GOOD START FOR SPANISH ONLINE BETTING

8 August 2008

Solid results reported from Icelandic company's software platform


The Spanish lottery authorities are apparently pleased with the results of the Loteriasyapuestas.es sports betting and lottery website powered by software developed by Iceland's Betware online gambling provider and Spain’s Sistemas Técnicos de Loterías del Estado.

Betware reports that one year ago Sistemas Tecnicos de Loterias del Estado (STL), the operator of the online systems for the Entidad Publica Empresarial Loterias y Apuestas del Estado (LAE), the Spanish National Lottery signed a contract making Reykjavik-based Betware its interactive gaming service supplier.

LAE and STL had developed a Research, Development and Innovation project, the main goal of which was to get the Spanish Lottery ready to launch new games as well as new services on the Internet, and through mobile and digital TV.

Wojciech Bachorski, Betware’s Marketing Director, revealed at the time that Betware had been collaborating with STL on a potential partnership since late 2006, leading to the deal by which Betware was tasked with providing a platform to develop current and future services for online channels. All current web services were to be migrated to this platform, making Betware the prime service provider for STL for these types of services.

On 23rd June this year the system became operational at www.loteriasyapuestas.es, offering players classic lotto games such as
La Primitiva (6 of 49 with a draw twice a week), Euromillones (a game run in cooperation with France and the UK and offering big jackpots), Bonoloto and El Gordo (one of the oldest lotto games), together with sports games La Quiniela and El Quinigol

LAE also decided to introduce 2 innovations: Lototurf and Quintuple Plus, which are Internet versions of highly popular horse race games.

"Nowadays sales through this alternate [Internet] channel are a must," says Alfonso Pedro Fernández Garcia, New Media Sales, Communications and Logistics Director at STL. "The rapid growth of Internet penetration that we've been witnessing in Spain, makes it imperative to implement new sales channels in order to stay competitive."

To meet the needs of modern players, the solution delivered by STL and Betware enables LAE to offer its Internet games with a connection for handling credit card payments and SMS gateway. To make betting even more convenient, the players receive additional control of their accounts (access to their purchase history, visualisation of all transactions and responsible gaming features). The site offers a choice of five languages: Spanish, Catalan, Euskera, Gallego and Valenciano.

"There was a lot of anticipation regarding this project as it brings the Lottery closer to its customers," Marcelo Ruiz Gálvez New Media Sales, Communications and Logistics Co-Director, STL commented. "Betware has successfully completed this complex software development. The games are not only up and running but offer new functionalities such as game results, prize verification or favourite numbers, among others."

Bachorski said that the main advantages of Betware's platform are its flexible nature, scalability for new functionalities and gaming capabilities that support integration of new games into a secure environment. The company's platform is integrated into the lottery's central system as well as a content management system, offering complete security for the players through 3DSecure technology for integration with banks.

"This is the largest data centre we have worked with so far," said Bachorski. "We look forward to further challenges," he added, explaining that future phases of the project will require new games along with additional functionalities.

Betware has also developed and delivered multiplayer games to Danske Spil, the Danish government gambling monopoly.

Online Casino News courtesy of InfoPowa