PokerStars VR Unveils Virtual Reality Super Lair for Spy Fans
PokerStars VR, the virtual reality arm of the world’s biggest poker site, has announced that its brand-new and immersive experience ‘Spies’ goes live on November 28.
In PokerStars VR’s most intense challenge yet, the series of spy-themed virtual reality content will see players face-off in a super villain’s lair located inside an active volcano at the summit of a snow-capped mountain, with plenty of apparel, props and gadgets to match.
Players can interact with good and evil-themed items including exploding bubble gum, shoulder-mounted weaponry and laser lipstick, all while trying to unravel the secrets of the lair itself.
The Spies mountain-top fortress will also be the setting for the next stop in the inaugural PokerStars Virtual Reality Poker Tour (VRPT) from November 29 to December 1.
Key highlights include:
November 29 Millionaire Maker, a 100 thousand chip buy-in event
November 30 Main Event with a 5 million chip buy-in event
December 1 Ultra High Roller a 25 million buy-in event
Winners will be awarded the world’s first PokerStars VRPT bracelet for their virtual reality avatar and points for the player of the year leader board.
William Hill, America’s leading sports betting company, is purchasing the sports book assets of CG Technology, including its Nevada and Bahamas operations. This includes the leases at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, The Venetian and The Palazzo, The Palms, the Tropicana and Silverton, as well as providing a betting platform and risk management consulting to the Atlantis on Paradise Island.
“We are pleased to have reached this agreement. This will allow us to expand our Las Vegas footprint to several marquee resorts,” said Joe Asher, CEO of William Hill US. “We look forward to working with our new casino partners and transitioning CG Technology’s retail and mobile customers to our award-winning offering.”
Following today’s announcement, Parikshat Khanna, CEO of CG Technology, also commented: “We are happy to reach an agreement for the sale of the race and sports book assets of CG Technology to William Hill and look forward to a seamless transition for our loyal casino partners and customers.”
Macquarie Capital acted as exclusive financial advisor and Pepper Hamilton LLP represented William Hill in the transaction.
The agreement is subject to certain closing conditions, including regulatory approval in Nevada and The Bahamas.
Today, Major League Soccer’s Philadelphia Union investor Richie Graham has announced the formation and launch of For Soccer Ventures – an investment firm focused on the growth and long-term development of American soccer. Graham has been one of the most active supporters of the American soccer community over the past decade, committing over $50 million dollars to the sport, with an emphasis on domestic player development through his investment in Philadelphia Union’s youth academy, his tournament and league property holdings, and his philanthropic support of the industry-first soccer high school, the non-profit YSC Academy.
The new group will source, acquire and manage a portfolio of investments and businesses and will be comprised of two key platforms: The Soccer Collective is a new media house leading a collaborative movement to celebrate American soccer culture and fan experiences through storytelling, activations and brand content development. The Soccer Alliance will expand Graham’s existing network of soccer properties with a focus on youth clubs, leagues and tournaments with the objective of improving the on-field experience for players and the American soccer family.
“With the FIFA World Cup and Olympics coming to the U.S. in 2026 and 2028, there has never been a better time to double down on our commitment to advance American soccer forward.” Graham stated, “Now is the time to invest with the future of American soccer in mind, and I am very excited to bring together a passionate executive team with deep roots and experiences within the American soccer ecosystem to lead this charge. The Soccer Alliance and The Soccer Collective represent our relentless commitment to both fuel and showcase the exciting growth of soccer in America.”
To lead the new company, Graham has hired an experienced team of soccer executives, including:
Ryan Mooney (Managing Director, For Soccer Ventures): former Chief Soccer Officer at U.S. Soccer
John Parker (Managing Director, For Soccer Ventures): former Director of Strategy for Striker Partners’ soccer investments
Dr. Nooha Ahmed-Lee (Director of Education, For Soccer Ventures): Head of School, YSC Academy
Aaron Maines (GM, The Soccer Alliance): former Head of Sports Marketing at adidas soccer and Wasserman executive
Marc Horine (Chief Business Officer, The Soccer Collective): former ESPN executive and COPA90 US General Manager
Heath Pearce (Chief Brand Officer, The Soccer Collective): former U.S. Men’s National Team player and Lead Creative and Host at COPA90 US
Burke Cherrie (Chief Content/Strategy Officer, The Soccer Collective): award-winning filmmaker and former Editorial Director at COPA90 US
“With the 2026 FIFA World Cup and 2028 Olympics as our guiding stars, we have a once in a lifetime opportunity to win the hearts and minds of players, parents and fans across the country,” said Ryan Mooney, Managing Director of For Soccer Ventures “Our goal is simple, to invest in the game and unify the fragmented American soccer experience both on and off the field of play.”
John Parker added, “We’ve partnered with the sectors’ best operators, who not only have professional expertise in the space, but bring authenticity and a personal passion for the sport to this new venture. We’re from soccer, for soccer, and we’re investing in American soccer to ensure the growth of the game we love.”
Betfred, the world’s largest privately-owned retail book maker, appoints Bryan Bennett as Chief Operating Officer for their US operations.
Subject to regulatory approval, Bennett will oversee Betfred’s US operations of on premise, online and mobile wagering and its full suite of managed products: BI/Analytics, Anti-Fraud, Trading, Compliance/GDPR, Customer Support, Payments, Marketing, and managed trading operations support.
Betfred Group Chief Operating Officer Mark Stebbings said, “After a thorough process we have appointed Bryan Bennett as the Betfred Sports US Chief Operating Officer. Bryan has a wealth of experience and an exemplary track record. He shares our vision for our US operation and this appointment will help us achieve our goals in this exciting new market.”
The World Poker Tour® and luxury Swiss watchmaker Hublot, the Official Timekeeper of the FIFA World Poker Cup and Formula One, are partnering for a seventh season of exclusive sponsorship. The Swiss watchmaker is the first luxury brand to be both Official Timekeeper and Official Watch of an international poker brand.
Season XVIII of the World Poker Tour will award a Hublot Big Bang Steel Ceramic timepiece to each winner of a televised final table at HyperX Esports Arena Las Vegas. Hublot will also award a special-edition, custom watch, valued at $30,000, to the winner of the season-long Hublot WPT® Player of the Year points race.
Last season, Erkut Yilmaz won two WPT titles en route to claiming the prestigious prize. Season XVIII marks the sixth season of the Hublot WPT Player of the Year race.
WPT and Hublot first partnered in Season XII to award a custom-made Hublot watch to the WPT World Championship winner Keven Stammen. Since then, WPT and Hublot have combined to award 74 watches to WPT Champions around the globe.
Among the champions to win a Hublot watch include Season XVII Baccarat Crystal WPT Tournament of Champions winner Ole Schemion, Season XVI Hublot WPT Player of the Year Art Papazyan, four-time WPT Champion Darren Elias, and former WPT Commentator Mike Sexton.
Adam Pliska, CEO of the World Poker Tour, said, “The World Poker Tour is proud to extend our exclusive partnership with Hublot for another season. To win a WPT title is among the highest honors in poker, and WPT Champions can look forward to receiving one of the top prizes in sports in the form of a Hublot watch. The WPT continues to celebrate its champions and we can think of no better partner to join in that celebration than our friends at Hublot.”
Ricardo Guadalupe, CEO of Hublot, said, “Hublot is back with the World Poker Tour again to present seven watches of the highest craftsmanship to the WPT and its champions. The World Poker Tour honors champions with the highest gratitude and Hublot looks forward to celebrating more incredible achievements to join our existing group of champions, including Ferrari and Chelsea FC.”
We all know how tough Pittsburgh can be; we have heard the talk about the Steel City; grit 101. However what’s even more impressive is when the talk gets backed up with the walk, and this week, two Pittsburghers who have a national footprint have come together in a business deal to change the lives of millions of kids.
The duo are former Pitt hoops captain turned entrepreneur Pat Cavanaugh and former Panther and now NFL star for the Los Angeles Rams Aaron Donald, who have teamed up to help Cavanaugh’s fast growing company, Ready® Nutrition, impact the lives of young people across the country.
Donald, fresh off his game against the Steelers Sunday, announced that he has joined on as Cavanaugh’s first ever investor in the health and wellness business, especially tied to the promotion and development of their Protein Water line. While Donald has some big name endorsement deals, it is the first time he has ante’ed up as an investor in a company, one which he is taking so seriously he spent time during his bye week back in Pittsburgh with Cavanaugh and his team learning and developing the next level of brand strategy for the products.
“I’ve looked at hundreds of brand partnerships over the past couple years and have found very few that match my standards and interests in making a difference in a global community,” Donald said. “The fact that Pat, also a Pitt guy, shares the same mindset about hard work and helping others, and runs the business with that mindset every day, made Ready the perfect fit for me.”
The two will focus on high school and youth athlete platforms such as Ready’s Mobile Training Table Program and Ready Talks with Aaron that give advice to athletes, and extensive donations of Ready product to select high school and youth programs nationwide. The goal is to impact one million athletes by 2025 with a healthier lifestyle on and off the field.
Ready Water is an all-natural, premium sports hydration drink featuring 15 grams of protein, NO Sugar and five natural electrolytes.
“Aaron is a caring person who likes to help others. We’re excited to partner with someone who is so engaged in helping young people and at the same time is known to be a relentless worker, on and off the field,” Cavanaugh added. “ We LOVE people who believe in our products and our philosophy that it’s not where you start, it’s where you finish. Aaron epitomizes this.”
Tough folks, tough city, smart business. One partnership that goes beyond talk, with an impact beyond the legendary Three Rivers.
VizExplorer, a leading provider of operational intelligence solutions for casinos, today announced that it will deploy solutions at Prairie Band Casino & Resort in Mayetta, KS. As part of the agreement, Prairie Band Casino & Resort will install campaignViz for marketing campaign management, floorViz for slot floor optimization and hostVizOps for player intelligence and host automation. Prairie Band Casino & Resort, which recently finished a large property expansion, just completed a CMS conversion and chose to compliment the new CMS with VizExplorer’s enterprise solutions.
“These solutions will help us improve our operations and support future success.”
“VizExplorer prides itself on customer satisfaction and success, therefore, when a former VizExplorer user goes to a new property and brings us in again, it is the ultimate validation that our solutions provide value to the market,” said David Patent, CEO at VizExplorer. “We look forward to continuing to build our relationship with Prairie Band Casino & Resort and believe they will see the benefits of the solution quickly.”
Buoyed by Chicago-area bettors and boosted by the launch of DraftKings and FanDuel online sportsbooks, Indiana’s online and retail handle in October nearly tripled from the previous month, according to PlayIndiana.com analysts.
“Indiana is quickly becoming a star among legal sports betting markets in the U.S.,” Dustin Gouker, lead analyst for PlayIndiana.com. “Indiana is so far ahead of its neighbors in Illinois, Ohio, Kentucky, and Michigan, that the Hoosier State is well on its way to establishing itself as the gambling capital of the Midwest.”
Indiana’s retail and online sportsbooks combined to collect $91.7 million in bets in October, up 161% from $35.2 million in retail bets in September, according to official report released Friday. The handle, 45% of which came from football bets, yielded $11.5 million in adjusted gross revenue for the sportsbooks, up 34% from $8.6 million September. October’s win generated $1.1 million in tax revenue for the state.
One doesn’t have to look far to understand what fueled Indiana’s growth. BetRivers Sportsbook, under the French Lick Resort license, was joined by heavyweight DraftKings, under the Ameristar Casino license, in early October as the first to launch their virtual windows. FanDuel, the largest online sports betting brand in the U.S., which is operating under the Blue Chip Casino license, launched later in the month.
The three online sportsbooks combined to take in $48.01 million in bets — 52% of the state’s total handle — which netted $4.2 million in gross receipts. DraftKings led the way by posting a $39.4 million handle, followed by BetRivers ($6.3 million), and FanDuel ($2.4 million).
Much of that is new money, too. DraftKings reported last month that 58% of its Hoosier State registrants have been new customers. And there is plenty more growth to be had. In Pennsylvania, for instance, about 75% of all bets are made online. In New Jersey, online bets account for about 85% of the state’s handle.
“Online sports betting is a key accelerator in the growth of any legal sports betting jurisdiction that offers it,” Gouker said. “But Indiana’s potential online market is particularly substantial. Indiana does not require out-of-state bettors to register in person at a retail sportsbook, so out-of-state residents simply need to cross the state line to place a bet.”
And Chicago-area residents are already crossing the state line in droves, as evidenced by the retail sportsbooks leading the market. Horseshoe Hammond, near Chicago, generated an Indiana-best handle of $10.7 million, which was up from $8.98 million in September. That yielded $1.7 million in gross receipts, which was up from $2.1 million. Horseshoe Hammond was followed by Hollywood Lawrenceburg near Cincinnati ($6.9 million in bets, up from $5.2 million; $843,970 win) and Ameristar Casino in East Chicago ($6.8 million handle, up from $5.4 million in September; $1 million win).
“Indiana is a unique market because it has so many large markets without legal sports betting so close to its borders,” Gouker said. “Two of the top retail sportsbooks in the state are near Chicago, and the second largest is just over the border from Cincinnati. That shows just how much out-of-state money is flowing into Indiana sportsbooks.”
The San Diego Seals announced today that
the team will play host to the Colorado Mammoth at Orleans Arena in
Las Vegas on Saturday, February 1, 2020 marking the first game in
National Lacrosse League history to be played in Las Vegas, on what
is traditionally the biggest sports weekend of the year in the city.
The
majority of Seals’ season ticket members will receive free hotel
rooms in the desert oasis for the weekend of the team’s big game
– and for that Sunday’s big game, a unique first time promotion
for season subscribers in any sport.
“For
33 years, the National Lacrosse League has brought energy and
excitement to millions of fans across North America. We are thrilled
to collaborate with the San Diego Seals to create this incredible
opportunity for their fans as well as the Colorado Mammoth fans to
experience a unique and spectacular event,” said
NLL Commissioner Nick Sakiewicz.
“As we continue to expand our amazing product to fans across North
America and around the world, we are always looking to our future,
and are excited to be working with Seals owner Joe Tsai, Steve
Govett, the Orleans Arena and all our partners to create this unique
event in Las Vegas on the City’s biggest weekend of the year.”
“We’re
honored to represent the National Lacrosse League for the first-ever
game in Las Vegas, and to bring the Seals faithful on the road with
us by providing complimentary hotels to many of our fans,” said
Seals President Steve Govett. “The
additional benefit of showcasing professional box lacrosse to a new
audience is exciting. The atmosphere at Orleans Arena is going to be
electric, and we look forward to exposing the sport to a brand-new
fan base in an iconic city.”
A
destination game in Las Vegas marks a monumental moment in National
Lacrosse League history and provides fans with a unique and exciting
opportunity to witness the best lacrosse players in the world.
The
NLL, the largest and most premier professional lacrosse league,
continues its growth as the 2019-20 season starts, ranking third in
average attendance for pro indoor sports, with 13 teams in key
markets across North America. The NLL overall experienced substantial
growth last season with nearly one million total ticket sales, a
28-percent increase from 2017-18, and 60 percent of ticket sales were
from people who never played lacrosse, which fits seamlessly into the
marketing of this first-ever game in the world’s destination city.
Digital
viewership also rose significantly through Turner and B/R Live,
showing substantial increases in total unit sales (up 151 percent
from last year), average unique viewers (+27 percent) and average
minute audiences (+14 percent). Sponsorship revenues are projected at
a 29-percent increase from 2018 to 2019.
Seals
season ticket members get tickets to the game. Details can be found
at SealsLax.com.
Sportlogiq and the National Lacrosse League (NLL), the largest and most successful professional lacrosse property in the world, have agreed to a multi-year partnership through which the Montreal-based sports analytics leader will become the NLL’s Official Statistics Partner. The agreement will see Sportlogiq collect, analyze, and distribute live match data and advanced level statistics from every game, beginning the 2019-2020 season.
As the Official Statistics Partner of the NLL, Sportlogiq will collect live match data directly from all 13 NLL venues across North America, utilizing its proprietary collection technology. It will also use cutting-edge AI to surface insights from more detailed rich statistics, allowing partners and fans of the NLL to analyze the sport in new ways.
Unique content, powered by Sportlogiq’s NLL data, will be hosted on the League’s official website and social media channels and will be made available to broadcasters and media partners. The League’s 13 teams will also have access to Sportlogiq data to assist them with performance analysis and scouting.
Craig Buntin, Sportlogiq CEO, said “We are thrilled to be partnering with the National Lacrosse League. We’re always eager to partner with innovative leagues likes the NLL and expand what we’ve built in the National Hockey League and international soccer to other sports. Working with Sportlogiq will allow the League to provide its teams and fans with cutting-edge content throughout its games. We are committed to helping the NLL take performance analysis and fan engagement to the next level.”
“Our partnership with Sportlogiq is essential to the next phase of growth for our business and our commitment to enhancing the fan experience through gaming and sports fantasy opportunities,” said NLL Commissioner Nick Sakiewicz. “The ability for our fans, teams, broadcast, and sports gaming partners to have ‘best in class’ statistics and live match data raises our game and opens some great opportunities with a significantly enhanced stats platform.”
This is Sportlogiq’s first official league partnership in lacrosse, following multiple years of success in hockey as the NHL’s Optical Tracking Partner and the Performance Data and Analytics Supplier to 28 NHL teams. This comes on the heels of two other major partnership announcements for Sportlogiq this year – with Major League Soccer’s Toronto FC and newly founded soccer league, the Canadian Premier League. Sportlogiq is also the Official Data Partner of the Swedish Hockey League and works with teams across the NFL and NCAA.
The eFuse team is pictured with Ohio Innovation Fund and Moby Dick Unlimited. Both companies have been instrumental in scaling eFuse.
eFuse, a web and mobile application that serves as the professional hub for esports and video games, announced a $1.4 million seed round in preparation for the platform’s launch on December 10, 2019. As one of the fastest growing forms of entertainment across the globe, esports draw international competitors to tournaments with prize pools of up to $30 million and hundreds of millions of spectators.
“eFuse is the answer for every gap in the esports industry,” eFuse CEO Matt Benson said. “Since I founded eFuse in November 2018, our team has made strides in securing exclusive partnerships and creating the best platform for our community, so we’re thrilled to provide life-changing opportunities to gamers around the world starting in December.”
eFuse has secured funding from Ohio Innovation Fund (OIF), a venture capital firm with a track record of building high-growth startups in the Midwest. Benson honed his passion for entrepreneurship as an entrepreneur-in-residence with OIF in 2018.
“The esports industry is experiencing hyper growth — with the market size already at $1.2 billion, it’s expected that over $150 billion will be spent on video games and esports in 2019,” OIF Managing Director and eFuse Board Member Bill Baumel said. “The industry’s colossal reach is illustrated by the 2018 League of Legends World Championship Final, which had over 100 million unique viewers. That’s more than 2018’s Super Bowl.”
Professional athletes such as NFL player Braxton Miller and social media influencers such as chocoTaco, who has more than 1 million subscribers on YouTube, have given eFuse their seals of approval. Both will be serving as brand ambassadors to eFuse as the company prepares for launch.
eFuse has also built a seasoned team of employees and advisors to lead the company. Chief Technology Officer Patrick Shuff worked in engineering at both Facebook and Netflix. Anthony Muraco, an advisor to eFuse, was the director of gaming operations at the Cleveland Cavaliers and currently serves as the director of business operations for two prominent esports teams, SeattleCOD and Vancouver Titans.
To build upon this foundation, the team works closely with Moby Dick Unlimited in a shared office space. Moby Dick is the marketing firm behind several ultra-popular influencers who have three billion cumulative views, more than one hundred million subscribers across their social channels, and connections to the top esports professionals and organizations across the country.
Williams and Masvidal attended UFC 241: CORMIER vs. MIOCIC 2
PokerStars last week announced that UFC stars Jorge Masvidal, Tatiana Suarez and Amanda Nunes are all-in for a brand new challenge as ambassadors for the world’s largest online poker site.
The three stars of the UFC will join previously signed PokerStars ambassadors Daniel Cormier, Johnny Walker and Bruce Buffer just in time for PokerStars’ and UFC’s latest Octagon Chip campaign.
The latest Octagon Chip campaign will run until January 31, 2020 and see players of UFC-themed games on PokerStars battle it out to win special Gold, Silver and Green Octagon Chips. These unlock a range of UFC prizes and thrilling experiences, with just one Gold Chip up for grabs. The lucky winner of the top prize will travel VIP-style to Vegas, meet a UFC athlete and receive a personal training session, with lots of surprises along the way.
Derrick Williams from Sacramento, California won this summer’s inaugural competition and currently stars alongside UFC welterweight Jorge Masvidal in PokerStars’ new advertising campaign, which recently hit TV screens across the UK and Canada*, and social and digital channels globally. The advertisement showcases Derrick’s journey after being awarded a limited edition Gold Octagon Chip by PokerStars and receiving a once-in-a-lifetime VIP experience at UFC 241: CORMIER vs. MIOCIC 2, where he was made interim UFC President for the match.
The new advertising campaign will also be showcased live to thousands of fans at New York’s Madison Square Garden this weekend where Masvidal will headline UFC 244: MASVIDAL vs DIAZ. PokerStars Ambassador Johnny Walker will also be going for glory when he takes on Corey Anderson in the prelims.
Philadelphia ushers in a new gaming and entertainment era on Delaware Avenue. Opening today, SugarHouse Casino is celebrating its transition to the new Rivers Casino Philadelphia, as previously announced. There’s no change in ownership of the property, which opened in 2010.
The rebranding represents a $15 million investment in the property, which includes the all-new $5 million state-of-the-art BetRivers Sportsbook; a redesigned gaming floor; and new amenities, such as Jack’s Bar + Grill, a new restaurant opening soon – all under the Rivers Casino brand. Announced with these changes is Rush Street Gaming’s continued commitment to be a proud community partner to the city as Rivers Casino Philadelphia.
Rush Street Gaming and its affiliates, which own and operate Rivers Casino Philadelphia, currently have three other casinos in the U.S. operating under the Rivers Casino brand—Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Des Plaines, Illinois (Chicago area); and Schenectady, New York. All Rivers Casinos lead their markets.
“Having a unified brand will provide a seamless customer experience across the Commonwealth with our bricks-and-mortar casinos, mobile and online, and even our sportsbooks, all part of the Rivers Casino family,” said Greg Carlin, CEO of Rivers Casino Philadelphia and Rush Street Gaming.
BetRivers Sportsbook
The transition to Rivers Casino Philadelphia began earlier this month with the unveiling of the brand new BetRivers Sportsbook. The $5 million state-of-the-art BetRivers Sportsbook is three times the size of its previous, temporary location and is located in the space formerly occupied by the Lucky Red bar.
The ultra-luxurious sports lounge includes club chairs and table seating for approximately 115 guests and a massive 56.5-foot by 10.5-foot LED central monitor. The video wall is accompanied by eight additional 80-inch flat-screen, high-definition monitors that enhance the overall viewing area. The sportsbook also includes 22 self-service betting kiosks and six betting windows. Food and beverage service, including text-to-order menus, is available.
Recently, Wells Fargo Center unveiled the BetRivers.com Sports Lounge and the Rivers Casino Philadelphia Sports Lounge as complements to the new BetRivers Sportsbook. Fans in-arena can watch an array of sporting events on nearly 100 screens while attending Flyers games and other live events. The new high-tech lounges are part of a multiyear partnership between the casino, BetRivers.com, the Wells Fargo Center and the Philadelphia Flyers.
Rivers Casino’s digital and in-casino sports wagering operator is Rush Street Interactive PA, LLC, and its affiliates. Rush Street Interactive owns and operates BetRivers.com and was the first U.S. gaming operator to launch sports betting in South America.
Rivers Gives
As part of the transition to Rivers, Philadelphia will benefit from “Rivers Gives,” a unique community relations program and steadfast commitment by the casino that includes Team Members volunteering 2,000 services hours annually to the Fishtown neighborhood and surrounding areas. Rivers Gives is also establishing donation locations adjacent to the gaming floor, where guests can join Rivers in supporting monthly initiatives that will benefit local nonprofits.
Under the Rivers Gives umbrella, the Penn Treaty Special Services District will continue to receive a $1 million contribution annually from Rivers Casino Philadelphia. Also, the casino’s annual Thanksgiving turkey donations will have Team Members donating more than 600 turkeys to various local organizations throughout the city next month.
Rivers Casino New Year’s Eve on the Waterfront
Rivers is also proud to continue its commitment to the city and to the Delaware River Waterfront Corporation by serving as the presenting sponsor of the annual New Year’s Eve fireworks on the waterfront. Rivers Casino Philadelphia will present two year-end firework displays, which can be viewed along the Delaware River with outstanding views from the casino, to ring in 2020.
“We’re excited for our guests to experience all the incredible new features Rivers Casino Philadelphia has to offer,” said Rob Long, general manager of Rivers Casino Philadelphia. “We’re supremely devoted to our terrific Team Members and our loyal guests. It’s a privilege for Rivers to be a longstanding partner to the Fishtown community and to Philly.”
Guru Gowrappan, CEO of Verizon Media and Jim Murren, Chairman and CEO of MGM Resorts International announced today that Yahoo Sports has entered into a historic partnership with MGM Resorts and Roar Digital, a joint venture between global gaming industry leaders MGM Resorts and GVC Holdings, to power sports betting for Yahoo Sports and create collaborative content experiences and live events. The announcement builds upon Verizon Media’s core strategy to connect content and discovery to transactions and is a natural extension of Yahoo Sports’ mission to reimagine sports for fans with unprecedented experiences.
As part of the multi-year partnership, the integration will launch in the Yahoo Sports app in November in the U.S., with transactions to take place on the BetMGM platform. Yahoo Sports will be an official Digital Media Sports Partner of MGM Resorts.
“The historic partnership with Yahoo Sports and BetMGM will change the future of fandom, providing new ways for sports fans to go beyond engaging with content and interact through commerce,” said Gowrappan. “At Verizon Media we believe in building products that connect consumers to their passions and drive the deepest end-to-end value possible.”
“This partnership marks an important moment for BetMGM in the growing U.S. sports betting sector,” said Murren. “Integrating Yahoo’s leading fantasy sports operations and content with BetMGM’s world-class sports betting and interactive platform uniquely positions us to drive market share and large-scale adoption among sports fans.”
The experience will feature a wide variety of global sports, including the NBA, NHL, football, college sports, baseball, soccer, golf and tennis.
“As sports betting continues to transform the industry, this partnership brings together the power of two trusted partners of the NBA,” said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. “By working together, MGM Resorts and Yahoo Sports will offer fans unprecedented ways to engage with our games.”
“The expanding sports betting landscape presents exciting opportunities to increase fan engagement and leverage emerging technologies,” said NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman. “MGM Resorts, a valued partner of the NHL, along with Yahoo, a leading media brand, will connect fans to the action on the ice in new and innovative ways.”
As part of this partnership, MGM Resorts and Yahoo Sports will collaborate on an array of content experiences, exclusive live events, and more than 20 high profile major sporting and promotional marketing efforts. MGM Resorts will also distribute Yahoo Sports content across its properties and platforms. Yahoo Sports will also be hosting multiple player events at MGM Resorts properties.
“This is an exciting partnership for the BetMGM brand and Roar Digital, helping us reach the widest possible audience of engaged sports fans in the U.S.,” added Roar Digital CEO, Adam Greenblatt. “The Yahoo Sports app and digital sports content is enjoyed by 60 million U.S. users every month, while Yahoo Fantasy Football clocks 9 billion minutes of user time every year. Together we offer fans a winning combination.”
With more than 68 percent growth in U.S. Mobile App visitors year-over-year, Yahoo Sports is shaping the future of sports for fans. To learn more, download the Yahoo Sports app on iOS or Google Play.
On Veterans Day, November 11th, 2019, Viejas Casino & Resort will launch the Heroes Club, a one-of-a-kind benefits program designed to give back to those who serve as well as their dependents.
More military personnel reside in California than in any other state, and San Diego County contains the greatest concentration of military personnel inside California. In addition, with the county’s shared border with Mexico and the whole of California’s increasing threat of seasonal wildfires, San Diego County is home to a prevalence of border patrol agents, law enforcement, and first responders.
”All of us here at Viejas are honored to launch the Viejas Heroes Club appreciation program this upcoming Veterans Day,” said Jim Wild, General Manager of Viejas Casino & Resort. “Because we feel an enormous amount of respect and appreciation for the brave men and women who serve our country and communities—not only because San Diego is full of service members, but also because of the significant number of Native Americans who have served.”
“A call to service is a Native American tradition,” said John Christman, Chairman of the Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians. “And one example of this dedication to the community is our reservation’s first-class fire department, which has a shared service agreement with San Diego County.” In fact, over half of the medical and fire emergency calls into the Viejas Fire Department are for incidents outside of the reservation. “And when it comes to military service, members of our tribe have served in all branches of America’s armed forces, and many of our tribal members are decorated, military veterans.” Viejas also holds a special place in America’s military history as California’s very first all Indian VFW Post is located on the reservation. At the time of its founding, VFW Post #7637 was the second all Indian VFW Post in the entire United States.
Today, the Heroes Club appreciation program at Viejas Casino & Resort continues the long-standing Viejas tradition of honoring service members and their dependents. The Heroes Club enrollment is available to veterans, active and retired military, law enforcement, first responders, and border patrol. Eligible Viejas Guests may sign up for the Heroes Club at any myViejas desk inside the casino.
Members of the Heroes Club will receive a BOGO buffet on Wednesdays and an automatic myViejas Players Club silver card upgrade, which includes great discounts on dining, shopping, and the spa. In addition, Heroes Club members and their dependents are eligible for $5 Free Play Cash from Sunday–Friday, a Sunday bingo package, and a bowling discount.
The Venetian® Macao has won ‘Property of the Year’ at the Global Gaming Awards held on Oct. 14, 2019 in Las Vegas. The integrated resort took the title after beating nine other competitors also nominated in the category.
Dr. Wilfred Wong, President, Sands China Ltd., said: “Winning this prestigious accolade, in an industry which boasts so many exceptional properties, is extremely gratifying for each and every one of our team members who work hard to offer guests unparalleled experiences. We are grateful to Global Gaming Awards Las Vegas for this recognition and intend to continue striving for excellence.”
One of the world’s most iconic properties, and named as one of ‘One of the Most Instagrammed Luxury Hotels of 2016’ by Bloomberg News, The Venetian Macao was inspired by the beauty and charm of renaissance Venice. Transporting guests to an enchanting world of towers, canals and piazzas, the integrated resort offers a wide range of international restaurants, superb entertainment, peerless retail and the largest casino in Asia, all under one roof.
Now in their sixth year, the Global Gaming Awards Las Vegas are the most prestigious awards within the gaming industry. Produced by Gambling Insider in association with G2E, there are a total of 12 categories spanning the land-based and digital industries, with 10 companies shortlisted in each. Winners are decided by a panel of 100 judges, comprising senior executives from the biggest companies in the industry. The voting process is independently adjudicated by KPMG.
As the global online gambling market looks set to generate USD 94.4 Billion by 2024, one company is proposing how a portion of those dollars could be used to create a positive impact on the environment.
Gambla is a trailblazing new online casino guide that could well become the origin of a new gambling trend – gambling for good. The website is the first of its kind to give users the incentive to plant trees in the Amazon in return for their patronage.
Right now, for every new depositing customer that Gambla generates through its gambling guide, they will donate one planted tree in the Amazon through OneTreePlanted.org. As of 6 October, Gambla’s Green Gambling Charity Official Count was sitting at a total of 1000 USD, which equates to 1000 trees planted in the Amazon.
“Gambla is a great, new gambling guide where you can find information about gambling sites, compare sites and their offers and view site rankings directly from users,” explains Gambla founder, Erik King, “We consider ourselves industry innovators and as such, we liked the idea of doing good for the world at the same time as giving our users a world-class service and supporting a profitable business model. This initiative means our users can use our guide to find the best casinos and make the world greener while doing so.”
Gambla chose OneTreePlanted.org as its charity partner because of its trustworthy reputation.
The organization started in 2014 and is dedicated to making it easier for individuals and businesses to give back to the environment by planting trees, one at a time.
Gambla founder Erik King has been in the online gambling industry since 2011, working on the industry, operator and affiliate sides and was the ideal person to bring an innovative platform like Gambla to life.
“After a successful casino launch in the UK and many very positive reviews from our users, I am excited for the future of Gambla. We will now be expanding to further markets in Europe, where we hope we can be of service to casino players in those areas and continue to grow with an innovative and socially conscious mindset, as we have started.”
FantasyEsports.gg, a global esports technology company, and Razer™, the leading global lifestyle brand for gamers, have announced a new partnership to deliver one of the most innovative and rewarding fantasy esports platforms to gamers around the globe.
The partnership kicked off last week with the start of the 2019 League of Legends World Championship and will provide gamers the opportunity to enter free-to-play fantasy esports contests on the FantasyEsports.gg platform using their Razer ID and win great prizes including Razer products and Razer Silver.
“We are thrilled to be partnering with Razer for the League of Legends World Championships,” says Rossi Biddle, FantasyEsports.gg co-founder and CEO. “This collaboration will allow us to share our free-to-play fantasy contests with a broader audience around the globe and celebrate our shared commitment to the gaming community.”
“FantasyEsports.gg is a unique opportunity to bring esports to a larger audience and we’re very happy to extend this experience to our gamers,” says David Tse, Global Esports Director for Razer. “We hope that Razer’s partnership with FantasyEsports.gg will encourage participation by enhancing the gamer’s experience.”
Launched in 2018, FantasyEsports.gg features sophisticated performance-based scoring systems, unique contest formats, a detailed research center, interactive live experiences, and prizes from the world’s biggest gaming brands. The platform currently supports League of Legends, with Dota 2, Overwatch, and CS:GO scheduled to launch in late 2019.
Razer Silver is the only loyalty rewards program for gamers, backed by Razer. Earn Razer Silver simply by using Razer Gold to make your game purchases or participating in Razer software and services. When you rack up enough Razer Silver, you get to redeem a suite of great rewards – from Razer hardware to digital rewards such as Steam games and exclusive discount vouchers on various lifestyle brands.
The first month of the NFL season propelled New Jersey’s online and retail sportsbooks to a record handle and past $4 billion in bets since the industry launched in June 2018, according to PlayNJ.com analysts.
“New Jersey more than doubled its handle from September 2018, which is staggering growth,” said Dusin Gouker, lead analyst at PlayNJ.com. “After such an impressive debut, the question now becomes how much room is there to grow? The upward trajectory will continue, it is just a matter of how steep the growth.”
In September, bettors made $445.6 million in wagers through New Jersey sportsbooks, a 142% jump from $183.9 million in September 2018, according to official reporting. Those bets yielded a record $37.9 million in revenue, up 59% from $23.9 million in September 2018 and breaking the record $31.7 million set in March. September’s revenue injected $4.5 million into state coffers.
New Jersey reached a number of milestones in September, including:
$4.2 billion in lifetime handle
$284.8 million in lifetime sports betting revenue
$33.5 million in tax revenue collected
But New Jersey’s September handle will still likely fall short of Nevada’s, which generated $571 million in September 2018.
“Football betting is massive in Nevada, so it won’t be shocking if New Jersey doesn’t overtake the Silver State in September,” Gouker said. “But what September did show us it that football betting is still an overwhelmingly powerful force in New Jersey, and that will help it keep pace.”
$374.3 million in bets were made online in September, accounting for 84% of New Jersey’s handle. That is down from 85% in August.
FanDuel Sportsbook/PointsBet led the online market, gaining $13.3 million in gross revenue. Still driven primarily by DraftKings in September, Resorts license generated $10.7 million, up from $6.7 million in August. But after the Sept. 13 launch of Fox Bet, Resorts is now anchored by two of the most recognizable brands.
Earlier this month, the parent company of FanDuel agreed to buy Fox Bet’s parent. Though the brands will likely remain separate, the merger will create an online sports betting behemoth.
“The launch of Fox Bet adds another instantly recognizable brand name to New Jersey, and it could eventually challenge the DraftKings and FanDuel brands,” Gouker said. “In the end, though, the merger puts the company that owns both FanDuel and Fox Bet in position to be the big winner.”
FanDuel Sportsbook at The Meadowlands led retail sportsbooks with $3.6 million in September gross revenue, up from $2.6 million in August.
Online casinos Another record month pushed New Jersey’s online casino and poker industry past the $300 million annual revenue mark for the first time. In September, online casino games and poker generated $41.14 million, up 59% from $25.8 million in September 2018, and edging the $41.1 million gained in August.
The industry has now generated $339 million through the first nine months of the year, easily outpacing the $298.7 million full-year record set in 2018.
“The emergence of sports betting over the last year has lifted online casinos more than most would have guessed,” said Eric Ramsey, online gambling analyst for PlayNJ.com. “New Jersey online sportsbooks and online casinos have been aggressive in cross-marketing to sports bettors and casino gamblers, which has benefited the bottom line of both.”
IGT and Pearl River Resort Introduce VIP Sports Betting with Launch of CrystalBetting Terminal
International Game Technology PLC and the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians’ Pearl River Resort announce the launch of IGT’s CrystalBetting™ Terminal. Patrons of Pearl River Resort’s Golden Moon Casino and Silver Star Casino in Philadelphia, Miss. can be among the first sports fans in the world to place pre-match and in-game sports wagers at a private, luxury carrel via the CrystalBetting Terminal.
IGT’s CrystalBetting Terminals give players a comfortable, VIP sports betting experience unlike anything currently offered in the U.S. sports betting market. Each terminal includes a 27-inch monitor where sports enthusiasts can watch live sporting events and place a range of sports wagers. The innovative hardware features privacy wings, a personal listening audio jack, USB charging port, convenient workstation, and was recently named one of the “Top 20 Most Innovative Gaming Technologies” by Casino Journal.
“Pearl River Resort is proud to partner with IGT on the global launch of the CrystalBetting Terminal,” said Neal Atkinson, Pearl River Resort Director of Table Games. “We prioritize being on the forefront of sports betting innovation and providing our players choice and convenience for placing sports bets at our properties. Extending our sports betting offering to include IGT’s CrystalBetting Terminals elevates the player experience and gives our patrons yet another reason to choose Pearl River Resort for gaming entertainment.”
“By adding the CrystalBetting Terminal to its already impressive sports betting offering, Pearl River Resort is positioned to engage sports fans in new ways and to differentiate its offering,” said Nick Khin, IGT Chief Commercial Officer, Gaming. “IGT’s sports betting momentum in the U.S. market, paired with the player insights that we gained while testing the CrystalBetting Terminal, reinforce our confidence in the product’s capacity to deliver a compelling player experience that complements the entire IGT sports betting technology ecosystem.”
By leveraging IGT PlaySports platform, Pearl River Resort made gaming history in 2018 when it became the first non-Nevada tribal casino to open a sportsbook post-PASPA repeal. The pioneering operator opened its three sportsbooks with over-the-counter retail sports betting and quickly expanded its offerings to include self-service PlaySports Kiosks and mobile on-premise wagering.
The CrystalBetting Terminal is currently undergoing a 90-day field trial and has already secured GLI Certification and Mississippi Choctaw Gaming Commission approval.
