Central Europe
Germany Approves Controversial iGaming Tax Bill

The controversial “GlüNeuRStv” (Glücksspielneuregulierungstaatsvertrag) which is the new German state treaty on gambling was approved by the Finance Committee last week.
The bill was put together by the Bundesrat which is the Federal Council in Germany and it received a lot of opposition from online casino stakeholders as they felt the bill was unfair to the iGaming market.
State legislators were confident that even though there was opposition to the bill from online casino stakeholders, they would get the necessary floor vote to pass the bill and that is exactly what happened.
The main point of contention in this new bill is that it looks to impose a 5.3% betting tax on online casino and online poker games. The Finance Committee pointed out that this 5.3% tax will not only be applicable to licensed gaming operators but also unlicensed gaming operators.
Top iGaming operators in Germany like LeoVegas claim that the new regulations which they have been trying to comply with are significantly hurting their bottom line. One of the new regulations will limit each spin on an online slot game to €1.
This is a big blow to online casino operators in Germany as they tend to make over 50% of their gross gaming revenues via online slot games. By putting a cap on the spending limit for each spin, online casino operators would lose a lot of money. These new regulations will come into effect on July 1.
Central Europe
CT Interactive’s Content Goes Live with Fortuna Slovakia

CT Interactive’s games are now live with Fortuna Slovakia. Clients of Fortuna Slovakia will have the opportunity to enjoy the top-quality games of CT Interactive.
“We have a long-termed establish partnership with Fortuna and we are happy to deepen our relation-ship. By integrating our content with Fortuna Slovakia, we gain valuable access to a broader player base and enhances its visibility in the Slovakian market,” Milena Tsankarska, Head of Business De-velopment EMEA at CT Interactive, said.
The games that the players of Fortuna Slovakia include Lucky Clover, HOT 7’s X 2, Chilli Fruits, Coffee Magic, Big Joker, Pick The Pig, Cherry Crown and others.
“The partnership with Fortuna Slovakia shows our commitment to expanding our reach across various jurisdictions. We aim to deliver an exceptional gaming experience to players in Slovakia through its collaboration with Fortuna,” Smilena Ilieva, CRM at CT Interactive, said.
“Players accessing Fortuna Slovakia’s platform can now enjoy a wide range of CT Interactive’s pop-ular titles. This integration enriches our gaming library, and we are happy to provide interesting new games to our clients,” Babic Josip, Group Gaming Product Manager of Fortuna Slovakia, said.
Central Europe
PRAGMATIC PLAY EXPANDS SLOVAKIAN PRESENCE WITH NIKÉ

Pragmatic Play, a leading content provider to the iGaming industry, will begin supplying its Slots to the prominent Slovak operator Niké in its latest partnership.
Niké’s players will now gain access to Pragmatic Play’s impressive lineup of award-winning player-favourite titles, from iconic hits like Wolf Gold and Big Bass Bonanza to the popular Sugar Rush and Gates of Olympus.
As one of Slovakia’s market leaders, partnering with Niké will catalyse further growth across the country for Pragmatic Play and introduce more players to its content for the first time.
The agreement is the latest in a string of major partnerships for Pragmatic Play in Europe, following deals with Napoleon in Belgium and GAMRFIRST in Switzerland, as it continues to solidify its presence in the region and globally.
Irina Cornides, Chief Operating Officer at Pragmatic Play, said: “Pragmatic Play continues to expand in regulated markets, and partnering with major operators like Niké in Slovakia provides a great opportunity for us to deliver our rich portfolio of games to even more players. We look forward to a great partnership with Niké as it continues to strengthen its offering as a top operator in the market.”
Robert Vizvari, Chief Revenue Officer at Niké, said: “Adding Pragmatic Play games to our game lobby is a significant step forward for us. It has gained an enviable reputation for delivering some of the industry’s most entertaining experiences and opening those opportunities up to our player base heralds the beginning of a fantastic collaboration.”
Central Europe
HGC 2024 Sets Strong Business Focus with Top International Speakers Under the Key Topic ‘Invest in Games’

The Hamburg Games Conference (HGC) 2024 will bring the international games industry together on March 5 and 6 under the key topic of ‘Invest in Games’. While the games industry is in troubled waters, the HGC provides practical impulses for companies and founders to position themselves successfully on the market. Confirmed as the first speakers are Brjann Sigurgeirsson (co-founder Thunderful Group), Sophie Vo (founder Rise and Play), James Batchelor (Editor-in-Chief Gamesindustry.biz), Timm Geyer (founder Geyer Media Consult) and Are Mack Growen (Partner at London Venture Partners). The main focus is on obtaining financing and identifying new business opportunities.
An advisory board consisting of the companies Sunday, Bigpoint, The Sandbox, InnoGames and 1SP Agency Holding supports the organizers Gamecity Hamburg, GRAEF Rechtsanwalte and Super Crowd Entertainment in the planning and implementation of the HGC program. Tickets for companies and start-ups are available at https:// HGC2024.EventBrite.de.
HGC 2023 welcomed more than 500 conference guests from 26 countries. On March 5 and 6, 2024, the Altonaer Museum will once again offer an attractive setting with a maritime atmosphere for exclusive keynotes, panels, roundtables, networking and matchmaking over two conference days.
Renowned games experts and experts
Speakers will present current investment topics and insights on two stages. Already confirmed: Brjann Sigurgeirsson (co-founder Thunderful Group) on ‘Creating and sustaining a successful gaming brand’, Sophie Vo (founder Rise and Play) on ‘Cultural due diligence in M&A’, James Batchelor (Editor-in-Chief GamesIndustry.biz) on ‘What’s definitely not the future of games development?’, Timm Geyer (founder Geyer Media Consult) on ‘Options in challenging situations for game studios and Are Mack Growen (Partner at London Venture Partners) on ‘Raising venture capital – How to approach a VC’. In addition, the call for speakers for HGC 2024 is running until December 4: https:// GamesConference .com/Call-For-Speakers.
Exclusive program on-site
The program of the HGC 2024 offers exclusive talks and panels as a unique live experience in the unique atmosphere of the Altonaer Museum. Participants will gain practical insights into current investment topics and the best conditions for B2B matchmaking and business meetings on-site. With the support of Hamburg’s games companies, the HGC is the hub for intensive networking and matchmaking. Companies and game studios will present their products and games in the expanded expo area in the Altonaer Museum and will be available for talks and meetings. In addition to the companies on the advisory board, the HGC is supported by the sponsors 4Players, Bytro, Photon, Photon, Playa Games, Threaks and Tiny Roar.
Business and start-up tickets are now available
The business ticket for 349 Euros provides guests with access to the two-day conference program as well as the opportunity to arrange meetings with other conference guests and make valuable new contacts. Start-up tickets are also available for newly-founded companies. They allow participation in the entire conference program as well as matchmaking at a discounted price of 199 euros. Tickets for the HGC 2024 are available at https:// HGC2024.EventBrite.de. All current information on the Hamburg Games Conference 2024 is available at www. GamesConference .com.
The first German Creative Economy Summit on March 6 and 7, 2024, in Hamburg
Adjacent to the Hamburg Games Conference, visitors can also attend the German Creative Economy Summit in Hamburg on March 7, organized by the Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft with a diverse program of keynotes, panels and workshops from the nationwide creative industries. All information is available at https:// German-Creative-Economy-Summit.de. Anyone who purchases a ticket for the Hamburg Games Conference can secure a 20% discount on a ticket for the German Creative Economy Summit to attend the summit after the HGC on March 7. If required, visitors can register at HGC@ Super-Crowd .com.
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