The UK government will introduce stake limits of between £2 ($2.49) and £15 ($18.68) for online slot games according to leaked information about the upcoming White Paper.

Protection with Minimal Disruption

Players under the age of 25 will not be able to stake more than £2 ($2.49) while playing online slots and operators will be subjected to a new legal tax to fund treatment for problem gamblers, claimed the report in The Sun based on leaked cabinet documents.

Laying out the proposals to her colleagues, recently appointed Secretary of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) Lucy Frazer outlined that the changes aim “to protect people who are at risk of addiction, catastrophic loss and harm, with minimal disruption to the majority.”

There are 300,000 problem gamblers and 1.8 million gamblers at risk of experiencing gambling harm in the UK and the measure is aimed at protecting them but the stake limits are likely to ire gambling industry stakeholders who will be concerned that their profits will decrease.

Frazer also told the ministers that there would be a new tax on operator profits to help fund problem gambling treatment and new operator obligations such as doing credit checks on players deemed at risk of spiraling into debt and monitoring for signs that gambling losses are becoming unaffordable for a player.

“I am confident that the societal benefits in harm reduction outweigh the projected costs to industry, and that much of the drop in online revenue will be the foregone income from people gambling unaffordably,” she reportedly told the cabinet.

New Controls for Free Bet Bonus Offers

As part of the efforts to make online gambling safer and combat gambling addiction, games will have their riskier features limited and operators will face new controls on their free bet bonus offers to ensure people are not being “targeted in harmful ways.”

Data of people representing “high risk” will be shared among the industry to facilitate operators to stop them from accumulating huge losses and a new legal body will be created to mediate complaints against operators. Frazer also vowed to address “remaining gaps” allowing people under 18 to gamble via cash fruit machines and scratch cards.

Other important changes will be the removal of all gambling firm logos from the front of players’ shirts across English Premier League (EPL) clubs, higher taxes for horserace betting to ensure proper funding for the sport and access to sports betting for land-based casinos, as well as the ability to open credit lines for high-rollers, and new powers for the Gambling Commission to crack down on the black market.

Frazer said the White Paper would be published after the Easter break and the plan involves most of the changes to be implemented without the need to create a new law.

The Swedish Gaming Authority (Spelinspektionen) is likely to receive new funds to help its mission to enhance the supervision of the gaming market in the country and oust unlicensed operators.

Combat Organized Crime

The Swedish government proposed legislators increase the budget allocated to Spelinspektionen in 2023 by SEK2.4 million ($230,360) to boost the watchdog’s capabilities to counter organized crime and create a safer gambling marketplace in the country.

The proposal was made as part of the upcoming spring budget amendment and is based on an agreement between the government and the Sweden Democrats, justified by the regulator’s need to handle a large influx of permit applications concurrent with other important supervisory tasks in 2023.

Commenting on the proposal, Angelika Bengtsson, sports policy spokesperson for the Democrats, outlined the regulator’s need for active supervision of the gaming market to be able to combat criminal activity and protect those who are most exposed.

Tackling the unlicensed market represents a significant part of this task, she added, explaining that it would help counter organized crime and strengthen consumer protection as “unlicensed gambling evades tax revenue, leads to problem gambling and contributes to match-fixing.”

As the gaming industry in the country continues to grow and generate significant turnover, so does the risk for criminal activities such as money laundering and match-fixing related to the sector to occur, which, in many cases is also part of organized international crime with local branches. That risk is estimated to be the highest among operators that do not hold a license.

Block Payments, Covert Supervision

Therefore, the government submitted a proposal for measures that would give Spelinspektionen powers to more effectively block payments for unlicensed operators as part of its enforcement actions and allow the regulator the opportunity to perform covert supervision.

Financial Markets Minister Niklas Wykman stressed the great damage that can be done by unlicensed gaming operators and the need for the national regulator to remove them from operating in the market, highlighting that the increased resources would facilitate the regulator’s ability to use its new supervisory tools and tackle the black market.

A recent study into the habits of gamblers in the country showed that only 8% of them participated in gambling activities via an unlicensed website, of which only 6% admitted to having gambled with offshore operators intentionally, while the remaining 2% said they had done this without knowing.

Further encouraging for Spelinspektionen, 77% of the participants in the study declared their intention to refrain from gambling with unlicensed operators.

Sports data and technology company Sportradar announced today it has moved to renew the company’s partnership with Big Ten Network through the 2024-25 college athletics season.

The Collaboration Is Set to Continue

The contract extension means that Nasdaq-listed Sportradar will continue to power Big Ten Network’s OTT platform B1G+ for three more years, as well as manage the backend and frontend (including web, mobile and connected TV apps), UX/UI design and third-party integration of the network dedicated to covering one of the biggest collegiate conferences in the US, Big Ten Conference.

Sportradar and Big Ten Network initially teamed up in 2021 when the conference selected the provider of sports entertainment products and services for the relaunch of its direct-to-consumer subscription service for non-televised events, B1G+.

The revitalized OTT service includes approximately 1,500 live streams of Big Ten Olympic sports and video-on-demand of basketball and football games that were previously aired on linear channels and allows consumers to directly subscribe to televised events supported by the Big Ten Network.

Sportradar delivered live streams of Big Ten Olympic sports, video-on-demand of basketball and football games and school-specific channels creating an end-to-end OTT solution with historical content and shoulder programming that provides fans with extensive customization and personalization options and the ability to focus on content from their favorite team.

Big Ten Network and Sportradar will continue their collaboration moving forward, enhancing the user experience through additional front-end experiences that will also feature integration and visualization of sports data to create an immersive experience for the viewers.

The Big Ten Network

Created as a joint venture between one of the premier collegiate conferences in the US, the Big Ten Conference, and Fox Networks, the Big Ten Network is the first network dedicated to covering a collegiate conference that is distributed internationally.

Serving as the ultimate destination for Big Ten Fans and alumni nationwide, the network presents more than 1,700 events across its platforms, allowing its fans to see and support their favorite teams from any place in the country around the clock.

Events include football and men’s and women’s basketball games, Big Ten Olympic sports and championships, studio shows and classic games, while activities and accomplishments of some of the nation’s finest universities are highlighted in the network’s original programming.

A digital extension of the Big Ten Network, the Fox Sports App delivers live games and on-demand programming to Big Ten Network customers online and via mobile.

Operating at the intersection of sports, media and betting, Sportradar provides sports federations, news media, consumer platforms and sports betting operators with a range of solutions to support growth for their partners.

Sportradar’s OTT partners benefit from the continuous innovation of the platform’s end-to-end solutions aimed at deepening fan engagement via customization and personalization.

Intralot’s recent success in the Canadian market is partially due to CEO Nikolakopoulos and CCO Richard Bateson’s ongoing efforts to bolster international growth. BCLC’s players will benefit from a network of retail terminals, enhanced sports betting solutions, and industry-leading lottery products.

The Partnership Seems Like a Match Made in Heaven

The three-year deal will allow British Columbia bettors to access BCLC’s services across 3,400 retail terminals and 700 self-service machines. Intralot’s Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) solution should be a substantial boon to the Canadian operator, allowing players to utilize a feature-rich sportsbook experience by generating a QR code at any retail or self-service terminal.

If BCLC remains favorable to Intralot’s solutions, it can opt for three one-year extensions. The newly penned deal will also bolster the Canadian operator’s sports betting platform, implementing new management features. Intralot Inc. chairman Nikos Nikolakopoulos was optimistic regarding the partnership, stating it would significantly benefit BCLC and its customers.

We are looking forward to responsibly (driving) the Lottery’s growth to further benefit the British Columbia community.

Nikos Nikolakopoulos, Intralot CEO

The BCLC is one of Canada’s largest lottery corporations, tracing its lineage back to 1985. The corporation offers a wide selection of gaming options, including lottery, casino, and sports betting, and has a strong reputation for secure and high-quality gaming experiences. Partnering with such a leading regional operator will significantly bolster Intralot’s market position, allowing further expansion opportunities.

Management Overhauls Proved Instrumental

Intralot’s deal with BCLC would not be possible without the supplier’s experienced and motivated leadership team. The company recently made several high-profile appointments, bringing in gaming industry veteran Richard Bateson as COO and placing him directly in charge of driving the company’s North American expansion efforts. His onboarding appears to be paying off as the developer maintains its substantial momentum.

Nikolakopoulos, appointed to Intralot CEO in February, has also proven instrumental in driving the company’s ongoing growth. Under his leadership, the developer redoubled its focus on developing new products and services, bolstering its appeal to potential investors. His guidance will hopefully allow the developer to recover from its dismal Q3 2022 financial results and return to profitability.

The deal with BCLC is a step in the right direction, demonstrating Intralot’s focus on innovation, growth, and excellence in the gaming industry. Its overhauled leadership team and cutting-edge sports betting solutions place it in the perfect position to capitalize on the growing demand for online gaming products and expand its operations into new jurisdictions.

NSoft’s reputation as a leading software provider brings seemingly unending new opportunities, as evidenced by the developer’s recent foray into the Balkans. Its deal with a high-profile regional operator like Maxbet will solidify its regional presence and hopefully bolster both parties’ market positions. The two companies already share mutual partners, making future integration significantly smoother.

Both Parties Will Emerge Stronger after the Deal

As per the newly inked agreement, Maxbet will benefit from a complete overhaul of its sports betting solutions, leveraging the developer’s Seven platform. The operator hopes that updating its retail and terminal offerings will renew customer interest, resulting in lasting engagement. NSoft’s wide range of novel and exciting betting options has proven a hit across many jurisdictions, boding well for the budding partnership.

NSoft should also substantially benefit from the new deal, bolstering its impressive presence in the SEE and CE regions. Company regional sales manager Marko Lasic was excited by the opportunity to cement the developer’s presence in Eastern Europe and demonstrate the lasting value offered by the company’s extensive portfolio of games and sports betting solutions.

Maxbet’s customers will have the chance to enjoy a world-class sports betting experience.

Marko Lasic, NSoft regional sales manager

Lasic emphasized the ease of integration as a leading factor in NSoft’s lasting popularity with operators. The company enjoys substantial momentum across the Old Continent, recently partnering with esports wagering solutions supplier Oddin.gg, spearheading the developer’s entry into a new and promising market segment. The two companies’ mutual vision of innovation, expansion, and product quality made their team up a natural fit, opening substantial avenues for growth.

NSoft and Maxbet Share a Lot in Common

Adopting an industry-leading suite of gaming solutions may be just what Maxbet needs to strengthen its presence throughout its jurisdictions. The operator holds a 7.5% market share in Romania, maintaining a presence across the region with footholds in Serbia, Montenegro, and North Macedonia. Amusingly, the operator also recently partnered with Oddin.gg, allowing the leading esports provider undisputed access to the underutilized Balkan market.

The partnerships between NSoft, Maxbet, and Oddin.gg demonstrate the growing importance of cooperation and mutual integration across the esports and gaming industries. As the market continues to evolve and new technologies emerge, companies like NSoft are well-positioned to capitalize on these trends and offer their customers innovative and high-quality gaming solutions.