Monthly Archives: February 2017

CASEXE is a golden sponsor of Georgia Gaming Congress

The CASEXE company announced that it became a golden sponsor of Georgia Gaming Congress. The event will be held at the Radisson Blu Iveria Hotel in Tbilisi on March 1.

Ivan Kondilenko, the executive director of CASEXE, will represent the company at the congress. It will be possible to discuss any topical issues with him at the event. To do so, leave a request with your contacts at the official CASEXE website.

We note that Georgia Gaming Congress is an ideal platform for demonstration of company’s achievements and lucrative deals. The congress will gather many leading enterprises, which are famous for their gambling hardware and software developments, representatives of gaming business, Fantasy Sports and eSports, as well as cryptocurrency experts and Blockchain technologies in the industry.

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The Chase’s ‘Beast’ goes head to head with GalaBingo.com’s brightest sparks

Last week, the UK’s No.1 bingo site, GalaBingo.com drew big crowds at the London Affiliate Conference thanks to a special appearance from a famous face.

Positioned at the Gala Partners stand, Mark Labbett aka ‘The Beast’ from ITV’s The Chase quiz show, which is sponsored by GalaBingo.com throughout 2017, gave LAC attending affiliates at London’s Excel the chance to test their intelligence and go head-to-head with a real ‘Chaser’.

In-keeping with GalaBingo.com’s mission to spread happiness and fun, and ably assisted by representatives from sister brand Coral, the brand hosted a unique and interactive event with Mark.

Following the show format, contenders were given a five-point head start against ‘The Beast’, but did have the unique advantage of being allowed to compete with any size team! Mark revealed himself to be a good sport; favourably taking a couple of losses on the chin, and agreeing to numerous ‘selfies’ and autographs.

Erwin Horak joins NOVOMATIC as Lottery consultant

Erwin Horak, long-standing president of the Bavarian State Lottery, Chairman of the GlücksSpirale Committee, as well as the former leader of German lottery association Deutscher Lotto- und Totoblock (DLTB), will be providing future support as a consultant for the NOVOMATIC Group.

With decades of expertise and experience in the lottery business, Horak will act as a consultant to NOVOMATIC. Among other things, Horak will support NOVOMATIC Lottery Solutions GmbH in the areas of Business Development and Customer Development. Commenting on his appointment, Harald Neumann, Chairman of the NOVOMATIC board, said: “As reflected in our successes in Estonia and Greece, Lottery technology and services are of increasing strategic importance to us. With the valuable contributions of Erwin Horak we will gain an important impetus in our cooperation with state-licensed lotteries.”

Erwin Horak added: “After my active work at LOTTO Bayern, I am very much looking forward to contributing my knowledge and experience to the NOVOMATIC Group. Lotteries are increasingly under competitive pressure and require innovative, modern and open solutions, such as the solutions developed and offered by NOVOMATIC Lottery Solutions. I am committed and convinced that NOVOMATIC has a good range of products. I find it very positive that this new offer will also increase the competition within the German lottery market. I would like to make a contribution to it.”

About NLS

Everything on the table as Crown Resorts restructuring begins

Australian casino operator Crown Resorts has begun an aggressive cost-cutting program following a sharp decline in its VIP gambling business.

On Tuesday, Australian media reported that over 200 employees at the Crown Perth casino had been made redundant. A Crown spokesperson emphasized that “5,500 people continue to work at Crown Perth and we have a strong commitment to their development and welfare.”

The Perth payroll won’t be the last Crown asset to face the axe. In January, Crown owner James Packer gave executive chairman John Alexander broad authority to make some “hard calls” as part of a sweeping review of Crown’s costs.

Alexander, who will also assume the CEO’s duties from the outgoing Rowen Craigie as of March 1, is reportedly considering selling Crown Perth’s $40m superyacht Infinity in order to save its annual $1m operating budget.

3: WPT Barrels: Castelluccio in Brussels; Poper in Philly; Sexton in LA?

3: Barrels of World Poker Tour good stuff including a victory in Brussels for Sergio Castelluccio, a win in Philadelphia for James Poper, and Mike Sexton is in contention in Los Angeles.

A collection of stories from the World Poker Tour (WPT) and we begin in Brussels and the National Tour.

Italian professional, Sergio Castelluccio, is a prominent member of the European live poker circuit, having collected over $2m in earnings since he started racking up scores in 2009.

In 2010, the Italian defeated 396 entrants to win the €2,200 Italian Poker Tour (IPT) Main Event in San Remo for €200,000. Two years ago, he beat 612 competitors to win a World Series of Poker Circuit (WSOPC) gold ring and €114,100 after victory in Campione. And earlier this week he made it a hat-trick of major tour undercard wins when he defeated 489 entrants to win the World Poker Tour National Main Event in Brussels for €105,000.

Aristocrat’s game-changing Fast Cash™ wide area progressive slot product now racing across the United States

LAS VEGAS – “Any Jackpot, Any Bet, Any Time!” That’s the fun in Aristocrat’s new Fast Cash™ slot game, the gaming industry’s first rapid-hit, wide area progressive, multi-game product.

VIDEO: Watch the Fast Cash video on Aristocrat’s YouTube channel

Aristocrat Vice President of North American Gaming Operations Siobhan Lane said, “We are thrilled about bringing the innovative Fast Cash product to our customers. With new installs happening every day, Fast Cash delivers a great jackpot experience that will drive great entertainment on casino floors, rewarding players across the country.”

Recent Fast Cash jackpots include: $77,844.71 at Valley View Casino in Valley Center, California; $25,709.55 at San Manuel Indian Bingo & Casino in Highland, California; $23,692.29 at Route 66 Casino Hotel in Albuquerque, New Mexico; and $25,473 at Silverton Casino Hotel in Las Vegas.

Pokerstars #raiseit to 158 million with global social campaign featuring sport heroes

Campaign videos featuring Cristiano Ronaldo, Dwyane Wade, Neymar Jr, and Ronaldo Nazario are a hit with sports fans around the world

ONCHAN, Isle of Man – PokerStars second instalment of #raiseit, the global social media campaign featuring Team PokerStars SportStar Cristiano Ronaldo and renowned basketball player Dwyane Wade, has been a success around the world with their unique series of videos surpassing 112 million views. The entire campaign, which features other legendary sports stars, has now surpassed 158 million views on social media and www.nowraiseit.com.

Sports fans across the globe watched football sensation Ronaldo and NBA star and Chicago Bulls player Wade attempt to one-up each other in the series of playful yet competitive videos created by the world’s largest online site, PokerStars, an Amaya Inc. (Nasdaq: AYA; TSX: AYA) brand. The series played out from November 2016 to January 2017 on Ronaldo and Wade’s social media channels, introducing millions of people to the PokerStars brand.

SHOWSTOPPING TRICK SHOTS

David Baazov insider trading trial to feature anonymous informant

Former Amaya Gaming CEO David Baazov will stand trial on insider trading charges in a Quebec court in November, a judge ruled on Tuesday.

According to a report in The Globe & Mail, Quebec Court Judge Claude Leblond held a hearing on Tuesday during which he set a November 20 date for the start of Baazov’s trial on insider trading stemming from his former role as head of Amaya, the parent company of PokerStars.

The possibility remains that Baazov (pictured), who has pled not guilty to the charges, could strike a deal with prosecutors that would preclude the need for a trial. In the meantime, both prosecutors and Baazov’s legal team are gearing up for a trial that could last up to 13 weeks.

In March 2016, Baazov and two other individuals – fellow Amaya exec Benjamin Ahdoot and former Amaya financial advisor Yoel Altman – were hit with 23 insider trading charges by Quebec securities regulator Autorité des marches financiers (AMF).

Phil Ivey vs. Crockfords Casino: Ding! ding! round 3 UK Supreme Court

The UK Supreme Court Judges have agreed to take a fresh look at the Phil Ivey vs. Crockford’s Casino £7.8m punto banco case, giving the poker player new hope of getting his mitts on a much-needed cash injection to pay the Borgata.

Phil Ivey’s baccarat saga is longer than a Max Richter album.

I have just learned on the poker grapevine that Ivey’s legal team has breathed new life into his ailing case against Crockford’s Casino in the UK after losing his High Court appeal at the Court of Appeals in April 2016.

Long before The Borgata Casino & Resort picked a fight with Ivey, the Genting-owned property in Mayfair, London also had a dust-up with him. That was back in August 2012, when Ivey and an accomplice won £7.8m while playing a baccarat derivative known as punto banco.

CalvinAyre.com featured conferences & events: March 2017

Georgia Gaming Congress

The third annual Georgia Gaming Congress will take place in Tbilisi with a focus on land based and online sports betting while touching on the latest hot topics such as eSports, DFS, Blockchain, AR and VR.  Government officials, entrepreneurs, suppliers, junkets and gambling industry professionals will be in attendance and delegates can expect a series of sessions throughout the day and a dedicated demo area.

What: Georgia Gaming Congress

When: March 1, 2017

SJM Holdings revenue, profit and market share all fall in 2016

Macau casino operator SJM Holdings had a 2016 to forget, with revenue, profit and market share all in full retreat.

Figures released Tuesday show SJM’s gaming revenue falling 14.5% to HKD 41.3b ($5.3b) in 2016, while earnings were off 11.5% to HKD 3.4b and profit slipped 5.6% to HKD 2.3b. SJM’s share of the overall Macau market’s gaming revenue dipped from 21.7% in 2015 to 19.1% last year.

All of SJM’s gaming verticals were in negative territory, with VIP revenue falling 20.5%, mass market tables down 8.2% and slots falling 6.4%. These compare unfavorably with the overall Macau market, which saw VIP revenue fall 6.9% while mass market revenue gained 1.8%.

SJM’s flagship Grand Lisboa property bore the brunt of the damage, with revenue down 14% to HKD 14b. VIP turnover was down only 4% but VIP revenue was off 17% as the property played unlucky. The Grand Lisboa finished 2016 with 125 VIP tables, 25 fewer than at the end of 2015.

North Carolina, UCLA co-favorites on 2017 NCAA Tournament Odds

Despite coming off a 53-43 loss to the Virginia Cavaliers (20-9, 10-7 ACC) on Monday, the North Carolina Tar Heels (25-6, 13-4) remain in line for the top seed in their conference tournament, and they are also +600 co-favorites to win the 2017 NCAA Tournament along with the UCLA Bruins (26-3, 13-3 Pac-12).

Odds courtesy of OddsShark.com

A shocking 79-71 home loss by the previously unbeaten Gonzaga Bulldogs (29-1, 17-1 WCC) to the BYU Cougars (21-10, 12-6) on Saturday has once again proven that this year’s March Madness field looks like it will have more parity than ever before.

The Bulldogs (+750) were ranked No. 1 in the country and closed as 20.5-point favorites against the Cougars but fell to them at home for the third consecutive year.

PokerVision partner with Luken Communications for American launch

PokerVision, a subsidiary of ePlay Digital Inc., has agreed to terms with Luken Communications LLC to broadcast their Next Generation TV content via the Action Network.

Am I the only one still confused as to the intent of the PokerVision Network?

The subsidiary of ePlay Digital Inc., a posse of TV geeks, eSports stars and poker players, has inked a Programming Distribution Agreement to air its library of products in 28 US TV markets.

But is this the right market?

Galaxy Entertainment Group boosts 2016 profit by 51%

Macau casino operator Galaxy Entertainment Group (GEG) boosted its 2016 profits by more than half despite only modest gains in gaming revenue.

Figures released Tuesday show GEG’s full-year revenue rising 4% to HKD 52.8b (US $6.8b) while earnings rose 18% to HKD 10.3b and net profit shot up 51% to HKD 6.3b ($811.6m). GEG chairman Lui Che Woo called the results “very credible and solid” given the well-publicized challenges of the overall Macau casino market.

Lui said GEG had worked hard to keep costs to a minimum without impacting customer service standards or interfering with efforts to expand its mass market business. GEG enjoyed “virtually 100%” occupancy at its hotels and non-gaming revenue gained 18% year-on-year to HKD 3.2b in 2016.

GEG’s overall gaming revenue was up only 2% to HKD 49.5b, with mass market revenue improving 19% to HKD 21b and VIP revenue falling 8% to HKD 26.5b. Reflecting the overall Macau market’s Q4 performance, GEG’s fortunes improved in the last three months of 2016, as VIP revenue gained 3% to HKD 7.2b.