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Outlook on the gambling industry in 2021 per region by selected Way Seers
European Gaming and Gaming Americas Way Seers share their opinion about the new year.
There is no doubt that 2020 has changed the industry in many ways and we can expect 2021 to have lots of surprises.
We have asked our Way Seers from European Gaming and Gaming Americas to share their opinion about what they are expecting from the year 2021 in Europe, in North and Latin America.
Here is what the European Gaming Way Seers are saying:
“With Germany and the Netherlands both planning to launch their new licensing regimes in 2021 we will see some long-anticipated markets opening. This will mean new opportunities and challenges for the industry and, in general, I believe 2021 will be a year in which the industry will be tested: AML compliance and social responsibility being on the top of the agenda. The pandemic, which we are still in, will increase the need for the industry to continue to step up their game and I expect a lot more focus and discussion around responsible product design and advertising. Affiliates and possibly also streamers will likely bear the brunt of this.” – JESSICA MAIER, Chief Risk Officer, Head of Legal and Compliance at Push Gaming
“We want to be positive going into a new year, wishing health, wealth, and prosperity. 2021 must be a better one for the gambling industry. On several key issues, I believe the industry manifested how quickly and adequately we can come together and respond, in times of dire crisis. We need to do much more of that in 2021 and beyond. Rigid market restrictions are being rolled out in existing markets, at the same time, 2021 will see market openings in Europe and beyond as well as ongoing innovation by the online industry. The crisis, which has hit State revenues, should yield more discussions on the benefits of proper regulation – in a sustainable way. 2021 should see research and evidence-based policy better guiding legislators and regulators, with industry more proactively wanting to provide credible evidence to inform policy, as well as match innovation and safer gambling.” – CHARMAINE HOGAN, Head of Regulatory Affairs at Playtech
“I expect 2021 to be about the product, both in terms of increased regulatory attention and the required creativity when it comes to innovation. It will be the product that will set companies apart from their competition, especially in mature regulated markets where we will likely see the 2020 re-regulation trend continuing. Increased attention to addressing player advancement, the use of AI and automation will likely play key roles in this. When it comes to how regulation will evolve, my hope is that we will see more focus on data-driven and evidence-based regulation rather than restriction being applied across the board. The UKGC’s call for evidence on remote customer interaction and affordability will be one to watch, and of course, the US will catch everybody’s attention in 2021.” – SISSEL WEITZHANDLER, Chief Compliance Officer at Play’n GO
“2021 will certainly be a challenging year as Europe is dealing with the health and economic consequences of the pandemic. In the gambling sector, the main objective will be to continue to look for innovative, secure solutions for the growing online sector and to withdraw the restrictions that were introduced as a result of the COVID-19 situation.” – RAFFAELA ZILLNER, LL.M, Secretary-General at Austrian Association for Betting and Gambling (OVWG)
“2020 was a year of becoming aware. Suddenly there were situations that we would never have thought possible. There were threats, existential threats that we were not prepared for. The incredible impact of restrictions on the land-based gambling industry revealed the strengths of online gambling in times of crisis – both for providers and to meet demand. Policymakers cannot ignore that.” – DR. JOERG HOFMANN, Partner at MELCHERS LAW
“For me as being a passionate representative of the online gambling industry, it is fascinating to observe how well these services function in a society under the kind of pressure we now face. The transition from land-based to online has received a boost, and I believe that the entertainment from our industry together with contributions from other platforms such as streaming media services truly make people’s lives better under these tough conditions.” – GUSTAF HOFFSTEDT, Secretary-General at the Swedish Trade Association for Online Gambling
To dive into quality knowledge and meet up with the top names of the industry in the EU/EEA/CIS and Balkans, make sure to signup and attend our virtual meetups in 2021.
The first virtual Quarterly Meetup of the European gaming industry will take place on February 11 and you can find more information/register on the following page: https://europeangaming.eu/meetups/
Here is what the Gaming Americas Way Seers are saying:
“In terms of jurisdictions, I would say that the advances on online gaming and sports betting regulations in several provinces of Argentina will have an important protagonist in 2021, as well as the market development of recently regulated jurisdictions that are strategically important such as Puerto Rico and Panama. In Brazil, the advances to the fixed odds sports betting regulation and concession or authorization process will continue to be closely followed by the industry as well as the role that the States will also have on the operation of Lotteries and possibly participating in the sports betting market.
Also, how player behavior and preference post-Covid will shape the land-based operations, potentially propelling a faster way to the convergence of the online and land-based world, not only from the game content and player experience perspective but also in terms of possible partnerships. The Role that payment methods will play in all this will be key.
I believe operators will take much more informed decisions and give a higher priority not only to cost but also to the added value from their technological partners, especially with the significant rise of illegal gaming during the pandemic. It is crucial to bring the players back to the legal gaming offer with a better player experience and with the benefit of the protection to the vulnerable and all the related responsible gaming tools that are only available in the regulated operations.
I take the opportunity to wish everyone a happy, healthy and safe New Year!” – KAREN MARCELA SIERRA-HUGHES, Director, Latin America, and Caribbean Government Relations and Business Development at Gaming Laboratories International (GLI®)
“From a Canadian perspective, one item to look out for is Bill C-13, An Act to Amend the Criminal Code (Single Event Sports Betting). The First Reading took place in the House of Commons in November 2020. The House of Commons is in recess until February due to the holidays, but a Second Reading vote on Bill C-13 could be arranged as early as mid-February. Another exciting item in Ontario’s competitive iGaming regime, which will include private operators. The regime will be further developed over the coming months.
On the US side, we expect additional states to legalize sports betting and Mazooma is looking forward to expanding in those states.” – CHANTAL CIPRIANO, Senior Director, Legal & Compliance at Mazooma
“2021 will be a blockbuster year for all things sports betting. I am especially excited to see the innovative products brought to market by startups and early-stage companies that are just starting to break into the mass market.” – LLOYD DANZIG, Founder & CEO at Sharp Alpha Advisors
“2020 has been the most challenging and at times craziest year of our lives and we have all had to face and overcome unexpected situations. But there is now a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel and the future of the gambling industry is looking much brighter for 2021. Of course, we must still work together and look after one another if we are to ensure this great industry not only survives but thrives over the next 12 months. At Focus Gaming News we will continue to play our part, bringing you the latest news, interviews, and analysis.” – FERNANDO SAFFORES, Founder & Director at Focus Gaming News
“2020 – the year of the ‘lockdown’ — has shown a demand for interactive products. In the US, I expect 2021 will lead to increased offerings such as e-lottery and increased acceptance of e-sports as a betting market. We should also expect to see the industry leverage the commercial success (and accompanying increase in state tax revenue) of online sports betting to justify an expansion of online casino in additional US states.” – JEREMY KLEIMAN, Gaming Attorney and Member at Saiber LLC
“One of the most important things to look for is the continued rollout of sports betting across additional states in the US. Are states like Ohio and Georgia going to actually get across the finish line? Will New York finally legalize mobile betting?
I’m also looking at whether sports betting operators are able to continue to grow their base and reach the tens of millions of casual sports fans who don’t presently bet on sports.” – EVAN DAVIS, Managing Director, Sports Betting and Gaming for SeventySix Capital Sports Advisory
All through the year, you can tune in on quality discussions and meet up with the top names from the North and Latin American gaming industry. Make sure to signup and attend our virtual meetups which will take place on a quarterly basis in 2021 and make the most of them.
The first virtual Quarterly Meetup of the North and Latin American gaming industry will take place on January 28 and you can find more information/register on the following page: https://gamingamericas.com/meetups/
For further sponsorship/speaking and marketing inquiries, make sure to reach out to Andrada Marginean (B2B Sales Executive at Hipther Agency).
For media-related inquiries, please contact Alexandru Marginean (Marketing Specialist at Hipther Agency).
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Introducing Rhythm of Resistance: A Fresh Rhythm Metroidvania Where Your Playlist Is Your Weapon
Drenched in Darkwave: Innovative 2.5D Rhythm Based Metroidvania – Fueled by Forbidden Music and Gothic Soundscapes.
NetherMoon Game Studio, a small independent development studio based in Karlstad, Sweden, unveiled today Rhythm of Resistance, a shadow-draped adventure that fuses the somber tones of gothic and darkwave music with atmospheric Metroidvania exploration, creating an unforgettable game experience unlike anything you’ve seen, or heard, before.
Proudly tipped to be the world’s very first Rhythm Metroidvania, Rhythm of Resistance places explorers in the role of Aria, a hero fighting for survival in a dystopian future where music is forbidden, joy outlawed, and the skies hang heavy with cloying silence. The world is ruled by shadow and steel, until Aria discovers a relic of the old world – a cracked cassette player pulsing with forbidden power. This ancient music player unlocks a host of mysterious abilities, and allows her to navigate through labyrinthine dungeons, spectral foes, and traps as cruel as they are cursed. Each corridor hums with a forgotten melody, each enemy a sentinel of silence.
In Rhythm of Resistance, music is your key to success. As your adventure progresses, Aria discovers dusty cassettes hidden in the ruined world and expands her music library, unlocking more than 20 unique tracks, each holding the key to progression and altering the gameplay, unlocking different stats and abilities. Choose your playlist with care, in Rhythm of Resistance, your chosen beats can be your saviour or your downfall, with each track dynamically changing your surroundings, working at a different tempo to increase or devastate your chances of survival. Players will enjoy full freedom to choose the haunting songs, and will watch as the entire world around them reacts to their choices.
Expected to release in 2026 on Steam, Rhythm of Resistance offers a host of unique gameplay features, the first and only Metroidvania adventure where your playlist is your weapon! With music controlling your destiny, playlists can not only alter your surroundings, but alter enemy behaviour, reveal hidden paths, and solve the most fiendish of musical puzzles.
Music is a key factor in the title, with two early band announcements being Swedish goth sensation ABU NEIN, who took the darkwave world by storm with the release of their debut album “Secular Psalms” in 2020, and Underground Fire, a Swedish gothic rock band formed in 2015 by the aptly named Rob Coffinshaker in 2015. More musicians will be announced as the game’s development progresses, but you can be sure that they will delight any fans of the genre.
Joel Fjällsby, Founder & Creative Director at Nethermoon Game Studio commented, “I wanted the music to be real songs with lyrics and everything. Like an old track you could actually find on a forgotten cassette tape. With this in mind, I reached out to bands that felt like a great fit—and everyone so far has fallen in love with the project.”
Get your groove on and feel the beat to attack, parry, dodge, and unleash powerful abilities, all in perfect sync to your soundtrack. Be on the lookout for spare parts to upgrade your music player and unlock new powers as you traverse a vast, haunted landscape of crumbling cathedrals, rust-choked catacombs, and decaying factories echoing with the whispers of lost, solemn songs as players guide Aria to uncover clues of a long-forgotten past.
Rhythm of Resistance Feature Highlights:
- World’s first rhythm based Metroidvania where every beat defies the void, and your playlist is your weapon!
- Wield the force of music to unlock exciting features and abilities.
- Discover 20+ forbidden cassette tapes,each one distorting reality in strange and surprising ways while dynamically changing your game experience
- Choose your tracks wisely to alter enemy behaviour, reveal hidden paths, and solve musical puzzles.
- Stay on the beat to stay alive! Attack, parry, dodge, and unleash powerful abilities in sync with the dark pulse of your chosen song.
- Traverse a vast interlinked world of cathedrals, catacombs and factories to uncover clues of a long-forgotten past.
- Collect spare parts to upgrade your music player and unlock new abilities.
- Featuring a haunting gothic darkwave soundtrack from a range of underground artists.
Joel Fjällsby, Founder & Creative Director at NetherMoon Game Studio commented, “I’ve always been drawn to dark music, dystopian worlds, and of course Metroidvanias—so this project is the perfect fusion of everything I love. Honestly, I’m surprised no one’s made a game like this before. It’s a massive undertaking, especially for a new studio, but I love every hour of it. Seeing this dark, mysterious world come alive is incredibly rewarding.”
Rhythm of Resistance – Every beat, a rebellion. Every song, a revolution.
To find out more about Rhythm of Resistance and to Wishlist, please visit the Steam page here: store.steampowered.com/app/3269550/Rhythm_of_Resistance/
Find out more about the team on the Nethermoon website: nethermoon.com
Stay up to date with all the latest news by following NetherMoon Game Studio on social media: YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, X, LinkedIn
The post Introducing Rhythm of Resistance: A Fresh Rhythm Metroidvania Where Your Playlist Is Your Weapon appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Aristocrat Interactive Delivers New Player-Centric Experience to Cliff Castle Casino Hotel Through Mobile and Cashless Systems
Cliff Castle Casino Hotel Expands Long-Standing Relationship with Aristocrat Interactive Through New Products & Solutions
Aristocrat Interactive™ announced today the roll out of new player-centric solutions to Cliff Castle Casino Hotel, located in Camp Verde, Arizona, as part of a recent deal under its Gaming Systems division.
Already an Oasis™ customer for over 20 years, as part of the deal signed in December, Cliff Castle Casino Hotel will be adding Aristocrat Interactive’s player mobile app, PlayerMax™, as well as its Mobile nCompass™ cardless solution, ONE LINK progressive management solution and Oasis Loyalty™ suite of products, all rolling out over the course of the summer.
“Cliff Castle Casino Hotel has been a valued customer of Oasis™, our comprehensive casino management system, for over two decades now,” said Kristen Jones, VP of Sales of Aristocrat Interactive Gaming Systems. “We take great pride in being a trusted provider of products that support casino operations, while also keeping the player experience top of mind.”
These additional products will enable Cliff Castle Casino Hotel to push real-time progressive data to marquee video displays and electronic gaming machines (EGM) on the floor through ONE LINK. Separately, the Oasis Loyalty™ suite of products, will allow for advanced campaign management and enterprise-wide tier management – ultimately, leading to operation efficiencies and strengthened player retention.
Through PlayerMax™, Cliff Castle Casino Hotel patrons will benefit from access to a blend of immersive options, engaging features like live progressive jackpots, exciting rewards and personalized offers to stay informed through timely, location-based communications.
Players will also be able to “card-in” via their mobile device, enabling them to play an EGM without having to insert a physical players’ card.
“Aristocrat Interactive has been instrumental in our ability to provide our players with a personalized and entertaining casino experience,” said Paul Hamm, Director of Gaming for Cliff Castle Casino Hotel. “We’re confident that the addition of these products will continue to elevate the player experience and show the value we bring to players, reinforcing Cliff Castle Casino Hotel as a premier gaming destination.”
The post Aristocrat Interactive Delivers New Player-Centric Experience to Cliff Castle Casino Hotel Through Mobile and Cashless Systems appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Zimpler, a leading Swedish company in Pay-by-bank solutions, today announced the launch of Zimpler ID+, a new identity layer designed to simplify compliance and accelerate user conversion within digital payment environments. By embedding biometric identification and regulatory checks directly into the first user interaction, Zimpler ID+ reduces friction in sectors with complex onboarding requirements.
“Zimpler ID+ gives our partners a direct path to compliance and conversion – cutting onboarding time, reducing drop-offs, and removing the need to build identity infrastructure in-house,” said Tobias Gunnesson, Chief Product Officer at Zimpler.
“While most verification flows still rely solely on deposit-based triggers or cookie tracking, we’re the first to enable verification at the point of entry – meeting compliance head-on and delivering a better user experience from the start.”
Purpose-built for highly regulated digital environments
Zimpler ID+ serves industries where compliance is critical and abandonment rates are costly, such as iGaming and financial services. It ensures users are verified from the start, without requiring deposits or post-registration identity checks.
Key features include:
- Quick onboarding: Verification and collection of KYC data takes place at the first point of contact, not only at the point of payment
- Seamless return user experience: Returning users can identify with biometric technology and are recognized with the help of cookies
- Works even without cookies: If cookies are unavailable, the user can easily identify themselves using a passkey
- Built-in compliance: Regulatory assurance at every step of the customer journey
By functioning as a unified identity layer from sign-up through repeat visits, Zimpler ID+ helps businesses minimize onboarding churn and maximize regulatory confidence.
Solving identification friction at scale
The launch of Zimpler ID+ comes as businesses across Europe face rising pressure to improve digital onboarding while maintaining regulatory standards. National ID systems remain foundational – but they weren’t built to optimize every business touchpoint.
Zimpler ID+ complements these systems by offering operators a plug-in layer of biometric identification and gathering of KYC information tailored to business needs. It removes the need for deposit triggers, repeated logins, or re-verification after a device change.
“With Zimpler ID+, we’re introducing a flexible approach that gives businesses more control over identity flows – without compromising security or relying solely on external systems” said Gunnesson.
Product availability
Zimpler ID+ is now available as a value-added service to select partners in Finland, with more markets to be added in the future.
By embedding advanced onboarding capabilities directly into its existing infrastructure, Zimpler expects ID+ to strengthen customer retention and enhance platform value across regulated sectors for years to come.
The post Zimpler introduces ID+: A next-gen identification layer for digital payments appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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