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Veikkaus Considers Temporary Layoffs Due to Closure of Retail Locations
Finland’s gambling monopoly Veikkaus has begun consultations on temporary layoffs due to the closure of retail locations owing to Covid-19 measures.
The layoffs would affect around 800 staff, many of whom could face an idle period of up to three months.
Jari Heino, SVP of channels and sales, said: “What counts most to us is the health of our employees and customers.
“The coronavirus has driven the entire society to the wall, and the challenges affect us heavily, too.
“We follow the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and have closed our slot machines and gaming arcades widely across the country during this and last week. Nobody knows yet when we can reopen them.
“What is important now is that we can enter into a dialogue with the representatives of the personnel, in order to realise the best possible plans and solutions for our employees, customers and partners.”
The operator has closed its gaming halls for a second time last week after a rise in Covid-19 cases. Venues previously closed from March 13 until June 26 in the case of casinos, and July 15 in the case of slots arcades.
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Crash Games
ICONIC21 launches Arrow Chase, a continuous multiplayer multiplier game
ICONIC21 has launched Arrow Chase, a new iGaming title the supplier says is designed as a continuous experience rather than a round-based game.
The game is built around an arrow that “endlessly” moves across the screen towards multiplier blocks. ICONIC21 said players choose multiplier blocks to bet on and receive instant payouts when blocks are hit, with the experience running without “rounds, resets” or downtime.
ICONIC21 is also positioning Arrow Chase as a multiplayer product, with all players watching the same on-screen action at the same time. The company said the concept aims to combine timing-driven play associated with crash-style mechanics with a continuous flow.
Edvardas Sadovskis, Chief Product Officer at ICONIC21, said: “Every few years, something comes along that makes the industry stop and reconsider what a game can be. We believe Arrow Chase is one of those moments. We built something with no round, no reset, no interruption, because we believe that is what the next generation of players will come to expect. What comes after it is a conversation we are very much looking forward to having.”
ICONIC21 said Arrow Chase was informed by ongoing discussions with operator partners on player behaviour and demand, and suggested the format could evolve into a new category with naming still to be defined.
The post ICONIC21 launches Arrow Chase, a continuous multiplayer multiplier game appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Betina Todorova Smartico Partnerships Manager
Honoré Gaming and Smartico Join Forces to Drive Player Engagement
Honoré Gaming, the trailblazing online sportsbook platform and tech provider, has teamed up with Smartico, a specialist in CRM automation and gamification, to improve its player engagement and retention features.
In preparation for the expanded World Cup, the incorporation of Smartico’s sophisticated CRM solution transforms the Honoré Gaming platform into a holistic entertainment ecosystem, signifying a strategic advancement in its progression toward a more intelligent, automated, and player-focused future.
Smartico’s adaptable features will bolster Honoré Gaming’s broader goal of providing operators with top-tier tools to enhance revenue and improve customer analytics, establishing CRM as a fundamental element of its platform offerings. Intelligent interactions will be a crucial factor for achieving favorable outcomes in Honoré’s main markets in French-speaking Africa and Central America, where comprehending player behavior and providing pertinent interactions are vital for long-term growth.
Emphasizing gamification and automation, Honoré Gaming will implement tailored engagement strategies influenced by local market specifics, while adhering to the key elements that contribute to a platform’s success – from deposits to gameplay, winnings, withdrawals, and return play.
Honoré Gaming CEO, Christophe Casanova said: “Smartico’s CRM solution is a critical pillar in our mission to better serve our operators and end users. Our partners can now implement data-driven customer experiences that increase player LTV ahead of a major World Cup summer. The integration of Smartico’s AI-driven technology represents a pivotal shift in Honoré Gaming’s operational scale, transforming its analytical depth and redefining how the platform communicates and interacts with players.”
Betina Todorova, Smartico Partnerships Manager added: “We believe that the combined strengths of our AI-driven technology and Honoré Gaming’s platform will deliver significant value to operators. Working together across African and Central American markets will benefit local partners and ultimately create more engaging player experiences.”
The post Honoré Gaming and Smartico Join Forces to Drive Player Engagement appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
AI
SportVot raises $3.6m to expand sports production platform into Europe, US and West Asia
SportVot has raised $3.6m in a new investment round as it plans to expand across Europe, Australia, the United States, and West Asia. The company said the funding will support international growth and further development of its AI-led production and analytics capabilities.
The round was led by Indian Angel Network’s IAN Alpha Fund, with participation from Anicut Capital, SucSeed Indovation Fund, LVX (LetsVenture), Capital-A, and other global investors.
SportVot positions its platform as a unified workflow covering capture, production, distribution, and monetisation for competitions outside top-tier broadcast ecosystems. The company said its cloud-based setup supports remote production in real time and includes automated highlights, graphics, insights, multi-angle viewing, decision review systems, and virtual advertising.
The company lists customers and partners including Junior Super Kings (Chennai Super Kings’ Junior’s Tournament), All India Football Federation, Rugby India, the International Table Tennis Federation (Oceania) and the International Padel Federation. It said that since launching operations in 2025 in Australia it has worked with organisations including Table Tennis Australia, Table Tennis Queensland, Netball Victoria, the National Pickleball League and KommunityTV.
SportVot said it has delivered over 500,000 matches across its core markets, reaching more than 100 million viewers in 30+ countries. In Australia, it said it streamed 12,000 matches over the past year across 30+ partner organisations.
Tim Anderson, Managing Director, SportVot Australia, said: “Over the past year, we’ve seen strong adoption from sports organisations across Australia looking to scale how their competitions are captured and distributed. The ability to deliver consistent, high-quality production across different sports and formats has been key. This next phase allows us to build further on that momentum, both within Australia and in closer alignment with global markets.”
Sidhhant Agarwal, Founder & CEO, SportVot, said: “What we are seeing globally is not a lack of sport, but a lack of structured systems to capture and distribute it at scale. Our focus has been to build something that can work across geographies, sports, and formats without adding operational complexity. As we expand into new markets, the goal is to enable more competitions to be seen, experienced, and sustained.”
The post SportVot raises $3.6m to expand sports production platform into Europe, US and West Asia appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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