Tonybet Awards €7k to Irish Player in World Cup Card Collection Campaign

Tonybet, an international gambling provider, recently made headlines with its World Cup Card Collection promotion. A lucky player from Kilcock, County Kildare, Ireland, managed to discover the coveted silver card. This find earned him a prize of €7,000, just before the tournament entered its decisive phase. The promotion runs until July 31st, with the gold card still awaiting its winner.

The campaign surrounding the FIFA World Cup is an example of how providers try to attract players to their platform through creative bonus actions. This happens in a highly competitive international market. While Germany has strict rules for such promotions, other countries are often more flexible.

Numbers and facts

There are a total of 51 cards for Tonybet players to collect during the tournament. These include 48 digital cards, each representing a participating World Cup nation, and three unique cards available in gold, silver, and bronze, which are associated with special prizes.

The bronze card had previously been discovered by a Tonybet customer in Canada during the group stage. The silver card was specifically intended for the knockout rounds, up to and including the quarter-finals. Now, the gold card is up for grabs for the semi-finals, the third-place play-off, and the final. Each collected card has a coin value. These coin values can be exchanged for a variety of bonus rewards on the Tonybet platform. Kiryl Liudvikevich, Head of Product at Tonybet, expressed his enthusiasm:

“Our Tonybet World Cup Card Collection Bronze prize went during the group stage; now Silver has gone too! A massive congratulations to our lucky winner in Kilcock, County Kildare. Silver was always the knockout-round card, available once the World Cup reached the stage where a single result ends a team's tournament. It has found its winner just as the field thins to the last handful of nations. Now we’re down to the final four, that’s where the competition really hots up, leaving just the golden card still hidden somewhere for our lucky winner to find. Best of luck to all of our players as this amazing World Cup reaches its conclusion this week.” - Kiryl Liudvikevich, Head of Product at Tonybet

The promotion runs until July 31st, giving players the chance to find the last card before then.

Background

Such card collection promotions are a popular marketing tool in the gambling industry. They aim to increase player interaction with the platform and capitalize on the excitement during major sporting events. Providers like Tonybet, who often operate internationally and are present in various markets, adapt their offerings to the respective regulatory conditions. For countries with less strict bonus regulations, such campaigns are commonplace. Linking to a major event like the FIFA World Cup garners additional attention and player loyalty. Tonybet is an established name in the industry, although it does not hold a license in Germany.

Why it matters for German players

German players cannot participate in such promotions from providers like Tonybet. The German Interstate Treaty on Gambling 2021 (GlüStV 2021) sets strict limits here. In particular, bonus offers that could create excessive incentives are heavily regulated. The GGL whitelist, which lists all legal online casinos in Germany, only includes providers that adhere to these strict requirements.

In addition to a monthly deposit limit of €1,000 per player (and its control by LUGAS), providers must also observe a stake limit of €1 per spin on slot machines. More complex collection promotions with varying winnings and bonuses, such as those offered by Tonybet, would be difficult to implement in a GGL-licensed casino. The focus is instead on player protection and the prevention of gambling addiction. German players should exclusively choose casinos listed on the GGL whitelist to play safely and legally. Offers like Tonybet's fall outside the German regulatory framework and therefore do not provide German player protection.

What it means for GGL-licensed casinos

For online casinos with a German license, this means they must be more creative to engage players. Their focus is on innovative game content, a smooth player experience, and excellent customer service. Large bonus programs or incentive systems linked to major sporting events are severely restricted in the German market. Instead, GGL-licensed casinos focus on legal obligations such as integration with LUGAS and compliance with stake limits. Adherence to German regulations protects players but can make it unattractive for providers from other jurisdictions like Tonybet to seek a German license. Nevertheless, it must be noted that the German gambling market offers a high level of security for players compared to other European markets.