Industry News
OPAP strengthens its position in online sports-betting in Greece through the acquisition of Stoiximan Group’s Greek and Cypriot business
OPAP S.A., (“OPAP”), SAZKA Group’s Greek and Cypriot subsidiary, has today announced (i) the receipt of regulatory approvals for its previously announced acquisition of 51% of Stoiximan Group’s Greek and Cypriot business (“SMGC”) and (ii) the acquisition (subject to regulatory approvals) of a further stake in SMGC as a result of which OPAP will have a total shareholding of 85% in and sole control of SMGC.
OPAP’s announcement and presentation can be found here.
Robert Chvatal, SAZKA Group CEO, commented: “Today’s announcement marks an important step forward for SAZKA Group and for OPAP, as OPAP gains a leading market position in yet another gaming vertical. OPAP, with SAZKA Group’s support, has achieved a milestone that will significantly strengthen its position in the online sports-betting market. In recent weeks, we have been working in anything but a standard business environment. And yet under these extraordinary circumstances our joint teams brought this transaction to fruition. Here my thanks must go specifically to the management team led by Mr. George Daskalakis”.
In 2019, Stoiximan Group (under the parent company TCB) generated revenues (GGR) of €245 million and EBITDA of €38 million. SMGC generated revenues (GGR) of €197 million, corresponding to 80% of Stoiximan Group’s total revenues, and EBITDA of 44 million.
OPAP:
OPAP is the leading gaming company in Greece. The company, founded in 1958 as the country’s national lottery operator and listed on the Athens Exchange in 2001, is the exclusive licensed operator of numerical lotteries (7 games), sports betting (4 games), Video Lottery Terminals (VLTs) and horse racing in Greece. It also operates exclusively, as a controlling shareholder (83.5%) through a joint venture, the passive lotteries and instant (scratch) games in Greece. OPAP is one of the largest charitable donors in Greece, operating under World Lottery Association (WLA) and responsible gaming standards.
About SAZKA Group:
SAZKA Group is one of the largest pan-European lottery operators. Its businesses run lotteries in all the major continental European countries where lotteries are privately operated, including the Czech Republic, Greece, Austria, Italy, and Cyprus. Its businesses focus on the lottery segment, including numerical lotteries (draw-based games) and instant lotteries (scratch cards), while also providing complementary products in sports-betting and digital-only games. They sell their products both through extensive retail networks and digital platforms. All its lottery operators are members of the World Lottery Association and the European Lottery Association and operate in accordance with their codes of practice.
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Casino Content
ICONIC21 launches Football Cup-branded casino games and debut network tournament
ICONIC21 has rolled out three limited-edition Football Cup-branded casino games and launched its first network tournament, ICONIC Showdown Football Cup, running from 9th of July to 19th of July.
The new titles are Football Cup Roulette, Football Cup Blackjack 360, and Football Cup Gravity Blackjack. ICONIC21 said the releases showcase different customisation approaches, including green screen production for the roulette environment and an updated visual rebrand for its RNG blackjack table.
For Football Cup Gravity Blackjack, ICONIC21 said it used its latest LED technology and applied the Gravity Series multiplier mechanic, with a custom felt, a football gate, and bespoke 3D-printed decorations.
Alongside the three new games, ICONIC21 pointed to its previously launched slot Soccer World Championship, plus The Kickoff and Top Card, which it said received football-season branding and UI/UX updates.
The ICONIC Showdown Football Cup tournament covers 11 games in total and is positioned around the quarter finals, semi-finals and final period. ICONIC21 said 1,000 winners will share a €50,000 prize pool, and operators can enroll via their account manager or by contacting the company directly.
Edvardas Sadovskis, Chief Product Officer at ICONIC21, said:
“What I’m most proud of with this project is the turnaround. We built three fully branded, technically distinct games, enhanced existing ones with promotional branding, and launched our first-ever network tournament around them, all timed to coincide with peak player interest and traffic.
That kind of speed doesn’t happen by accident, it reflects how this team works. ICONIC Showdown is a meaningful first step for us as a provider, and launching it during the Football Cup, with this much energy around the game, feels like the right way to do it. We’re genuinely excited to see how the leaderboard shapes up and even more excited for the finals.”
The post ICONIC21 launches Football Cup-branded casino games and debut network tournament appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Brand Ambassador
Ronaldinho visits CreedRoomz Yerevan studio to front Marble Cup and Kickoff Roulette
CreedRoomz has brought footballer Ronaldinho to its headquarters in Yerevan, where the company filmed an “exclusive interview” with the former player in connection with two new live casino game shows, Marble Cup and Kickoff Roulette. CreedRoomz said Ronaldinho is the global ambassador for both titles.
In the interview, Ronaldinho said: “For me, it’s a great joy to be a part of this partnership. Since arriving here at the office, everyone has treated me with great affection. I already feel at home, very happy.” Asked to choose between the two games, he added: “Honestly, it’s difficult to choose one, both are wonderful, I loved them, so it’s very difficult to choose one, I think everyone will really like them, I think the whole world will really enjoy them.”
Ronaldinho also described his first impressions of the studio and gameplay: “I was surprised and very happy, everything is very beautiful, everything is very innovative, so I believe that’s why everyone will really like them, so I’m looking forward to everyone starting to enjoy them a lot.”
On why CreedRoomz expects the titles to gain traction, he said: “These are different games. I think that will attract attention, the fact that football is a global passion also helps, so I believe everyone will like it for those reasons.. and for the innovation of everything that is happening.”
CreedRoomz linked the interview to upcoming “World Cup and R10 Tournaments,” with Ronaldinho closing by telling fans: “A message of gratitude for the continued affection. I’m very happy and excited. for the next competitions for the next games, the games are all ready, I hope everyone enjoys them and everyone be very happy and have good times together.”
The post Ronaldinho visits CreedRoomz Yerevan studio to front Marble Cup and Kickoff Roulette appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Gamification
Soft2Bet launches MEGA Shoot World Cup gamification engine
Soft2Bet has launched MEGA Shoot, a football-themed gamification engine designed around the 2026 FIFA World Cup, aimed at helping sportsbook operators retain players during the tournament.
The product will be deployed across selected Soft2Bet brands including Betinia, Swiper, Campobet, ToonieBet and Elabet, with availability spanning markets including Denmark, Greece, Mexico, New Jersey, Ontario, Romania, and the rest of Canada, according to the company.
MEGA Shoot uses a player-versus-player best-of-five penalty shootout format. Players alternate between striker and goalkeeper, with the striker selecting where to shoot and the goalkeeper selecting where to defend. Each round resolves as a goal or a save before roles switch.
Soft2Bet said early internal results show 31.9% engagement among active players across selected brands, with 71.2% of MEGA Shoot players going on to play a second match. The company also claims a 13.5% player retention uplift.
Yoel Zuckerberg, Chief Product Officer at Soft2Bet, said: “The World Cup runs from 11 June to 19 July, so retention has to work across the full tournament calendar. MEGA Shoot gives operators a football game that players can understand quickly, with head-to-head competition tied to the sport they already follow. With almost 32% engagement among active players and about 71% converting into a second match, the early data shows how tournament-led gamification can strengthen sportsbook engagement during major football events.”
The post Soft2Bet launches MEGA Shoot World Cup gamification engine appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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