Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Science and Technology, Fawad Hussain, has revealed that a memorandum has been signed between the Pakistan Sports Board and the Pakistan Science Foundation that will see esports receive a “regular sports” status.

He also encouraged those with an interest in video games, tweeting “If you are interested in video games, get ready and new opportunities are waiting for you.”

The announcement follows an interview where Hussain promised to aid investors and players in their esports ventures. He also announced that the ministry would be offering certifications in animation and game development in institutes across the country to encourage the youth to be part of the industry.

The Minister also revealed the first national esports tournaments in collaboration with Waqar Zaka, a popular internet personality in Pakistan. The tournament is set to begin in March and will have private sponsors to avoid government bureaucracy from affecting the operations.

Hugely popular supplier secures one of Europe’s most valuable accreditations

 Premium slots and table games provider Habanero has secured a hugely important regulatory milestone through the acquisition of its Critical Gaming Supply Licence from the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA).

Capping an outstanding three years of growth and development across the continent for the provider, Habanero has already established itself as one of Europe’s standout studios.

Known for its engaging gameplay, flawless graphics and pitch-perfect sounds – the developer’s 100+ titles have already proven to be an established engagement and revenue driver for operators across 14 regulated European markets.

Habanero’s latest licence enables the studio to provide its content to Malta-based operators, with a number of tier-one brands already billed for announcement in the near future.

The supplier’s new certification also allows it to further progress its preliminary partnerships with Malta-based Scandinavian operators, as well as German-facing entities during the jurisdiction’s grace period.

Commenting on the acquisition of its Critical Gaming Supply Licence from the MGA, Arcangelo Lonoce, Head of Business Development Europe at Habanero said:

“Our growth in the last few years across markets such as Italy has established Habanero as one of Europe’s fastest-growing providers, so we’re absolutely thrilled to be entering the next phase in our company’s development with one of the industry’s must-have accreditations.

“Thanks to the outstanding work of all our global teams, the wonderful world of Habanero is now set to reach more European players than ever before. We can’t wait to see what our new partners and markets will make of our content, and we look forward to announcing more new partnerships soon enough!”

With a standout collection of titles, Habanero continued to cement its tier-one credentials throughout 2020 by teaming up with industry-leading operators such as Bet365, LeoVegas, and Playtech.

As well as being nominated for multiple SBC and EGR Awards in recognition of its creative approach, Habanero offers its partners a wealth of in-game promotional tools, with a hard-earned reputation for one of the industry’s most customer-centric approaches.

Casino and sportsbook platform provider Soft2Bet has been certified by The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS).

The company was accredited with the certification after passing a rigorous audit, recognising its capability to securely protect the transfer of credit and debit card data between customers and payment service providers.

The news showcases Soft2Bet’s strong compliance credentials, which are also demonstrated by the SGA, MGA and Curacao licences held by the market-leading casino and sportsbook platform provider.

The company’s latest certification indicates its unwavering commitment to protecting the data of players using the 30+ operator brands in its portfolio, which is set to be enhanced with a new flagship sportsbook in early 2021 and currently includes the SBC-award winning Wazamba.

Ivan Piorischin, Product owner at Soft2Bet, said: “We take data protection very seriously here at Soft2Bet, and it’s fantastic to have that commitment recognised with a coveted accreditation from the The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard.

“As we look forward to entering new territories and launching further cutting-edge products in the year to come, regulatory compliance will continue to top our priority list.”