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Prague Gaming & TECH Summit 2025 (25-26 March)
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Eastern Europe

Romania Q&A w/ Danielle Calafato, CCO at Gaming Corps

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Can you give us an overview of your operations in Romania and how significant a market this is for you? 

We’re now live in Romania with six customers so far, and there’s more in the pipeline. Romania has been a significant market for us due to the demographic of its players, who love non-traditional content.

In the early days it was a driving force for one of our key customers, which then helped us secure more agreements with casinos in the Romanian market. We’re now looking for further growth there by onboarding more casinos and developing more slots which will have themes that will resonate well with players in this market.

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However, we won’t stop continuing to develop and being creative in the non-traditional space.

 

How would you assess the performance of your games in Romania so far? How have you tried to achieve cut-through in the Romanian market? 

Mines content has done really well, leading to some branded content being released in that market. Slot content is also on the up, but we expect to achieve even better performances out of upcoming themes such as Super Hot Stacks, which are themes and game mechanics that will suit Romanian players.

One client has streamed a number of our games such as Plinko, which we believe to be the first game of its type in the Romanian market. We’ll ensure we continue developing in the non-traditional space for markets like Romania.

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As a new presence in the industry with limited games, Romania has definitely been more significant for us than other markets, but there’s still lots of room for growth.

There was even a TV advertisement broadcast via one client, when our Mines content went live.

 

How do your games appeal to players in Romania specifically? Have you tailored your games for this market in any way? 

Mines content has performed well, and we have had a couple of slot titles which have done ok.

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We haven’t created market-specific content as we aren’t large-scale enough to do that yet. However, we are making sure we create new content that has themes that historically have resonated well with players in Romania. As mentioned earlier, we also believe our Plinko product was the first in this market, so we are innovating in the non-traditional space for sure.

 

How do you see the Romanian gaming market developing in the coming years?

For many years, Romania has been a market with a very traditional taste in games that has crossed over from land-based operations, hence the dominance of EGT, for example.

But what we have seen over the last few years is that more modern visuals and alternative game types have been slowly taking more and more market share. I believe that with the next generation of players not being as familiar with land-based products, we will see an even greater shift to our style of product.

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Going forward, what are your main aims for the Romanian market? 

We have had real success with our arcade games to date and our very close partnerships with key players in the market have seen the majority of the remaining operators want to work with us.

This has put us in a position where we now have distribution to most online players. As the quality of our slot content continues to improve, we really want to see this start to resonate and build a brand identity with the Romanian slot players, in the same way we have done with arcade games.

 

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How important a role will the Romanian market play in Gaming Corps’ overall operations? 

It is a very highly-regarded market and a lot of operators consider the bigger Romanian operators to be very valuable.

Seeing our content being pushed, while further developing close relationships with Romanian operators, will only drive our overall performance and should significantly increase the desire for our games across this part of Europe.

Compliance Updates

CEO of PIN-UP Global claims the charges against the Ukrainian partner to be legally absurd

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The State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) of Ukraine initiated criminal proceedings against the owner of the PIN-UP Ukraine operator (Ukr Game Technology LLC), Ihor Zotko, on charges of high treason and aiding and abetting Russia. It entailed freezing of the company’s accounts and complete suspension of its operations.

The accusations are based on license payments that Ukr Game Technology LLC (Brand PIN-UP.UA) transferred to PIN-UP Global (GuruFlow Team LTD), an international iGaming holding company registered in a European jurisdiction.

Marina Ilina, CEO of PIN-UP Global, strongly denies the accusations, stating that these are legitimate payments under the software license agreement. She emphasizes that GuruFlow Team LTD has transparent operations, is licensed in Europe and has no financial transactions with Russia.

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“These accusations do not stand up to criticism. I am a Ukrainian and openly support my country. All the activities of my company are transparent and can be easily verified. We have no financial transfers to Russia, but only legitimate business operations. The case against Ukr Game Technology LLC may create a dangerous precedent in which standard commercial operations, such as royalty payments to international companies, are equated with a crime,” Ilina said.

According to her, the mere fact of the investigation led by the SBI raises serious concerns and looks like an element of pressure, since, according to the legislation, cases of high treason are in the competence of the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU), not the SBI.

Ilina believes that the development of the situation around Ukr Game Technology LLC may affect the international business perception of the investment climate in Ukraine and create risks for operation of foreign iGaming companies in the country.

The post CEO of PIN-UP Global claims the charges against the Ukrainian partner to be legally absurd appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Compliance Updates

Imagine Live Receives ONJN License

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Imagine Live, the live casino provider has been approved by ONJN – the Romanian regulator

Imagine Live is thrilled to announce that it has successfully obtained the Class II license in Romania through its subsidiary ImagineLive Ro for the streaming of Live Casino games.

Martin Martirosyan Imagine Live Group CEO, commented: “Imagine Live is an established brand committed to delivering exceptional products and gaming experiences by putting the player at the centre of the live gaming experience. Imagine Live is equally committed to providing premium and customised live dealer solutions with bespoke tables and studios for our Romanian operator partners to ensure a complete brand experience that players enjoy and return, which drives deeper engagement and revenue opportunities.

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The successful regulatory Class II approval from the Romanian ONJN regulatory authority further underpins our company’s growth plans and investments for state-of-the-art live dealer studios and customised live dealer product experiences.”

The post Imagine Live Receives ONJN License appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Central Europe

GamingTECH CEE Awards 2025: The Online Voting Battle Begins February 12!

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The highly anticipated GamingTECH CEE Awards 2025 is entering its next thrilling phase as the online voting period kicks off on February 12 and runs through February 28, 2025. Nominees, get ready to enter the spotlight and prepare your communications campaigns! From the moment voting opens, all nominated companies and individual professionals will be visible, giving them the opportunity to rally support via social media and beyond to secure votes.

The GamingTECH CEE Awards celebrates outstanding achievements, embracing the latest advancements and industry trends in the region. Following a rigorous nomination process that concluded on January 19, the upcoming online voting session will determine the shortlists.

Key Dates:

  • Online Voting Period: February 12–28, 2025
  • Shortlist Announcement: March 4, 2025
  • Final Live Vote & Awards Ceremony: March 25, 2025, at the Prague Gaming & TECH Summit

New Rule for 2025:

This year, the GamingTECH CEE Awards introduces an important update: Each voter will only be allowed one vote for the entire online voting period. Nominees are encouraged to actively engage their industry peers and supporters to maximize their chances of advancing to the finals.

From “Shortlisted” to “Finalist”

Additionally, only shortlisted nominees who confirm their attendance at the Awards  by purchasing a ticket for the Prague Gaming & TECH Summit will be eligible to advance to the final voting stage. This ensures a fair competition for the Awards between equally committed finalists, and a strong industry presence at the Summit to foster greater networking and engagement.

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The final live vote will take place at the Prague Gaming & TECH Summit on March 25, 2025, where all event participants will have the opportunity to cast their votes and determine the ultimate winners. The winners will then be officially announced at the GamingTECH CEE Awards Ceremony, proudly sponsored and presented by Endorphina.

Awards Categories:

Company Categories:

  • Best Support for Responsible Gambling
  • Best Testing Laboratory
  • Best Payments Service Provider
  • Best Affiliate
  • Best Affiliate Program
  • Best Sports Betting Provider
  • Rising Star – Sports Betting Technology
  • Best Esports Service Provider
  • Best Online Casino Platform
  • Rising Star – Online Casino Technology
  • Online Casino Innovator
  • Best Online Casino
  • Best Sports Betting Operator

Individual Categories:

  • CEE iGaming Leader of the Year: Recognizing an individual from the CEE region who has demonstrated exceptional leadership, vision, and a strong impact in the iGaming industry. This person has driven growth and innovation in the region, setting the benchmark for others.
  • CEE Rising Star in iGaming: Celebrating an individual from the CEE region who has shown remarkable promise and potential in the iGaming industry early in their career. This award highlights emerging talent that is expected to shape the future of iGaming in the region.
  • CEE Innovator of the Year: Awarding the individual who has introduced the most groundbreaking innovations in the CEE iGaming sector. This person has significantly contributed to the evolution of the industry through unique products, services, or technologies tailored to the regional market.
  • CEE iGaming Influencer of the Year: Honoring a prominent individual whose influence and insights have significantly shaped the CEE iGaming community. Their thought leadership, content, or social presence has driven trends and fostered growth within the regional iGaming space.
  • Best iGaming CEO in CEE: Recognizing the CEO based in the CEE region who has led their company to new heights with outstanding strategic direction and business acumen. This award honors their ability to navigate the unique challenges of the CEE market and achieve exceptional business growth.

Get Involved & Secure Your Spot

Set your reminders and be ready for action on 12 February 2025! Encourage your peers, partners, and clients to participate in the voting process and ensure that your company or favorite nominee makes it to the final stage!

For more details on the awards, voting process, and ticketing information, visit https://hipther.com/events/prague/gamingtech-awards/ or contact HIPTHER at [email protected].

Join us in shaping the future of gaming and technology in CEE – Cast your vote and be part of the journey!

The post GamingTECH CEE Awards 2025: The Online Voting Battle Begins February 12! appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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