Central Europe
DSWV Urges German Government to Restart Sportsbook Licensing Process
Deutsche Sportwettenverband (DSWV), the German association of sports betting providers, has called on the German government to restart the stalled sportsbook licensing process after the country’s sports betting sector saw sales fall 16.1% in 2020 following the disruption caused by Covid-19.
DSWV president Mathias Dahms also warned that the strict controls for the online casino had already prompted a mass migration of players to unlicensed sites, and urged a rethink on how the vertical is regulated.
Tax figures from the Federal Ministry of Finance reveal that industry turnover declined from 2019’s record €9.3bn to €7.8bn (£6.9bn/$9.4bn). Tax revenue for the year fell 16.2% year-on-year to €389m.
The industry association noted that if January and February’s figures were taken out, to cover the impact of Covid-19 from March onwards, turnover would have been down more than 20% compared to the prior year.
In April and May, DSWV president Dahms noted, the market “collapsed completely.” With betting shops closed and sporting events suspended, turnover plummeted 90% year-on-year for April, then fell 75% in May.
Amid accusations that the gambling industry was profiting from the crisis, Dahms said, “the exact opposite is true.”
It was only in late summer, when the sporting calendar was packed as postponed events took place, that staking stabilised, the DSWV explained. The economic situation, however, remained “extremely tense,” it added.
“During the current lockdown, all 5,000 to 6,000 betting shops nationwide are closed or have been [offering a reduced service]. Approximately 25,000 employees are mostly on short-time work and in fear for their jobs, while the operators fear for their businesses’ futures,” Dahms explained.
He said that with betting shops denied state aid, the government must set out a roadmap towards reopening, including the social distancing and sanitisation measures required of operators.
This financial crisis, the DSWV continued, had been exacerbated by the transitional regulations for online casino that came into force as of 15 October. This has been followed by “massive” migration of consumers to black market operators, mostly based in Asia and the Caribbean.
A survey of DSWV members claims each operator has seen igaming turnover fall by an average of 54% in the wake of the transitional regime beginning. This requires operators to cap online slot stakes at €1 per spin, with spin speeds to average 5 seconds.
“It is clear that the strict regulations for virtual slot machines have channeled the market away almost overnight – unfortunately in the wrong direction. It is unrealistic to believe that German customers will get used to the excessive restrictions of the State Treaty and come back to licensed providers as long as they can play with competitors who offer them much better conditions,” Dahms said.
“We urgently need improvements to the regulations and a functioning enforcement against illegal offers. Otherwise, established providers willing to regulate will withdraw from the German gaming market,” Dahms added.
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Alex Green Vice President Games at ZEAL
Wunderino Adds ZEAL’s Premium Slots as Partnership Kicks Off
ZEAL Instant Games, part of the ZEAL Group and an online gaming provider, has initiated a new partnership with Wunderino, a prominent online slot brand in Germany. As a part of the collaboration, Wunderino is enhancing its entertainment portfolio with a forthcoming increasing range of ZEAL slots. The initial titles are now active and accessible to players on Wunderino.de.
Increased diversity for gamers – enhanced exposure for premium titles.
The new collaboration brings evident benefits for both firms: Wunderino is boosting its online gaming selection with ZEAL content, further solidifying its status as an innovation-focused provider in the German iGaming sector. Simultaneously, ZEAL Instant Games leverages Wunderino’s robust brand visibility and influence, reaching new audiences.
At launch, well-known titles like “The Bookmaker,” “Treasure Volcano,” and “Vegas Blaze” are included in the first batch of games already offered. The objective is to enhance the portfolio by adding more new games in the upcoming months.
Comments regarding the partnership
“With Wunderino, we are gaining a partner that has stood for entertainment, dynamism, and a strong brand identity for many years,” says Alex Green, Vice President Games at ZEAL. “Integrating our titles into one of the most popular platforms in Germany is another important step in making our portfolio accessible to even more players and driving our strategic expansion.”
Wunderino adds: “ZEAL Instant Games stands for creative content, high quality, and reliable performance – all values that perfectly match our brand,” says Susanne Forsman, Group Chief Gaming Officer at Wunderino. “The new ZEAL slots will help enrich our offerings and provide our users with additional exciting experiences. We are very excited about the joint launch and what lies ahead.”
The post Wunderino Adds ZEAL’s Premium Slots as Partnership Kicks Off appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Central Europe
Powering the Next Generation of Online Casinos: Inside DSTGAMING’s Scalable iGaming Ecosystem
Interview with John Tan, Digital Marketing Analyst at DSTGAMING
Ahead of HIPTHER Prague Summit 2026, we speak with John Tan, Digital Marketing Analyst at DSTGAMING, to explore how their white label, turnkey, crypto-ready platforms, and powerful game aggregation solutions empower operators – from rapid launch and unified game integration to risk management, payments, and next-generation crypto deployment.
From your perspective, what are the biggest operational barriers new casino operators face today – and how does DSTGAMING address them through technology and infrastructure?
New casino operators often underestimate the complexity of launching and sustaining an iGaming operation. Beyond platform development, they face challenges related to licensing alignment, payment integrations, risk management, game provider negotiations, fraud prevention, and ongoing technical maintenance. Each of these components requires expertise, time, and significant capital investment.
DSTGAMING addresses these barriers by delivering a structured, technology-driven ecosystem that consolidates critical operational components into a single, unified infrastructure. Instead of managing multiple vendors and fragmented systems, operators gain access to a centralized platform that integrates game aggregation, payment gateways, compliance-ready frameworks, and backend management tools. This significantly reduces operational friction and allows operators to focus on market growth, branding, and player acquisition rather than technical troubleshooting.
DSTGAMING provides White Label solutions enabling casinos to go live in as little as a few weeks. What operational processes and technical frameworks make such rapid deployment possible?
Rapid deployment is made possible through a pre-configured yet flexible platform architecture. DSTGAMING’s White Label solution is built on a modular infrastructure where essential systems — player management, payment integrations, risk control, reporting dashboards, and game aggregation — are already technically optimized and tested.
Instead of building from scratch, operators plug into an established framework that supports domain setup, branding customization, provider configuration, and payment integration within a structured onboarding workflow. Automated compliance tools, ready-made back-office dashboards, and scalable cloud infrastructure further streamline the process. This approach minimizes development cycles while maintaining operational stability and performance.
The Turnkey solution focuses on full branding flexibility, user-friendly management, and extensive game libraries. How does this differ strategically from White Label in terms of operator control and long-term scalability?
Strategically, the White Label model is ideal for operators seeking speed-to-market with lower upfront investment and reduced technical responsibility. It provides a comprehensive operational framework where much of the infrastructure and maintenance is centrally managed.
The Turnkey solution, however, is designed for operators who require greater autonomy and long-term strategic control. It offers full branding flexibility, deeper system customization, independent licensing alignment, and enhanced scalability options. From a business standpoint, Turnkey allows operators to build their own technology identity while retaining access to DSTGAMING’s infrastructure backbone. This structure supports expansion into multiple jurisdictions, diversified payment ecosystems, and tailored player engagement strategies over time.
DSTGAMING’s Casino Game Aggregator provides access to more than 10,000 games from 100+ providers – how do you approach game content management, performance consistency, and provider diversity to ensure long-term player engagement?
Managing a large-scale aggregation portfolio requires structured curation rather than simple volume expansion. DSTGAMING focuses on performance analytics, regional player preferences, and technical optimization when onboarding providers.
Game content is continuously monitored for performance indicators such as session duration, retention rates, and conversion metrics. Low-performing titles can be rotated, while trending categories — whether slots, live casino, or crash games — are strategically highlighted. Provider diversity is carefully balanced to include established industry brands alongside emerging studios offering innovative mechanics.
From a technical standpoint, standardized API integration protocols and server optimization ensure latency consistency and stable gameplay across regions. This combination of analytics-driven curation and infrastructure reliability supports sustained player engagement rather than short-term spikes.
DSTGAMING also offers crypto-focused casino deployment. How is cryptocurrency reshaping payment flows, compliance considerations, and global player acquisition strategies?
Cryptocurrency is fundamentally reshaping cross-border transaction efficiency and player accessibility. Traditional payment systems often involve processing delays, regional banking restrictions, and high transaction fees. Crypto payments reduce these friction points by enabling faster settlement, lower costs, and broader global reach.
However, crypto integration also requires structured compliance frameworks. Responsible implementation includes wallet verification systems, AML alignment, transaction monitoring, and jurisdictional risk assessment. DSTGAMING integrates crypto-ready infrastructure within a controlled environment to balance operational efficiency with regulatory awareness.
From a growth perspective, crypto expands access to digitally native audiences and markets where conventional banking infrastructure may limit participation. Operators can position themselves competitively by offering both fiat and digital asset payment options within a secure and scalable ecosystem.
What key iGaming technology or business trends should operators watch most closely heading into 2026?
Heading into 2026, operators should closely monitor three primary areas: infrastructure scalability, payment diversification, and data-driven personalization.
First, scalable cloud-based architectures will become increasingly important as competition intensifies and multi-market expansion accelerates. Second, payment ecosystems will continue diversifying, including alternative payment methods, regional wallets, and cryptocurrency adoption. Third, advanced data analytics and AI-driven personalization will play a central role in player retention, segmentation, and responsible gaming monitoring.
Additionally, regulatory adaptability will remain critical. Operators must design systems that allow compliance updates without disrupting operational continuity.
DSTGAMING is joining the HIPTHER Prague Summit 2026 as the Lanyard Sponsor. What would you like operators and partners to take away from engaging with your team there?
DSTGAMING’s participation at the HIPTHER Prague Summit 2026 as Lanyard Sponsor reflects its long-term commitment to industry collaboration and technological advancement.
At the summit, the objective is not simply to present solutions, but to engage in strategic discussions with operators and partners about sustainable growth models, market expansion strategies, and infrastructure optimization. Visitors should walk away with a clear understanding that DSTGAMING provides more than a platform — it delivers a structured ecosystem designed to support rapid launch, scalable expansion, diversified payments, and long-term operational stability.
The focus remains on building partnerships grounded in technology reliability, strategic flexibility, and measurable business outcomes as the industry moves into its next phase of evolution.
The post Powering the Next Generation of Online Casinos: Inside DSTGAMING’s Scalable iGaming Ecosystem appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
BETANO
CT Interactive Partners with Betano.cz for Live Rollout
CT Interactive has unveiled its newest partnership with Betano in the Czech Republic, representing a significant advancement in the firm’s continuous global growth plan.
As a result of this collaboration, a selection of 30 exciting titles is now offered on the Betano.cz platform, enhancing the online gaming experience for players in the area. The collection includes several of CT Interactive’s most favored games, such as Win Storm, Wild Clover, 40 Treasures, Purple Fruits, and The Big Chile.
Through this launch, CT Interactive maintains its emphasis on offering content suited to local player tastes, reinforcing its dedication to delivering high-quality entertainment. The inclusion of these titles is anticipated to improve Betano Czech Republic’s collection, providing players with a varied and engaging gaming atmosphere.
“We are thrilled to extend our reach into the Czech market, which holds significant growth potential,” said Martin Ivanov, Chief Operating Officer at CT Interactive. “Our forward-thinking approach and understanding of local player preferences will be key as we work to redefine the online gaming experience in this region. We believe this partnership will create exciting opportunities for players and set a new benchmark for the industry in the Czech Republic.”
Monika Zlateva, Chief Commercial Officer at CT Interactive, added: “Building on our long-standing and strong relationship with Kaizen Gaiming across multiple markets, this collaboration enables us to deliver a fresh content tailored to player preferences. We are confident that CT Interactive’s titles will resonate with the audience and contribute to the overall gaming experience on Betano.cz.”
The post CT Interactive Partners with Betano.cz for Live Rollout appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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