Monthly Archives: March 2016

Billionaire Adelson Names Son-In-Law CFO of Las Vegas Sands

Las Vegas Sands Corp. named Patrick Dumont, son-in-law of founder and controlling shareholder Sheldon Adelson, as its chief financial officer. The appointment fills a vacancy left open since July 2013, when Kenneth Kay stepped down from the role, and formalizes a role Dumont, 41, has already been performing, Las Vegas Sands said Wednesday in a statement.

First-Ever Hearthstone Championship for ElkY, aka Bertrand Grospellier

Bertrand Grospellier, better known to the poker world as simply “ElkY,” won his first Hearthstone tournament over the weekend. ElkY, who began his career before poker as a professional StarCraft player (which made him a minor celebrity in South Korea), signed for Dutch-based esports outfit Team Liquid in mid-November. The rise of professional video gaming, […]

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PokerStars New Jersey Surpasses WSOP and 888 Online Traffic in Second Week

PokerStars New Jersey first launched just over a week ago, but is already dominating poker site traffic in the Garden State. Its two major competitors, WSOP.com and 888poker, may already be feeling the effects of competing against the biggest brand in online poker. After just one day in New Jersey, PokerStars took over the state’s […]

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New Infographic Reveals Mobile Trends of Canadian Online Gamblers

Online Casinos Canada compiles most striking results of Canadian gamblers in interactive infographic.

Ontario, Canada: Leading website Online Casinos Canada recently published a new infographic revealing the mobile trends of Canadian online gamblers for 2016.

Online casinos have been experiencing a strong upward mobile trend over the past few years. Online Casinos Canada (OCC) found that, incredibly, there has been a 179% increase in mobile usage of Canadian online players between 2013 and 2015.

However, the biggest surprise lies in the Canadian Smartphone OS market share. OCC found that Canadians are 50% iOS users, while the worldwide iOS market share is much lower, at 13.9% (IDC; Aug 2015). The Android OS owns 82.8% of the worldwide pie (IDC; Aug. 2015), compared to 46% of the Canadian market. These findings could influence priorities in mobile development for the Canadian online casino industry.

Gaming Innovation Group Acquires Affiliate Network Assets from Magenti Media

Gaming Innovation Group Inc. (GIG) has agreed to acquire the affiliate assets from the Swedish based affiliate network company Magenti Media. Included in the acquisition are a four-figured number of referral sites, a highly experienced team of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) experts and recurring revenues from the existing portfolio of affiliate accounts with partnering operators. The affiliate network is mainly targeting the Swedish casino market, and the acquisition is further strengthening GIG as a leading lead generation company for the online gambling sector.

The acquired assets complement the already existing affiliate operations in Innovation Labs, and through increased activity and synergies, GIG expects to increase operating profit by around EUR 1 million on a 12 months rolling basis from completion of the acquisition.

After the acquisition, Innovation Labs expects to generate more than 45,000 New Depositing Customers (NDC’s) to B2B clients and GIG’s own operators on a yearly basis.

GIG will pay a consideration of SEK 47.5 million, whereof SEK 32 million will be settled with new GIG shares based on the average share price the five trading days prior to closing. In addition, 1 million options will be issued to the employees at closing on terms to be defined. The acquisition is subject to a satisfactory due diligence, and is expected to be concluded in May 2016.

Gaming Innovation Group Acquires Affiliate Network Assets from Magenti Media

Gaming Innovation Group Inc. (GIG) has agreed to acquire the affiliate assets from the Swedish based affiliate network company Magenti Media. Included in the acquisition are a four-figured number of referral sites, a highly experienced team of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) experts and recurring revenues from the existing portfolio of affiliate accounts with partnering operators. The affiliate network is mainly targeting the Swedish casino market, and the acquisition is further strengthening GIG as a leading lead generation company for the online gambling sector.

The acquired assets complement the already existing affiliate operations in Innovation Labs, and through increased activity and synergies, GIG expects to increase operating profit by around EUR 1 million on a 12 months rolling basis from completion of the acquisition.

After the acquisition, Innovation Labs expects to generate more than 45,000 New Depositing Customers (NDC’s) to B2B clients and GIG’s own operators on a yearly basis.

GIG will pay a consideration of SEK 47.5 million, whereof SEK 32 million will be settled with new GIG shares based on the average share price the five trading days prior to closing. In addition, 1 million options will be issued to the employees at closing on terms to be defined. The acquisition is subject to a satisfactory due diligence, and is expected to be concluded in May 2016.

Russian Gaming Week 2016

On 2-3 of June, 2016, ECC Sokolniki in Moscow will host 10th International gambling and entertainment exhibition-forum Russian Gaming Week 2016.

Representatives of the leading gambling companies from CIS and other foreign countries will gather to discuss the prospects of gambling business in RF taking into account all latest legal changes http://rgweek.ru/en .

Special occasion

For its 10th time, Russian Gaming Week will see its anniversary, becoming the annual informational floor for business meetings of manufacturers, providers and operators presenting the gambling segment.

Russian Gaming Week 2016

On 2-3 of June, 2016, ECC Sokolniki in Moscow will host 10th International gambling and entertainment exhibition-forum Russian Gaming Week 2016.

Representatives of the leading gambling companies from CIS and other foreign countries will gather to discuss the prospects of gambling business in RF taking into account all latest legal changes http://rgweek.ru/en .

Special occasion

For its 10th time, Russian Gaming Week will see its anniversary, becoming the annual informational floor for business meetings of manufacturers, providers and operators presenting the gambling segment.

Russian Gaming Week: All Gambling Sectors in One Place

As part of the Russian Gaming Week, which is to take place in Moscow on June 2-3, 2016, specialized conference will be held traditionally as well, bringing together representatives of all existing and future Russian gaming zones in order to share their achievements and present the most favorable offers for investors and junket tourists. The thematic conference will last 2 days, discussing the most relevant and exciting topics of the gambling industry http://rgweek.ru/en/conference.

June 2, 2016

The first day of the event will be fully dedicated to bookmakers. Speakers will talk about the latest changes in legislation, new features/tools in betting shops, etc. The following topics will be discussed on this day:

• Main events during the previous year: bet. domain zone, emerging of new licensees, changes in taxation. Forecasts for 2017.

Russian Gaming Week: All Gambling Sectors in One Place

As part of the Russian Gaming Week, which is to take place in Moscow on June 2-3, 2016, specialized conference will be held traditionally as well, bringing together representatives of all existing and future Russian gaming zones in order to share their achievements and present the most favorable offers for investors and junket tourists. The thematic conference will last 2 days, discussing the most relevant and exciting topics of the gambling industry http://rgweek.ru/en/conference.

June 2, 2016

The first day of the event will be fully dedicated to bookmakers. Speakers will talk about the latest changes in legislation, new features/tools in betting shops, etc. The following topics will be discussed on this day:

• Main events during the previous year: bet. domain zone, emerging of new licensees, changes in taxation. Forecasts for 2017.

Pinnacle Ent’s $138m deal for Meadows casino; second Philly license challenged

Pennsylvania’s casino market welcomed a new operator this week while pumping the brakes on another operator’s plans to enter the market.

Starting with the positive news, Nevada-based Pinnacle Entertainment Inc. announced a deal on Tuesday to take over operation of The Meadows Racetrack and Casino in Washington County.

The property was acquired last year by Gaming and Leisure Properties (GLPI), the real estate arm of Penn National Gaming, which also acquired Pinnacle’s real estate assets last July, so the dance partners here aren’t exactly strangers.

Pinnacle, which operates 15 gambling venues in eight US states (but not Pennsylvania), has agreed to pay GLPI $138m for Meadows’ gaming license and operating assets, which include a 180k-square-foot-casino and a harness racing track. Pinnacle will also pay GLPI annual rent of $25.5m for the first decade, with options to renew.

Pinnacle Ent’s $138m deal for Meadows casino; second Philly license challenged

Pennsylvania’s casino market welcomed a new operator this week while pumping the brakes on another operator’s plans to enter the market.

Starting with the positive news, Nevada-based Pinnacle Entertainment Inc. announced a deal on Tuesday to take over operation of The Meadows Racetrack and Casino in Washington County.

The property was acquired last year by Gaming and Leisure Properties (GLPI), the real estate arm of Penn National Gaming, which also acquired Pinnacle’s real estate assets last July, so the dance partners here aren’t exactly strangers.

Pinnacle, which operates 15 gambling venues in eight US states (but not Pennsylvania), has agreed to pay GLPI $138m for Meadows’ gaming license and operating assets, which include a 180k-square-foot-casino and a harness racing track. Pinnacle will also pay GLPI annual rent of $25.5m for the first decade, with options to renew.

Social & Mobile Gambling Conference: Everything About Gambling for Mobile and Social Networks!

Almost half of social network users and at least one third of all Internet users gamble. Profits of social gambling global market will soon exceed $ 8.5 billion. Games for tablets, smartphones and consoles are a dynamic and very promising area where technologies grow by leaps and bounds http://somogamconf.ru/en .

At the same time, Social & Mobile Gambling Conference is still the only one in the CIS industry event for iGaming representatives. In 2016, it will bring together participants for the third time and will be held in the framework of Russian Gaming Week on June 2 in Moscow.

Smile-Expo, an organizer of the event, has decided to combine these two events in order to enhance the effect of their visiting and as clearly as possible to outline the prospects of the Russian gambling industry.

What are we going to discuss?

Social & Mobile Gambling Conference: Everything About Gambling for Mobile and Social Networks!

Almost half of social network users and at least one third of all Internet users gamble. Profits of social gambling global market will soon exceed $ 8.5 billion. Games for tablets, smartphones and consoles are a dynamic and very promising area where technologies grow by leaps and bounds http://somogamconf.ru/en .

At the same time, Social & Mobile Gambling Conference is still the only one in the CIS industry event for iGaming representatives. In 2016, it will bring together participants for the third time and will be held in the framework of Russian Gaming Week on June 2 in Moscow.

Smile-Expo, an organizer of the event, has decided to combine these two events in order to enhance the effect of their visiting and as clearly as possible to outline the prospects of the Russian gambling industry.

What are we going to discuss?

Court dismisses disgruntled social gamer’s lawsuit against DoubleDown Casino

A federal judge has dismissed a class action suit brought against DoubleDown Interactive, the social casino division of gaming device maker International Game Technology (IGT).

Last April, Illinois resident Margo Philips filed a class action suit against the gaming operator, accusing DoubleDown Casino’s games of being “nothing more than camouflaged unlawful games of chance.”

Philips said she’d lost over $1k of real money gambling with virtual chips she purchased on DoubleDown over a two-year period. Philips further claimed that DoubleDown had “illegally profited” from the “thousands” of other Illinois residents that Philips claimed had each lost at least $50 via the social casino site.

Philips sued to recover both her own losses as well as all these other social gamers’ losses using the Illinois Loss Recovery Act (ILRA), one of those daffy nineteenth century statutes that allows individuals to sue for recovery of “illegal gambling” losses, including losses by third parties.

Court dismisses disgruntled social gamer’s lawsuit against DoubleDown Casino

A federal judge has dismissed a class action suit brought against DoubleDown Interactive, the social casino division of gaming device maker International Game Technology (IGT).

Last April, Illinois resident Margo Philips filed a class action suit against the gaming operator, accusing DoubleDown Casino’s games of being “nothing more than camouflaged unlawful games of chance.”

Philips said she’d lost over $1k of real money gambling with virtual chips she purchased on DoubleDown over a two-year period. Philips further claimed that DoubleDown had “illegally profited” from the “thousands” of other Illinois residents that Philips claimed had each lost at least $50 via the social casino site.

Philips sued to recover both her own losses as well as all these other social gamers’ losses using the Illinois Loss Recovery Act (ILRA), one of those daffy nineteenth century statutes that allows individuals to sue for recovery of “illegal gambling” losses, including losses by third parties.