Central Europe

IDnow welcomes agreement on a transition period for online gambling law in Germany

Published

6 years ago

September 16, 2020

Reading Time: 3 minutes

IDnow, a leading Identity verification specialist, welcomes that Germany’s 16 states have agreed to a transition period incorporating the new and upcoming legal framework by October 15th. This transition clarifies existing and new mandates including, and importantly, age verification requirements for online gambling. The new regime officially enters into effect in July of next year.

IDnow, in its mission is to make the connected world a safer place, is pleased about this decision among the German states. The company looks forward to supporting the operators in order to provide greater safety for users. For IDnow, this ensures better protection for customers under German law as well as clearer rules in regard to responsible gambling.

“This is a big step for Germany’s online gambling industry, and again, it shows the importance of eKYC methods and their need to evolve. In a world that becomes more and more digital by the day, we need to stay vigilant and constantly adapt our security requirements,” says Rayissa Armata, Head of Regulatory Affairs at IDnow. “IDnow strives to contribute to responsible corporate citizenship, ensuring that the social responsibility for this industry can be achieved effectively through innovative methods. This is the strong desire of the federal and state governments within Germany, and IDnow has been and – will continue to be – an active supporter of those efforts,” she adds.

“We have developed our products together with our clients – the biggest players in the market – , to perfectly meet their needs. IDnow offers AML compliant video verification, but also an approved automated verification solution. Gambling operators can choose, depending on their security needs, which of those multiple solutions they want to use. All of them fulfill mandatory age verification requirements,” says Oliver Obitayo CSO at IDnow. “To us its more than important that our clients can offer safe service platforms to customers so underage use can be prevented,” he adds.

After a period of uncertainty, each of Germany’s 16 states have agreed to a transition period for online gambling in Germany before the official start date of July 1, 2021. This transition period is noted by the shared agreement to not punish gambling companies who conform to the new law that will officially go into effect next year.

In January 2020, the German states agreed on an amendment to the State Treaty on Gambling (Glücksspielstaatsvertrag) that also comes into effect July 1, 2021. This date was partly put into jeopardy, as was the process to issue sports betting licenses, in the first half of this year when matters came to a halt due to a court injunction sought by an Austrian gambling operator.

In a welcome development last week, Germany’s 16 states agreed to a transition period for gambling activities. This will allow operators to offer casino style gaming and poker as long as such activities are fully-compliant with the draft for the new Glücksspielstaatsvertrag. Online gambling operators must meet all licensing requirements by an October 15 deadline. This will include an Age Verification (AV) solution for online operators.

Under the new and upcoming regulatory regime, the following changes will be implemented:

It will be possible for German players to play online casino games and online poker under strict regulations
A wagering limit of €1 will be placed per spin for slot games
The number of licenses for table games will be limited to the number of physical locations for casinos in each state
A €1,000 deposit limit will now be implemented across all online gambling verticals in Germany.

With the recent acquisition of Wirecard Communication Services into the IDnow Group, the Munich based company has created additional capacities and possibilities for more flexibility in order to be able to adequately support its customers in every situation.

Austria

Austrian Brand Value Study: NOVOMATIC Defends Top Ranking

Published

1 week ago

July 3, 2026

Wladimir P.

In the 23rd edition of the Austrian Brand Value Study, the European Brand Institute (EBI) once again recognised the country’s most valuable and sustainable brands. NOVOMATIC continues its winning streak, ranking second behind Red Bull for the seventh consecutive year with a brand value of EUR 3.938 billion, up 2.0% from the previous year.

“This top ranking once again confirms the strong international appeal of the NOVOMATIC brand and the success of our long-term corporate strategy. We have succeeded in further strengthening the NOVOMATIC brand worldwide through continuous innovation, the expansion of our global presence, and a consistent focus on sustainable growth. The fact that we are once again among the leading companies in the Sustainable Brand Ranking shows that economic success and responsible business practices are inextricably linked at NOVOMATIC,” said Stefan Krenn, Member of the NOVOMATIC AG Executive Board.

This prestigious award highlights NOVOMATIC’s strong market position and sustainable growth. The company has consistently ranked among Austria’s most valuable corporate brands since 2020. The evaluation is based on international standards and considers factors including brand strength, brand potential, trends and economic performance.

NOVOMATIC’s renewed second place reaffirms its position as a leader in the Sustainable Brand Ranking. A key factor in this success is the Group’s corporate responsibility and ESG program, which firmly integrates environmental, social and governance aspects into the long-term corporate strategy. The effectiveness of these measures is regularly confirmed by independent ESG rating agencies.

The Austrian Brand Value Study is conducted annually by the European Brand Institute. For the 2026 ranking, 180 brand-name companies from 16 industries were analyzed, more than 45% of which are Austrian-owned. The evaluation is conducted in accordance with the international standards ISO 10668 and ISO 20671.

With its top rankings in both the Brand Value and Sustainable Brand categories, NOVOMATIC AG has once again underscored its position as one of Austria’s most important companies with international influence.

The post Austrian Brand Value Study: NOVOMATIC Defends Top Ranking appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Casinò Portorož

SYNOT Games Enters Slovenian Market with Casino Portorož Partnership

Published

1 month ago

June 5, 2026

Wladimir P.

synot-games-enters-slovenian-market-with-casino-portoroz-partnership

SYNOT Games continues its European expansion by officially entering the Slovenian market through a strategic partnership with the renowned Casino Portorož and its platform Casino.SI. This marks the provider’s first collaboration in Slovenia and a significant milestone in strengthening its presence across regulated European jurisdictions.

As part of the launch, SYNOT Games has successfully certified an extensive portfolio of 190 games for the Slovenian market – effectively making its full suite of content available to local players. The offering includes a comprehensive range of products, from top-performing slots to popular alternatives such as crash games and roulette, enabling Casino Portorož to deliver a diverse and engaging gaming experience.

The go-live will be supported by the introduction of a SYNOT Progressive Bonus with a €10,000 jackpot pool, designed to keep player engagement from day one. Looking ahead, the partners aim to further expand the integration by fully leveraging SYNOT’s proprietary ecosystem of promotional and engagement tools. The long-term plan is to introduce the full portfolio, including PEAK, Feature Free Rounds and Free Round Bonuses, enabling Casino.SI to maximise player engagement, boost retention, and deliver highly personalised, dynamic bonus experiences.

Martina Krajčí, Chief Commercial Officer at SYNOT Games, said: “We are very pleased to enter the Slovenian market through our partnership with Casino Portorož, a respected and established operator with a strong local presence. Bringing nearly our entire portfolio to Slovenian players demonstrates our commitment to delivering premium content tailored to regulated environments.”

Ksenija Bezek, Head of Online Operations at Casino Portorož, said: “We are delighted to partner with SYNOT Games and introduce their rich and diverse portfolio to our players. Their proven performance across regulated markets, combined with engaging features such as the SPB jackpot, aligns perfectly with our strategy to continuously enhance our offering and deliver innovative entertainment experiences to our customers.”

The post SYNOT Games Enters Slovenian Market with Casino Portorož Partnership appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Central Europe

Habanero goes live on Favbet Romania

Published

2 months 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.