Balkan's
Albania to Re-legalise Sports Betting from January 1
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.
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.
“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.”
Amusnet continues its strategic growth by partnering with mbet.ba, an online gaming operator in Bosnia’s Republic of Srpska. This collaboration highlights the company’s commitment to strengthening its presence in the Balkan region, leveraging its top-notch portfolio to enhance local players’ gaming experience.
“We are excited to work with Mbet, as this partnership opens up opportunities to reach a more diverse player base. By combining our premium game offerings with their market reach, we are confident that we can deliver exceptional, tailored gaming experiences that will captivate players and drive growth for both companies,” said Dimitar Nacev, Sales Specialist at Amusnet for Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“We are very pleased to be able to offer our players games from a world-renowned provider. Amusnet is a leader in the gambling industry, and cooperating with this company is a great privilege,” said Dragan Djekic, Head of Gaming Sector at Mbet.
The post Amusnet Expands Balkan Presence Through Strategic Partnership with mbet.ba appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Evoplay, the award-winning game development studio, has further strengthened its presence in Bulgaria through a new partnership with prominent local operator Slotino.
As part of the collaboration, 75 of Evoplay’s top-performing games, including Camino de Chili Bonus Buy, Mega Greatest Catch, and Hot Volcano, are now available to Slotino’s customers in the Balkan country.
The agreement marks a significant milestone for Evoplay in expanding its reach in the Bulgarian market, offering Slotino players a diverse selection of high-quality titles designed to enhance user engagement and retention.
Slotino, a trusted name in the Bulgarian market, reinforces its position as a leading operator in the region by offering the curated collection of Evoplay’s premium and proven games.
Ihor Zarechnyi, CBDO at Evoplay, said: “This partnership with Slotino represents an important step in our growth strategy for Bulgaria. By bringing our portfolio of innovative and engaging games to a new audience, we’re confident that we can drive strong performance and engagement in this key market.”
Vasil Stumbov, Director at Slotino, added: “We’re excited to bring Evoplay’s diverse and high-performing game selection to our players. This partnership allows us to enhance our offerings with fresh, engaging content that will resonate strongly with our audience. We look forward to the opportunities this collaboration will bring.”
The post Evoplay joins forces with Slotino to expand Bulgarian reach appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Spinomenal, the leading iGaming content provider, has struck a new content partnership with Admiral Croatia.
Admiral Croatia will now be able to access Spinomenal’s extensive range of casino games. These include popular titles such as Baba Yaga Tales, Egyptian Rebirth II and Book of Diamonds. The games will be accessible and integrated via the Bragg Gaming Group platform.
Lior Shvartz, CEO for Spinomenal commented: “We are very happy to announce this latest deal with Admiral Croatia, a pioneering force in the country’s online casino market. Croatia is an important market for us and we expect our games to resonate with casino players here.”
The post Spinomenal strikes partnership with Admiral Croatia appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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