Central Europe
Bet-at-home Decides to Temporarily Discontinue Offering Online Casino in Austria
Bet-at-home AG has announced that it will temporarily discontinue its offering of online casino in Austria, and recognise further provisions due to player lawsuits for repayment of gaming losses.
The Management Board decided during a meeting with the Supervisory Board to put the online casino offering in the country on hold. This is due to the fact that, even though the company considers itself to be lawful, the continuation of the activity before final legal clarification over a period of time that is currently no longer foreseeable would lead to a steadily increasing risk potential that appears indefensible overall.
The Germany-based company had already announced that it was facing legal claims from customers for a reimbursement of gambling losses in the online casino.
In a statement released by the company, the bet-at-home.com AG Group said it still considers the online casino monopoly of the national Austrian gambling regulation to be “contrary to European law”, and considers itself to be a “lawful online casino provider in Austria”.
Regarding the necessity derived from the current European Court of Justice case law of a recurring review also by the Austrian courts, bet-at-home.com AG Group deems it is not taking place to the required extent, and has so far assumed a positive development of case law in particular at the higher courts in the appeal instances, until the end of the first half of 2022.
However, due to a recent decision by the Austrian Supreme Court, it is now unclear whether the bet-at-home.com AG Group will be able to enforce its legal opinion in Austrian courts in the foreseeable future.
The decision on any resumption of the online casino offering in Austria will be made in the future depending on the development of the legal framework, and the company “will continue to use all available legal means to take action against the lawsuits filed in Austria”.
The Management Board also decided to recognise further provisions for the customer lawsuits for reimbursement of player losses that have been pending in Austria to date.
As a result, the Company provisionally expects gross betting and gaming revenues of between EUR 93 million and EUR 98 million for the bet-at-home AG Group in fiscal year 2021 and negative EBITDA of between EUR -14 million and EUR -10 million, which includes expenses of EUR 24.6 million in connection with the Austrian customer lawsuits.
Depending on the decision of the Austrian tax authorities, the Company assumes that gaming levies amounting to 40% of the relevant amounts will have to be refunded to the bet-at-home AG Group on player losses to be reimbursed. However, due to legal uncertainties, these amounts are not used to reduce the aforementioned expenses and are not capitalised.
Central Europe
Evoplay enters Czech market with exclusive Fortuna collaboration
Evoplay, the award-winning game development studio, has made its debut in the Czech Republic through an exclusive collaboration with leading operator Fortuna.
As part of the agreement, 39 of Evoplay’s top-performing games, including popular titles like Penalty Shoot-out and The Greatest Catch, are now available to Fortuna customers in the Central European country.
The collaboration not only introduces Evoplay’s diverse portfolio to the Czech market but also solidifies the company’s commitment to expanding in key territories.
Fortuna, a Fortuna Entertainment Group (FEG) brand, is a prominent online casino operator in the Czech market, and the partnership offers Evoplay a solid platform to reach more local players, supporting both companies’ growth objectives.
The strategic move marks a significant milestone for Evoplay, as it becomes the studio’s inaugural partnership in the market with plans for further expansion.
Ihor Zarechnyi, CBDO at Evoplay, said: “Breaking into the Czech market with an exclusive partner like Fortuna underscores our strategic vision for regulated markets. We’re thrilled to bring our diverse content offering to Czech players and are confident this collaboration will yield outstanding results.”
Myke Foster, Group Head of Commercial Gaming Operations at FEG, said: “This partnership reflects our commitment to delivering best-in-class entertainment and exceptional gaming experiences to all FEG customers, with Evoplay providing a broad content portfolio proven with players around the globe.”
“We are thrilled to be the first operator to take Evoplay’s titles live in the Czech market, and we anticipate a new level of engagement among our local audience.”
Central Europe
Amusnet Partners with Kajot Intacto
Amusnet proudly announces its strategic partnership with Kajot Intacto, a prominent Central and Eastern European gaming market operator. This collaboration aims to enhance players’ gaming experience by combining Amusnet’s cutting-edge offerings and diverse game portfolio with Kajot Intacto’s established market presence and expertise.
“At Amusnet, our focus is on enhancing player engagement and satisfaction, and our partnership with Kajot Intacto exemplifies this dedication. By utilizing the operator’s established market presence, we can effectively introduce our diverse portfolio of games to a wider audience in Slovakia. As we begin this collaborative journey, we are committed to evolving our offerings and remaining at the forefront of market trends, ensuring we meet the needs of players now and into the future,” said Irina Rusimova, Chief Commercial Officer at Amusnet.
“We are pleased to announce the addition of Amusnet as a valued game provider for our players. Renowned for its classic games enhanced with innovative features, Amusnet aligns perfectly with our commitment to delivering quality gaming experiences. Notably, the most popular game at Kajot Intacto is 100 Burning Hot, which exemplifies Amusnet’s signature style and underscores our dedication to offering engaging content to our player base,” said André Kruf, Sales Director at Kajot Intacto.
On Kajot Intacto’s platform, Slovak players can find some of Amusnet’s top-performing games, such as Hot Deco, 20 Golden Coins, Great 27, 100 Power Hot, Extra Crown, 100 Super Hot, 100 Burning Hot, Aztec Forest, Fruits & Gold, 20 Hot Blast and other top-notch titles like Secrets of Sherwood, Candy Palace, and Drops of Water.
Central Europe
NOVOMATIC builds the Group’s largest photovoltaic system in Lower Austria
NOVOMATIC has underscored its clear commitment to sustainability by installing the Group’s largest photovoltaic system. More than 4,600 solar panels have been installed on the roof of the headquarters in Lower Austria, covering a total area of 20,000 m2 and ceremoniously commissioned in the presence of Lower Austrian Governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner, NOVOMATIC’s Executive Board and the mayor of Gumpoldskirchen, Ferdinand Köck.
The PV system, with a size equivalent to three football pitches, will produce around two million kilowatt-hours of electricity every year, thereby enabling the company to meet a substantial portion of this location’s annual energy needs. In addition to being used in the offices and production facilities, this green electricity will also find its way into the company’s dedicated charging stations for its fleet of e-vehicles. It is a similar situation with international subsidiaries in countries such as Germany, Italy, Spain, Romania, North Macedonia, Bosnia, Poland, South Africa and Australia, which are already meeting substantial portions of their electricity needs from dedicated PV systems.
State Governor of Lower Austria, Johanna Mikl-Leitner, emphasizes “Lower Austria is a pioneer in efforts to develop the use of wind energy and photovoltaics. Half of all the wind power produced in Austria and a quarter of all the country’s photovoltaic electricity already comes from Lower Austria today. We can do this because many companies do their bit to ensure the green and sustainable future of the state’s economic engine, investing in the development of renewable energy sources. Thank you for this investment and the trust placed in the economic hub that is Lower Austria.”
“The completion of the Group’s largest photovoltaic plant is not just a key milestone in the sustainability strategy of NOVOMATIC AG, but it also means we have sent a clear signal of our intentions to foster a strong and efficient energy future. After all, it is only by taking responsibility that business success can be guaranteed in the long term,” says the Executive Board of the NOVOMATIC AG Group.
Installing the new PV system on already built-up areas helps NOVOMATIC to consistently reduce its carbon footprint, and enabling it now to save more than 1,100 tons of CO2 emissions every year, the equivalent of 90,500 trees compensating for CO2. The concept of “Going Green” is firmly anchored in the company’s comprehensive ESG program as Europe’s leading gaming technology group. In addition to its work to expand the use of photovoltaics across the Group, the company is also focusing its attention on monitoring resources and expanding e-mobility, all with a view to permanently cutting international CO2 emissions.
-
Latest News1 day ago
Make every pixel personal: Opera GX facelift lets you match your browser to your setup down to the smallest detail
-
Latest News1 day ago
Casino Management System Market to Reach USD 29.09 Billion by 2032 | Enhanced Security and Operational Efficiency Drive Growth | Research by S&S Insider
-
Balkans6 days ago
EGT Digital’s iGaming platform X-Nave and successful titles to deliver high-quality experience to BetHub’s customers
-
Asia6 days ago
Mascots Xiyangyang and Lerongrong ready for China’s 15th National Games
-
Australia7 days ago
ACMA: Tabcorp Pays $262,000 Penalty for Illegal In-Play Bets
-
Latest News6 days ago
AGREEMENT BETWEEN ZITRO AND GRUPO OSGA TO PROMOTE THE LABOT INTEGRATION OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
-
Latest News6 days ago
Week 46/2024 slot games releases
-
Latest News1 day ago
Fast Track Celebrates Third Year as a Great Place to Work Certified™ Tech Company