Industry News

SAZKA Group: COVID-19 update

Published

6 years ago

March 18, 2020

SAZKA Group wishes to give an update to its stakeholders regarding the measures our companies and retail partners have taken with regard to the COVID-19 virus outbreak.

First and foremost, in order to protect the health and safety of our customers, employees, partners and the public, all our companies have fully complied with all the decisions and recommendations of the public authorities in the countries of their operations. We have successfully implemented contingency and business continuity plans with no significant impact to our business processes, and almost all our employees are currently working from home.

While all our digital channels continue to operate without interruption, our physical retail networks have adopted various measures to safeguard public health and the health of our employees.

We anticipate that these developments will impact our financial performance. The extent of the impact will depend on factors including the duration of the outbreak, how longer current restrictions remain in place, further measures taken by governments, and the extent of economic disruption.

Robert Chvatal, CEO commented: “Management are working on mitigating steps to minimise the financial impact for our companies, our employees, and our partners. SAZKA Group is in daily contact with its local operating companies to coordinate timely response to the developments in individual markets.”

Below is a brief overview of the current situation in our markets:

Greece

On Friday 13 March 2020, the Greek government published its decision to impose a temporary ban on the operation of a wide range of shops, indoor venues and other locations. As a result, all of the OPAP stores and PLAY gaming halls in Greece will be closed for two weeks, from Saturday 14 March until Friday 27 March 2020 inclusive. The horseracing facility at Markopoulo Park will also be closed.

Consequently, during this period, the company’s gaming activities will only be operating through its online platforms, which offer sports betting and certain other lottery games, and via the street vendor network of Hellenic Lotteries, which offers scratch cards and passive lotteries.

OPAP’s stores in Cyprus have been temporarily closed as of.

Austria

On Friday 13 March 2020, the Austrian government published its decision to impose a temporary ban on the operation of a wide range of shops, excluding those providing basic services such as food retail, pharmacies, post offices, banks, petrol stations and tobacco stores. The decision went into force on Monday 16 March 2020. The ban has so far had only a limited impact on the availability of Austrian lotteries products through its main retail channels, as more than 90% of all point-of-sales are excluded from the ban.

Austrian Lotteries’ online gaming activities remain available to the public during the entire period. They include draw based games (including Austrian Lotteries’ major products Lotto and Euromillions), instant scratch cards, online casino, poker, bingo and sports betting.

In coordination with the authorities, Casinos Austria has decided to close all its casinos in Austria and its subsidiary Austrian Lotteries has decided to close all its 19 gaming halls on March 13, 2020. The casinos and gaming halls will be closed at least until April 13, 2020. The Austrian government is introducing measures to support part time work, which may allow reduce Casinos Austria and Austrian Lotteries to reduce the financial impact of the closure

Casinos Austria International, which operates casinos and VLT businesses in multiple countries, is closely monitoring the situation and acting in accordance with the instructions of local governmental bodies.

Czech Republic

As of Monday 16 March, the State Security Council of the Czech Republic has decided to severely limit free movement in the Czech Republic in order to limit the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus epidemic. Citizens are allowed going to work and shop for supplies limited to food, vital supplies, fuel and medicine, as well as use of necessary financial and postal services. We estimate that 70% of SAZKA’s Czech retail network, including newsstands and post offices, continues providing their services to the public.

At the same time, we are actively promoting the use of online platforms for lottery products as well as digital-only offerings. In recent weeks we have seen a 25-30% increase in sales via digital channels compared to previous weeks.

Italy

Most shops, restaurants and cafes in Italy are currently closed as a result of a number of recent measures. Tobacconists, which are a key channel for LOTTOITALIA, are allowed to remain open, however traffic has declined.

About SAZKA Group:

We are one of the largest pan-European lottery operators. Our businesses operate lotteries in all the major continental European countries where lotteries are privately operated, including the Czech Republic, Greece, Austria and Italy, and in Cyprus. Our businesses focus on the lottery segment, including numerical lotteries (draw-based games) and instant lotteries (scratch cards), and also provide complementary products, including sports-betting and digital-only games. They sell their products both through various retail networks and through digital platforms.

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AI-Driven Optimisation

HilltopAds Introduces Dedicated iGaming Feature Suite and Managed Performance Service

Published

14 hours ago

December 5, 2025

Niji Narayan

hilltopads-introduces-dedicated-igaming-feature-suite-and-managed-performance-service

Reading Time: < 1 minute

HilltopAds announced the rollout of a specialised feature set built exclusively for iGaming advertisers, reinforcing the company’s focus on performance-driven media buying across global markets.

At the center of the release are newly launched, ready-to-use white- and blacklists, curated from premium traffic sources that have consistently shown strong results for iGaming campaigns. These lists are derived from performance data across thousands of active advertisers and are designed to reduce testing time while increasing the predictability of campaign outcomes.

HilltopAds is also introducing a full-managed service, giving advertisers access to dedicated iGaming specialists who will set up, launch and continuously optimise campaigns based on individual KPI requirements. This service aims to support teams looking for deeper expertise, streamlined workflows or hands-off performance management.

To mark the launch, HilltopAds is providing a $2000 bonus for all direct iGaming advertisers making their first deposit of $5000 or more using the promo code IGAVCIP.

These updates complement HilltopAds’ existing capabilities for the iGaming sector, including:

• Massive Global Reach: Over 273B monthly impressions available across 250+ countries.

• Premium Direct Traffic: Access to 39,000+ vetted websites suitable for iGaming user acquisition.

• AI-Driven Optimisation: Automated tools focused on maximising bets, deposits and high-value player actions.

• Flexible Bidding Models: CPM, CPC and CPA Goal options tailored for scale and performance control.

• Specialised Network Infrastructure: Built to support consistent delivery, stable volumes and transparent reporting for regulated verticals.

With these additions, HilltopAds aims to provide iGaming advertisers with a more data-grounded, efficient and scalable environment for user acquisition.

The post HilltopAds Introduces Dedicated iGaming Feature Suite and Managed Performance Service appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Binance

FUN88 Introduces USDT Payments for Faster, Safer and More Rewarding Gaming

Published

14 hours ago

December 5, 2025

Niji Narayan

fun88-introduces-usdt-payments-for-faster,-safer-and-more-rewarding-gaming

Reading Time: < 1 minute

FUN88, a leading platform in igaming and sports entertainment, announced the launch of USDT (Tether) as a new payment option. This addition provides users with a faster, more secure way to manage funds, ensuring smooth transactions from deposits to withdrawals. Supported by major exchanges like Binance, USDT enhances the FUN88 experience with speed, reliability and convenience.

Key Benefits of Using USDT on FUN88:

• Reliable Protection: Secure transactions, keeping the financial information private and safe.

• Fast Transactions: USDT enables instant deposits and withdrawals.

• Stable Value: Tether is tied to the US Dollar, offering a stable and predictable payment method, free from price fluctuations.

• Global Use & 24/7 Availability: USDT is accepted worldwide and available for transactions at any time, offering unlimited deposit limits.

The FUN88 KYC process follows strict anti-money-laundering policies, ensuring a safe and fair environment for all players.

FUN88 offers a secure and engaging experience with simple registration, the FUN88 app and rewarding gameplay. New players can enjoy attractive benefits, including a welcome bonus. With the integration of USDT as a payment option, FUN88 ensures a fast, secure and exciting journey for all players- from sign-up and first deposit to withdrawals.

The post FUN88 Introduces USDT Payments for Faster, Safer and More Rewarding Gaming appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

American gambling industry

Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – November 24-30

Published

5 days ago

December 1, 2025

Niji Narayan

gaming-americas-weekly-roundup-–-november-24-30

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Welcome to our weekly roundup of American gambling news again! Here, we are going through the weekly highlights of the American gambling industry which include the latest news and new partnerships. Read on and get updated.

Latest News

VGO Promo, a long-standing platform known for bridging the worlds of cryptocasinos, cryptocurrency exchanges and CSGO skins gaming, has announced a comprehensive expansion of its verification framework designed to bring transparency to online promotional offers. The updated system enhances how users evaluate bonuses across three intersecting ecosystems. Founded during the peak of the CSGO skins economy, VGO Promo originally provided referral codes for case opening websites and virtual item platforms. As the industry evolved towards blockchain based gaming, Bitcoingambling and crypto trading, VGO Promo expanded its scope to support modern platforms including Roobet, Stake, Rollbit, CSGORoll, Duelbits, Binance, OKX, ByBit, Bitget and various case opening services within the CSGO community. The updated verification framework applies a structured, cross industry methodology to help users navigate rapidly changing promotional conditions.

FanDuel has announced the launch of Pass The Leg, a first-of-its-kind in-app feature that transforms traditional parlay betting into a shared, social experience just in time for holiday gatherings. Pass The Leg allows customers to build a single group parlay collaboratively, with each participant adding their own leg before placing individual bets using their own funds. Designed to bring friends and family together around one of the biggest football days of the year whether near or far, the feature allows users to start or join a Group Build, invite others to contribute picks, and then add the completed parlay to their personal betslip. Each contributor can also take advantage of a dedicated Pass The Leg Profit Boost, amplifying the excitement and potential payout of the shared pick. Available exclusively for the three NFL games taking place on Thanksgiving Day, Pass The Leg marks the first true multi-user parlay-building experience offered by a major U.S. sportsbook operator.

Partnerships

The St. Louis Blues announced an agreement designating DraftKings an Official Sports Betting and Daily Fantasy Operator of the Blues. The announcement comes ahead of the launch of legal sports betting in Missouri scheduled for Dec. 1, 2025. DraftKings has been an Official Sports Betting, Daily Fantasy Sports and iGaming Partner of the National Hockey League since 2021. As part of the agreement, DraftKings will spotlight responsible gaming through a pregame, in-arena feature, encouraging fans to play responsibly, have fun and access DraftKings’ comprehensive suite of responsible gaming tools and resources. DraftKings will have rights to use St. Louis Blues intellectual property — including team trademarks and logos — across marketing and promotional materials. The collaboration will feature in-arena signage, brand integrations across television and radio and exclusive hospitality experiences throughout the season, all designed to elevate fan engagement at the Enterprise Centre and beyond.

Signature Systems Inc (SSI) has announced a new partnership with Yellow Dog Software. The integration connects Yellow Dog’s advanced inventory capabilities with SSI’s PDQ POS system, enabling operators to streamline operations, improve cost control and gain real-time visibility across their properties. The partnership was initiated to meet the inventory needs of Osage Casinos, a major name in tribal gaming. The integration, which went live in September, was first deployed to support convenience store reporting and ordering across the properties.

The post Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – November 24-30 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.