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Behind the Success of the Growing European Online Gambling Market
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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Week 49/2024 slot games releases
Here are this weeks latest slots releases compiled by European Gaming
PG Soft, has crafted its latest mouthwatering title to celebrate the beginning of the holiday season, Chocolate Deluxe. The alchemy behind PG Soft’s game takes inspiration from a beautiful love story between two of the finest chocolatiers, Belgium’s Valentina and France’s Pierre. As a pair they have created the True Love Chocolate Collection- a masterpiece of flavor and romance. Chocolate Deluxe is presented on a 6×6 tray that features sticky winning symbols with multipliers reaching as high as x100.
Betsoft Gaming has released Ultimate Golden Dragon InfernoTM – Hold & WinTM, the third installment in the incredibly popular Golden Dragon InfernoTM series. This new addition offers an immersive 5-reel, 3-row slot experience with the potential for massive wins. The game enhances the beloved Hold & Win feature, introducing a grid expansion mechanic where the screen can expand from a 5×3 grid to a maximum of 10×6, opening up even more opportunities to claim rewards.
PopOK Gaming is thrilled to unveil its latest creation, Yo Dragon – a dynamic slot game that brings the charm and mystique of classic Asian culture to players worldwide. Set on a vibrant 3-4-3 grid, Yo Dragon combines dazzling visuals, engaging features, and a playful dragon mascot for an unforgettable gaming experience.
This new release from MGA Games is a thrilling new game that beautifully combines excitement and nature. The game’s main character is the snow leopard, a majestic creature that serves as an Expanding Wild symbol. When the snow leopard appears, it not only captivates players but also enhances their chances of winning, adding to the excitement with every spin of the reels. Wild Snow Spin is a 5×3 slot game featuring a Scatter symbol and the opportunity to access a variable Free Spins screen, depending on the number of accumulated counters.
Gamzix proudly announces the release of its newest creation, Book of Zulu. This highly anticipated slot marries the timeless charm of classic “Book” games with an electrifying African theme, offering operators a game-changing addition to their portfolios. Featuring immersive visuals, culturally inspired details, and cutting-edge mechanics, Book of Zulu promises to captivate players and set new standards in the industry.
Play’n GO invites players to step into Sobek’s Godly Spins, a 5×3 slot set on a luxurious, deity-filled casino floor – where Gods like Sobek, Ra and Anubis compete for the spotlight. With a unique Nested Free Spins feature, this mythological-meets-Vegas adventure is unlike any other. In Sobek’s Godly Spins – players are transported to a realm where ancient Egyptian Gods enjoy the thrill of the casino floor, each with their own spin on divine glamour.
Evoplay has launched Mega Merry Gifts, a holiday-themed slot that combines the magic of the festive season with innovative gameplay mechanics. Set on a traditional 5×3 grid, the game immerses players in a cosy Christmas setting featuring Mr. and Mrs. Claus, their helpers Elf and Rudolf, Christmas wreaths, and gift-filled bags that act as Wilds. The unique feature of this game is the Free Spins Mega Symbols.
Tom Horn Gaming, the award-winning iGaming supplier, is turning up the temperature this winter with the release of Hot Blizzard Deluxe. This fery slot promises to deliver an electrifying gaming experience with explosive features, blazing visuals, and high-intensity gameplay that players love. At the core of the Hot Blizzard Deluxe’s gameplay is the Expanding Wilds feature, where Wild symbols not only fill entire reels but also come with blazing multiplier values of x1, x2, x5, or x10.
Nolimit City shows you what fighting for domination is really like in its latest release – Tanked. Witness the war between 4 power-hungry warlords who’ll stop at nothing for total domination! This Labs-branded slot is a chaotic masterpiece of destruction. This is the first of its kind for Nolimit City, even following their most recent experimental titles Munchies, Outsourced: Slash Game and Brick Snake 2000.
Red Rake Gaming announced the launch of its latest video slot, Christmas Wins, an unforgettable holiday experience that is now available on all the best online casinos. This spectacular game will immerse players in a world full of magic, joy, and big wins, with innovative features and a highly impressive visual layout and design. Christmas Wins offers a compelling gaming experience, with its 5×5 reel format and “Anywhere” wins in each spin.
He’s making a list, and checking it twice; he’s gonna find out who’s naughty or nice Santa Claus is coming to town… and he’s inviting YOU to take a special tour of his Christmas Factory in Vibra Gaming’s new holiday slot game. Plus, if you’ve been VERY good this year, you could walk away with up to x4500 times your stake!
Take to the African wilderness in Lion Saga Odyssey! This immersive new release takes players on a visually stunning quest, guided by the Lion Spirit and his loyal pride, as they traverse the parched savannah in search of life-giving waters. The latest addition to Play’n GO’s portfolio captures the raw beauty and power of the African ecosystem while offering exciting gameplay mechanics.
Belatra Games, the specialist online slots developer, has unveiled its festive treat this holiday season, Winter Thunder. Swapping the arid US plains for a wintery wonderland, Winter Thunder carries players into an enchanting atmosphere surrounded by snow-covered canyons and frosty forests. Players will be joined in the wilderness by lynxes, eagles, bears, and, the star of the show, the white wolf. This represents the Wild symbol replacing symbols and covering two reel positions.
Playzia is excited to unveil its fiery new slot game, Volcanic Coins. This sizzling hot game takes players on an explosive journey deep beneath the Earth’s crust, where bubbling lava guards hidden treasures just waiting to erupt into massive wins! Volcanic Coins features a classic style 3×3 grid layout with no paylines—which delivers big when it comes to rewards.
Relax Gaming has teamed up with CasinoDaddy to create its latest action-packed collaboration, Immortal 5. Following the success of their previous titles, Sloth Tumble and Epic Dreams, the pair have joined forces once more to introduce a team of five superheroes, guiding players on a quest for maximum wins worth up to 10,000x their bet.
You are going to love this game a lot if you are a dog lover! “Doggie Star” takes players into a world of dogs, where players can meet the doggie star and visit her house! Filled with dogs and many treasures, they are all yours to claim! “Doggie Star” is a 3×5 reel, 20-line slot. This game contains Wild Symbols with Multiplier Feature to allow bigger wins when the outcome involves Wild Symbols.
With the festive season now upon us and the magic of Christmas already thick in the air, sought-after software provider, Swintt, is inviting players to get into the holiday spirit this week with a seasonal reboot of a much-loved Premium slot, X-Max The Winner. Again starring the insatiable squirrel, Max, the new slot is played out across a 5×3 reel set and features 10 fixed paylines.
The post Week 49/2024 slot games releases appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Compliance Updates
Play’n GO celebrates award of Malta Gaming Authority ESG-C Seal
Swedish gaming giant the only B2B company awarded Tier 2 seal in recognition of “aspirational level” of ESG reporting
Play’n GO, the world’s leading casino entertainment provider, has today announced it has received the Malta Gaming Authority’s ESG-C Tier 2 Seal in recognition of its efforts and reporting of ESG activities.
Earlier this year, the legendary games studio released its 2023 Sustainability Report, outlining its commitment to a sustainable future, both for the iGaming industry and the planet as a whole. The report covered everything from Play’n GO’s commitments to “Net Zero”, greener working practices, and the company’s “Culture of Belonging” in a Digital First world.
Play’n GO recently became the only iGaming business to be nominated at the 2024 Corporate Star Awards, where its Sustainability Report was recognised alongside global leaders such as SONY Entertainment and Globo.
Vanessa Arenram, CSR Director at Play’n GO, commented “We’re pleased to have our commitment to a sustainable world recognised in this way by the Malta Gaming Authority. Our commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility goes far beyond mere words- it’s reflected in our actions, initiatives, and the positive impact we strive to create, both within our industry and the wider world. Our 2023 Sustainability Report received very positive feedback, both internally and externally, and we look forward to publishing the 2024 version early next year. We would like to thank the Malta Gaming Authority for this award, and pledge to continue the work for many years to come.”
The post Play’n GO celebrates award of Malta Gaming Authority ESG-C Seal appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Kindred Sportsbook Platform Goes Live in Estonia
Kindred has officially launched its Kindred Sportsbook Platform (KSP) in the regulated market of Estonia.
KSP’s Estonia entry is part of the operator’s goal to develop new proprietary solutions and have full end-to-end control over its products, limiting the dependency on external suppliers.
During the sportsbook’s first week of operations in the Baltic country, players were given tailored profit boosts and other rewards tied to local teams and events, such as the EuroBasket game and an exhibition tennis event – both held at the Tallinn Unibet Arena.
KSP is built with an optimal player experience in mind, boasting features like BetBuilder and easy platform migration to mitigate customer disruption.
Additionally, the solution introduces dynamic cash-out and tenancy-based odds adjustments that complement local initiatives and brands, which will help Kindred scale KSP across all other available markets.
“As we celebrate this achievement, we remain focused on the journey ahead. Together, we are building a market-leading sportsbook that embodies Kindred’s values of innovation, responsibility, and excellence,” the company explained.
“The launch of KSP in Estonia is more than just a technological milestone; it’s a testament to what we can achieve when we innovate with purpose. We’re excited to continue delivering a world-class sports betting experience to our customers, one market at a time.”
The post Kindred Sportsbook Platform Goes Live in Estonia appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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