Balkans
State Lottery in Bulgaria Set for Privatisation
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The ruling parliamentary majority in Bulgaria, represented by Kostadin Angelov (GERB), Dragomir Stoynev (BSP), and Yordan Tsonev (DPS-New Beginning), has submitted a proposal to amend the Gambling Act within the transitional and final provisions of the State Budget Law. The submission, sent on November 24 to both the Chairman of the Budget and Finance Committee and the Chairman of the National Assembly, aims to grant a long-term concession for the Bulgarian Sports Totalizator (BST), with the State Budget Law set for a second reading on Thursday, November 28.
The lawmakers argue that despite BST’s monopoly position, its revenues are lower than those of private gambling operators prior to the 2020 legal changes. They cite market analysis showing that the state lottery is not a leading operator in the gambling sector, and suggest that privatisation via concession is necessary to make it competitive. The concession would be overseen by the Minister of Youth and Sports, who would handle both granting and monitoring the contract.
Under the proposed framework, the concession could only be awarded to a Bulgarian-registered legal entity or to a foreign entity with an officially registered business in Bulgaria. A call for expressions of interest is required to be published by March 31, 2026, allowing operators to submit investment proposals. The concession would last at least 15 years, giving the private operator full rights to BST’s betting points, systems, equipment, valuable samples and intellectual property.
Financially, the concessionaire would transfer 10% of its corporate tax payments to the Ministry of Youth and Sports, to fund physical education, sports facilities, and related activities, with 10% of this sum earmarked for the National Culture Fund. Additionally, 30% of the concession fee would be allocated to sports clubs and federations. After the concession, BST would no longer organise gambling games, and any existing tickets, slips or coupons would be invalidated and destroyed.
The proposal has drawn controversy, particularly because the lottery was nationalized and granted monopoly status only a few years ago, following the revocation of licenses for Vasil Bozhkov’s private gambling companies. Proponents argue that the lottery lacks sufficient financial resources and operational know-how to compete with private online operators, pointing to its underperformance against budgeted revenues. In 2023, BST aimed for BGN 190 million (€96.9 million) but achieved BGN 170.034 million (€86.8 million), while the 2024 goal of BGN 188.701 million (€96.3 million) was not reached either, with actual revenues at BGN 182.640 million (€93.2 million).
Critics, including Ivaylo Mirchev of “Yes, Bulgaria” (party of WCC-DB) accuse the concession of being politically motivated, suggesting that it benefits DPS-New Beginning and the network surrounding Delyan Peevski. Mirchev noted that Peevski’s mother, Irena Krasteva, previously served as director of BST from 2002 to 2005, raising concerns about conflicts of interest and favoritism. Proposals for a parliamentary commission to investigate potential misconduct were reportedly blocked by affiliated MPs from GERB.
The move represents a significant restructuring of Bulgaria’s lottery system, transferring a state-controlled monopoly into private hands for a period of at least 15 years, with substantial financial and political implications.
The post State Lottery in Bulgaria Set for Privatisation appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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The SYNOT Group has once again participated in the prestigious Balkan Entertainment and Gaming Exhibition (BEGE), held at the end of November at the Inter Expo Center in Sofia, Bulgaria. The SYNOT exposition offered visitors an attractive showcase – not only thanks to the completely new booth design, but above all due to the wide range of land-based and online products presented in their most advanced versions.
Nearly twenty top-tier gaming machines were displayed at the booth, giving visitors the opportunity to explore a broad lineup of the latest SYNOT cabinets, including this year’s key innovations – the ST2-32 and ST3-27 models. The newly introduced ST3-27 cabinet is equipped with 27″ monitors and delivers excellent performance along with a modern design. Other popular models showcased included the UP2-32, UP1-27 and Eclipse FL-32.
Great attention was also drawn to the multigame link jackpot systems SUPER LINK and MAGIC BALL LINK, presented in their latest versions. The SUPER LINK system was showcased in casino style configuration, accompanied by eight timelessly developed linked titles.
“We are very pleased that the progressive jackpot system SUPER LINK has been nominated in the ‘Jackpot System of the Year 2025’ category at the prestigious BEGE Awards and we look forward to launching this product in Bulgaria soon,” said Stanislav Stanev, International Business Development Director.
A significant part of the presentation was dedicated to the company’s game mixes. Among the main highlights were Firebird Gold and Firebird Platinum, which expand the successful Firebird product line that is currently highly popular across numerous international markets. Both mixes offer dozens of titles combining traditional gaming elements with popular linked and Hold&Win games.
Also attracting strong interest was Gamifire Prime, featuring 36 dynamic and visually captivating titles. This mix offers a wide range of fruit and thematic games, and in addition to classic titles, includes several Hold&Win games enriched with various bonus features that support higher player engagement.
For visitors interested in the Casino Management System, a detailed overview of updates to the SYNNET solution was prepared. The system has already been successfully implemented in its first markets, and expansion into additional territories is expected in the coming months.
Representatives of SYNOT Games and SYNOT Interactive were also available at the booth, presenting their extensive iGaming portfolio. The online section allowed visitors to explore more than 220 original titles, updates to the PEAK retention tool and a comprehensive software platform for operators. The expert team introduced the latest features, integration options and advanced tools focused on increasing player engagement and operational efficiency.
“This year marked the second edition of the BEGE exhibition at which the SYNOT Group presented. We are very pleased with the high level of interest in our products and the positive feedback received from visitors and business partners. We also welcome the new business opportunities that emerged from the many productive meetings held during the exhibition,“ said Roland Andrýsek, SYNOT Group’s Sales Director.
The post SYNOT Group Successfully Participated in BEGE 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Bragg Gaming has won the “Online Platform of the Year” Award at the BEGE Awards 2025.
Bragg’s Player Account Management (PAM) platform for online casino, sports betting and lottery operators is designed to enhance the player journey, with the tools to grow numbers, maximise revenue, boost engagement, all while putting the player first.
What makes the Bragg PAM stand out? Here’s just a few highlights:
• Next-Generation Automation
• Predictive Insights
• Stability
• Fully Personalised Experiences
“We’re grateful to BEGE and the judging panel for recognising our work and celebrating the progress we’re making across the industry. And a huge thank you to our team and partners for helping us deliver a platform that truly understands the player,” the Company said.
The post Bragg Gaming Wins Online Platform of the Year at BEGE Awards 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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EGT Digital is proud to announce that the company has been honored with the Industry Impact Award at the BEGE Awards 2025. This special recognition celebrates our strategic influence, long-term vision, and contribution to the advancement of digital gaming technologies.
The award acknowledges EGT Digital’s commitment to innovation, the development of next-generation iGaming solutions, and our continuous efforts to shape the future of the industry.
This milestone reaffirms our position as a driving force in digital gaming and motivates us to continue delivering high-performance products, meaningful partnerships, and cutting-edge experiences to operators and players worldwide.
The post EGT Digital Receives Industry Impact Award at BEGE Awards 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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