Playtech Plc has launched the path-breaking TotalCasino (TotalCasino.pl), the first ever regulated online casino in Poland. The move is in partnership with the Polish state-owned national lottery operator Totalizator Sportowy.

Earlier this year, Totalizator Sportowy chose Playtech as its lead digital systems provider in its bid to expand further.

Totalizator Sportowy currently has over 17,000 points of sale across the country, built over six decades. The proceeds from its business are used as social funds for the construction and renovation of sports facilities.

The Polish lottery chose Playtech for the purpose because of the latter’s a proven track record of delivering broader offerings for World Lottery Association members including Greece’s OPAP, Portugal’s Santa Kaza and Sisal Italy.

Backing the launch of TotalCasino.pl Mor Weizer, Chief Executive Officer of Playtech, said: “This is a significant day for Totalizator Sportowy and for Playtech. A lot of hard work has gone into the last nine months to build an exciting, robust, safe platform for Poland’s players. We owe a big thank you to our new partners at Totalizator Sportowy and look forward to a long, successful relationship.”

“Our commitment to innovative, industry-leading products and the scale and flexibility of our gaming platform means Playtech is the clear partner of choice for the leading land-based operators in newly regulating online markets.”

Czech national lottery extends partnership with SBTech following two years of “substantial revenue” gains to drive further market share growth

SBTech, the leading sports betting and gaming technology supplier and Sazka, the Czech Republic’s national lottery operator, are delighted to announce the multi-year extension of their pioneering sportsbook partnership.

The agreement, first signed in 2016, means SBTech will continue to work closely with one of Europe’s premier lottery groups, supplying it with the industry’s leading sports betting offering.

Full integration with SBTech’s comprehensive responsible gambling protocols also ensures player safety and security are at the forefront of Sazka’s operations.

Since the sportsbook’s launch two years ago, Sazka has achieved significant growth despite competition from international operators, with an enhanced product built around SBTech’s award-winning event coverage and tailored, data-driven risk management, highly configurable bonus engine and a bespoke front-end designed specifically for the Czech market.

Andrew Cochrane, Chief Commercial Officer, SBTech, said: “We are delighted to strengthen our relationship with one of Europe’s leading lottery groups. Sazka has achieved remarkable growth by embracing innovation, while also maintaining the highest standards of player safety and corporate and social responsibility.

“We have high expectations for the growth of the regulated Czech market and are committed to long-term shared success in this exciting territory.”

Robert Chvatal, CEO, Sazka, added: “SBTech’s complete sports betting solution has enabled us to expand rapidly over the past two years and we are very happy to extend our partnership. We anticipate continued and sustained growth moving forward and are preparing to leverage the full power of the SBTech sportsbook in the months and years to come.”

About SBTech

 SBTech is a global leader in omni-channel sports betting and gaming, with more than 1,100 employees in nine offices worldwide. Since 2007, the group has developed the industry’s most powerful online sports betting and casino platform, serving licensees in more than 20 regulated markets.

SBTech’s clients include many of the world’s premier betting and gaming operators, state lotteries, land-based casinos, horse racing companies, and igaming start-ups. The group supplies highly flexible betting and gaming solutions to clients looking for exceptional configurability and the quickest route to market, complemented by proven business intelligence and reporting capabilities.

The SBTech offering includes its seamless sportsbook, Chameleon360 igaming platform, managed services, on-property sportsbook and omni-channel solutions that provide players with constant access to sports and casino products across all online, mobile and retail channels.

Supported by unrivalled expertise in trading and risk management, acquisition and CRM, and the highest standards of regulatory compliance, SBTech’s partners consistently achieve rapid growth, enhanced brand loyalty and record revenues. For more information, visit: www.sbtech.com

About SAZKA a.s.

SAZKA a.s. is the biggest and oldest lottery company in the Czech Republic with approximately 95% share on the lottery market. The main lottery products of the company are number lotteries with best known lottery Sportka. Apart from number lotteries in the product offer there are scratch cards, sport odds betting and fast-moving games. Second pillar contains non-lottery services, in particular the biggest mobile virtual operator in the Czech Republic SAZKAmobil, credit recharge and arranging of payments for services or selling tickets. SAZKA a.s. provides its products mainly via a unique selling network with more than 7200 selling places which are located all over the Czech Republic. Products are also available on www.sazka.cz, where the customers can play them online.  SAZKA a.s. is a member of supra-national investment group KKCG acting in 11 countries on 4 continents. Sazka a.s. is part of international lottery holding Sazka Group (there are also shares in Greek Lottery OPAP, Italian Lotto and Austrian Casinos Austria).

The Ministry of Finance of Poland has issued online sports betting licenses to Typiko Sp. z. oo and Traf-Zakłady Wzajemne Sp. z oo, taking the total number of licensed online operators in the country to 14.

Traf-Zakłady Wzajemne Sp. z oo is a land-based racing betting operator in Warsaw. It is affiliated to Totalizator Sportowy, the state-run lottery. Typiko Sp. z. oo, which was registered only two years ago, is based in Bielsko-Biala.

The two new approvals realised because of the 2016 amendments to the country’s gambling laws. The total number of online sports betting licences issued this year is seven, the same that the government approved in 2017.

Earlier this year, the government was criticised by the Employers of the Republic of Poland (Pracodawcy RP) for “complicating the process to register with Polish-licensed online sports betting operators.” The trade association believes that the Ministry of Finance is making it difficult for the bookmaking market to develop, and stopping local operators from competing with internationally-licensed gambling sites.