Playtech agrees Fortuna and IWG deals
Playtech has expanded its existing supply agreement with Eastern European operator Fortuna Entertainment Group, and added IWG games to its bingo offering.
The gaming solutions giant will integrate its IMS player management platform across all Fortuna brands in the Czech Republic, Croatia, Poland, Romania and Slovakia.
The new agreement builds on a relationship that began in August 2016, through which Playtech has been powering Fortuna's omni-channel offering in the Czech Republic and Romania. This has seen the supplier deploy its gaming platform and single wallet solution for the business.
“This is a significant agreement for Playtech and [Fortuna],” Playtech chief operating officer Shimon Akad said. “The extension and expansion of our partnership highlights both the success we’ve had, and the further growth we see ahead.
“This is a perfect example of how Playtech technology leads the way when it comes to enabling operator growth across regulated markets, and a further reflection of our role as the infrastructure of the industry.”
In 2017, Fortuna, which focuses its betting and gaming services on the Central and Eastern European region, reported a 93% year-on-year increase in total stakes to €2bn (£1.8bn/$2.3bn), driven primarily by online growth.
“When we first partnered with Playtech, we stated our aim was to become the leading betting and gaming operator in the Central and Eastern Europe region,” Fortuna group chief executive Per Widerström said.
“Having achieved this ambition, we will continue looking to grow and build our offer further in new and existing regulated markets,” he continued. “Our close partnership with Playtech will continue to be crucial in delivering on this strategy and delivering an industry leading omni-channel approach to our players.”
In related news, Playtech has integrated gaming content from IWG onto its Playtech Bingo Network in a move that it said will significantly enhance its instant win product range.
The new deal will enable operators across the bingo network to access a range of IWG games, including titles from its popular Cash Buster series.
Rhydian Fisher, CEO at IWG, said the new partnership will enable the company to pursue further expansion for its commercial business.
“Playtech has a wide network of operators and opens the door for us to expand our international presence while also greatly improving their instant win portfolio with our award-winning content,” IWG CEO Rhydian Fisher commented.
The supplier's managing director of bingo Angus Nisbet said that the deal saw IWG become one of the first content providers in the industry to take advantage of its new content aggregation solution, the Playtech Open Platform.
“We are thrilled about this partnership, as it exemplifies Playtech’s mission with this new platform – to drive innovation in the gaming industry and provide unparalleled access and capabilities to users,” Nisbet explained. “We look forward to sharing IWG’s hugely popular catalogue with our partners.”