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Slovakia: How iGaming sites can build traffic

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Are the Slovaks about to liberalize their iGaming market? Is it worth it to wait for any new laws? This deep-dive into the Slovak market takes a closer look at the reality on the ground and how you can profit from it.

This year in May, the Slovak government announced a planned liberalization of its restrictive iGaming laws.
This change would abolish the current state-owned monopoly on online casinos and it is hoped it will attract foreign operators. The plan is still in its early stages, but the detail released so far suggests the change will come into force in 2019, with a planned 23% tax on revenue.

What this deep dive will cover

We will go behind the headlines and cover the current market situation in Slovakia as it really is.

From the domestic players, to international operators, to the best-performing affiliates, you will see who is making money in the Slovak market right now.

We are also going to look at potential marketing strategies for those who want to build traffic from Slovakia.

Who this deep dive is for

If you are an operator who is considering applying for a licence, then you should read this.

If you are an operator or affiliate who has been scared away from the Slovak market by news reports of IP-blocks, payment processor bans, and €500,000 fines, then you should definitely read this.

But first a legal disclaimer

I am just a Slovak-speaking iGaming/marketing geek and not a lawyer, so none of the information below should be seen as legal advice—it isn’t. These are just my observations on Slovakia and iGaming.

Make sure to get proper legal advice before entering any grey market like Slovakia, Czech Republic or Hungary.

The legal situation today (June 2018)

Only the state-owned monopoly Tipos is permitted to run an online casino, which it does alongside a sportsbook and a lottery product.

Operators with a land-based betting business may also run online sportsbooks, and there are a number of Slovak and Czech betting firms which offer this. These firms currently pay a 27% tax on revenue.

Foreign firms who market to Slovak residents without a licence are named on a blacklist published by the Slovak Ministry of Finance. The list is updated every Monday and can be found here.

The current blacklist is a mixed bag of household names (William Hill, Bet365, Bwin), smaller operators based in the likes of Curacao, and a few affiliates.

As of June 2018, some of the names still on the list have removed any Slovak language options on their site, and yet they still appear there. The blacklist seems to be like the Hotel California—you may check in, but you may never leave.

If the firms do not shut down their websites to Slovak visitors within 10 days of going on the blacklist, Slovak Internet Service Providers (ISPs) must IP-block the website from Slovakia. However, all my technical tests show it is possible to access all the sites on the list while based in Slovakia.

The blacklist also contains IBAN details for each operator. Although there have been some public threats to stop Slovak payment processors from sending payments to these companies, I haven’t heard of this ever happening.

Indeed, there is no mention of any payments ban on the current version of the list.

The Slovak Ministry of Finance also threatens to issue fines to persistent offenders. There is a potential fine of €500,000 for operators and €250,000 for advertisers/affiliates.

Again, we haven’t heard of such fines being either issued or paid. Considering that the Dutch have failed to collect any fines since 2015, it’s probably safe to assume that no international operators have ever paid any Slovak fines.

Proposed changes to the law (by 2019)

The Ministry of Finance has recently proposed ending the state monopoly on online casinos, allowing domestic and foreign firms to seek a licence in the country.

The new proposed tax rate is 23% on revenue. This tax rate might tempt more applications for a licence than the Czech Republic did in 2017 with a 35% tax rate on revenue.

An important note on political risks to new gambling legislation

In general, Slovak political parties see anti-gambling laws as a big vote-winner.

In a further complication, Slovakia has a slightly unstable political climate, with coalition governments ruling almost exclusively since independence. These coalitions of two, three, four or more parties, all with different outlooks on gambling, mean that it’s very difficult to predict what the next government will actually do.

A perfect example of this instability is the recent disagreement between the Bratislava city council and the Bratislava regional government on the subject of banning land-based gambling in the Slovak capital. The next Slovak parliamentary election is due in 2020.

Frankly, basing an iGaming strategy on this proposed law being passed and then staying in place for more than a few months, is highly risky.

The iGaming market in Slovakia today

If you choose to enter this market, you should know what the current landscape looks like, particularly with regards to who the established competition is.

Apart from the state monopoly (Tipos), there are several betting operators with a physical presence in the country, who have a licence to also market a website to Slovak customers.

On top of this, there are plenty of international operators who continue to offer their sites in the Slovak language, including some big names.

Below are the main domestic, government-approved players with sites in the Slovak language.

– Tipos.sk – this is the state-owned monopoly, offering sportsbook, casino and lottery games. The betting odds are reasonably in line with the international market, but as the only licenced company offering online casino in the country, the selection of slot games looks dated and limited.
– iFortuna.sk – offering sportsbook only, this is the online version of a Czech gaming group which has land-based betting shops in Slovakia.
– Nike.sk – offering sportsbook only, the online version of a Slovak gaming group which has land-based betting shops in Slovakia.
– Tipsport.sk – Slovak sportsbook
– Doxxbet.sk – Slovak sportsbook, who also have sites in other countries e.g. Nigeria

On top of these domestic players, there are plenty of international operators which currently offer services in the Slovak language:

– bet365.com (licensed in Gibraltar and soon Malta, offering sportsbook & casino – they are currently on the blacklist)
– kajot-casino.com (licensed in Malta, casino only, currently on the blacklist)
– vulkanbet.com (licensed in Malta, sportsbook & casino, NOT mentioned on the blacklist)
– 1xslot.com (licensed in Cyprus, casino only)
– bohemiacasino.com (licensed in Malta, casino only, NOT mentioned on the blacklist)
– slotv.com (licensed in Cyprus, casino only)

Due to the similarities between Czech and Slovak, it’s easy for Slovak customers to read and speak the Czech language, making websites offering support in Czech a possible option for these customers.

Lots of international sites were scared off the Czech market, but a few still offer this language option, and presumably are of interest to Slovak customers.

Here are a couple you should be aware of: williamhill.com (licensed in Gibraltar, sportsbook & casino); ceskecasino.com (licensed in Curacao, casino only)

Affiliates offering content in the Slovak language

Of course, affiliates also play a key role in Slovakia. Here are the top 5 performing affiliate sites for the Slovak market: mistrcasino.cz; casino-online-sk.com (included on the blacklist); kasino-online-sk.com (included on the blacklist); najlepsiecasino.com; casino-hry.sk.
It’s interesting to note that none of these top-performing affiliates are working with any of the government-approved Slovak-based operators.

 

Written by: Ivana Flynn for Calvinayre.com. Ivana is a Malta-based SEO Consultant dedicated to helping iGaming operators and affiliates improve their organic search rankings. Her biggest professional passion is using SEO to break into new and tricky markets. In her spare time, she bakes, works out and plays with her cats.

 

George Miller (Gyorgy Molnar) started his career in content marketing and has started working as an Editor/Content Manager for our company in 2016. George has acquired many experiences when it comes to interviews and newsworthy content becoming Head of Content in 2017. He is responsible for the news being shared on multiple websites that are part of the European Gaming Media Network.

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DreamPlay consolidates its status as a global player in the iGaming industry and opens an office and campus in Cyprus

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DreamPlay’s ambitions go far beyond simple game development. With a new office in Limassol, the international iGaming solutions provider is expanding its presence in Europe and laying the foundations for a new philosophy of the iGaming business.

The location in Limassol was not chosen by chance – Cyprus has long become the European center of iGaming. It is here that key market players, large operators and financial structures supporting the industry are concentrated. And the high concentration of technology and talented developers allows DreamPlay to form its own ecosystem of talent.

If in the 2010s Cyprus became a hub for classic iGaming operators, today it is a point of attraction for technology companies that are betting on metaverses and the integration of games into a wider digital ecosystem. DreamPlay is one of those shaping this trend.

Google-style campus for game development talents

The DreamPlay office and campus in Limassol are part of the company’s international network of corporate campuses. Similar hubs already operate in Thailand, Bali, Peru, the UAE and Poland. They offer employees comfortable working conditions and the ability to move between locations, accommodation, meals, legal support for stays in different countries. And all this is at the expense of the company. -And the flexible work format and 4-day work week in the company helps DreamPlay talents maintain a healthy work-life balance. It’s all about well-established business processes and taking care of the team.

It’s nice to know that you can come to the country, and there is a Dream Campus where friends, like-minded people and someone who can simply take care of you are waiting for you. They will meet you at the airport, give you a tour, accompany you on medical or legal issues. It’s all part of the team.

“iGaming is an industry of emotions. Therefore, the people who create it should work where they feel best. Therefore, in our campuses we create an environment where the team can feel maximum freedom for creativity, focus on creating new breakthrough products. And not be distracted by everyday issues. And we are sure that this gives us a strategic advantage, because we are sure that our employees have received better conditions than their colleagues in other companies. Comfort, flexibility and freedom are part of our global philosophy of DreamPlay,” shares DreamPlay CEO Alex Tkach.

 

What does this mean for the market?

Opening a DreamPlay office in Cyprus is a wise decision, as the company is preparing to enter new markets and partner with the largest iGaming players. It is also a signal to the entire market that the company is moving into the league of global players who dictate trends, rather than following them.

If today Cyprus is another platform for international expansion, then tomorrow DreamPlay may turn into one of the first technology companies in iGaming, operating on the principle of large IT holdings.

And this is where the main intrigue lies: will DreamPlay become the one who fundamentally rethinks the very nature of the industry?

The post DreamPlay consolidates its status as a global player in the iGaming industry and opens an office and campus in Cyprus appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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BGC Represents Betting and Gaming Sector at Shadow DCMS Roundtable

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Standards body the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) has represented the regulated betting and gaming sector at a shadow DCMS roundtable held on Tuesday.

The roundtable, titled: Future of the Gambling Industry in the United Kingdom, drew industry leaders together to explore key issues including responsible gambling, regulatory developments and the future of the sector.

CEO Grainne Hurst represented the BGC at the summit, hosted by Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Stuart Andrew MP and Shadow Minister for Gambling Louie French MP inside the House of Common’s Shadow Cabinet Room.

BGC CEO Grainne Hurst said: “It was fantastic to sit down alongside our members and other stakeholders from across our diverse sector to thrash out the challenges and opportunities facing the sector today with the shadow DCMS team.

“We are incredibly fortunate to have Stuart Andrew and Louie French, two dedicated MPs who understand this industry, and are keen to ensure the Opposition are completely across the key pressures facing our members, their millions of customers, and thousands of employees.

“Collaboration is key for the BGC, and we welcome this positive engagement with the shadow DCMS team.”

The roundtable also focussed on balancing economic growth with consumer protections and social responsibility.

Following welcome remarks, the summit heard industry’s perspectives on current challenges and future opportunities plus ways in which the Opposition can support future policy.

Grainne attended alongside representatives from BGC members, Flutter, Entain, Evoke, bet365, Bally’s, The Rank Group, Star Sports and the Hippodrome Casino, plus the UK Tote Group, National Lottery, BACTA and the Gambling Business Group.

BGC members support 109,000 jobs, generate £6.8bn for the economy while raising £4bn in taxes.

They also help fund horseracing to the tune of £350m a year through sponsorship, media rights and the levy, provide £40m for the English Football League and its clubs and millions more for rugby league, darts and snooker.

Each month in Britain around 22.5m adults have a bet and the most recent NHS Health Survey for England estimated that 0.4% of the adult population are problem gamblers.

The post BGC Represents Betting and Gaming Sector at Shadow DCMS Roundtable appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Allwyn Secures WLA and EL Responsible Gaming Certifications

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Allwyn UK, operator of The National Lottery, has announced that it has secured the European Lotteries (EL) Responsible Gaming Certification, as well as Level 4 of the World Lottery Association’s (WLA) Responsible Gaming Framework – the highest possible level.

The responsible gaming accreditations from these leading industry bodies help ensure that members of these organisations – like Allwyn and other lottery operators worldwide – operate their licensed lotteries with the highest standards of player protection and safety. They also reflect how successfully a lottery has implemented responsible play into its day-to-day operations.

These industry-standard certifications demonstrate Allwyn’s firm commitment to participant protection – with a continuous programme of work to prevent underage and excessive play from the outset.

Allwyn’s CEO, Andria Vidler, said: “Just over a year on from taking over as The National Lottery operator, we’re delighted to announce that we’ve achieved these important EL and WLA Responsible Gaming Certifications.

“National Lottery games are specially designed to be safe and secure, ensuring they don’t appeal to underage or vulnerable players. However, with over 30 million people routinely playing National Lottery games – raising over £30 million a week for Good Causes in the process – it’s crucial that we continue to do everything we can to prevent underage and excessive play.

“So, it’s great to have this external recognition of what we’ve achieved so far, but we also know that our work in this area is never finished. We plan to continue working hard on our responsible play credentials and driving up our own high standards, keeping National Lottery players at the heart of everything we do.”

The post Allwyn Secures WLA and EL Responsible Gaming Certifications appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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