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EU Online Poker Market Took Big Leaps Forward in 2018

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Throughout much of the first decade of the 21st century, poker was one of the most popular games to play online. In the middle of that decade, poker’s popularity soared to heights that put the game in the history books. That poker boom was primarily spurred by Chris Moneymaker’s 2003 World Series of Poker Main Event victory, courtesy of a PokerStars satellite tournament online.

Online poker sites popped up everywhere in the years that followed. Every sports betting site established an online poker vertical, and every player logged on to at least one of them to live their version of the poker dream. There was merchandise to win, fame to claim, tournament travel packages to win, and millions of dollars on the line. Poker was on every computer and television, and everyone could dream of becoming a poker pro.

However, the US government made a move that began to change it all. In 2006, the United States Congress passed the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, which was subsequently signed into law. Its language was murky, but it was threatening enough to force several online poker operators – most notably PartyPoker – out of the US market.

Several years later, on a day that became known as Black Friday, the US Department of Justice seized the domains of PokerStars, Full Tilt, UltimateBet, and Absolute Poker on April 15, 2011. The indictments of online poker executives and the shutdown of insolvent companies created a snowball effect that changed the poker world forever.

The poker boom was over. And a new era of nation-based poker markets began.

Pieces of the Poker Pie

Governments in some nations around the world began to see internet poker as an industry that only benefited the companies themselves, and governments were not receiving what they viewed as their fair share of the revenues.

Italy was one of the first countries to call for a ban on dot-com poker sites and require operators to obtain licensing from the Italian government to service only Italian players. This gave the Italian regulator, AAMS (Amministrazione Autonoma dei Monopoli di Stado), the ability to control what type of gambling was offered in the country and the revenue derived from it.

Other countries followed suit. France, Spain, and Portugal were just a few of the countries in Europe that took the same approach, establishing regimes within their borders to keep players from competing on dot-com poker sites.

While all of these countries believed they were grabbing their pieces of the poker pie, they neglected to realize that online poker thrived because of the liquidity, the ability for players around the world to compete at the same tables, which allowed sites to offer bigger cash games, tournaments, satellites, etc. When countries separated their players from the rest of the world, the liquidity disappeared, and so did much of the appeal created by the poker boom.

Building Partnerships

Regulators in Spain, France, Italy, and Portugal began to see the benefits of liquidity. And they figured out a way to share players – thereby enhancing the player pools and opportunities – while also keeping the revenue from sites registered within their countries.

In the summer of 2017, after several years of talks among the four regulators, their representatives gathered in Rome to sign an agreement to share online poker action.

The process moved quickly for Portugal, which had only one poker site – PokerStars – registered in its market. In fact, PokerStars was the only site available in all four countries, and it also had experience with the technology necessary to establish a shared poker network. Spain and France launched their combined PokerStars tables in the first quarter of 2018, and Portugal soon joined as well.

From there, it took only a few months for PartyPoker to share its French and Spanish poker players, and Winamax did the same shortly thereafter. Most recently, the iPoker network of sites that includes BetClic, Betfair, Unibet, and Casino Barcelona, received its final approval to share poker online in France and Spain and will launch before the end of 2018.

As the European market grows, players in those countries can return to the tables with more tournaments, bigger guarantees, and more opportunities to play the kind of lucrative games that were available during the poker boom.

Future Growth

The growth of the shared EU online poker market is limited due to the number of players in those countries. And without the cooperation of Italy, which is now working toward more online gaming bans due to a change in governmental views, there is a cap as to how big the market can become.

Countries like Switzerland and Sweden are opening their markets to licensing and could soon have regulated markets that are solid and seeking growth. That growth is available in the European partnership that is already established and showing what shared poker liquidity can do. Further growth lies in new markets joining that partnership.


Source: Latest News on European Gaming Media Network
This is a Syndicated News piece. Photo credits or photo sources can be found on the source article: EU Online Poker Market Took Big Leaps Forward in 2018

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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EGT at ICE Barcelona 2025: Get ready to be stunned

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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. “

 

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Vibra Group Completes the Acquisition of TSA

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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

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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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