News

The Malta Gaming Authority has granted a licence to Pinnacle’s B2B arm.

Malta.- Pinnacle Solution, the B2B arm of Curaçao-based sportsbook operator Pinnacle Sports, has gained a licence from the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA). The licence will allow it to provide services to sportsbook partners within the MGA’s jurisdiction.

Pinnacle said it was seeking partnerships in various new territories, particularly Europe and Latin America. It currently services more than 50 sports betting operators.

Chief executive Paris Smith said: “We’ve made great efforts to ensure our trading practices and technology stack can be scaled quickly, openly, and transparently in order to give our sportsbook partners a first-class service that delivers the enhanced hold and revenue performance they’re after.

“Obtaining the MGA licence is proof that our expert teams have developed products that meet the market’s demands and high standards, and we’re now looking forward to servicing new partners in more markets.”

In the last month, the MGA has also granted licences to Stakelogic Live and Delasport.

For the moment, the international anti-money laundering (AML) body, The Financial Action Task Force (FATF), has decided to keep Malta on its grey list of untrustworthy jurisdictions. However, it has suggested that the country is close to coming off the list.

It recognised that Malta had made significant reforms through its action plan after it was grey listed last year and had increased its use of the Financial Intelligence Unit’s (FIU) services to pursue money laundering and criminal tax cases.

Meanwhile, the MGA has advised gambling operators licensed in Malta that the sanctions imposed on Russia require them to undertake new screening on business relationships and background checks on customers.

A House panel has given its approval to legislation that would ask Georgia voters to choose whether they want to legalise sports betting and other forms of gambling in the state.

US.- Voters in Georgia would be able decide if they want to allow betting on sports and horse racing, as well casino gambling, under a proposed constitutional amendment moving forward in the state House. The House Economic Development and Tourism Committee has green lighted a pair of bills that seek to put the legalisation of betting to voters in November.

The committee voted in favor of an amended version of Senate Resolution 135, as well as Senate Bill 142, which would legalise sports betting on college and pro sports. The constitutional amendment must pass both the House and the Senate with a two-thirds majority.

Rep. Ron Stephens, a longtime proponent of expanding gambling, said consumers are already placing bets offshore and it’s time for Georgia to join the roughly 30 states that have legalised sports betting.

The House proposal would tax sports betting proceeds at 20 per cent, double the amount the Senate had previously proposed. Bettors would have to be 21, and betting on high school games would not be allowed.

The constitutional amendment says half of any proceeds from casinos and horse race betting would go for health care programmes. Of the remainder, 20 per cent would go to economic development in economically distressed parts of the state, 15 per cent to prekindergarten subsidies and 15 per cent to college tuition for people making below the median income.

Stephens wants to see proceeds from gaming used to provide more funding for college scholarships: “With this being the 30th anniversary of the lottery vote creating the HOPE Scholarship, more than 2 million Georgians have lifted themselves up through a higher education and technical college careers,” wrote the author of the amendments. “More than 1.6 million families received pre-K head starts. We will take up sports gaming in the days to come to close the gap with HOPE and pre-K.”

The amendment would also direct some sports betting licensing fees to a fund to attract sports events and some casino and horse race betting licensing fees to a fund to subsidize arts venues.

Those who oppose the proposal say state-sponsored gambling encourages addiction and other social harms. Rep Randy Nix said: “This is not something that the state of Georgia wants to its stamp of approval on,” and he added: “This is what people do that are desperate, and this state is doing extremely well.”

The state Senate passed a constitutional amendment last March calling for a statewide referendum on the legalisation of sports betting. While Senate Resolution 135 failed to reach the floor of the Georgia House of Representatives, it marked the first time a gambling bill had made it through either legislative chamber.

Professional sports teams in Atlanta have announced their support. Some of them include Atlanta United, the Braves, Falcons, and Hawks. They have said that sports betting would boost fan engagement and make sporting events more enjoyable for viewers.

The new German gambling regulator will review current player protection rules and create a platform for complaints and whistleblowing.

Germany. Members of the board at Germany’s new national gambling regulator, die Glücksspielbehörde (GGL), have given the first details of plans to strengthen player protection measures in the country. They plan to carry out a “data-based evaluation” of the country’s current rules.

The new regulator is expected to be up and running to launch on January 1, 2023. However, board member Ronald Benter has said that it is already looking at strengthening player protection measures.

He said it would create a system to allow the data-based evaluation of existing player protection measures contained in the Fourth State Treaty on Gambling, which came into force last July. The current rules include a €1 spin cap for online slots. The regulator said it would propose changes to legislators if it deemed them necessary.

Benter said: “Our objective is an internal evaluation system to measure the effect of the player protection measures of the treaty.”

Complaints and whistle-blower system for online gambling
The regulator also plans to devise an early detection system for gambling harm and to create a centralised complaints and whistleblowing system that the public will be able to use to report ‘irregularities’ with licensed gambling operators, advertising violations and suspicions of illegal gambling.

It aims to develop an automated process “to quickly initiate appropriate measures and to receive automated evaluation options about the frequency of complaints on specific topics or providers.”

Benjamin Schwanke, another board member, said: “We will approach relevant experts and institutions in the area of ​​provider-related early detection systems for gambling addiction, because we need further development of common, cross-provider scientific standards for early detection of gambling addiction.”

He said the regulator was talking with industry associations about free gambling harm services available on the national public health hotline Bundeszentrale für gesundheitliche Aufklärung (BZgA).

The GGL, which is being hosted by the German state of Saxony-Anhalt, launched its website last month. It says that 110 staff will be required by the agency before it becomes fully operational on January 1.

Until then, the executive of Hesse remains the temporary body for German sports betting licences while Saxony-Anhalt is responsible for online casino and poker licences. The north-eastern state was chosen to host the federal gaming supervisor in 2020 as part of the development of the new federal treaty on gambling, which established a federal regulated online gambling market from last July.

Bundestag representative Anne Poggemann is serving as the state’s first gambling minister and overseeing the creation of the GGL, which will have its headquarters in Halle in the south of Saxony Anhalt. Ronald Benter and Benjamin Schwanke will lead the regulator as joint chief executives.

As well as licensing, the GGL will be responsible for maintaining databases monitoring player engagements and operator activities.

The latest feature from SOFTSWISS online casino platform grants players with balances in crypto the opportunity to play games that do not natively support cryptocurrencies.

Press release.- The SOFTSWISS Online Casino Platform has recently revealed its latest crypto-centric feature – the in-game currency exchange. The newest feature grants players with balances in crypto the opportunity to play games that do not natively support cryptocurrencies.

Previously, players who had registered at a casino with crypto as their primary currency would have access only to games that supported cryptocurrency denominations in-game. This meant that if the game provider had not enabled cryptocurrencies, such as mBTC or mETH, as supported currencies, players would have to create a fiat balance in order to open the game. According to due diligence procedures, players with a fiat balance must disclose more personal information, such as full name, date of birth, and address.

Once players open a game with their crypto balance selected, they will be able to select a fiat currency to which their active balance is converted via the rates of CoinMarketCap. Therefore, in-game bets will register as those made in a fiat currency in the player’s betting history. All winnings, bonuses, and balance changes will be reflected in the base crypto currency. The player’s will see the exchange rate and their active balance in the game currency as they play, while their base balance will be recalculated after they close the game window.

With the launch of the currency exchange feature, players no longer need to register a fiat balance and make a deposit to play their favourite slots, table games, or live dealer titles. They will now be able to make bets across all available games and game providers offered at the casino. If previously the list of crypto-friendly game providers counted 40+ game studios, today players will be able to enjoy game titles from across all 170+ game providers available through the SOFTSWISS Casino Platform.

Upon release, all bets made in crypto will be registered as USD bets, with more fiat currency pairs to be added later.

Andrey Starovoitov, COO at SOFTSWISS had this to say, “I am pleased to share that we are moving forward in making more games available to our operators’ players. A currency exchange feature has long been associated with crypto dice brands, which have amassed a big audience for classic casino content. With the latest innovation in the form of the currency exchange feature, we are opening up our entire game portfolio for crypto players and operators. We are also simplifying the entire player journey and gameplay experience. SOFTSWISS has always been associated as a crypto-fist brand, and we are happy to reaffirm that position yet again.”

Crypto-casinos powered by the SOFTSWISS Online Casino Platform will no longer be limited in the number of game providers available and will be able to increase their game offering. Curacao-licensed casinos will also be able to take advantage of the currency exchange feature.

In dialogue with Focus Gaming News, the CEO at EGT Interactive explained the company’s strategy through its transformation to Amusnet Interactive.

Exclusive interview.- After six years in the market, EGT Interactive became Amusnet Interactive. In this framework, in a one-on-one with Focus Gaming News, Ivo Georgiev, CEO at (now) Amusnet Interactive, explained the keys to the process. He stressed that the new name brings together the best of the past and the future: it combines the excellence of its already established products and the inclination towards innovation.

What was the driving force that pushed the company to change its name to Amusnet Interactive, after six years in the market?

Yes, for the past six years, we have grown immensely in terms of products, clients’ portfolio, markets presence and business. And most importantly, while we were growing, the team kept the same values and quality of the products and services.

We decided to initiate the change of our name to Amusnet Interactive because we are changing along with the iGaming industry. The new name marks a milestone in our company development. It is a simple way to communicate our brand positioning much clearer, and it is based on our constant desire for innovation.

How does the new name reflect the company’s approach and positioning?

We are proud of where we came from and how much we have accomplished for the past six years. We are the same team striving for excellence with the same mission – deliver the best products and services to the online casino market. 

The new name reflects only on our product development and follows the strategy of combining the classics with the latest industry trends. It will not affect our core beliefs, fantastic products and services we provide. We will just further improve!

What did the process look like?

It’s been a very smooth process since its beginning. Nevertheless, it isn’t over yet because the team continues to execute the transition of changing our name.

The whole process is complex. Many factors have to be taken into consideration. But we overcome it with perfect planning, clear deadlines and responsibilities. As a result, the team and I feel confident and aware of what is coming next.

What can we expect from Amusnet Interactive in terms of new products and markets?

Amusnet Interactive is determent to grow and develop. In terms of products, we will continue to deliver our emblematic EGT Interactive slots but also enrich the portfolio with new product verticals. Great products are coming next in the pipeline as we already began with Live Casino, Amusnet Slots, Keno and Lotto.

Also, we are constantly investigating the possibilities to enter new markets as the regulations are changing rapidly. We are a leading provider on numerous markets, and our Business Development team makes sure we continue strengthening our position.

How has the new name been received by your partners?

We are incredibly pleased with how well the transition goes and the response we receive. Our partners are excited just like us and support the change. We are making sure to answer all questions and share our positioning.

We appreciate their trust and the determination to join us in this exciting journey!

Focusgn.com

The new EGBA group aims to share information to track and resolve cyber security incidents in the gaming sector.

Belgium.- The European Gaming and Betting Association has created a new expert group on cyber security to facilitate information sharing on cyber threats and attacks among its members and to promote cooperation to track and resolve incidents and identify and solve security vulnerabilities.

The group will comprise cyber security experts from EGBA member operators, with a Memorandum of Understanding to allow for data sharing between the different operators. Participation will be open to all members. The group will also seek to research and implement best practices on cyber security.

EGBA secretary general Maarten Haijer said: “We have launched this expert group to encourage and establish a much-needed platform for cross-industry cooperation on cybersecurity issues.

“Cyber criminals are increasingly determined and sophisticated in their efforts to try to hack into gambling websites to steal customer data and money. Cyber threats tend to be cross-border in nature, affect operators in the same ways, and are a common threat to the industry.

“That’s why it is crucially important that operators work closer together to strengthen cyber security protocols and procedures, find common solutions to the latest threats and security vulnerabilities, and implement the highest security standards.”

As examples of cyber security threats that could affect the betting and gaming sector, the EGBA listed distributed denial-of-service (DDoSs) attacks, which use artificial traffic to bombard a website and slow it down, and account takeovers (ATO), where bots mimic legitimate login activity to access player accounts.

It also mentioned odds and price scraping, in which bots scrape odds from multiple websites to make betting decisions; credit card fraud and promotion abuse where bots are used for mass account creation to use promotional offers.

The EGBA said cyber security threats tended to increase during major sporting events, with a 96% year-on-year rise in attacks during Euro 2020, particularly targeting British and German sites.

The EGBA has been supporting the European Union’s plan for a harmonised European Digital Identity (E-ID). The digital ID system will allow EU citizens to guard a range of data, such as name, date of birth, bank account numbers, driving licences and proof of Covid-19 vaccination status in a single electronic wallet.

The EGBA has long pushed for more standardised regulation of consumer protection rules across the European Union, noting the great disparity in online gambling regulation across the bloc.

The company presented a new slot inspired by the Mexican series.

Press release.- All the thrills and drama of the global hit TV series has entered the slot world with Red Tiger’s Narcos Mexico slot. Bringing players a world of fast money and dangerous vices, players have the chance to experience rival bosses and notorious gangsters like never before – the battle is on!

This new game boasts a high volatility where players can take on the cartels with Cartel Wars. Mystery Symbols trigger a battle when landing adjacent to two or more rival territories and the leader with the biggest territory wins the clash and acquires the territory, while the loser falls in a hail of bullets.

Each Marked Territory symbol will increase a global stake multiplier. And the maximum possible total multiplier available stands at 10,500x – and winning just got a whole lot more exciting.

When players win 100x their stake or more, they have the option to exchange 100x their stake for three Cartel Spins with Win Exchange. The chance of winning the gamble is shown through a spinning wheel – the bigger the green segments, the higher their chance to win.

Todd Haushalter, Chief Product Officer at Evolution said: “This is our second Narcos game, with the first one being done by the team at NetEnt. We have had a lot of success sharing IP between NetEnt and Red Tiger, for example with Gonzo’s Quest and Piggy Riches. It’s always exciting working with branded games, and we’ve been part of some brilliant partnerships.”

And he added: “This new Narcos Mexico Slot is a great example of this and it’s going to attract new and casual players in a big way. Narcos Mexico Slot gives players the chance to enter this fast money world in a completely fresh way and we can’t wait to see what players think of it.”

Focusgn.com

SOFTSWISS has prepared detailed analytics on the state of crypto gambling in 2021, and also presented forecasts for 2022.

Press release.- SOFTSWISS was the world’s first company to introduce a cryptocurrency-optimised solution for online casinos platforms in 2013. At the moment, the company holds the status of the iGaming industry leader in crypto gambling. The company shares statistics and reviews on the development of cryptocurrencies in the iGaming industry on a regular basis.

The data provided in the article is a part of the company’s detailed report on the state of cryptocurrencies in 2021. It presents the results of the SOFTSWISS Game Aggregator and the SOFTSWISS Casino Platform.

Crypto bets overview
The increase in the number of bets in cryptocurrencies throughout the year confirms the global trend that the position of cryptocurrencies has strengthened and that they are increasingly more popular among online casinos users. Сompared to January 2021 when the share of bets made in crypto was at 23 per cent, December of the same year shows that number almost doubled to 40.1 per cent. At the same time, the volume of bets in cryptocurrencies over the same period increased by more than 2 times, namely, by 259.21 per cent.

“Cryptocurrencies have long been not just a trend in the gambling industry, but an obvious stage in its evolution. With significant benefits related to transaction speed, as well as wide market boundaries, the use of cryptocurrencies opens up significant opportunities for both players and operators. This leads to their constant growth. Those industry representatives who won’t develop their business in this direction in the near future risk losing a competitive advantage in the “battle” for users. Our statistics clearly demonstrate this,” commented Andrey Starovoitov, COO at SOFTSWISS.

Crypto and fiat currencies
Despite the fact that fiat currencies are still the most preferred option for betting, crypto is gradually but steadily growing in its share. Over the year, the percentage of bets in fiat currencies decreased by 23.6 percentage points: from 88.2 per cent in 2020 to 64.6 per cent in 2021. In its turn, cryptocurrencies showed a growth of 20.1 percentage points.

“Cryptocurrencies have long ceased to be an attribute of IT geeks. This is a global phenomenon and its impact on the global economy cannot be denied. The iGaming market is adapting to a new reality in which cryptocurrencies will become as important (if not more important) than fiat in the next couple of years. Convenience, speed, and usability are their huge advantages. SOFTSWISS took into account all these factors and created an entire ecosystem for its clients, which, in part, is made possible by the Cryptoprocessing solution by CoinsPaid,” said Andrey Starovoitov, COO at SOFTSWISS.

Top cryptocurrencies
Bitcoin still occupies a leading position by a huge margin among altcoins: 80.11 per cent of all crypto bets are made using BTC. According to the share of all cryptocurrencies used, the list of the most popular coins is as follows:

Bitcoin (BTC) 80.11%
Ethereum (ETH) 9.88%
Litecoin (LTC) 4.52%
Download the full report to learn more.

At the same time, the share of Bitcoin by the end of 2021 decreased compared to the beginning of the year: from 83 per cent in Q1 to 72.32 per cent in Q4. This is related to the growing interest of users in such a cryptocurrency as Ethereum. Its share increased from 9 per cent in the first quarter to 14.12 per cent in the last quarter of 2021.

Top crypto providers in the iGaming market
Below is the list of providers actively working with crypto-based on the share of all crypto bets in 2021. According to the statistics, BGaming players most often used cryptocurrencies in games and ensured the share of bets in crypto at the level of 21.10 per cent of the total:

BGaming 21,10%
Platipus 13,53%
Evolution 13,47%
Booming 10,76%
Betsoft 7,08%
To find out more information about the most crypto-oriented games, successful providers within the framework of operating crypto-casinos, as well as statistics on crypto-currencies in the context of GGR, download the full report.

“Cryptocurrency allows casino and dice site operators to work with a young audience. In this regard, the SOFTSWISS Crypto Solution will become an indispensable tool that adapts classical operating models to modern requests. We have every reason to believe that the share of cryptocurrencies will continue to grow this year and, accordingly, will open up even more opportunities for iGaming representatives. In turn, we have experience, innovation and expertise to help both newbies and experienced players in the market to make the most of these opportunities,” summed up Andrey Starovoitov, COO at SOFTSWISS.

A bill legalising both in-person and online sportsbooks in Kentucky now heads to the Senate for consideration.

US.- The Kentucky House has narrowly approved a bill that would legalise in-person and mobile sports betting in the state. House Bill 606, sponsored by Rep. Adam Koenig, was approved in the 100-member House on Friday by a 58-30 vote. The bill now heads to the Senate for consideration.

All Democrats and a slim majority of Republicans supported the measure. Twelve House members did not vote.

HB 606 would allow Kentucky’s licensed horse tracks, including Churchill Downs and Keeneland, to partner with a mobile sports betting operator such as DraftKings, FanDuel, or Caesars.

Licensees would also be allowed to offer in-person sports betting at horse tracks and two other track-owned facilities – such as a gaming hall or simulcast facility — through sportsbooks licensed by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC).

Koenig believes sports betting could generate $22m in tax revenue each year for Kentucky. Koenig cited estimates that more than $2bn is wagered illegally on sports each year in the state. Legislation would bring “activities that go on in every corner of this state out of the darkness and into the light,” he said.

If the bill is approved, bettors would be able to wager on professional, college, and amateur sports, with no prohibition on betting on in-state teams. Operators would pay a $500,000 initial application and licensing fee, followed by a $50,000 per year renewal fee.

The sports wagering measure is part of a broad package of gambling-related bills being considered by Kentucky lawmakers.

Delasport has gained certification to launch its products in the regulated Danish market.

Denmark.- Delasport has gained GLI certification in order to offer its online casino, player account management (PAM) and sports betting solutions in the regulated Danish market.

Delasport’s sportsbook offering covers betting for 125 sports, 70,000 pre-match and 40,000 monthly live events across 2,000 markets. It has a functionality stack with bet-builder, cash-out and partial cash-out, personal trader and quick bet suggestions.

Delasport chief executive Oren Cohen Shwartz said: “We are all happy to be entering the Danish market and demonstrating once again our commitment to our market’s availability strategy.

“Delasport’s existing partners can now expand into the Danish market, and we are already on track to gain additional new partners in Denmark. Danish players and bettors will soon be able to enjoy a higher-level of betting experience powered by our market-ready casino and sports betting solutions.”

Last month, the Danish gaming regulator Spillemyndigheden revealed it blocked a record number of unlicensed gambling websites in 2021. It also said that channelisation to the regulated sector had reached a record high.

Meanwhile, Danske Spil has reported full-year gross gaming revenue of DKK4.83bn (€650m) for 2021, a rise of 1.9 per cent from 2020. Lottery accounted for DKK2.79bn, an increase from DKK2.63bn in 2020. Danske Licens Spil’s sports betting and gaming products brought in DKK1.82bn.