The Betting and Gaming Council or simply the BGC is the single industry organization for gaming and betting which today represents online casino gaming venues, online sports betting venues, betting shops as well as other businesses of this kind. Members of the Betting and Gaming Council association come from the United Kingdom gaming and betting industry which in the United Kingdom employs 70,000 individuals as well as contributes with over £14 billion to the United Kingdom economy.

As listed on the official website of the Betting and Gaming Council association, one of the major business missions of the association is to champion casino gaming and betting industry standards in order to ensure enjoyable, safe, and fair gaming and betting experience for all individuals. Today, the Betting and Gaming Council association in the United Kingdom sets the highest standards in the industry.

The association is also focused on building both institutional and public trust in the United Kingdom gambling and betting industry through its codes of practice and codes of conduct which are crafted carefully to ensure everyone is treated equally and everyone is offered safe, fare and enjoyable betting and gambling activities.

England Casinos to Reopen on the 1st of August

The United Kingdom Prime Minister has just recently announced that casino venues located in England can finally reopen and resume their operations on the 1^st of August following a long period of four months of these venues being temporarily shuttered down due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Commenting on the news, officials at the Betting and Gaming council said that they are delighted for England casinos which can finally reopen since this will provide a major tourism boost to all hospitality industries.

Nonetheless, the Betting and Gaming Council also calls for the Welsh and Scottish casino venues to reopen as over two thousand employees in the industry are affected by the four-month shutdown. When it comes to casino venues located in England, they employ over 12,000 locals as well as provide millions in taxes. Needless to say, casinos in England also contribute greatly to the region’s tourism economy, so there is no wonder why the UK government wants to get these facilities up and running as soon as the situation allows.

Strict Coronavirus-Induced Measures and Guidelines

Before the United Kingdom Prime Minister announced that casinos in England will reopen on the 1^st of August, the Betting and Gaming Council association has been working very hard to get land-based casinos back in the game especially after England bingo halls and betting shops reopened. Needless to say, casinos in England which will open their doors to the public after four months will have to follow strict coronavirus-induced guidelines in order to ensure that both employees and players remain safe and protected.

Commenting on the long-awaited reopening process, the Betting and Gaming Council’s Chief Executive Officer Michael Dugher said that after four months of mandatory lockdown, it is super exciting to finally see casinos reopen on the 1^st of August. He also added that these venues will play one of the most important parts in the recovery of the UK’s hospitality and tourism industries. Since the UK casino venues employ thousands of individuals, the Betting and Gaming Council association wants to see the same reopening action in Wales and Scotland as the uncertainty is never good for work staff.

Ukraine is a picturesque country located in Eastern Europe bordered with Hungry, Slovakia, Poland, Romania, Belarus, Moldova, and Russia. Ukraine is home to over 41 million people as estimated in April of 2020. When it comes to the country’s gambling industry, it was almost non-existent between 2009 and 2020 as gambling was illegal within the country’s borders after the Ukrainian Parliament outlawed such activities in May of 2009.

The move came shortly after a massive gambling hall located in Dnipropetrovsk caught fire and subsequently claimed the lives of nine people. That same month, the Parliament passed the On Prohibition of Gambling Business law which consequently banned casino operators, gambling businesses, and other related entities. The law came into force on the 23^rd of June.

It is worth mentioning that the Ukrainian Law On Prohibition of Gambling Businesses also applied to online casino venues only excluding lotteries. After over ten years, the parliament finally legalized certain gambling activities in the country on the 14^th of July. As reported by several local news outlets including the iGamingBusiness.com domain, Parliamentarians in the country approved a measure that will see the Eastern European country legalize an array of gambling activities including activities that relate to mobile and online casinos.

Legalized Gambling Activities in Ukraine

According to reports released by prominent news outlets and other reliable sources, the 2285-D which legalizes a wide range of gambling activities in the country was passed through the four hundred and twenty-four-seat parliament by a voting range of two hundred and forty-eight to ninety-five. For the legislation to come into force, it has to be approved by the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

As mentioned at the beginning, online casino gambling, as well as land-based casino gambling activities in the country, are prohibited at the moment following the 2009 Law On Prohibition of Gambling Businesses law. However, the country’s forty-two-year-old President will most likely give his consent on the passed legislation which will see this Eastern European country legalize both online and land-based gambling activities.

As reported, the President’s consent would see legalized gambling activities in the country within upmarket hotels. However, such venues would have to invest around $4.5 million for licensing fees to offer such activities within their facilities. This fee related to facilities located in the country’s capital of Kyiv while facilities located in other cities will have to pay around $2.6 million.

The same sources reported that the President’s consent on the newly passed legislation would also see many prominent online casino gaming operators allowed to offer their services after they obtain five-year licenses worth around $1.1 million. The licensing rate for online bookies will probably stand at around $2.6 million.

Establishing a Gambling Commission

It was also reported by several local news outlets that the newest version of the 2285-D legislation which permits a wide range of online, mobile and land-based gambling activities which will be presented to the President would also cover who would be allowed to operate and own land-based gambling venues and who would be allowed to offer gambling activities within their venues. At the same time, the legislation also prohibits from individuals residing in aggressor or occupying states to offer such services in Ukraine.

If the President approves the newly proposed legislation, the Ukrainian government will establish a gambling regulatory body that will oversee gambling operations and gambling operators offering their services in the country. The same commission will also set tax laws, alongside safety and protection protocols.

Gaming Innovation Group or simply GIG is a public firm based in Malta which today operates its GiG Core. GiG Core is an excellent, technologically-advanced cloud-based online casino gaming platform. Since its inception in 2008, Gaming Innovation Group has also released many other premium, high-quality online casino gaming products, and services.

Based in Malta, this US-registered company is operational across several European countries including Denmark, Norway, Spain, and others. Formerly known as Donkr International Ltd, Gaming Innovation Group emerged on the online casino gaming stage as the holding company of the Innovation Labs Ltd. firm which at the time operated the Donkr.com poker forum. Four years after the company’s inception, Donkr International Ltd. became Gaming Innovation Group after Robin Reed and Frode Fagerli became the owners of the firm.

Over the years, Gaming Innovation Group has worked alongside several firms from the industry including Guts Gaming Ltd. now known as MT SecureTrade Limited which back in 2012 was incorporated as a subsidiary of GIG. In 2013, Guts Gaming Ltd. launched its Guts.com online casino gaming and online sports betting site. In 2016, Gaming Innovation Group acquired Betit Holdings before which it launched its Rizk.com online casino venue. With a such successful network of business partners and iGaming venues, Gaming Innovation Group remains one of the leading brands of this kind in the industry.

Gaming Innovation Group and North Macedonian K.A.K. DOO Skopje Group

Several days ago, Gaming Innovation Group’s officials revealed that the company has just partnered with North Macedonian hospitality and casino group K.A.K DOO Skopje. Thanks to this partnership deal, the Maltese company will enter the growing, thriving North Macedonian online casino gaming market which will naturally boost the company’s European presence.

Under the terms and conditions of this preliminary business deal, Gaming Innovation Group will provide its excellent, technologically-advanced iGaming platform as well as its managed media services and front-end development tools to its new business partner which will then launch its online casino gambling and digital gaming operations across the North Macedonian iGaming market.

According to Gaming Innovation Group’s officials, the business deal between the two firms will be signed in August while K.A.K. DOO Skopje is expected to launch its iGaming offering sometime in the early months of 2021. When it comes to the North Macedonian casino markets, gaming has been fairly limited to traditional land-based casino venues. However, the North Macedonian government just recently allowed brick and mortar casino operators to apply for their iGaming licenses which allow them to offer online gambling services for as long as these reflect their retail offering.

K.A.K. Providing Digital Gaming and Gambling Services

One of the very first North Macedonia-based casino operators to apply for its online gaming license was K.A.K. which will be one of the country’s few brick and mortar casino operators to be able to benefit from the re-organization of the North Macedonian gambling market. Thanks to its partnership deal with Gaming Innovation Group, K.A.K. will provide an excellent array of online casino gaming services through the Gaming Innovation Group’s iGaming platform.

What is even more, K.A.K. will also utilize Gaming Innovation Group’s front-end development tools as well as its managed media services to advertise its online casino gaming and digital gambling services. Today, K.A.K. is one of the leading brands in the entertainment and hospitality industry in the country which is responsible for two brick and mortar venues including LeGrand Casino Bitola and LeGrand Casino Skopje.

Stakelogic is a promising online casino content developer that emerged on the online casino gaming stage in 2014. The company was founded in Valletta by a group of online casino gaming experts and enthusiasts. This young, highly innovative company has been always focused on delivering the most technologically-advanced iGaming content including exciting, rewarding video slot games packed with excellent animations, superb graphics, and of course, generous bonuses.

As revealed by the company’s officials several days ago, Stakelogic signed a content aggregation deal with another highly prominent online casino content developer, Microgaming. According to the terms and conditions of this business deal, the full gaming portfolio from Stakelogic will be integrated onto the highly successful Microgaming aggregation platform.

Microgaming does not need much information as everyone involved in the industry knows that the company developed the very first iGaming software back in 1994. As one of the longest-standing companies of this kind in the industry, Microgaming enjoys an impeccable reputation among online casino games who have been enjoying its slots and other games for over two decades now.

Stakelogic Slots and Microgaming Aggregation Platform

The Isle of Man-based Microgaming company used one of its latest official press releases to share more detail about its newly signed content aggregation business deal with the Dutch online casino content developer. In this press release, officials at Microgaming said that the business arrangement between the two companies will involve Stakelogic online casino games including the company’s Book of Adventure and others joining the Microgaming aggregation platform which already boasts an impressive range of innovative, unique, and high-quality online casino gaming content.

Other Stakelogic-powered online casino games which will find their place on the aggregation platform by Microgaming include many other popular titles as well as newly-released games including Rambo, Dragons and Magic, Sidewinder Quattro, Gods of Death, Lucky Mushrooms Deluxe, Flappers, Black Gold Megaways, Space Stallion, Book of Charms, Arizona Diamonds, and many other successful releases.

Microgaming’s Aggregation Platform

The Isle of Man-based online casino content developer is one of the most well-known names in the world of online casino gaming thanks to its impeccable gaming library packed with hundreds of slot releases, and much more. The company is also known for its iGaming content aggregation platform which boasts games by many top-tier online casino content developers including Neon Valley Studios, Gameburger Studios, Alchemy Gaming, Pulse 8, Switch Studios, All41Studios, SlingShot Studios, Fortune Factory Studios, Stormcraft Studios, Triple Edge Studios and now Stakelogic.

Commenting on the news about partnering with Stakelogic, Microgaming’s officials proclaimed that the new business partner will doubtlessly increase the company’s unique, innovative and diverse roster of premium content partners and independent studios.

The officials also said that the company’s content aggregation platform is already utilized by a number of prominent, renowned, and regulated online casino gaming brands that operate across twenty different fully regulated online casino gaming markets.

Microgaming’s Commercial Director Leon Thomas also said in one of his official press releases that premium online casino gaming content from the Dutch online casino content developer will definitely perform well across major European markets. Since the beginning of 2020, Microgaming has expanded its line of content partners and it will remain focused on diversifying its premium offering with more iGaming content by other independent studios.

In the thrilling, always-growing online casino gaming industry, there are several brands that enjoy great success thanks to its rich gaming libraries and premium online casino gaming content. One of those companies is definitely Pragmatic Play which is a leading online casino gaming content developer. Pragmatic Play is best known for its mobile-focused, innovative, rewarding, and beautifully crafted slots and live dealer casino games.

The company emerged on the online casino gaming stage back in 2015 after a hard-working team of iGaming experts and professionals came together. The company’s passion for premium, high-quality entertainment remains unrivaled. As mentioned on the company’s official website, Pragmatic Play remains focused on creating the most innovative, most engaging, and rewarding experiences for all of its customers across many different regulated online casino gaming markets.

Speaking of the company’s impeccable gaming library, it is loaded with an excellent collection of slot games including Street Racer, Great Rhino Deluxe, Drago Jewels of Fortune released recently and Three Star Fortune, Pyramid King, Starz Megaways, Fruit Party, Ultra Burn, Hot To Burn, Great Rhino Megaways, John Hunter and the Book of Tut, Bronco Spirit, Wild West Gold, Fruit Rainbow, Dance Party, The Wild Machine and much more.

Pragmatic Play and Reactive Games

As revealed by Pragmatic Play officials a couple of days ago, the company has just recently partnered with Reactive Games. Reactive Games is best known for its excellent B2B iGaming platform which is powered by a number of online casino content developers that Reactive Games have partnered with including Tuko Production, BetSoft, Spinmatic Entertainment, Inspired, Microgaming, Playtech, NetEnt and now Pragmatic Play.

According to the terms and conditions of the companies’ business deal, Pragmatic Play will supply Reactive Games’ iGaming platform with its suite of Live Casino products. The company’s collection of live dealer casino games has been growing rapidly to feature classics such as Live Blackjack, Live Roulette, Live Mega Sic Bo, Live Baccarat, Live Speed Roulette, Live Auto Roulette, and more.

Speaking of Pragmatic Play’s Live Casino suite of products, speed variations of the games included are also offered alongside localized roulette games for an even more thrilling gaming experience. When it comes to the other part of the business deal, Reactive Games enjoys a great presence in the Italian online casino gaming market.

Pragmatic Play Working on New Releases

Following its business partnership deal with Pragmatic Play, Reactive Games will continue its expansion and growth across other European online casino gaming markets. Commenting on his company’s business deal with Reactive Games, Pragmatic Play’s Vice President Mr. Yasir said that his company is delighted to have taken its premium collection of live casino gaming products live with one of the top software solutions providers on the Italian iGaming market, Reactive Games.

On their part, Chief Executive Officer for Reactive Games Mr. Melfi said his company looks forward to finally offering the new product suite to its loyal player base of iGaming fans and enthusiasts. Besides working on new business deals, Pragmatic Play is also tirelessly working on new Live Casino products.

One of the latest games to hit the industry from live dealer casino games is Pragmatic Play’s Mega Sic Bo game that takes a modern approach to the epic, ancient game. It comes packed with fifty-two betting options, Mega Multipliers bonuses, and great payouts up to 1,000x players’ stake.

Gamevy is one of those highly promising online casino content developers. This publicly listed company emerged on the online casino gaming stage back in 2013. Besides its main offices in the United Kingdom, the company also has offices in Spain and Germany and it is licensed by the Malta Gaming Authority and by the United Kingdom Gambling Commission.

Since its beginnings, Gamevy has been fully focused on delivering its customers the most innovative online casino games which capture the imaginations of new generations of online casino players. Gamevy is also an award-winning operator that employs a dedicated team of marketers, software developers, and designers who both enjoy building and playing games.

When it comes to the company’s iGaming products and services, Gamevy is best known for its GameShows platform which is the world’s very first platform of this kind that allows players to test their skills and luck. Over the years, Gamevy has also introduced an array of scratch card games as well as loads of super entertaining slot games such as The Link. As revealed by the company’s officials, Gamevy will be joining Yggdrasil Gaming’s Masters program to expand its presence across different online casino gaming industries.

Yggdrasil Gaming’ Masters Program

Yggdrasil Gaming is one of the most successful online casino content developers. The company was founded in 2013 and since its beginnings, it has emerged as one of the leaders in the industry following other highly acclaimed and respected online casino content developers. As a provider of premium, superior iGaming solutions and products, Yggdrasil Gaming covers three iGaming verticals including bingo, table games, and finally casino slots.

What is even more, Yggdrasil Gaming also operates its YG Masters program. With this program, the company is inviting the elite of online casino content developers to use the company’s tools on its iSense 2.0 platform in order to create an irresistible, powerful, and unique gaming combination. Members of the company’s Masters program have their games included in the company’s iGaming portfolio alongside being offered leading Boost tools.

What is even more, members of the program benefit from Yggdrasil Gaming’s proven certification and testing processes as well as take part in the company’s powerful network campaigns and finally have their online casino gaming content delivers to over forty leading casino gaming operators. One of the latest online casino content developers to become a member of the YG Masters program is Gamevy.

Terms and Conditions of the Business Deal

Over the years, Yggdrasil Gaming’s Masters program has grown to include a number of prominent online casino content developers which today build an unrivaled roster of Yggdrasil Gaming’s studios partners. Since Gamevy will be joining the network, it will have access to the program’s super innovative GATI technology for bigger growth and swifter scalability.

Since the company’s Masters program was created to help game development studios to produce, design, and distribute their content using Yggdrasil Gaming’s technology, Gamevy can expect to reach more online casino gaming markets. What is even more, as a member of the program, Gamevy will also gain access to its partner’s language-agnostic and GATI standardized technology alongside other Yggdrasil Gaming’s innovative iGaming solutions which enable content developers to safely and quickly craft online casino gaming content and distribute it across the company’s distribution network.

In the future, Gamevy will probably cross-sell its online casino gaming titles to some Yggdrasil Gaming Franchisee which naturally delivers new revenue streams for all parties involved in the process.

The Asian casino behemoth which owns and operates the iconic Resorts World Sentosa gambling-friendly complex, Genting Singapore Limited is about to initiate a series of layoffs due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. As reported by several local news outlets, the company’s officials revealed the news following a massive business downturn caused by lockdowns and other measures that were set in place back in April.

The Genting Group is a firm based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia which has several prominent subsidiaries including its Genting Singapore Limited which is responsible for Resorts World Sentosa. Genting Singapore Limited runs the iconic one hundred and twenty-acre gambling-friendly, fully integrated casino resort for the Genting Malaysia Berhad. The luxurious resort opened its doors in January of 2010.

It is located on the southern coast of Singapore and it is home to several remarkable attractions including the Adventure Cove Water Park, a Universal Studios theme park as well as S.E.A. Aquarium that features the second-biggest oceanarium in the world. The resort was developed by the Genting Singapore firm for around US$4.93 billion which made it one of the most expensive buildings of this kind developed in 2010.

The Iconic Resorts World Sentosa Complex

The fully integrated, gambling-friendly resort occupies over one hundred and twenty acres of land and it employs over 10,000 locals. The casino featured within the complex opened its doors on the 14^th of February 2010 alongside several other amenities including the massive FestiveWalk mall. In 2011, the resort also opened the Maritime Experiential Museum while in 2012, Resorts World Sentosa opened the Marine Life Park.

Due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the resort has faced rather a series of challenges and obstacles to stay afloat and one of these includes struggling with a massive downturn in business as a direct result of the pandemic. In one of the most recent press releases, officials at Genting Singapore Limited which runs the resort declared that the company had decided to introduce a number of redundancies after a long period of consultation and deliberation.

The same official press release proclaimed that the iconic Resorts World Sentosa as well as the Marina Bay Sands facility closed their doors to the public temporarily back on the 7^th of April following the rising number of residents being infected with the highly-contagious, potentially-deadly novel coronavirus strain. Both Marina Bay Sands and Resorts World Sentosa started reviving some of their non-gaming operations on the 19^th of June while they re-opened their casino floor partially some fifteen days ago.

Implementation of Workforce Rationalization

Following massive downturns in business, the Asian casino operator responsible for Resorts World Sentosa revealed that it has made the decision to initiate a workforce rationalization to combat the negative consequences of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic on its business operations. The decision was made following comprehensive reviews of costs, as well as significantly reduced salaries of the company’s management team which went down by thirty percent.

The company’s officials also revealed that Genting Singapore Limited will work with local trade unions including the Attractions, Resorts, and Entertainment Union alongside some government agencies to keep as much of its local staff as possible. Lastly, the company’s officials revealed that they will present every single of its departing employees with several new job opportunities.