Latest News
SAZKA Group teams up with Sir Keith Mills in bid for Fourth UK National Lottery Licence
SAZKA Group, Europe’s largest lottery operator, today announced it has appointed Sir Keith Mills as Bid Chair of the UK team for the Fourth National Lottery Licence Competition. Sir Keith, a successful entrepreneur whose creative talent conceived the loyalty programmes so ubiquitous today, brings a wealth of experience from his roles across sport, charities, and business. He played a pivotal role in London’s successful bid to host the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and subsequently, their successful staging. For the past six years he has chaired the Royal Foundation of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, a role he hands over to Lord William Hague next month. He is also Chairman of the Invictus Games, the international adaptive multi-sport event created by Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex.
Commenting on the announcement, Sir Keith said, “I am driven by organisations that make a real contribution to society. I chose to team up with Sazka for the Fourth National Lottery Licence Competition because I believe the UK National Lottery needs to grow and be engaging if it is to continue to fund the thousands of good causes every year. Our lottery is a national treasure with nearly 26 years of history; however, the landscape has changed immeasurably since it was first launched back in 1994. The challenge now is to ensure the lottery connects with people right across the country, making it fresh and exciting as it once was, bringing new ways that are relevant for today and tomorrow’s generation. I feel passionately that it needs to be restored to the nation’s hearts, especially in these difficult times. I teamed up with Sazka because they have a proven record of taking established lotteries, growing them and evolving them to be relevant for the future. I am cognisant that much has to be done for us to make a winning case in this competition, but I believe that over the course of this process we will be able to demonstrate how Sazka’s expertise coupled with the experienced British team that we are building in the UK will offer the right stewardship for the UKNL for 2023 and beyond.”
As Bid Chairman, Sir Keith will lead a team with world-class bidding and delivery experience, including for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and Comic Relief. Sazka has appointed former London 2012 employee, Alastair Ruxton, as the Bid Director, together with British experts in key areas such as Player Protection, Good Causes, Innovation, Digital, Retail and Customer Experience.
Commenting on the agreement, SAZKA Group CEO Robert Chvátal said, “We are thrilled to be partnering with Sir Keith Mills and have him lead our entry in the Fourth National Lottery Licence Competition. We are hugely excited to be participating in this competition and for the chance to take stewardship of the National Lottery, helping the UK to fall back in love with this vital institution. Operating in five different national markets (Czech Republic, Austria, Italy, Greece, and Cyprus) has given us an unprecedented level of insight and experience in running lotteries. In addition, we have consistently increased participation and revenues for the lotteries we operate. We want to bring this deep knowledge and customer insight to revitalise the UK National Lottery increasing sales and money raised for good causes, thereby providing a much-needed long-term boost to community, arts, sports and heritage institutions across the UK.”
After submitting the Selection Questionnaire earlier this month, SAZKA Group has been accepted into the competition by the Gambling Commission, the body running the Competition. The team will now review the final bid application documents and continue to assemble a strong consortium capable of submitting a winning bid in 2021.
About Sir Keith Mills
Sir Keith Mills GBE DL is a British business entrepreneur who founded the Air Miles and Nectar customer loyalty programmes and has established numerous businesses, both in the UK and internationally. In September 2003, Sir Keith was appointed International President and CEO of London 2012 established to bid for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Having won the bid, he established LOCOG to organise the Games, where he was Deputy Chairman alongside Lord Sebastian Coe. In 2007 Sir Keith established an Olympic related charity, International Inspiration, which he chaired, and in 2008 he established a UK charity, Sported, which he funded and chaired for 10 years. In 2014 Sir Keith established, and was Chairman of, the Invictus Games, working with Prince Harry to deliver a new major international sport event for wounded servicemen and women. Sir Keith Chairs the Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, and the Invictus Games Foundation. Sir Keith is also a Director and an investor in a number of private companies.
Sir Keith has received numerous awards including: Master Entrepreneur of the Year, Chief Executive of the Year, and the Sports Industry Businessman of the Year, and was knighted by The Queen in 2006 and again in 2013 when he received the Grand Knight Cross for his services to sport.
About SAZKA Group
The SAZKA Group is a national lottery, instant lottery and digital gaming operator, with our trusted brands and industry-leading technology delivering over €17bn in annual sales. Established in 2012, SAZKA Group is already one of Europe’s largest and fastest growing lottery companies and our strong performance across our markets is helping to fund good causes in the Czech Republic, Greece, Cyprus, Austria, and Italy.
Since entering the lottery market in 2012, SAZKA Group has quickly expanded from the Czech Republic into four other European markets. SAZKA Group has consistently taken on established lotteries and made them better, while also expanding into new market segments through market-leading technology platforms. The Group’s unique experience of operating in different jurisdictions enables it to adopt a tailored approach to customer experience in each market, helping to increase sales and returns to good causes.
Responsible gaming and funding good causes are at the heart of SAZKA Group’s business and culture. it promotes responsible gaming in all of its markets and is committed to having a positive impact where it operates. From building children’s hospitals in Greece to support for the Czech Olympic Foundation, SAZKA Group has put its business skills to the benefit of the local community.
Powered by WPeMatico
En un artículo exclusivo para Gaming Americas, Udo Seckelmann, socio de Bichara e Motta Advogados, analiza cómo el mercado brasileño de iGaming ha entrado en una nueva fase de madurez tras el BiS SiGMA South America 2026.
Dejando atrás las expectativas regulatorias, la industria ahora enfrenta presiones reales a nivel operativo, político y económico, lo que plantea interrogantes clave sobre la sostenibilidad, la fiscalización y el equilibrio entre crecimiento y protección del consumidor en uno de los mercados de apuestas más dinámicos del mundo.
En un artículo exclusivo para Gaming Americas, Udo Seckelmann, socio de Bichara e Motta Advogados, analiza cómo el mercado brasileño de iGaming ha entrado en una nueva fase de madurez tras el BiS SiGMA South America 2026. Dejando atrás las expectativas regulatorias, la industria ahora enfrenta presiones operativas, políticas y económicas reales, lo que plantea preguntas críticas sobre sostenibilidad, aplicación normativa y el equilibrio entre crecimiento y protección del consumidor en uno de los mercados de apuestas más dinámicos del mundo.
BiS SiGMA 2026 dejó en claro que la conversación en torno al sector de apuestas en Brasil ha cambiado de forma fundamental. La industria ya no se discute como una oportunidad futura moldeada por expectativas regulatorias, sino como un ecosistema en funcionamiento sujeto a presiones del mundo real. Con el marco regulatorio en vigor y operadores activos, el foco se ha desplazado hacia cómo se comporta realmente el mercado bajo regulación y en qué puntos ese marco está siendo puesto a prueba.
Este cambio fue evidente tanto en la calidad de las discusiones como en el perfil de los participantes. En ediciones anteriores, gran parte del debate se centraba en el marco regulatorio ideal, la tributación y las estrategias de entrada al mercado. En 2026, el foco se trasladó hacia temas más sofisticados y, en muchos sentidos, más desafiantes: implementación regulatoria, fiscalización y el equilibrio entre crecimiento y protección del consumidor.
Un elemento adicional que permeó muchas de las discusiones fue el reciente endurecimiento del discurso político hacia el sector. Declaraciones del Presidente que sugieren la posible eliminación del mercado regulado de apuestas, así como iniciativas en el Congreso orientadas a restringir de forma amplia la publicidad del sector, revelan preocupaciones legítimas sobre externalidades negativas, pero también un riesgo concreto de que la política pública se diseñe de forma desconectada de la nueva realidad regulatoria.
La crítica aquí no se dirige a la preocupación por la protección del consumidor, que es sin duda esencial, sino a la forma en que se ha llevado a cabo este debate. Medidas prohibitivas o excesivamente restrictivas, particularmente en el ámbito de la publicidad, tienden a producir efectos adversos ya observados en otras jurisdicciones: menor capacidad de canalización hacia el mercado regulado, fortalecimiento de operadores ilegales y debilitamiento de los propios mecanismos de protección al consumidor.
En este contexto, la publicidad no debe ser vista únicamente como un factor de riesgo, sino también como una herramienta de política pública. Es a través de la publicidad que los operadores licenciados pueden diferenciarse de entidades no reguladas, comunicar prácticas de juego responsable y operar dentro de parámetros auditables. Las restricciones desproporcionadas, en la práctica, reducen la visibilidad de quienes están sujetos a regulación, al tiempo que amplían el espacio para quienes operan fuera de ella.
Además, la inestabilidad del discurso político, especialmente cuando coquetea con escenarios de prohibición tras años de esfuerzos para estructurar un mercado regulado, genera una importante inseguridad jurídica. Las inversiones realizadas bajo un marco regulatorio reciente son reevaluadas, los costos de cumplimiento aumentan y el apetito de nuevos entrantes tiende a disminuir. En última instancia, esto afecta no solo el desarrollo del sector, sino también la recaudación del gobierno y los objetivos regulatorios originales perseguidos por el Estado.
Otro tema clave discutido durante el evento fue el impacto del aumento de la carga impositiva, particularmente tras el incremento del Gaming Tax, sobre la competitividad del mercado regulado. Existe una preocupación legítima de que un entorno excesivamente gravoso, combinado con fuertes restricciones publicitarias, pueda generar un escenario económicamente inviable para los operadores licenciados, incentivando nuevamente la migración hacia el mercado no regulado.
Otro punto destacado del evento fue el debate en torno al rol de los intermediarios tecnológicos, incluidos los market makers en segmentos emergentes como los prediction markets. La expansión de estos modelos plantea importantes interrogantes regulatorios: en qué medida los marcos existentes son suficientes para acomodar estas innovaciones y cuándo será necesario avanzar hacia regímenes regulatorios específicos, posiblemente bajo la supervisión de autoridades como el regulador del mercado de valores.
Una comparación con ediciones anteriores de BiS SiGMA demuestra claramente la creciente madurez del sector. Si Brasil alguna vez fue visto como una gran promesa, hoy es una realidad compleja que requiere ajustes finos y coordinación institucional. La agenda ha pasado de la apertura del mercado a la gobernanza, ahora bajo un escrutinio político y social mucho más intenso.
Por último, un aspecto que merece especial atención es la creciente profesionalización de todos los actores involucrados. Operadores, reguladores, proveedores de servicios e incluso el debate público han evolucionado significativamente. Hoy existe una comprensión más clara de que el éxito del mercado brasileño depende de su credibilidad y de su sostenibilidad a largo plazo.
Udo Seckelmann
Socio del área de Gambling & Crypto en Bichara e Motta Advogados
The post Los nuevos desafíos de la industria del iGaming en 2026 appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
In an exclusive article for Gaming Americas, Udo Seckelmann, partner in the Gambling & Crypto department at Bichara e Motta Advogados, examines how the Brazilian iGaming market has entered a new phase of maturity following BiS SiGMA South America 2026.
Moving beyond regulatory expectations, the industry now faces real operational, political, and economic pressures, raising critical questions about sustainability, enforcement, and the balance between growth and consumer protection in one of the world’s most dynamic betting markets.
BIS SIGMA 2026 made it clear that the conversation around Brazil’s betting sector has fundamentally changed. The industry is no longer being discussed as a future opportunity shaped by regulatory expectations, but as a functioning ecosystem already subject to real-world pressures. With the framework in force and operators active, the focus has shifted to how the market actually behaves under regulation — and where that framework is being put to the test.
This shift was evident both in the quality of the discussions and in the profile of participants. In past editions, much of the debate focused on the ideal regulatory framework, taxation, and market entry strategies. In 2026, the focus moved toward more sophisticated — and, in many ways, more challenging — topics: regulatory implementation, enforcement, and the balance between growth and consumer protection.
An additional element that permeated many discussions was the recent hardening of political discourse toward the sector. Statements from the President suggesting the potential elimination of the regulated betting market, as well as initiatives in Congress aimed at broadly restricting betting advertising, reveal legitimate concerns about negative externalities but also a concrete risk of public policy being shaped in a way that is disconnected from the newly established regulatory reality.
The criticism here is not directed at the concern for consumer protection — which is undoubtedly essential — but rather at how this debate has been conducted. Prohibitive or overly restrictive measures, particularly in the field of advertising, tend to produce adverse effects already observed in other jurisdictions: reduced channeling capacity toward the regulated market, the strengthening of illegal operators, and a weakening of consumer protection mechanisms themselves.
In this context, advertising should not be viewed solely as a risk factor, but also as a public policy tool. It is through advertising that licensed operators can differentiate themselves from unregulated entities, communicate responsible gambling practices, and operate within auditable parameters. Disproportionate restrictions, in practice, reduce the visibility of those subject to regulation while simultaneously expanding the space for those operating outside it.
Moreover, the instability of political discourse — especially when it flirts with prohibition scenarios after years of efforts to structure a regulated market — creates significant legal uncertainty. Investments made based on a recent regulatory framework are reassessed, compliance costs increase, and the appetite of new entrants tends to decline. Ultimately, this undermines not only the development of the sector but also government revenue and the original regulatory objectives pursued by the Government.
Another key topic discussed during the event was the impact of increased taxation — particularly following the rise in the Gaming Tax — on the competitiveness of the regulated market. There is a legitimate concern that an overly burdensome environment, combined with severe advertising restrictions, may create an economically unviable scenario for licensed operators, once again encouraging migration to the unregulated market.
Another highlight of the event was the debate surrounding the role of technological intermediaries — including market makers in emerging segments such as prediction markets. The expansion of these models raises important regulatory questions: to what extent are existing frameworks sufficient to accommodate these innovations? And when will it be necessary to move toward specific regulatory regimes, potentially under the oversight of authorities such as the securities regulator?
A comparison with previous BIS SIGMA editions clearly demonstrates the sector’s growing maturity. If Brazil was once seen as a major promise, it is now a complex reality that requires fine-tuning and institutional coordination. The agenda has shifted from market opening to governance — now under much more intense political and social scrutiny.
Finally, one aspect that deserves particular attention is the increasing professionalization of all stakeholders involved. Operators, regulators, service providers, and even the broader public debate have evolved significantly. There is now a clearer understanding that the success of the Brazilian market depends on its credibility and long-term sustainability.
Udo Seckelmann
Partner in the Gambling & Crypto department at Bichara e Motta Advogados
The post The iGaming Industry’s New Challenges in 2026 appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
Endorphina Limited has obtained a Gaming-Related Supplier registration in Ontario, Canada, allowing the company to supply its online slot content to licensed operators in the province.
The registration was issued by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO). Ontario is one of North America’s most closely regulated online gambling markets.
“Securing approval in Ontario is a significant achievement for Endorphina. It confirms the quality of our products, the strength of our compliance framework, and our readiness to operate in highly regulated environments,” said Head of Compliance at Endorphina, Džangar Jesenov.
Endorphina said it has a portfolio of 200+ slots, partnerships with 6,000+ operators, and an active presence in more than 50 jurisdictions. The company positions the Ontario approval as part of its broader expansion strategy in regulated markets.
The post Endorphina secures AGCO supplier registration in Ontario appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
-
Akshat Rathee6 days agoManish Agarwal Joins NODWIN Gaming Board as Non-Executive Director
-
AGCO6 days ago
Platipus Gaming secures Ontario supplier licence
-
Bally’s Intralot6 days ago
Bally’s Intralot Signs New Contract with British Columbia Lottery Corporation
-
Caesars Digital5 days ago
RubyPlay partners with Caesars Entertainment in Ontario to advance North American expansion
-
Amazons’ Wonders4 days ago
SYNOT Games Enters into Partnership with Bulgarian Operator BETVAM
-
Africa5 days ago
TaDa Gaming joins inaugural iGaming AFRIKA Summit in Nairobi
-
Aviator5 days ago
SPRIBE Wins Interim Injunction in Brazil – Court Orders Betnacional to Immediately Cease Unauthorized Use of “AVIATOR”
-
Argentina4 days ago
Same providers, different games: Blask uncovers hidden patterns in LATAM casino lobbies
