Bulgaria

Interview with Lydia Barbara, Head of Pegasus Gaming Solutions, speaker at the Eastern European Gaming Summit 2015

Published

9 years ago

November 9, 2015

Lydia Barbara, Head of Pegasus Gaming Solutions will be among the key speakers in the POKER & SYNERGY BETWEEN LAND-BASED AND ONLINE panels, at the Eastern European Gaming Summit 2015, which will be held between 23-24 of November in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Few things that you should know about Lydia: “When she wasn’t lost in a good book at university, Lydia could be found at the poker table, learning how to read players, play hands and handle bad beats. She entered the online gaming industry in 2005, occupying managerial positions in B2C and B2B environments before joining Microgaming four years later.
Following a five-year stint managing poker and network games, Lydia launched Pegasus Gaming Solutions, a specialist consultancy operating under the Microgaming umbrella. Pegasus assists new operators as they venture into online gaming for the first time, as well as helping established operators plan for major changes, get more value from their data and increase the profitability of their online businesses.
Lydia still manages to play poker on occasion, but these days when she isn’t in the office or travelling for work, she’s usually clambering up mountains, eating exotic foods or decompressing underwater.”

EEG: Based on your biography, we’ve learned that you are quite a passionate poker player. Do you think that land-based poker tournament holders should also engage with the online gambling environment to reach larger crowds in their country?

Lydia: Land-based poker companies and online poker companies should definitely join forces to reach larger crowds. With the number of live poker players growing world-wide, working together for mutual benefit only makes sense.

Players seek very different experiences when playing live and online, and the relationship of the two can easily be described as complementary.

EEG: This is one question we ask anyone we interview that is involved in the online poker industry. Do you think online poker is dead? Many consider this statement a fact, but do you think that the industry can revive it and restore it to the likes of before “Black Friday”?

Lydia: No, I don’t think online poker is dead. I do think that the days of the industry being easy, for players and operators alike, are long over. Companies need to think more creatively about what appeals to players about poker, and then work to change the game and their software accordingly. And we may never again reach the height of Black Friday attendance, but that’s OK. There are still ample players around the world in both established and up-and-coming markets to keep the tables full for years to come.

EEG: Do you consider major changes of online gaming ventures, such as mergers or ownership changes, to have a good or bad impact on the player?

Lydia: Any major ownership change to a company has the potential to be good or bad for players; it depends on how the transition is managed and what the new owners’ goals and ambitions are. But considering all the different liquidity pools players can choose from in the .com space, consolidating some of these might be a good thing for poker players long-term.

EEG: Can Eastern Europe become a large segment of the industry in terms of economy if it deals its cards right?

Lydia: If Eastern European countries regulate sensibly, with fair and appropriate taxes and licensing requirements, then of course these countries can compete on the global scale.

If you would like to get the unique opportunity to ask all your important questions and learn first-hand details about the SYNERGY BETWEEN LAND-BASED AND ONLINE & ONLINE POKER, be sure to attend the Eastern European Gaming Summit at which Lydia Barbara will speak on two panels. For 8th consecutive year on 23 – 24 November 2015, Inter Expo Center in Sofia, Bulgaria will bring together under one roof world’s leading figures and companies from the industry to present and outline current market developments and future trends with global vision and focus on the Eastern European market.

Visit the EEGS website here.

Zoltan "Hawkie" Tundik

With an experience of over 8 years in the online gambling industry, as an affiliate, later affiliate manager and consultant, I consider myself a veteran of the industry and can guarantee that you will be served with the most accurate information.

Prague Gaming & TECH Summit 2025 (25-26 March)

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Bulgaria

SOFTSWISS Gets Certification for Its Jackpot Aggregator in Bulgaria

Published

3 weeks ago

October 15, 2024

George Miller

SOFTSWISS, a leading technology provider for iGaming, has further solidified its presence in the European market by securing certification for its Jackpot Aggregator in Bulgaria.

The iGaming market in Bulgaria is experiencing significant growth, attracting new businesses despite stringent domestic regulations. The market is projected to generate 168.70 million euro in revenue by 2028, with an annual growth rate of 5.42%. The number of users is expected to reach 377.3 thousand by the same year, further highlighting the sector’s momentum.

In line with this growth, SOFTSWISS announces that its Jackpot Aggregator has received certification from Gaming Laboratories International (GLI), ensuring it meets all technical requirements for use in the Bulgarian market. With the new certification of the SOFTSWISS Jackpot Aggregator, Bulgarian-licensed operators can integrate this advanced engagement tool into their casino offerings.

In May, SOFTSWISS successfully entered the Bulgarian market through a partnership with Topwin.bg, which implemented the SOFTSWISS Casino Platform, the Game Aggregator, and the Sportsbook.

“We are seeing a strong surge in interest in our jackpot mechanic, fueled by the growing demand for engagement tools in the market. That’s why we are committed to further developing the Jackpot Aggregator, enhancing its features, and expanding into new markets. Certification for the Bulgarian market is a clear testament to our ambition and drive for expansion. We are actively working on obtaining certifications in other jurisdictions,” comments Angelina Stasiuk, Head of Business Line at SOFTSWISS Jackpot Aggregator.

SOFTSWISS has several international and national licences and certifications, including a South African licence acquired through the purchase of a majority stake in Turfsport. The company recently announced its plans to become the first certified software provider in Brazil.

About SOFTSWISS

SOFTSWISS is an international technology company with over 15 years of experience in developing innovative solutions for the iGaming industry. SOFTSWISS holds a number of gaming licences and provides comprehensive software for managing iGaming projects. The company’s product portfolio includes the Online Casino Platform, the Game Aggregator with over 23,500 casino games, the Affilka Affiliate Platform, the Sportsbook software and the Jackpot Aggregator. In 2013, SOFTSWISS revolutionised the industry by introducing the world’s first Bitcoin-optimised online casino solution. The expert team, based in Malta, Poland, and Georgia, counts over 2,000 employees.

Bulgaria

Betway Bulgaria officially launches, offers live and bet-builder options

Published

3 years ago

March 22, 2022

George Miller

Another company has officially launched its activities in the growing niche of online betting in Bulgaria. But here we are not just talking about another operator licensed by national institutions, but about a leading brand worldwide. Betway is one of the largest bookmakers in Europe and globally, and the fact that it already offers its services in Bulgaria speaks positively about the development of the gambling business in the country.

Indications of an increase in the size of the industry appeared last year, when several operators received a permit to operate under Bulgarian jurisdiction. It is unlikely that this process will end with the official launch of betway bulgaria, rather the brand entering the country can be perceived by international operators as a positive assessment of the market in Bulgaria. What can we find at Betway besides the obvious – increased competition and of course more choice for consumers?

What do we find in the sports section?

Sports betting – this is the leading sector of the company, which started operations in 2006. The brand is associated with a number of teams in Europe such as Tottenham, Atletico Madrid, Leicester, Alaves, Belenenses, Werder, etc. Of course, the top championships in Europe are present in the latest betting platform, but that’s not all. Betway offers the opportunity to make predictions at less popular UEFA championships. The fans of the Bulgarian championship have options too. All matches of the First League are present in the bookmaker’s menu, and are offered with dozens of choices for each of them.

Real-time bets and long-term combinations

Live bets are a big thrill for many players. This option is present at Betway, and this also applies to the mobile version, of course. It is not difficult to detect current events – they come first when loading the platform. And with them the bookmaker really comes up with interesting offers, some of which are rare on the Bulgarian market. The outcome of the bets become clear in literally seconds if the next goal market or one of the performance options is selected.

In addition, the company accepts predictions with a much longer horizon. It is now standard to bet on who will be the champion in England, Spain, Italy or Germany. However, there are also specific markets and selections for certain teams – will Barcelona take the trophy this season, will Liverpool reach the final in at least one of the tournaments in which it participates, etc. And if users don’t find what they’re looking for in these offers, they can always turn to the betting menu. The bet-builder is still limited to one match, from which we can choose two or more selections until the desired odds are formed. This is the most appropriate way to optimize the bet according to personal preferences and therefore it is increasingly preferred by the players.

Betway’s first steps on the Bulgarian market are impressive. And this is just the beginning, we can expect even more in the near future.

Bulgaria

Online gaming revenues surge in Bulgaria

Published

6 years ago

December 5, 2018

George Miller

Online gaming revenues surge in Bulgaria Reading Time: 1 minute

The Bulgarian Trade Association of Manufacturers and Operators in the Gaming Industry’s (BTAMOI) reports that the country’s online gaming revenues showed a growth in the last financial year. The industry paid €57 million in taxes to government, which corresponds to a 17 per cent rise year on year. BTAMOI said in a press release: “For the period 2017/2018 the gaming industry in Bulgaria has shown very good results at national level, based on the country’s upward economic performance.”

The online gambling segment in Bulgaria represents about 10 per cent of the country’s total gambling market. The segment posted a revenue of €89 million in the nine months to September 30, a spike of 30 per cent compared to the figure same time last year.

Source: Latest News on European Gaming Media Network