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Albania to Re-legalise Sports Betting from January 1

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Albania is going to reintroduce legal sports betting as of 1 January 2023, four years after it, along with casinos and online gambling, was made illegal.

The decision, which has been on the cards since the summer, will bring much-needed revenue to the government, which faces a debt of over 90%, increasing pressure to subsidise rising energy costs, and calls to support the vulnerable amid the global crisis.

Effective as of the start of next year, sports betting games will now be legal, and it is estimated that some €17 million will be collected in tax each year.

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All gambling, except a handful of licensed casinos, was prohibited as of 31 December 2018. Hundreds of betting shops and gambling sites were shut down, and efforts were made to block online sites.

However, gambling continued throughout the country in illegal betting and gambling shops, with arrests occurring almost weekly.

Momentum to legalise sports betting has been growing since August when a coalition of sporting stakeholders petitioned the government to ask for the reinstitution of regulated and supervised sports betting, arguing it can bring much-needed revenue to one of Europe’s poorest countries.

“We are not proposing to open the entire range of gambling, including electronic casinos or bingo halls. Our proposal includes total fiscal transparency, league-regulated online sports betting,” the petition states.

Stakeholders suggest that revenue generated from sports betting be used to support the country’s athletes. The petition specifies that betting should be allowed via certified operators, including local and international brands. In addition, they suggest an age limit and a maximum bet limit.

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“The regulation of sports betting by law is a practice followed by many Western countries. In these countries, the income from sports betting is used to develop sports and sports infrastructure and to support the youth,” they argued.

Prime Minister Edi Rama commented on the push stating that if the decision goes ahead, extreme conditions will be imposed, and all revenue will go to sports, culture and youth.

“We will look at this very positively; we will set extreme conditions…these are guaranteed by large international companies, which operate worldwide and operate in the European Union area.”

He added: “I have been obvious that these revenues, which we calculate to be many times more than what we contribute every year, go to sports, culture and youth, but very clearly and dedicatedly, the lion’s share, the sport will take it.”

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BGaming extends Winbet partnership with Bulgarian launch

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Popular iGaming content provider BGaming has built on its long-term collaboration with Winbet by launching in the Bulgarian market with the operator.

As part of the deal, BGaming will integrate its creative portfolio with Winbet’s platform in Bulgaria, with games such as Minesweeper XY, Wild Cash and Bonanza Billion, made available to its players.

Winbet is one of Eastern and Central Europe’s leading brands, with a presence in markets such as Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia and Croatia. Its Bulgarian arm boasts more than 30 gaming halls in over 20 cities and enjoys a prominent position in the country’s entertainment space.

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BGaming first partnered with Winbet in January, helping to elevate the operator’s platform in Romania with its striking and innovative content. Now, it will replicate this success and demonstrate the widespread appeal of its creations in another strategically significant market.

Olga Levshina, CCO at BGaming, said: “We are pleased to celebrate our ongoing partnership with Winbet by collaborating with them once again, this time in Bulgaria.

“So far this year, our titles have been positively received by Winbet’s players in Romania and we look forward to delivering our portfolio to a neighbouring market alongside this major brand.”

Victor Perenovski, Operations Director at Winbet, said: “BGaming’s content has proven quite popular with our users and a great expansion of our portfolio. We are happy to extend our agreement with BGaming’s new and exciting titles. This partnership is an important step in fulfilling our promise to our customers for high quality gaming experience and the most popular games from the best providers.

“The game provider’s portfolio has so much potential for attracting players and is based on detailed analysis of their preferences and behaviours. We anticipate a partnership that will continue to deliver positive results.”

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Reevo Enters into Partnership with Elitbet.bg

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REEVO, a leading provider of cutting-edge gaming solutions, has partnered with ELITBET.bg, a rapidly expanding online gaming platform in Bulgaria. This collaboration marks a significant milestone in both companies’ commitment to delivering top-tier gaming experiences to players.

Tsvetelina Ivanova, Chief Operating Officer of ELITBET.bg, said: “We are thrilled to announce our partnership with REEVO, a renowned leader in iGaming. This collaboration signifies a significant step forward in our commitment to delivering exceptional gaming experiences to our players. We are proud to expand the game offer of our Online Casino with high-quality products from REEVO. Thanks to this new partnership, we will offer our users an increasingly high-quality gaming experience and demonstrate our ongoing commitment to providing the best gaming experience, exceeding the expectations of the iGaming world.”

Petra Poola, Head of Sales at REEVO, said: “Partnering with ELITBET.bg is an exciting opportunity for us to further extend our reach in the Bulgarian market. We are confident that our innovative gaming solutions will complement ELITBET.bg’s commitment to excellence, providing their players with an unmatched gaming experience. We look forward to a successful collaboration that will benefit both our companies and the players we serve.”

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The partnership with REEVO will enhance ELITBET.bg’s already impressive game offering, bringing a wide range of innovative and engaging content to its online casino. Players can look forward to an enriched gaming experience, with access to some of the most popular and sought-after slot games and live casino options available in the market.

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Belatra Games enters Serbian market through strategic partnership with MerkurXtip

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Belatra Games, the specialist online slots developer, has entered the Serbian market for the first time through a strategic partnership with Serbian sports betting and gaming operator, MerkurXtip.

This collaboration marks a significant milestone in Belatra’s ongoing efforts to broaden its European presence. MerkurXtip is a distinguished member of the German-based Gauselmann Group and has risen to become a key player in both offline and online gaming sectors across Serbia.

Through this partnership, Belatra Games will bring its entire portfolio to the Serbian market, offering players a rich selection of entertainment options. From classic slot games like the ‘Fruit Cocktail’ series to cutting-edge slots featuring a variety of bonuses, to multiple types of roulette (including European and American versions), bingo, and instant-win scratch games, Belatra’s offerings promise to captivate the Serbian gaming community.

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Mikhail Voinich, Chief Business Development Officer, commented: “Partnerships are a cornerstone of Belatra’s development strategy, enabling us to expand our reach into new markets. Collaborating with MerkurXtip, a partner recognised for its expertise and professionalism in the Balkans region, has been a seamless and rewarding experience. In addition, the whole process has been supervised by our partners for the Balkans region, iGaming Advisor, who have assisted us every step of the way.”

Nenad Aleksić, Head of Online Business at MerkurXtip, followed: “This partnership strengthens Merkurxtip’s position as a leading gaming operator, offering an innovative gaming experience with original content through a diverse selection of exciting casino games now available on our platform.”

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