Baltics
Post-Event: The Baltic and Scandinavian Gaming Summit and Awards (MARE BALTICUM) sets a precedent in the region
The second edition of MARE BALTICUM Gaming Summit took place on the 9th of May in Vilnius and has set a precedent in the region, being confirmed as the only quality conference in the region that gathers a high number of delegates and provides quality content about the Baltic and Scandinavian region.
The 2019 edition of the conference gathered +100 industry stakeholders and managed to almost double the size of the inaugural event which was held in Riga in 2018.
With this occasion, we would like to thank the supporting sponsors of the unique boutique style conference and the praises go to:
- NetEnt– Main Stage Sponsor
- Tom Horn Gaming – Silver Sponsor
- SBTech– Lanyards Sponsor
- NSoft– General Sponsor
- Play’n GO – General Sponsor
- Ondato – General Sponsor
- Tal Ron, Drihem and Co. Law Firm– Legal and Banking Sponsor
- PLANZER LAW, Zurich– European Regulatory Sponsor
- Hyperon Tech– Technological Sponsor
- BETEGY– Technological Sponsor
- ConnectPay – Payments Sponsor
The agenda of the conference included several panel discussions, an exclusive IMGL MasterClass, unique and informative keynote presentations, a fireside chat, several networking opportunities and last but not least the inaugural BSG Awards (Baltic and Scandinavian Gaming Awards) which rewarded the top 21 companies from the Baltic Sea region for their hard work.
The attending delegates had the unique opportunity to hear the recent updates and enjoy network sessions with some of the leading names of the industry. You can find the full list of speakers below at the end of the press release!
The audio recordings of the panel discussions and videos will are available for European Gaming PREMIUM Members.
“MARE BALTICUM Gaming Summit 2019 in Vilnius was a great opportunity for us to meet new friends and grow our family in the Baltic and Scandinavian region. We are so happy to see that the MARE BALTICUM series has been taken as a breath of fresh air by the industry and the 2019 edition consolidates our footprint in the region as a key event and source of information. We would also like to congratulate the winners of the inaugural BSG Awards and we will be back in 2020 with an even bigger and more interactive conference.” stated Zoltán Tűndik, Co-Founder, Co-Owner and Head of Business at European Gaming Media and Events.
You can view the full official image gallery on the following link:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/165468093@N04/albums/72157691440842943
BSG Awards 2019 – The Baltic and Scandinavian Gaming Awards
The inaugural Baltic and Scandinavian Gaming Awards (BSG Awards) was be held during the second edition of MARE BALTICUM Gaming Summit and rewarded the hard work of companies (gaming software suppliers, operators and service providers) that are active in the Baltic and Scandinavian region.
The official list of winners can be found below:
- B2B Providers (Sports): Best eSports Service Provider in the Baltics 2019 – UltraPlay
- B2B Providers (Sports): Best eSports Service Provider in the Nordics 2019 – Sportradar
- B2B Providers (Sports): Best Fantasy Sports / Virtual Sports Provider in the Baltics 2019 – Golden Race
- B2B Providers (Sports): Best Fantasy Sports / Virtual Sports Provider in the Nordics 2019 – NSoft
- Casino Operators: Best Online Casino in the Baltics 2019 – Optibet
- Casino Operators: Best Online Casino in the Nordics 2019 – Betsson
- Sportsbetting Operators: Best Sports Betting Operator in the Baltics 2019 – Tonybet
- Sportsbetting Operators: Best Sports Betting Operator in the Nordics 2019 – Bet365
- B2B Providers (Sports): Rising Star in Baltic Sports Betting Technology 2019 – Inplaynet
- B2B Providers (Sports): Best Sports Betting Innovation in the Baltics 2019 – BetConstruct
- B2B Providers (Sports): Best Sports Betting Provider in the Baltics 2019 – SBTech
- B2B Providers (Casino): Best Online Casino Provider in the Baltics 2019 – SoftGamings
- B2B Providers (Casino): Best Online Casino Innovator in the Baltics 2019 – Tom Horn Gaming
- B2B Providers (Casino): Rising Star in Baltic Online Casino Technology 2019 – Tom Horn Gaming
- Connected Services – Payment Providers: Best Payment Service Provider in the Baltics 2019 – ConnectPay
- B2B Providers (Sports): Rising Star in Nordic Sports Betting Technology 2019 – Altenar
- B2B Providers (Sports): Best Sports Betting Innovation in the Nordics 2019 – BetConstruct
- B2B Providers (Sports): Best Sports Betting Provider in the Nordics 2019 – SBTech
- B2B Providers (Casino): Best Online Casino Provider in the Nordics 2019 – NetEnt
- B2B Providers (Casino): Best Online Casino Innovator in the Nordics 2019 – Play’n GO
- Connected Services – Payment Providers: Best Payment Service Provider in the Nordics 2019 – Trustly
Make sure to also subscribe to the social media channels of the conference for continuous updates regarding the 2020 event: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram
The 2020 edition of MARE BALTICUM Gaming Summit will be held in one of the following two destinations, Tallinn (Estonia) or Copenhagen (Denmark), based on a final surveying and strategy setting.
The team is already working hard on our next events and we look forward to seeing you in Budapest at CEEGC & CEEG Awards and in Milan at European Gaming Congress!
Here are a few of the testimonials that have left by the attending delegates of the 2019 edition of MARE BALTICUM Gaming Summit:
Anastasios (Tassos) Panagiotaros (Sales Director at Golden Race – Virtual Sports & Betting Solutions):
“MARE BALTICUM Gaming Summit reconfirmed the Organizers’ efficacy, to bring together the region’s main stakeholders, for structured and multi-faceted interactive discussions. In parallel to the educational aspect, though, it offered the chance of personalized networking, in a relaxed and unpretentious way. I look already forward to the next edition!”
Ineta Mačinskienė (Head of Sales at ConnectPay):
“MBGS is focused on people looking for collaboration with well-known companies in the Gaming industry.”
Lyubomira Petrova (Chief Marketing Officer at UltraPlay):
“I had the pleasure to speak at Mare Balticum Gaming Summit and present why eSports is going to play a key role in the gambling industry in 2020 and beyond. Discussing what the future holds for the industry, we see the tremendous growth of eSports and its importance in terms of betting and player’s engagement.”
Margo Prylypska (Director of International Sales at Hyperion Tech):
“We would like to thank Zoltan and Betty for another great event! The organization was at a very high level, great timing and amazing people attending the event! It is definitely the best place to meet good old friends and partners, as well as find new ones and of course, get insights about things happening in the iGaming industry!”
Jaka Repanšek (Media and Gaming Expert):
“Great event. Great timing. Great location.”
Domenico Mazzola (Commercial Director at Altenar):
“MBGS was a pearl in the sea of so many conferences around the world. Such interesting panels! Zoltan and Betty did a great job inviting so many relevant people from the industry, regulators, and from governments putting all of them together to discuss regulations, exchanging ideas, and solutions on how different countries regulate the gambling sector. A must-attend event!”
Kristina Bučinskaitė (Customer Experience Manager at ConnectPay):
“Well organized, industry-focused event. It is a great opportunity to connect with potential clients, partners and create valuable business relationships. Looking forward to the next year!”
Agnė Galvelytė (Head of Legal and Compliance at Matching Visions):
“Great conference, bringing together regulators, legal specialists, and igaming business professionals. Perfect opportunity to catch up with the latest developments in the region and the industry.”
Dainis Niedra (Regional Director Baltics at Enlabs – Optibet):
“This is a very nice initiative to create and develop such kind of event in the Baltic countries. By working together and establishing a strong base no matter is it compliance or marketing, we build the right environment for the future development of the business and society.
Baltics are small but at the same time are very different in many aspects. It’s becoming challenging to replicate the previous experience in the new markets and such events are here to help us. Organizational wise – on a very high level. It’s hard to say where did we benefit more – from the main event of from the networking parts.”
Sara Urbanovicova (Chief Commercial Officer at Tom Horn Gaming):
“This is a fantastic event and it is sure to establish itself as a must-attend conference in the diary for the online gaming community. Its Baltic and Scandinavian focus, with a careful selection of high-quality speakers on the panels, an amazing location, organizers’ dedication to creating a welcoming and friendly atmosphere, make it a one-of-a-kind event that proved to be really productive for us. We’re sure to return next year!”
Andrius Gabnys (founding attorney at Gabnys Law Firm, Ambassador of the MARE BALTICUM Gaming Summit):
“MBGS2 was literally a very pleasing event. Both content-wise and visually. It’s one of those examples when you can feel it goes smooth throughout the whole event, where the interest of the audience is not lost somewhere in the middle, and you don’t find yourself waiting for something else, other than what is happening on stage. It’s where the organizational talent of Zoltan and Betty really kicks in. This second edition proves that the idea of having the Baltics and Scandinavia in a single event is spot on. It was a pleasure to serve as an ambassador of this event and already looking forward to the third edition.”
Andrius Čepkus (Chief Business Development Officer at Ondato):
„The event was very well organized. Especially networking breaks and how participants were seated, which opened many new networking and business opportunities. The content was very up to date and valuable. Thanks again for the great experience!“
The lectures and industry insight during the conference were given by:
Lolita Sumskaite (Head of Unit at Ministry of Finance, Lithuania), Rūta Giedrienė (Gaming Control Authority, Lithuania), Kaido Ulejev (Managing Director Baltics at Betsson Group), Karolis Gogaitis (General Manager at CBet.lt), Zlatan Omerspahić (Data Protection and Compliance Lawyer at NSoft), Robert Toth (Key Account Manager at Global Bet), Lyubomira Petrova (Chief Marketing Officer at UltraPlay), Signe Birne (Lotteries and Gambling Supervisory Inspection of the Republic of Latvia), Taivo Põrk (Ministry of Finance, Estonia), Linda Reneslāce (Associate at law firm Sorainen), Viktorija Antanaviciute (Managing Director at TonyBet), Margo Prylypska (Director of International Sales, Hyperion), Eduard Rogov (CMO at Quints.io), Paul Plewman (COO at CurrencyTransfer.com), Dr. Simon Planzer (Partner at PLANZER LAW, Zurich), Birgitte Sand (Director of the Danish Gambling Authority), Morten Ronde (CEO at Danish Online Gambling Association and Managing Partner at Nordic Gambling), Sissel Weitzhandler (Group Compliance Manager at Play’n GO), Gustaf Hoffstedt (General Secretary at the Swedish Trade Association for Online Gambling), Rolf Sims (Public Affairs Manager for Kindred Group in Norway and Board Chairman of the newly formed Norwegian Trade Association for Online Gambling Companies), Alex Kornilov (CEO & Founder at BETEGY), Bogdan Coman (Executive Director at Rombet), Martin Arendts (Founder of ARENDTS ANWAELTE), Julia Kotanko (Associate with Dr. Christian Rapani).
Special gratitude is also extended to the panel moderators for keeping the discussions flowing and educative:
Andrius Gabnys (Founder at Gabnys Law Firm), Jaka Repanšek (Media and Gaming Expert), Tal Itzhak Ron (Chairman & CEO at Tal Ron, Drihem & Co., Law Firm), Pieter Remmers (CEO at Assissa), and last but not least, Dr. Joerg Hofmann (Partner, MELCHERS LAW).
For further inquiries about the 2020 edition of MARE BALTICUM Gaming Summit, speaking/attending/sponsoring options, make sure to send an e-mail to [email protected] or subscribe to the weekly newsletter on the following link.
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.
-
Central Europe6 days ago
Sponsors Spotlight: Pixpel Makes Crypto Games Safe and Fun for Players and Developers in Web3
-
Asia5 days ago
Tencent benefits from multiple new game launches on Steam
-
Compliance Updates6 days ago
UK Gambling Commission Adds Nine Members to its Industry Forum
-
Australia6 days ago
Newcastle Hotel Fined for Gaming Machine Offences
-
Industry News6 days ago
Entain Appoints Ronald J. Kramer as Independent Non-Executive Director
-
Latest News4 days ago
Week 11/2024 slot games releases
-
Latest News6 days ago
Lottoland selects DoTrust Complete to streamline financial risk checks on gamblers
-
Africa6 days ago
EGT Digital took the “Outstanding Contribution to Responsible Gaming of the Year” prize from SiGMA Africa Awards