All the five groups that entered Nagasaki prefecture’s request-for-proposal (RFP) process with the aim of participating in its bid for an integrated resort (IR) licence have qualified for the next phase of the process.

The five groups are: a consortium led by Oshidori International Holdings Ltd; Casinos Austria International Japan; Current Group; the Niki Chau Fwu (Parkview) Group; and One Kyushu, a consortium between Tokyo-listed Pixel Companyz Inc and French gaming operator Groupe Partouche SA.

The prefecture will complete a “first round” of evaluation of would-be partners this month to reduce the list of bidders to three. After that, a second round will include a “competitive dialogue” with would-be partners. The groups will then have to present their projects in August for the prefecture to make a final decision.

Japan plans to initially approve three integrated resorts in the country. Proposals must include a casino, tourism attractions, hotels and meeting spaces.

Gaming provider Spearhead Studios is thrilled to announce the completion of its certification on the Croatian market. Casinos operating in Croatia can now integrate the supplier’s entire portfolio of video slots and table games.

Benefiting from a solid online gambling regulation, Croatia the latest jurisdiction to be added to Spearhead Studios’ constant growing list of territories. Currently, the supplier is authorised to provide its games in no less than 12 jurisdictions in Europe and LATAM, with plans to unlock even more markets in the upcoming future, including the highly lucrative US market.

Under the vision of creating Local Games for Local Markets, Spearhead Studios provides high-quality content in Malta, Spain, Romania, Sweden, Denmark, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Colombia, Germany, Belarus, and now Croatia.

Mathias Larsson, Managing Director at Spearhead Studios, says: “We have greatly expanded our list of jurisdictions since the launch in 2019. With clients operating across Europe and LATAM, we find it paramount to invest in attaining certifications for our games. The studios’ mission is to gain international recognition for the quality of our content, and we’re more than thrilled to now be able to work with Croatia-based operators.”

Available with 7 casino aggregators as of March 2021, the aim of the supplier is to grow its casino client base with established operators in regulated markets. The list of Tier-1 operators includes well-known casino brands such as Wunderino, Casumo and Videoslots.

Spearhead Studios’ games portfolio amounts 30 titles, including high-performing titles such as Book of Souls, Fruits & 777’s, Lara Jones is Cleopatra, or Royal Crown, and the latest Blue Diamond Book and Wild Gold. With a strong pipeline of new launches, 2021 will see Spearhead Studios releasing 40+ games, including Video Bingo and Video Poker.

The Slotmill games have been certified to meet the regulation in Estonia and Latvia. The games can be obtained either through a direct integration or via distributors.

Jamie Boyle, Product Manager at Slotmill, said: “We are delighted to have our games approved for these markets thereby extending our reach at the same time as it solidifies our commitment to meet local regulations.”