Baltics
Lithuania’s Nese enters iGaming with a record sponsorship deal
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
Expanse Studios Secures Certification for Estonia and Latvia Markets
Expanse Studios, a subsidiary of Meridian Holdings, announced that it has received certification enabling the commercial deployment of its content across Estonia and Latvia.
Gaming Associates, a UKAS-accredited testing laboratory (accreditation number 9263), certified Candy’s Bonanza and Leprechaun’s Wish as compliant with the technical standards established by Baltic regulatory authorities. This certification allows the games to be deployed on licensed gaming platforms operating within these jurisdictions.
The Baltic certifications advance Expanse Studios’ systematic expansion across regulated European markets where formal certification processes create entry barriers for B2B content providers. Estonia and Latvia operate structured regulatory frameworks requiring independent technical verification before content deployment on licensed platforms.
Regulatory certification processes in European markets typically require 8-12 months and substantial compliance investment, creating competitive advantages for studios maintaining multi-jurisdictional certification capabilities.
“This certification gives us a solid foundation for further growth in this part of Europe. The approvals in the Baltics allow operators to go live more quickly, and they reflect the way we approach regulated markets. We focus on building compliant, reliable distribution capabilities that create real long-term value,” said Damjan Stamenkovic, CEO of Expanse Studios.
The post Expanse Studios Secures Certification for Estonia and Latvia Markets appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Baltics
HIPTHER Baltics Launches in Vilnius with Agenda Revealing Lithuania’s 2026 Regulatory Reset
A new Baltic-focused conference era begins on 21 April 2026, uniting iGaming, fintech, compliance, and innovation leaders in Lithuania’s digital-first capital
HIPTHER officially announces the agenda for HIPTHER Baltics: Vilnius 2026, the inaugural event of its newly launched Baltic conference series, taking place 21 April 2026 at the Hilton Garden Inn Vilnius City Centre.
Marking the evolution of the landmark MARE BALTICUM Gaming & TECH Summit, the new HIPTHER Baltics format introduces targeted, country-focused gatherings designed to deliver deeper regulatory insight, stronger regional dialogue, and practical strategic value for decision-makers operating across gaming, fintech, and digital innovation.
At the heart of the Vilnius edition lies a defining theme: Lithuania’s Great Regulatory Reset — a decisive transition toward stricter supervision, strengthened compliance frameworks, and sustainable, quality-driven growth across financial services and iGaming.
Lithuania 2026: From Easy-Access Hub to Compliance-Driven Ecosystem
As Lithuania sharpens oversight across banking, fintech, blockchain, and gaming, the conference agenda explores four structural shifts shaping the market:
- Banking: Cyber-resilience stress testing, the rise of specialised institutions, and a pivot toward sustainable profitability
- Fintech: Account-to-account dominance, international B2B expansion, and the emergence of agentic AI beyond chatbot automation
- Blockchain: Post-MiCA enforcement, strengthened AML leadership requirements, and institutional tokenisation of real-world assets
- iGaming: Advertising restrictions, ISP blocking acceleration, and intensified identity and source-of-funds compliance
Together, these forces signal a new operational reality for regulated digital industries in the Baltics.
Agenda Highlights Across Two Strategic Stages
Stage 1 — Strategy, Compliance & Banking
Key discussions will include:
- Regulators’ Panel: Bank of Lithuania and FNTT on MiCA transition and new iGaming ISP-blocking protocols
- Banking Transformation: How credit unions and specialised banks challenge Nordic incumbents
- Post-MiCA Survival: Maintaining VASP licensing under 2026 regulatory structures
- iGaming Advertising Ban: Operator strategies in a zero-marketing environment
- AML 2.0: Implementing enhanced source-of-wealth requirements for high-stakes players
- Cross-Industry Debate: Can tokenisation solve transparency challenges between blockchain and iGaming?
Stage 2 — Innovation, Blockchain & iGaming Tech
- Agentic AI in Fintech: From conversational tools to autonomous financial advisors
- Tokenising the Real World: Real-estate and debt instruments on-chain in the Baltics
- Next-Generation Payments: A2A integration across gaming and retail ecosystems
- Digital Euro & CBDCs: Technical readiness for the European Central Bank’s 2026 roadmap
A Boutique Summit Built for Decision-Makers
HIPTHER Baltics: Vilnius 2026 will gather 100+ senior attendees, 30+ expert speakers, and 15+ key industry topics in a one-day, high-impact format combining:
- High-level regulatory and industry panels
- Curated networking among operators, fintech leaders, regulators, legal experts, and investors
- A premium, centrally located boutique conference environment
The event is designed for iGaming operators, fintech and payment providers, compliance professionals, regulators, affiliates, startups, and regional investors seeking actionable intelligence in a rapidly tightening regulatory landscape.
From MARE BALTICUM Legacy to HIPTHER Baltics Future
Reflecting on the transition, Zoltán Tűndik, Co-Founder & Head of Business at HIPTHER, stated:
“Lithuania is entering one of the most defining regulatory transitions in its modern digital economy. With HIPTHER Baltics in Vilnius, we are creating a focused platform where regulators, financial institutions, fintech innovators, and iGaming leaders can engage in honest, high-level dialogue about what sustainable growth truly means in 2026 and beyond.”
With HIPTHER Baltics launching in Vilnius, the Baltic region enters a new phase of dialogue — closer to local markets, deeper in expertise, and stronger in cross-industry collaboration.
The journey begins in Vilnius on 21 April 2026.
The post HIPTHER Baltics Launches in Vilnius with Agenda Revealing Lithuania’s 2026 Regulatory Reset appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Amusnet
Amusnet Enters into Strategic Partnership with Twinsbet Arena in Vilnius, Lithuania
Amusnet has expanded its international brand presence through a new strategic partnership with the landmark Twinsbet Arena in Vilnius, Lithuania.
As Lithuania’s largest and most established events venue, Twinsbet Arena hosts approximately 100 major concerts, sporting events and international productions annually. The partnership positions Amusnet within one of the country’s most prominent entertainment venues, reinforcing the company’s commitment to high-visibility, premium collaborations.
The agreement includes brand integration across the Arena environment and with one of the venue’s exclusive hospitality spaces, now operating as the Amusnet Lounge. The premium area offers guests dedicated access, refined hospitality services and exceptional views during live events, further associating the Amusnet brand with elevated audience experiences.
“The former Premium Lounge club will now operate as the ‘Amusnet Lounge’. Guests attending any event who purchase tickets in this club sector will enjoy additional benefits, including a dedicated entrance, complimentary cloakroom service, access to a unique hospitality space, premium snacks and beverages, and some of the best sightlines in the arena,” said Aneta Lauciuvienė, Head of Sales at Twinsbet Arena.
Ivo Georgiev, CEO of Amusnet, said: “Our partnership with Twinsbet Arena reflects Amusnet’s strategic vision to align with iconic venues and institutions that shape their national entertainment landscapes. This collaboration strengthens our brand presence in Lithuania and positions Amusnet at the heart of a venue that brings together global performers, premier sporting events, and diverse audiences. We view this as a long-term partnership built on shared ambition and sustained value creation.”
Through this strategic collaboration, Amusnet further strengthens its international brand positioning and deepens its presence in one of the Baltic region’s most dynamic markets.
The post Amusnet Enters into Strategic Partnership with Twinsbet Arena in Vilnius, Lithuania appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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