Central Europe

Winners of the historical gala of Polish Gaming Aces 2019 were chosen

Published

6 years ago

February 28, 2020

For the first time in history after the amendment to the gambling act in Poland, awards were granted to companies in the entertainment industry. The Polish Gaming Aces Gala, which was created on the initiative of the largest Polish entertainment website – Interplay, was held on February 20th at City Hall Production in Warsaw.

The jury awarded seven main prizes and two special prizes. “Totalizator Sportowy” won the most awards, winning in three categories – Company of the Year, Special Grand Prix Award for activities on the e-commerce market, as well as President of the Year.

On April 1, 2017, an amendment to the gambling act entered into force in Poland. The legal provision applies, among others to bookmakers, poker, slot machines and casinos. Pursuant to the Act on games and mutual wagering, the state-owned company Totalizator Sportowy has become a monopolist in the field of number games, cash lotteries, arcades (excluded land-based casinos) and online casinos. According to the regulations, betting in Poland is only legal with entities that have a permit from the Ministry of Finance. Under Polish law, all gambling games are subject to a tax on games – 15% cash lotteries, 12% betting, 20% games, 50% poker. In the case of winnings above PLN 2,280, they are also taxed with 10% personal income tax.

The first main Polish Gaming Aces award in the Provider of the Year category went to IGT. In 2019, the company comprehensively served Totalizator Sportowy in the provision of lottery software. In addition, IGT was distinguished by the fact that company was promoting Diversity & Inclusion with an emphasis on equalizing professional opportunities for women and men in the IT industry.

BETFAN turned out to be the best debutant in 2019. The bookmaker hit the Polish market by storm and built a good base in less than a year to compete on the market with other companies. BETFAN’s success proved to be a tax-free promotion and marketing campaign with Mariusz Pudzianowski, who helped build the brand’s credibility.

The main prize in the Product of the Year category was awarded to the Promatic Group for creating the game Husaria. Designers of the slot from PromaticGroup tried to reflect the most important attributes of Polish cavalry. Gamers were certainly captivated by the animation of Hussar speeding into battle, who took players into the middle of the battle.

OlgierdCieslik became the President of the Year, who successfully led Totalizator Sportowy through the difficult process of technological revolution, which consisted in increasing the e-commerce sector in the operations of the state-owned company. The state-owned company has achieved significant development in every range of products – both online and from the retail network.

In the Marketing Campaign of the Year category, the award was granted to BETFAN together with its ambassador Mariusz Pudzianowski. The best debutant of the previous year needed credibility and Mariusz Pudzianowski assured one. The former strongman and current MMA fighter appeared on the brand’s advertising materials, in social media, but also on the BETFANs’ home page. The slogans promoting the campaign with Pudzianowski were attractive, mentions of cooperation appeared all over the Internet – also on websites that do not deal with gambling or sport on a daily basis.

STS became the winner of Polish Gaming Aces in the Bookmaker of the Year category. The company managed by Mateusz Juroszek maintained its position, and with innovative ideas and creative marketing efforts increased the competitive advantage in many fields. For STS in 2019 there were two breakthrough moments – the introduction of BETGAMES and rebranding with a completely new graphic design of the home page in the desktop, mobile, but also the renewed mobile application. STS has also been operating on foreign markets since last year.

In the last and also the most prestigious category of the Company of the Year, Totalizator Sportowy once again triumphed. Business, which until now was largely associated with activities in retail, in less than two years had to undergo a huge transformation and now Totalizator Sportowy can be considered as a technology company. From the tax on games developed only by the brands of a state-owned company, over 232 milion euro will go to the state budget. Novomatic, IGT and STS were also nominated in the Company of the Year category.

The first special award for contribution in development of the entertainment industry went to Iwo Bulski. Totalizator Sportowy won the Polish Gaming Aces Grand Prix for activities on the e-commerce market.

– I am glad that for the first time in Poland we had the opportunity to organize a Gala with awards for the entertainment industry in Poland. After the event, we received many favorable reviews, which means that we are heading in the right direction as an industry – said the editor-in-chief of Interplay, Maciej Akimow

Up Next

Prague Gaming Summit 2020 Sponsor profile – PLANZER LAW (European Regulatory Sponsor)

Don't Miss

MLS partners with Second Spectrum on advanced tracking data system

Central Europe

Habanero goes live on Favbet Romania

Published

3 days ago

May 19, 2026

Wladimir P.

Deal adds Habanero’s slots and table games to Favbet.ro as the supplier targets further growth in CEE regulated markets.

Habanero has gone live with Favbet Romania, rolling out its slots and table games portfolio on the operator’s locally focused platform in Romania’s regulated online market.

Under the agreement, Favbet Romania players gain access to Habanero’s full catalogue. The companies positioned the launch as part of Habanero’s wider push to add regulated operator partners across Central and Eastern Europe.

Toni Karapetrov, Head of Corporate Communications at Habanero, said: “Favbet Romania is a well-respected brand in Europe and exactly the kind of partner we look to work with as we deepen our presence in the market. Romania players have a strong appetite for our content and we are confident our games will resonate well with their audience.

“Romania is an important market for us, and going live with this operator is another strong step in our continued European expansion across high-growth regulated markets.”

Cristian Sapovici, Head of Casino, Favbet Romania, said: “The collaboration between Favbet Romania and Habanero has been strong from the very beginning, and this co-branded collaboration agreement marks an important step in strengthening our strategic partnership.

“Our shared objective is to deliver a more integrated gaming experience for players in Romania, supported by consistent visibility, dedicated campaigns, and a stronger presence of Habanero content within the Favbet.ro ecosystem.”

Habanero said it is now live in 22 European regulated markets, and counts operators including Entain, Sisal and Betway among its partners.

The post Habanero goes live on Favbet Romania appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Brightstar Global Solutions Corporation

Brightstar Lottery Signs 3-Year Contract Extension with TIPOS, Slovakia’s National Lottery

Published

5 days ago

May 18, 2026

Wladimir P.

brightstar-lottery-signs-3-year-contract-extension-with-tipos,-slovakia’s-national-lottery

Brightstar Lottery PLC announced that its subsidiary, Brightstar Global Solutions Corporation, has signed a three-year contract extension with TIPOS, the government-owned lottery in Slovakia, to continue providing best-in-class lottery technology and lottery-related services.

TIPOS has been a valued Brightstar customer for more than 30 years. Under its most recent contract with TIPOS, signed in 2019 and which this agreement extends to 2032, Brightstar implemented in Slovakia a new lottery central system, next-generation retailer terminals, and related support services. Brightstar will further support TIPOS’ business expansion by delivering up to 2500 new mobile lottery terminals, handheld devices that provide lotteries expanded reach and enhanced convenience.

“Brightstar continues to deliver important services and innovative solutions to help us grow lottery in Slovakia. The success of our partnership funds a variety of good causes in Slovakia, including education and sports, and we are pleased to extend our agreement,” said Štefan Vyletel, Chairman of the Management Board and CEO of TIPOS.

“We are honored that TIPOS has entrusted us to serve Slovakia’s lottery for three decades. The handheld terminals we are deploying will enable TIPOS to convert offline instant ticket sales activities to online sales at the individual ticket level, while expanding the number of points of sale locations that players can purchase draw-based lottery games. We remain firmly committed to providing TIPOS and its players with exciting and innovative lottery solutions to help drive funding for good causes in Slovakia,” said Marco Tasso, Brightstar Chief Operating Officer International and Italy Operations.

The post Brightstar Lottery Signs 3-Year Contract Extension with TIPOS, Slovakia’s National Lottery appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Central Europe

Tipico Casino Enters into Partnership with Holstein Kiel

Published

3 weeks ago

May 5, 2026

Wladimir P.

tipico-casino-enters-into-partnership-with-holstein-kiel

Tipico Casino, operated by Tipico Karlsruhe Ltd, has entered into a partnership with German second-division football club Holstein Kiel. The agreement marks the start of a long-term collaboration between two strong and trusted brands.

In April, Tipico Karlsruhe Ltd. launched a fully regulated online casino offering in Schleswig-Holstein – becoming the first private provider to do so in Germany. The licences were granted in September 2024 by the state’s Ministry of the Interior, Municipal Affairs, Housing and Sport. The partnership with Holstein Kiel reflects the strong regional commitment behind this new offering.

The aim is not only to deliver exciting entertainment to people in Schleswig-Holstein, but also to ensure a safe and responsible environment. Tipico is known for its high standards in player protection in Germany and applies the same approach to its online casino offering.

Holstein Kiel stands for authenticity, passion and down-to-earth values like few other clubs in northern Germany. At the heart of the collaboration is a long-term partnership built on trust, regional proximity and shared values.

Christian Heins, Director of iGaming at Tipico, said: “As someone who grew up in northern Germany, I feel a strong personal connection to the region. I’m therefore especially pleased that we’ve been able to bring together Holstein Kiel, a club with great tradition, and Tipico Casino. By joining forces, we aim to offer players a safe and engaging online casino experience.”

Wolfgang Schwenke, Vice President and Managing Director of KSV Holstein, said: “We are delighted to welcome Tipico as a partner that is actively contributing to developments in Schleswig-Holstein. As a club with strong roots in the region, it is important to us to build and strengthen local partnerships. At the same time, we share a clear commitment to providing a responsible environment.”

The post Tipico Casino Enters into Partnership with Holstein Kiel appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.