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3 Countries That Once Banned Online Casinos But Brought Them Back
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Online casinos have experienced great success around the world ever since the industry first began to bloom in the late 1990s, but some countries have been hesitant to allow online gambling. For a variety of reasons, many governments have restricted the use of online casinos throughout the last two decades. Fortunately, many of these countries have started to embrace the opportunity, fun, and freedom that the iGaming industry can provide, with some of these citizens now being some of the online casino world’s biggest fans!
Slovakia
The most recent change in online casino legislation comes from Slovakia, where iGaming is set to become more popular than ever. Back in 2005, laws were set in place to ban over 200 online casino platforms, including some of the world’s largest brands. However, as of 2019, online casinos in Slovakia are overseen by the state-run TIPOS national lottery organisation, who are planning to relax the laws and give the industry a great boost. Already casino comparison sites are listing which online casinos are regulated and available in Slovakia, as well as what they each have to offer (for more info, visit casino-online-sk.com). The re-introduction of online casinos in Slovakia will hopefully begin in March when the ban on many other off-shore platforms will hopefully be lifted.
Denmark
While Slovakia has the TIPOS, Denmark is home to the Danske Spil (you can read more about the company at Bloomberg.com). Before 2012, laws regarding gambling and online casinos were generally considered overly restrictive and didn’t really allow for grey areas and ambiguity. Thankfully, on January 2012, these laws were revised, and ever since then online casinos have been able to flourish far more easily throughout Denmark. The transition was so successful that even now other countries such as Ukraine that are rethinking their restriction on the iGaming industry are using it as the prime example. After all, Denmark’s success shows that countries can relax their gambling laws without things getting completely out of hand.
Romania
One such country is Romania, another European state that upheld overly strict rules when it came to online casinos. It wasn’t until the end of 2014 that the Romanian government relaxed these restrictions. The decision to do this has allowed the online casino industry in Romania to grow to incredible levels, with the country receiving a good chunk of the sector’s income.
Some countries, including Brazil, Australia, and India, are still struggling with how to deal with online casino regulations. Some pick and choose which forms of gambling are legal, while others are even more inconsistent, picking specific sites to support while outlawing others. Still, we must remember that iGaming is still a relatively young industry, and over time it’s likely that many countries will follow in the footsteps of the countries we’ve explored here.
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: 3 Countries That Once Banned Online Casinos But Brought Them Back

Latest News
Betano Transforms “El Loco” into “El Responsável”
Betano, the leading online sports betting and gaming brand owned by Kaizen Gaming, is launching its new responsible gaming campaign featuring former Uruguayan player Sebastián Abreu, nicknamed “El Loco”, as its ambassador.
The campaign aims to promote education about sports betting, reinforce its entertainment aspect, and dispel the idea that gaming is a form of investment.
Known for his irreverent style on and off the field, “Loco” Abreu entered the record books as the athlete who has played for the most clubs worldwide and was immortalised by his audacious “panenka” winning penalty kick in the 2010 World Cup quarterfinal (Uruguay vs Ghana). “El Loco” now assumes a new moniker as Betano’s ambassador: “El Responsável” (The Responsible One).
Using the concept of “Não mete o Loco” (Don’t Go Crazy) – a reference to Loco Abreu’s sports history – the new campaign premieres with an entertaining 60-second film starring the player. Speaking in his signature “portunhol” (a mix of Portuguese and Spanish) combined with popular expressions, Betano’s Responsible Gaming ambassador aims to raise awareness among football fans about the importance of time limits, controls, and breaks. By visiting the website naometeoloco.com, the public will have access to educational content on the subject, such as illustrative scenarios about respecting limits and knowing when to stop.
Media: youtu.be/1I8OZci5Hpw
Arthur Niggemann, Senior Marketing Manager for the Americas at Betano, said: “We brought a light and relaxed approach that will capture our audience’s attention to discuss a serious topic that Betano has been committed to since the beginning of its operations: responsible gaming.”
With the campaign designed to roll-out in phases, allowing the theme to be explored with the necessary teaching approach on an ongoing basis, Arthur Niggeman further explains: “In the next phases, the focus will be on educating the public more directly, with materials such as guides or step-by-step instructions for betting safely, reinforcing self-control and self-confidence as pillars of a conscious and responsible experience in the betting world.”
In addition to Brazil, the campaign will also be aired in Peru, Mexico, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, and Argentina. Conceived by the Wieden + Kennedy SP agency, the campaign uses irreverence and a Latin American football idol to help boost awareness.
José Ferraz and Felipe Paiva, Group Creative Directors at W+KSP, explain: “Responsible gaming is a serious and extremely important topic for Betano. Therefore, to educate our consumers in a fun and relatable way, there’s no one better than the charismatic Loco Abreu. A player who took many risks on the field but returns to the game with a new role: spokesperson for conscious gaming.”
The campaign reinforces the three basic rules of responsible gaming: respect your limits, always playing with amounts within your financial reality; take breaks from gaming so it doesn’t become an intense routine; and bet for fun, without confusing entertainment with a form of supplementary income.
Campaign on the Streets, on Social Media, and in Stadiums
The communication for the campaign will be multiplatform and long-lasting, developed in three distinct phases. In addition to the main film, the campaign engages with the public through outdoor media around stadiums and light content on social media.
There will also be insertions during football broadcast intervals on open and Pay TV, even before ads from other betting houses. With the help of content creators and brand ambassadors – Adriane Galisteu and Felipe Massa – the campaign aims to make clear the entertainment nature of sports betting, but only when fun comes first.
Safe and Secure Platform
Responsible gaming is a pillar of Betano. The educational communications present on the platform will now be reinforced, highlighting Betano’s features for better time control and more responsible exposure to its games. Some examples include:
- Setting financial and time limits defined for different periods
- Session timers and other features that can be set by the customer
- Temporary and permanent self-exclusion options
- Time-out option
- Links to entities such as Gamblers Anonymous (Jogadores Anônimos) and other support organisations for players and families
- Rigorous verification that prevents underage entry
- 24/7 specialized support
Other relevant information for player protection already available on the Betano platform – such as ‘Avoid chasing losses’; ‘Only play when you can afford to lose’; or ‘Keep track of time and monitor the amount you spend’ – will be worked on in an even more didactic way, but also with lighter and more direct messages in online and physical actions: ‘A good player knows when to stop’ or ‘Respecting limits is part of the game’.
The post Betano Transforms “El Loco” into “El Responsável” appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Boomerang Partners wowed the guests of iGB L!VE London with a celebration of the first anniversary of the strategic partnership with AC Milan
On July 2-3, Boomerang Partners, a global marketing agency, participated in iGB L!VE London. One of the event’s highlights was the celebration of the first anniversary of the strategic partnership between Boomerang and AC Milan, one of the world’s premier football clubs. Boomerang is its Official Regional Partner.
Anton Eshtokin, Chief Marketing Officer at Boomerang Partners, commented: “We are very pleased with Boomerang Partners’ participation in iGB L!VE London. It is symbolic that, a year ago at iGB, we announced our strategic partnership with AC Milan. We celebrated the first anniversary of this epic collaboration in a great atmosphere, featuring match ticket raffles. We were delighted to welcome hundreds of guests to our booth, highlighting once again the prestige of our partnership with AC Milan in the industry. We have many more joint projects ahead of us, and we are sure that we will be able to surprise everyone.”
The celebration of the strategic partnership with AC Milan was one of the main (but not the only) reasons why the Boomerang Partners booth was a hotspot for visitors to the exhibition. More than 1,000 people visited it during the two-day event. Over 900 guests took part in the Penalty Challenge. The challenge featured two raffles — the first held offline at the Boomerang Partners booth on July 2, and the winner received premium tickets to one of the most famous football matches in the world between AC Milan and Inter FC. The second draw took place online on July 3 on Boomerang’s Instagram page. The winner will receive tickets to an AC Milan match in the Italian Serie A or the Coppa Italia.
The winner of the offline drawing on July 2 was Saad Shaikh, a data engineer at Betzoo Media. He shared his emotions: “This is my first time in iGB. My experience was truly great, and thank you again for giving me the opportunity to have a good time and enjoy the experience I’ll have in Milan. I haven’t been to Milan before. Back in my old days, my family went. Yeah, so this is my second chance. And thank you, Boomerang, for giving me this opportunity.”
iGB L!VE London was successful for Boomerang Partners. The increased attention from exhibition guests to the Boomerang Arena booth yielded impressive results. The agency held more than 120 business meetings and signed 15 new partnership agreements. As the brand enters its second year of partnership with AC Milan, it remains ambitious to follow its slogan, ‘Live without limits.’
About Boomerang
Boomerang Partners is a rapidly growing global brand offering a wide range of services. Boomerang is the Official Regional Partner of AC Milan and collaborates with women’s football star and influencer Alisha Lehmann. In 2024, it launched the inaugural Golden Boomerang Awards — a global tournament for affiliate teams. More than 400 affiliate teams participated in the second season of the tournament in 2025. Boomerang launched six new products in 2024, which contributed to an almost 1.5-fold increase in product users.
Boomerang’s portfolio contains 17+ brands offering affiliate and entertainment services across 40+ markets in compliance with local regulations. These products provide personalized bonuses and 24/7 multilingual support.
The post Boomerang Partners wowed the guests of iGB L!VE London with a celebration of the first anniversary of the strategic partnership with AC Milan appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Totogaming Joins Cernica Pantelimon RunFest: Not Just Present, But Fully Participating
“We weren’t just present — we were participants of Runfest. And that’s one of the most important aspects,” said Artak Ashkhatoyan, Deputy CEO of Totogaming.
On July 6, Totogaming joined the Cernica Pantelimon Runfest in Romania, once again emphasizing the importance of promoting amateur sports and a healthy lifestyle.
“Supporting such initiatives is a priority for TotoGaming. First, 50% of the proceeds from RunFest will be donated to the CLOVES Romania Foundation, supporting children affected by CLOVES Syndrome. And second, we’ve always believed in showing our passion for sports through actions, not just words. Have you noticed how we’re constantly rushing through life, yet when we look back, it often feels like we haven’t moved at all? It’s important for us to lead by example and show the importance of participation. This is exactly the message we’re promoting through our team’s active involvement in the marathon. After all, there can never be too much sport in our lives,” said TotoGaming’s Deputy CEO, Artak Ashkhatoyan.
A Simple Concept, a Powerful Impact
The concept of this sports event is straightforward: choose a distance between 1 to 21 kilometers and run. The goal? Make sport an integral part of everyday life. The crowd certainly embraced that, gathering as early as 8:30 a.m. — on a Sunday morning.
Totogaming contributed in two distinct capacities: as an official sponsor and as an active participant. A dedicated team of 13 employees represented the company at the Cernica Pantelimon RunFest, with 7 of them proudly taking part as runners.
More Than Just a Run
It wasn’t an easy challenge — especially because among Totogaming’s runners were people for whom running isn’t a daily habit, or even part of their life at all. Yet they couldn’t miss the opportunity, not least from the perspective of corporate responsibility.
“We just finished the 7.5-kilometer race!” shared Petrut-Adrian Toea from the Totogaming team.
“It was amazing, honestly. Around the 2-kilometer mark, I had this little battle with myself — I told myself I had to finish the race, no matter what. And I did it! I came in around 60th place out of over 100 runners, which for me is a really good result.”
“I see my participation as a small contribution toward promoting a healthy lifestyle. In my close circle, everyone knows I’m not exactly the sporty type. I’m not athletic, and I usually prefer having fun in other ways. But showing up here, early in the morning, in this intense heat, and completing almost 8 kilometers with just one short break — I think it set a good example.”
“I hope seeing someone like me finish this challenge motivates my friends to try something similar for their own health. I believe that’s a meaningful contribution”, – added Petrut-Andrea.
Totogaming also made it possible for every attendee to bring sport into their lives — quite literally. At the Totogaming tent, participants could ride stationary bikes and receive prizes based on the number of points they earned through their efforts.
Whether they were running, cycling, or simply cheering for friends, the goal for everyone was the same: to reach the destination of champions — by bringing sport into everyday life.
The post Totogaming Joins Cernica Pantelimon RunFest: Not Just Present, But Fully Participating appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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