Central Europe
STS Group – another record results in Q4 and throughout 2022
STS Group – one of the largest bookmakers in Central Europe and the market leader in Poland – generated NGR of PLN 663 million in 2022, compared to PLN 565 million in the previous year, which means an increase of 17% year on year. The value of amounts staked by the customers of the STS Group amounted to PLN 4.679 billion, compared to PLN 4.492 billion in the previous year. The number of active users amounted to 783 thousand in 2022 and 693 thousand in 2021. In 2022, the Group recorded 439 thousand new registrations (370 thousand in 2021), and the number of customers who made their first deposit amounted to 317 thousand (249 thousand in 2021). All operational data is at historical highs. The Group’s preliminary estimates show that adjusted EBITDA last year amounted to between PLN 265 and 275 million.
In Q4 2022 alone, the Group generated the historically highest NGR on a quarterly basis; it amounted to PLN 200 million, compared to PLN 136 million in the previous year. The value of amounts staked by the customers of the STS Group in Q4 2022 amounted to PLN 1.38 billion, compared to PLN 1.218 billion in the previous year. In Q4 2022, the number of active customers was 542 thousand, compared to 386 thousand in Q4 2021. The number of registrations in Q4 2022 was 202,000, compared to 87,000 a year earlier. The number of customers making the first deposit in Q4 2021 amounted to 154 thousand, compared to 60 thousand a year earlier.
In line with our earlier announcements, Q4 2022 turned out to be record-breaking. The calendar of sports events and the World Championships held in Qatar contributed to high customer activity. Our offer attracted as many as two hundred thousand new players in the last three months of the year. During the World Cup alone, we had nearly half a million active customers – says Mateusz Juroszek, President of the Management Board of STS Holding.
In 2023, the Group is planning a number of activities aimed at increasing the profitability of its operations. To this end, the company is reorganising its operations, focusing on Poland and phasing out its activities under licenses in the UK and Estonia. The operating results achieved by STS S.A. in 2022 indicate the extremely high attractiveness of the Polish market. The company intends to concentrate its activities in order to be able to use the development potential in the country.
Operating data for last year clearly show that the domestic market is in a growth phase, despite the extremely difficult macroeconomic environment – the war in Ukraine, high inflation and economic stagnation. Therefore, we intend to use this potential as fully as possible and continue to strengthen our leading position in the country. For this purpose, since the beginning of this year, we have been focusing our activity exclusively on Poland. Our goal for the difficult year 2023 is greater efficiency of operations and a number of implemented savings. The new agreement with Polish Football Association, focus on the Polish market and a number of synergies resulting from changes in the structure of the Group will positively affect our profitability and facilitate further EBITDA growth – adds Mateusz Juroszek.
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Central Europe
Poland to Classify Gambling Streaming as Serious Crime
The Polish Parliament is considering a landmark draft law to curb harmful digital content, specifically targeting the phenomenon known as “patostreaming.”
Patostreaming is recognised as a new term to categorise criminal offences related to the broadcasting of online violence, abuse and sexually degrading content.
The proposed legislation would criminalize the broadcasting of violence, abuse, and sexually degrading material. Additionally, the bill seeks to outlaw the promotion of online gambling by social media influencers. By amending the Penal Code, supporters aim to bridge the legal gap between digital behaviour and offline criminal acts, ensuring online offenders face the same accountability as those in the physical world.
The bill carries the backing of ministers of Poland’s new Civic Coalition (KO) government, formed in late 2025 by the union of the Citizens Platform (PO), Modern (Nowoczesna) and the Polish Initiative (iPL).
Supporters call for clearer enforcement powers to treat the online broadcasting of serious criminal acts as a punishable offence, aligning digital conduct with crimes already sanctioned offline.
If adopted, the legislation would introduce prison sentences ranging from three months to five years for individuals who publicly share real or staged content depicting serious criminal acts via online platforms.
The same penalty range would also apply to influencers found to be illegally promoting online gambling activity that remains heavily restricted under Poland’s state-controlled gambling regime.
KO ministers have framed the initiative as part of a broader effort to strengthen online protections for Polish youth, citing rising exposure to violent digital content and illegal gambling promotions across social media platforms.
The post Poland to Classify Gambling Streaming as Serious Crime appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Casino-Groups
Sebastian Jarosch Becomes Head of AI at Casinos Groups
Sebastian Jarosch is no longer solely the founder and managing director of Casino Groups as he is also taking on the role of Head of AI, at least on an interim basis. This personnel decision marks a conscious step towards closer integration of corporate management and technological responsibility.
In future, Jarosch will not only be responsible for the strategic direction of the company, but also for the further development of the AI systems that already form a central part of the product landscape. Casino Groups is one of the best-known platforms, which has been using and continuously developing an AI-supported rating system for online casinos for some time.
The decision to anchor the role of Head of AI directly at management level was a conscious one. Artificial intelligence now influences almost all areas of the affiliate business, from content structures and data analysis to regulatory documentation and product logic. Such a development requires decisions that bring together economic objectives, technological possibilities and legal frameworks.
Sebastian Jarosch brings this perspective from years of experience in the iGaming sector. As an entrepreneur, he is familiar with economic dependencies as well as the challenges of increasing regulation. The additional responsibility in the AI area makes it possible to set technological courses more quickly, define priorities more clearly and establish innovation as an integral part of corporate management.
The new role of Head of AI fits in perfectly with current developments in the iGaming market. Increasing regulatory requirements, rising acquisition and content costs, and the growing influence of AI-powered search systems are changing the economic fundamentals of the affiliate business. Visibility is no longer achieved solely through reach, but through authority, consistency and verifiable quality.
With this appointment, Casino Groups is sending a clear signal to the outside world. Affiliate companies are increasingly being valued like media or technology companies. Partners and investors are placing greater emphasis on compliance, data competence and sustainable product development. The bundling of management and AI responsibility strengthens the company’s credibility in these areas.
At the same time, Casinos Groups is positioning itself as a player that does not delegate innovation, but actively drives it forward. The interim nature of the role creates space for further development and adaptation without diluting the strategic ambition. For the industry as a whole, this step underlines that AI expertise has arrived at the management level.
The role of Head of AI forms the organisational foundation for this development. It ensures that technological innovation, editorial standards and economic objectives are interlinked. Casino Groups is thus pursuing a clear line: technology as a tool, people as an authority and quality as a connecting element.
The post Sebastian Jarosch Becomes Head of AI at Casinos Groups appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Birgit Wimmer
Birgit Wimmer Named Chairwoman as NOVOMATIC AG Reshapes Supervisory Board
“As Chairwoman of the Supervisory Board, I look forward to working together with my colleagues on both the Supervisory Board and the Executive Board as we help to successfully shape the Group’s strategic and sustainable development,” says Birgit Wimmer.
Dr. Haig Asenbauer, an internationally experienced lawyer with particular expertise in cross-border M&A transactions, company reorganization, and complex investment structures, was elected to serve as Deputy Chairman. Martina Flitsch retains her position as a Member of the Supervisory Board. She has many years of experience in international group structures and in providing strategic and legal support for corporate investments. Dr. Robert Hofians, a recognized finance and capital markets expert who also has extensive experience in the fields of governance and regulation in his roles as a professor and public accountant, also remains a Member of the Supervisory Board.
As of January 1, 2026, the Supervisory Board of NOVOMATIC AG is now composed as follows:
- Birgit Wimmer, MSc., MBA (Chairwoman)
- Dr. Haig Asenbauer (Deputy Chairman)
- Martina Flitsch (Member)
- Dr. Robert Hofians (Member)
The post Birgit Wimmer Named Chairwoman as NOVOMATIC AG Reshapes Supervisory Board appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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