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Gaming in Central and Eastern Europe in focus at #EGC2020VE with +10 industry experts from the region
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Central and Eastern Europe in focus at European Gaming Congress VE (Virtual Edition).
#EGC2020ve – The CEE gaming industry has been in the highlights of many media outlets and believe it or not there is always something big happening in this region.
In the Czech Republic: Just one week ago, Czech Lawmakers have voted in favor of a new decree to ban all electronic and mechanical gaming machines in the Czech capital. The decree awaits a nod from the city council.
If it gets the council’s approval, it will mean the end of all legal slot machines and video lottery terminals in the Czech capital once the current licensing period completes in 2024.
In Austria: The Austrian Financial Police have carried out a total of 278 inspections on suspected black-market gambling venues since January, resulting in the confiscation of over 660 gaming machines. Over half of the seized machines were found in Vienna, the capital city of Austria.
In a statement issued on July 28, Austria’s financial police set out the progress it has made this year towards a reduction in illegal gambling in the country. It made clear that the majority of illegal gambling activity is taking place in larger urban centers such as Vienna and Linz.
In rural areas, illegal gambling has been largely reduced – for example, in the states of Burgenland, Styria and Vorarlberg combined, only two devices have been found since January.
In Poland: The new figures published by Poland’s finance ministry have revealed that while the gambling revenue decline for the year to date, newly regulated products helped mitigate the falls in online betting and land-based gaming.
The gross gaming yield projections provided by H2 Gambling Capital revealed that the total for the year to June 11 is expected to fall 9.5% from 2019’s figures. This is significantly lower than the 19.6% decline projected across all EU markets.
Poland’s lower projected decline was due to the development of newly regulated verticals such as online casinos and land-based arcades. Online casino revenue grew 96.7% for the year to June 11, aided by growth from Totalizator Sportowy’s Total Casino site.
Also in Poland, ace football striker Robert Lewandowski has signed an investment deal with Movie Games, in a Polish manufacturer of sports-related video games, which has gained publicity during the coronavirus lockdown.
According to Movie Games, Lewandowski will become a shareholder in a company that is going to be started in launched by September to develop sports video games.
Lewandowski said in a statement released by Movie Games: “I see a huge potential in this segment.”
In Bulgaria: The National Revenue Agency (NRA) has officially assumed the power of regulating the gambling industry in Bulgaria. The country’s National Assembly passed a resolution to this effect last month. It replaces the State Commission on Gambling (SCG).
NRA Director Galya Dimitrova, who has the option to nominate a deputy to oversee the regulated gaming market, will be in charge of all proceedings.
The previous licenses will remain valid until they expire. NRA will process license applications and renewals within six months.
SGC was dismantled from the gambling regulation responsibility following several scandals, leading to the resignation of Chairman Alexander Georgiev in February after he was questioned in connection to an investigation into Vasil Bozhkov, owner of Bulgaria’s oldest betting operator, Eurofootball.
The is plenty of news to share about the Hungarian, Slovakian and Romanian gambling industry as well, but we will leave that to the professionals who will join the 3 special panel discussions at the virtual edition of European Gaming Congress 2020.
The virtual edition of European Gaming Congress 2020 is taking place between 6-7 October and gathers top names of the gaming industry who will present their insights to create Europe’s largest gaming compliance gathering.
THE EASY AND FREE REGISTRATION PROCESS IS SPONSORED BY ALTENAR AND YOU CAN REGISTER FOR FREE HERE!
The conference will cover +28 jurisdictions and you have the opportunity to dive into quality information about the CEE region via 3 special panels.
The “GAMING REPORT: CENTRAL EUROPE (PART ONE)” panel discussion will focus on the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Poland. The discussion will be moderated by Jakub Kolomicenko (Head of the legal department at Endorphina) and will be joined by Jan Rehola (Director at IFGR and Partner at PS Legal), Ewa Lejman-Widz (Head of Polish Desk at WH Partners), Anna Wietrzyńska-Ciołkowska (Legal advisor, Local Partner at DWF Poland), Jakub Myszkorowski (Chief Commercial Officer at STATSCORE) and Dr. Robert Skalina (Senior Advisor at WH Partners).
The “GAMING REPORT: CENTRAL EUROPE (PART TWO)” panel discussion will focus on Hungary and Slovenia under the moderation of Dr. Robert Skalina (Senior Advisor at WH Partners).
The discussion will be joined by Helembai Gabor (Attorney-at-law at Bird & Bird Hungary) and Jaka Repansek (Media and Gaming Expert, Partner at Hipther Agency).
The third panel discussion is going to focus on the updates from Romania and Bulgari and is titled “GAMING REPORT: EASTERN EUROPE”.
The discussion will be moderated by Ana-Maria Baciu (Managing Partner Simion & Baciu Law Firm) and will be joined by Dan Iliovici (Vice President of ROMBET – Romanian Gambling Organizers’ Association) and Georgi Dimitrov (Legal counsel at EGT Interactive Ltd).
You can find more details about the speakers’ and moderator bios below.
AS MENTIONED ABOVE THE EASY AND FREE REGISTRATION PROCESS IS SPONSORED BY ALTENAR AND YOU CAN REGISTER HERE NOW!
The HIPTHER FESTIVAL includes a full week of conferences that are designed to bring together innovation with compliance via several talks and discussions in multiple industries and will run between 5-9 October.
The festival includes the following conferences:
- PICANTE Marketing Summit (#MS2020ve) – 5 October
- European Gaming Congress (#EGC2020ve) – 6-7 October
- PICANTE TECH Conference Europe (#TCE2020AutumnVE) – 8-9 October
The registration is free and you can attend all three conferences with just one registration!
You can find more details about the Agenda here or you can register here!
For further inquiries about the speaking/sponsoring options, make sure to send an e-mail to Andrada Marginean (B2B Sales Executive at Hipther Agency) or subscribe to the weekly newsletter on the following link.
For media-related inquiries, please contact Alexandru Marginean (Marketing Specialist at Hipther Agency).
Ana-Maria Baciu – Managing Partner Simion & Baciu Law Firm
Ana-Maria Baciu is a regulatory and intellectual property lawyer, assisting clients in various industries, including gambling, IT, e-commerce or pharmaceuticals, for more than 20 years.
In the gaming field, Ana-Maria has been guiding betting & gaming companies, solution providers, marketing affiliates, other companies with an interest in this sector and industry-relevant associations, on the full range of regulatory and operational gaming aspects.
Ewa Lejman-Widz – Head of Polish Desk at WH Partners
Ewa is heading the Polish Desk of WH Partners as part of the strategic partnership under the WH Partners brand with Izabella Żyglicka and Partners, a very well reputed full-service law firm in Poland and a member of Ally Law.
Ewa is a business lawyer with over 12 years of experience. She assists clients on matters related to gaming and gambling, contract law, M&A and IT service market law.
Anna Wietrzyńska-Ciołkowska – Legal advisor, Local Partner at DWF Poland
Anna Wietrzyńska-Ciołkowska is a corporate lawyer dealing with M&A transactions focused on the gambling and insurance sectors.
She advises clients from the gambling sector on setting up a business and obtaining a permit to run a gambling business in Poland, providing gambling services to Polish residents from other jurisdictions, organising promotional lotteries, organising betting transactions, distributing gaming machines, gambling components in computer games or lotteries, acquiring gambling companies and structuring cooperation between partners in such companies, outsourcing of gambling functions, restrictions on making payments or advertising activities in gambling, as well as matters related to gambling tax.
Jan Řehola – Director at IFGR and Partner at PS Legal
Jan Řehola has over eight years of experience in the gambling field, both from the public and private sector.
He holds a Master’s of Law from Charles University in Prague. Jan worked for four years for the Ministry of Finance – the Czech gambling regulator; firstly, as a Head of the Legal Unit and later, as a Director of Gambling Department. In his work for the Czech gambling regulator, Jan was responsible for all gambling policy issues, including the drafting of new legislation, the issuing of gambling licenses and cooperation with other European regulators as a member of the European Commission Expert Group on Online Gambling.
After leaving the Ministry of Finance in 2014, Jan became a member of Petroš Sedláčková Legal and co-founder of the consultancy company BetOnSkill Consulting, a full-service international gaming consultancy.
Georgi Dimitrov – Legal Counsel / Compliance Manager at EGT Interactive
Georgi Dimitrov is a legal counsel at EGT Interactive Ltd., with a focus on legal, regulatory and technical compliance matters related to the iGaming industry. He specializes in international gambling regulation and provides guidance on licensing and certification frameworks, policy drafting, and compliance processes. His line of work involves communication with focal stakeholders in the business such as testing labs, regulators and operators.
Gábor Helembai – Senior Associate at Bird & Bird Budapest
Gábor is a Senior Associate in the Corporate and Commercial teams in the Budapest office of Bird & Bird. He advises on both domestic and cross-border transactions and investments in various industries. He has a special sector focus on gaming/betting, advising major online and land-based operators, and slot machine manufacturers on regulatory matters.
Dan Iliovici – Vice President of ROMBET – Romanian Gambling Organizers’ Association
Dan Iliovici is the Vice President of ROMBET – Romanian Gambling Organizers’ Association, one of the most important associations of the industry.
With rich experience in the gambling industry, former President of the Romanian gambling regulator – The National Gambling Office.
Dr. Robert Skalina – Senior Advisor at WH Partners
Robert Skalina is a Czech Advocate as well as a Registered European Lawyer in Malta. He is based in Prague and works in Malta regularly.
He is a financial service and corporate lawyer and provides advice to a wide range of investment managers, advisors and funds, including private equity and hedge funds. Robert also regularly advises clients in the gaming/gambling industries and has vast experience in the area of mergers and acquisitions and complex cross border transactions.
Jakub Myszkorowski – Chief Commercial Officer at STATSCORE
With more than 10 years of experience in the professional sport and betting industries, Jakub is now leading the Sales and Marketing operations at STATSCORE, a Polish company aiming at becoming the Biggest Sports Data Center in the world.
As a former football UEFA A coach and soccer performance analyst, he merges the best sports practices into managing the staff.
Jaka Repanšek – Media and Gaming Expert, Partner at Hipther Agency
Jaka has worked for various TIME (Telecom, Internet, Media, Entertainment) companies since 1996. He is recognized as one of the leading experts on gaming, media and digital law in Slovenia. Jaka graduated from the Faculty of Law at the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia and gained his graduate degree from Cambridge University in England and Faculty of Law in Ljubljana (Diploma in European Community Law) and completed two-year MBA graduate studies at the University of Kansas in the USA.
Jakub Kolomicenko – Head of the legal department at Endorphina
Jakub Kolomicenko started his practice as a corporate lawyer and member of the Czech Bar Association but then he changed his focus and as an in-house counsel specializes in IP law and all aspects of gaming law
He is currently the Head of the legal department at Endorphina and works with a team that consists of highly qualified international professionals with many years of experience in online casino games creation.
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: Gaming in Central and Eastern Europe in focus at #EGC2020VE with +10 industry experts from the region
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The post Pirates of China: the new MGA Games Video Slot with a Mega Reel in Free Spins appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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- Team Vitality kicks off the new season with renewed energy and strong ambitions, both on the European and international stage.
- With the addition of renowned players like Chronicle and an experienced coaching staff, the club is fielding an exceptional team.
- The young prodigy Ștefan “Sayonara” Mîtcu will officially join the team after March 2026.
- All the stars are aligned to kick off this new year in VALORANT, starting with Project Blender 2025 on December 3rd.
Paris, 24th November 2025 – Team Vitality, an international esports club, is proud to present its new VALORANT roster for the 2026 season. While 2025 had started strongly with the VCT EMEA Kickoff title and a Top 4 finish at Masters Bangkok, the remainder of the journey did not meet the expected goals.
In 2026, VALORANT remains a priority for the club, with international events taking place across the globe. The integration of new talent also marks the beginning of a new chapter, highlighted by the highly anticipated addition of young prodigy Ștefan “Sayonara” Mîtcu and Timofey “Chronicle” Khromov, one of the world’s top players, to the roster.
A STAR-STUDDED ROSTER READY TO DOMINATE
The VALORANT scene is ready, and Team Vitality returns more determined than ever. Centred around Derke, this team of exceptional talents promises to be a true powerhouse for the 2026 VCT season.
Roster composition
- Timofey “Chronicle” Khromov (Russian) – 23 years old: One of the leading figures on the circuit, Chronicle brings to Team Vitality his game intelligence, composure, and experience in major victories. He reunites with his former teammate Derke. After a 2025 marked by three consecutive international finals – Masters Toronto, Esports World Cup, and Champions Paris – finishing second in all three, he now aims for victory on every stage in 2026.
- Elias “Jamppi” Olkkonen (Finnish) – 24 years old: The second Finnish star of the 2026 roster alongside Derke, Jamppi comes off an impressive 2025, narrowly missing qualification for Champions Paris. A key player in BBL Esports’ rise, he demonstrated both leadership and skill throughout the season. In 2026, Jamppi will take on the crucial role of In-Game Leader (IGL), tasked with guiding Team Vitality to victory.
- Dawid “PROFEK” Święć (Polish) – 21 years old: Alongside his former coach and teammate, PROFEK joins The Hive bringing his sharp game sense and calm, thoughtful playstyle—perfect for the role of Controller. Noticed as a rookie in 2025, he helped elevate BBL Esports from 6th to 3rd place between the Kickoff and Stage 2, delivering decisive performances against Fnatic and Team Heretics.
- Ștefan “Sayonara” Mîtcu (Moldovan) – 17 years old: Sayonara has already made his mark in the Spanish Challengers League, becoming the youngest winner and MVP in the league’s history. His outstanding performances in Split 2 confirm his status as a must-watch young talent for 2026. Having already been a part of the organisation since early 2025, Sayonara has made a statement in the French Challengers League. He will make his official VCT EMEA debut after celebrating his 18th birthday in March.
- Nikita “Derke“ Sirmitev (Finnish-Russian) – 22 years old: A former Counter-Strike player turned VALORANT competitor, Derke is considered one of the top three duelists of all time, renowned for his exceptional skills and decisive impact in matches. After winning the VCT: 2023 LOCK//IN and the VCT Masters Tokyo in the same year—a feat never achieved before—Derke has been contributing his strategic vision and talent to the team since last season, leveraging his extensive international experience. Derke was also instrumental in Team Vitality’s VALORANT EMEA KICKOFF 2025 victory earlier this year.
Coaching staff
- Gregor “PAL” Morton (Scottish) – Head Coach: PAL joins after an impressive year leading BBL Esports, guiding the team to a Top 3 finish at VCT EMEA Stage 2. Renowned for his strategic vision and leadership, he arrives at Team Vitality alongside his two trusted allies, Jamppi and PROFEK, determined to unlock the full potential of the 2026 roster.
- Benjamin “Scuttt” Hutchinson (Irish) – Strategic Coach: A former member of the Fnatic VALORANT team, he brings solid experience and an impressive track record. In 2025, he contributed to Fnatic’s VCT EMEA Stage 1 title as well as three consecutive international finals—Masters Toronto, Esports World Cup, and Champions Paris—finishing in second place each time. A former collaborator of PAL at BBL Esports, they now reunite to form a formidable coaching duo.
This talented duo will bring a fresh strategic vision aimed at strengthening the team’s competitiveness and laying the foundation for a new chapter in VALORANT.
A familiar and experienced face will be stepping in to support Team Vitality through the opening stretch of the season, until Sayonara officially joins the team in March 2026. Fans can expect someone who already knows the scene well and will slot in seamlessly when the first matches begin.
”This team is built with a vision of collaboration between subject-matter experts in mind. Everyone is here to make everyone else’s lives easier, and it is the pre-existing trusting relationships we have that will let us build and build throughout the year, focusing on the everyday actions that compound over time and give us the best chances of success. We are here to achieve things that we are proud of, but ultimately, with the people we have involved, our goals for the team are as high as the standards we set for ourselves.” explains Gregor “PAL” Morton, Head Coach of the team.
ON THE ROAD TO 2026
In 2026, Team Vitality approaches the VALORANT scene with a clear ambition: to establish itself permanently at the top of the global esports landscape. The new roster embodies a renewed approach, placing team culture at the heart of the project. Guided by their coaching staff and a shared set of values: trust, high standards, and cohesion, the players are building a strong collective dynamic designed to last.
This stability is paired with a strong commitment to the development of Sayonara, a young prodigy on the scene, whom the organisation aims to support under the best conditions to unlock his full potential. Focused on performance development, Team Vitality has chosen an approach rooted in club culture, team cohesion, and long-term vision, with a single ambition in sight: to conquer the heights of the VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT) and the VALORANT Champions.
“VALORANT is an essential scene for us. For 2026, we wanted to build a roster combining proven leaders and promising young talent, capable of performing at the highest level, and that’s exactly what we’ve achieved. All the stars are now aligned for us to perform. We also rely on an experienced coaching staff, among the best in the scene, with a detailed and comprehensive understanding of the challenges of performance: a solid theoretical approach inherited from their academic backgrounds, combined with practical experience demonstrated by the results achieved in recent years. All of this is perfectly consistent with Team Vitality’s DNA,” says Fabien ’Neo” Devide, President and co-founder of Team Vitality.
The new-look roster will compete together for the first time on December 3rd, for the 2025 Project Blender – kicking off a new season with renewed energy and strong ambitions.
The post TEAM VITALITY UNVEILS ITS NEW VALORANT ROSTER appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Players have never experienced entertainment like this. It’s time to dive into the Titan Series, FBMDS’ slot gaming collection, featuring Power Gacha, Desert Gold, Zaltik Empire and Secrets of Scarabs, games designed to elevate online casino fans’ engagement and boost operators’ retention results.
The iGaming provider has promised and delivered as FBMDS keeps pushing the limits of innovation with several slot game titles, showcasing its transformative ability in the fast-paced online casino gaming sector, and captivating campaigns for operators destined to maximize conversions.
The Titan Series was created with one factor in mind: driving retention to online casino lobbies. Coming up with products that boost player’s loyalty towards iGaming platforms was the path settled, so reinventing its slots’ portfolio with catchy storylines, immersive themes, lovable characters and rewarding game features seemed only right.
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These two blend cultural richness with a dazzling appeal, in a 6×5 grid with a tumble and cascading wins mechanic with up to 5,000x the bet wins, a 96.55% RTP and features like Free Spins, Multipliers, Ante Bet, Buy Bonus, Double Chance and Win Feature.
Apart from this, the Tournaments feature is a standout in this collection, also present in the Sublime and Momentum Series. Not only does it add an extra level of emotion to the player’s experience, as it also offers the possibility of being a part of a community with similar goals.
The online casino gaming provider has big plans as it continues to reinvent its iGaming portfolio with fresh products casino players want to play. Stay tuned to discover more about FBMDS’ upcoming products, distinctive gaming collections, and relevant deals!
The post Titan Series: FBMDS’ most recent slot collection that offers casino fans power to play appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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