Balkans

Albanian Socialist Party Pulls Gambling Draft Law from Parliamentary Vote

Published

5 months ago

February 15, 2024

Alan Campbell

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Update at 15:30 CET (15 Feb. 2024):

Under the direction of the Speaker of the Assembly, Mrs. Lindita Nikolla, the Assembly convened today in the next plenary session.

Under the conditions of holding an abnormal session, caused by the actions of the parliamentary opposition, the session immediately began with the voting of bills according to the agenda.

The session adopted two bills and two project decisions.

The bill “For an addition to law no. 7651, dated 21.12.1992 ‘On official holidays and memorial days'”, as amended, was approved with 74 votes in favor.

The bill “For some additions and amendments to law no. 155/2015, ‘On gambling in the Republic of Albania'”, as amended, was approved with 72 votes in favor. Also, the respective amendments for this bill were approved with 72 votes in favor.

The project decision “For some changes in the Assembly decision no.127/2018 ‘On the approval of the structure, staff, and categorization of job positions of the Institute of Statistics, INSTAT'”, was approved with 74 votes in favor.

The project decision “For the approval of the organizational structure, staff, and classification of salaries of part-time employees of the Central Election Commission”, was approved with 74 votes in favor.

The Albanian parliament was about to vote to reverse a five-year-old ban on online sports betting as the government admitted that it had failed to control the illegal activity. The proposed draft law, which would permit licensing for ten betting companies with prior experience, was scheduled to be voted on Thursday, February 8, 2024, during the plenary session. However, Bledi Cuci, the Chairman of the Socialist Party, unexpectedly withdrew the said law without providing an explanation.

“At the request of the Socialist Party, it was requested to withdraw from the discussion of the draft law on gambling,” the Speaker of the Parliament, Lindita Nikolla, said. “It was approved with 74 votes in favor.”

Nevertheless, the law on allowing online betting activities in Albania shall be returned for a vote in the parliament. After withdrawing from the vote in the session, the parliamentary group of the Socialist Party has decided to modify at least two of the 33 articles.

Among the proposed amendments, the revised draft includes a minimum requirement for foreign shareholders to hold a minimum of 30% stake in competing companies and/or organisations alongside a mandate for substantial experience in the gambling sector across at least three European countries over a period of no less than three years.

Moreover, adjustments to the re-establishment fund have been proposed, with an increase from the initial allocation of 20 million lek to a minimum of 40 million lek. Additionally, several provisions have been also introduced aiming to limit the influence of betting organizers by prohibiting them from sponsoring sports clubs. Furthermore, the roles of the President of the National Football Federation as well as the President of the Olympic Committee in the Licensing Commission have been eliminated.

Additionally, the proposed legislation act is also trying to strengthen oversight with a new clause that mandates state supervision over the activities of concessionary companies responsible for developing and maintaining the central online monitoring system. This oversight will be carried out by the Licensing Commission through regular audits.

Finally, changes were also made in the articles on the winning rate of national lottery players, which was reduced from 80% to ‘not less than 50%’.

This article has been written by Efstathios Pappas – Business Development Associate at Novibet

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Balkans

Vermantia Powers the BEGE Awards at it’s 15th Anniversary!

Published

21 hours ago

July 26, 2024

George Miller

Vermantia Powers the BEGE Awards at it’s 15th Anniversary!

Reading Time: < 1 minute

The 15th anniversary of the Balkan Entertainment and Gaming Expo Awards is just around the corner, set to illuminate club Black&White in Sofia, Bulgaria on November 26th.

The BEGE Awards have become a benchmark for excellence in the gaming industry, recognizing innovators, game-changers, and trailblazers who’ve made a significant impact on the gaming landscape. The ceremony brings together industry leaders to celebrate their outstanding achievements and contributions.

A distinguished panel of experts will meticulously evaluate nominees based on a range of criteria, with the esteemed jury casting their votes to select the winners who will be honored at the prestigious awards ceremony.

🎉This year, we are thrilled to announce that Vermantia, a pioneering technology powerhouse that revolutionizes betting businesses with custom-made, exclusive data and picture content, has joined forces with us as a key sponsor. Their commitment to quality and innovation makes them a perfect partner for this celebration of excellence.Mark your 📅 and get ready to submit your nominations for the chance to recognize and reward the pioneers who are shaping the future of the gaming industry.

The nominations are opening soon, and you won’t want to miss this opportunity to be part of this prestigious event!

Balkans

REEVO partners Slotino: Powering Up Bulgarian iGaming!

Published

1 week ago

July 18, 2024

George Miller

REEVO partners Slotino: Powering Up Bulgarian iGaming!

Reading Time: < 1 minute

REEVO, is thrilled to announce its partnership with Slotino, a prominent online casino brand in the regulated Bulgarian market. This collaboration aims to bring an unparalleled gaming experience to Bulgarian players, leveraging the strengths and innovative approaches of both companies.

Vasil Stumbov, Slotino, commented:”We are delighted to partner with REEVO and bring the high-quality casino games on offer to our Bulgarian audience. As both companies have a strong focus on innovation, I’m sure we will establish a strong partnership, delivering even better player experiences and presenting the great content REEVO has to offer to our players.”

Petra Maria Poola, Head of Sales at REEVO, commented: “We are incredibly excited to partner with Slotino and bring our diverse portfolio of high-quality casino games to the Bulgarian market. Slotino’s commitment to localization and personalized player experiences aligns perfectly with our mission to innovate and enhance the iGaming industry. Together, we will provide an unparalleled gaming experience that will captivate and engage players, setting a new standard in the market.”

Partnership Highlights:

Enhanced Player Experience: The integration of REEVO’s diverse portfolio of high-quality casino games into Slotino’s platform will significantly enhance the player experience.
Innovative Solutions: The partnership will drive the development of unique features and offerings tailored for the Bulgarian market.
Localized Content: Slotino’s expertise in localization combined with REEVO’s extensive game library ensures a customized and engaging gaming experience for Bulgarian players.

The collaboration between REEVO and Slotino marks a significant step forward in the Bulgarian iGaming market. By combining Slotino’s detailed localization and unique product features with REEVO’s innovative game offerings and aggregation solutions, the partnership aims to deliver an unmatched gaming experience to players.

Balkans

Gaming Corps lands in Bulgaria with Kaizen Gaming deal

Published

2 weeks ago

July 12, 2024

George Miller

Gaming Corps lands in Bulgaria with Kaizen Gaming deal

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Gaming Corps, a publicly-listed game studio based in Sweden that has earned a reputation for developing market-leading casino games, has expanded its global reach into Bulgaria through a major content partnership with Kaizen Gaming.

The deal means that Kaizen Gaming will be able to offer Gaming Corp’s full suite of games to its players on an exclusive basis for the next six months before the studio can strike additional partnerships with other operators in the market.

Kaizen Gaming operates the hugely popular Betano and Stoiximan brands in Bulgaria, a market that has gone from strength to strength since regulating online gambling back in 2012 with high consumer demand for online casino and slot content from new and exciting providers.

The partnership between Gaming Corps and Kaizen Gaming brings the studio’s internationally acclaimed slots to the Bulgarian market for the first time. This includes proven player-favourite titles like 777 Jackpot Diamond Hold & Win, Bon Bon Bonanza and Samba Soccer.

Players will also gain access to Gaming Corps hit portfolio of Smash4Cash™ titles, including both Piggy Smash and RAMPAGE! Smash4Cash™ which were launched earlier this year.

Danielle Calafato, CCO at Gaming Corps, said: “We could not ask for a better operator partner to make our debut in Bulgaria with. Kaizen Gaming operates two of the most popular brands in the market and we are thrilled to see of games land in its lobbies for the first time.

“Bulgaria is a thriving market with plenty of growth potential for operators that bring new and exciting content to their players. Kaizen Gaming has done just that through this partnership, and we are especially excited to see players engage with our Smash4CashTM titles.

“We are committed to expanding our reach into more regulated markets over the coming months as we continue to establish Gaming Corps as a major content provider.”