iSoftBet advances in Bulgaria iGaming market

Following its latest release, Wolf Canyon: Hold & Win, British software company iSoftBet has teamed up with Alphabet Gaming via a content deal for the Bulgarian land-based operator’s recently established sports betting and online casino brand, Alphawin.

The new partnership, which is in keeping with iSoftBet’s “long-term commitment to the region,” and is lauded by the operator as a “huge win,” will see a comprehensive range of the supplier and content aggregator’s player-favorite slot titles added to the casino operator’s new alphawin.bg online interest.

Bulgarian Gaming Landscape:

Founded in 2007, Alphabet Gaming is an experienced operator of land-based casinos in Bulgaria and is currently responsible for a network of six brick-and-mortars across the Balkan nation. The group entered the online gaming arena in 2021 after securing a local gambling license to operate in the country’s regulated market.

Digital casinos have been legal in Bulgaria since the passing of The Bulgarian Gambling Act of 2012, and last amended in 2020; the same year the country’s dedicated authority, the State Commission on Gambling (SCG), was abolished and responsibility for the regulation of gambling was taken over by the Bulgarian National Revenue Agency (NRA).

“Signing a deal with a provider of iSoftBet’s status is a huge win for us, and our online casino brand Alphawin will reap the benefits of receiving a selection of its most popular products,” read a statement from Lyubomir Zaharinov, Chief Executive Officer for Alphabet Gaming.

European Moves:

The new alliance that extends the supplier’s presence in Bulgaria’s iGaming scene, adds to a number of recently inked partnerships, such as those with Swiss operator Casino Interlaken in April and in March with prominent aggregator, Sunseven and its GamblingTec brand, each of which has strengthened iSoftbet’s reach across key regulated European markets.

Also commenting on the collaboration, Federica Faggiano, Chief Commercial Officer for iSoftBet, said they are “thrilled” to announced their new partnership with Alphabet Gaming and its subsidiary brands.

“Our content will now feature on the site of the group’s online casino brand, Alphawin, alongside other popular innovations from the wider industry. This deal underlines the appeal of our content in Bulgaria, and our long-term commitment to the  region.”

New Hold & Win Game:

As mentioned, the agreement follows the launch of Wolf Canyon: Hold & Win, the latest video bonus slot from the software provider.

According to Mark Claxton, Head of Games for iSoftBet, the medium volatility, 5-reel, 3-row game with 25 fixed paylines “delivers a rural experience built around the interaction between indigenous peoples and their surroundings.”

Game Features & Symbols:

Part of the game developer’s Hold & Win range, the wolf-themed video slot offers plenty of in-game features, including Expanding Wilds, Free Spins, Respins and a Lucky Dreamcatcher.

The latter is located on the right side of the reels and can randomly trigger on any paid spin in the base game. When activated, an instant cash prize worth 8x, 88x, 888x, or 8,888x the current bet is awarded. Just a heads up – the dreamcatcher occasionally shakes during the game, but that doesn’t guarantee activation of the feature.

Totem Wilds & Pick-A-Wolf:

In addition to low pay 9-A card rank symbols and five premium wolf symbols, the game has Wild, which substitute for any symbol and can land in stacked form. What three of these land stacked, they transform into Totem Wilds to boost wins. What’s more, a Pick-A-Wolf feature can be triggered by landing scatters on reels, 1, 3, and 5, awarding Free Spins with up to 100 wild symbols added.

Activating Hold & Win Respins happens when a player lands a combination of at least five Cash Moon symbols, which initially awards three spins. This trio of free spins reset with every new Cash Moon that lands. When respins are exhausted, all cash values on the screen are collected. The Hold & Win Respins bonus can also be awarded from the Pick-A-Wolf feature.

During the bonus round, lucky players can land one of  Mini, Minor and Major Moon awards, while filling the entire game grid with cash moons triggers the Grand Award of 1,000x the bet.

Recent Hold & Win Releases:

The new release is the most recent addition to the British online games supplier and content aggregator’s Hold & Win series and adds to its expansive games portfolio, following Rising Samurai: Hold & Win, and Plunderin’ Pirates: Hold & Win, both launched in April.