Compliance Updates
Mintas’ PlayUp restraining order revoked in US court
Nevada’s District Court has denied PlayUp’s emergency motion for a preliminary injunction against its former US CEO, Dr Laila Mintas.
At a hearing last week, Judge Gloria Navarro ruled that PlayUp had failed to demonstrate that it was Mintas’ actions that led to the collapse of the operator’s acquisition by crytpocurrency exchange FTX.
Instead, she said that evidence provided in Mintas’ defence successfully demonstrated it was “just as likely or more likely” that the deal collapsed as a result of group CEO Daniel Simic’s actions.
Mintas’ memorandum submitted to the court between Christmas and New Year revealed that once the $450m acquisition price was agreed, Simic attempted to insert a number of additional costs into the agreement.
He looked to have FTX acquire PlayChip, a decentralised utility token designed for the betting and gaming sector controlled by PlayUp’s Australian management, for an additional $105m. Simic also attempted to secure $65m for “key staff”, including $25m for himself.
PlayUp’s argument centred on the fact that after Mintas had been asked not to attend a meeting with FTX in the Bahamas, she met with the business separately. After that meeting, FTX emailed the operator’s management to say it would not be pursuing the acquisition.
As FTX cited a lack of communication between the US and global businesses, PlayUp claimed that was evidence that Mintas’ meeting had led to the deal’s collapse. However the email also flagged potential conflicts of interest caused by the condition that PlayChip be acquired as well.
The judge noted this email was not provided to the court by PlayUp, despite it being relevant and placing things in a “much different light”. “[It’s] just more likely that this point, in my mind, that Dr Mintas was exercising her executive responsibility and that she was turned into the scapegoat.”
In her ruling, Judge Navarro noted that when she initially granted the temporary restraining order in December, an affidavit from Simic implied circumstantial evidence of Mintas threatening to “burn PlayUp to the ground”. Having reviewed Mintas’ evidence, the judge said she was less sure “whether the statement was even made”.
Ultimately, Navarro said that Mintas had provided substantial evidence that her comments did not cause the sale to fail, and PlayUp failed to provide evidence that she even made a disparaging comment to FTX.
In response to the injunction being denied, Mintas has filed claims for damages in excess of $75,000. She accuses PlayUp of abuse of process, after it deliberately omitted key information from its filing for a temporary restraining order.
She also claims relief for defamation, arguing the operator caused her to suffer “irreparable harm to her reputation, loss of income, devaluation of her shares, among other damages”. PlayUp also portrayed her in a false light by making these claims, and intentionally inflicted emotional distress on her.
The operator’s repeated reassurances that she was to be awarded a new contract, which was highlighted as causing the breakdown in the relationship between Mintas and PlayUp, makes the business guilty of “guilty of oppression, fraud and malice”, she argues. The fact it claimed to be finalising her contract while having no intention of doing so amounts to fraud, as she did not seek alternative employment during this period.
Finally, due to a separate temporary restraining order being secured in PlayUp’s home market of Australia, Mintas is seeking a declaratory judgement that the Australian injunction has no force or effect.
Based on the evidence provided in the US District Court, she argues that it is no more than an attempt to “gag” her, and ultimately as she is not a citizen of the country, should be made inadmissible.
While Mintas remains unable to comment due to this ongoing litigation, her legal representation stressed that she “strongly denies [PlayUp’s] allegations and will fight vigorously against the remaining claims and prosecute her counterclaims”.
Breaking New Ground in Brazil: Blitzcrown’s Crash Games Now GLI Certified
Blitzcrown, MVG’s pioneering games studio, has secured Brazilian Certification as well as GLI-19 Certification from GLI(Gaming Laboratories International) for its industry-changing three Crash titles. This landmark achievement marks a significant milestone in the company’s expansion into Brazil’s thriving online gaming market, positioning Blitzcrown at the forefront of the region’s rapidly evolving iGaming landscape.
The license comes at an important time for Brazil’s gaming sector, following the launch of the new licensing regime that started on January 1, 2025. The regulatory framework, signed into law in December 2023, has transformed the industry’s prospects.
The certification encompasses 3 innovative crash games: Crash, Fast Crash, and Twin Crash. This strategic milestone establishes Blitzcrown as the premier provider of certified Crash games in the Brazilian market, demonstrating the company’s unwavering commitment to regulatory excellence and gaming integrity. With the GLI-19 and Brazil certification process successfully concluded in March, Blitzcrown has solidified its position as an industry pioneer in this dynamic and emerging market.
Crash games are a recent addition to the global iGaming market, featuring the dynamic evolution of real-time multipliers and immediate reward structures. Blitzcrown has stood out by establishing groundbreaking game mechanisms that offer different and exciting gameplay experiences. Standard Crash provides players with a standard multiplier-based gaming experience, and Fast Crash is optimized for users seeking quick, intense multiplier experiences. The Twin Crash is an original format allowing players to place simultaneous bets on two separate multipliers.
Building on this momentum, Blitzcrown has announced plans to expand its certified portfolio with two additional versions of its innovative Plinko games, demonstrating the company’s strategic commitment to market expansion. This forward-looking initiative underscores Blitzcrown’s dedication to continuous innovation and sustainable growth in the regulated gaming markets.
Blitzcrown is MVG’s edge-game studio focused on pushing game ideas beyond their norms through innovative and non-traditional gaming experiences. The studio has been particularly recognized for its groundbreaking approaches in various game categories, including its successful Crash and Plinko series.
George Cho from MVG said: “This GLI certification testifies to Blitzcrown’s unwavering commitment to offering top-quality, fair gaming systems. We are well placed to take advantage of Brazil’s exciting new regulatory environment and the vast growth potential of the online gaming industry.”
Compliance Updates
VIP Play Obtains Interim West Virginia iGaming and Sports Wagering Management Service Provider Licenses
VIP Play Inc. announced the approval of its interim License in West Virginia for both Sports Wagering and iGaming managed services. This follows the recently announced market access partnership between VIP Play and Delaware North’s Wheeling Island Casino.
This milestone marks the company’s initial expansion beyond Tennessee, where it currently operates as a mobile Sports Wagering Operator. The interim License in West Virginia also adds iGaming to the company’s book of business, and allows VIP Play to participate in the rapidly expanding i-Gaming industry. VIP Play expects to begin serving West Virginia customers in the coming months.
Bruce Cassidy, VIP Play CEO & Chairman of the Board, said: “The acquisition of our interim Sports Wagering and i-Gaming License in West Virginia marks a significant milestone in our journey to expand, underscoring our commitment to provide innovative experiences to a wider audience. As we grow our presence, our dedication to excellence stands firm, and we’re excited to play a role in enriching West Virginia’s dynamic gaming community.”
New certification for emerging-markets leader arrives ahead of key industry summit in Sao Paulo and awards recognition
QTech Games, the leading game aggregator for emerging markets, has had its platform and games successfully approved for the Peruvian market, demonstrating that its premier B2B platform and all-encompassing content conforms to the latest legislative updates to enhance and regulate Peru’s local gaming environment.
Peru’s Ministry of Foreign Commerce and Tourism (MINCETUR) has now issued an online gaming licence to QTech Games, whereby all its platform products and games are now deemed legally permitted. This includes its new software service for retail, QTech Hybrid, which allows land-based partners to scale their operations online. QTech Hybrid simplifies transactions by enabling deposits, withdrawals and gameplay while allowing access to players both in-shop and on personal devices.
This breakthrough hybrid solution has quickly won clients and awards in the comparably fragmented African market (most recently in March for Best Innovation at AGE Lagos), and now promises to do likewise across LatAm, where QTech Games has already signed several major clients for both its aggregation platform and its QTech Hybrid solution. This activity has seen it again nominated for Best Aggregator at the SiGMA Americas Awards, which kickstart the SiGMA Americas summit (7-10 April) next week, as the igaming world converges on Sao Paulo for a must-attend conference in another of QTech Games’ “focus markets” for 2025.
Philip Doftvik, QTech Games’ CEO, said: “It’s fantastic to have certified our aggregation platform in Peru via MINCETUR – and I’m pleased to say we have more such approvals pending across the continent. We attended fantastic events in Rio and, more recently, SAGSE 2025 in Buenos Aires – and anticipate more of the same at SiGMA Americas in Sao Paulo next week, where we’re also thrilled to have been shortlisted for Best Aggregator at their LatAm Awards. Given the venue, Brazil will be dominating the discussion for many at SiGMA Sao Paulo. However, we’ll also be looking beyond Brazilian borders this year, and are already active in Mexico, Chile, Colombia and Paraguay. We know our QTech Hybrid solution will work very well wherever we put a pin on the LatAm map.”
QTech Games delegates will be present at five more LatAm summits in 2025, with SiGMA Americas (7 April) the next port of call – followed by GAT Expo Cartagena (28 April), SBC Americas (13 May), Peru Gaming Show (18 June) and GAT Expo Mexico (28 Aug).
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