Baltics
All Gambling Halls in Riga Threatened with Closure – Industry Raises Alarm
Following applications by three companies, the Constitutional Court (CC) has initiated a case concerning restrictions on gambling operations in Riga, the court announced.
This is not the first time the issue of gambling regulation in Riga has reached the CC. Just last year, the court ruled in another case that a blanket ban on gambling across the entire administrative territory of Riga was unconstitutional. Afterwards, the city council promised to propose a new mechanism for restricting gambling. That mechanism is now also under review by the court.
The new case was initiated on the basis of applications by SIA Alfor, SIA Klondaika and SIA Olympic Casino Latvia regarding sections 2 and 3 of the Riga City Council’s binding regulations “On Restrictions of Gambling Operations in the Administrative Territory of Riga” adopted on the 26th of March.
The contested provisions define the places and areas in Riga where gambling is not allowed, as well as the municipality’s actions in cases where permits have already been issued for locations where gambling is now prohibited.
Gambling is prohibited in municipal-owned properties, neighbourhood centres, educational institution premises and within 300 meters of them, as well as in railway stations, bus stations, airports and passenger ports, within 500 meters of such transport hubs and within 300 meters of other public transport stops. Restrictions also apply to certain functional zones, cultural monuments and protected areas defined in Riga’s spatial plan. However, the restrictions do not apply to four- and five-star hotels.
In addition, the contested provisions stipulate the cancellation of previously issued permits if gambling takes place in prohibited areas, and that any issued permit automatically expires five years after the relevant Riga City Council decision comes into force.
The applicant companies, which hold permits to operate gambling halls in Riga, argue that although the contested rules define specific places and areas where gambling is prohibited, in practice they amount to a blanket ban on such business throughout the city.
They argue that the restrictions limit business activity and property rights, and violate the principles of legal certainty and legitimate expectations. Therefore, they claim the rules are inconsistent with Articles 1 and 105 of the Constitution.
Article 1 states that Latvia is an independent democratic republic. Article 105 provides that everyone has the right to property, that property must not be used against the public interest and that property rights may only be restricted by law.
The Constitutional Court has invited the Riga City Council to submit a written response by the 27th of October, outlining the facts and legal reasoning. The case preparation deadline is the 27th of January, 2026. The court will decide on the type and date of proceedings after preparation.
As previously reported by LETA, the new gambling restriction rules in Riga entered into force on the 1st of April.
A five-year transition period is provided for the cancellation of previously issued permits.
After adopting the rules, municipal officials admitted that all currently known gambling halls are located in areas where gambling will be banned, meaning the new regulations foresee the closure of all existing gambling halls in Riga.
At the same time, the municipality emphasized that the restrictions do not cover the entire city and do not affect operators’ rights to open or expand gambling facilities in four- and five-star hotels.
The council also claimed that the rules were developed based on Constitutional Court recommendations and the results of public consultations held in February this year.
The Latvian Licensed Gambling Association had already announced in the spring that it would most likely challenge the new restrictions in the Constitutional Court, arguing that they are “neither proportionate nor lawful.”
Source: bnn-news.com
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Baltics
DATA.BET Now Powers Esports for Entain NCE Across Baltics & Nordics
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DATA.BET, a leading sportsbook solution supplier, has signed a content deal with Entain NCE, to strengthen the esports betting offer of their brands (Optibet and Klondaika) across the Baltics and Nordics – with Estonia as a key rollout market.
Through the collaboration, Entain and its portfolio of brands will receive DATA.BET’s premium esports coverage. The package includes a comprehensive Odds Feed, Risk Management, Bet Builder and a suite of engagement Widgets – Pitch Tracker (interactive 2D map), Scoreboards (visual representation of player statistics), live Video Streaming, Statistical Widgets (team history and game stats) and a Multi Widget that unites all these tools within one screen. The partnership is designed to help Entain brands and their clients increase profitability in esports by combining precise pricing and risk controls with engagement tools that lift turnover and margin.
With the deal, Entain’s customers get access to DATA.BET’s 30+ disciplines and over 10,000 monthly events, delivered with a down-to-the-second bet delay across leading titles such as Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2, Valorant, League of Legends and others. A phased expansion of additional disciplines and features will follow to meet Entain’s demand.
“This partnership sets a high bar for product excellence. Our role is to power that ambition with an esports layer that’s rich in content and strong on risk, enabling consistent margins and a best-in-class customer experience. We’ve aligned on a clear roadmap to scale, with more Entain brands scheduled to join the rollout next,” said Otto Bonning, Head of Sales at DATA.BET.
“We are thrilled to partner with DATA.BET who are renown for being the leading Esports provider and who share the same passion and commitment for Esports as we do. DATA.BET’s deep understanding of the esports ecosystem and its growing influence among modern audiences makes the collaboration a perfect fit. Together, we aim to elevate esports and deliver the best experience and entertainment to the fans across Baltics and Nordics regions,” said Hendrik Ahuna, Director of Sportsbook at Entain NCE.
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Baltics
SYNOT Games Announces Strategic Partnership with Boost Casino
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In a move that further reinforces its footprint across regulated European markets, SYNOT Games has announced a new partnership with Boost Casino, a prominent platform in Estonia. The collaboration brings certified SYNOT titles, including some of the studio’s latest and most innovative releases, to the casino’s rapidly growing grid.
Players on Boost Casino can now enjoy brand-new titles such as the mystical Respin Multi Joker, 40 Coins of Chance, or Rio Mystery Night. These additions expand Boost Casino’s offering with a spectrum of engaging mechanics, premium design, and mobile-first performance, ensuring the highest-quality entertainment for the Estonian audience.
The agreement is part of SYNOT Games’ strategic initiative to solidify its presence in licensed, regulated markets, providing innovative content through partnerships with established and trusted regional operators.
Martin Krajčí, Chief Commercial Officer at SYNOT Games, said: “We are excited to bring our portfolio to Estonian players through this strategic alliance with Boost Casino. Estonia represents a market with great potential and an audience that appreciates quality, variety, and innovation. Boos Casino’s agility and commitment to delivering premium entertainment make them an ideal partner for our continued Baltic expansion.”
Boost Casino, known for its user-centric approach and cutting-edge platform, views the addition of SYNOT Games content as a key enhancement to its offering and a testament to its mission of hosting best-in-class gaming experiences.
Janis Bariss, Head of Gaming, Entain Baltics & Nordics at Boost Casino, said: “Teaming up with SYNOT Games is an exciting opportunity to enhance our content library with vibrant, engaging titles that truly connect with today’s audience players. Their blend of storytelling, striking visuals, and proven game performance perfectly complements our vision for the future of digital gaming in Estonia.”
This collaboration not only empowers Boost Casino to further differentiate its portfolio but also underscores SYNOT Games’ long-term commitment to regulated growth, responsible gaming and working exclusively with trusted local operators—a model increasingly valued by players and regulators.
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AI customer service
Introducing the newest testing tool for AI-boosted customer engagement
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Is AI technology really at the point where it can truly add value to customer engagement? Tugi Tark’s new sandbox environment allows operators to find out.
Tugi Tark, the Estonian-based international AI customer service company, has launched its sandbox this week with the aim of giving operators the ability to explore how AI could work for their players, using their specific casino policies and player profiles, all in a real-world scenario.
By testing an unlimited number of situations wherein players interact with AI agents, the sandbox allows operators to experience how conversations and escalation flows would work if they implemented Tugi Tark as their customer service solution.
Harpo Lilja, CEO of Tugi Tark, explains: “The sandbox is essentially a controlled environment we’ve created where operators can test the AI agent capabilities against their own needs. They can configure the sandbox to their specific casino policies and adjust the agent’s tone of voice — which gives them a first-hand preview of how our AI agent can serve their players.
He continues: “One reason we built the sandbox is that we know from conversations with operators that people are still hesitant about whether AI solutions have reached a point in customer service where the impact is worth implementing – or if AI technology is still at a level where it risks alienating players due to poor quality. And people don’t want to commit if they don’t really know what they’re getting, which is often the case, as companies usually don’t provide enough testing to do so.
What does the sandbox allow operators to do?
Tugi Tark’s sandbox can mimic everything operators need to see how it actually works, including:
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player frustrations
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technical troubleshooting
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KYC concerns, bonus requests
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payment issues, and more.
Casinos can manually add synthetic player data without integration, which showcases how well the AI agent can handle player inquiries when it has access to both policy documentation, player data, and gaming history.
Tugi Tark’s hybrid AI model blends operational automation with human oversight, focused on compliance, emotional intelligence, empathy, service mindset, and player safety. And now, that’s available for operators to test fully using their own unique circumstances.
The testing environment allows manual casino player profile inputs, such as name, account creation date, birthday, KYC status, account limits, player segment, available bonuses, transaction and game history, and a brand’s all policies.
Using intuitive automation, the AI agent is contextually appropriate for each conversation – there are no drop-down menus or prompts, but rather, ‘natural’ language that mimics how humans communicate. For example, if users misspell, abbreviate, or use slang, the agent will understand, and if not, it will ask follow-up questions until it does.
Another feature that was integrated for customer comfort is that if a player is a little vague, rather than return the classic AI chatbot “I didn’t understand your inquiry”, the agent can check all the KYC documentation, including status, player history, exact amounts and date, so it can ask intuitive follow-up questions and arrive at a solution more quickly and thoroughly.
“With the sandbox up and running, any operator in dozens of languages and geos is able to test how Tugi Tark’s AI agents will work, on their site, within their player base. That means without having to endure lengthy sales pitches or commit to a product, operators are able to test exactly what it’s like having our technology work for them,” concludes Lilja. “And the great thing is that the entire process has a setup time of 30 minutes.
The post Introducing the newest testing tool for AI-boosted customer engagement appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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