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Albania to Re-legalise Sports Betting from January 1

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Albania is going to reintroduce legal sports betting as of 1 January 2023, four years after it, along with casinos and online gambling, was made illegal.

The decision, which has been on the cards since the summer, will bring much-needed revenue to the government, which faces a debt of over 90%, increasing pressure to subsidise rising energy costs, and calls to support the vulnerable amid the global crisis.

Effective as of the start of next year, sports betting games will now be legal, and it is estimated that some €17 million will be collected in tax each year.

All gambling, except a handful of licensed casinos, was prohibited as of 31 December 2018. Hundreds of betting shops and gambling sites were shut down, and efforts were made to block online sites.

However, gambling continued throughout the country in illegal betting and gambling shops, with arrests occurring almost weekly.

Momentum to legalise sports betting has been growing since August when a coalition of sporting stakeholders petitioned the government to ask for the reinstitution of regulated and supervised sports betting, arguing it can bring much-needed revenue to one of Europe’s poorest countries.

“We are not proposing to open the entire range of gambling, including electronic casinos or bingo halls. Our proposal includes total fiscal transparency, league-regulated online sports betting,” the petition states.

Stakeholders suggest that revenue generated from sports betting be used to support the country’s athletes. The petition specifies that betting should be allowed via certified operators, including local and international brands. In addition, they suggest an age limit and a maximum bet limit.

“The regulation of sports betting by law is a practice followed by many Western countries. In these countries, the income from sports betting is used to develop sports and sports infrastructure and to support the youth,” they argued.

Prime Minister Edi Rama commented on the push stating that if the decision goes ahead, extreme conditions will be imposed, and all revenue will go to sports, culture and youth.

“We will look at this very positively; we will set extreme conditions…these are guaranteed by large international companies, which operate worldwide and operate in the European Union area.”

He added: “I have been obvious that these revenues, which we calculate to be many times more than what we contribute every year, go to sports, culture and youth, but very clearly and dedicatedly, the lion’s share, the sport will take it.”

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IGT Presents Future-Forward, Growth-Driving Solutions at the 11th EL Congress and Trade Show

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IGT Presents Future-Forward, Growth-Driving Solutions at the 11th EL Congress and Trade Show
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International Game Technology PLC announced that it will present its impressive portfolio of world-class lottery solutions at the 11th EL Congress and Trade Show, presented by European Lotteries, from June 4-7, in Ĺ ibenik, Croatia. In booth 612, IGT will demonstrate its “Future-Forward, Growth-Driven” approach with a full suite of digital tools, exciting new games, and innovative solutions that drive lottery sales and engage the next generation of players.

“The EL Congress and Trade Show is an excellent opportunity for IGT to meet with our European lottery customers and showcase our innovative products that are propelling the industry forward,” said Fabio Cairoli, IGT CEO Global Lottery.“Among the many highlights at this year’s Congress, we will feature our groundbreaking OMNIA omnichannel solution that modernizes the retail environment with digitalized player services. We are very excited about OMNIA and the strength it adds to our broad lineup of growth-driving lottery retail solutions.”

EL Congress and Trade Show attendees who explore IGT’s booth can experience a variety of sophisticated, innovative products including:

  • Retail Lottery Solutions: IGT will showcase its high-performing point-of-sale solutions designed to engage lottery players in any retail environment, enabling Connected Play™ experiences as part of its OMNIA™ offering. OMNIA is IGT’s integrated lottery solution that converges the retail and digital channels, delivering the industry’s first truly player-centric, omnichannel solution.
  • Instant Ticket Services: Exciting instant ticket presentations on display will include Infinity Instants™, offering an infinite number of possibilities for scratch ticket design, IGT’s instant ticket innovations and instant ticket services. Among some of the innovations featured are IGT’s GLEAM™ technology that adds brilliant holographic, foil or metallic inks to gain attention at the point of sale, and Color Reveal™, a four-part color process marking system that creates stunning artwork over extended gameplay areas.
  • iLottery: IGT’s iLottery offering includes flexible products and an engaging eInstants portfolio backed by dedicated iLottery expert services. IGT’s compelling eInstants content, including its award-winning progressive games, along with omnichannel and licensed brands, will be available for visitors to play on a giant touchscreen. IGT will also feature its end-to-end, cloud-based iLottery platform, market-leading Player Data Platform and its feature-rich player portal and mobile app.

IGT will also participate in several EL Congress presentations and panel discussions including:

  • Fabio Cairoli, IGT CEO Global Lottery, will participate in the CEO Discussion Panel on June 6.
  • Sharon Duncalf, IGT Vice President of Market Insights and Account Planning, will present “Looking Forward to the Future of Lottery: Driving Sustainable Growth Together” along with IGT customers on June 5.
  • Stefania Colombo, IGT Director of Global Sustainability, will participate in the breakout session, “Lotteries and the Planet,” on June 6.
  • Laura Feliziani, IGT Lottery S.p.A. Brand Content & Consumer Engagement, will participate in the breakout session panel discussion, “Fight for Attention: Examples of creative media from the lottery world to break through the clutter,” on June 6.
  • Giuseppe Pelle, IGT Lottery S.p.A. Institutional Relations Manager, will participate in the breakout session, “Fighting Illegal Gambling,” on June 6.
  • Delash Patel, IGT Senior Director Product Management, will participate in a panel discussion on security and integrity issues regarding electronic draws during the “Artificial Intelligence & Draw Integrity” breakout session on June 6.
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Skilrock Technologies to Exhibit at the 11th EL Congress 2023

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Skilrock Technologies, a leading provider of lottery and gaming solutions, has announced its participation in the 11th EL Congress 2023 at Ĺ ibenik, Croatia, from June 4 to June 7, 2023. At booth number 204, Skilrock will showcase its latest portfolio of cutting-edge solutions that will appeal to operators seeking new and exciting ways to engage and excite players.

The EL Congress 2023 will focus on the latest developments in the lottery sector, and it is an ideal event for industry professionals to meet colleagues and friends from around the world.

At the exhibition, the spotlight will be on Skilrock’s recently launched solution, “Scan-n-Play,” which is part of its suite of offerings for Instant Game Solutions. “Scan-n-Play” is a retail lottery offering that provides seamless online gameplay without the need for player registration. It expands the range of retail offerings by enabling online gameplay at traditional retail lottery outlets.

Along with Instant games, there will be a focus on Skilrock’s range of e-instant and scratch lottery games, available in a variety of languages, including Spanish, Portuguese and English. These games will be showcased to highlight their popularity among players, making them an essential addition to any operator’s portfolio.

“We invite all visitors to booth 204 to experience the future of lotteries at the 11th EL Congress 2023. Skilrock Technologies is proud to showcase our innovative solutions that redefine the industry. Join us to experience firsthand how our cutting-edge portfolio can revolutionize player engagement and boost profits,” Sujit Lahiry, Executive Director and CEO of Skilrock Technologies, said.

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Wazdan further strengthens Bulgarian presence with WINBET

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Wazdan further strengthens Bulgarian presence with WINBET
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Wazdan, the innovative games provider, is further expanding its presence in Bulgaria after signing a partnership with WINBET, one of the country’s largest operators.

The agreement sees Wazdan continue to make impressive strides in the Bulgarian market, developing esteemed games that continue to entertain players across several different demographics.

A total of 30 of the provider’s games will go live on WINBET, including the player-favourite titles like 9 Coins™, Magic Spins™ and Larry the Leprechaun.

It marks the sixth partnership for Wazdan in the Bulgarian market, following recent agreements with INBET, 8888.bg, Sesame, Alphawin and Palms Bet, and is a testament to its steadfast goal of strengthening its foothold worldwide.

Recognised as one of Bulgaria’s most popular online casinos, WINBET – established in 2015 – offers some 1500 slot games and LIVE casino tables with the largest offering of jackpot systems in the country, alongside  vast selection of sports betting and markets in  more than 30 sports. The operator was among the first in the country to integrate deposit methods with mobile phone carriers for accessibility and ease.

Michal Imiolek, Chief Executive Officer at Wazdan, said: “Wazdan continues to take Bulgaria by storm, and we’re thrilled to be reaching even more players with WINBET, a fantastic operator with a large, dedicated player base.

“Our games have so far been embraced by Bulgarian customers and with even more people able to discover our innovative, acclaimed games, we’re excited to see the reception!”

Victor Perenovski, Operations Director at WINBET Online, said: “We are confident that WINBET will greatly enhance the gaming experience for its customers with the addition of Wazdan’s established base of popular games.

“We are sure that with this partnership we will further expand our positions on the market and will also enrich our consumer offering.”

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