Central Europe
IDnow welcomes agreement on a transition period for online gambling law in Germany
IDnow, a leading Identity verification specialist, welcomes that Germany’s 16 states have agreed to a transition period incorporating the new and upcoming legal framework by October 15th. This transition clarifies existing and new mandates including, and importantly, age verification requirements for online gambling. The new regime officially enters into effect in July of next year.
IDnow, in its mission is to make the connected world a safer place, is pleased about this decision among the German states. The company looks forward to supporting the operators in order to provide greater safety for users. For IDnow, this ensures better protection for customers under German law as well as clearer rules in regard to responsible gambling.
“This is a big step for Germany’s online gambling industry, and again, it shows the importance of eKYC methods and their need to evolve. In a world that becomes more and more digital by the day, we need to stay vigilant and constantly adapt our security requirements,” says Rayissa Armata, Head of Regulatory Affairs at IDnow. “IDnow strives to contribute to responsible corporate citizenship, ensuring that the social responsibility for this industry can be achieved effectively through innovative methods. This is the strong desire of the federal and state governments within Germany, and IDnow has been and – will continue to be – an active supporter of those efforts,” she adds.
“We have developed our products together with our clients – the biggest players in the market – , to perfectly meet their needs. IDnow offers AML compliant video verification, but also an approved automated verification solution. Gambling operators can choose, depending on their security needs, which of those multiple solutions they want to use. All of them fulfill mandatory age verification requirements,” says Oliver Obitayo CSO at IDnow. “To us its more than important that our clients can offer safe service platforms to customers so underage use can be prevented,” he adds.
After a period of uncertainty, each of Germany’s 16 states have agreed to a transition period for online gambling in Germany before the official start date of July 1, 2021. This transition period is noted by the shared agreement to not punish gambling companies who conform to the new law that will officially go into effect next year.
In January 2020, the German states agreed on an amendment to the State Treaty on Gambling (Glücksspielstaatsvertrag) that also comes into effect July 1, 2021. This date was partly put into jeopardy, as was the process to issue sports betting licenses, in the first half of this year when matters came to a halt due to a court injunction sought by an Austrian gambling operator.
In a welcome development last week, Germany’s 16 states agreed to a transition period for gambling activities. This will allow operators to offer casino style gaming and poker as long as such activities are fully-compliant with the draft for the new Glücksspielstaatsvertrag. Online gambling operators must meet all licensing requirements by an October 15 deadline. This will include an Age Verification (AV) solution for online operators.
Under the new and upcoming regulatory regime, the following changes will be implemented:
- It will be possible for German players to play online casino games and online poker under strict regulations
- A wagering limit of €1 will be placed per spin for slot games
- The number of licenses for table games will be limited to the number of physical locations for casinos in each state
- A €1,000 deposit limit will now be implemented across all online gambling verticals in Germany.
With the recent acquisition of Wirecard Communication Services into the IDnow Group, the Munich based company has created additional capacities and possibilities for more flexibility in order to be able to adequately support its customers in every situation.
Central Europe
SYNOT Games teams up with win2day to revolutionize Austria’s iGaming scene
SYNOT Games, a leading iGaming provider, has partnered with win2day, taking a major step in its Austrian market growth strategy.
The collaboration marks its debut with the launch of Resin Joker, a fan-favorite slot that combines the simplicity of a classic gaming experience with a fresh, modern twist. With its smooth gameplay, vibrant audio-visuals, and universal appeal, Respin Joker has become a standout title for players seeking both entertainment and nostalgia.
As this partnership progresses, players can look forward to a steady rollout of additional games from SYNOT Games’ extensive portfolio, further enriching win2day’s already robust catalog. This collaboration is designed to offer Austrian players a premium gaming experience, with a diverse selection of games that blend cutting-edge innovation and top-tier quality.
Georg Wawer, Managing Director of win2day, said: „As the sole licensed operator in Austria, our goal is to host all leading iGaming providers on our platform. Synot, being a major player on the international stage, makes us proud to feature their content. We regard SYNOT Games as a skilled and trustworthy partner for win2day, and we are confident that this collaboration will yield great success.„
Martina Krajčí, CCO at SYNOT Games, commented: “We are excited to partner with win2day and bring our games to Austrian players. At SYNOT Games, our focus has always been on providing quality entertainment, and this partnership highlights our commitment to delivering an outstanding gaming experience.”
The post SYNOT Games teams up with win2day to revolutionize Austria’s iGaming scene appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Central Europe
25 years of ZEAL: A quarter century of online lottery in Germany
- From living room start-up to online market leader
- Ambitious growth targets and innovative product ideas
ZEAL Network SE, the market leader for online lotteries in Germany, is celebrating its 25th anniversary. Founded in 1999 as Tipp24, the company was one of the first on the German market to bring lotteries to the internet. Since then, ZEAL has had a lasting impact on the German online lottery business.
“We are very proud of a quarter century of ZEAL,” says Helmut Becker, CEO of ZEAL. “What began 25 years ago as a two-man start-up in Hamburg has now developed into a group of companies with more than 250 employees. We are more successful than ever in our core business of lottery brokerage and are continuously expanding our market share and our business model. In doing so, we are staying true to our motto: we define the future of lottery.”
From start-up to international group
ZEAL was founded as Tipp24 in Hamburg in 1999. The company was one of the first providers to enable participation in state lotteries in Germany via the Internet – with great success. The IPO followed in 2005. This was followed by the temporary relocation of the company headquarters to London, the change of name to ZEAL Network SE and the development of new business abroad. In 2019, the company returned to Hamburg and took over LOTTO24 AG. This made ZEAL the largest lottery broker in Germany. Today, more than 1.3 million customers play with ZEAL’s brands every month.
“As one of the founders, I am particularly happy about ZEAL’s success story,” says Jens Schumann, co-founder of ZEAL 25 years ago and now a member of the Supervisory Board. “When we founded the company, we printed out the lottery tickets that our customers played online and handed them in at the kiosk around the corner. A lot has happened since then. Today, ZEAL is one of Germany’s leading e-commerce companies. It gives me great pleasure to have been so closely involved in its development to date.”
Continuing to grow in the core business, developing new business areas
Today, ZEAL is the market leader for online lotteries in Germany. The brokerage of participation in state and charity lotteries remains the company’s core business, which it intends to expand in the future. In addition, ZEAL is continuously developing its portfolio: in the summer, for example, the company launched the first raffle of an existing property in Germany with Traumhausverlosung (English name: Dream House Raffle). ZEAL also appeals to younger target groups in particular with the freiheit+ charity lottery. Last year, ZEAL also launched an online games offering, which has been continuously expanded since then. ZEAL also operates the online presence of the ONCE charity lottery in Spain, a public organization for the blind, and invests in industry-specific start-ups via its ventures department ZEAL Ventures.
The post 25 years of ZEAL: A quarter century of online lottery in Germany appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Central Europe
NOVOMATIC once again honored with the “Business Superbrands Austria Award”
The world’s largest independent brand evaluation organization, Business Superbrands Brand Council, has once again recognized NOVOMATIC as one of Austria’s strongest brands for the year 2024/2025.
The prestigious award is given to brands that have built up an outstanding image in their market segment and clearly stand out from their competitors. After a pre-selection by the credit rating service provider Bisnode D&B, an independent panel of experts decides on the awarding of the title. NOVOMATIC’s exceptional brand strength and innovative power were convincing and underlined our success on both the domestic and international markets.
Stefan Krenn, Executive Board Member of NOVOMATIC AG, accepted the award from András Wiszkidenszky, Superbrands Regional Director, and emphasized: “This award underlines our strong market position and the continuous pursuit of innovation and excellence in the international gaming industry. At the same time, it is a sign of appreciation for the extraordinary commitment of our employees, who contribute to the success of the NOVOMATIC brand every day.”
András Wiszkidenszky added: “The Superbrand award underlines the economic appeal of the NOVOMATIC brand. Congratulations on the outstanding brand management and strong positioning that have made NOVOMATIC one of the strongest brands in Austria.”
The post NOVOMATIC once again honored with the “Business Superbrands Austria Award” appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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