Monthly Archives: July 2018

IMGL MasterClass – US Market – Gold Rush or Opposite for European Operations – panel discussion at CEEGC2018

Budapest – 9 July 2018 – There is, without any doubt, a large dumping of news and articles that focus on the US gambling market and the possibilities it might offer.

All these news have been circling around the industry and even mainstream media starting from May, when sports betting has been given the go-ahead by the US Supreme Court.

With the legalization of sports betting, many European companies are feeling a “gold rush” and hope to take advantage of one the biggest markets on the planet.

We are seeing and reading daily news about a large number of partnerships between European and US companies. Large European operators that already had a presence in the US market are already lining up for their comeback and relaunching old collaboration. Other operators and software providers are juggling events and focusing on how to enter and market their brand on US soil.

Jason Chu: ‘New experience economy’ elevates focus on customer experience

In this interview with CalvinAyre.com’s Stephanie Tower, Asia Pacific Customer Service Consortium Chairman Jason Chu shares how gambling operators can stay competitive in the new experience economy.

Loading the player…

jwplayer(‘camediasplayer-373296-2’).setup({

file: “http://30.cdn.bit2host.eu/videos/jason-chu-new-experience-economy-elevates-focus-on-customer-experience-video.m4v”,

Lottoland expands affiliate marketing partnership with Income Access

Affiliate programme to be managed as well as powered by Paysafe company as iLottery wagering brand targets Canada and other new markets

Montreal, QC. 9th July 2018 – Lottoland, the online lottery brand allowing players to wager on a range of international jackpots, has expanded its partnership with Income Access, Paysafe’s marketing technology and services provider. To support Lottoland’s recent expansion into Canada and growth in new markets as well as its relaunch in existing markets, the brand’s Income Access-powered affiliate programme is now also managed by Income Access’ Affiliate Team.

Founded in 2013, the Gibraltar-based Lottoland is active in 13 markets, has over 350 employees, and more than 8 million customers worldwide. It is licensed and regulated by the Government of Gibraltar, the UK Gambling Commission, the Republic of Ireland National Excise Licences Office, the Agenzia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli in Italy and the Northern Territory’s Racing Commission in Australia.

Lottoland’s payment options currently include Paysafe’s NETELLER, Skrill, and paysafecard. In August 2017, to support Lottoland’s customer acquisition, the brand relaunched its affiliate programme with another Paysafe company, Income Access. The partnership saw the Income Access affiliate platform powering the revamped programme.

FanDuel execs score big money on Paddy Power Betfair merger; shareholders, not so much

International daily fantasy sports (DFS) operator FanDuel recently entered a deal to sell the company to Irish bookmaker Paddy Power Betfair. While the sale will bring substantial windfalls to the company’s top executives, FanDuel founders and shareholders aren’t so lucky.

The firm’s major shareholders, Shamrock Capital and KKR, authorized the sale per a clause in the contract that basically forces minority shareholders to do what the two companies want. As reported by Legal Sports Report’s Dustin Gouker, they recognized the negative impact it would have on the shareholders, stating, “It is important to note that no other offer available to FanDuel as a result [of exploring a sale] was of a sufficient value, if distributed pursuant to the terms of the Articles with respect to a change of control transaction, to entitle any holders of ordinary shares to participate with respect to such shares.”

The statement went on to explain, “In addition, the allocation of the proceeds of [the sale] to FanDuel’s Shareholders is consistent with the terms of FanDuel’s pre-existing organizational documents that have been in effect for an extended period of time.”

The offer on the table amounted to $465 million, more than any other offer made for the DFS operator. However, it falls short of the $558 million commitment the company has in its “A Preference Shares” stock purchase clause.

BetConstruct at AML Global Solutions

BetConstruct is delighted to attend The Silver Bullet in Fighting Financial Crime Seminar hosted by AML Global Solutions.

Attended by some of the top MLRO and Compliance professionals from both the land based and online gambling industry, the event promises to be an invaluable source of knowledge and training and will provide the audience with insight and techniques on how to train their staff to adopt industry standard best practises.

“At BetConstruct, we take our and our partners AML and financial crime prevention responsibilities very seriously and we are delighted to have the opportunity to sponsor such a prestigious event,” comments BetConstruct UK Product & Compliance Manager David Webb.

The event promises to be a very productive and educational forum. Ray Wilson, Director of AMLGS, will chair a workshop that will focus on the best practices and processes of Suspicious Activity reporting. Following this, Claire Wilson, Senior AML Manager, United Kingdom Gambling Commission, will be discussing the recently published risk assessment of money laundering and terrorist financing in the British gambling market 2018. Finally, Fiona Davies and Nick Parfitt will provide a short presentation with a question and answer session on what trends the industry is experiencing with Player Due Diligence for AML/Source of Funding checks and how we are seeing this support Responsible Gaming without interrupting play.

GiG’s iGaming operator Rizk sponsors ENCE eSports team

Malta, 9 July 2018 – Rizk.com, iGaming operator flagship brand of Gaming Innovation Group (GiG), proudly announces its latest sponsorship deal with the globally operating Finnish ENCE eSports team.

ENCE is a professional Finnish eSports team. Players compete in online gaming tournaments worldwide which include games such as Starcraft 2, Hearthstone, Rainbow Six: Siege, Overwatch and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. The team has extensive experience in eSports, making this sponsorship agreement a fantastic complimentary element to Rizk’s recently launched sportsbook where eSports betting is available. The Rizk logo will appear on ENCE’s website and merchandise. Since online gambling is illegal for under 18s in many countries where fans are based, we jointly decided that it was appropriate not to include the Rizk logo on any merchandise worn by Sergej (Jere Salo), who is a player aged under 18, as a measure to encourage responsible gambling.

The partnership with ENCE is a natural fit for our operator Rizk. As an entertainment provider ourselves we share a very similar ethos and understanding. With the rise in popularity of eSports in general and the recent launch of Rizk sportsbook, the timing for this branding opportunity couldn’t have been better. ENCE has a globally renowned team and we are proud to be supporting them through all the tournaments and events they will be attending this year across the world

Robin Reed, CEO of GiG.

Ganapati PLC to launch ICO

Ganapati Group Company is excited to announce the creation of a new Initial Coin Offering (ICO) with their subsidiary company GanaEight Coin Ltd in Malta. The G8C token is dedicated to the online casino market.

Ganapati PLC, the parent company of the Ganapati group, is listed on the UK NEX Exchange market. It also has subsidiaries with offices in Malta, Estonia, Los Angeles and Curacao. Ganapati’s subsidiary company in Malta has a B2B class 4 casino license issued by the MGA. Ganapati Malta supplies unique online slot games that combine Japanese content with the traditional European iGaming experience. The company has become a world big hit and received 4 gaming nominations within the past 2 years including a finalist nomination for Pikotaro’s Pineapple slot game as best casino product in the prestigious Global Gaming Awards 2018 in London. At UK’s largest casino industry event ICE in 2018, the company was chosen as one of the 10 must see companies in the industry.

Malta is one of the world leading hubs for online casino and cryptocurrency businesses. The law relating to crypto currency has recently been approved thus Malta is expected to be a land of blockchain. This means that promoting crypto currency in this country is a major advantage. Recently, some of the leading cryptocurrency exchanges such as Binance have relocated their head offices to Malta as well.

The biggest feature of the GanaEight Coin Ltd token is that it can be used on its own blockchain to bet and play. It does not take GAS (transmission fee) and it’s not necessary to exchange tokens for chips. It’s likely that a lot of online casinos will be using blockchain in the future. Ganapati PLC and GanaEight Coin Ltd are developing an online casino platform based on proprietary blockchains that blend unique IT technology, finance knowledge, Japanese content, casino experience and knowledge in the online casino industry.

Betsoft brings a new era in Gaming to iGB Live! 2018

9/7/2018 – Valletta, Malta – Betsoft Gaming will showcase the next generation of iGaming at iGB Live! 2018.

Formed by merging three previously separate events – the iGaming Super Show, EiG, and the Amsterdam Affiliate Conference – the first iGB Live! exposition and conference will cover the full spectrum of the gaming business. Building on the history of those events, delegates from more than 100 different countries will now all flock to Amsterdam from July 17th to July 20th, drawn by the promise of new experiences like Virtual Reality, and a focus on both established and emerging markets.

Betsoft’s presence at the show will centre around an exclusive preview of MaxQuest, its genre-redefining new game.  Behind closed doors, select delegates will experience an entirely new take on the principles of RNG gaming, and will witness the beginnings of a whole new genre a full 2 months ahead of MaxQuest’s official launch.

Alongside new cross-game innovations like the Trail System and VAULT solution, Betsoft will also be publicly exhibiting the latest games to join its sought-after Slots3™ portfolio.  These include The Golden Owl of Athena™, an atmospheric journey to ancient Greece, and Dragon Kings™, a modern slant on a traditional Chinese myth that incorporates a unique tiered jackpot mechanic.

Wynn Resorts’ Executive VP stepping down

The turbulence at Wynn Resorts still hasn’t subsided. As the company has seen a number of negative issues crop up following the allegations of sexual misconduct against its former CEO, Steve Wynn, it has had to deal with multiple lawsuits, governmental inquiries, board shakeups – the list goes on. The latest out of the casino giant is that its executive vice president and general counsel, Kim Sinatra, will be leaving the company.

No details were provided about the reason for the departure. Wynn Resorts said that she will no longer by with the company as of July 15 and that they are still sorting out the fine points of the separation and her transition. According to some inside sources, Sinatra knew for years about a $7.5-million payment Steve Wynn made to a casino employee that many have deemed “hush money” over sexual harassment allegations.

Sinatra has been with Wynn for the past 14 years. In 2006, she was appointed as the company’s general counsel and she has been the candidate most likely to succeed Steve Wynn as head of Wynn Resorts, after current CEO Matt Maddox, who took the reins in February after Steve Wynn’s resignation.

The sexual misconduct at the company continues, and is being addressed on several fronts. Steve Wynn is personally being investigated, even though he has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, as are several previous members of the board, who are accused of being complicit in the activity. The company itself is being investigated in several jurisdictions around the world, with questions arising over the future of any casino license renewals that could come up.

World Gaming Executive Summit 2018 day two recap

After an official WGES dinner and party at Barcelona’s beachside Shoko, delegates returned to the W conference center today for more discussions, panels and presentations and of course, quality time by the pool with fellow C-level gambling professionals.

Loading the player…

jwplayer(‘camediasplayer-373080’).setup({

file: “http://30.cdn.bit2host.eu/videos/world-gaming-executive-summit-2018-day-two-recap-video.m4v”,

Phil Hellmuth scolded during the WSOP for being Phil Hellmuth

Just a few days ago, poker’s winningest player, Phil Hellmuth proved why he’s known to the world as The Poker Brat. He was awarded the nom de guerre early in his career for his frequent outbursts and temper tantrums and hasn’t disappointed fans since. He has, once again, lived up to his nickname, this time during the WSOP Main Event with fans and players looking for a penalty that never came.

In the hand in question, Hellmuth was up against Alex Kuzmin, who raised from the middle position to 3,200. The Poker Brat called, as did James Campbell. After a flop of 4-3-10, Camby checked and Kuzmin bet 3,000. Hellmuth raised to 6,000 and Camby shoved all in with his stack of 26,200 chips. That was all it took for Hellmuth to lose it.

Hellmuth launched into a verbal assault, saying, “This mother f***ing guy … f***cking got away with murder all day against me. How in the f*** does this happen?”

Shaun Deeb, who was providing commentary for the game, was the first to call out Hellmuth for his behavior. He said, “This is so wrong by Phil. This is where Phil deserves penalties,” said Shaun Deeb, who was commentating the final table. “You cannot talk in a multi-way pot and give away your weakness with an opponent still to act. It’s so wrong he gets away with stuff like this. If I’m sitting with a king-high flush draw I know that Phil is not continuing if I call. That totally affects this action and totally hurts his opponent’s equity.”

888Poker signs Ana Marquez to help spearhead their presence in Spain

888Poker has signed Ana Marquez to help the reigning World Series of Poker Europe Main Event champion, Marti Roca, and former November Niner, Fernando Pons, spearhead 888Poker’s assault on the new shared European liquidity market.

I took my daughter to see the ducks, yesterday. Nine of them; fuzzy little things, swimming around the Vespa some idiot had pushed into the Bute after a night of naughtiness.

The river was full of rottweilers and ruffians, the weather giving Cardiffians the perfect opportunity to provide the kids with a summer holiday without having to skimp on tins of baked beans.

Zia and I played Pooh-Sticks on the bridge. Then we lobbed bricks. We went to stroke a horse, but it looked manky, so I pulled her little hand away at the last moment.

WSOP day 39: Galen Hall wins the Crazy Eights for $888,888

Another round-up from the World Series of Poker this time focusing on victory in the Crazy Eights bracelet event for the former PokerStars Caribbean Adventure Main Event winner, Galen Hall. 

The first time Galen Hall won a live poker tournament, he wasn’t messing around. It was back in 2011 when poker was as lively as a honeycomb in bee season. Hall defeated 1,560 entrants to win the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure (PCA) Main Event for $2.3m.

Put on your skis lad; it’s all downhill from there.

No skis required. You only have to look at Hall to realise he dodged the shoeshine boy genes. Good looking, charming, intelligent – Hall even wears a mean suit.

World Cup round-up: Belgium and France progress in a night of European dominance

It’s noon.

I’ve returned to the coffee shop after a walk around the park. Only 15-minutes, the by-product of reading Nick Littlehale’s book on sleep. Nick suggests breaking your day into 90-minute increments, with 15-minute chill-out breaks separating them.

Hence the walk.

It’s a glorious day in Cardiff. The sun tries its best to kill the worms the blackbirds leave behind. I walk beneath the canopy of magnificent oak trees recording a video on my mobile phone about why non-alcoholic craft beer is as useful as a locksmith in a world without any locks.

World Cup round-up: England & Croatia progress; the hosts are out

The houseplants are not coming with me. I can’t be bothered taking them to my Mum’s. Rinse, repeat. She takes care of them, I pick them up six months later, and it looks like she has massaged each leaf with chlorophyll. There is a green lantern like glow about them.

Then I slowly kill them.

The irony is my mother and father smoke like chimneys. These plants must have cancer. I bring them to my chilled, Zen-like zone with baskets full of organic fruit and veg and they repay me by wilting.

I get up off my seat.