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Sponsors Spotlight: Keeping in Touch with Innovation in iGaming: Meet SYNOT Games at Prague Gaming & TECH Summit 2024

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Ahead of the highly-anticipated Prague Gaming & TECH Summit, organizer HIPTHER is thrilled to introduce and put the spotlight on the companies and people that help make the magic happen: our conference sponsors! These innovative, accomplished professionals and teams make magic happen everyday, and they will be joining us at the Prague Gaming & TECH Summit 2024 taking place on 26-27 March, to share insights, network and collaborate with you! Get to know them, connect, and meet them in Prague!

 

In this Sponsors Spotlight Interview, the #hipthers introduce SYNOT Games, Lanyards Sponsor of the Prague Gaming & TECH Summit, and catch up with SYNOT’s Head of Account Management, Jan Sipovsky, on iGaming innovation and the secret to industry success.

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Dear Jan, thank you for joining us for this interview, we are delighted to host you! Can you please introduce yourself, providing our readers with a glimpse into your personal background and your role at SYNOT Games?

Hello dear readers. It has been nearly 20 years since I packed my bags and moved to the UK, where I started as a young enthusiast studying and later working in a field of management. Throughout my career I have moved through several industries, eventually anchoring in gambling. First as a part of the team preparing and organizing the launch of the Hippodrome Casino in London, which left a positive mark on me and this was a moment when I realized this is something I want to do until the end of my life. As the years passed and my experience expanded in various fields of gaming, I was approached by my colleagues from SYNOT Games with a humble request to share my know-how and join their team; and here I am, looking after over 140 unique games from our production, 200 clients, 1500 casinos and leading and mentoring team of 16 beautiful people from various countries which is continuously growing and expanding.

 

Now, let’s dive into SYNOT Games. Can you share with us an overview of the company’s operations and offerings? Additionally, are there any recent achievements or milestones that SYNOT Games is particularly proud of?

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SYNOT Games is a young, dynamically growing company with a lot of drive. I always tell people that it is the most amazing business you can be in, considering none of your working days are the same – every day is unique and very special. From year to year our team expands significantly. At the moment there are four internal game developing teams dedicated to the development of the slot games for our online division, a team of professional sales representatives, account managers, compliance officers and many other developing teams taking care of our internal CRM systems and data warehouses.

From last year we added a team of table game developers, a team of retention tool developers and we are continuously working on new strategies and products to expand our portfolio and to be as competitive as needed. We have a team of dedicated account managers taking care of various jurisdictions and markets, which is split in two divisions, one in Malta and one based in Slovakia. 

 

SYNOT Games has more than 30 years of experience in gaming, constantly keeping in touch with innovation; according to your experience in the company, and from your position as Head of Account Management, what is the “secret sauce” for SYNOT’s continuous success in the competitive iGaming industry?

We strongly concentrate on creating strategies before targeting any particular market, through thorough analyses and planning. Our vision is to be a significant, strong and valuable partner to our stakeholder in all regulated markets around the world. I do not know if there is any “secret sauce” to the success of our business, but one thing I can tell you for sure, proactive approach to business is a must, and surrounding yourself with people who have drive and willingness to learn is second must. Once you have all the tools, willingness and people who believe in your vision, it is like spreading butter on a piece of bread. Therefore my only advice would be: “Grow your people and your people will grow your business.”    

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In the company’s latest news, we read about SYNOT Games’ partnership with Euro Queen in the Czech Republic. What does this partnership entail, and what are the company’s goals and strategic plans for the Czech gaming market? How do these align with the current industry trends and regulatory landscape?

We value every partnership. Each and every client is being treated with the same respect. When it comes to our business partners, we all bring different expertise to the table and we all participate in our mutual success. It is very important that each and every partnership is treated with utmost respect and professionalism. We always bring to the game a valuable analytical approach and we create a unique strategy based on our clients vision and preference. It is not any different with the Euro Geen.

In terms of the Czech Market, it is not less or more important than any other market we supply our games to. Even though it is the Czech market where the story of SYNOT started, throughout the past 30 years we managed  to leave a visible mark also in many other markets, not only in the Czech Republic, but Europe with ambitions and amazing plans to submit applications for the licenses in all US regulated states and Ontario.

When it comes to the Czech regulation and challenges these days, I must admit it is not very new to us, as we tackle more than 40 jurisdictions with various regulatory changes and adjustments, which brings weekly if not daily new requirements. All we must do is to be highly organized and proactive.

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On the other hand, correct and insightful regulation is vital for any government’s vision to tackle black, illegal and dodgy businesses within the gaming industry, and also to secure steady and regular income for the state. Regulation shouldnt be done with a vision of eliminating gambling entirely and should be done together with operators in order to prevent players from playing elsewhere in unregulated markets, thus securing absence of income.    

 

Considering SYNOT Games’ role as a Sponsor of the upcoming Prague Gaming & TECH Summit and your participation, what is your message to the iGaming companies and professionals attending the summit? How can SYNOT contribute to their success in the Czech market and beyond?

SYNOT  brings to each and every of our partner’s valuable expertise of the market, creates the strategy and follows the vision. We believe these are the main building blocks of any successful business. My message to all participants at the Prague Gaming & Tech Summit is simple and maybe clique: “where there is a will, there is a way.”

Have a wonderful summit experience all.

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Jan 

 

Thank you, Jan, for providing us with valuable insights into SYNOT Games’ successful journey, and the company’s role in the Prague Gaming & TECH Summit. We look forward to meeting you in Prague, and appreciate your time in sharing your perspectives with our readers!

Meet Jan Sipovsky and the rest of SYNOT Games delegates at Prague Gaming & TECH Summit 2024! Secure your tickets now and get ready for an exciting event!

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Playtech Expands iPoker Network into the Czech Republic in Partnership with Fortuna Entertainment Group

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Playtech announced the expansion of its iPoker network into the Czech Republic, in partnership with Fortuna Entertainment Group (Fortuna), marking the first introduction of Playtech’s iPoker network in the Czech market.

This launch represents a significant milestone for both Playtech and Fortuna, as it introduces poker into the Fortuna Entertainment Group for the first time. Through Playtech’s iPoker network, Fortuna’s players in the Czech Republic will now have access to a diverse range of poker games, benefitting from a strong international liquidity pool of players from all around the world, plus a high-quality player experience and state-of-the-art poker product.

The iPoker network has experienced explosive growth over the past few years, and the addition of Fortuna will contribute to the continuation of this trend. The Czech Republic is a prominent hub for live poker tournaments in Europe, with prestigious events held year-round in cities like Prague and Rozvadov. By joining forces with Fortuna, Playtech aims to tap into the potential of this vibrant market, bringing an unmatched online poker experience to the Czech audience.

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Marat Koss, VP of Interactive Gaming at Playtech, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with Fortuna to expand our iPoker network into the Czech market. Playtech is committed to providing a high-quality player experience through its cutting-edge poker product and continuous innovation and together with Fortuna’s continued success and significant growth trajectory as the leading betting and gaming operator in Central and Eastern Europe, this partnership will offer a modern, seamless, and engaging user experience for Fortuna’s players.”

Myke Foster, Group Head of Gaming & Commercial Strategy at Fortuna Entertainment Group, said: “Poker has a significant presence in the Czech market with an established player base and we are impressed by the quality of Playtech’s poker product. We see tremendous potential in this product and are confident it will deliver an exceptional and modern user experience to our customer base. We have had a very successful partnership with Playtech over the years and we look forward to watching this partnership continue to grow from strength to strength.”

The post Playtech Expands iPoker Network into the Czech Republic in Partnership with Fortuna Entertainment Group appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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BF Games Enters Czech Market with Apollo Games

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BF Games, the dynamic game development studio, has entered a new market through a collaboration with Apollo Games, a major licensed online casino operator in the Czech Republic. The content deal provides Apollo Games customers with the supplier’s most engaging releases, including titles like Stunning Hot Remastered and Cave of Fortune, which are now available.

ApolloGames.cz has been entertaining Czech players since 2021 and is part of the globally known Apollo Game Group, which boasts more than 17 years of experience in online games as well as land-based operations. The commercial partnership is part of the supplier’s plans to expand across Europe and supply thrilling games to operator partners worldwide.

Rok Hribar, Head of Sales and Account Management at BF Games, said, “Our new partnership with Apollo Games is a huge milestone for us as we make a significant entrance into the growing Czech market.
“We look forward to providing some of our most popular games to Apollo Games player base and bringing our creative content to their screens.”

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Stanislav Jurecka, Casino Manager at Apollo Games, said, “We are watching the rapid development of BF Games’ offerings and are thrilled to sign this deal with the studio.”
“Adding BF Games’ slots to our online casino is a great win for us and our players, providing fantastic entertainment through a great mix of classic and innovative content. We look forward to introducing further games throughout the year and growing our successful partnership.”

The post BF Games Enters Czech Market with Apollo Games appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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ZEAL starts with 35 percent revenue growth into the year 2024

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ZEAL Network SE, the leading German online provider of lottery products, has started the new financial year with a strong growth spurt. In the first quarter of 2024, billings from lotteries climbed by 22% to € 246.3 million. Group revenue increased by 35.0% to € 36.1 million (2023: € 26.7 million). EBITDA at Group level increased slightly by 1% to € 9.4 million due to one-off effects and the almost doubling of marketing expenses compared to the previous year.

“We made a very strong start to 2024 and were able to significantly accelerate our revenue growth, particularly in our core business of lottery brokerage. We are also particularly proud of the fact that we were able to achieve EBITDA slightly above the previous year’s level in the past quarter despite almost doubling our marketing expenses and a negative one-off effect from a major win in our charity lottery Deutsche Traumhauslotterie amounting to € 0.8 million. This shows that our measures to acquire new customers are paying off very quickly and that we are generating income across the entire breadth of our customer base,” says Sebastian Bielski, CFO of ZEAL. “With the announced squeeze-out at LOTTO24, we are also putting ZEAL in the best possible position for the future and are leveraging further efficiency potential.”

Revenue in core business grows by 28 percent

ZEAL’s significant revenue growth in the first quarter is primarily due to the strong performance of the lottery business. Billings increased by 22% to € 246.3 million, while revenue from lotteries rose by as much as 28% to € 32.0 million (2023: € 24.9 million). The growth in billings is primarily due to the 21% increase in the average number of active customers per month (MAU). ZEAL was also able to improve the gross margin in the lottery business to 13.0% (2023: 12.4%) thanks to a change in the product mix and further margin optimizations. Excluding the one-off effect from the distribution of a major prize in the company’s charity lottery Deutsche Traumhauslotterie, the gross margin would have been as high as 13.3%.

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Games business with significant revenue growth compared to Q4 2023

The games business, which was launched last year, also developed very positively in the first three months of the year. Compared to the fourth quarter of last year, ZEAL was able to increase revenue from games by around 20% from € 1.8 million to € 2.2 million. At 7.0%, the gross margin was stable compared to the previous quarters.

ZEAL was also able to further expand its games portfolio at the end of the quarter. The subsidiary LOTTO24 AG received permission to offer a further 64 games.

Stable result thanks to efficient expansion of future earnings base

ZEAL invested heavily in future growth in the past quarter, acquiring more than twice as many new customers (320 thousand) as in the same period of the previous year (2023: 143 thousand). The company achieved this customer growth much more efficiently than in the same period of the previous year. At € 33.04, the acquisition costs per registered new customer (cost per lead, CPL) were noticeably lower than in the previous year (2023: € 36.77). Due to the company’s strategic decision to use the exceptionally good jackpot situation in January 2024 for efficient new customer growth, marketing expenses of € 13.4 million were 91% higher than in the same period of the previous year (2023: € 7.0 million). As a result, other operating expenses rose to € 21.0 million (2023: € 12.5 million). As a result of the increased number of new customers and the growth of the games business, the direct costs of business operations also rose to € 4.0 million (2023: € 2.7 million).

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At € 9.4 million, EBITDA was slightly higher than in the first quarter of the previous year (2023: € 9.3 million). At € 7.5 million, EBIT was 6% higher than in the same period of the previous year (2023: € 7.1 million) due to lower depreciation and amortization recognized in profit or loss. Net income for the period rose to € 21.1 million (2023: € 4.7 million) due to the first-time recognition of expected tax benefits from the utilization of existing tax loss carryforwards in connection with the LOTTO24 squeeze-out.

Due to the good results of the first quarter of 2024, ZEAL confirms the forecast published on March 20, 2024. 

The post ZEAL starts with 35 percent revenue growth into the year 2024 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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