Tag: online gaming

iGaming content provider Pragmatic Play announced that it is supplying games to Austrian operator win2day under a new agreement. Operated by Austrian Lotteries, win2day is the only licensed supplier of lottery and online casino in Austria, where it also provides sports betting. 

A selection of Pragmatic Play’s portfolio of Slots is being made available to win2day players over the coming weeks, said the firm. Already live is Madame Destiny Megaways, which will soon be followed by award-winning titles Gates of Olympus and Sweet Bonanza.

Other player favorites scheduled for release include Big Bass Bonanza, Big Bass Splash, The Dog House Megaways, Fruit Party, Book of the Fallen, John Hunter and the Tomb of the Scarab Queen, and Wolf Gold.  

“The partnership with win2day follows a pattern of continued expansion for Pragmatic Play in regulated markets across the globe,” said the company in a press statement.

Irina Cornides, Chief Operating Officer at Pragmatic Play, said: “I’m excited to welcome win2day to our growing customer base in Austria. Pragmatic Play is proud to partner with operators who share our commitment to product quality and player protection, as we strive to provide engaging entertainment experiences for new and established audiences worldwide.” 

Irina Cornides, Chief Operating Officer at Pragmatic Play

Martin Miesler, Head of Games at win2day, said: “We are delighted to have partnered with Pragmatic Play and begin uploading its slot content to our platform. Win2day is proud of providing the most impressive and innovative offering to our online casino players, a criterion that Pragmatic Play fills perfectly and we can’t wait to see how our audience responds.” 

The announcement comes as Pragmatic Play also targets expansion in other regulated markets across the globe, including Latin America, where it will be speaking and exhibiting its latest content at this year’s Peru Gaming Show (PGS), described as “Mission #7” on its “Latam Missions Itinerary.”

The event is set to take place on June 14th and June 15th at Lima’s Jockey Exhibition Center. The event has a full program lined up with seminars and panels based on current and future industry trends and topics.

Cyprus’ total gross revenue from class A (retail sportsbook) and class B (online betting) bookmakers totaled €267.6 million ($291.6 million) during the first quarter of 2023, up 21% when compared to the same period last year. According to the National Betting Authority (NBA), income from class B amounted to €190.9 million ($53.8 billion), or 71.3% of the total, while income from class A amounted to €76.7 million ($21.6 billion).

Gross income from class A bookmakers rose by 15% year-over-year and 144% compared with the first quarter of 2021, whereas gross income from class B bookmakers rose by 24% year-over-year and 33% compared with the first quarter of 2021.

According to the NBA, the total payout for Class A and B players in the first quarter of 2023 has reached a total of €234.3 million ($66.1 billion), up 22% when compared to the same quarter last year. The largest share of the total profit distribution, amounting to €172.5 million ($48.6 billion), was paid to Class B players.

The nationwide count of Class A licensed premises experienced a decrease of one premise in comparison to the corresponding quarter of the previous year, resulting in a total of 489 premises across the country.

The first quarter of 2023 also witnessed a notable decline of 63% in the count of license cancellations and withdrawals when compared to the same quarter in 2022. Additionally, the number of employees working within licensed premises amounted to 1,364 during the first quarter of 2023, indicating a slight decrease of 1% when compared to the same period last year, as reported by the NBA.

The Malta Gaming Authority announced on Thursday that it has canceled the authorization awarded to EGMIT Elite Limited, which runs the Elite24bet brand, based on specific breaches of the Gaming Compliance and Enforcement Regulations.

According to MGA, the operator breached specific terms of Regulation 9 of the Gaming Licence Fees Regulations, including failure to comply with an order issued by the authority, as well as failing to adhere to certain regulations and laws.

The regulator further pointed out breaches related to a failure to discharge financial commitments for its operations; failure to meet commitments to players promptly; and failure to pay fees promptly. 

“The Authority, in its sole discretion, has determined that there is material and sufficient reason for suspending the authorization,” said the regulator. “One of the grounds for suspension envisaged in regulation 9 arises and the Authority, in its sole discretion, determines that cancellation of the authorization is the most appropriate measure.”

Withdrawal of the license means the operator is no longer authorized to carry out gaming operations under the MGA license. The former licensee must remove any reference to approval from the Malta regulator with immediate effect. Elite24bet customers are advised to contact the MGA with any concerns about the ruling.

The MGA stated that EGMIT Elite has the option to appeal against the decision in line with Article 43 of the Malta Gaming Act. However, the regulator also noted that such was the manner of the breaches, it has filed a police report against the operator. In addition, the regulator has initiated liquidation proceedings.

Pragmatic Solutions, a provider of Player Account Management (PAM) platform for regulated markets, announced the integration of Alea’s iGaming aggregation platform into its offering. The strategic integration expands the spectrum of third-party game providers accessible to Pragmatic Solutions’ operator network.

Pragmatic Solutions provides an API-based PAM platform that enables its clients to extend the core technology through integrations and accelerate their growth. The platform allows iGaming and sportsbook operators to ensure regulatory compliance and handle risk besides helping them flexibly manage their brands, promotions, and player experiences, says the supplier.

As per the company, the platform is pre-integrated with hundreds of third-party content, payments, and service providers. It also supports the integration of new services of the operators’ choosing.

For its part, Alea’s aggregator provides a responsive online portfolio of over 10,000 games, including slots, table games, and live casino, sourced from more than 130 third-party suppliers. Alea’s aggregation platform is also equipped with exclusive content and a set of player engagement tools to enhance operators’ performance.

Jordi Sendra, COO at Alea, said: “We are delighted to extend our distribution network through this strategic collaboration with Pragmatic Solutions. This integration presents a valuable opportunity for Pragmatic’s PAM platform clients around the world to effortlessly access our massive library of classic casino games, slots, and live games.

“This strategic partnership exemplifies our commitment to enhancing the gaming experience for players, while providing operators with the personalized portfolio they need to empower their brands in localized markets.”

“We are pleased to further enrich our licensees’ options through our collaboration with Alea. By integrating Alea’s renowned aggregation offering into our PAM platform, we are elevating the range of game providers available to our operators,” Ashley Lang, CEO at Pragmatic Solutions, said.

“This integration underscores our dedication to meeting operators’ diverse business needs by providing them with the highest number of game providers, enhancing their ability to curate exceptional gaming experiences for their players.”

Online casino gaming provider Play’n GO has brought back the Green Knight online slot with its new title Return of the Green Knight. With this game, Play’n GO “welcomes the legendary Green Knight back into its ranks to test the mettle of promising knights.”

“See if you’ve got what it takes to stand toe-to-toe with this fabled figure in Return of the Green Knight,” the provider said of the game’s theme. “This grand Arthurian tale is one of honor, endurance, and glory. Now that this powerful warrior has returned, it’s time to see who has what it takes to best him in combat as Sir Gawain did all those years ago. Spin the reels and let the glorious duel begin.”

During any spin of the reels, Wild Multipliers may become active. A random Wild Multiplier will be chosen and applied to all Wilds across the reels. Once active, if one or more Wild Multipliers substitute for another symbol as part of a winning combination of symbols, then that pay line will be multiplied by the value shown on the Wild Multiplier. This can be a x2, x5, x10, x25, or a x100 Multiplier. 

Players can also earn the Free Spins feature by landing three Scatter symbols on any of the reels. This will award five Free Spins and can also lead to the exciting Shield Spins round if two Scatters land during the Free Spins. Each Free Spin will also increase in Multiplier value, starting from x2 and increasing to x100 on the fifth Free Spin.  

If the Shield Spins round is earned, the Free Spins are paused during the Shield Spins bonus and the current Wild Multiplier value will be locked in for the duration. The Wild Multiplier value on the spin that triggers the Shield Spins will remain constant throughout the five Shield Spins. Any new Wilds that land during this time are also locked in place for the remainder of the round. 
 
After the Shield Spins concludes, the remaining Free Spins continue, but any Wilds that were being held in place are removed. 

Return of the Green Knight follows on from The Green Knight, a popular title from Play’n GO’s Arthurian Legend titles alongside games such as 15 Crystal Roses, Clash of Camelot, and Merlin: Journey of Flame.

Magnus Wallentin, Games Ambassador at Play’n GO, said:  “We’re incredibly excited to bring the formidable fighter back to fans in Return of the Green Knight. The Arthurian Legend titles always prove to be popular additions to our wide library of games, both for players and for our game designers themselves! With features such as the Shield Spins bonus, players have the chance of earning some great potential wins.”

He added: “With the anticipation building during the Free Spins round, as players hope to land the Shield Spins with as high a multiplier as possible, the atmosphere is one of intensity and excitement, akin to a duel with the legendary Green Knight themselves.”

iGaming content supplier PopOK Gaming has announced a new partnership with gambling software company VirtualSoft. The deal aims to provide VirtualSoft’s operators with high-quality online gaming offerings by integrating PopOK Gaming’s slots, live casino games, and instant games into the company’s platform.

In a press release, PopOK Gaming described VirtualSoft as “an innovative online gambling software provider” whose sports betting and online casino solution offers “a state-of-the-art platform that integrates the best casino, virtual, pre-recorded and live casino providers worldwide.”

As PopOK Gaming’s products, the supplier describes them as “meticulously designed with attention to detail,” ensuring that features, payout structure, animation, and other game elements are of the highest quality. 

“This collaboration is a win-win for both parties and is set to provide players with an unparalleled iGaming experience filled with excitement, entertainment, aesthetics, and rewards,” PopOk stated.

Luiza Melikyan, Business Development Executive at PopOK Gaming, said: “We have already demonstrated our commitment to building strong, win-win partnerships that benefit our partners, us, and, most importantly, game lovers. This collaboration is no exception – we have worked tirelessly to ensure that our vision of business relationships and our approach to iGaming are fully aligned.”

The news comes after the company announced the launch of its newest online slot, Wild Queen, where players are invited to immerse themselves in “an exhilarating adventure across the African Savannah”.

Players will encounter an array of mystery symbols to help them “make the right choices and win big.” The game’s designers have crafted lions, traditional treasures, sacral totem masks and drums, ‘transporting players to the heart of the south of the continent.’

The first year of regulated iGaming and online sports betting in Ontario has been a resounding success, with figures showing CAD 35.6 billion ($26.4 billion) in total wagers and total gaming revenue of CAD 1.4 billion ($1.04 billion), placing the Canadian province among the top five iGaming jurisdictions in North America.

However, as per data from geolocation and fraud detection services company GeoComply, the newly regulated market has also attracted unwanted attention from fraudsters and betting attempts from outside the province.

Aggregate data from GeoComply’s services to its Ontario operator customers since the regulated market launch in April 2022 reveals that: 

• Over 744,000 users have attempted to log in 19.9 million times to Ontario operators from around the world;
• Over 54,000 users from within the US have attempted to log in 305,000 times to Ontario operators from south of the border;
• Over 3.3 million location spoofing attempts into Ontario operators have occurred from around the world.

GeoComply’s risk data for Ontario operators is in line with similarly-sized US states that have regulated iGaming and/or online sports betting, explains the company. The fraud attempts are mostly identity theft and bonus abuse, with some account takeovers and credit card chargebacks. 

According to GeoComply’s data, Ontario operator customer data since launch shows that: 

• Over 219,000 devices have been prevented from gambling for fraud reasons;
• 1,045 fraud rings affecting multiple operators were detected.

Danny DiRienzo, GeoComply Director of Risk Services, commented: “Online fraud is not uniquely a sports betting or iGaming problem. Recent data shows that cybercrimes were up 50% in 2022 across all forms of e-commerce.”

“However, our industry’s high standards of compliance put us in a strong position to combat it. Because every bettor must verify their location, we have the data to stop fraud before it gets a foothold,” he added. 

Additionally, GeoComply’s services have prevented the following from infiltrating the regulated market:

• Over 127,000 devices known to be associated with fraud;
• Over 56,000 devices with multiple users (typically a sign of bonus abuse);
• Over 34,000 devices using illicit software (normally to hide location);
• Nearly 1,500 devices that had been jailbroken or tampered with.

“Ontario is such a large market, and the opening of any market results in bonus offerings attracting fraudsters. This, coupled with the traditional gray market operations in Canada, resulted in experienced fraudsters hunting bonuses from day one, as anyone with a set of stolen identities could collect bonuses from several operators,” DiRienzo explained.

“GeoComply remains vigilant alongside our operator partners. During the last 90 days, a third of GeoComply’s fraud investigations have involved Ontario operators, despite Ontario accounting for far less than a third of our overall traffic. The investigations have affected most Ontario operators, so fraudsters are targeting almost everybody,” he concluded.