Industry Digest NEWS

“The BGC had long treated Labour as a Government in waiting, working closely with shadow ministers in recent years, on behalf of our members and their millions of customers.” – Micheal Dugher, Betting and Gaming Council Chair.

The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) has announced its support for the Labour Party led by Keir Starmer, following their victory in a poll election held on 4 July, defeating the conservative party in a landslide victory.

The BGC is optimistic about Starmer’s plans to enhance Britain’s betting and gaming industry. Before the election, the new government had pledged to collaborate closely with the industry to improve responsible gambling standards, aiming to strengthen their members’ position as leaders in the betting and gaming sector.

In response to the unveiling of the White Paper in 2023, the UK’s regulated betting and gaming sector is undergoing important regulatory changes. The BGC has publicly proclaimed its commitment to incorporate evidence-based and fair recommendations outlined in the White Paper to elevate the industry’s standards and establish a regulatory framework to help economic growth.

The betting and gaming industry in the UK is a huge contributor to the economy, creating 110,000 jobs and generating £4.2 billion (€4.9 billion) in tax revenue. In addition, it drives £7.1 billion (€8.3 billion) into the economy. BGC members also play a crucial role in funding sports such as the English Football League, horseracing, snooker, darts, and rugby league.

BritishGambler.co.uk explains: “The iGaming market is a sector that helps drive the economic growth in the UK by creating jobs, generating revenue to the government (through licenses, taxes, and other regulatory fees), and attracting significant investment opportunities”.

“Our work to drive up standards and champion a world leading British industry carries on and we look forward to partnering with Labour – as they have pledged – in this vitally important work.” – Micheal Dugher, Betting and Gaming Council Chair.

Knowing the ideal conditions for iGaming businesses and start-ups will help you to identify the best locations for jobs. Companies look to locations with low or no tax on profits and countries that support easy registration and licensing.

Of course, relying on a sizeable talent pool is crucial, so locations with access to candidates with relatively low salaries are also attractive to online gambling firms.

We spoke to Tanya Shevchuk, CEO of HR, recruitment and advisory company IGAMINGHUNT, about the countries currently ranking as the world’s leading iGaming hubs for jobseekers.

Tanya comments: “There are some familiar names to consider, like Malta and Gibraltar, which are both extremely favourable locations for iGaming companies.

“But there are plenty of other destinations worthy of mention, including some that have only become iGaming hotspots in the last few years.

“It means that iGaming companies have plenty of choice if they wish to relocate. And it also gives jobseekers lots of exciting opportunities to relocate around the world.”

Here are Tanya’s top iGaming destinations.

Home of the long-established Malta Gaming Authority, Malta has a reputation as one of the world's leading hubs for iGaming jobs. As an EU member state, Malta's standard of living is high, and internet speeds and connectivity are impressive. There’s also an effective tax rate of 5% on profits, making the island nation an attractive option for iGaming firms.

Gibraltar has long been a favoured destination among iGaming companies, and the Gibraltar Gambling Commission offers remote gambling licenses to many high-profile betting sites. In Gibraltar, corporate tax is just 1%, while there is no sales tax or VAT, resulting in an extremely attractive business climate for start-ups and long-established businesses alike.

Though not a country, Alderney is an island in the English Channel that has become known as a gambling hotspot. It is a British Crown dependency with sovereign status in the UK, and the Alderney Gambling Control Commission is responsible for regulating many online casinos and sports betting sites. The license fee is relatively low compared to other regulatory bodies, and a 0% tax rate is highly attractive to all firms.

The Caribbean island of Curacao has emerged as a centre for iGaming in the American market. Under the jurisdiction of the Netherlands, Curacao regulates some of the world’s biggest casinos and betting sites, including Stake.com. License fees are affordable and accessible, while the 2% net tax on profits is one of the lowest in the world.

Thanks partly to the country’s impressive digital infrastructure, Bulgaria has a booming gambling market. The State Commission on Gambling grants licenses and enacts fair regulatory procedures favourable to operators. Recently, there has been a surge in demand for technology professionals in the iGaming sector, including UI/UX designers and game developers.

Romania has emerged as one of Europe’s most lucrative iGaming markets, enjoying significant growth in recent years. Online gambling has been legal in Romania since 2010. The country’s thriving economy and relatively young workforce make it an excellent place for iGaming firms to recruit exciting talent.

Estonia

Estonia’s impressive iGaming growth mirrors that of Bulgaria and Romania. Relaxed attitudes towards gambling and reasonable regulation have enabled domestic and international iGaming companies to flourish. iGaming income in Estonia is more than €336 million, and there are many jobs for professionals in the industry. Estonia's low cost of living is a big draw for talented Europeans looking to get more for their money.

Over the past three years, Cyprus has welcomed many iGaming professionals, particularly those involved in sports betting and poker. Though online casinos cannot be licensed in Cyprus, many iGaming firms have been attracted to the island thanks to the National Betting Authority, which has been responsible for regulating sports betting since 2016. There’s also a relatively low tax rate of 13% on all revenues.

Gambling has long been popular in Sweden, and many of the most successful iGaming firms on the market, such as NetEnt and Play’n GO, were launched by Swedish entrepreneurs. Although Sweden has higher tax rates and costlier licensing fees than other countries on this list, the country is widely regarded for its regulatory framework and exceptional standard of living. Given the number of iGaming firms operating in Sweden, talented professionals regularly move between companies as the demand for the best recruits is exceptionally high.

The expansion of legal gaming in the United States has seen each state develop its own regulatory bodies and licensing conditions to manage iGaming firms. Nevada and New Jersey are two of the best-regulated states in the country, home to gambling-centric Las Vegas and Atlantic City, respectively. iGaming and land-based gambling jobs are widely available in both states, and the opportunity to live and work in the US is attractive to all potential employees.

Boasting an attractive business climate and welcoming thousands of “digital nomads” every year, Costa Rica is an excellent location for iGaming businesses. The Costa Rican government doesn’t regulate iGaming companies but permits offshore companies to operate within the country. Moreover, Costa Rica does not tax companies for earnings from abroad, which is highly attractive to companies offering gambling services within other regulated markets.

One reason the global iGaming sector is thriving is that companies can attract talent worldwide. Many iGaming jobs available on the market are hybrid or fully remote, enabling firms to provide employees with flexible working conditions.

Still, the above countries are the world’s leading iGaming hubs, with attractive tax conditions, licensing and regulatory benefits, and excellent living standards.

If you’re looking for your next role within the iGaming sector, whether a management, design, or content job, speak to IGAMINGHUNT about the positions currently available.

In Q2 2024, the SOFTSWISS Game Aggregator,  a leading iGaming content hub, expanded its portfolio to over 23,500 games, marking a 46% increase compared to Q2 2023. This milestone has established it as the largest content hub in the market.

The SOFTSWISS Game Aggregator offers diverse content across various regions, focusing on Europe, LatAm, and Africa. In South Africa, it recently received a Letter of Certification (LoC) from the National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications (NRCS) for several providers popular in this region, including Spribe, Evolution, and Pragmatic. This certification enables clients to operate in South Africa by integrating popular games through the SOFTSWISS Game Aggregator.

The tool provides high-quality service and robust software, boasting a 99.9% uptime, which is especially crucial in regions with unstable internet connections. Additionally, the Game Aggregator team offers features to enhance casino performance, focusing on the most essential metric in the industry – player engagement.

All Game Aggregator's clients, whose number grew to 1,087 in Q2 2024, can seamlessly and quickly integrate the SOFTSWISS Jackpot Aggregator, join the Network Jackpot, and launch branded jackpots. To boost engagement and social interaction, the Game Aggregator has also upgraded its Tournament Too by adding crash games.

The effectiveness of these engagement tools is evident in the growing Bet Count, which totalled over 42,300,000,000 in Q2 2024, a 13% increase from the previous quarter.

“Our growth over this half a year has been remarkable,” says Tatyana Kaminskaya, Head of SOFTSWISS Game Aggregator. “Reaching over 23,500 games is a milestone that establishes us as the largest content hub. But what I am most proud of is our technical and service team, who drive our product's growth and meet our clients' needs and requirements. According to Kantar research, 51% of partners have given SOFTSWISS a perfect 10 rating. These results highlight our dedication to innovation and superior gaming experiences.”

Last week, on 17–18 July, the SOFTSWISS team met with all partners at iGB Live!, and showcased its innovative solutions, robust tools, and a vast array of games to ensure a superior gaming experience.

SOFTSWISS is an international tech company supplying software solutions for managing iGaming projects. The expert team, which counts over 2,000 employees, is based in Malta, Poland and Georgia. SOFTSWISS holds a number of gaming licences and provides one-stop-shop iGaming software solutions. The company has a vast product portfolio, including the Online Casino Platform, the Game Aggregator with thousands of casino games, the Affilka affiliate platform, the Sportsbook Platform, and the Jackpot Aggregator. In 2013, SOFTSWISS was the first in the world to introduce a Bitcoin-optimised online casino solution.

The Great Britain Gambling Commission's mission is to protect gamblers across the nation by licensing, regulating, advising, and guiding both bettors and operators within its jurisdiction. Key to achieving this goal is the commission's commitment to actively listen to the needs and concerns of bettors, as Sarah Gardner, chief executive, discussed during her speech in Gibraltar on July 8th.

Last year, the British market surpassed £15 billion in Gross Gambling Revenue for the first time. The industry is booming. This is why, as Sarah Gardner explains, it is more important than ever that the commission's decisions are based on facts, or as she puts it, “guided by the evidence.” To this end, the commission has increased initiatives to stay in touch with all interested parties.

A few months ago, in December 2023, the Gambling Commission launched a new reporting service called "Tell Us Something in Confidence." This service allows anyone to report criminal or suspicious activities anonymously, online. Activities that can be reported include match-fixing, sports betting integrity issues, underage gambling, money laundering concerns, suspicious activity, unlicensed gambling, or other criminal activities.

The novelty of the "Tell Us Something in Confidence" website is its ability to offer a centralised platform where users can upload any information to support their claims or suspicions, such as images, screenshots, or documents.

The commission has also developed the largest survey on gambling behaviours in the world to date. Known as the Gambling Survey for Great Britain (GSGB), this annual initiative gathers data from 20,000 respondents.

On July 8th, the Gambling Commission released Wave 2 of findings from the GSGB, which surveyed 5,000 people and focused on gambling participation. One of the main findings is that 48 percent of adult respondents (over 18 years old) have gambled in the last month. The survey also explored player preferences, revealing for example that many players only participate in lottery draws, with scratchcards being the second most popular.

“We also hear concerns sometimes, that we don’t do enough to hear from consumers who suffer no harm from their gambling,” stated Sarah Gardner during her speech. However, she explained, the Gambling Commission has launched different initiatives to engage with consumers who gamble recreationally.

The "Our Consumer Voice" program is designed to gather views, opinions, and insights from bettors in Great Britain. “In the last year, we have spoken to over 7,000 consumers through the program, covering topics including the cost of living, bonus offers and incentives, financial risk checks, and consumer trust,” declared Sarah Gardner.

WhatBonusCode.co.uk explains how seeking bonuses can lead players to illegal websites, risking their financial and data security, among other dangers. WhatBonusCode.co.uk declares, “by promoting legal bonus sites, we aim to reduce the risk of people being exploited by offshore companies. We also combat the appearance of illegal offshore sites in Google search results — sites that neglect players protection and regulatory compliance.”

A first-time visitor to New Jersey won almost $1.6 million on a slot machine during their stay in Atlantic City. 

The lucky player hit the jackpot with a $10 bet on a Wheel of Fortune slot machine. This win ranks among the top five slot machine jackpots ever won at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino since its opening in 2018.

Reports indicate that the out-of-state guest spent only $87 during their casino visit in New Jersey. The winner has chosen to remain anonymous, and the prize will be paid out over the next 20 years in annuities.

In another notable event, a $1.13 billion Mega Millions winning ticket still remains unclaimed in New Jersey, as the winner has not yet contacted the state lottery to claim their prize, almost 5 months after purchasing the life-changing ticket.

Last March, a player bought the ticket at a liquor store on Route 66 in Monmouth County, New Jersey. This ticket represents the fifth largest jackpot in Mega Millions history and the largest prize ever awarded in the state, $1.13 billion. However, the ticket holder has yet to come forward to claim their prize.

"The $1.13 billion Mega Millions jackpot from Tuesday, March 26, that was won by a single ticket in New Jersey, remains unclaimed at this time," said The New Jersey Lottery in a statement.

The New Jersey Lottery advises the winner to sign the ticket, make copies of it, seek professional legal and financial advice, and contact them at 1-800-222-0996 to begin the claims process.

They also reminded players that they have the option to remain anonymous indefinitely, although identification is required for any prize above $600,000 when claiming from Lottery officials.

New Jersey players’ luck continued in June with a $221 million Powerball jackpot win.

Nj.bet lists 29 authorised online casinos in New Jersey. In May 2024 alone, these operators generated $192.1 million in revenue, marking a 19.0% increase compared to the $161.4 million reported in May 2023.

NuxGame is always striving to elevate its platform, ensuring its clients receive the best possible tools to succeed. NuxGame is excited to introduce a new enhancement: a partnership with Workanova, a customer experience specialist, to provide increased B2C support.
Workanova is renowned in the iGaming industry for providing top-tier customer support solutions. Its comprehensive multilingual services include live chat, email, ticket and product support, player retention, inbound and outbound calls, and complaint resolution. This partnership is set to deliver a seamless customer experience, benefiting NuxGame's extensive network of clients by enabling quick and efficient responses to player requests.
NuxGame clients will benefit from improved customer engagement, enhanced player retention, and multilingual support. The seamless integration of Workanova’s services allows operators to quickly leverage these capabilities, increasing operational efficiency and overall customer satisfaction.

This partnership marks an exciting time for NuxGame, as it continues to improve its platform and upgrade its recognised service. With Workanova’s expertise, NuxGame's operator partners can look forward to improved customer engagement and satisfaction, setting a new benchmark in the iGaming industry.

Summit Ascent Holdings Limited has reinforced its board by appointing Chang Heng Kit as a non-executive director, effective 10 July.

Mr. Chang brings over 13 years of experience in the gaming industry, which he has obtained from his previous roles across various Asian companies. He was the General Manager of a travel agency in Vietnam and served as the Director of Guest Services and Relations Development for a leading gaming promoter in Macau from 2011 to 2021. His extensive background and expertise in the gaming sector will be invaluable as Summit Ascent navigates its current challenges.

As Summit Ascent welcomes Mr. Chang to its board, the company plans to utilise his industry expertise to contribute to its strategic direction. Mr. Chang's deep understanding of gaming operations and regulatory environments in Asia is expected to be invaluable as Summit Ascent charts its course through these turbulent times. His appointment is part of a broader strategy to strengthen the board with seasoned professionals capable of guiding the company through its next development phase.

LET Group Holdings Ltd., the parent company of Summit Ascent Holdings, has further solidified its position in the Philippine gaming industry with a substantial $17 million (€15.5 million) loan to one of its subsidiaries, Suntrust Resort Holdings Inc. This latest financial injection will fuel the development of the highly anticipated Westside City Hotel, a $1 billion (€917.7 million) integrated resort project set to open its doors in Parañaque City by the first quarter of 2025.

The decision to provide additional funding shows LET Group's unwavering confidence in the Philippine gaming market and its belief in the long-term potential of the Westside City project. With this new capital, Suntrust can accelerate construction and bring the integrated resort to completion. This will no doubt further enhance Manila's Entertainment City.

The Westside City Hotel is expected to become a major tourist attraction and gaming destination, contributing significantly to the Philippine economy and generating employment opportunities for the locals.

Stay in the loop with the latest updates and news for the upcoming SiGMA East Europe Summit powered by Soft2Bet. The summit will take place in Budapest from 2-4 September. 

Sweepstakes platform & aggregator, Sweepium has quickly become a significant force in the free-to-play casino game market.

With increasing interest in sweep sites, more brands are looking to launch Sweepium’s platform and services to fully engage with a unique proposition and tap into a brand new segment of players.

We asked founder Peo Strömberg how the business started and learned it began by chance but is now entirely focused on providing the best in class service for partners with over 3,000+ converted games from 80+ sweepstake providers.

I was a wannabe musician but quickly realised that computer science was a better career choice. This was in the 2000s and after a couple of years of building mobile streaming services, I tried to place a bet on my phone but it wasn’t possible because Apple and Google blocked betting apps at that time.

I saw a business opportunity because there are always new ways to solve old problems. Here I am 15 years later, dipping my toes into all sorts of innovative technologies, such as sweepstake platforms and crypto with a clear goal of stretching boundaries.

I started working for a US management consultant company based in Las Vegas two and a half years ago. I was its European rep, tasked with finding clients interested in the US sweepstakes market. I’d never heard about sweepstakes before, so I took a crash course and realised that this is the future of gaming entertainment.

I met Stefano Fregoni, who had a social platform; the rest is history.

The main challenge was translating the local marketing laws into executable code. Regular real-money gaming is strictly limited to what the market licence stipulates you can and cannot do.

Sweepstakes, on the other hand, do not need a licence to be operational but you must still follow local marketing rules and regulations.

We’re a small, passionate team with more developers than staff in operations, so we're currently focused on delivering the best sweeps and social experience in the industry from a tech perspective.
Aside from a robust platform, what’s Sweepium’s mission?

Clients come to us first and foremost looking to launch a sweeps site with the most entertaining games. To that end, we offer over 3,000 brilliant titles from more than 80 game providers. It’s the best possible game mix to give clients a competitive advantage from fun games and live to Esports and fast games.

While we pride ourselves on best-in-class operational services and a fully optimised marketing lifecycle for all player needs.

It all comes down to our cutting-edge platform and our framework. This allows us to offer our clients several standardised templates that meet the regulatory requirements depending on the local regulations.

Obviously your clients can redesign the look and feel, but because it’s based on a template framework, it’s always legally compliant.

The other key point is that we offer comprehensive guidance, support, and team training, meaning new brands can quickly get up to speed. Because we aggregate the top available games, they don’t need the time and money to integrate game providers one by one.

We also operate seamlessly on all channels, so compatibility issues are one less headache for new brands to manage.

Even on the marketing side, we can help start-ups with strategic planning, campaign design, promotion and analytics.

We feel this is especially important. Our commitment to responsible gambling is woven throughout our work and includes player controls, monitoring player activity, collaborating with partners to promote safe gambling, and continuous improvement.

We also conduct audits and seek regular feedback to ensure we are delivering on our responsible gambling strategy.

Our Chief Business Development Officer: Daniel Mitton and I will be in Amsterdam.

We’d love to meet up if you’re considering launching a sweeps brand or if you want to discuss the current landscape.

We’ve attended successful similar events in Manila and Malta, so we know how important it can be to meet like-minded people. It’s always important to meet industry leaders, explore potential collaborations, and share visions for the future of sweepstakes and casino gaming.

If you’re unable to make it to Amsterdam, you can get in touch with the Sweepium team at [email protected]

MGM Resorts announced their new partnership as a "Proud Partner of the New York Yankees" on 10 July 2024. This collaboration aims to provide exclusive VIP experiences to MGM Rewards members and baseball fans. The experiences include the opportunity to watch batting practise from the warning track and the chance to throw out a ceremonial first pitch at Yankee Stadium.

Bill Hornbuckle, CEO & President of MGM Resorts, expressed the company's commitment to investing in the community and providing exceptional experiences for baseball fans. Hornbuckle stated, "Our company has owned and operated Empire City Casino and Yonkers Raceway for the past five years. As we continue working to secure a full commercial casino licence at Empire City, this partnership allows us to further develop these properties to their potential, while providing the world-class hospitality guests have come to expect from the MGM Resorts brand."

Michael Tusiani, New York Yankees Senior Vice President of Partnerships, also shared his excitement about the partnership, saying, "We are excited to partner with MGM Resorts this season. Through branding displayed on signage inside Yankee Stadium and integrated into our television broadcasts, the MGM Resorts brand will receive increased exposure and recognition for its resort and casino properties—especially for the nearby Empire City Casino."

MGM Resorts will have a brand placement at Yankee Stadium, with LED signage, first and third-base rotational signage, and their logo appearing on the back of the pitcher's mound during live local television broadcasts of select games.

MGM Resorts' Empire City Casino plans to host New York Yankees-themed fan activities and events featuring active Major League Baseball players and alumni.

Ed Domingo, President and COO of MGM Resorts' Empire City Casino, highlighted the potential of the alliance to create unique opportunities for guests and baseball fans. He emphasised that the partnership with the Yankees allows them to provide engaging activities for guests and baseball fans. When a full-scale commercial casino licence is secured, they plan to increase their workforce significantly.

Stay in the loop with the latest updates and news for the upcoming SiGMA East Europe Summit powered by Soft2Bet. The summit will take place in Budapest from 2-4 September. 

SOFTSWISS, a leading global tech company with over 15 years of experience in the iGaming industry, has announced an impressive milestone achieved by its Anti-Fraud team within its Managed Services. The team has successfully assisted clients in securing approximately 6 million euros in the first half of 2024, showcasing a significant one-third reduction in the amount at risk compared to the previous year.

By leveraging advanced tools and methodologies to effectively mitigate fraud attempts, including bypassing restrictions and breaching terms, the Anti-Fraud team has played a pivotal role in creating a more secure operating environment for operators. In the first six months of the year, the team handled around 54,000 tasks, encompassing operator and verification requests, as well as fraud and responsible gambling notifications. Notably, the amount of these requests saw an 8.5 percent decrease compared to the same period in 2023.

Ilya Nesterov, the Anti-Fraud Team Lead, emphasised that the team primarily deals with common types of fraud, such as bonus abuse, identity theft, and document forgery, which collectively account for nearly 90 percent of all fraud cases. Nesterov expressed pleasure in noting a slight decrease in the number of operators' requests and fraud notifications, which indicates a more responsible attitude among players.

On a parallel note, the company reported a 12.4 percent year-on-year increase in player complaints submitted to regulators or industry forums, totalling 118 for the first half of 2024. Drawing on its extensive expertise in analysing these cases, SOFTSWISS enabled operators to successfully resolve issues, safeguarding their reputation and saving nearly 250 thousand euros.

In a progressive move, the Anti-Fraud team recently introduced an innovative Risk Scoring Tool capable of identifying potential issues in real-time, allowing for proactive measures to provide a safer gaming experience. This initiative and the company's commitment to embracing new developments and leading responsible gaming practises led to SOFTSWISS being recognised in the Responsible Gaming category at the prestigious SiGMA Africa Awards.

Partners can book a meeting at the stand 12-F30 at the iGB Live! on 17–18 July to gain more insights on best responsible gambling practices and SOFTSWISS innovative solutions.