Baltics

The importance of reg-tech for new market expansion

Published

1 year ago

January 30, 2023

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Mark Chakravarti, Investment Director at SportingWin, talks about the operator’s experience of securing a licence in Bulgaria and how it will now use its in-house regulatory platform to enter additional European markets

I would argue that a proprietary regulatory platform is the most important thing for operators looking to drive European market expansion. Without a modern, agile platform that provides the insight that regulators require, licence applications will be drawn out for months and even years.

At SportingWin, we came to learn this the hard way.

When we started the business back in 2019, we identified Bulgaria as being a market of huge potential and one that we were keen to make our debut. Based on our assessment, AGR would hit 20% a year for the next five years, leading to a market value of €500m per year.

We then set about compiling the legal paperwork required by the National Revenue Agency for the licence application – this was a significant task in its own right, but we would soon learn that this was just the very start of the process.

The Bulgarian regulator is one of the most stringent in the world, which of course is a good thing. It ensures that the operators that do secure approval to enter the market are of the highest calibre especially when it comes to responsible gambling.

Under its requirements, operators must be able to deliver certain insights and information to the regulator in real time and this in turn requires a powerful, agile regulatory platform. Ultimately, we took the decision to develop this technology in-house.

While this was the right course of action, it significantly slowed down our licence application process while the regulator and our in-house development team worked together to ensure that it was fully compliant with its requirements.

We eventually reached the point where the National Revenue Agency was happy with the paperwork we submitted and our proprietary reg-tech platform, giving us the green light to enter the market in January 2021. Since then, we have gained incredible traction with players.

As with most operators, we are now looking to take SportingWin into additional markets and our in-house developed regulatory platform will be the foundation for building out our presence across the region. It really is impressive and now that it has been certified in Bulgaria, it can be used elsewhere.

We have identified Romania as our next market and while we have yet to submit our application to the regulator, our proprietary regulatory platform will ensure it is a much easier – and faster – process than that in Bulgaria.

This is for several reasons. Given just how stringent the National Revenue Agency is with its standards and enforcing them, other jurisdictions are happy to approve our platform without subjecting it to the same level of scrutiny again.

The same applies to a lot of the paperwork that we completed as part of our application in Bulgaria – for example, the Romanian regulator is happy to carry this over as well as the technical and software certifications that we were granted.

Of course, local regulators will still carry out their own investigations and will want to test certain aspects of our platforms, tech and software, but much of the hard work has already been done and this will allow us to enter additional markets at pace – we anticipate being live in Romania in H1.

In addition to an in-house regulatory platform, approved paperwork and the experience of having been through a licence application, the final piece of the puzzle operators need is a European trademark for their brand/brands.

We have recently secured this for SportingWin and it really does put us in the driving seat to identify and enter regulated European markets with an incredibly strong brand, superior product offering and a powerful regulatory platform running in the background.

Because of this, SportingWin is an attractive proposition for investors looking to join our success story. Due to the technical foundations we have in place, the investment we secure is pumped into marketing our brand in each country, which in turn allows us to generate significant share quickly.

Despite having been live in Bulgaria for only a year, we have a large and loyal player base and in Q4, generated €500,000 in NGR. This is set to grow significantly off the back of our recently-announced partnership with Pinnacle, allowing us to add a betting exchange to our offering for the first time.

As with most small to medium-sized operators, the team behind SportingWin has a long-term plan for the business and that is to grow it into an exciting acquisition opportunity for one of the power players looking to build their presence in regulated markets across Europe.

Without our proprietary regulator platform, European trademark and growing collection of licences, SportingWin would simply not be on the radar of these organisations, let alone be considered a serious M&A opportunity.

Of course, there is still a lot of work to do before we reach that chapter of our story but given that the founders of SportingWin have built and sold betting businesses before, it is one that I am confident we will write in next to no time at all.

Meanwhile, we will continue to use our regulatory platform to launch our player-favourite brand and superior betting experience into markets across Europe, generating substantial revenues from each of the jurisdictions we target.

Baltics

Lithuania’s Nese enters iGaming with a record sponsorship deal

Published

6 days ago

April 11, 2024

Wladimir P.

lithuania’s-nese-enters-igaming-with-a-record-sponsorship-deal

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Nese, Lithuania’s oldest land-based casino operator, has launched Twinsbet – a new iGaming and sportsbook brand with a focus on sports sponsorships. The company entered into a 3-year long, €7.5 million sponsorship deal with the Wolves basketball club and secured the Avia Solutions Group Arena naming rights.

Twinsbet enters the highly competitive Lithuanian market with naming rights to the largest Vilnius indoor arena, title sponsorship of the Wolves basketball club competing locally and in the Eurocup, and celebrity former basketball players, the Lavrinovic twins, as main ambassadors. This sponsorship deal is worth at least €7.5 million for the next three years and may increase to €10 million if certain conditions are met.

Such a sports and iGaming sponsorship deal is among the largest in Lithuanian history. Nese will seek further collaborations with various sports organizations, focusing on both professional and leisure sports activities.

According to Alvidas Paulikas, Nese’s CEO, the company aims for the leading position locally and seeks to become the first Lithuanian operator to expand internationally.

“Twinsbet is centered around the idea that we believe in sports. For this reason, we are heavily investing in and supporting sports, including the Wolves basketball club and the Twinsbet Arena, as well as other collaborations we are currently investigating and are always open to. We plan to support local teams and non-professional sporting activities in new markets that we will enter soon,” says Paulikas.

Andrius Ziauberis, the CEO of both the Wolves basketball club and the Twinsbet Arena, says that the deal with Twinsbet will strengthen both the organization and the entire Lithuanian sports community.

“We are the only top-tier Lithuanian basketball club operating without any support from municipalities, and so this sponsorship deal will pave the way for sustainable growth. Strong teams can inspire generations both on and beyond the court, and this deal builds a solid foundation for an engaging fan experience,” Ziauberis says.

According to the regulator, the total Lithuanian gaming market amounted to €222 million in 2023, a 13 percent increase from 2022. More than 65 percent of the market is online. The total amount wagered exceeded €2 billion for the first time in 2022.

The post Lithuania’s Nese enters iGaming with a record sponsorship deal appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Baltics

Hacksaw Gaming and TOPsport are on TOP of their game with new partnership announcement in Lithuania

Published

6 days ago

April 10, 2024

George Miller

hacksaw-gaming-and-topsport-are-on-top-of-their-game-with-new-partnership-announcement-in-lithuania

Reading Time: < 1 minute

Kicking off the month, it’s time to commemorate a brand new partnership with Lithuania’s leading operator – TOPsport! As of the 8th of April, Hacksaw fans will have the opportunity to enjoy the initial selection of our released games, with plans for further expansion in line with market regulations.

TOPsport was founded with humble beginnings back in 2002, they were in fact the first ever betting company to be established in Lithuania. Boasting an impressive collection of 62 betting locations and, of course, their online platform which is home to sports betting and live casino games from various different providers globally. They now welcome Hacksaw classics such as Wanted Dead or a Wild, Chaos Crew and Hand of Anubis to their growing collection.

CEO of TOPsport, Gintaras Staniulis, expressed “TOPsport is excited about the partnership with Hacksaw gaming, which marks a significant step forward in our commitment to providing unparalleled experiences for our customers. We are confident that this collaboration will further enhance our offerings and solidify our position as a leader in the industry.”

TOPsport players can expect exciting narratives, captivating artistic design and an overall gaming experience that will leave them searching for more Hacksaw content. Confident that this will be the case, Hacksaw Gaming CEO Marcus Cordes wanted to say a few words on the new partnership – “A top operator in the Lithuanian market teaming up with a leading provider of innovative games—what a match! We’re thrilled about this collaboration and are optimistic that TOPsport players will soon become familiar with the Hacksaw name.”

Only time will tell, but we’re pretty sure that TOPsport Casino users will find Hacksaw games at the ‘top’ of their new favourite lists.

The post Hacksaw Gaming and TOPsport are on TOP of their game with new partnership announcement in Lithuania appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Baltics

HIPTHER Invites You to Recognize Gaming Excellence at the Baltic & Scandinavian Gaming Awards 2024 – Online Voting Session is Now Open!

Published

6 days ago

April 10, 2024

George Miller

hipther-invites-you-to-recognize-gaming-excellence-at-the-baltic-&-scandinavian-gaming-awards-2024-–-online-voting-session-is-now-open!

Reading Time: 3 minutes

HIPTHER, the One-stop Agency and leading Event Organizer for multiple GameTech industries, is excited to announce the Online Voting Session for the Baltic & Scandinavian Gaming Awards – BSG Awards 2024. The BSG Awards recognizing Gaming and Tech Companies’ achievements in the Baltic and Nordic regions, are held annually under HIPTHER’s pioneering Baltics conference series “MARE BALTICUM Gaming & TECH Summit”.

The Online Voting Session for the Baltic & Scandinavian Gaming Awards – BSG Awards 2024 will be open between 8-26 April 2024. Following the Nomination Period that took place between 8 January – 15 March 2024, the Online Voting Session now features all Nominated Companies.

Professionals from the entire spectrum of the iGaming industry are invited to cast their votes to determine the Shortlists for BSG Awards 2024. Your voice matters! Start voting now and until April 26 for your favorite and/or your own teams and companies, to highlight their achievements in the Baltic and Scandinavian regions.

Cast your Votes across streamlined categories covering the entirety of iGaming operations per region (Baltic and Nordic), including:

Operator Categories
B2B Sports Betting Categories
B2B Casino Categories
B2B eSports & Fantasy Sports Categories
Payments & Certifications

Full list of Operators and B2B Categories, offered for Vote separately per region (Baltics & Nordics):

Operators Categories:

Best Online Casino
Best Sports Betting Operator

B2B Categories:

B2B Providers (Sports): Best eSports Service Provider
Best Fantasy Sports / Virtual Sports Provider
Rising Star in Fantasy Sports / Virtual Sports
Rising Star in Sports Betting Technology
Best Sports Betting Provider
B2B Providers (Casino): Best Online Casino Provider
B2B Providers (Casino): Best Slots Provider
B2B Providers (Casino): Best Live Casino Provider
B2B Providers (Casino): Rising Star in Online Casino Technology
Connected Services – Best Payment Service Provider
Connected Services – Best Testing Laboratory Provider
Connected Services – Best Hosting Provider

The Baltic & Scandinavian Gaming Awards series has been celebrating the success of the best iGaming companies operating in the Baltics and Nordics since the inception of the MARE BALTICUM Gaming & TECH Summit in 2018. HIPTHER’s Co-founder, Zoltán Tűndik, commented about the Awards and their Voting System:

“As we enter the online voting stage of the BSG Awards, I want to extend my heartfelt wishes for good luck to all the nominated companies. Your innovation and dedication have brought you this far, and as the community casts their votes, may your efforts be rightfully recognized. Here’s to making it to the shortlists—may the best contenders rise to the top! Let the spirit of excellence lead the way”.

Rebranding Excellence: The Brand-New Logo of the Baltic & Scandinavian Gaming Awards

As the gaming industry and technology evolve, so do HIPTHER events! Following our vision to honor the Baltic countries as the home of our pioneering MARE BALTICUM Summit through the conference series’ branding, we apply the same inspiring principles to the Baltic & Scandinavian Gaming Awards. We are thrilled to reveal the new logo of the BSG Awards for this year’s magnificent host, Tallinn, Estonia, and we look forward to it gracing both the online stage and our conference!

Make your Voice Heard & Your Company Shine!

What are you waiting for? Visit HIPTHER’s BSG Awards 2024 page, view all Nominated Companies across Categories for both regions, and start voting to decide the Shortlists!

The Final Vote will take place at MARE BALTICUM Gaming & TECH Summit by the participants of the event on 4 June 2024.

Please note that you need to select one company in each category before submitting your vote, and you are only allowed to vote once per day, as the voting system refreshes 24 hours after your vote has been submitted.

Vote Now for the Baltic & Scandinavian Gaming Awards Shortlists!

The post HIPTHER Invites You to Recognize Gaming Excellence at the Baltic & Scandinavian Gaming Awards 2024 – Online Voting Session is Now Open! appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.