

Industry News
Pollard Banknote Provides Business Update in Response to COVID-19 Uncertainty
Pollard Banknote Limited, like many organizations, has been confronted with an unprecedented challenge in managing the impact of the COVID -19 virus outbreak.
Our focus in all of our operations is maintaining a safe and healthy environment for all of our employees, their families and all of our stakeholders, while continuing to support the business of our customers. We have implemented stringent health protocols in all of our facilities including extensive social distancing protocols, more frequent cleaning and disinfecting, widespread working at home policies and daily health and temperature screening for all staff working at all of our facilities.
Pollard’s business is primarily focused on the sale of instant tickets and ancillary products to government lotteries around the world and the sale of charitable gaming products to charitable gaming organizations in North America. Our products are sold to lotteries and distributors for ultimate sale at various retail establishments.
Lotteries
Pollard’s lottery operations account for approximately 78% of our overall revenue. Currently almost all lotteries have remained operational and are continuing to sell lottery products including instant tickets at retail. The impact of the virus on retail sales of lottery products has varied from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, however on average, over the last few weeks North American lotteries are reporting between 15-20% reductions in retail sales of instant tickets compared to the same periods last year.
All of our lottery production facilities remain open and operational at this time, and all of our staff who can work from home are doing so. Our supply chains remain intact. We have not yet seen a significant reduction in our short-term production schedule as generally we produce instant tickets well in advance of its release at retail by the lotteries. However, to ensure a safe work environment, including maintaining social distancing, we have reduced our staffing and production capacity in our Ypsilanti, Michigan facility. The combined impact of this reduction in capacity and some softening in our orders due to lower retail sales could result in a reduction in our instant ticket revenue of between 10-15% during this period.
Traditionally, sales of instant tickets have shown significant resilience during times of substantial economic downturn and we anticipate a return to the historic sales levels and continued growth when retail markets return to normal.
Our sales earned through our iLottery operations, generated through revenue sharing, has grown noticeably over the past few weeks, as consumers increasingly move their purchases to the internet. However, only a small number of lotteries have developed iLottery portals and as a result, our increased revenue from iLottery will only modestly mitigate reduced sales in other areas of our business.
Pollard has taken a number of steps to minimize our expenditures throughout our lottery business in light of the reduced lottery revenue. This includes reductions in discretionary expenses, postponing capital projects, select temporary staff furloughs in certain areas of the lottery operations and salary reductions for our entire management group. Government programs available to assist employees and businesses are being investigated and reviewed. In addition, our ancillary products operations, including Schafer and Fastrak merchandising operations, are selectively utilizing temporary staff furloughs to help mitigate any reduction in revenue for these businesses. To the extent the economic environment further reduces lottery sales, additional expenditure reduction initiatives will be implemented.
Charitable Gaming
Our charitable gaming products generate approximately 22% of our consolidated revenue and include the sale of pull-tab tickets, bingo paper and the operation of Diamond Game and Oasis branded egaming machines. Sales primarily occur in social settings such as bars, veteran halls and bingo centers across North America. Essentially all jurisdictions have temporarily closed these facilities and as a result, our charitable gaming and egaming revenue has been mostly eliminated. This revenue reduction is expected to continue during the period these outlets are closed. There is no clear indication when jurisdictions may reopen these establishments or when we can expect retail sales of charitable gaming products to return to their pre-existing levels.
Our American Games and International Gamco business units remain operational at this time and continue to produce inventory to help address a significant backlog of orders that had developed due to strong customer demand prior to the closure of the various social settings. This replenishment of our pull-tab and bingo paper inventory levels will allow us to be strongly positioned to meet our customer demand when the retail locations are allowed to reopen.
Pollard is also taking steps across our charitable gaming businesses to minimize our losses during this period. Discretionary expenses have been eliminated and capital expenditure projects postponed. In addition, temporary staff furloughs, workshare programs among employees and salary reductions across management have been implemented throughout our operations. We do not make these decisions lightly and in all cases we are working closely with employees and governments to take advantage of various programs that provide financial support for our staff in these difficult times.
The situation we are all facing is unprecedented and has been changing very quickly. Based on the current impact of the virus on our business, we would estimate that our overall consolidated revenue could be reduced in the 25-30% range compared to the prior year during this period of decreased sales. We have implemented cost reduction strategies to minimize the impact of the revenue reduction, which will evolve as the situation changes.
Pollard has significant financial strength and a number of sources of liquidity to allow us to weather this period of reduced sales. In addition to our expenditure reduction initiatives, our balance sheet is strong with substantial available cash resources and access to additional funding through an undrawn secured senior bank facility that provides considerable readily available liquidity including a large accordion feature. Our working capital levels going into this period were high, providing further liquidity as we collect our receivables. The Pollard family, 67.5% shareholders, remain very committed to our business through their leadership and continued financial backing.
“The situation relating to the COVID-19 virus is changing very rapidly and will undoubtedly continue to do so,” commented Doug Pollard, Co-Chief Executive Officer, Pollard Banknote. “However, the long-term business fundamentals of the lottery and charitable gaming industries remain extremely positive. Our organization is very strong and will be able to withstand this difficult period. When markets start to open up again we expect our products to bounce back very quickly.”
“Having been established over 110 years ago in 1907, Pollard clearly focuses on taking the long-term view through our vision and commitment to our stakeholders. The Pollard family and all of our more than 1,900 dedicated team members remain committed to growing our world class organization and being the partner of choice to our lottery and charitable gaming customers, now and in the future.”
SOURCE Pollard Banknote Limited
Industry News
TaDa Compares the Market for Fishing-Shooting Games

TaDa Gaming continues to raise awareness of its unique fishing-shooting games through its recently launched Fi/Sh Experience Campaign.
Combining fishing, shooting and gaming, the new vertical offers strategic gameplay, with players targeting specific fish based on their multiplier value. With each shot fired placing a wager, it is the equivalent to a spin on a slot game, making fishing-shooting games recognisable, RNG, casino entertainment products.
However, fishing-shooting games offer a completely different player experience to spinning the reels and so TaDa began its 2025 global roadshows at ICE Barcelona with the aim of demystifying these exciting releases.
A key takeaway is in understanding the difference between slots and fishing-shooting games. With no reels or paylines, players target and shoot fish or creatures to win rewards from successful hits.
Unlike slots, this requires strategic decision making as to: target choice based on multiplier value or facility to trigger a bonus game; choice in weapons used; and an understanding of how to benefit from the many exciting bonus features including Power Ups, Immortal Bosses and Awakening Events.
The option to choose one of three “rooms” based on different volatility and wager levels in the same game gives players choices that do not usually exist with slots and makes every experience more personalised.
Graphics and animations are comparable to video gaming while real time shooting mechanics, alongside multiplayer capability, ensure fishing-shooting games are not an alternative to slots but a whole new experience.
In-built tutorials, demo play options and on-screen tips alongside a detailed paytable to provide a clear roadmap for successful play mean TaDa games deliver a straightforward and safe experience for all types of players to try these new titles.
Ray Lee, Director of Business Development at TaDa Gaming, said: “Many players have gravitated to our fishing-shooting games looking for skill influenced gameplay, strategic choices, a more interactive and dynamic experience and multiplayer options.
“The flexibility in starting with a low volatility exposure and being able to change options within the same RNG game is very appealing. There is also the recognition that the wager process is similar to slots which makes players more comfortable.
“Furthermore, our releases including Bombing Fishing, Mega Fishing and Jackpot Fishing are localised for different markets and we have also optimised download times for superlight deployment making the games attractive across multiple demographics and jurisdictions.
“We are very excited about our fishing-shooting games and are delighted to be working to make them ever more accessible to players and operators.”
The post TaDa Compares the Market for Fishing-Shooting Games appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Industry News
ZEAL Network CEO Helmut Becker Will Not Extend His Contract Beyond January 2026

Dr. Helmut Becker, CEO of ZEAL Network, has informed the Supervisory Board of the company of his decision not to extend his contract, which runs until January 31, 2026. The 56-year-old has decided to pursue his own entrepreneurial activities in the future after many years as a top manager. Dr Becker will then leave the company after more than twelve years on the Executive Board of ZEAL Network SE, including more than ten as CEO. He will remain fully committed to ZEAL as CEO until the end of his contract term and will ensure a smooth transition of his duties to a successor.
“ZEAL is in an excellent position to continue to grow in the future. After almost ten years as CEO, I have decided that now is the right time to pursue my own entrepreneurial endeavours. This has been a difficult decision for me. I will especially miss our exceptionally strong team and the unique culture we have built together, characterised by innovation, customer focus and team spirit. I will continue to work hard until the end of my term to achieve the goals we have set together,” said Dr Becker.
Dr Becker informed the Supervisory Board of ZEAL Network SE about his decision at an early stage, and the Supervisory Board will immediately initiate a structured process for the succession of the CEO.
Peter Steiner, Chairman of the Supervisory Board, said: “The Supervisory Board of ZEAL Network SE has noted with great regret Helmut Becker’s decision not to seek a contract extension. Helmut Becker has played a decisive role in taking ZEAL’s business development to a new level. Under his leadership, ZEAL has established itself as a market leader in the online lottery market, significantly expanded its customer base and crucially broadened its offering through innovative product development. On behalf of the Supervisory Board, I would like to thank him for his outstanding commitment and strategic vision. We wish him all the best for his personal life and professional career.”
Dr Becker has been CEO of ZEAL Network since September 1, 2015, after serving as Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) for over two years. Prior to joining the Executive Board, he was a member of the Supervisory Board of ZEAL for two years. Previously, he served as Chief Commercial Officer on the Management Board of XING AG and held various management positions at eBay Germany and as a management consultant at McKinsey. As CEO, Dr Becker was responsible for the acquisition of LOTTO24 AG, the return of ZEAL to Germany and the expansion of the portfolio to include freiheit+, Games and Traumhausverlosung.
The post ZEAL Network CEO Helmut Becker Will Not Extend His Contract Beyond January 2026 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Affiliate Industry
Gamblorium Enhances Casino Reviews with Updated Rating System

Gamblorium, a trusted online casino affiliate platform, announces its new and improved casino rating system. This updated system is designed to give players even more accurate and transparent rankings for online casinos. Since 2020, Gamblorium has been known for providing honest and expert-tested casino reviews. With this updated rating system, Gamblorium continues to ensure players can easily find the best gambling sites.
The new rating system combines three key components: Gamblorium Score, Player Score and Market Score. These scores are based on a 100-point scale, providing players with a clear and reliable way to choose casinos that meet their preferences.
Main features of Gamblorium’s new rating system:
• Gamblorium score: The Gamblorium Score evaluates casinos based on over 100 criteria, including payment methods, game options, security and user experience. Unlike other platforms, Gamblorium uses a relative and flexible approach, meaning casinos are ranked based on their strengths within their market. This score also incorporates Expert Scoring, ensuring that the most important factors are weighted appropriately.
• Player score: The Player Score is based on feedback from real users. Players can leave reviews only if they have registered or played at the casino, ensuring honest and up-to-date feedback. This makes the reviews highly reliable and reflective of the actual player experience.
• Market score: The Market Score helps balance the overall rating by considering the views of other trusted gambling platforms. This adds another layer of objectivity and ensures that Gamblorium’s reviews remain fair and unbiased.
The post Gamblorium Enhances Casino Reviews with Updated Rating System appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
-
gaming3 years ago
ODIN by 4Players: Immersive, state-of-the-art in-game audio launches into the next generation of gaming
-
EEG iGaming Directory8 years ago
iSoftBet continues to grow with new release Forest Mania
-
News7 years ago
Softbroke collaborates with Asia Live Tech for the expansion of the service line in the igaming market
-
News6 years ago
Super Bowl LIII: NFL Fans Can Bet on the #1 Sportsbook Review Site Betting-Super-Bowl.com, Providing Free Unbiased and Trusted News, Picks and Predictions
-
iGaming Industry7 years ago
Rick Meitzler appointed to the Indian Gaming Magazine Advisory Board for 2018
-
News6 years ago
REVEALED: Top eSports players set to earn $3.2 million in 2019
-
iGaming Industry7 years ago
French Senator raises Loot Boxes to France’s Gambling Regulator
-
News7 years ago
Exclusive Interview with Miklos Handa (Founder of the email marketing solutions, “MailMike.net”), speaker at Vienna International Gaming Expo 2018