Baltics
HIPTHER gets ready for sold-out MARE BALTICUM Gaming and TECH Summit
Baltic and Nordic region’s most popular gaming and tech conference returns to Riga, Latvia, this week – with highly-anticipated BSG Awards and BTECH Awards
Hipther is making the final preparations for this week’s MARE BALTICUM Gaming and TECH Summit after announcing its highly sought-after combo tickets have completely sold out.
Taking place at Grand Hotel Kempinski in Riga, Latvia, on May 16-17th, the Baltic and Nordic-focused summit is set to welcome 150 participants, including 50 speakers, and host a total of 48 hours of networking.
MARE BALTICUM Gaming and Tech Summit has seen growing demand this year with combo tickets including three nights’ accommodation now completely sold out – while a limited number of delegate passes remain on sale.
Main stage sponsors include Tom Horn and silver sponsor Evoplay, along with backers Nordic Gambling, nanocosmos, Black Cat Card, Rite NRG, Oddin and 7777 Gaming.
The boutique, community-driven event also boasts an extensive schedule of expert speakers, including Marina Davidova of Entain’s Enlabs, Ondrej Lapides, CEO at Tom Horn Gaming, and Monika Szwed of RiteNRG.
Hipther is also gearing up for its prestigious Baltic and Scandinavian Gaming Awards (BSG Awards) and BTECH Awards 2023, which will be hosted in the Grand Hotel Kempinski’s Grand Ballroom, with industry leaders such as EveryMatrix, Wazdan, GreenTube, Relax Gaming and Pragmatic Play up for multiple awards.
Totalling 36 nomination categories, the awards event recognises significant achievements across the Baltic and Scandinavian gaming industries. Final winners of each shortlist category will be decided by a special voting session held over the day of the conference.
Commenting on the return of the MARE BALTICUM Gaming and TECH Summit, Zoltan Tuendik, Co-founder and Head of Business and Events at Hipther said: “It is a pleasure to return with the Baltic and Scandinavian region’s best summit, now in its sixth year.
“Our community-based, bespoke event attracts dozens of experts and is an essential addition to the industry’s event calendar. We have already sold out of our combo tickets and look forward to dozens of thought leaders and delegates this week!”
Marina Davidova, Head of Customer Support and Responsible Gambling for Entain’s Enlabs, said: “I am super excited and honored to take part in it and participate in the RG panel focused on responsible gambling tools and helping players to play safely and responsibly.Thanks Zoltán Tűndik!”
Dan Iliovici, Vice President at Rombet, said: “I am honored to attend MARE BALTICUM Gaming & TECH Summit as a moderator of “Responsible Gaming in the Baltics: An Industry-Wide Effort to Promote Safe and Sustainable Gaming” panel”.
Tom Horn Gaming said: “Soon we’re Riga bound for our favourite MARE BALTICUM Gaming & Tech Summit organised by our good friends from Hipther. We can’t wait to reunite with the industry thought leaders to discuss the #baltic opportunities!”
Baltics
Thunderkick bolsters presence in Lithuania with 7bet deal
Independent slots studio Thunderkick has strengthened its position in Lithuania after partnering with 7bet, an established operator in the Baltic region.
As part of the agreement, Thunderkick’s collection of popular games, such as the Beat the Beast series, Esqueleto Explosivo 2 and Pink Elephants 2, will now be available to more players in the country.
7bet, established in 2020, offers a wide variety of slots to its player base from internationally acclaimed game providers. It is also the only Lithuanian operator to boast tote betting on horseracing.
The new deal follows several high-profile signings for Thunderkick, including Alea and Skywind Group. The provider has seen significant growth in recent months with more to follow in the coming year.
Fredrik Ekholm, Head of Sales at Thunderkick, said: “We’re proud to be expanding our reach in Lithuania as it is an important market for us. 7bet is a well-established and quickly growing operator with a broad player network, and fits the profile of an operator with whom we want to partner.”
Gintare Karvelyte, Casino Product Manager at 7bet, added: “We’ve been thoroughly impressed with Thunderkick’s output over the years, so we’re thrilled to be introducing their dynamic games to our players.
“Titles such as Bones & Bounty, alongside classic player favourites including Pink Elephants 2 and Esqueleto Explosivo 2, are going to provide immersive, forward-thinking gameplay experiences, and we’re excited to be able to offer these releases and more.”
Baltics
Lithuania Mulls Cracking Down on Gambling Ads
Lithuanian MPs have registered amendments to the Gambling Law proposing to further tighten gambling advertising in the country as of 2025.
Around 50 MPs, mostly from the ruling majority, have signed the amendments proposing to prohibit the dissemination of information of the gambling companies sponsoring any public events, activities, natural or legal persons.
If adopted, the amendments would eliminate the advertising of betting, wagers, and casinos on television, in newspapers, magazines, or news websites and on street billboards. Neither the names nor the logos of gambling operators could appear on the jerseys of athletes and in arenas during the sporting events.
Companies would only be able to publish information on the types of gambling at the gambling venue or on the company’s website, the address of which is specified in the Gambling Regulation.
It is proposed to allow gambling companies to publish information on gambling only in publications aimed at professionals in the business. They could advertise their name and brand on their head office building or gambling venue.
Lithuanian MPs have started considering tightening the requirements for gambling advertising amid allegations that Šarūnas Stepukonis, a former BaltCap Infrastructure Fund partner, has embezzled and gambled away millions of euros of the fund’s money.
The initiator of the amendments, Mindaugas Lingė of the ruling conservative Homeland Union, has previously said that last year the total revenue of gambling operators amounted to 222 million euros, up from 103 million euros in 2020.
The amount spent on advertising in the gambling business doubled from 6.36 million euros in 2020 to 12.73 million euros in 2023. Gambling operators’ profits increased from 20 million euros in 2020 to more than 53 million euros in 2022.
Baltics
IGT Signs 12-Year Contract Extension with UAB Perlas Network in Lithuania to Deploy Upgraded Central System Software
International Game Technology PLC announced that its subsidiary, IGT Global Solutions Corporation, has extended its contract with UAB Perlas Network (“Perlas”) for an additional 12 years until 2035. As part of the agreement, IGT will provide upgrades to the Lottery’s central retail system including advanced software and user interfaces.
“Upgrading Perlas’ central system with IGT technology will help us optimize and elevate the country’s most popular and exciting lottery games,” said Mindaugas Marcinkevičius, UAB Perlas Network CEO. “We look forward to implementing IGT’s upgrades and are pleased to continue this successful relationship for another 12 years.”
“The technology enhancements being provided to Perlas are backed by IGT’s decades of lottery industry leadership and experience,” said Jay Gendron, IGT Chief Operating Officer Global Lottery. “This upgraded technology will introduce an administration portal that will enable the Lottery to view and manage all applications and back-office functions, helping to improve efficiencies and maximize profitability.”
The Lottery has been a customer of IGT’s since 1994. In 2023, IGT announced that it signed a contract with Euloto UAB (Perlas’ dependent company) to deploy its advanced cloud-based remote game server and at least 12 eInstant games per year.
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