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EGBA Pitches ‘Online Gambling 2.0’ To European Commission
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The European Commission’s guidelines on consumer protection for online gambling have failed to achieve their primary objective and should be replaced with new attempts at harmonisation, the European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) has told European lawmakers.
Commission Recommendation 2014/478/EU was designed to establish a high bar of minimum consumer protection standards across Europe. However, varying national interests and the recommendation’s voluntary nature have seen it unable to achieve its primary aim, said researcher Dr Margaret Carran and the EGBA at an event held at the European Parliament on Tuesday.
The trade group said it wants to encourage a “high level of consumer protection” across Europe and see national gambling authorities provided with a “coherent cooperation framework”, something it believes the commission’s recommendation has failed to achieve.
Other aims include having the compliance of national gambling regulations with EU law “fully enforced” and for regulated online operators to be able to offer their services “without undue administrative burdens”.
The European Commission controversially announced in December 2017 that it was dropping all online gambling enforcement cases, leaving key decisions about compliance with EU law to the national courts.
As of now, the EGBA is calling on the commission to “urgently” review the implementation of its recommendation, according to a manifesto entitled “An EU framework for Online Gambling 2.0″.
“If we think they [the European Commission] wanted to achieve harmonisation, the recommendation has not done so. State-to-state regulations are extremely divergent. Even if regulation appears to be similar, in detail they are still very different,” said Carran.
She added that although the recommendation has produced some positive results, it has been unsuccessful in its “nudges” to encourage member states to enforce it.
Discussing the report with GamblingCompliance, Carran said: “This issue of inconsistency must be highlighted for both the consumer and operators.
“As of now there is no consensus on what the regulatory balance should be. Some countries might see enforcement issues such as advertising as beneficial to their state, but others do not.”
“There are various issues in creating a European consensus, but this is what is required in order to create consistent regulation across gambling markets,” she said.
Despite the recommendation being voluntary, Belgium went so far as to launch a legal challenge to block it, highlighting the difficulty of establishing any regulations that would be enforceable across the EU.
However, as recently as last month, Belgian Gaming Commission director Peter Naessens was chosen as the head of a CEN standardisation project that would introduce similar voluntary guidelines for online gambling reporting.
The project is seen by the EGBA and other trade groups as another method of pushing the European Commission towards harmonisation, with an eye towards European elections and a new commission next year.
However, Carran said she does not believe that “voluntarily there is any chance” of achieving continental consistency in online gambling regulation.
As it stands, consumer protection still varies greatly from state to state in Europe. Even fundamental issues such as minimum gambling age have not yet been agreed across the continent.
“We are experiencing a digital revolution. Online gaming companies have extra responsibility for players and consumers, especially for the population of problem gamblers,” said Jesper Kärrbrink, the CEO of Mr Green, also speaking at the event in Brussels.
“We need corporate leadership and regulations that reflect the digital world we are living in. We are one of the few industries that are asking for more regulation, our customers should have more protection than other consumers. This is not the case today,” he said.
Maris Bonello, head of player sustainability, research and integrity for Kindred Group, echoed Karrbrink’s sentiment, claiming a “practical level playing field for online gambling regulation is needed”.
The call for more regulation did not go unheard, garnering a response from European commissioner for justice Vera Jourova.
“It’s not very often to hear we want more regulation, but we have to do smart and proportionate regulation. We do not want to over regulate. But, online must not become a jungle,” said Jourova.
However, she was reluctant to commit to the introduction of additional European online gambling regulation, instead insisting that countries should simply apply existing laws, as the “rules are still relevant”.
Source: Latest News on European Gaming Media Network
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EGT at ICE Barcelona 2025: Get ready to be stunned
EGT is prepared to make a long-lasting impression on visitors at ICE 2025, which will be held in Barcelona for the first time. The Bulgarian manufacturer of gaming equipment will showcase its compelling selection of bestsellers and high-potential new developments at one of the largest stands at the exhibition 3F30.
Among the novelties that will arouse the greatest interest will be 2 brand-new slot cabinets – 32-32 St and 32-32 Up. These models will certainly not go unnoticed by the event guests.
On display will be the newest addition to the company’s jackpot family – the 4-level Asian-themed Zhao Cai Shuang Yu. It will reveal the astonishing world of its 2 games, Prosperity Strike and Rising Coins.
The attendees will also be able to see and test the latest multigames from the Supreme Selection slot series. The Mega Supreme Fruits, Supreme Red, and Supreme Buy Bonus Prize Selection will present a lot of new slot titles, offering a perfect mix of fascinating themes, attractive bonus features, and great entertainment.
EGT will show its newest ETG developments as well. Among them will be the 32 T terminal, which will make its debut during the show. It will complement the company’s rich portfolio of ETG products, which are the preferred choice in numerous gaming venues around the world.
Expanding its offering, EGT will present the Supreme Series of game mixes, currently including the Supreme Roulette Union and Supreme Green Union multigames. Focusing exclusively on roulette, the Supreme Roulette Union blends the excitement of classic roulette gameplay with innovative jackpot systems and versatile features. Supreme Green Union combines popular games from the company’s portfolio with roulette, Keno, Baccarat, and Blackjack, offering players a unique and engaging experience.
Numerous new AWP and VLT products, created specifically for different markets, will also be at the visitors’ disposal, as well as the casino management system Spider, which will show its latest modules.
EGT Digital will also present its vast array of iGaming solutions, including instant and casino games, jackpots, and its in-house developed “all-in-one” betting platform X-Nave.
Nadia Popova, Chief Revenue Officer and VP Sales & Marketing at EGT, commented: “ICE is a very important event for us, which gives us the opportunity to meet with industry professionals from all over the world. We will welcome our current and potential new customers and partners at our stand to present them all new products from our portfolio, divided into zones, covering all gaming verticals. I believe in the positive potential of changes. That is why I think that the relocation of the show to Barcelona will open new business horizons and bring many opportunities for building fruitful partnerships, for which we as a company are ready. “
The post EGT at ICE Barcelona 2025: Get ready to be stunned appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Vibra Group Completes the Acquisition of TSA
Go-to LatAm content and platform developer purchases longstanding Brazil-based tech development partner to accelerate growth plans
Vibra Group, the ‘go-to’ content and platform developer for the LatAm region, has acquired TSA, a Brazil-based technology company and one of its longest standing development partners.
The acquisition will further strengthen the award-winning company and accelerate its growth plans with 55 specialist platform development experts based in Northern Brazil.
TSA and Vibra Group have been long-term partners with TSA contributing significantly to Vibra’s technological growth. TSA, which operates under the ServiceNet brand name, also has existing contracts with several Brazilian lotteries including Loteria do Tocantins, Loteria do Maranhao, Loteria de Sergipe and Loteria da Paraíba.
The integration of TSA’s expert teams will immediately enhance Vibra’s platform development roadmap with additional resources dedicated to the Vibra Solutions business unit and will consolidate the Vibra Group’s structure across the LatAm region. The LatAm based team is focused on game studios, Remote Gaming Server (RGS), and Electronic Gaming Machines (EGM). The Brazil-based team specialising in Player Account Management (PAM) and sportsbook solutions.
Vibra’s product strategy is to service every client need delivering a complete solution on three core areas: sportsbook and casino platform with multiple levels of customization and flexibility; content aggregation platform including proprietary titles and third party games from the main brands in the industry; and a state-of-the-art EGM platform allowing operators to distribute products and content through VLT / retail terminals. The group’s 3 business divisions: Vibra Gaming, Vibra Solutions and Vibra VLT / Retail.
Ramiro Atucha, CEO, Vibra Group, said: “We’re delighted to close the acquisition of TSA and welcome the team to the Vibra family. TSA are one of our closest and most trusted partners with whom we’ve closely collaborated across several significant projects as well as ongoing development work, therefore joining forces makes perfect strategic sense.
“Our expansion and first M&A deal follows significant customer demand and growth across the LatAm region in the last 12 to 18 months so the timing is ideal. We’re very excited to have the TSA team join us as we continue our journey.”
Werter Luna, CEO, TSA, said: “We’re thrilled with the outcome of joining Ramiro and the Vibra team after having worked together for so long. The synergies were very clear and both companies know we are stronger together. The future is very bright and we’re ready to go on the ambitious plans we have to significantly grow our business.”
Founded five years ago by a management team of highly experienced industry experts with decades of land-based and online experience, Vibra has emerged as one of the most exciting and innovative content studios and software developers in the industry and rapidly grown to become the LatAm market’s ‘go-to’ partner for local and international operators.
The post Vibra Group Completes the Acquisition of TSA appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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GIANTX begins its 2025 LEC journey with fresh faces
The global esports organization GIANTX is ready to kick off its journey in the League of Legends EMEA Championship (LEC), Europe’s premier esports competition. With a revamped roster and a clear goal of qualifying for the 2025 Worlds in China, the team begins its campaign this Saturday with a challenging schedule.
Led by renowned coach André Guilhoto, the roster features Lot (toplaner), Closer (jungler), Jackies (midlaner), Noah (AD carry), and Jun (support). Jackies, the 2024 Rookie of the Year, returns as the only player from last year’s roster. Lot, a standout in the LFL, joins as a promising top laner. Closer, a three-time Worlds participant and North American champion, brings leadership and experience. Meanwhile, Noah and Jun, from Fnatic, aim to establish themselves as one of the best bot lanes in the LEC.
GIANTX continues to rely on advanced data analytics and statistics in building its roster. “We believe in this roster. It’s a mix of hungry, talented players and experienced individuals. This team has the potential to be a strong contender in the LEC,” said David Alonso, GIANTX’s head of esports.
The journey begins on January 18 against SK Gaming (7:30 PM), followed by Rogue (Sunday, 6:45 PM) and Karmine Corp (Monday, 9:00 PM). In the second week, GIANTX will face Movistar KOI, Team Heretics, and G2 Esports, closing the regular phase against Fnatic, BDS, and Vitality. With a demanding schedule ahead, GIANTX is set to prove it is ready to compete at the highest level.
The post GIANTX begins its 2025 LEC journey with fresh faces appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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