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Allwyn Thanks Retailers for Their Continued Support During Upcoming Significant Upgrades

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Allwyn, the operator of The National Lottery, has thanked its 43,500 retail partners for their continued support and assistance, as it takes the next major step in its wide-ranging National Lottery transformation plan.

The National Lottery will undergo its biggest technology upgrade since 1994, transforming core gaming and retail systems. This will involve launching new terminal software and moving systems to new platforms, as well as a number of other crucial back-end tech upgrades. The upgrades also include the delivery of 30+ new systems and complex data migrations, including the transfer of tens of thousands of retailer records and millions of transactions.

The technology updates will take place from 2-4 August, taking National Lottery services offline from 11pm on Saturday until late Monday morning. Following Saturday night’s Lotto and Thunderball draws, The National Lottery website/app and retail lottery terminals will shut down at 11pm, preventing players from logging into their online accounts, buying draw tickets or claiming prizes – in-store or online – until Monday.

Over the next 10 days, there are several activities to deliver before gaining final approval for this date. This includes final testing and helping retailers to understand how to use new National Lottery systems.

Players will still be able to check results until systems go offline on Saturday and will still be able to buy Scratchcards in shops for the duration. They’ll also be able to see the latest National Lottery draws and view the full results for the Saturday draws on The National Lottery’s YouTube channel.

Once services come back online on Monday, around 8000 National Lottery retailers will switch over to new state-of-the-art lottery Wave terminals – which have already arrived in their stores. These will allow them to process player transactions more quickly and provide them with more functionality. The remainder of National Lottery retailers will be using the new software that went live over the weekend on their existing terminal and will receive their own new Wave terminal in the coming months.

There are a number of actions that retailers should proactively take to streamline and speed up the process, including:

• Retailers should keep their terminal plugged in and powered on all weekend, to allow critical software updates to take place

• All stores should activate sufficient Scratchcard stock to keep dispensers full until Monday

• Retailers can sign onto their terminal before 10am on Sunday morning to access their weekly invoice, but after they’ve done that, they should put the terminal cover (found in the support pack which will be sent to them) in place to prevent anyone from accessing the terminal

• On Monday, the way that all retailers sign-on to their terminal will change, so they should make sure they have their new sign-on details to hand (again, these can be found in their support pack).

Allwyn is providing retailers with customer-facing point of sale materials to keep players informed about the upgrade and distributing comprehensive support packs to the 43,500-strong estate.

It’s expected that a small proportion of legacy in-store terminals may experience delays coming back up on Monday if certain upgrade processes were interrupted for various reasons. Most retailers who follow the guidance in their support pack will experience a smooth return to service. To assist those who might need additional support, Allwyn has specialist teams standing by to get them back up and running as quickly as possible.

Allwyn’s Director of Operations, Jenny Blogg, said: “These critical tech upgrades follow on from our continuous progress in modernising The National Lottery, which hasn’t had a major refresh since 2009. This includes introducing a fresh new look in our 43,500 retail partners with new stands, dispensers and signage, as well as rolling out state-of-the-art lottery terminals and a new in-store network provided by Vodafone.

“We’re very grateful for our retail partners’ continued support through these latest upgrades. We’ve been working hard to make sure retailers can get back up and running as quickly as possible after the weekend, so it’s really important that they follow the instructions in their support pack. While these significant updates will mean short-term disruption for players and our retail partners, they will allow us to deliver on our promise to bring new, exciting games to The National Lottery; a better player experience; and our commitment to double returns to Good Causes from £30m to £60m every week by the end of the 10-year licence.”

The post Allwyn Thanks Retailers for Their Continued Support During Upcoming Significant Upgrades appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Slotsoo Awards 2025: Celebrating Excellence Across Casinos and Game Providers

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Summer is here and it is time for Slotsoo’s signature celebration of the iGaming industry. The Slotsoo Casino Awards return for its third edition, continuing the tradition of highlighting operators who excel in delivering a top-tier player experience. This year also marks an exciting expansion with the inaugural Slotsoo Game Provider Awards, giving long-overdue recognition to the creators of great slots.

The New Game Provider Awards and the Winners

Game providers are sometimes overshadowed by casinos, but in reality, both are equally important to the online casino experience. That’s why Slotsoo is proud to shine a spotlight on the studios behind the reels. The winners of Slotsoo’s first provider-focused awards were announced on 24 July 2025, and the honors went to:

  • The Machine MVP – Pragmatic Play
  • Bonus Buyer – Bullshark Games
  • Volatility Virtuoso – Wazdan
  • Jackpot Jumbo – Mancala Gaming
  • Symphony Spinner – Gamzix
  • Reel Renegade – Nolimit City
  • Promising Prodigy – Slammer Studios

Please visit the Slotsoo Game Provider Awards page for detailed descriptions of each trophy and the motivations behind the winners.

The Anatomy of Slotsoo’s Trophies: Where Fun Meets Serious Recognition

At Slotsoo, each trophy is whimsical by design but grounded in real player values, making the Slotsoo Awards both entertaining and insightful. Every category has a clear purpose, recognizing what truly matters in iGaming today.

At the core of each awards lineup is a main trophy: The Gambling GOAT honors the top-performing casino operator, while The Machine MVP celebrates the best overall game provider. Surrounding these main awards are a collection of supporting trophies, spotlighting specific areas of excellence, from fast withdrawals and fun bonuses to volatility and winning potential.

These award categories offer a chance for actors who crush it in a certain area to be recognized, even if they don’t dominate across the board. Just like other iGaming awards, Slotsoo includes a category for newcomers, encouraging fresh talent and pushing established names to keep innovating.

The timing of the awards is also a deliberate choice. Markus Björk, head writer at Slotsoo, explains the team’s reasoning:

“After a hectic Winter and Spring packed with iGaming events, June and July offer a rare chance for the industry to slow down and reflect on the year so far. Let’s enjoy the cucumber season and appreciate what’s been achieved. This is when you can harvest the rewards of your hard work before autumn arrives with new challenges and opportunities.”

The Winning Casino Operators 2025

The Slotsoo Casino Awards 2025 took place in June, and these were the seven winners:

  • The Gambling GOAT – Betizy
  • The Bonus Buff – Sugarino
  • The Loyalty Lord – Wisho
  • The Withdrawal Wizard – Vauhdikas
  • The Gamification Guru – Arctic Casino
  • The Payout Professor – Wolfy Casino
  • The Noisy Newcomer – Lunar Spins

This was the third time Slotsoo held the casino awards for its English-language site targeting the EU market in general. During the same period, the dedicated awards for the Finnish market, Slotsoo Kasinogaala 2025, celebrated its second year. These awards consist of seven trophies equivalent to the English ones, plus an eighth trophy dedicated to the casino operator with the best slot streaming offering.

The Nordic country is undergoing big changes, with a new gambling legislation and a licensing system planned to be introduced by 1 January 2027. The future will tell how this will affect the structure and categories of the awards.

The post Slotsoo Awards 2025: Celebrating Excellence Across Casinos and Game Providers appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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SOFTSWISS Launches First South African Project with Mzansibet

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SOFTSWISS, a global tech provider with over 15 years of iGaming expertise, proudly announces the launch of its major South African project with Mzansibet. It marks the first project in the country to utilise both the SOFTSWISS Sportsbook and the SOFTSWISS Casino Platform.

According to the recently released South Africa: iGaming Market Overview 2025 by SOFTSWISS, the country’s iGaming sector is growing at an impressive annual rate of 20–25%, driven by increasing mobile penetration. In line with this trend and evolving player needs, SOFTSWISS strongly focuses on mobile optimisation across its platforms, enabling seamless and enjoyable gaming experiences for Mzansibet players.

The launch in South Africa, ensuring full compliance with local technical standards, required meticulous preparation. SOFTSWISS products – including its sports betting software and online casino platform – underwent rigorous certification with Gaming Laboratories International (GLI), one of the most reputable and globally recognised independent testing laboratories in the iGaming industry. Following this process, the solutions were officially approved for local operation by the Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board – a respected and influential regulator in the region – affirming the high quality and compliance of SOFTSWISS software.

Max Trafimovich, International Non-Executive Director at SOFTSWISS, shares: “Mzansibet entered the market with a bold ambition to become a top-tier brand – and we are not only proud to support that vision from day one, but also well-equipped to ensure its sustainable growth. Leveraging our global and local expertise, we provide the technical, business, and service tools necessary for a smooth launch and scalable development. This is made possible thanks to our robust and stable architecture with 99.999% uptime and a flexible platform ecosystem. In addition, the brand launched a nationwide TV advertising campaign and has already attracted tens of thousands of players across the country – a powerful testament to its growing presence and trust.”

In addition to backend certification, the SOFTSWISS team invested heavily in frontend localisation to align with the partner’s vision and market requirements. The Mzansibet project has been fully adapted to meet South African player behaviour and betting patterns.

 

About SOFTSWISS

SOFTSWISS is an international technology company with over 15 years of experience developing innovative solutions for the iGaming industry. SOFTSWISS provides comprehensive software for managing iGaming projects. The company’s product portfolio includes the Online Casino Platform, the Game Aggregator with over 35,000 casino games, the Affilka Affiliate Platform, the Sportsbook Software and the Jackpot Aggregator. In 2013, SOFTSWISS revolutionised the industry by introducing the world’s first Bitcoin-optimised online casino solution. The expert team counts over 2,000 employees.

The post SOFTSWISS Launches First South African Project with Mzansibet appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Lee Hills Joins the International Association of Gaming Advisors

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SolutionsHub is proud to announce that its CEO, Lee Hills, has officially joined the International Association of Gaming Advisors (“IAGA”), the globally respected organization connecting the world’s leading legal, financial, and regulatory advisors through shared experiences and education to influence the advancement of global gaming.

As Director of SolutionsHub, he has been instrumental in establishing the company as a leading authority in licensing and regulatory compliance for innovative and emerging tech businesses. Under his leadership, SolutionsHub has become renowned for its deep understanding of complex regulatory and operational matters affecting gaming business.

“I am delighted to be joining IAGA, an organization I’ve long admired,” said Lee Hills. “This is an exciting opportunity to collaborate with some of the most respected minds in the field, and to contribute insight from our work at the cutting edge of iGaming and blockchain regulation.”

The International Association of Gaming Advisors includes prominent executives, attorneys, financial experts, regulators, and consultants. Membership provides access to high-level dialogue on gaming policy, regulatory challenges, and market evolution.

With Lee joining its ranks, IAGA gains a unique perspective from the Isle of Man, one of the world’s most forward-thinking regulatory environments, as well as specialist insight into Web3, tokenized economies, and esports betting.

The post Lee Hills Joins the International Association of Gaming Advisors appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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