Central Europe

IDnow welcomes Bundesnetzagentur decision and predicts turning point for digital identity verification

Published

5 years ago

April 6, 2021

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Bundesnetzagentur (Federal Network Agency) paves the way for artificial intelligence to be used for identity verification in Germany and sets milestone for the application of German technology.

he decision of Bundesnetzagentur to allow AI (artificial intelligence) based identification methods for new use cases in Germany is a confirmation of IDnow’s platform strategy and at the same time a turning point in international competition for German technology companies.

With the publication “Video identification with automated procedure” for automated optical identity verification by Bundesnetzagentur in cooperation with the Federal Office for Information Security (BSI), AI-based solutions for the verification of customers are now approved for certain use cases in Germany in addition to the proven methods.

The published order is based on the German Trust Services Act, which implements the eIDAS Regulation in Germany. The catalogue of criteria published by Bundesnetzagentur and BSI prescribes high technology standards for automated identity verification. IDnow is one of the few European providers that has already been officially confirmed with other methods by Bundesnetzagentur within the scope of an accredited conformity assessment and is now also already working on the confirmation for AutoIdent.

IDnow has been using automated identification technology for many years. With its product IDnow AutoIdent, IDnow is one of the leading providers of automated identification in Germany. As early as 2012, IDnow filed a patent application for fully automated identification procedures, which has since been granted by the European Patent Office. “We are pleased that the regulatory authorities have now finally opened up to technological development in Germany and see our years of research into the development of our own AI technology confirmed,” says Armin Bauer, founder and Chief Technology Officer of IDnow. In addition to this patent, IDnow holds other patents and patent applications at the European level.

IDnow’s technology uses so-called Deep Learning to perform an identification at the same security level as a personal identification – for example in a branch. For this purpose, the self-developed artificial intelligence automatically recognises the security features of the ID documents in a video stream and performs a biometric face comparison of a video selfie with the ID document. This is complemented by new security mechanisms such as a “liveness detection” that prevents attacks through recorded videos and photos.

IDnow sees the regulator’s decision as an important step towards a digital society in Germany and a fundamental turning point for German companies in international market comparison. The established and very successful services such as the electronic ID card, BankIdent or the VideoIdent procedure can now be supplemented with AI-based AutoIdent methods for new use cases. IDnow expects a significant change for German consumers: The new decree will make innovative technologies such as digital identities accessible to the broad population in the future – regardless of the individual citizen’s affinity for technology. This is because the new regulation enables platform companies such as IDnow to offer the appropriate digital methods for identity verification in each case.

“The decision of Bundesnetzagentur is an important milestone for platform companies like IDnow. In the future, IDnow, as one of the leading European platform providers, will be able to offer additional, automated identification methods to numerous other industries in Europe. This is an essential step towards a digital future in Germany and for Europe and shows that the time for secure digital identities has come,” says Andreas Bodczek, CEO of IDnow. “Consumer security is always at the forefront of the development of our procedures. For many years, we as IDnow have therefore been actively working with various organisations in politics and regulation to jointly shape this secure, European future,” he adds.

IDnow is one of the leading providers of digital identities with a broad portfolio of products and solutions and identifies several million citizens per year with its platform. The portfolio offered here includes identification methods from offline to online, from automated methods to procedures carried out by identity specialists, available flexibly online, offline in branches and even by courier at the user’s doorstep. IDnow has expanded its role in recent years far beyond simply offering individual ident methods and has become the overarching platform for digital identities with several million transactions per year.

Just last month, IDnow announced the acquisition of identity Trust Management AG, one of the leading international providers of on and offline verification from Germany. This is the second acquisition in the last six months for IDnow and represents an important milestone on the way to becoming the leading identity platform in Europe. The acquisition of identity Trust Management AG enables IDnow to expand into new industries and offer its services to a broader customer base in Germany and beyond.

Austria

Austrian Brand Value Study: NOVOMATIC Defends Top Ranking

Published

6 days 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.”

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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.

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