Latest News
Veikkaus to Lay Off Between 125 and 190 Staff
Finnish gambling monopoly Veikkaus is set to lay off between 125 and 195 staff, following the conclusion of restructuring negotiations.
As part of the downsizing, the operator will close about 15 of its gaming arcades, at venues where it determined sustainability measures such as mandatory ID play and loss limits have made it too difficult to turn a profit. Veikkaus also made “material changes” to the contracts of around 60-110 employees, as well as 50 contractors. The changes will come into effect in January 2022.
The decision comes after Veikkaus opened negotiations with 830 staff in an effort to cut costs following a decline in business partially caused by the effects of the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic. At the time, the business said it expected to lay off up to 200 staff.
The exact number of staff to be made redundant has still not been determined, as some staff have the option to take on new roles if they accept.
Jari Heino, senior vice president for channels and sales, said: “The reforms have been designed in such a way that those leaving the company will be offered support during the change. Basically, most members of Veikkaus’ personnel that the negotiations concerned will be offered new positions within the company. For example, Casino Tampere, which will be opened in December, still needs dozens of gaming industry and customer service professionals.
“The sustainable casino of a new era of gaming will offer great facilities and jobs for many people. It is essential that we look ahead and work to make sure that Veikkaus retains its dynamicity today and tomorrow.”
The monopoly is also facing fierce competition from online operators. The hugely popular pay n play option has even further increased the share of online only operators licensed in the EU.
eSports
Esoccer surges across Kambi network on Abios product upgrade
Kambi, the world’s trusted sports betting partner, has elevated its esports offering with the integration of Abios’ esoccer odds product into the Kambi sportsbook platform.
Utilising real-time data from leading rights holders and automated modelling overseen by an experienced trading team, Abios now powers esoccer betting for the Kambi network, with plans in place to expand Kambi partners’ access to Abios’ offering on events including ebasketball, Counter-Strike and League of Legends throughout 2024.
Covering more than 6,000 matches a month and rising, Abios’ esoccer product is delivered to partners via the same trading gateway as Tzeract’s AI-driven pricing and Inspired’s suite of virtual sports products, and is therefore also available as a modular service to operators outside the Kambi network.
Enabling a larger number of events to be offered and greatly enhancing the quality and depth of the offering, Abios’ product has already delivered strong revenue growth since launch with esoccer consistently among the top leagues by number of bets on the Kambi network.
Simon Noy, SVP of Trading at Kambi, said: “The integration of Abios’ esoccer odds product into the Kambi sportsbook platform marks an exciting advancement for our esports offering. Abios’ expertise in real-time data and automated modelling ensures that our network receives top-tier esoccer trading. As we continue the roll-out to ebasketball and titles such as Counter-Strike and League of Legends, we are confident that this will not only enhance the quality of our offerings but also drive further growth in the rapidly expanding esports betting market.”
Oskar Bonnevier Fröberg, CEO and Founder of Abios, said: “With our roots in esports data, we’re very happy to be able to provide the models and trading capabilities to power dozens of sportsbooks across the globe with a reliable and accurate esoccer odds feed. As Abios’ trading capabilities grow, we can increase uptime and bet offer availability to esports while offering innovative solutions such as same-game bet builders and player props, catering to the fast and expansive consumer habits of the digital generation.”
A Kambi Group company, Abios is the leading esports services provider to the betting and gaming industry, with over a decade of experience in providing operators with best-in-class data, odds and streaming capabilities.
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Latest News
Evoplay dives into the depths in latest release Ocean Catch
Award-winning game development studio Evoplay has launched its new slot Ocean Catch, utilising a popular fishing theme that showcases unique Fish&Collect and Tackle box features, filled with rewards.
This 5×4 aquatic adventure is stacked with action-packed mechanics, including the Fish&Collect feature which occurs when an instant reward fish symbol falls on the reels with a Wild.
The Dynamite Feature can be triggered on any spin at any point of the game, when at least one Wild appears. Here, up to six regular symbols are replaced by Fish symbols, triggering the Fish&Collect Feature and providing massive win potential.
Three or more Bonus symbols allow players to pick from one of three Free Spins rounds with varying levels of volatility. Every Wild that lands during the Free Spins bolsters the progress bar, with four Wilds collected providing extra spins and increasing Wild multiplier.
The Gold Fish symbol can also appear during Free Spins, awarding up to 100x a player’s bet while a Tackle Box can land on the fifth reel, unlocking a multiplier up to x20 or up to eight extra spins.
Ocean Catch demonstrates Evoplay’s versatility in developing high-quality slots exhibiting a variety of themes, with this newest release expected to be a popular hit within the company’s immersive portfolio.
Ivan Kravchuk, CEO at Evoplay, said: “Ocean Catch invites players to enjoy a memorable fishing trip, reeling in multiple ways to win and empowering users to select from three different bonus games to suit their preferred gaming style.
“Packing a player-favourite theme with engrossing features, this distinctive slot will undoubtedly shine for us as the year progresses and we are delighted to launch this title across multiple markets.”
Central Europe
PRAGMATIC PLAY TAKES SLOTS LIVE WITH TIPSPORT IN CZECH REPUBLIC AND SLOVAKIA
The provider rolls out Slots catalogue in Czech Republic and Slovakia
Pragmatic Play, a leading content supplier to the iGaming industry, has taken its Slots content live with Tipsport, a leading operator in Slovakia and the Czech Republic.
The provider’s growing collection of award-winning Slots, which includes iconic titles such as Gates of Olympus and Sweet Bonanza, in addition to recent hits such as Loki’s Riches, is now available to Tipsport players.
Pragmatic Play’s wider portfolio of RNG games, including its two popular Crash titles, Spaceman and Big Bass Crash, is also live with Tipsport, giving their players the chance to enjoy a variety of premium gaming experiences.
Founded in 1991, Tipsport has become the largest betting company in the Czech Republic. With a prominent land-based presence alongside its online casino and sports betting products, it is now one of the leading operators in Eastern and Central Europe.
The partnership with Tipsport widens the reach of Pragmatic Play’s product offering in key regulated markets.
Irina Cornides, Chief Operating Officer at Pragmatic Play, said: “We’re delighted to partner with Tipsport, a popular and respected operator in Slovakia and the Czech Republic, bringing Pragmatic Play’s Slots and RNG content to even more players in these markets.”
Jiří Švarc, Casino Director at Tipsport, added: “As a market leader in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, we’re excited to welcome Pragmatic Play to our platform and begin to offer our players a more diverse and unparalleled number of immersive Slots.
“Pragmatic Play is easily one of the most well-known providers in the industry, so we’re glad to finally be welcoming them to Tipsport. We believe this will be an extremely successful partnership, and we look forward to seeing the results.”
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