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Lafka Market Stops Operations After Bulgaria’s Gambling Law Changes

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Changes in Bulgaria’s gambling law have caused the major local retailer Lafka Market to close its operations because of the loss of private lottery revenues.

Last week, the Bulgaria State Gambling Commission (BGC) issued a statement announcing the formal imposition of the new laws of the country restricting lottery operations to those run by the Bulgarian Sports Totalizator. Other lotteries were ordered to “cease the distribution and sale of tickets, coupons, cards or other tokens” related to private lottery operators and, in the presence of BGC staff, destroy all unsold tickets by the end of the year.

Lafka Market, which boasting around 1100 retail locations across the country, announced that it will shut down its operations. Lafka said it generated revenue of BGN240 m (US$ 133.2 m) in 2018 but much of that revenue was obtained through sales of products issued by the privately-run National Lottery and Lottery Bulgaria.

Bulgaria might have limited its lottery operations to the state but the country has made no move to revoke the licences it issued to several private online gambling operators, including familiar Western brands such as Bet365, Betfair, Bwin and PokerStars.

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Making a Bang in Bulgaria! Hacksaw Gaming goes live with Alphawin

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Hacksaw Gaming and the swiftly up and coming Alphawin solidify their new partnership with the launch of 12 of Hacksaw’s top picks on their site.

As of the 10th of April, Alphawin’s players will be able to enjoy the likes of Chaos Crew, Wanted Dead or a Wild, RIP City and many others. Set to be a hit amongst Alphawin users in Bulgaria, we are anticipating the launch of even more of our fan favourite games in the near future. In a market that has been dominated by local well-known brands for a while, we look forward to seeing how Hacksaw games make waves with Alphawin’s players.

Founded in 2007, Alphabet Gaming now has a sizable network of over 10 land-based casinos and has easily been named one of the region’s industry leaders with its growth. Moving and adapting with the evolution of online gaming, they established Alphawin in 2021. They currently boast one of the largest online casino portfolios in the region, featuring 27 slots and 6 live casino providers. With hopes to add more before the close of 2024, the future is looking like a bright one for Alphawin.

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“We are very excited to start our partnership with Hacksaw Gaming.” Alphawin’s spokesperson stated that “the company offers an innovative and unique take on the concept of casino gaming and is an excellent fit for us!”

Set for star positioning, Hacksaw Gaming’s games will see the spotlight in the initial launch with banners, targeted ads and top lobby positions. CEO Marcus Cordes shares Alphawin’s positive outlook on the partnership – “Another strong collaboration under our belts! We’re absolutely sure that the avid Alphawin players will enjoy our artistic visuals and enticing bonus features of our most loved games. With of course plans to expand the Hacksaw portfolio in the future”

As both parties broaden their horizons and look onwards, what do we foresee? Well, we see Hacksaw Gaming and Alphawin, a truly prime pairing.

The post Making a Bang in Bulgaria! Hacksaw Gaming goes live with Alphawin appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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ESA Gaming unveils Balkan Bet collaboration

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ESA Gaming, the innovative games provider, has further boosted its footprint in Serbia after partnering with Balkan Bet.

The leading regional operator now has access to an expansive array of captivating casino games and slot titles from ESA Gaming, encompassing new video slot releases Candy Drops and Tiki Stacks, alongside the thrilling crash game Big Fish Bonanza.

Balkan Bet launched its online platform in 2016 and provides its customers with a broad selection of casino games and sports betting options.

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This latest collaboration marks yet another significant stride for ESA Gaming, adding to several recent partnerships that highlight the company’s strategic plans to broaden its global reach.

Thomas Smallwood, Chief Commercial Officer at ESA Gaming, said: “This collaboration underscores our commitment to expanding our reach and providing unparalleled gaming experiences to players across the Balkan region.

“With a strong local presence in Serbia, we are delighted to see our titles go live with local partners, and we are confident that Balkan Bet customers will love our releases.”

Nikola Popović, Online Slot Product Manager at Balkan Bet, added: “We’re excited to take ESA Gaming’s captivating portfolio live on our platform, presenting a dynamic range of content.

“As we strive to continually enhance our offerings to meet player demands, ESA Gaming’s innovative approach promises to elevate our customer’s experience.”

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The post ESA Gaming unveils Balkan Bet collaboration appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Bulgarian Parliament Rejects Revisions Aimed Against Advertisement of Gambling

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The Bulgarian Parliament has voted against proposed revisions to the Gambling Act, aimed at curbing the pervasive influence of gambling advertisements. The revisions were proposed by Kostadin Kostadinov of Vazrazhdane and were voted down in a 67-29 vote with 79 abstentions. They were backed by Vazrazhdane, BSP for Bulgaria and There Is Such a People.

The bill’s supporters blamed GERB and Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria for protecting gambling businesses.

The reasoning to the bill said that it sought to minimise the harm in society caused by gambling by curbing advertising and improving control, and strengthening the deterring function of the register of persons with gambling addiction. The revisions also proposed a fine for media operators violating the restrictions on advertising gambling.

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Vazrazhdane argued that gambling addiction is a disease which affects one in three families in Bulgaria. They said that helping fight this is the main objective of the law and urged the other groups in Parliament to engage in a meaningful debate that would produce a good law.

Rumen Gechev of BSP for Bulgaria argued in favour of a total ban on gambling in Bulgaria. He said that advertisement of gambling has become aggressive and ubiquitous in recent years, “has got into the phones of children and youths, and this has got to stop”.

Lyuben Dilov of GERB-UDF argued that “the dramatic changes proposed in the Vazrazhdane bill” will deal a severe blow on municipal sporting institutions. He also said that a ban on advertising gambling will not solve the problem with the addiction. “Human nature should not be touched and changed,” he added.

The post Bulgarian Parliament Rejects Revisions Aimed Against Advertisement of Gambling appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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