SoftSwiss Game Aggregator announces that a casino software brand, NetGame has just been added to its game providers list.

Under the reached agreement, NetGame will provide its full gaming portfolio to SoftSwiss’ partners, which comprises more than 30 online slot games that run on the HTML5 platform. Net Game’s games will be distributed across a range of clients which rely on SoftSwiss Online Casino Platform and Game Aggregator.

SoftSwiss’ Aggregator Team Lead, Tatyana Kaminskaya, noted: “We’re very excited to add NetGame to our vast game providers portfolio. We do hope that our mutual cooperation will help drive further growth for our clients’ business”.

NetGame Entertainment’s CEO, Andrey Zhurilo, said: “SoftSwiss’ ever-expanding Game Aggregator is held in the highest regard within the iGaming industry and this deal will enable us to offer our high-quality slots to a wider audience.”

IMG ARENA, a leading sports betting service and content hub, has secured an extension to its global* live streaming partnership with Poland’s premier football league, the Ekstraklasa.

The multi-year renewal will see IMG ARENA package live footage from the competition for betting and gaming operators to offer to their customers.

Following a period of commercial growth, Ekstraklasa paid record revenues to its clubs in 2019-20, and the league is set to grow from 16 to 18 teams from 2021-22, providing a greater volume of matches and further increasing the live streaming coverage.

Freddie Longe, Executive Vice President and Managing Director of IMG ARENA, said: “The Ekstraklasa is an ambitious organisation with an entertaining product. We are delighted to be extending our partnership and to stream a growing number of matches.

“Football is the world’s most popular sport, and we are committed to ensuring we have a high quality, diverse portfolio of content to engage fans across the globe.”

Marcin Animucki, President and CEO of Ekstraklasa, said: “IMG ARENA has played a vital role in helping our organisation drive revenues for our members with packaged, engaging content that sustains and builds interest in Ekstraklasa around the world. We take great pleasure in announcing the renewal of the partnership and look forward to building on this mutually beneficial collaboration.”

The Ekstraklasa was formed in 1926, with 82 teams competing in the division since it was founded. Current champions Legia Warsaw won their 14^th title in 2019-20, making them the joint most-successful club alongside Wisla Krakow and Gornik Zabrze. A total of 16 different teams have lifted the trophy.

Headquartered in London, IMG ARENA works with more than 460 leading sportsbook operators worldwide, providing always-on services including 24/7 live streaming and on-demand virtual sports products designed to evolve and inspire engagement by placing fans at the heart of the action. In 2019, more than 175 million hours of IMG ARENA content was watched by 56 million unique viewers around the globe. IMG ARENA’s clients include the ATP, UFC, the PGA TOUR, European Tour, the FA Cup and Serie A.

The online gambling industry has grown beyond the limits of our imagination, thanks to the internet and advancement in technology. Europe’s online gaming has particularly undergone exponential growth with many countries emerging as important online-gambling markets, including the UK, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, among others. Looking at new casinos the trend points upwards as well during 2020 and 2021 estimates as well. One of these launches is the casino operator Winny that been rumoured to go live go live for a couple of month now.

According to the European Betting & Gaming Association (EBGA), technological innovations have made it possible for European consumers to access e-gaming sites anytime, anywhere. The betting association also reported that Europe’s online gambling industry has an annual growth rate of 10%. In 2018, the gross gaming revenue of the continent’s online industry was EUR22 billion, and the market value is expected to reach EUR29.3 billion in 2022.

Reasons for the Rapid Growth in EU Online Gambling Market

One of the reasons why the European casino and gambling industry is gaining ground at a high rate is because the continent is home to some of the strictest licensing bodies in the global betting and gambling sector. Together with EBGA, The Malta Gaming Authority and The UK Gambling Commission operate transparently, issuing licensure only to reputable and well-established gambling sites. That instils confidence among gaming buffs when placing their bets on these websites.

The creation of mobile-first gambling websites is another reason for the growth of EU online gambling. In 2018, virtually half of all casino bets (43%) were placed through mobile devices. A country like Finland, for instance, recorded a 10% growth in mobile gaming in 2018 – evidence that mobile play is bringing in significant revenue to the European market.

Online Gambling Trends in the EU 2020/2021

Currently, most online gaming enthusiasts prefer placing their bets through their smart mobile devices to land-based gambling destinations, such as casinos and bookmakers. Below are some patterns you can expect to see in the EU sector in 2021.

Game Plan Enhancements

With gambling websites aiming to tap into mobile gaming, the need to create pixel-perfect, HD games for smartphones has become more critical than ever. This trend has expanded drastically in recent years. Consumers can access the same game quality through gaming apps as they would when they visit a casino website.

Furthermore, it has also led to live betting, where bettors can play against and alongside other players online. That compels gambling providers to enhance the game plans to offer an improved UX. For instance, live poker provides players with an opportunity to sit around a table with a live dealer and players with real-time chats and feeds.

The UK Leading the Sector

The online gaming market in the UK is provided by private providers and takes place within a highly competitive business environment. The UK Gambling Commission, formed by the Gambling Act 2005, offers strict gambling rules and regulations to ensure that online bettors and gamblers feel secure when wagering their money on these sites. According to a statistical report captured on Mordor Intelligence, 6% of consumers aged between 25-34 and 45-54 years visited an online gaming site at least once every 90 days, accessing casino games, online poker, bingo, sports betting, and lotteries. Some of the key providers in the UK expected to lead the market include 888 Holdings, Bet365, LeoVegas, and Casumo Casino.

Enhanced Reality Casinos

Augmented Reality (AR) is a relatively newer technology in the online gaming world. This innovation expands the physical world on your gaming screens with superimposed digital elements, creating the impression that one is actually gaming in real-world. The technology took off this year and is expected to gain more popularity in 2021. With the online gambling market being highly receptive of new technologies, AR is expected to offer players a 3D, 360-degree gaming experience without the need to differentiate between the physical and digital world.