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Slovakia cracks down illegal gambling
Slovakia’s Financial Administration has carried out the biggest illegal gambling crackdown ever in the country.
The process resulted in the seizing of five so-called quiz machines seised and 75 gaming machines. Subsequently, tax officers confiscated the accounting documents of 14 companies that ran the businesses.
The combing operation was held last month on June 28–29. In the move, 180 comptrollers and custom officers combed approximately 100 gambling facilities across Slovakia.
“It wasn’t an easy action,” said Ľudovít Makó, head of the Financial Administration’s criminal department, as quoted in a press release.
First, the comptrollers had to visit the facilities and try the machines to ascertain whether their use could be deemed as gambling or not.
“In some facilities the gambling machine was turned off during the investigation, while in the others there were missing internet connections and power supplies,” Makó added.
Customs officers subsequently sealed dozens of facilities, while others were secured for further analysis. The Financial Administration will continue with the inspections.
Quiz machines will be checked
Playing the quiz machines is also considered to be a form of gambling as the players need to answer a simple question, according to Imrecze. However, to prove that they are gambling machines the Financial Administration sent them to the Technical Testing Institute for examination.
If it is proven that the quiz machines were used for gambling, the Financial Administration will adopt further steps. The operators of the machines and the facilities where they are placed would be faced with high fines, the SITA newswire reported.
Moreover, there is a suspicion that the operators did not prevent people under the age of 18 or those drawing material need benefits from gambling.
In addition, the quiz machines often have servers situated outside Slovakia. The law on gambling, however, stipulates that the servers need to be located in Slovakia.
Currently, there are about 800 quiz machines. Most are registered in Bratislava, Trnava and Žilina Regions, Makó said, as reported by SITA.
Accounting seised
As part of the operation, the Financial Administration confiscated the accounting books for 2017 and 2018 of four companies operating the quiz machines and the accounting books from 2018 of companies that run the facilities where the machines were located.
Tax officers will now check whether the documents correspond with the data from the servers of the quiz machines’ operators and whether they tried to evade paying VAT and corporate income taxes.
If the Financial Administration reveals any flaws, the operators would face criminal consequences, SITA reported.
More fines issued
The number of fines for gambling operators who violate the law, as well as their amount, increased in 2017 compared with the previous years.
A total of 210 fines amounting to €378,660 in total were imposed in 2017, which is 153 more than in 2016 and 200 more than the year before. As for the amount, the sum increased by €13,680 (or 3.75 per cent) in 2017 compared with 2016, and by €245,460 (or 184 per cent) compared with 2015, the TASR newswire reported.
“We welcome the fact that the state has the ambition to fight illegal gambling but we have to realise that it cannot erase the legal concerns,” said Dominika Lukáčová, spokesperson for the Association of Entertainment and Gambling, as quoted by TASR.
She continued, saying that the illegal market is a result of excessive regulation and prohibition, with the criminal groups one step ahead of the comptrollers. They can even erase the software used in the machines from a distance to avoid fines.
However, legal gambling operators in Slovakia have never used such practices, Lukáčová added.
Source: spectator.sme.sk
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WA.Technology awarded ISO 27001:2022 certification
Leading supplier awarded gold standard for information security management systems with new accreditation
WA.Technology, the award-winning B2B iGaming solutions provider, has reached a new milestone after being awarded the ISO 27001:2022 certification.
The globally recognised standard outlines the robust requirements that companies must meet for information security management systems (ISMS). The certification offers a comprehensive framework for developing, implementing, and maintaining robust data security practices in an online environment.
Being awarded the ISO 27001:2022 certification reflects WA.Technology’s ongoing commitment to maintaining the highest possible security controls and data integrity standards across its entire organisation.
The process involved an in-depth analysis of WA.Technology’s information security policies and analysis of the procedures and comprehensive security controls in place to protect the business against potential vulnerabilities. These threats include unauthorised data breaches, sharing of information, and other potential risks.
This is the International Organisation for Standardisation’s (ISO) latest version of the 27001 certification, which features enhanced provisions around emerging information security risks and challenges in the digital landscape, including those related to cloud security, remote working, building access, maintenance of company data, and the utilisation of new technologies. An upgrade from the 2013 certification, ISO 27001:2022 provides online-facing organisations with a clear framework for implementing and managing an effective ISMS to protect confidential information.
Francesca Grech, ISO Coordinator at WA.Technology, celebrated the new certification: “We are delighted to have received the ISO 27001:2022 certification – this is a true reflection of our commitment to upholding the highest standards in information and cyber security and improving our overall risk management and operational efficiency.”
“ISO 27001:2022 is the gold standard for security for any online business; it is no longer a ‘nice to have’ certification but an essential. At WA.Technology, we thoroughly understand the importance of deploying robust security systems across our entire business. This is imperative not only to protect our partners’ information but also to build trust and enhance credibility and confidence too.”
The post WA.Technology awarded ISO 27001:2022 certification appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Spinomenal releases ‘Break the Piggy’ Bank title
Leading iGaming content provider Spinomenal has enhanced its impressive slot portfolio with the release of Break the Piggy Bank. The game is part of the Classics Series.
A vault stacked high with gold coins sets the scene for this fun slot game that is presented within a 5×3 frame. Sacks of gold coins, pigs, wads of cash and a dazzling diamond make up the medium symbols.
Three or more Golden Piggy Bank symbols will instantly launch the Free Spins mode. Here players can win 10 Free Spins with three Piggy Banks, 15 Free Spins with four, and cool 20 Free Spins with five. Find the Golden Hammer to break into the Piggy Bank and players will benefit from its power to substitute for all other symbols except for the scattered Free Spins symbol.
Spinomenal’s Instant Cash feature is in play too and will activate every time the reel spins and the Instant Cash symbol will randomly present four possible values that are collected in Free Spins. Instant Cash symbols are possible to save up during the round before they grow the Free Spins metre at the top of the reels.
Once four Wild symbols are secured, players will earn 10 additional free spins and on all future spins until the free spins finishes. It also means that the Small Instant Cash symbol (pays x2 or x5 of the total bet) turns into a Medium Instant Cash symbol which pays out x10 or x15 of the total bet.
Eight Wild symbols discovered means players will collect six further free spins on all future spins until the free spins end. The Medium Instant Cash symbols are transformed into Large Instant Cash symbols, which pays out x20 or x25 of the total bet.
After finding 12 Wilds symbols, players collect another four additional free spins and on all future spins until the free spins end. This then takes players to the final level where the Huge Instant Cash symbol is activated and pays either x50 or x2000 the total bet.
Spinomenal CO-CEO, Omer Henya commented: “Players will be lining up to take a spin on our latest game to join the classics series, Break the Piggy Bank. We’re on the money again with this one as the free games and Instant Cash mechanic promise a wealth of fun.”
The post Spinomenal releases ‘Break the Piggy’ Bank title appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Relax Gaming celebrates its eighteenth Dream Drop Jackpot winner at Sportsbet.io
Relax Gaming, the iGaming aggregator and supplier of unique content, has seen its Dream Drop Mega Jackpot land for the eighteenth time, this time at Sportsbet.io.
The lucky player landed €2.9 million (€2,974,789.29) after placing a €4.64 bet on the popular Relax Gaming title, Midnight Marauders Dream Drop.
This monumental jackpot win comes just months after the seventeenth Mega Drop prize was awarded, meaning an impressive total of 17.1 million has now been paid out this calendar year to six lucky winners.
Released in July 2023, Midnight Marauder Dream Drop has continually entertained players with its memorable vault-robbing theme and high-quality gameplay.
Alongside the legendary Dream Drop Jackpot, players can potentially escape with bags of loot by way the game’s impressive Collect & Multiply and Free Spins features.
Martin Stålros, CEO of Relax Gaming, said: “It’s truly fantastic to see the year out in style by awarding yet another Mega Jackpot win. Whether or not this is the last Dream Drop jackpot we see in 2024, one thing is for sure, we’ve well and truly shaped the progressive jackpot landscape this year!”
Alex Haig, Director at Sportsbet.io, said: “Another day, another jackpot dropping on Sportsbet.io! We’re quickly gaining a reputation for jackpot wins, and this latest player is truly living the dream upon winning this incredible prize. With such a strong collection of jackpot titles such as Midnight Marauders Dream Drop, we hope we see another jackpot winner very soon!”
The post Relax Gaming celebrates its eighteenth Dream Drop Jackpot winner at Sportsbet.io appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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