The Netherlands has always been an important market for the Merkur brand, in terms of both the arcade and casino sectors. Holland’s current climate of positive regulation being provided by the Netherlands Gambling Authority (KSA) chaired by René Jansen has led Merkur to become a strategic partner of Gaming in Holland (GiH) and to join the GiH Conference & Expo that was held from June 20 to 21 at the Jaarbeurs expo centre in the city of Utrecht.

Since 2011, the annual Gaming in Holland Conference has been the event to find out what’s happening in the Dutch gaming market and to meet up with all the major decision makers, focusing on the entire Dutch gambling industry. The opening of the regulated online market in October 2021 not only created a completely new market segment but also materially impacted existing markets, channels and verticals.

Recognising the importance of this event Merkur made a strong commitment and created a major presence at the Expo, being represented by Merkur Gaming and Group subsidiary companies, GeWeTe and edict eGaming solutions.

“We had good discussions with many customers, especially about our new ZONIC slot machine for the Dutch arcades. This unique cabinet with its very good ergonomics and the new game package with the new FIVE game feature was very well received by our customers. In addition, discussions were also held with our many pub customers. They are already looking forward to our own next, specifically for the pub sector, exhibition that will be held on 4 July in the Van der Valk Hotel Sassenheim in the Netherlands,” Dirk Sondermann, Managing Director of Merkur Gaming, said.

“This was a great opportunity for GeWeTe. We would like to thank the organizers for a great event, for the informative conference presentations and for the possibility for us to meet with important personalities from the gaming industry in Holland,” Aristidis Tsikouras, CEO of GeWeTe, said.

“The Dutch gaming market has always been an important part of GeWeTe, and not just because our company is geographically close to the Netherlands. Our extensive range of products and our solutions meet all needs, for arcades, gastronomy and also for casinos,” Aristidis Tsikouras added.

Holland Casino, FNV and De Unie have reached a negotiation agreement for a new collective labour agreement. The parties have been discussing this in recent weeks. The new collective labour agreement will run from 1 June 2022 to 30 September 2023.

The wage will be structurally increased by 2.5% from 1 June 2022. A nominal amount of 60 euros per month will also be added on a structural basis. On 1 January 2023, wages will increase by another 0.75%. It has also been agreed that the hourly wage for employees is at least 14 euros. In addition, all employees who are employed by Holland Casino in July this year will receive a one-off gross amount of 350 euros based on full-time employment in that month.

“The past two years have been dominated for Holland Casino by the impact of the coronavirus. We were forced to close our doors for months and were confronted with many restrictive measures. In the discussions about wages, we had to take into account Holland Casino’s financial position on the one hand, and inflation and the situation on the labor market on the other. I am pleased that we have achieved a good result in a relatively short period of time. With this increase, there is a balanced agreement that is good for our employees and for Holland Casino,” Marleen Berk, HR Director at Holland Casino, said.

Betsoft Gaming has signed a partnership deal with Simsino, iGG’s newly launched casino brand.

The MGA licenced casino – simsino.com – will host Betsoft’s portfolio of table games and award-winning slots. Latest releases Alkemor’s Elements and the anime themed Kensei Blades, alongside classic hits The Slotfather and Weekend in Vegas are already available to play.

In order to further enhance gameplay, Betsoft launched its first promotional product, Take the Prize, earlier this year. The promotional tool will significantly add to the overall player experience by offering a random fortune wheel with cash prizes or bonuses in any of Betsoft’s qualifying games throughout any promotion.

Simsino has been designed to appeal to a younger player base looking for exciting promotions and fast, immersive gameplay. A generous Welcome Bonus and a unique “Simsino Cashback” feature are available as part of the Simsino loyalty programme. Furthermore, the easy-to-navigate site offers a streamlined user experience to take players straight to the games and promotions they want.

Anna Mackney, Head of Account Management at Betsoft Gaming, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with Simsino as they are a young and innovative brand. Betsoft has a diverse portfolio which appeals across many demographics and we anticipate a successful relationship with Simsino.”

John Foster, Head of Games & Aggregation Manager, iGG WhiteLabels, said: “Great content is a significant driver of customer traffic and so a provider of Betsoft’s calibre is essential for simsino.com and other iGG WhiteLabels. We look forward to seeing this partnership enhance players’ engagement with the brand.”