Latest News
Wizard Games unveils brand new mechanic in Teddy’s Tavern
Aspire Global’s Wizard Games has launched a St Patrick’s Day game with a twist in Teddy’s Tavern, a major release that features an exciting new mechanic, DigiDrop.
The attractive three-reel, one-row title, set inside a classic Irish pub, has a simplified approach that does away with the standard paylines and ways as players are invited to enjoy some jovial, Emerald isle-style hospitality.
Instead, a set of unique symbols featuring numbers drop across the reels to create an easy-to-understand multiplier. For example, if the player lands a 0, 5 and 4 combination, they pick up 54x their stake. Should they land a 10, 0 and 0, then that would represent a huge 1,000x prize.
Additionally, non-winning spins have a chance of triggering respins across all three reels in Lucky Respins mode, while three Scatters triggers 10 Free Spins, with the opportunity of retriggers – enough to make anyone dance a jig of joy. In certain markets, players can purchase the feature with a Buy option across several Free Spins modes.
Teddy’s Tavern is a medium to high volatility game, with three different levels of RTP – 88%, 94% and 96%.
Joey Hurtado, Managing Director of Games at Wizard Games, said: “St Patrick’s Day is a major date in the online gaming calendar and this year, we were determined to make our mark on the occasion.
“This is exactly what we have achieved with Teddy’s Tavern. The new mechanic we have developed is easy to understand and gives players an instant visualisation of what they have won. We are confident that this landmark launch – our biggest to date – will prove to be a massive hit with our partners and their players across the world.”
Deane Hendricks, Chief Operations Officer at Wizard Games, said: “In a short space of time since launching, Wizard Games has already left its mark on the industry with its innovative approach to slot development.
“The DigiDrop mechanic within Teddy’s Tavern is sure to be a hit with players old and new and fits the bill perfectly in terms of engagement around St Patrick’s Day.”
Baltics
Evoplay bolsters presence in Lithuania with Betsafe deal
Evoplay, the award-winning game development studio, is expanding in the Baltics thanks to its latest tie-up with Betsafe in Lithuania.
The deal sees over 90 of the supplier’s leading titles live on the Betsson Group’s Lithuanian brand Betsafe, a leading operator in the market.
Included in the agreement are Evoplay’s top-performing titles such as Elven Princesses, Hot Triple Sevens and The Greatest Catch Bonus Buy which are now available for Betsafe players.
The latest integration follows a string of similar deals for Evoplay who has continued its expansion across regulated markets in Europe and beyond.
Ihor Zarechnyi, CBDO at Evoplay, said: “Integrating our products to Betsafe, a leading brand in Lithuania, is another important step in our commercial trajectory as our titles continue to grow in popularity and develop a stellar reputation among gaming enthusiasts worldwide.
“Lithuania is a vibrant and dynamic market, and we are thrilled to bring our award-winning content to even more players in the region.”
Aurimas Šilys, Head of Lithuania at Betsson Group, said: “Boosting our offering with a diverse array of titles is of utmost importance for Betsafe as we strive to deliver an unmatched gaming experience to players in Lithuania.
“We are delighted to integrate Evoplay’s dynamic portfolio into our offerings, and we anticipate it will resonate exceptionally well with our audience.”
Latest News
EL Executive Committee Names Mr Ionut-Valeriu Andrei as New Member
The EL Executive Committee has named Mr. Ionut-Valeriu Andrei as its newest member during its meeting on April 5. Mr. Andrei is the General Manager of Loteria Română since 2022, and succeeds Mr. Olgierd Cieslik, whose term as CEO of Totalisator Sportowy (Poland) has concluded.
”It is with great pleasure to welcome Mr Ionut-Valeriu Andrei as a new Executive Committee member. As an experienced executive, Mr Andrei has already contributed in various ways to our Association and the EL Executive Committee members trust he will continue to do so in the future,” Arjan van ‘t Veer, Secretary General of EL, said.
Mr Andrei will oversee the learning and development activities of EL. His appointment underscores the further commitment of the European Lotteries to inclusivity and collaboration among its members.
”I am honoured to join the EL Executive Committee and look forward to working closely with my colleagues to advance the mission and values of the Association,” Ionut-Valeriu Andrei said.
Mr Andrei’s co-optation will be formalised during the upcoming EL General Assembly in Salzburg (Austria) on 17 June 2024.
Compliance Updates
EGBA Welcomes European Parliament’s Approval Of New EU Anti-Money Laundering Framework
The EU’s new anti-money laundering package aims to create a more consistent regulatory framework and will benefit online gambling operators by standardising AML rules and reporting requirements across member states.
Brussels, 24 April 2024 – The European Parliament has approved the EU’s new anti-money laundering (AML) package at its plenary sitting today, marking a significant milestone towards a new EU framework for combatting financial crime. The European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA), representing Europe’s leading online gambling operators, welcomes the Parliament’s approval of the new AML package and believes the incoming rule changes will strengthen the EU’s approach to tackling money laundering.
The new package will contain:
- A single rulebook regulation – with provisions on conducting due diligence on customers, transparency of beneficial owners and the use of crypto-assets.
- The 6th Anti-Money Laundering Directive – containing national provisions on supervision and national AML authorities, as well as on the access of authorities to necessary and reliable information, e.g. beneficial ownership registers.
- The establishment of the European Anti-Money Laundering Authority (AMLA) – which have supervisory and investigative powers to ensure compliance with AML requirements, operating in conjunction with national AML authorities.
EGBA believes the new rules will benefit Europe’s online gambling operators by ensuring a consistent regulatory approach across EU member states. Another important feature, under the competence of AMLA, will be the creation of a harmonised reporting format for Suspicious Transaction Reports (STRs). This will ensure that Europe’s online gambling operators encounter the same STR requirements across all EU member states, thereby setting clear and consistent expectations that will reduce administrative burdens and costs.
To assist online gambling operators in complying with the EU’s new AML rules, EGBA has developed industry-specific guidelines on anti-money laundering which apply a risk-based approach and include practical measures that operators can take – on customer and business risk assessments, customer due diligence processes, suspicious transaction reporting, and record keeping. EGBA members already apply the guidelines and submit annual reports to EGBA that summarise their progress in implementing its measures. The guidelines are also open to all operators based in the EU and EGBA encourages operators to sign up to them.
The AML package now awaits formal adoption by the Council of the EU, expected in May, before being published in the EU’s Official Journal.
“We welcome the European Parliament’s approval of the new anti-money laundering package. The new framework will set high standards and ensure greater consistency in the application of AML rules across the EU. Online gambling operators, especially those operating in multiple countries, will benefit from a single rulebook and harmonised reporting requirements that will unravel national complexities. We will look to review our industry guidelines on AML to ensure their alignment with the new EU rules. By signing up to the guidelines, operators can already prepare themselves for the incoming changes in the EU rules and join our members in their efforts to proactively and positively contribute to the EU’s fight against money laundering.” – Dr. Ekaterina Hartmann, Director of Legal and Regulatory Affairs, EGBA.
Source: EGBA
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