Evoke (EVOK), formerly 888 Holdings, has announced the acquisition of Net Gaming Solutions (NGS), a leading Romanian gambling operator, for €10 million. This strategic move positions the newly combined entity as the fourth-largest operator in Romania, with a market share of approximately 7 percent.

Under the terms of the deal, Evoke will integrate its existing Romanian operations and invest €10 million in cash to secure a 51 percent stake in the expanded business. The company plans to implement a multi-brand strategy, combining a popular local brand with a globally recognized casino brand.

The acquisition aligns with Evoke's strategy of establishing sustainable, market-leading positions in high-growth markets through low-capital, high-impact mergers and acquisitions. CEO Per Widerstrom expressed enthusiasm about the deal, noting its potential to drive profitable growth and increase market share in Romania.

Evoke's shareholders responded positively to the news, with the stock rising 2.8 percent to 70.98p in early trading. Despite a recent profit warning, the acquisition is expected to enhance earnings starting in 2025. The company has maintained its financial guidance for 2024, projecting second-half revenue growth of 5 percent to 9 percent and an improved EBITDA margin of 21 percent.

The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2024.

SiGMA East Europe Summit powered by Soft2Bet, happening in Budapest from 2 – 4 September.

Robert Bolick showcased his strategic prowess by leveraging the new four-point arc, despite struggling to hit the shot consistently. His all-around performance was pivotal in NLEX’s commanding 104-87 victory over the Blackwater Bossing in the PBA Governors’ Cup.

“I used the shot to create opportunities for my teammates,” Bolick explained. He came close to a triple-double, scoring 24 points and dishing out 11 assists, many of which were facilitated by defenders wary of his long-range threat. Although Bolick only made one of four attempts from 27 feet, his ability to penetrate and create open shots for teammates was instrumental.

NLEX Road Warriors shine

Bolick, along with Myke Henry, who also demonstrated proficiency from the new arc, has given NLEX high hopes for the conference. Henry contributed significantly, scoring 31 points and helping the Road Warriors secure an early lead in Group B, alongside the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters and the San Miguel Beermen.

“This conference, I have a different role with an import around, and he’s our main man,” Bolick added, highlighting his adaptability and team-first mentality.

While NLEX celebrated their success, Blackwater faced challenges with their import, Ricky Ledo, who managed only six points after a poor shooting performance. Blackwater’s 0-2 start contrasts sharply with NLEX’s promising beginning.

Looking ahead, NorthPort and Terrafirma aim to avoid similar pitfalls when they clash in their upcoming game. NorthPort seeks redemption after a narrow loss to TNT, with returning import Venky Jois expected to make an impact. Meanwhile, Terrafirma hopes to recover from a heavy defeat to Converge, despite strong debuts from Christian Standhardinger and Stanley Pringle.

As the PBA Governors’ Cup progresses, the dynamics within Group A and Group B will continue to evolve, with teams striving to establish dominance and secure their positions.

SiGMA East Europe Summit powered by Soft2Bet, happening in Budapest from 2 – 4 September.

Bulgarian provider Amusnet, shortlisted for the SiGMA Awards Asia 2024, recently entered into a partnership with the Ukrainian online casino operator Casino.ua, which occupies a leading position in the country's market. This collaboration represents a strategic expansion for Amusnet to bring its extensive collection of games to a new audience in Ukraine. The partnership aims to attract new users for Casino.ua by expanding the selection of online casino games.

Gambling was legalised in Ukraine in 2020 after being banned in 2009. According to Danylo Hetmantsev, Chairman of the Parliamentary Finance Committee, the industry paid $207 million in taxes in the first half of 2024, compared to $263.3 million for the whole of 2023. Online sports betting was valued at $123.6 million in 2019, and the leading sports discipline was football. According to Statista forecasts, in 2026 the market volume will reach $281 million.

According to Opendatabot, in 2023 alone, the official registered leaders of the gambling sector in Ukraine increased their fortune  by 28 times, earning about $1.4 billion. For example, miscoding often occurs, or entering incorrect payment details into banking systems in order to hide the true source of payment.

The partnership between Amusnet and Casino.ua marks an important step in the provider's efforts to expand its influence in the European gaming market. Casino.ua, which has already become a well-known platform in Ukraine, will now present the full library of Amusnet games. Among the provider's most notable slots are 20 Golden Coins, Shining Crown, and 27 Eternal Hot. The slots combine classic design with the addition of unique features such as Mystery Nudge, Bonus Coins, and Gamble.

The key game of Amusnet is Stoichkov #8 – a slot that appeared as a result of the provider's cooperation with the Bulgarian football legend Hristo Stoichkov. This slot is dedicated to Stoichkov's illustrious career and combines the excitement of football and  5-reel slots with 40 fixed lines.

Very soon the attention of the gaming world will turn to Budapest, with the SiGMA East Europe Summit 2024 being held from September 2-4 with the support of Soft2Bet.

In the second gameweek of the English Premier League, Aston Villa will host Arsenal in front of 42,000 passionate supporters at Villa Park. This Saturday’s clash between these two clubs promises to be full of action, featuring two sides that showed consistency throughout last season.

Both teams are coming off wins in their opening matches. Arsenal comfortably beat Wolves 2-0, with Havertz and Saka both scoring and assisting each other. Villa were also victorious in their first match, winning away at West Ham after Jhon Duran netted a late winner eleven minutes from time.

Betting odds Aston Villa vs Arsenal

Last season, Villa managed to take all six points from Arsenal, beating them both home and away. Arsenal will be looking to change that this time after strengthening their squad. Italian defender Calafiori is yet to make his Premier League debut, and against a high-tempo and spirited Villa side, this might be his moment to set foot on English soil. Arsenal will surely spend the week working on how to contain the threats posed by Ollie Watkins, Amadou Onana, and Leon Bailey.

Both teams are attack-minded. Last season, Arsenal entertained fans with classy attacking football from Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Kai Havertz, and others. This year looks no different. Havertz scored a beautiful header from a Saka assist, and later, Saka made it 2-0 with Havertz providing the assist in return. Arsenal made a strong statement on the opening day with a commanding performance in both attack and defence. Goalkeeper Raya and his defence secured their first clean sheet, leaving Wolves with little hope of a comeback.

Aston Villa, on the other hand, were not as convincing as Arsenal in their opening performance. However, they had the tougher task of traveling to London to face West Ham. Ollie Watkins appeared sluggish, likely due to his limited pre-season after participating in the EURO championship with England in Germany. Jhon Duran stepped up, and after replacing Watkins, punished the very club that had tried to sign him: West Ham United.

Can Aston Villa upset Arsenal once again on Saturday, securing a third consecutive victory over the Gunners? So far in 2024, Arsenal have suffered only one loss, and it was against Villa. Despite this, bookmakers still favour Arsenal, even away from home. We anticipate a highly contested, high-scoring match, especially if there’s an early goal. Saturday at 17:30 CET promises action and intensity.

SiGMA East Europe Summit powered by Soft2Bet, happening in Budapest from 2 – 4 September.