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What Can European Markets learn from the UK’s iGaming Sector?
When discussing Brexit in terms of the iGaming market, most experts believe that the UK will shoulder the biggest potential impact.
From the future of Gibraltar to a potential talent drain and exodus of UK firms from these shores, there is certainly a great deal of uncertainty surrounding Brexit and Britain’s lucrative iGaming market.
While the UK market may be disrupted after Brexit, however, it remains relatively robust and a true leader in the global space. Also, there are several lessons that European markets could learn from the UK, including the following:
The Need for Harmonised Rules
According to a recent, EU-wide public consultation on the future of the continent’s fast-growing iGaming industry, the market has reached the point where it must be governed by a harmonised set of rules.
This is definitely the opinion of Sigrid Ligné, who’s the Secretary General of the European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) and recently spoke to EURACTIV in a detailed interview.
“Online gambling is a cross-border market”, she said. “Consumption is cross-border as well. Clearly, there is a strong need for harmonised rules, and we believe that there’s good momentum for the EU to assume leadership in this area”.
It is hard to argue with this assertion, especially given the EU’s track record in creating single points of control and regulatory bodies across a wide range of commercial sectors and applications.
For example, the Commission has created standardised rules for both food import standards and financial market regulation in member states, so it is definitely capable of doing something similar in the iGaming realm.
To achieve this, the EU Commission could well follow the template set by the UK, which introduced robust but progressive legislation in the form of the 2005 Gaming Act.
The Labour government of the time also created an omnipotent and independent regulator in the form of the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), which provides a comprehensive range of market services and operates as a single point of control in the marketplace.
Of course, creating this type of body to oversee 27 member states may be far more challenging, but it’s something that the EU must move towards if it’s to create a safe market that can scale successfully over time.
Focus on Promoting Responsible Gambling
Thanks to the clearly defined infrastructure of the UK market, the regulator has been able to drive responsible gambling and impose sanctions on operators that fail to protect their customers.
This has been borne out by the huge financial sanctions imposed by the UKGC since 2018, when it announced the safeguarding of potentially vulnerable players as its core strategic objective through 2021.
This has impacted on every aspect of the market, from the decision of operators to partner with responsible gambling agencies and the emergence of independent comparison sites for the most trusted betting sites in the UK.
The regulator has also imposed a diverse range of measures to help raise standards industry-wide, from the banning of credit cards (which are prohibited in some European markets and are still permitted in others) to the imposition of more stringent age verification measures on iGaming operators.
Not only this, but UK operators have invested heavily in responsible gambling tools and technologies, with some of the latest innovations enabling players to track their behaviour in real-time and utilise operator insights to highlight any issues before they become too challenging.
Of course, key stakeholders broached this subject at the latest quarterly meeting of European Gaming body on June 10th, so there are signs that the market may be moving in the right direction as it looks to protect operators and players alike.
Offering Casino Games Under One Roof
As we have already touched on, gambling rules vary wildly from one jurisdiction to another in Europe, with Germany the latest to announce a relatively complex and detailed selection of guidelines.
The approach to slot gaming is particularly interesting, initially because the regulator has imposed a €1 maximum wager limit per spin. This is similar to the proposal put forward by the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for gambling-related harm in the UK, although the maximum threshold discussed here is £2.
However, it is interesting to note that Germany and some other European markets require operators to make slots and different forms of gambling available via different Internet domains, unless the site in question houses independent and geographically separate landing pages for each vertical.
While there are genuinely good reasons for this, it can have an adverse impact on the typical online gambling experience, particularly in terms of accessibility and navigating a particular operator’s site.
At the same time, this does not necessarily provide much in the way of protection for vulnerable players, so it may be a rule that regulators look to relax over time.
This is an important lesson to heed from the UK market, whose casino sites are incredibly easy to navigate and responsively designed to open across a wide range of devices.
Gaming
Nolimit City revisits the brutal factory life in Outsourced: Slash Game
Nolimit City takes you back to the grind with its latest release, Outsourced: Slash Game. For those who thought their consumerist cravings were a safe indulgence, think again. Following in the footsteps of Outsourced, this new addition pulls back the curtain on the sweat and sacrifice lurking behind those everyday luxuries—this time with a dash of danger. Outsourced: Slash Game is the studio’s second venture into crash-style gameplay, the first being xCrash™ in Skate or Die – but this time it’s a standalone crash game!
In Slash Game, players have to make some cutthroat decisions as a laser traces the outline of their hand, increasing the multiplier with every pass. Players hit “stop” to cash out, locking in the multiplier when they feel the timing is right. After which, they will be shown the potential winnings if they wouldn’t have stopped. But here’s the catch: if players hesitate a second too long and the laser slips, all the winnings are lost. A live scoreboard displays the Top Win, Top Miss and Last Round, so that players can keep track of their previous rounds.
Outsourced: Slash Game is not a familiar Nolimit City slot to some players but could cause some excitement with an increasing multiplier and a maximum payout of 1,500x the base bet. Outsourced: Slash Game, unlike Nolimit City’s high-volatility slots, is rated as ‘Medium Volatility’ but don’t let that fool you as it still includes the risk of losing your hand.
Per Lindheimer, Head of Product at Nolimit City, said: “Get back to work, will you? We’re bringing players back to the unrelenting factory floor of Outsourced with an all-new twist. Slash Game is a standalone take on our crash-style games, and it’s packed with plenty of heart-stopping moments (and maybe a few hand-stopping ones, too). We’re thrilled with how it turned out and we hope that our fans will be too!“
‘Outsourced: Slash Game’ will be available to all Nolimit City partners on November 5th, 2024.
Compliance Updates
Aviatrix flying in Italy following certificate approval
Aviatrix, the groundbreaking crash game renowned for its unique engagement mechanics, is building new partnerships in Italy following the granting of a certificate in the country.
The Italian certificate enables Aviatrix to collaborate with operators regulated by the Agenzia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli, introducing casinos fans in Italy to the award-winning game for the first time.
Players at many of the biggest brands in Italy will soon be enjoying Aviatrix.
Anastasia Rimskaya, Chief Account Officer at Aviatrix, said: “We are excited to be bringing Aviatrix to players in Italy for the first time. This is a market where innovation and player engagement are highly valued, so we’re certain our product will be a great fit. And more than that, we have an opportunity to play a central role in one of Europe’s most vibrant online gaming cultures. We can’t wait to get started with operators in the country.”
Aviatrix is fast establishing itself as an important game in regulated jurisdictions, as it already is in emerging ones.
Latest News
Set sail on a pirate quest with Belatra’s Tortuga Codex
Belatra Games, the specialist online slots developer, has launched its pirate-themed title, Tortuga Codex. This 5×4 slot casts players on a journey on the hunt for untold riches buried on a mysterious island.
A Skull symbol acts as the Wild and will substitute for any other symbol to increase the chances of a win. An intriguing element to the game lies in the Additional Reel feature which sits above the main frame. It’s in sync with the main reels, displaying Wild symbols, special pirate icons, and numbers from one to nine. When three or more bomb Scatters come in, numbers on the Additional Reel become active multipliers in the bonus game. The more Scatters appear, the higher each multiplier value, amplifying the potential winnings.
In the main game, the Wild scatters a random number of Wild symbols onto the reels if there is a Scatter underneath it. When the Bonus Game is hit, the Wild symbol will be replaced by the number 9. Pirate Bob, Pirate Patrick and Pirate Girl symbols replace all minor symbols if there is a Scatter symbol underneath them. These symbols will be replaced by the numbers 8, 7 and 6 respectively.
The Treasure Chest symbol awards players with a random win ranging from 5 to 1000 bets if there is a Scatter symbol under it. This symbol is replaced by the number 5 when the Bonus game begins. A Coin gives the player a win of 10 bets on the game if there is a Scatter symbol underneath it – transforming into the number 4 for the Bonus. All numbers on the Additional Reel that fall out or appear in place of symbols will go into the Bonus Game when three or more Scatters appear on the reels. Hitting four Scatters will increase each number by one, landing five Scatters will increase each number by three – the maximum is nine.
Players trigger the Bonus Game with three or more bomb Scatters. Before it begins, the first and second cells open up on the Additional Reel at the top, then players must choose a chest that contains either a Plus, Multiplier, or a noose, which concludes the round. As players move down through the levels, the multipliers can increase depending on the chest’s bounty – the maximum is 59049x.
Sergey Chernyavski, Belatra Games’ CCO, said: “Tortuga Codex takes players deep into the perilous seas filled with hidden mysteries, legendary treasures, and ancient artefacts waiting to be uncovered on the reels. The Bonus feature gives players the perfect opportunity to chart a course to winnings.”
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