Fintech company Zimpler has announced its expansion into the EU and the UK.

Zimpler is a Swedish Fintech company that manages transactions between end users and businesses. Now, they leave the Nordics and will enable companies to do instant payouts to customers in the EU and UK within the year.

“Payouts is medieval outside of the Nordics. Today you will have to wait for days before you get your money into your bank account, with our solution it will take seconds,” Jonas Persson, VP sales at Zimpler, said.

First to go live with the solution is iGaming company Videoslots.

“We have been working with Zimpler in the Swedish market for many years and we are thrilled with how constructive and solution-oriented they are in all situations. That they now expand their solution to other European markets is fantastic news and it will change the market at its core,” Ali Atam, CMO at Videoslots, said.

German gambling company Gauselmann group has gone one step further by investing in the high street and launching its Merkur Slots brand nationally. The company has opened three brand-new venues in Southall, Hornchurch and Lancaster on July 4.

Gauselmann group plans to open many more Merkur Slots venues across the UK this year. The company will open with three more venues in Saltash, Bolton and Wolverhampton, this month.

“This is a very exciting time for the Merkur Slots brand. So many companies haven’t survived the effects of the pandemic and we are delighted to be able to give customers a brand-new experience in locations where we don’t currently have a presence. It means a lot to us to be part of kick-starting the high street again and supporting the local community with new job opportunities,” Mark Schertle, COO of Gauselmann group, said.

Merkur Slots provides the latest in digital venues. All machines and advertising are fully digitised and customers will be able to enjoy all of their favourite games, as well as the latest in Blueprint games.

All venues will be COVID-secure, with Gauselmann group implementing an “Open, clean, safe” campaign which will focus heavily on ensuring new safety precautions are in-place and everything is communicated effectively with customers, via social channels and the official website.

“We look forward to welcoming customers back to gaming after a small hiatus and we feel we have a unique edge in that we can offer them brand-new, modern venues that have been designed with social distancing in mind. Customers can game with total confidence. Thank you to all our staff who have worked tirelessly to get the venues up and running ahead of opening,” Schertle said.

Ladbrokes Coral operator GVC has announced that it will reorganise its customer care teams in order to prepare for new VIP requirements in Great Britain. The announcement comes after the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) adopted new rules for VIPs, created by a GVC-led Gambling Commission working group, including limiting the schemes to those aged 25 or older.

Last month, the Gambling Commission then launched a consultation on whether to make these changes part of the Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice (LCCP) for all licensees.

“GVC was the lead operator in the industry working group on what were formally referred to as VIP schemes,” a GVC spokesperson said.

“This work paved the way for the creation of the new code, which introduces significant enhancements to responsible gambling safeguarding measures for high-value customer (HVC) schemes and reduces the number of customers eligible to participate, including a complete restriction for those aged under 25.”

The spokesperson said in order to facilitate these changes, GVC has begun a restructuring of its customer care team.

He added that certain roles were placed at risk of redundancy under the restructuring, but said the operator expects the number of redundancies to be low.

“As a result of the restructure, a number of roles have been identified at risk, though it is hoped and expected that by offering alternate positions within the group, compulsory redundancies will be kept to a minimum.”

VIP schemes have become a controversial element of British operators’ businesses following a number of regulatory failings involving players designated as high-value customers.

The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Gambling Related Harm said in its report on industry performance and regulatory change last month that these “highly problematic” loyalty programmes be banned.