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Behind the Success of the Growing European Online Gambling Market

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Due to all types of restrictions on social gathering and physical attendance in many brick-and-mortar businesses, the global online gaming and gambling markets have ballooned in 2020. As gambling becomes more and more of an online activity, markets such as the European Union are projected to grow at about 10% per year, and increase to nearly US$35.5 billion by 2022, up nearly 32% from its 2018 numbers. Globally, the online gambling market is projected to reach US$160 billion by 2026. The European market is seen as far more regulated than any other, with the Western side catching up to the Eastern market revenue-wise. But for a diverse group of developers and their platforms, there are companies already licensed to operate in the EU that are reaping the rewards of their market position on the continent, including Bragg Gaming Group, Glue Mobile, Activision Blizzard, Century Casino Inc., and Enthusiast Gaming.

Through its subsidiary ORYX Gaming, Bragg Gaming Group recently announced its entry into the lucrative Swiss market, after signing a content deal with leading operator mycasino.ch by Grand Casino Luzern.

It’s worth noting that as recently as 2019, online gaming was illegal in Switzerland, and all access to unlicensed sites and apps were to be blocked. But a new gambling law from July 2019 enabled land-based casinos to launch online operations.

Since then, the Swiss regulated online market quickly gained traction. The latest official figures from the country’s regulator showed that online gaming licensees generated CHF23.5M (more than US$26 million) in just the first partial year of being live.

It’s notable that ORYX/Bragg’s partner Grand Casino Luzern‘s brand mycasino.ch generated CHF8.9M (nearly US$10 million) in revenues in 2019—accounting for nearly 38% of the total Swiss online gaming market.

“We have had a strong start to our online operations and are constantly looking for fresh and exciting content to enhance the experience for our growing customer base. We’re thrilled to have the opportunity to collaborate with ORYX moving forward,” said Wolfgang Bliem, CEO of Grand Casino Luzern. “Our main objective is to provide our Swiss players with pure entertainment at the highest level, and we believe ORYX’s portfolio of games can help us achieve just that. We are pleased to be the first operator in the country to offer the games through ORYX and are confident that the games will be huge hits with our players.”

Through ORYX GAMING, Bragg is licensed by the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA), as well as the Romanian National Gambling Office (ONJN) and is compliant, certified, or approved in 18 other major jurisdictions.

“The Swiss online market is one that we have had an eye on since the new legislation entered into force in 2019 and we are thrilled to finally make our debut,” said Matevz Mazij, Managing Director of ORYX Gaming. “Grand Casino Luzern makes a perfect partner for us as one of the most established operators in the market with a strong online brand and we look forward to working together to build our presence in the country.”

Prior to the Swiss announcement, Bragg Gaming Group announced an exceptional revenue growth of 72% in Q3 2020. Bragg continued to focus on expanding its global footprint, onboarding 14 new customers in the quarter alone. Beyond Switzerland, they’re also in advanced discussions with new customers across multiple other licensed jurisdictions in Europe and Latin America.

Built upon its portfolio of assets that includes the ORYX Gaming subsidiary, Bragg Gaming Group is positioned as an innovative B2B online gaming facilitator, providing turnkey solutions including an omni-channel retail, online, and mobile iGaming platform to clients such as Grand Casino Luzern. Bragg’s games are played and enjoyed in countries around the world, and the company is set to sponsor this year’s prestigious World Gaming Executive Summit (WGES)—one of Europe’s most exclusive iGaming conferences.

At another virtual conference held on Dec 9, Glu Mobile (NASDAQ:GLUU) will be sending its CEO and COO to participate in one-on-one meetings and a fireside chat at the UBS Global TMT Virtual Conference.

Unlike online casino games, Glu Mobile’s primary assets are “freemium” mobile games—games that are free to download, but incentivize players to spend more money for downloadable content and upgrades. The business model has proven quite successful, as shares of Glu Mobile have risen 43.88% over the past quarter, and are up 76.88% in the last year. The company’s revenue reached a record high US$158.50 million, beating the estimate of US$136.30 million, resulting in a year-over-year growth of 48%.

Much like Glu, Activision Blizzard (NASDAQ:ATVI) saw its revenues grow in 2020, by an expected rate of 28%. This year’s lockdowns and increased time at home has given Activision Blizzard its biggest base of engaged players to date. The company expects that its next major Call of Duty release will only add more to the bottom line—and push sales in Q4 to $2 billion, and net bookings of $2.7 billion.

“There are few entertainment franchises that generate over $1 billion in annual net bookings,” said Bobby Kotick, CEO of Activision Blizzard. “And today, we operate three of them: Call of Duty, World of Warcraft and Candy Crush. And each has clear opportunity for sustained growth.”

The lack of physical traffic in Europe appears to be hurting groups such as Century Casino Inc. (NASDAQ:CNTY), which cited its casinos in Poland having a softer Q3 2020. While casinos in smaller cities around the country (drawing more local patrons) are doing well, their two larger casinos in the Polish capital of Warsaw are being softened because of the lack of tourists and business travelers. However, the global casino entertainment company has already begun to move on internet sports betting, such as in October partnering with Tipico for gaming in Colorado. Tipico originally started in Europe in 2004, and is the leading sports betting provider in Germany.

The popularity of online gaming and esports continues to be aided by the work of the world’s largest social network of communities for gamers and esports fans, Enthusiast Gaming (TSX:EGLX). With a reach of over 300 million gaming enthusiasts on a monthly basis, and hosts of the largest mobile gaming event in Europe, Pocket Gamer Connects, Enthusiast Gaming has seen strong growth in 2020—including 36% growth of total advertising revenue, including programmatic advertising revenue growth of 28%.

Because of the nature of their business, Enthusiast’s events have not been as harmed as the more brick-and-mortar centered groups, such as Century Casino. Its latest EGLX 2020 online gaming festival was watched by over 12 million fans, while streaming a total of 53 hours of content over four days from November 10-13.

As the European online gaming and gambling markets continue to grow, companies like Bragg Gaming Group look to be in a good position to take advantage of the gains.

SOURCE Microsmallcap.com

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Inferno Mayhem

PG Soft cranks up the volume with electrifying Inferno Mayhem slot

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PG Soft, the acclaimed mobile game developer, has turned up the heat with Inferno Mayhem, a 5×5 video slot that fuses rock concert intensity with thrilling gameplay. The story unfolds as players step back into the spotlight after Lennox, the king of the stage, mysteriously vanished mid-performance, leaving fans craving a show-stopping experience.

Gameplay and Features

Inferno Mayhem combines collapsing reels, respins, and Wild symbols with multipliers up to x500, immersing players in a roaring rock show atmosphere. Every spin builds toward a mosh pit crescendo, keeping adrenaline levels high.

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      Wild symbols that appear during free spins remain locked until the round ends, boosting chances of epic wins.

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With a maximum win of x25,000 the bet and high session volatility, Inferno Mayhem delivers an electrifying, headbanging experience.

PG Soft commented:
“With Inferno Mayhem, we wanted to capture the adrenaline of a live rock show and bring it to the reels. From the heavy-hitting Respin Feature to the power-packed Free Spins, this hit title has been crafted to get players headbanging while the guitars shred alongside the action.”

Inferno Mayhem exemplifies PG Soft’s signature approach of combining cinematic themes, innovative mechanics, and high-stakes excitement for mobile players.

The post PG Soft cranks up the volume with electrifying Inferno Mayhem slot appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Celtic Coins

Spinomenal expands Hold & Hit 3×3 series with Celtic Coins

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Leading iGaming content provider Spinomenal has launched its newest release, Celtic Coins – Hold & Hit 3×3, expanding its popular Hold & Hit 3×3 series with a charming Irish twist.

Set against a lush emerald backdrop with a golden border, the game pairs a light-hearted, Irish-inspired soundtrack with a visually engaging 3×3 reel layout. Players encounter a golden Pot of Gold Wild, substituting for all symbols except the Bonus and Bonus Collect. The Bonus symbol appears on reels one and three, while the Bonus Collect is exclusive to reel two.

Landing a Bonus Collect alongside one or more Bonus symbols triggers the Bonus Game, where the triggering symbols remain locked in place. Players fill empty spots and can earn multipliers ranging from x1 to x15 of the total bet. Jackpots include the Mini (x25), Minor (x50), Major (x150), and Grand Jackpot (x1000), with the chance to win up to x5000 the total bet for hitting the maximum. Every Bonus or Bonus Collect symbol refreshes the spin counter to three, keeping the excitement high.

Additionally, the Bonus Blast Feature can activate randomly during the base game, adding more Bonus and Bonus Collect symbols to help trigger the Bonus Game.

Omer Henya, Co-CEO of Spinomenal, said:
“Celtic Coins – Hold & Hit 3×3 is another classy addition to our growing Hold & Hit 3×3 series. The coin-locking feature is on the money and makes for an incredibly exciting reel experience that is perfectly complemented by the jackpots and multipliers on offer.”

The launch reinforces Spinomenal’s commitment to innovative, feature-packed slots that combine visually rich themes with rewarding gameplay mechanics.

The post Spinomenal expands Hold & Hit 3×3 series with Celtic Coins appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Betting.za.com

Betting.za.com supports amendments strengthening South Africa’s voluntary exclusion system and compliance requirements

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Betting.za.com, a leading South African information site for online betting and gambling, has welcomed the publication of draft amendments to the National Gambling Regulations, 2004 in Government Gazette No. 54106, issued under Government Notice R. 7113 by the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition.

The proposed changes focus on improving the administration and enforcement of South Africa’s Voluntary Exclusion Programme through the National Register of Excluded Persons, alongside updates to technical rules for gambling machine re-certification.

“Stronger, clearer processes around voluntary exclusion are an essential part of player protection,” said Dennis Kumar, lead betting expert at Betting.za.com. “Anything that makes it easier to self-exclude, harder to bypass, and clearer for licensed operators to implement should be supported — because gambling should always remain safe, controlled, and within limits.”

Key Amendments Proposed in the Gazette

1. Clearer Registration for Voluntary Exclusion
Players wishing to self-exclude must submit a notice to the National Gambling Board (NGB) using Form NGB 1/1, in hard copy or electronically, including a recent passport-sized photo or digital image meeting minimum specifications.

2. Defined Timelines for Handling Notices

  • Operators must forward exclusion notices to the Board on the day they receive them.

  • The Board must process the notice within five days (excluding weekends/public holidays) and share it with license holders and provincial authorities.

  • Operators must implement administrative procedures within five days after receipt.

  • Exclusion takes effect 10 days after submission to the Board.

3. Strengthened Internal Controls
License holders must submit internal control measures to provincial authorities within 90 days of the regulations taking effect, ensuring effective enforcement in gambling venues. Provincial authorities then report both internal controls and provincial registers to the Board.

4. Updated Gambling Machine Re-certification Rules
The amendments revise timing for technical re-certification of gambling machines and devices, including a 24-month window in certain circumstances.

5. Updated Forms
Forms NGB 1/1 and NGB 1/2 have been revised and included in the Gazette annexure.

What This Means for Players

Voluntary exclusion provides a formal “opt-out” mechanism for anyone wanting to limit their gambling activity. Once registered:

  • Players are excluded from designated gambling areas nationally

  • Names are added to the National Register of Excluded Persons

  • Gambling while excluded may result in forfeited winnings, remitted to the Board

The updated forms also reference support services, including the National Responsible Gambling Programme (NRGP) toll-free helpline: 0800 006 008, and an SMS/WhatsApp line.

Implications for Operators and Regulators

The draft regulations emphasize speed, consistency, and accountability:

  • Operators must escalate notices same-day to the Board

  • The Board has five days to capture and distribute the notice

  • Operators have five days to implement administrative processes

  • Mandatory submission of internal control measures ensures auditability and compliance

Betting.za.com: Championing Safer, Transparent Gambling

Betting.za.com provides independent, plain-language guidance on betting and online casino topics, focusing on licensed operators and player protection.

“Our mission is to be South Africa’s most reliable source for betting and casino information,” said Kumar. “This includes making regulatory updates easy to understand, highlighting practical tools like voluntary exclusion, and ensuring players know where to get help if gambling stops being fun.”

About Betting.za.com
Betting.za.com is South Africa’s trusted destination for expert betting and casino information. Led by Dennis Kumar, the platform publishes independent reviews, guides, and industry updates to help players make informed, safe choices.

Responsible gambling support: NRGP toll-free helpline 0800 006 008

The post Betting.za.com supports amendments strengthening South Africa’s voluntary exclusion system and compliance requirements appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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