Press Releases

SOFTSWISS: Calling Industry Leaders to Join Ukraine Support Initiative

Published

4 years ago

March 4, 2022

Reading Time: 2 minutes

SOFTSWISS has suspended all marketing activities to provide financial support to organizations that are helping Ukrainian citizens. Thereby, the company has canceled its participation in the most significant industry exhibition, ICE London, which will take place in April.

SOFTSWISS shares democratic values and stands in solidarity with Ukraine in its struggle for freedom against the invaders.

In collaboration with reputable iGaming companies, SOFTSWISS has organized funds to support Ukraine. The company calls on its partners and clients to join the project and make a contribution. iGaming representatives are currently offering assistance with the following: delivery of humanitarian aid to hotspots, civilian evacuation, support to refugees who have already crossed the border, and informational support.

“We believe in the victory of good over evil. We are sure that all our partners are in solidarity with us and will also follow our example. The iGaming industry can’t stay detached from the situation. We are calling industry leaders to join our initiative to support Ukraine!” highlighted Ivan Montik, Founder of SOFTSWISS.

The company’s team, which is now over 1,000 employees strong, includes people of different nationalities, including Ukrainians. In light of the recent tragic events, SOFTSWISS has done its best to ensure their safety.

“Let’s condemn the war, but not judge the people who have been forced into it!

At the same time, being an international company with a presence in Belarus, among other countries, SOFTSWISS stresses that all attempts of discrimination based on origin and nationality are unacceptable.

“It is crucial now to differentiate between the official position of countries and actions of their politicians and the attitude of people towards these actions.

Belarus has also been fighting for independence and political freedom for many years, and the last two have been especially hard. We faced a lack of actual support from other countries who were speaking but not acting in 2020. The entire Belarusian IT industry made huge efforts to support people and democracy, and any attempts of discriminating against companies and people from this country by blocking access to international events, services, and others are unjustified. It will bring nothing but further tension and conflict.

From the 20th of February, Belarus is de facto occupied by Russian troops which entered the country for a planned 10-day training maneuver and never left the territory. There is not much that people can do in this situation, but they still support the Ukrainian people and deserve the right to be heard in Europe and worldwide.

Numerous Russians are now fighting against the aggressor alongside their Ukrainian colleagues and don’t deserve to be subject to discrimination. There are nearly 6,2 million Russians living in the EU today, and many of them already fear becoming deemed fascists.

The best we can do now in our industry is to facilitate peaceful collaboration between companies of different origins and ensure that people of different nationalities can still communicate and work together. Excluding people from the iGaming community and banning them from participating in industry life because of their passports is a way of promoting hatred between nations, the thing that we’ve been trying to overcome for many decades.

Let’s condemn the war, but not judge the people who have been forced into it!” further noted Ivan Montik, Founder of SOFTSWISS.

Latest News

Tony Bellew signs as PartyPoker brand ambassador through 2026

Published

9 hours ago

July 10, 2026

Wladimir P.

Former WBC cruiserweight champion to appear at PartyPoker Tour UK stops and take part in online activations.

PartyPoker has appointed former WBC Cruiserweight World Champion Tony Bellew as a brand ambassador for the remainder of 2026, with appearances tied to the operator’s live PartyPoker Tour and online poker offering.

The company said Bellew will be “a regular face” at its remaining UK tour stops this season following an earlier appearance at the PartyPoker Tour Birmingham. Bellew will also take part in online activity linked to the PartyPoker schedule.

“I had such a great time at the PartyPoker Tour Birmingham. The atmosphere, the people and the passion for the game were incredible. I’m really excited to be joining the PartyPoker team for the rest of the year, getting involved at the live events, meeting players and seeing where the cards take me,” Bellew said.

PartyPoker said Bellew is scheduled to attend each remaining UK stop on the 2026 PartyPoker Tour: London in July, Glasgow in August, Cork in November, and London in December. The operator also referenced a series of exclusive online events running alongside the live calendar.

The post Tony Bellew signs as PartyPoker brand ambassador through 2026 appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Arizona

Arizona regulator orders five operators to stop alleged illegal gambling activity

Published

9 hours ago

July 10, 2026

Wladimir P.

arizona-regulator-orders-five-operators-to-stop-alleged-illegal-gambling-activity

Cease-and-desist letters cite alleged felonies and underage access tied to BetOpenly, Bookmaker, Club WPT Online Poker, Kutt Inc., and Raffle Creator.

The Arizona Department of Gaming said it has issued cease-and-desist orders to five online platforms—BetOpenly, Bookmaker, Club WPT Online Poker, Kutt Inc., and Raffle Creator—after investigations that the Department says involved alleged illegal gambling activity and underage access in Arizona.

In its announcement, the Department said each enforcement action alleges conduct giving rise to three felonies under Arizona law: promotion of gambling, illegal control of an enterprise, and money laundering. The agency cited Arizona’s prohibition on gambling unless specifically authorized (Ariz. Rev. Stat. Tit. 13, Ch. 33) and said the legal gambling age in the state is 21.

“Arizona is taking decisive action against illegal gambling operators that put Arizonans at risk,” said Jackie Johnson, Department Director. “Our top priority is protecting Arizonans and I’m grateful for the efforts of our intelligence unit led by Chief Law Enforcement Officer Doug Jensen to do just that. Through these cease-and-desist orders we are putting operators on notice: their conduct runs contrary to Arizona law and they must stop promoting illegal gambling.”

The Department’s letters describe different alleged violations by operator. For BetOpenly, the Department said peer-to-peer gambling rules prohibit third-party benefit, and alleged the platform benefited via a commission structure while enabling event wagering and daily fantasy sports contests without the required state licenses, including availability to underage Arizonans. For Bookmaker, the Department said its investigation found wagering on horse racing, casino games, and sports betting without an event wagering license or an advanced deposit wagering provider license, adding that online casino games are not legal in Arizona.

For Club WPT Online Poker, the Department alleged the platform enabled individuals under 21 in Arizona to enter pay-to-play online poker tournaments for prizes while using deceptive “no purchase necessary” language; the Department said online poker is illegal in Arizona. For Kutt Inc., the Department said Arizona “social” gambling prohibits third-party benefit and directed the operator to stop allowing Arizona users to deposit money and wager on sports, politics, pop culture, and casino-style games. For Raffle Creator, the Department said the operator did not meet requirements that allow Arizona nonprofits to conduct lawful raffles and alleged it allowed people under 21 to purchase tickets for prize chances.

The Department said the notified entities are directed to immediately stop all gambling operations and activities in Arizona “whether through mobile applications, online, or otherwise,” and to cease any future illegal gambling in the state. It added that future actions may include criminal charges or civil action against entities, principals, and employees, and that operators “may be subject to a potential award of restitution” and forfeiture of monies acquired due to the alleged conduct.

The post Arizona regulator orders five operators to stop alleged illegal gambling activity appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Latest News

Former WBC World Champion Tony Bellew Joins PartyPoker as Brand Ambassador

Published

9 hours ago

July 10, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

Tony Bellew has officially joined the PartyPoker Brand Ambassador team for the remainder of 2026, strengthening the brand’s growing roster of ambassadors and reinforcing its commitment to bringing poker to a wider audience.

A former WBC Cruiserweight World Champion and one of Britain’s most recognisable sporting personalities, Bellew will play an active role across both PartyPoker’s live tour and online offering throughout the rest of the year.

Speaking about joining the team, Tony Bellew said: “I had such a great time at the PartyPoker Tour Birmingham. The atmosphere, the people and the passion for the game were incredible. I’m really excited to be joining the PartyPoker team for the rest of the year, getting involved at the live events, meeting players and seeing where the cards take me.”

His return follows a hugely successful appearance at the PartyPoker Tour Birmingham earlier this year, where he embraced the atmosphere, spent time with players and immersed himself in the event. After thoroughly enjoying the experience, Bellew will now become a regular face at the remaining UK stops on the PartyPoker Tour throughout the rest of the 2026 season.

As part of his ambassadorial role, Bellew will attend every remaining UK stop PartyPoker Tour in 2026:

London – July
Glasgow – August
Cork – November
London – December

With four live festival stops and a series of exclusive online events still to come, players will have plenty of opportunities to meet Bellew at the tables throughout the remainder of the 2026 PartyPoker calendar. Look out for opportunities to take him on online, and at the PartyPoker Tour in Glasgow, Cork and London.

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