Monthly Archives: March 2018

Playtech BGT Sports unveils retail cash-out improvements

21st February 2018, London – Playtech BGT Sports (PBS) has introduced several significant improvements to its unique retail cash-out tool.

Shop customers will now experience cash-out for a longer period, across more events and with improved margins on PBS’ proprietary self-service betting terminals (SSBTs).

The cash-out option will stay open for longer on matches with strong favourites, increasing the availability of the tool in multiple bets. Previously, players had to wait until traders had settled results, but the favourites price will now be factored in while the match is live, even if it’s not available as a selection.

Suspension times in-play have been reduced, significantly lengthening the time available for customers to both place and cash-out bets, driving stake turnover and operator revenue.

Prague Gaming Summit 2018 announces PLANZER LAW and BtoBet as sponsors

Prague – 21 March 2018 – The team at European Gaming are honored to announce the support of PLANZER LAW as Networking Break & Lunch Sponsor and the support of BtoBet as Digital Sponsor for the second edition of Prague Gaming Summit which will be held at Andel’s by Vienna House Prague on the 29th of March.

30 experts speakers will be sharing information about legal updates from Czechia, Slovakia, Poland, Slovenia, Switzerland, Austria and a special focus will be given to Responsible Gambling, Effective Marketing, AML, Blockchain, Conversion, Retention and Gambling Licensing Procedures in the European Union. The program of the event is unique in the industry and promises to reach the highest standards.

The generic names that will give take part in the specially created panel discussions are:

Jan Rehola (PS Legal), Jakub Kolomicenko (Endorphina), Ivan Sagál (Bird&Bird), Tal Zamstein (Fortuna Group), Dr. Joerg Hofmann (Melchers Law Germany), Dr. Robert Skalina (WH Partners), Jaka Repansek (Republis Slovenia), Dr. Mag. Klaus Christian Vögl (Fachgruppe Wien der Freizeit- und Sportbetriebe), Dr. Simon Planzer (PLANZER LAW), Piotr Dynowski (Bird&Bird), Anna Wietrzynska-Ciolkowska (DLA Piper), Tony Las (Superbet Poland), Adam Warlewski (Superbet Poland), Bogdan Coman (ROMBET), Max Krupyshev(Cubits), Bernhard Blaha (Herocoin.io & Herosphere.gg), Tom Light (SBTech), Tal Itzhak Ron (Tal Ron, Drihem and Co. Law Firm), Quirino Mancini (Tonucci & Partners), Jon Peters (Theomobex), Tal Miller (Fibonatix), Michal Shinitzky (Pangea Localization Services), Assaf Stieglitz (odds1x2.com), Pieter Remmers(Assissa), Martin Arendts (ARENDTS ANWÄLTE), Alex Henderson (The Ritz Hotel Casino London), Dan Iliovici(Romanian National Gambling Office – ONJN), and last but not least, Tom Edmonds (Harris Hagan).

FSB agrees partnership with 7 Best Bets

New sportsbook to launch next month

London, 21st March 2018: FSB is to help launch a new UK-facing sportsbook called 7 Best Bets after agreeing a deal to provide its owners with its innovative platform.

The desktop and mobile site, set to go live on 9th April, has an exclusive affiliate deal with popular social game 7 Of The Best, which was founded by former Tottenham Hotspur and England defender Ledley King.

Customers will now have the opportunity to place a bet on their weekly 7OTB selections, as well as virtual sports and a comprehensive selection of casino games, complete with bespoke offers and promotions.

Realistic Games adds new account managers

Supplier bolsters client support with double signing

Reading, 21st March 2018: Award-winning casino supplier Realistic Games has moved to bolster its client support services with the appointment of two new account managers.

Colin Weaver and Lidia Suero started their roles last week and will be based in the provider’s office in Gibraltar to help their operator partners on the Rock.

Weaver joins the team from Betsson, where he was Casino Insight Manager, after previous roles at Bet365, whilst Suero leaves an account manager role at Optima over the border in Spain.

Sun International shuts down money-losing operations

In business, it’s important to know when to say enough is enough and cut losses. South African hotel and casino operator Sun International knows this all too well and has currently begun wielding the knife. It’s in the process of eliminating several of its properties, all of which have not been producing income for the billion-dollar organization.

Sun International holds 42.5% of the South African casino market. It pushed itself out into the world, launching casinos in Latin America to take its holdings up to 27 properties. However, following the announcement that full-year earnings had dropped, it made the call to offload a large part of its casinos, which should bring in around $124 million in capital.

In Colombia, Sun plans on closing Fish River Sun and Sun Nao Casino. It will also dump the International VIP Businesses that it has in Panama and South Africa. Its Ocean Sun Casino, which is in the formerly titled Trump Ocean Club in Panama, has also been closed. There’s no indication that the lack in business of the casino stemmed from the location carrying the Trump name.

Sun will reorganize its Boardwalk casino and hotel in South Africa, as well as look at ways to shore up business at its Carousel casino in the North West province. In announcing the shakeup, Sun CEO Anthony Leeming said, “Closing loss making entities will have a positive impact, as will the interventions we’ve put in place at the Ocean Sun Casino, the Boardwalk and the Carousel. We are anticipating much improved performances from these operations.”

Parx Big Stax tournament crowns rare co-champions

The Parx Casino in Bensalem, Pennsylvania, has done something that has only been done a few times in poker history. In the $1,600 Parx Big Stax XXIV 1500 tournament, it awarded first-place titles to not one, but two players, resulting in both of them being crowned as champions of the event.

Anthony Garofalo and Greg Weber found themselves going heads-up with almost identical chip stacks in the tournament before they made a deal to chop the pot. The agreement was accepted by the tournament officials; however, Weber will be the recorded winner on the books since he took $104,000 to Garofalo’s $97,000. The victory is the second for Weber in the past six month, having taken second place and $471,059 in the WPT Borgata Poker Open $3,500 Main Event last September.

The 10-man final table saw some impressive action, starting with an all-in preflop by Greg Himmelbrand. He pushed in with a stack of 11 big blinds holding ace magnets that held up to their name. An A-J combo held by Joe Reddick found its match on the flop, sending Himmelbrand to the rail with $8,316.

Scott Blumstein, who took down the 2017 WSOP Main Event, was then sent packing in ninth place. His 20 big-blind push with A-4 didn’t stand a chance against Christian Harder’s pocket rockets, and Blumstein was forced to step away from the table. For his efforts, Blumstein took home a little more than $10,000.

888Poker partner with One Drop; Dominik Nitsche to appear in the Big One

888Poker will partner with the One Drop Foundation creating the first-ever online poker tournament with benefits heading towards the non-profit’s coffers, and Dominik Nitsche will appear in the $1m buy-in Big One for One Drop.

I pay £950 a month to live in a tin pot shed. The kitchen is in the living room. When the old-plastered oil of dead fish lights and burns, we open the windows and cower under the big purple sea of blankets.

The dishwasher is me.

It’s an artform I perfected when I was 18, in a part-time job in a pub with a ghost called Mildred.

CoinPoker responds: 3 accounts banned, no reasons why

CoinPoker has responded to allegations made by GameIntel’s Alex Weldon that all is not well with the security protocols on the site by admitting the closure of three accounts with further investigations ongoing.

I imagine when CoinPoker thinks of the name Alex Weldon the sky burns black with a murder of crows after the GameIntel employee posted an article on PartTimePoker highlighting dubious traffic levels on the site, and questioning their lack of security.

Yesterday, I covered the story.

It goes a something like this.

Officials eye implementing online gambling laws in India’s Maharashtra

About a week ago, CalvinAyre.com reported on the decision by India’s Pujab and Haryana High Court that seemed to indicate an approval of online gambling, fantasy sports in particular, by the court. While no official ruling had been handed down by the court, the justices certainly were paving the way for future acceptance of the sector. That acceptance now seems to be imminent.

On Monday, The Hindu reported that the state government of Maharashtra has indicated plans to implement laws in the very near future that will provide guidance for online betting and gambling. Home Minister Ranjit Patil said that the laws will more than likely mimic similar current legislation that governs live betting and gaming activities. No fixed date was given for the publication of the new laws.

Patil made the remarks during a debate in front of the Legislative Council, stating that laws are forthcoming. The debate centered on Game King India Private Limited, which has been accused of operating an illegal betting scheme. The company’s owner, Ramesh Chaurasia, was recently arrested by the Indore Police in relation to the allegations.

Chaurasia has been accused of operating 500 illegal gambling parlors around Mumbai, as well as in six other areas throughout India and in 15 countries. He has been cited for disguising the parlors as video game parlors, a business for which he holds a license. The games, it is alleged, had their software rigged so that customers’ numbers would never win.

Anticipation for Japan Gaming Congress grows as Operators increase their presence in Japan

The 2017 edition of JgC was the largest event of its type held in Japan, attracting delegates from both local and international markets. Clarion Gaming has confirmed increased support for the event in 2018 with major sponsors including Galaxy Entertainment, Melco Resorts Entertainment, MGM Resorts, SJM Holdings Macau, Transact, JCM Global, Hard Rock, Caesars Entertainment, Clairvest, Konami and more.

During this week Caesars Entertainment President and CEO, MarkFrissora was in Osaka and held a meeting with Governor Ichiro Matsui and Mayor Hirofumi Yoshimura. Earlier this month Caesars became an Official Partner with Osaka in its bid to host the 2025 World Expo in Yumeshima, next to the planned site for the major IR. The meeting with the governor and the expo sponsorship demonstrated Caesars’ strong intention to bid for the Yumeshima site. Caesars is, in fact, the fourth international IR operator to become Osaka’s Official Partner on the expo bid, following Melco, MGM, and Hard Rock.

Gaming organisations targeting the significant business opportunities in the emergent Japanese integrated resort sector, are encouraged to participate at this year’s Japan Gaming Congress.

Rory Credland, Event Director at Clarion Gaming, explained: “The current state of play in Japan could potentially see a gaming Bill pass in June thereby enabling a number of licenses to be issued and in the process create one of the most significant jurisdictions in world gaming. “JgC will provide a platform for delegates to meet with the prefectures and decision makers behind the bill, and gain some real up to the minute insight as to what the legislation will look like, bearing in mind a preview has not been released.”

Scout Gaming strikes deal with ComeOn

Scout Gaming Group has entered into an agreement with ComeOn to deliver the company’s Daily Fantasy Sports platform.

The agreement gives ComeOn full access to Scout Gaming’s DFS platform enabling them to offer a complete Daily Fantasy Sports solution to all its customers. A free-to-play version will be integrated initially, with the target to integrate payment solutions for real money gambling at a later stage.

Scout Gaming’s platform is expected to be integrated into ComeOn’s product offering during the first half of the second quarter 2018, well in time for the upcoming World Cup-tournament.

“The fact that ComeOn, a leading well-recognized and innovative player, chooses to integrate Scout Gaming’s product is a receipt that our product and DFS vertical will continue its establishment in Europe,” commented Scout Gaming CEO Andreas Ternström.

Constantin Medien AG creates new company Magic Sports Media GmbH to pool marketing for betting, poker, casino, and lottery

– Comprehensive portfolio for companies in the gaming and gambling sector, media firms as well as sports associations, leagues and clubs

– Services encompassing ad sales, consulting as well as regulation and policy

– Marketing business of SPORT1 MEDIA in the gaming and gambling sector will be transferred to the new company

– Dr Andreas Blaue and Stephan Katzmann to head Magic Sports Media GmbH as Managing Directors

Only four exhibition spaces left at SBEA 2018

21 March 2018, Johannesburg, South Africa

Eventus International announces the current sponsors and exhibitors for the upcoming 4th Annual Sports Betting East Africa Summit, which is taking place from 10-11 April 2018 at the Kampala Serena Hotel in Kampala, Uganda.

Some of the world’s top software providers, testing & certification services, gaming advisors and media experts such as Betconstruct, Gaming Laboratories International (GLI), Elbet, Kiron Interactive, Gamble Beast, Eventus Media and many more have confirmed their participation at the 4th Annual Sports Betting East Africa Summit.

Betconstruct will be returning for the fourth time as Sponsor and Exhibitor for the Sports Betting East Africa Summit. Gaming Laboratories International (GLI), proud sponsors of the Networking Drinks on the 11th of April, will be bringing all the attendees together on the last day of the Summit right before the SBEA After-party, hosted and sponsored by Club Play in Kampala. BtoBet will also be returning as the official Strategic Partner for the Summit, and Eventus International warmly welcomes Gamble Beast as first-time exhibitors at SBEA.

NCAA Tournament sweet 16 Thursday betting preview

After perhaps the most upset-filled first two rounds of an NCAA Tournament in history, the field is down to a Sweet 16. On Thursday, it’s action from the South Region at Philips Arena in Atlanta and West Region games from Staples Center in Los Angeles.

Odds courtesy of OddsShark.com

The South opener is surely a matchup that no one predicted in their bracket competitions: No. 11 Loyola-Chicago vs. No. 7 Nevada, with the Wolf Pack of the Mountain West as 1.5-point favorites. Nevada looked dead in the water in Sunday’s Round of 32 against No. 2 Cincinnati, trailing by 22 points with just over 11 minutes to play yet winning 75-73.

Nevada outscored the Bearcats, arguably the nation’s second-best defensive team behind shockingly eliminated South No. 1 seed Virginia, 32-8 to close the game. It tied for the second-biggest comeback win in NCAA Tournament history. The Wolf Pack also trailed by 14 points in the second half of the first round but beat Texas 87-83 in overtime. Nevada’s only previous regional semifinal appearance came in 2004.

Gambling marketing musings: Breaking down PokerStars Big Race

In another instalment of gambling marketing musings, Lee Davy takes a closer look at the PokerStars Big Race.

Yesterday, someone called me a fucking loser.

This morning, I wake up, and there is an email from someone saying shame on you for creating an online training course that helps people quit alcohol. If I cared for these people, I would give the course away for free.

It’s a reminder that I still have work to do.

Live tournament round-up: WSOPC Rozvadov, Irish Poker Open, SHRB and more

A full round-up of the live tournament action from the World Series of Poker Circuit in Rozvadov, the Irish Poker Open, the WPTDeepStacks in Johannesburg and the Super High Roller Bowl.

Some people are waking up in a factory packing crab sticks. A banker. A painter. What do you call yourself if you work in a crab stick packing factory? A crab stick packer? A factory worker? Think how shocked they would be to learn that somewhere in the world men and women sit down to play cards for a living. They call themselves professional poker players, and they don’t smell of fish, well, not all of them.

A bunch of these ‘pros’ have been mixing it up with the amateurs over at King’s Casino Rozvadov on the Czech/German border. The World Series of Poker Circuit (WSOPC) has been in town since March 1 – 19, and Amar Begovic has taken down the Main Event.

The Bosnian outlived 796 entrants in the €1,650 Main Event. For his efforts, the WSOP awarded him with €220,000, a smidgen more than his previous personal best of €10,910.

BetConstruct partners up with Booongo Gaming

BetConstruct integrates the Booongo Gaming portfolio to its Casino Suite Software.

Booongo Gaming becomes a new provider for BetConstruct Casino platform. A wide range of 4,000+ games of our company is now freshened up with such well-known titles from the provider as God’s Temple, Poisoned Apple, Lucky Xmas, 15 Golden Eggs and African Spirit.

Booongo`s Business Development Manager, Yuriy Muratov said that BetConstruct is a company, which has really impressed us during all stages of this project, because the cooperation on their side is excellent. “We are thrilled to provide BetConstruct with our games as the latest addition to their Gaming Suite. We look forward to working closely with the guys at BetConstruct as our games go live with their customers over the coming months.”

BetConstruct’s International Development Director, Anna Poghosyan, commented: “We are delighted to confirm Booongo as the latest content partner to BetConstruct’s Gaming Suite. Addition of popular Booongo titles like Poisoned Apple, Lucky Xmas and the latest Nord’s War – further enhances our gaming portfolio, which now features over 4,000+ games. BetConstruct has built an excellent relationship with the Booongo team, which helped secure a rapid integration and I look forward to distributing their unique gaming content via our Game Aggregation Platform.”