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European Lotteries Adapting to a Post-corona World

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The lottery executives and industry experts in Europe have met together via an online webinar “Lotteries in COVID-19 Lockdown” to discuss the impact of COVID-19 on the lottery sector, the consequences for a post-corona world and the importance of continuing to fund good causes during a pandemic.

The webinar was organised by VIXIO GamblingCompliance in association with The European Lotteries (EL), together with representatives of two of EL Members the SAZKA Group and Veikkaus Oy. The webinar has gathered over 250 participants.

During the webinar, EL Secretary General Arjan van ‘t Veer outlined the situation for lotteries during the lockdown. In their immediate response to the outbreak, the vast majority of EL Members have already taken a series of priority actions to protect players and lottery employees, retailers and providers’ staff. The most common steps included remote working, travel restrictions and regular communication with the players and relevant stakeholders.

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On the operational side, Mr. van ‘t Veer noted: ‘‘I have seen many EL Members take necessary continuity measure to make sure operations can continue. In the first days of the lockdown, there was a tremendous drop in sales, as retailers closed their doors and draws were postponed or cancelled. Early on, Members that operate slot machines, EGMs or casinos took their responsibility to close, in order to reduce large public gatherings. As the lockdown spread across Europe, more POSs were closed (some up to 100%) and sports betting took a major hit.’’

However, it is not all bad news. Mr. van ‘t Veer added, ‘‘Over the last few weeks some EL members have reported stable sales. Online games are performing better than expected, scratch cards are doing well, and many lottery campaigns are now focused on good causes to support the health sector and vulnerable people, such as funding for medical equipment or the delivery of daily essential supplies to care homes. Since the Easter break, there has been a positive impact on the sales of (draw based) games. There is still a long way to go but light is at the end of the tunnel. Some POSs are re-opening and Members are reporting preparations to get back to (full) business when possible.’’

Moderated by Andrew Gellatly, Head of Global Research at VIXIO, the discussions moved on to national situations and how lotteries can learn to co-exist with the virus.

Robert Chvatal, CEO of the Sazka a.s. and Sazka Group highlighted the observed “north-south divide,” i.e. differences in impact on lottery business between southern and northern regions of Europe, where for example in the southern countries with very small share of on-line lottery sales and 100% POS closures, the business was hit very hard by the crisis and in opposite, in the northern and central European countries, where the on-line share is much higher and retail was closed only partly, the business impact was much smaller.

“Many lotteries have seen a significant increase in online sales share, due to the retail channel limitations and customers’ willingness to have a chance to continue to play. Fortunately, this is even supported by high jackpots of both, local Lotto games and Eurojackpot/ Euromillions, attracting even occasional players to participate. This is something that lotteries will need to adjust to support, for example, their elderly customers concerned about going to their usual retailer with advice on how to play online. Some of them will probably remain the online customers, benefiting from convenience of on-line channel, which will partially increase the future on-line channel share. Nevertheless, plenty of the players will revert back to play in retail, especially those needing the social contact connected with the play. I believe that the lotteries biggest challenge will be to re-open fully the retail channel, respecting all hygienic rules to protect both customers and retailers, and ramp-up the retail channel performance as soon as possible to start to generate good causes contributions on the pre-corona level,” Chvatal noted.

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On monitoring changes in the behaviour of players, Sami Kauhanen, SVP of Betting at Veikkaus Oy highlighted that “in Finland casinos, VLTs and slot machines closed in March, while the retails network remained open and continued to operate more or less ‘normally.’ There has been a slight increase for online casinos, but not to the extent that they are seen as a replace to suspended games such as slot machines. On offshore operators, there are not major changes during the lockdown. There is a traditional loss of the market share for online casinos and betting from these operators, regardless of the crisis.”

On sports betting Mr. Kauhanen added, “Live sport betting is a big thing in our country and with the cancellation of sport events, many are turning towards betting on horse-racing, often with new players who cannot currently bet on their favourite live sport, like football. Virtual betting and e-sports are not so popular in Finland.”

An audience poll was conducted during the webinar on what changes there will be in lottery player behaviour in the post-corona era. Most participants said players would revert to their existing retail/online preferences, followed closely by players staying online and retail lotteries becoming less relevant.

 

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Kindred Reports Decline in Revenue from High-risk Players for Q4 2024

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Kindred Group has reported decline in its share of revenue from high-risk players for the fourth quarter 2024 at 2.7% (Q3 2024 3.2%). The percentage of detected customers who exhibited improved behaviour after interventions showed an improvement at 92.2% (compared to 87.3% in Q3 2024). This positive trend is mainly the result of stricter measures across key markets, improved internal processes, as well as the exit from non-locally licensed markets as part of to the acquisition by La Française des Jeux (FDJ) in October 2024. This shift reflects Kindred’s broader commitment to maintaining high regulatory standards and fostering safer gambling practices.

“It is pleasing to see the decline in high-risk revenue during the fourth quarter of last year. We know that the share fluctuates between quarters, but the long-term trend is showing a steady decline. We remain dedicated and focused on improving our systems and processes to ensure we offer our customers a safe and fun experience,” Esther Scheepers, Head of Responsible Gambling at Kindred Group, said.

“The increased focus on responsible gambling by regulators and the industry is welcomed. From our end, we see that by combining our expertise with emerging technologies, we can further enhance detection capabilities. We are currently working on our existing detection system in combination with an additional system that will enable us to integrate more robust compliance features and optimize our overall approach to safer gambling. Furthermore, we are exploring opportunities to expand our research efforts, aiming to support data-driven discussions and looking at emerging trends in consumer protection. All these aspects are important to protect the integrity of the licence model and maintain a level playing field,” Esther Scheepers added.

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Presence of Hristo Stoichkov was a Main Attraction of Amusnet’s Stand at ICE Barcelona 2025

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In 2025, ICE was held in Barcelona for the first time, attracting more than 55,000 visitors. A key moment at Amusnet’s stand was the exclusive participation of football legend, Barcelona icon and official company partner Hristo Stoichkov.

The collaboration with the leading all-casino solutions provider was officially announced in July 2024. It brings the excitement of football – one of the world’s most beloved sports, to a global audience while reinforcing the company’s commitment to delivering exceptional gaming experiences. The partnership with Stoichkov, a football legend ranked among the 100 greatest players of all time, strengthens Amusnet’s leadership in the gaming industry. It embodies core values like teamwork and determination, driving the company’s success and innovation.

The exclusive appearance of FC Barcelona legend Hristo Stoichkov at ICE drew thousands of visitors who seized the unique opportunity to meet him. In the city that played a pivotal role in his career, Stoichkov brought value to the global gaming community, further strengthening Amusnet’s dedication to world-class entertainment. Hundreds of attendees showcased their competitive spirit in a thrilling football championship, competing for exclusive prizes, including autographed footballs signed by Stoichkov and 2025 Champions League tickets. Adding to the anticipation, the iconic player personally drew the winners, making the moment even more unforgettable. The Amusnet team was also honoured to welcome Digitain’s founder, Vardges Vardanyan, alongside Real Madrid Legends: Michel Salgado, Michael Owen, Iker Casillas, and Luis Figo, to its stand. The presence of these iconic football stars, alongside Hristo Stoichkov, embodied the spirit of collaboration and innovation, reinforcing the concept of industry pioneers uniting to shape the future of gaming.

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Visitors at the Amusnet stand had the chance to experience the celebrity slot game Stoichkov #8, launched ahead of UEFA EURO 2024 to heighten the tournament’s excitement. Inspired by Stoichkov’s legendary career, the game captures the essence of football with immersive graphics and dynamic features, bringing the thrill of real matches to the reels through Free Spins, Buy Bonus and Expanding Wilds for continuous action. Recognized for its excellence, Stoichkov #8 received the Online Game of the Year award at the BEGE Awards 2024. Since its debut, it has become a player-favourite across multiple markets in Europe and LATAM.

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Amusnet to Participate in Enada Primavera 2025

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Amusnet, an international all-one casino solutions provider, is going to showcase its latest products at the 37th edition of Enada Primavera, taking place on February 17–19 in Rimini, Italy. Organised by the IEG Italian Exhibition Group and promoted by SAPAR, this premier gaming event draws industry professionals across Southern Europe.

“Enada Primavera is a key event for connecting with partners and presenting our newest gaming solutions. Our ongoing participation reflects our commitment to further expanding our presence in the Italian market and shaping the future of gaming in Italy and beyond,” Polina Nedyalkova, Director at Amusnet Italy, said.

At booth 086, visitors will have the opportunity to explore some of the recent slot releases in Italy, including Vampire Bites and Dancing Dead, along with the festive Diamond Plus – Valentine’s Edition.

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Amusnet will showcase top-performing titles from its Live Casino vertical, including the three next-generation Virtual Roulette games: Virtual Monaco Roulette 72x, Virtual Space Roulette 120x, and Virtual Vegas Roulette 500x. They offer thrilling gameplay, excellent-quality graphics, captivating themes and soundtracks.

Visitors can also explore Showtime Roulette 500x, a highly customisable live roulette game that enables operators to personalise branding and themes for a unique gaming experience. As the newest addition to the Live Casino portfolio, this game is planned to be available to Italian players in 2025.

The post Amusnet to Participate in Enada Primavera 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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