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World Sports Bodies raise Concern Over Kenya Copyright Bill

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Kenya’s 2019 Copyright Amendment Bill, incorporates principles from the WIPO Internet Treaties of 1996, aimed at preventing unauthorised access to and use of creative works

A coalition of global sports bodies has written an open letter to the Kenyan government, expressing concern about the Copyright Amendment Bill currently before parliament, and its potential impact on the availability of international sports content in Kenya.

The Sports Rights Owner Coalition (SROC) is an alliance of more than 50 international and national sport bodies, representing some of the world’s leading sport codes and competitions – including the English Premier League, the FA Cup, Wimbledon, MotoGP, and the Rugby World Cup.

In the recent letter, signed by Chairman Mark Lichtenstein, the SROC says its members are “extremely concerned” at changes that will be made to Kenya’s Copyright Act if the Copyright Amendment Bill becomes law.

The SROC is particularly worried about proposals to repeal sections 35B, 35C and 35D of the Copyright Act, which allow for take-down notices issued to internet-based service provider platforms which enable content piracy to flourish.

A take-down notice is a widely used remedy employed by copyright owners worldwide, compelling online platforms to rapidly remove content from their websites if it is suspected that the content infringes copyright.

The Kenya Copyright Board (KeCOBO) champion of the Partners Against Piracy (PAP) initiative, has come out in support of the SROC letter.

“Take-down notices are a critical tool for copyright holders and related rights holders to fight digital content piracy by controlling the distribution and economic viability of their work and how it is accessed online,” says Edward Sigei, KeCOBO Executive Director.

“Across the world, they help to safeguard the intellectual property rights of sports rights owners. If rights owners cannot request that pirated sports content is taken down immediately, that will threaten the future of live sports broadcasts in Kenya. Why would international sports media allow sports broadcasts in Kenya, if they have no way of stopping them from being pirated!”

Kenya’s 2019 Copyright Amendment Bill, incorporates principles from the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) Internet Treaties of 1996, aimed at preventing unauthorised access to and use of creative works. Takedown notices are among these principles and are necessary tools to enforce copyright protections for rights owners and distributors.

If the Amendment Bill is passed into law, Kenya will be out of step with global trends, the average Kenyan will lose out on great sports entertainment. A further negative consequence of this Amendment Bill passing would be the reputational and economic investment quagmire it would create is jeopardising Kenya’s ability to renew participation in the Africa Growth and Opportunity Agreement (AGOA) program, as one of the additional provisions of renewal requires a demonstrated commitment to copyright protection as a prerequisite to signing. Repealing section 35 of the Copyright Act, would do the exact opposite and threaten investor confidence.

The SROC points out that in Europe, policy makers are strengthening not weakening the effectiveness of take-down notices, particularly regarding live content. New proposals to protect live content more effectively in Europe are expected in the first half of 2022.

“Were the Copyright Amendment Bill to be enacted, it could have devastating consequences for both the Kenyan economy and Kenyan consumers,” says the SROC letter. “Rights holders from sport and other creative industries are extremely unlikely to license their content in a jurisdiction that effectively legitimises piracy. Consumers would therefore be deprived from watching their favourite sports and television shows, and leave Kenya isolated on the global copyright stage.”

The coalition – which includes the English FA, UEFA, the IAAF, and the International Tennis Federation – goes on to ask that the proposed new law be urgently reconsidered “so as not to harm Kenyan consumers and threaten the availability of sports and entertainment content in Kenya.”

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SpringbokCasino ties July free spins to ‘Minions in the Wild’ campaign

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SpringbokCasino.co.za has launched a July promotion offering players 25 free spins on SpinLogic slot title Seahorse Surge, using coupon code MINIONS. The operator said the offer is valid throughout July on its South Africa-facing site.

The campaign is positioned around a “Minions in the Wild – Nature’s Greatest Helpers” theme, timed to coincide with the release window of a new Minions film. SpringbokCasino’s creative frames the promotion through five animal “archetypes” — meerkats, hyenas, dassies, warthogs and elephants — as analogies for different styles of play.

“Every ecosystem needs its helpers, and every winning session needs the right mix of patience, timing, and a little bit of glorious chaos,” said Daniel Van Wyke, Casino Manager at SpringbokCasino. “This July, we celebrate South Africa’s wildest ‘Minions’—and give our players 25 free spins to cause some fun trouble of their own.”

SpringbokCasino described Seahorse Surge as featuring “cascading wins and rising multipliers.”

The press release also links to a video version of the story hosted at https://lyceum.video/casinonews/260701/260701.mp4.

The post SpringbokCasino ties July free spins to ‘Minions in the Wild’ campaign appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Booming Games renews Hollywoodbets Durban July activation partnership

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Provider plans on-site game demos and a new Golden Gallop release on Hollywoodbets later this year.

Booming Games has renewed its activation partnership with Hollywoodbets for the Hollywoodbets Durban July, returning for a second year at the event at Hollywoodbets Greyville Racecourse.

The company said it will run a cowboy-themed stand aligned with the event’s “Country Allure” theme, offering demo versions of games and a branded “Spin and Win” wheel for prizes. Booming Games added that Founder Max Niehusen, Vice President of Product Moritz Blume, and Head of Africa Solomon Godwin will attend.

Ahead of the event, Booming Games said it has been running a nationwide giveaway offering prizes including VIP experiences at the Hollywoodbets Durban July and a soccer shirt signed by Ronaldinho.

The companies also pointed to a broader commercial pipeline, with Booming Games stating that new releases are set to go live on the Hollywoodbets platform later this year. One of those is Golden Gallop Hold and Win Extreme 10,000, which Booming Games described as the latest entry in its Golden Gallop series, featuring a 5×3 grid, 25 fixed paylines, a maximum win potential of 12,000x, and bonus features.

Solomon Godwin, Head of Africa at Booming Games, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with Hollywoodbets for the Hollywoodbets Durban July again this year, and the launch of the latest game in the Golden Gallop series is the perfect way to celebrate. This year’s event also marks two years since we launched in South Africa, one of the world’s fastest growing and most exciting casino gaming markets.”

Wayde Dorkin, Head of Product at Hollywoodbets, said: “Booming Games is a key partner for Hollywoodbets, and we are pleased to be building on last year’s collaboration at the Hollywoodbets Durban July. In a crowded market, the quality of Booming Games’ offering and customer-focused approach to game development provides the foundations for a long and fruitful partnership, which we hope will remain strong for many years to come.”

The post Booming Games renews Hollywoodbets Durban July activation partnership appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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BGaming signs PlaylogiQ distribution deal to grow Africa reach

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PlaylogiQ will roll out BGaming’s 250+ game catalogue to operators in Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa and Ghana, plus other emerging markets.

BGaming has partnered with African platform provider PlaylogiQ to distribute its iGaming content across the continent via PlaylogiQ’s casino and sportsbook platforms.

Under the deal, PlaylogiQ clients will get access to BGaming’s full portfolio of more than 250 titles, spanning the supplier’s #Casual, #Entertainment, and #Classic ranges. The companies said the rollout will include games such as Burning Chilli X, Fruit Million, and Aviamasters™.

PlaylogiQ provides white-label and turnkey platform solutions for sportsbook and casino operators. The company said it serves operators in Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, and Ghana, and also works in emerging markets in Latin America and beyond.

Marina Ostrovtsova, CEO at BGaming, said, “The potential of the African market is huge, and we are proud to be able to continue to make our mark on the continent.

PlaylogiQ is one of Africa’s most respected platform providers, and its brands have played a significant role in the growth of the continent’s iGaming industry. They are committed to providing their operators with the highest-quality gaming experiences on the market, and we are excited to have secured this partnership and to begin working together.”

Margherita Giudetti, COO at PlaylogiQ, said, “Africa continues to be one of the most dynamic regions in the global iGaming industry, with player expectations evolving rapidly across different markets. Our partnership with BGaming allows us to further strengthen the content offering available to operators on the Playlogiq platform, combining high-performing games with the localized experiences that players increasingly expect.

We look forward to working closely with the BGaming team and supporting the continued growth of our operator network across Africa and other emerging markets.”

The post BGaming signs PlaylogiQ distribution deal to grow Africa reach appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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