#1 Bulgaria Exempts Social Media from Gambling Ad Ban
- Despite Bulgaria’s gambling advert ban on traditional media outlets in May, social media is exempt, which is one of the surprising iGaming trends this year.
- Rumen Spetsov, director of the National Revenue Agency (NRA), clarified the ruling after a public inquiry by Mediapool. He sees “no reason” for restrictions, as social media is “not media within the scope of the Broadcasting Act”.
- This leaves influencers free to promote gambling-related content across social media platforms like Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok.
- The NRA will evaluate gambling advertisements on a case-by-case basis.
#2 Optimove’s AI Gamification Breakthrough
- Optimove, a CRM marketing leader, has partnered with gamification companies Captain Up and Gamanza Engage.
- This partnership looks to leverage AI in game development for iGaming and Sports Betting operators to stay ahead of new iGaming trends.
- It appears to mix Optimove’s CRM tools with Captain Up’s gamification platform and Gamanza Engage’s fun loyalty features. All this would work together to make for a more interesting experience for users.
- The combined gamification will facilitate iGaming and Sports Betting companies in personalization, real-time management, complete campaign measurement, and AI improvement.
#3 BIG and Mousesports Co-Founder Launches SavageTech
- Tom Lemke, an esports and iGaming entrepreneur, has launched a new iGaming solution, SavageTech.
- SavageTech has claimed the technology as the “World’s First TRUE Gamification Layer Solution”.
- The company wants to engage bettors by making gambling fun, turning it into a multiplayer competitive game.
- The goal is to increase player loyalty whilst boosting revenues for betting operators through this iGaming trend.
- The solution offers integrated bonus rewards, quests, social leaderboards, avatar creation, and more.
#4 Dutch Regulator Cracks Down on Payout Rule Breaches
- Dutch gambling regulator Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) has ordered operators to follow payout rules.
- The Dutch Gambling Act requires immediate and unconditional player payout requests, reflecting the rising iGaming trends towards greater transparency.
- The KSA’s warning came after it found nine operators were obstructing payouts to customers. It also suspects another four operators of doing the same misdeed.
- All 13 providers must confirm in writing they don’t impose minimum withdrawal amounts or other requirements.
#5 New Crypto Casino Rollblock hits the $2 million mark
- Rollblock is a new crypto gambling platform gaining attention from analysts and gamblers, contributing to the iGaming trends in the crypto space.
- Even though it started in February 2024, Rollblock said it made $2 million in pre-sales on August 15.
- Its AI-driven GambleFi system combines secure decentralized features with easy centralized use.
- It offers over 150 games, including traditional casino games and blockchain-based options.
- Provided this continues, analysts expect Rollblock to secure a huge share of the annual $450 billion global gambling market.
#6 Italy’s Revised Gambling Licensing System Gains Ground
- The Italian government is nearing the completion of its final draft regulation for online gambling. The rules are under review by the European Commission.
- The cost of a license for gambling could surge from €200,000 to €7 million under proposed reforms. The license will be valid for nine years, signifying a major shift amidst current iGaming trends.
- A mandatory review period of three months will end on October 18. During this period, EU member states and interested parties share their thoughts on the suggested rule changes.
- The new licensing system will come into effect if there are no major objections during the consultation period, as confirmed by Italy’s Agenzia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli (ADM).
- The new licensing process is expected to start in early January 2025.
#7 Atlaslive and MiFinity Form iGaming Payments Partnership
- Atlaslive has partnered with payments provider MiFinity, aligning with current iGaming trends in payment solutions.
- MiFinity’s payment solutions will be integrated into Atlaslive’s software offerings.
- The partnership aims to enhance payment capabilities for iGaming operators.
- MiFinity is the most famous for its eWallet. It helps users make transactions using a variety of local payment methods and currencies. It holds licenses by both the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority and the Malta Financial Services Authority.
#8 UK BGC Publishes Sponsorship Codes
- The UK Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) has published a set of standards for Gambling Related Agreements as part of the ongoing iGaming trends.
- This new framework was developed with the Premier League, EFL, The FA, Women’s Super League, Rugby Football League, and the British Horseracing Authority.
- This cross-industry voluntary code aims to improve standards for betting sponsorship deals.
- It looks to improve betting sponsorship arrangements through four new core principles: Protection, Social Responsibility, Reinvestment, and Integrity.
Coming up: Meet Voonix in Lisbon!
There is the upcoming SBC Summit in its new location, Lisbon. The event takes place from September 24-26 and will be hosted at the Feira Internacional de Lisboa (FIL). This summit is expected to highlight emerging iGaming trends.
If you’d like to know more about Voonix, you have the opportunity to meet Ieva there. Reach out on LinkedIn or send an email to ieva@voonix.net
