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Is Virgin Games Growing in Europe?

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In 1970 Richard Branson and Nik Powell formed Virgin Group Ltd. Initially the company specialized in selling records, but over the years and decades it has gone on to put its name to a great many more endeavors.

The brand has, amongst other things, attempted to dominate the British radio industry, rival Coca-Cola, and become the number 1 spaceflight provider. One slightly less eye-catching, but much more successful Virgin venture is the ever-popular online casino site Virgin Games.

Founded in 2003, Virgin Games entered the market at just the right time. Within a few years of its foundation, online gambling would go from an uncommon pastime to a cultural phenomenon.

In 2013 the success of Virgin Games caught the eye of Gamesys, a multi-national software development, and gaming business. Since then the company has been focused on growing beyond British shores, with European development high on the priority list.

In this article, we take a look at how that expansion is working out for the relentlessly ambitious gambling provider.

Virgin Games Business Overview

At the time of writing Virgin Games are in an excellent place commercially speaking. In the UK revenue grew by 20% last year thanks predominantly to the performance of slot machine games offered by the provider.

The most exciting news from investors and shareholders though came from Asia, where Virgin Games’ revenues grew by a whopping 30%. Much of that growth has been credited to the work that the company has done in cementing its brand in the Asian market.

Domestically the trend of growth has continued into 2022 with the company reporting average monthly users of almost 750,000 and monthly revenues of just under £65 million. The European picture however is slightly less pleasing for Virgin.

Why is European Growth Slower?

The UK was one of the first countries in the world to open up a legal online gambling industry. Whilst the market is regulated here in the UK, it is subject to a lot less red tape than many countries in Europe.

Confusing legislation and restrictive regulations have been cited as a major reason for Virgin Games’ stalling fortunes on the continent. In addition to that, the continent seems to have bounced back from the pandemic less vigorously than the UK and Asia.

Whilst many British gamblers used lockdowns as an excuse to eschew their bricks and mortar casino visits for a few hours playing online, many Europeans curtailed their gambling habits altogether. As a result, the continent has seen much slower growth in the sector since the economy opened up again toward the end of 2021.

It’s also important to remember that expanding into Europe is a tough task at the best of times. Europe is a continent of around 50 countries, most of which have their own unique rules and regulations pertaining to gambling.

In addition to that, there are 24 official languages spoken on the continent and a great many more unofficial languages. So it’s only natural then that European expansion is going to be slower for Virgin Games and more costly.

What Makes Virgin Games Appealing?

European legislation and language compatibility are obstacles that, if history is anything to go by, Virgin Games should be more than capable of surmounting. The question at the end of that though is what about the company will prove appealing to European gamblers?

The answer is much the same that makes it popular here in the UK and Asia – slots, poker tournaments, and live casino facilities.

Like the wider gambling industry in general, slots are the main revenue driver for Virgin Games and they boast a large and varied selection to cater to almost every demographic. In recent years there has been a concerted effort to rekindle the popularity of their poker tournaments too.

At the beginning of the 2010s Virgin Games were one of the biggest names in online poker, a reputation they are keen to recapture. One feature of the company that could make it a success on the continent, where bricks and mortar casinos continue to fall into obsolescence is its Live Casino.

This facility allows players to interact with real-life dealers who stream all the latest action directly from the gambling tables to the player’s phones, tablets, or PC screens.

Finally, Virgin Games has something that many online casinos don’t – brand exposure. Despite being purchased by Gamesy in 2013, the company still retained the Virgin name, which has made it recognizable all over the world.

It’s impossible to travel to a country in the world where the company Virgin is unheard of. That doesn’t just bring exposure but it also brings a level of consumer trust. Virgin is not just a company people have heard of, but it is one that people know to be trustworthy.

Will Virgin Games Succeed in Europe?

If you were to take bets on this question, the smart money would be on ‘yes’. Virgin Games have succeeded in the UK and Asia and are doing well in North America. It is only legislative and technical difficulties that are slowing down the company’s assault on mainland Europe.

Once these are surmounted, as they surely will be, Virgin Games will gain a foothold in Europe as it has in other international markets.

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Win tickets to the BLAST Premier Fall Final: GG.BET is running a MEGA BLAST Competition for fans of СS2

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From 26 July, all GG.BET users can get involved in the new MEGA BLAST Competition with a €10,000 prize fund. The winner will receive two tickets to the BLAST Premier Fall Final CS2 tournament, taking place from 27-29 September in Copenhagen. To enter, you need to place bets on Counter-Strike 2 matches.

BLAST Premier Fall is a major series of Counter-Strike 2 tournaments which draws in millions of viewers from all over the world every year. The series consists of three stages: Groups, Showdown, and Finals. The Groups stage sees 16 Tier-1 teams duke it out. Only 6 of these can go on to compete in the final, while the rest will battle it out in the Fall Showdown for two additional spots in the final. BLAST Premier Fall Finals will be the concluding stage of the Fall series, and fans can look forward to electrifying action, heart-stopping twists and turns, and an epic $425,000 prize fund.

From 26 July to 4 August, as the Groups stage rages on, GG.BET will be holding its MEGA BLAST Competition. The winner will get their hands on two tickets to attend every day of the BLAST Premier Fall Finals. As well as these tickets, the bookmaker is also giving away a whopping €10,000 prize fund to the top 40 participants in the MEGA BLAST Competition.

How to take part in the MEGA BLAST Competition:

  1. Register an account with GG.BET or log in to an existing account.
  2. Go to the tournament page and press “Participate”.
  3. Place bets on Counter-Strike 2 matches. Every bet you place will earn you a certain number of points, based on the odds.
  4. Rack up points, keep an eye on the leaderboard, and wait for your winnings to roll in.

Bet on your favorites and get ready for some unforgettable fun! Head over to GG.BET right now so you don’t miss your chance to enjoy a festival of Counter-Strike action in Copenhagen.

 

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MANCHESTER CITY TO MARK GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP WITH SUPER GROUP-OWNED BETWAY AT THE NEW YORK STOCK EXCHANGE

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Manchester City has today announced a new multi-year partnership with leading global online betting and gaming brand, Betway.

As part of the club’s pre-season tour of the United States, and to mark this significant deal, leading figures from Manchester City and Super Group will be on-site for the iconic NYSE bell-ringing ceremony later today. Ferran Soriano, CEO of City Football Group, along with Neal Menashe, Super Group CEO, will ring The Opening Bell at 9:30am EDT.

The agreement will see Betway become the club’s Official Global Betting Partner from the start of the 2024/25 season, as Manchester City joins the brand’s extensive sports sponsorship portfolio which includes teams from across the Premier League, La Liga, NBA and more.

Ferran Soriano, City Football Group CEO, said: “We are pleased to announce Betway as our Official Global Betting Partner today. As a globally recognised brand, Betway has a strong pedigree and history of working with high-profile brands within the sports space and we’re excited to work together throughout the partnership.”

Super Group CEO, Neal Menashe, commented: “We are absolutely delighted to become Manchester City’s Official Global Betting Partner. This agreement cements our place in the top tier of Premier League partners, ensuring that our Betway brand reaches fans in all corners of the globe.”

Throughout the duration of the partnership, Manchester City and Betway will collaborate on a number of activations and exclusive content opportunities, in addition to the brand featuring across digital and in-stadia assets.

Manchester City and Betway will also work together to provide all players, coaches, management and staff in-depth, industry leading training on all relevant codes of conduct relating to betting integrity and responsible gambling. This is in addition to the work Manchester City already does to support players and staff in this area.

The Opening Bell ceremony can be viewed live.

 

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Compliance Updates

Acquiring a Curacao Online Gaming License in 2024: Comprehensive Analysis of Financial & Procedural Aspects with Costs & Timelines Detailed

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The “Acquiring a Curacao Online Gaming License, 2024: Comprehensive Analysis of Financial & Procedural Aspects with Costs & Timelines Detailed” report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com’s offering.

This report includes valuable insights into the financial and procedural aspects, including detailed information on costs and timelines associated with acquiring a Curacao license.

In 2023, Curacao introduced the “Landsverordening op de kansspelen” (Ordinance on Games of Chance) to modernize and regulate gambling legislation. Since March 2020, the Gambling Control Board (GCB) has been authorized to regulate offshore gambling games and oversee the issuance of Curacao licenses. As of 2023, there are 16 companies providing legal services for registration and licensing in the territory of Curacao. The license fee, as per GCB regulations, is 36,000 ANG or 19,800 USD, payable upon license issuance.

Research Timeline and Data Relevance

The research was conducted in two stages. The first stage, studying the regulator and Open Data Search, took place in December 2023. The second stage, writing the report and partially updating the data from the first stage, took place from the end of April to the end of May 2024.

Goals and Objectives

  • Describe the information about the Curacao license and the issuing regulator.
  • Describe the requirements and conditions for obtaining a Curacao license.
  • Describe the costs and timelines for obtaining a Curacao license.
  • Briefly study the market, find and suggest the following lists:
    • Legal companies offering services for company registration and obtaining a Curacao license;
    • Communication agents and integrators working with the Curacao license;
    • Suppliers and vendors working with the Curacao license;
    • Payment systems working with the Curacao license.

Key Topics Covered:

1. Goals and Objectives

2. Research Timeline and Data Relevance

  • Document Markup
  • Raw and Combined Data
  • Terms & Glossary

3. General Information

  • The Regulator
    • Registration of Operators With Sublicense
    • Application for an Online Gaming License

4. Requirements and Conditions for Obtaining a License

License Conditions

  • General Prohibitions
  • Safe and Secure Environment
  • Equipment and Application Software
  • Player Registration
  • Payment Transactions
  • Games
  • Terms of Use
  • Resolution of Complaints
  • Administrative Responsibilities
  • Publicly Available Information
  • Reports
  • Policies and Procedures
  • Suspension and Revocation of License
  • Additional Conditions
  • Supervision

Recommendations or Minimum Requirements for the Business Plan

5. The Cost of the License

6. Decision Term and the Validity of the License

7. Application Method and Forms

8. Contact Information

9. Companies for Registration and Licensing

10. Integration Companies

11. Suppliers and Vendors

12. Payment Systems

13. META

14. Appendix: Terms & Glossary

For more information about this report visit researchandmarkets.com/r/izeo6g

 

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