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Lottery must act to protect its market share, or risk losing it

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The lottery sector must stick together to protect its market share and fight off the existential threat caused by global lockdown, according to Spinola Gaming CEO Ade Repcenko.

A small number of retail and online providers currently drive the industry from a technology aspect. In most cases, a lottery will only utilise one provider and they are locked into long term agreements which prohibit the use of external or additional technologies. These restrictive agreements make it harder for state-run operators to get online and continue to generate revenue, as their existing providers don’t have the appropriate technologies or capabilities to get clients online quickly.

Repcenko explains how this has to change for the industry to survive the existential challenge of Covid-19 lockdown. “In a time when people are keeping their distance, it’s important that we stick together to make sure lottery survives, not dies,” he explained. “It’s time for the lottery sector to unite and join forces, to help each other and our clients for the greater good by working together on utilizing technologies that enable all of us to add value to our existing relationships, which helps our clients continue to raise funds and generate revenues for good causes. Most importantly, we cannot let alternate options become more attractive to players than the games they are used to playing every week.”

As the global lottery sector faces its biggest ever challenge, the solutions provider CEO believes the industry is being forced to make the shift online earlier than planned. For many, it would have been an inevitability over the next 3-5 years, but with retail now unable to sell tickets, that process has to be accelerated. Most operators are backed into a corner through long term retail relationships, with such relationships being the cornerstone to sales for the past decades, but now that model has to adapt.

“Operators could take a leaf out of the online casino business model that treats affiliates in the same way that retailers are to lotteries. The affiliate model is easily implemented, requires no new forms of technology or advanced development and allows both operator and retailer to take advantage of the current situations,” suggested Repcenko. “At the same time, operators need to appeal to their existing software providers to look at ways in which they can remain active during these troubled times and will require a level of compromise from both sides. Operators need to look at new forms of revenue sharing to allow for the affiliate model to work and software providers need to open up to working with new and modern forms of technology to be able to provide the level of service that these state run operators very desperately need right now.”

The online sector has proven to be much more resistant to the current climate than retail, as is shown by the growth of third-party operators. However, to compete with these companies, there are many innovative digital lottery solutions on the market to help national operators and their software providers get online quickly. As lottery players begin to adapt to the global lockdown by moving online, the traditional lottery sector must do the same to keep their market share, or else it could be gone by the time retail reopens.

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NCPG Announces 2025 Board of Directors Election Results and Board Leadership

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The National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) has announced the newly elected members of its Board of Directors, as well as the slate of officers who will lead the organization for the upcoming year.

Following the annual election in June, NCPG members voted to elect the following individuals to serve on the Board of Directors from 2025 to 2028:

• Diana Goode – Affiliates Seat

• Wiley Harwell – Affiliates Seat

• Lori Manson – Affiliates Seat

• Glenn Yamagata – Affiliates Seat

• Jamie McKelvey – Organizations Seat

• Amanda Quintana – Organizations Seat

• Brian Ward – Individuals Seat

Glenn Yamagata and Jamie McKelvey will serve a two-year term from 2025 to 2027.

In addition, the Board has elected the following officers to lead NCPG for the 2025–26 term:

• President: Derek Longmeier, Executive Director, Problem Gambling Network of Ohio

• Vice President: Christina Gray, Executive Director, Indiana Council on Problem Gambling

• Secretary: Wiley Harwell, Executive Director, Oklahoma Council on Problem Gambling and Gaming

• Treasurer: Amanda Quintana, Player Health Manager, Colorado Lottery

The Board’s esteemed leadership and expertise are instrumental in fostering NCPG membership, shaping policies, implementing strategies, and attaining organizational objectives. By leveraging their subject matter knowledge, skills, and experience, Board members are dedicated to serving all NCPG stakeholders through the development of comprehensive policies and programs for all those affected by problem gambling.

The post NCPG Announces 2025 Board of Directors Election Results and Board Leadership appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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How European Tax Changes Are Reshaping iGaming Media Budgets in 2025

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Throughout 2025, European iGaming markets have faced a new layer of complexity: shifting tax and licensing rules that directly impact marketing costs. Governments continue to increase gross gaming revenue (GGR) tax rates and impose stricter reporting standards.

As of July 2025, these changes have become a critical factor in how operators and agencies plan, distribute, and optimize user acquisition budgets. RockApp analysis indicates that tax policy is fundamentally reshaping the planning process for performance marketing across Europe.

European Tax Environment in 2025

Several major European markets have introduced or expanded gambling tax rules over the last 18 months:

  • Germany: GGR tax increased from 5.3% to 7% in mid-2024. By Q2 2025, operators are recalibrating CPA targets and revising bonus strategies to preserve margin.
  • Netherlands: New compliance requirements implemented in January 2025 include enhanced KYC/AML reporting, adding operational costs and slowing onboarding funnels.
  • Eastern Europe: Romania and Poland are reviewing GGR tax bands, with planned 1–2% increases included in government budgets for H2 2025.

These changes raise per-user acquisition costs and reduce flexibility on pricing incentives. Media buyers now need to plan budgets and creative strategy with greater precision to maintain efficiency.

RockApp data, drawn from over 120 active campaigns in 2025, demonstrates how these pressures translate into real shifts in buying behavior and budget allocation.

Budget Impact on Media Buying Strategies

Analysis of campaign performance in 2025 reveals several clear trends:

  • Shift to Tier-2 GEOs: Markets with lower tax pressure (such as CIS, Balkans, and LATAM) are seeing 30-40% more acquisition budget allocation compared to 2023.
  • CPA Adjustments: Average first-time-depositor CPA in regulated Western European markets has risen from ~€120 in 2023 to €145–160 in 2025, driven by increased taxation and competitive auction dynamics.
  • Creative Cost Pressures: Bonus-focused creatives now demand tighter payout modeling to balance user appeal with higher GGR liabilities.

As a result, buying strategies have moved away from broad, high-volume campaigns toward segmented, CPA-focused plans with more granular GEO targeting.

Budget Impact on Media Buying Strategies

Tax policy changes don’t just influence operator balance sheets. They force a recalibration of the entire media buying strategy.

RockApp data from over 120 active campaigns in 2025 shows clear budget trends:

  • Shift to Tier-2 GEOs: Markets with lower tax pressure (e.g., CIS, Balkans, LATAM) now see 30-40% more acquisition budget allocation compared to 2023.
  • CPA Adjustment: Average first-time-depositor CPA in regulated Western Europe has climbed from €120 in 2023 to €145-160 in 2025, driven by both taxation and competitive auction prices.
  • Creative Cost Pressure: Bonus-focused creatives need tighter payout modelling, balancing marketing appeal with GGR realities.

For media teams, the result is a move away from broad, high-volume campaigns toward precisely segmented, CPA-optimized buying with robust GEO-targeting logic.

GEO Diversification as Strategic Response

For many brands, geo diversification has become the simplest and most effective hedge against rising tax costs.

According to Appsflyer’s mid-2025 install cost benchmarks, CPIs in markets such as Brazil, India, and select African countries remain stable or are falling – averaging $0.60–$1.20 per pre-install, compared to $3+ in Western Europe.

RockApp’s planning data shows clear reallocation trends:

  • LATAM budgets up ~35% year over year.
  • Eastern Europe spending stable, with modest CPA increases.
  • Western Europe budgets flattening or declining, with more investment going toward targeted retargeting and high-value lookalike segments.

Diversifying GEO strategy is emerging as a necessary planning approach to balance premium Tier-1 acquisition costs with Tier-2 scale opportunities.

Tactical Media Buying Adjustments in 2025

In response to new taxation and compliance demands, advertisers are refining their acquisition tactics. Effective strategies seen across European campaigns this year include:

  • Hyper-segmentation: Adapting CPA targets at the micro-GEO, channel, and audience level.
  • Creative Flexibility: Developing multiple bonus tiers and transparent CTAs designed for localized regulations.
  • Source Tiering: Prioritizing verified, high-retention traffic sources over pure volume channels.
  • Automated Bidding Rules: Aligning bid pacing and budget allocation with region-specific margin goals and user lifetime value curves.

RockApp analysis suggests that these shifts are helping operators maintain acquisition efficiency in the face of rising costs and regulatory complexity.

Advice for Q3 and Q4 Planning

With peak acquisition season approaching, several planning considerations stand out:

  • Leverage Q3’s traditionally lower competition to test new channels and creative variations cost-effectively.
  • Prepare Q4 budgets for elevated CPA levels, using segmented bidding strategies and clear ROI targets.
  • Integrate compliance checks and fraud-control measures early in creative production to avoid approval delays and wasted spend.

RockApp data indicates that campaigns investing in upfront planning and testing see more stable CPA performance even in high-demand periods.

Conclusion

European tax changes have become a defining variable in iGaming growth strategy. These aren’t simply operational details – they now shape how marketing teams approach channel selection, creative design, and budget allocation at the most fundamental level.

RockApp continues to monitor these shifts across campaigns and regions, helping operators and agencies adapt media buying systems to maintain acquisition efficiency in a more complex regulatory environment.

The post How European Tax Changes Are Reshaping iGaming Media Budgets in 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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IGT Celebrates Milestone Achievement

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IGT has hosted a special customer event to celebrate a 2500-plus unit installment milestone in Spain’s Amusement with Prize (AWP) salones sector.

Presented in partnership with gaming distributor Orenes Grupo, the event was held at the historic Retuerta LeDomaine Hotel in Valladolid, Spain. IGT representatives were onsite to demonstrate the Company’s Salones Espana multi-level progressive (MLP) portfolio featuring the high-performing Diamond Mania and Treasure Box Link games on the BINTIA 27 cabinet.

“IGT was thrilled to bring our customers together in a world-class venue to demonstrate our top-performing MLP innovations and celebrate our growth in Spain’s Salones Sector. As reflected by our 2500-plus unit installment milestone, IGT is committed to building a successful roadmap in Spain by delivering market-attuned MLP experiences that align with localized player preferences,” said Marilu Aldana, IGT Director of Sales, Western Europe and Africa.

The post IGT Celebrates Milestone Achievement appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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