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ANJ publishes its 2021/2023 strategic plan

Published

5 years ago

February 3, 2021

Reading Time: 3 minutes

As soon as it was set up on 23 June 2020, the National Gambling Authority began drawing up its strategic plan for the next three years. It sets out its vision of regulation and how it intends to add value to players and economic players. Five priority focus have been set to keep gambling within a sustainable perspective of recreational gambling.

The development of the strategic plan was launched in July 2020 and continued until November. It was built through a collaborative process involving all ANJ agents as well as members of the ANJ Board. It was also based on contacts with operators or civil society that were organized after the launch of the ANJ. This plan was definitively adopted by the ANJ Board on 3rd December 2020.

Beyond the four objectives defined by the law, the ANJ must carry out its action in a medium-term strategic perspective, specify its vision of regulation and how it intends to bring value to players and economic actors. In short: define the regulator’s project.

This is all the more important as the new legal framework is complex and difficult to grasp for operators, as the health crisis has tightened competition conditions, and because each action taken by the regulator will be scrutinized in terms of its effects on market balances.

The central inspiration of this strategic plan is to keep gambling within a sustainable perspective of recreational gambling.

Given the psycho-social risks associated with gambling and in the particular context of health crisis, it is essential to consolidate a regulatory model that makes it possible to reconcile controlled development of the sector with the protection of the public interests involved, first and foremost the gamblers protection. This is a priority ethical issue for our country, and this ethical dimension of the ANJ’s action is included in all of the regulator’s actions and reflections.

Three methodological principles pass through all the proposals in this plan

Pragmatism: The desire to build step by step the regulatory architecture put in place by the 2019 order so that each operator in the gambling market can realistically and effectively adopt the new obligations;

Dialogue: The need to build regulation with all the actors through an organized and continuous dialogue. The ANJ is convinced that, if the roles of each are distinct, it is essential that the regulator be close to the realities on the ground, in dialogue with the stakeholders in order to best adjust its positions, tools and services;

Coherence: Finally, the concern to work with other public structures to coordinate our actions and offer economic players the most coherent and readable public front possible.

The 5 strategic focus that will guide the ANJ’s action over the next three years are as follows:

1st STRATEGIC FOCUS: Building a “value-adding” regulator at the service of a sustainable recreational gambling market

The ANJ must bring value to the gambling sector by implementing a comprehensive toolkit that includes preventive, prescriptive, control and sanctioning actions in a regulatory continuum. This approach is in the interest of operators, the security of their practices and the confidence of their customers. It contributes to the protection of gamblers and the preservation of a gambling practice that must remain recreational.

2nd STRATEGIC FOCUS: Placing the player at the heart of regulation

Gambling concerns almost one French people out of two, which makes it a very appreciated and widespread leisure activity, oriented towards an essentially recreational practice. However, with an estimated 1.4 million problem gamblers, the prevention of excessive gambling is a central public health issue in which the ANJ must take part; the implementation of the new obligations of operators will be decisive in this respect. Finally, the protection of minors is a priority.

3rd STRATEGIC FOCUS: Building a forefront regulatory system

The gambling market is particularly creative in games offers, promotional strategies of operators or gambling platforms. In order to be in tune with this world, ANJ must integrate this culture of innovation and digital technology, both with respect to the players it regulates and internally, in its operating mode and tools.

4th STRATEGIC FOCUS: Promoting a European vision of gambling regulation

European cooperation with the ANJ’s counterparts needs to be strengthened since many issues, both operational and strategic for the regulation of gambling, are now being addressed at this level. This is the case of the fight against money laundering or illegal gambling or the emerging economic role of gaming platforms. At a time when a choice has to be made between several regulatory models, the ANJ wishes to play a leading role in European and international cooperation.

5th STRATEGIC FOCUS: Strengthening our working community

The scope and diversity of its regulatory scope and the new legal obligations imposed on operators result in a high rate of demand and a very heavy workload for the teams; this pressure also requires a great deal of joint work by the teams.

It is therefore essential to pool resources and information, empower employees and attract new talent. The aim is to make “working together efficiently” the common language of the ANJ, by multiplying opportunities for exchanges and meetings, by introducing new forms of work organization that are more transversal and empowering, but also by embodying the values of goodwill and conviviality on a daily basis.

2026 FIFA World Cup

Betano Sends a Video Game Character into the Real World to Capture the Emotion of the World Cup

Published

42 minutes ago

June 5, 2026

Wladimir P.

betano-sends-a-video-game-character-into-the-real-world-to-capture-the-emotion-of-the-world-cup

Betano, Kaizen Gaming’s premium online betting and gaming brand, is turning to gaming culture to dramatize the emotional pull of football fandom in its latest international campaign for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Created by Wieden+Kennedy São Paulo, the campaign follows a lonely video game NPC (Non-Playable Character) who escapes the artificial world of a football game to experience the intensity, unpredictability and collective emotion of a real World Cup. Set to a reimagined version of the song “Mr. Lonely,” the film positions football fandom as something too powerful to be simulated.

The work launches under the global platform “Believing Makes it Real” and will roll out across 14 countries in South America and Europe, supported by live activations and fan engagement initiatives tied to the tournament. The campaign will be 360° with dedicated adaptations per country and three main character adjustments tailored to the cultural idiosyncrasies of different regions.

“The FIFA World Cup is the ultimate anchor in global sports, and for a campaign spanning so many different markets, we wanted to match that ambition. Our brief was to articulate the raw, collective emotion of being a fan, a feeling so intense it transcends even the most advanced digital simulation. This film captures that powerful truth, reinforcing our global platform, ‘Believing Makes it Real,’ and positioning Betano at the heart of the sport’s most genuine and unpredictable moments,” said Pablo Puertas, Kaizen Gaming – Betano, Marketing Director.

“Our challenge was finding a fresh, globally resonant way to talk about the World Cup. The campaign starts in a cold, automated universe and follows the journey of an NPC discovering what happens when an entire world truly believes. It’s a contrast that turns football emotion into something impossible to program,” said Felipe Paiva and José Ferraz, Group Creative Directors at Wieden+Kennedy SP.

The campaign also reinforces Betano’s growing relationship with FIFA. The brand was recently named an Official Tournament Supporter of the FIFA World Cup 2026 for Europe and South America, following previous partnerships around the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and the FIFA Club World Cup 2025.

The 2026 edition — hosted across the US, Mexico and Canada — will be the largest in FIFA history, featuring 48 national teams for the first time.

The post Betano Sends a Video Game Character into the Real World to Capture the Emotion of the World Cup appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

EGR B2B Awards 2026

EvenBet Gaming named Poker Supplier of the Year at the EGR B2B Awards 2026

Published

42 minutes ago

June 5, 2026

Wladimir P.

evenbet-gaming-named-poker-supplier-of-the-year-at-the-egr-b2b-awards-2026

Global poker vertical leader secures prestigious accolade in London, highlighting continuous technical innovation and strategic expansion.

4th June 2026 – EvenBet Gaming, a leading software provider of online poker and card game solutions, has been awarded Poker Supplier of the Year at the prestigious EGR B2B Awards 2026.

The ceremony, held last night at City Central at the HAC in London, brought together prominent stakeholders from across the global iGaming sector. Celebrating its 17th year, the EGR B2B Awards recognize the pioneering companies that power the wider gambling market, representing the ultimate benchmark of operational excellence, innovation, and customer service.

The Poker Supplier category specifically honors companies that deliver innovative, high-quality poker solutions, demonstrate strong product integration, maintain jurisdictional compliance, and consistently respond to the evolving needs of operators and players. EvenBet Gaming secured the prestigious accolade after outperforming a highly competitive shortlist of prominent industry peers. This landmark victory further solidifies EvenBet’s market leadership and follows a period of exceptional growth, technical evolution, and strategic global expansion.

Over the past 12 months, EvenBet has introduced strategic upgrades to its core infrastructure, designed specifically to lower operational overheads for casino-first and multi-vertical operators. The launch of high-performance formats — including One Click Poker and Spins Poker — dramatically simplified the player experience, allowing operators to seamlessly tap into network liquidity.

Dmitry Starostenkov, CEO at EvenBet Gaming, said: “Securing the Poker Supplier title at the EGR B2B Awards 2026 is a proud moment for EvenBet Gaming, validating over the decade of continuous technical innovation. We have always focused on eliminating operational complexity, making poker an accessible and highly profitable vertical for multi-brand operators. This recognition from industry leaders in London confirms that our product strategy aligns perfectly with modern iGaming demands.”

Media contact

For press enquiries, to schedule an interview, or to request product imagery, please contact EvenBet Gaming’s PR Manager directly at [email protected]

About EvenBet Gaming

EvenBet Gaming is a global iGaming software provider licensed and headquartered in Malta under an MGA B2B licence and holding a supplier licence from the Danish Gambling Authority (DGA). The company delivers a unified ecosystem for the gambling industry, combining its award-winning poker and card game software with a turnkey online casino platform and a high-performance game aggregator.

With over 20 years of experience in poker and iGaming infrastructure, EvenBet builds scalable, high-performance solutions and enables seamless integrations with third-party platforms, gaming content, and service providers.

With over 250 specialists across offices in Malta and Serbia, the company supports a wide range of operators – from Tier-1 international brands to emerging businesses seeking a structured and accessible entry into iGaming.

The reliability of EvenBet’s software is backed by ISO 27001 certification and rigorous testing from iTech Labs, BMM Labs, and GLI. Its industry leadership is confirmed by a long list of prestigious accolades, including European iGaming Awards (Poker Provider winner 2026), EGR B2B Awards (Poker Supplier winner 2024 and 2026), SBC Awards, SiGMA Europe Awards, Malta iGaming Excellence Awards, and EGR Europe Awards.

The post EvenBet Gaming named Poker Supplier of the Year at the EGR B2B Awards 2026 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

BETER

BETER secures Kentucky license, bringing Setka Cup and ESportsBattle to ninth US state

Published

42 minutes ago

June 5, 2026

Wladimir P.

beter-secures-kentucky-license,-bringing-setka-cup-and-esportsbattle-to-ninth-us-state

BETER has secured a license in Kentucky, expanding the availability of its Setka Cup table tennis and ESportsBattle betting content to a ninth US state. The approval was granted by the Kentucky Horse Racing and Gaming (KHRG), the state regulator.

The Kentucky approval adds to BETER’s existing US footprint in Florida, New Jersey, Colorado, Arizona, Indiana, Iowa, North Carolina, and Illinois. The license allows BETER to supply operators in Kentucky with live data and live streams from Setka Cup and ESportsBattle tournaments.

BETER said the content is already live for Kentucky bettors through bet365, which it described as a long-standing operator partner.

Chuck Robinson, CRO at BETER, said: “Kentucky is a state with a deep sporting heritage, and we’re excited to bring our exclusive Setka Cup and ESportsBattle content to operators and bettors there. Reaching nine US states is an important milestone that reflects the growing appetite for fast-betting content across the country.

“The US market is evolving rapidly, and players are increasingly seeking round-the-clock, high-quality betting experiences. BETER is built to meet that demand, and each new state we enter strengthens our position as the go-to provider of fast-betting content worldwide.”

Valeriia Tarchynska, Chief Legal Officer at BETER, added: “Receiving both approval and license is the result of sustained and meticulous regulatory and compliance work by our team. The US licensing landscape is uniquely complex, with each state operating under its own distinct framework, and we take great pride in meeting those requirements wherever we operate.

“With nine states now approved, the US continues to be a cornerstone of BETER’s global strategy. We are actively pursuing approvals in additional key states and remain fully committed to expanding our footprint across the country and beyond.”

The post BETER secures Kentucky license, bringing Setka Cup and ESportsBattle to ninth US state appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.