#gameloungelife – Follow our journey

France’s Banijay Group has announced it has agreed to acquire a majority stake in Germany’s Tipico Group from CVC Capital Partners and Tipico’s founders, combining the sports betting operator with its own Betclic business to form one of Europe’s largest online gaming and betting companies.

The General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA) seeks continuity in oversight of UAE’s nascent gaming sector after CEO’s departure.

1/ST CONTENT, the pre-eminent provider of premium content for North and South American horse racing - has expanded its growing international footprint with the addition of Club Hípico de Santiago racetrack, thanks to its ongoing partnership with American Racing Channel (ARC), a leading local distributor which holds the rights to many of the foremost racecourses in Latin America.

A decade ago, Ras Al Khaimah’s Al Marjan Island was known mainly for its fishing heritage, the faint memory of the Gulf’s pre-oil days. Today, it’s a construction zone with scaffolding, cranes and tight security forming the skeleton of Wynn Al Marjan Island, the UAE’s first integrated resort to hold a commercial gaming licence.

When India turned its online gambling market black almost overnight and Brazil became the world’s largest regulated market, the gaming industry was forced to adapt fast.

Italy’s new online betting regime is reshaping one of Europe’s largest gaming markets, setting a higher bar for compliance, capital, and competitiveness. Under the Agenzia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli (ADM) framework, only 46 operators have advanced to Stage 2 of the licensing process, a clear sign that this is no longer a market for the faint-hearted. 

At this year’s SiGMA Central Europe in Rome, one of the standout gatherings was the Brunch & Connect event, a relaxed yet sharply curated networking session that brought together industry experts. The event blended Italian hospitality and industry dialogue in an informal atmosphere. 

Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament, opened SiGMA’s inaugural Central Europe conference in Rome, calling for a more integrated and innovation-driven European economy.

Evoke has announced the resignation of Lord Jonathan Mendelsohn as chair and non-executive director with immediate effect, ending a five-year tenure defined by corporate overhaul and regulatory challenge. 

When gaming operators venture from grey markets into regulated territory, many assume the hardest part will be the paperwork.

The European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) welcomed a ruling by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) confirming that the European Commission failed to properly investigate whether the Netherlands granted unlawful state aid when it renewed gambling monopoly licences in 2014 without a competitive tender.

The Game Lounge executive team led by CEO Richard Dennys are in full force at SiGMA Central Europe in Rome this week, joining regulators, policymakers, operators, affiliates and tech leaders for three days of high-level talks on gaming, betting and innovation across Europe.