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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Bucharest
Eeze opens 1,200 sqm Bucharest hub for technical teams
The new AFI Park Floreasca office opened on 29 June as Eeze grows its Romanian headcount past 60.
Eeze has opened a new Bucharest office at AFI Park Floreasca, with the 1,200 sqm hub officially launched on 29 June following completion of the relocation project.
The Bucharest site will house Eeze’s technical teams and support its growth plans across Europe. The company said the office is one of its three major international hubs, alongside its headquarters in Malta and its UK operations in London.
Eeze said it employs more than 900 people across Europe. Its Romanian team stands at over 60 employees and is continuing to grow, with active recruitment across engineering and corporate roles.
Lai Fatt Chiang, Chief Executive Officer at Eeze, said: “The opening of our Bucharest office is an important milestone for Eeze and reflects our long-term commitment to Romania. What began as a strategic expansion project has now become a thriving operational hub that plays a huge role in our global business.
“We have been extremely impressed by the quality of talent available in Bucharest and look forward to continuing our growth here.”
The post Eeze opens 1,200 sqm Bucharest hub for technical teams appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
central asia
Groove confirms attendance at SBC Summit Tbilisi 2026
Groove has confirmed it will attend SBC Summit Tbilisi 2026, scheduled for 15–16 July at the Sheraton Grand Tbilisi Metechi Palace, as it targets growth across Eastern European and Central Asian iGaming markets.
The conference is expected to draw more than 2,500 industry professionals, according to the company, following 2025’s record attendance with delegates from 44 countries. Groove said it will bring a full commercial delegation to pursue partnerships with regional operators.
Yahale Meltzer, Co-Founder and CEO of Groove, said: “Eastern Europe and Central Asia represent some of the most dynamic growth opportunities in iGaming today. SBC Summit Tbilisi is where the region’s decision-makers converge, and we are arriving with a platform built for scale, speed, and regulatory precision.” He added: “Our Unseen Architecture of predictive auto-scaling, atomic transactions, and a real-time compliance mesh ensures operators can launch fast and adapt locally, whether they are entering Georgia, the Balkans, the Baltics, or Central Asia.”
Meltzer also pointed to the SBC Regulators Summit as a factor in the company’s focus on the event, saying: “With regulation front and centre as a business-critical priority, and direct access to regulators through the SBC Regulators Summit, this event is where commercial realities are forged. Groove delivers the toolbox, the content, and the expertise to turn ambition into measurable growth.”
Ana Sokhadze, Operations Manager at Groove, who will lead the company’s presence in Tbilisi, said: “SBC Summit Tbilisi is the meeting point for the region’s most ambitious operators, affiliates, and technology suppliers. This is where high-value networking translates into real commercial opportunity.” She added: “We are not here to hand out brochures. We are here to have conversations that become partnerships.”
The post Groove confirms attendance at SBC Summit Tbilisi 2026 appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Acquisitions/Merger
Super agrees to acquire Romania’s Crafting Technologies for new Cluj tech hub
Deal would add a Romanian engineering base and 50 planned hires, expanding Super’s European technology footprint.
Super has agreed to acquire Crafting Technologies, a software development company based in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, as it moves to open its first technology hub in the country. The transaction is subject to customary approvals.
Super said the acquisition will establish a Romania hub alongside its existing tech hubs in Croatia, Spain, Netherlands, United Kingdom and Brazil, which it says together include more than 900 software engineers and developers.
As part of the expansion in Cluj, Super plans to open an initial 50 new positions and bring Crafting Technologies’ engineering team into the organisation.
Albert Simsensohn, Deputy CEO, Super, said: “We are confident that Romania’s mature and competitive technology ecosystem provides access to specialized engineering capabilities essential for Super’s future roadmap. Moreover, the city of Cluj-Napoca offers a vibrant environment of innovation combined with operational efficiency and proximity to our regional hubs.
“Crafting Technologies will bring a proven internal talent academy that develops engineers and upskills existing talent, strengthening our long-term capacity and supporting the execution of our technology roadmap.”
Gabriel Bota, Co-founder & CEO, Crafting Technologies, added: “Over the past 10 years, through Crafting Software and now Crafting Technologies, we have built a team focused on engineering quality, trust, and long-term partnerships. What started as a small group of friends, passionate engineers, evolved into a company delivering critical systems for high-growth businesses.
“Joining forces with Super feels like a natural next step for us. We already share a strong technical connection, and also a very similar way of thinking about ownership, speed, and building reliable technology that can scale over time.
“We’re excited about continuing to grow the Cluj technology hub together and bringing the same culture and mindset that shaped Crafting since day one.”
The post Super agrees to acquire Romania’s Crafting Technologies for new Cluj tech hub appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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