Eastern Europe
Covid-19 Sets Back Romanian Gambling Industry by Five Years
Covid-19 pandemic has set back the Romanian gambling industry by five years, according to the data from the National Institute of Statistics (INS).
The Romanian gambling operators experienced one of the most severe declines of the last 30 years between March and May this year. The local gambling and entertainment industry fell by about 24% in March 2020 compared to the same period of 2015. The gambling sector’s March turnover was only 57 % of February’s. Then, in April and May, gambling businesses reported almost zero revenue.
“Given the situation, we made the necessary business continuity decisions and decided that the safety of our customers and employees was our main priority. We focused on the long-term business principles and we organized our activity so that we would be able to adapt as quickly as possible to the multitude of changes that occurred during this period. For example, over the past three months we went from ‘closed until further notice’ to being open round the clock and then back to limited opening hours (until 11 PM, later extended to midnight), and we hope to be able to return to our non-stop hours as soon as possible. During all this time, we’ve been focusing on communicating with our clients and employees, for whom we’ve taken extra health and safety measures. Maintaining communication with professional associations and the authorities for accurate information on the latest developments concerning gambling halls was equally important,” Attila “Otto” Török, strategy director at Game World Romania, said.
According to the latest data provided by the National Gambling Office (ONJN), 250 gambling operators are currently active on the Romanian market. They contribute about EUR 600 million to the state budget every year. At the beginning of 2020, there were about 45,000 direct employees of the local gambling industry and a few other thousand worked in related and dependent fields.
“According to Romslot data, for each RON the Romanian gambling industry generates, the upstream and downstream industries – HoReCa, IT&C, security – generate another 5 RON,” Török said.
He added that Game World currently has about 400 employees, while the parent group has a workforce of about 2000.
When talking about the biggest challenges the gambling industry is now facing, Török says these are related to the coronavirus pandemic and the health crisis, even though all operators have strictly implemented all the measures required by authorities to limit the spread of the virus.
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Eastern Europe
Conquering Challenges: TotoGaming in Romania – 1 Year in the Market
On January 16, 2024, TotoGaming, a brand with 20 years of experience in Armenia, entered the Romanian market.
A year later, as the brand reflects on its achievements, it acknowledges that its goal has always been to conquer challenging heights—a philosophy deeply embedded in Toto’s vision: making champion-like decisions and pursuing them relentlessly.
Today, totogaming.ro stands out as one of Romania’s “rising stars” a fact underscored by its shortlisting in the “Rising Star” category at the EGR Europe Awards 2025.
“What we planned after entering the market was achieved within the first few months, which is a strong indicator of our success,” said TotoGaming CEO Harutyun Vardanyan.
Let’s look through the highlights from TotoGaming’s 1st year in Romania.
The brand launched in Romania with a collaboration featuring global football star Luís Figo. This victory march of partnerships continued with one of Romania’s oldest clubs, CFR Cluj, uniting to embark on a Path to the Glory together.
Added 56 new providers and launched 2,568 new games, including new features like Bet Builder, Quick Bet, Autobet, and Copybet.
Introduced TotoChat, an active platform for users to interact and share their best experiences.
For sports betting enthusiasts, offered:100+ sports, spanning 3,000+ global tournaments and over 1,000 football championships across 150+ countries. Real-time stats, line-ups, and formations for 15,000+ international leagues. A staggering 100,000+ pre-match and 150,000+ live events streamed monthly.
The contact center achieved remarkable results in customer satisfaction, recording an 81% chat satisfaction rate, surpassing the industry average of 76%.
Totogaming stands out for its impressive payment speed. Statistics reveal that 15.50% of transactions are processed in under a minute, with 77.30% completed within 10 minutes. The brand is dedicated to supporting its customers, offering step-by-step guidance over the phone whenever they face challenges during transactions.
This marks the beginning of a long journey for TotoGaming, and the past year has clearly shown that the brand is determined to achieve every goal it sets for itself.
The post Conquering Challenges: TotoGaming in Romania – 1 Year in the Market appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Eastern Europe
Bogdan Smeu joins CT Interactive as Regional Manager for Romania
Bogdan Smeu is the new Regional Manager for Romania at CT Interactive. With over 20 years in the gaming and entertainment industry, Bogdan brings a wealth of experience in sales, operations, and customer relationship management.
His strong track record in driving growth and achieving results, combined with his strategic approach to business development, makes him a great fit for this role.
Bogdan’s background includes leadership in sales management, business strategy, and team building, along with a focus on quality standards and budget optimization. His expertise in casino operations and hands-on industry experience further supports his capabilities.
Holding a degree from the “Henri Coanda” Air Force Academy and a technical background from Technical High School Hidromecanica Brasov, Bogdan’s unique mix of technical and managerial skills has driven his success in complex business environments.
At CT Interactive, he will focus on expanding our presence in Romania and aligning his extensive experience with our mission of providing innovative gaming solutions.
We wish him every success in his new role and look forward to the growth and achievements he will bring to the company.
The post Bogdan Smeu joins CT Interactive as Regional Manager for Romania appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Balkans
EGT Digital to showcase innovations at BEGE Expo 2024
At the highly anticipated BEGE Expo 2024, EGT Digital will highlight its diverse portfolio of top-performing products and exciting innovations. Visitors can explore these offerings at booth 4.0 alongside the latest advancements from EGT.
The company’s extensive gaming solutions include popular instant games and its bestsellers Bell Link, Clover Chance, High Cash, and Single Progressive Jackpot, featuring over 120 in-house developed slots. Attendees can experience renowned titles like Burning Goals, Amazons’ Battle, and Sugar Duke, as well as the upcoming 5×6 Fruity Shots. This cocktail-themed game includes multipliers ranging from x2 to x500 and introduces Toppling Reels for enhanced win opportunities.
EGT Digital’s “all-in-one” betting platform X-Nave will also be on display with its four modular solutions: Sport Product, Gaming Aggregator, CRM Engine, and Payment Gateway.
The Sport Product will debut its Customizable Tournament Page, designed to ensure effortless navigation and a personalized betting experience.
The Gaming Aggregator, offering over 12,000 titles, will present features like the Buy Bonus, Hot and Cold games category with live RTP insights, and tools for personalized content such as the Recommendation Engine and Casino as Widget.
The CRM Engine will showcase advanced player segmentation and AI/ML-driven tools for tailored game suggestions.
The Payment Gateway will emphasize its secure, player-focused design with options like deposit repeat, bonus selection, and two-factor authentication.
“We are delighted to participate in BEGE Expo once again,” commented Tsvetomira Drumeva, Head of Sales at EGT Digital. “During this 15th edition we will showcase a solid dose of innovations, sure to impress clients and partners in the region. We are also looking forward to the BEGE Awards, where EGT Digital is a finalist in numerous categories.”
EGT Digital’s commitment to innovation and excellence continues to position the company among the leaders in the iGaming industry.
The post EGT Digital to showcase innovations at BEGE Expo 2024 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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