Connect with us

Uncategorized

German City to Shut All Betting Shops Amid Money-laundering Allegations

Published

on

Reading Time: 2 minutes

 

The German city of Bremen is planning to shut down all of its betting shops after the interior senator said their owners had failed to convince him that they were not fronts for money laundering.

Bremen, Germany’s smallest city-state, announced on Wednesday it had issued rejection notices to 32 establishments that had applied for betting licences under a new gambling law, meaning any bets placed on their premises would with immediate effect be deemed illegal.

The betting shops have until 5 August to legally challenge the decision or supply the senate with paperwork showing how they obtained their startup capital to open their businesses in the first place, such as a loan agreement with a bank.

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

Bremen authorities say they are tackling a problem that is not unique to their city but widespread across Germany. A 2019 report by the finance ministry and federal police said criminals were not only using legal gambling practices to launder dirty money but often directly investing money to buy up betting shops.

In some such cases, the entire gambling activity taking place on the shop’s premises was merely “simulated” and the profits showing up in the books came from illegal activities such as drug dealing, the report said.

Unlike in Britain, where most high-street betting establishments are run by large gambling companies such as William Hill or Ladbrokes, in Germany betting shops are mostly run by smaller businesses that buy a franchise licence from larger firms.

“At its core, this is about checking the reliability of these operators. We also want to guarantee that no money from dodgy businesses like drug dealing or human trafficking is being laundered here and thus flows into legal money cycles,” Ulrich Mäurer, Bremen’s senator for interior affairs, said.

Over the past few months, Bremen authorities approached four large betting companies that operate in the city, asking them to provide written evidence of how their franchise holders had acquired their startup capital, usually a sum of up to €120,000.

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

None of the betting shops had since handed in paperwork that met the authorities’ requirements, a Bremen senate spokesperson said. In one instance an application for a gambling licence had been rejected because the betting shop was located too close to a school, rather than because of the missing paperwork.

“Other states in Germany are looking with close interest at what we are achieving by taking this step. If we are successful, I expect many of them will follow suit,” said a spokesperson, Rose Gerdts-Schiffler.

The closures were criticised by Germany’s Sports Betting Association, whose president, Mathias Dahms, said the city’s actions were “arbitrary, legally questionable and completely out of proportion, motivated purely by political goals”.

Powered by WPeMatico

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)
Continue Reading
Advertisement

Uncategorized

Million Games Launches Million Mine – A Strategic Grid Game Inspired by a Classic

Published

on

million-games-launches-million-mine-–-a-strategic-grid-game-inspired-by-a-classic
Reading Time: < 1 minute

Million Games is pleased to announce the release of Million Mine, a strategic, grid-based casino game inspired by the beloved mechanics of minesweeper. Offering a modern update to the classic format, Million Mine lets players select their difficulty, uncover hidden diamonds, and cash out before disaster strikes.

The game features:

  • Customisable grid sizes from 3×3 to 7×7

  • Mines selection from 3 to 24 for adjustable volatility

  • Instant cashout after any successful pick

  • A 96.3% RTP and a high multiplier ceiling

Each tile revealed adds tension and reward, making Million Mine a fast-paced, strategic game of choice and nerve.

“Million Mine is deceptively simple—but a great player experience,” said Thomas Nimstad, CEO of Million Games. “It’s familiar, clean, and highly customisable. We see it becoming a favourite for both casual players and high-stakes explorers.”

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

Million Mine is now available across all Million Games partner platforms.

The post Million Games Launches Million Mine – A Strategic Grid Game Inspired by a Classic appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Continue Reading

Uncategorized

ReferOn Shortlisted for Acquisition & Retention Partner of the Year at SBC Lisbon 2025

Published

on

referon-shortlisted-for-acquisition-&-retention-partner-of-the-year-at-sbc-lisbon-2025
Reading Time: < 1 minute

ReferOn, a next-gen affiliate management platform, has officially been nominated for the “Acquisition & Retention Partner (Supplier)” category at SBC Lisbon 2025, cementing its position as a key partner for operators and affiliate teams.

This shortlisting highlights the platform’s rapid growth in 2025 due to its developments that address real problems affiliate managers face, a passionate product-minded team, and ambitious plans to empower users in the affiliate marketing industry.

ReferOn challenges legacy platforms by creating a simple and accessible system built for modern needs and placing affiliate marketing at the forefront of growth strategy. Key features such as full-cycle automation, customisable dashboards and reports in pivot-style format, instant postbacks, and real-time data visibility reduce chaos and bring clarity to operations, ultimately boosting performance. Additionally, powerful tools like the Sub-Affiliate System, No Bundling Model, and dynamic variables provide managers with increased control.

Vlad Bondarenko, ReferOn’s Head of Product, commented on the nomination, “Acquisition and retention aren’t just buzzwords to keep affiliates happy. They’re real benchmarks that help our users drive growth and scale. The ReferOn team has proudly built a platform that gives affiliate managers real control, clarity, and speed over their operations to help achieve their

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

goals. This nomination reflects our efforts and how far we’ve come regarding pushing the industry forward and challenging the status quo.”

The nomination for the “Acquisition & Retention Partner (Supplier)” category bolsters ReferOn’s roadmap and growth trajectory. Going forward, the team will continue to invest in impactful product developments and customer-facing services to become the leading platform for affiliate managers.

Key ReferOn members will be in attendance at the SBC Lisbon Awards 2025 ceremony on September 18 for a night celebrating excellence and innovation.

The post ReferOn Shortlisted for Acquisition & Retention Partner of the Year at SBC Lisbon 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)
Continue Reading

Uncategorized

SHINE ON DRAGON’S DIAMONDS

Published

on

shine-on-dragon’s-diamonds
Reading Time: < 1 minute

This text contains puns. Reader discretion is advised.

“Dragon’s Diamonds” is now live, a fang-tastic 6×5 new scatter-pays slot from the Berlin-based developer Hölle Games with wins of up to 12,000x.

Unlike the miserly reputation they’re known for (a tall tail), the Hölle Dragon is a generous beast (with a fiery personality). With every matching cluster that lands, the Dragon will breathe flames onto the reels – removing winning symbols and allowing more to fall into place. There is no limit to the number of potential cascades that can occur here, so lucky players can quickly scale-up their hoard of wins.

Plus, hitting 4 or more scatters to enter the Free Spins will unlock the Feature Multiplier, which cumulates all Multiplier wins across the entirety of the Free Spins. Re-triggers can be clawed out too, with only 3 scatters needed.

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

For any players who find the base game is dragon-on, there is the Stake Boost feature, which increases the chances of hitting the Feature for a slightly higher stake, or also the option of directly entering Free Spins via the Feature Buy. That’s no fire-drill!

The game is now available for MGA with other territories winging it this way soon.

The post SHINE ON DRAGON’S DIAMONDS appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Continue Reading

Trending

Get it on Google Play

Fresh slot games releases by the top brands of the industry. We provide you with the latest news straight from the entertainment industries.

The platform also hosts industry-relevant webinars, and provides detailed reports, making it a one-stop resource for anyone seeking information about operators, suppliers, regulators, and professional services in the European gaming market. The portal's primary goal is to keep its extensive reader base updated on the latest happenings, trends, and developments within the gaming and gambling sector, with an emphasis on the European market while also covering pertinent global news. It's an indispensable resource for gaming professionals, operators, and enthusiasts alike.

Contact us: [email protected]

Editorial / PR Submissions: [email protected]

Copyright © 2015 - 2024 - Recent Slot Releases is part of HIPTHER Agency. Registered in Romania under Proshirt SRL, Company number: 2134306, EU VAT ID: RO21343605. Office address: Blvd. 1 Decembrie 1918 nr.5, Targu Mures, Romania