevs showcased his technical versatility — alternating between body and head attacks, using sharp uppercuts, and controlling the distance.

The final rounds saw the Polish fighter pushing for a knockout, but Aleksejevs’ composure and defense ensured a decisive finish. The judges delivered a unanimous decision: 100-89, 99-90, and 98-91, all in favour of Aleksejevs.

Aleksejevs said: “To be honest, I got sick a day before the fight – I didn’t tell anyone, but I felt like I was run over by a truck. Still, to stand here now as European champion is incredible.”

“In the first round, I landed some good shots, but then I decided to slow down and not waste too much energy. My opponent is a tough, tricky boxer. Even though I wasn’t at my best physically, I stuck to the plan and it worked.”

The post SEOBROTHERS ambassador Jevgenijs Aleksejevs crowned IBF Europe Middleweight boxing champion appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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