Macau’s Secretary for Economy and Finance, Lei Wai Nong, asserted last week that 2021 promises to be a much better year for the city and its casinos, with gross gaming revenue (GGR) rebounding relatively quickly. 2020 found Macau taking a massive hit from COVID-19 and things can only improve from here, but by how much and how quickly remain to be answered. Morgan Stanley doesn’t seem to share Lei’s enthusiasm, however, and has pushed down its previous estimate on what this year’s GGR for Macau will be. The financial giant’s analysts have lowered their expectations for 2021 by 10%. 

The new estimate, which equates to around $23.7 billion, would be just 65% of what Macau recorded in 2019. Praveen Choudhary, Gareth Leung and Thomas Allen believe that a lack of VIP traffic is going to hinder recovery efforts this year, explaining that VIP revenue might only be 40% of what it was two years ago. The forecast is lower than what many others predict, with an investor consensus of around 70%, and the analysts add that 2022 might not even reach the level seen in 2019. 

The analysts assert, “VIP will continue to drag overall GGR down. While macro[economic] indicators are showing upticks… junkets are leaving the field. Both Suncity and Tak Chun are taking stakes in casinos and diversifying away from pure junket business.” The macroeconomic indicators hinted at include changes being seen in the domestic Chinese agenda, including a crackdown on the promotion of overseas gambling that is expected to be put into place as of March 1. 

The good news is that Macau casino operators’ attempts to reduce expenses last year are paying off. The analysts pointed out that operating expenses, excluding VIP rebates, taxes and other certain expenses, dropped by 39% year-on-year. This new, reduced level in outlay is expected to be the new norm, according to the analysts, which will benefit operators and Macau over the long term.

If the International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA) didn’t think Australia was taking sports integrity seriously enough, the country is ready to prove it wrong. A new Sport Integrity Australia Advisory Council (SIAAC) has been formed by the government to oversee all facets of integrity in Australia’s sports scene and comes as part of the country’s updated Sports Integrity Act, revised last year.

Cheating in sports has been around as long as sports have been played – there are always those who will do anything to win, even if it means breaking the rules. The expansion of sports gambling has made the situation even worse, though, with plenty of cases of match-fixing being documented in order to skew the outcome and allow some gamblers to pick up huge paydays. However, there is a growing and concerted global effort to combat integrity issues in sports, and Australia, like many other countries, is dedicating resources to clean up the sports industry.

The SIAAC comes about as Australia put forth a solid plan to monitor the country’s sports activity for both match-fixing and athlete performances. The Sport Integrity Australia agency was launched by the government last year, bringing together the work of both the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority and the National Integrity of Sport Unit to provide better oversight and management of the country’s sports industry. The newly-announced SIAAC will be led by nine counsellors, each with his or her own skills and experience to help counter “money laundering and complex integrity issues,” according to Australian Sports Minister Richard Colbeck. He adds, “I am pleased to announce the nine-member advisory council. Each member brings skills and knowledge to provide advice on all areas of sports integrity. It follows the Australian Government’s recent investment of $10.1 million [$7.8 million] to introduce an independent complaints handling process within Sport Integrity Australia.”

Leading the group will be Sarah Kenny, the VP of World Sailing, who will serve as its chair. She will work alongside Paralympics Australia CEO Lynne Anderson, Golf Australia CEO James Sutherland, former athlete Margo Foster, New South Wales Police Commissioner Ken Moroney, sports consultant Scott Draper, former National Children Commissioner Megan Mitchell and public policy adviser Jason Marocchi. Kenny says of her new responsibilities, “I am looking forward to working with the other highly respected Advisory Council members to bring together our combined experience and knowledge to advise on all aspects of sport integrity and to assist in safeguarding the integrity of Australian sport. By establishing Sport Integrity Australia and the National Sports Tribunal, increasing investment into independent compliant handling and forming the Sport Integrity Australia Advisory Council, Australians can be confident everything possible is being done to keep the sport they love clean, safe and fair.”

MGM Resorts International recently admitted that it was interested in buying its BetMGM sports gambling partner Entain, but reaching an agreement on the price is going to be a difficult task. Initially, MGM was willing to cough up $10 billion to assume total control over its U.S. sports gambling operations; however, Entain believes it deserves more. According to a new press release from last Friday, the casino operator may have found some additional money, with InterActiveCorp (IAC), an MGM investor, agreeing to throw money into the pot if it will help push the deal along. 

IAC is MGM’s largest shareholder and is apparently excited about the idea of seeing MGM control all of its U.S.-based gambling activity. The firm believes the purchase of Entain would make MGM a “pure play omni-channel” leader in keeping with the transformation being witnessed in the global gaming market. It adds that a “strong balance sheet and robust annual free cash flow generation would allow the combined business to aggressively pursue its growth objectives such as U.S. online market penetration, new development in key international gaming markets, future M&A [mergers & acquisitions] and returning capital to shareholders.” 

IAC has already put $1 billion into MGM over the years, but is ready to double that amount, if necessary, if it means the company would be able to appease Entain brass and shareholders. MGM and IAC have only begun to scratch the surface about a potential deal, with no concrete details yet being approved. As it stands now, and with the additional backing of IAC, MGM will need to determine by February 1 if it will seriously move forward with an attempt to make a purchase, or if Entain’s asking price is so far out of reach that it needs to decline.

After the news broke that MGM wanted to purchase Entain, industry analysts begin deciphering the move and some viewed it as a sign that the company was considering reducing its Asian footprint. Snow Lake Capital, which has a stake in MGM’s MGM China arm, penned an open letter in which it suggested the company would be wise to bring in a partner out of China, seemingly opposing that possible outcome. For now, it doesn’t appear that MGM, or its Asian channel, are exploring changes of any kind, with MGM China saying in a statement last week, “The Board confirms that, as at the date of this announcement, the Company has no plans of restructuring. The Board will continue to communicate with the Company’s shareholders and operate the Company in the best interests of its shareholders and stakeholders, enhancing shareholder value and performance of the Company.”

When Donald Browne, working as the head of security at Imperial Palace Pacific (IPI) at the time, agreed to become the CEO of the embattled casino operator last July, he knew what he was getting into, but accepted the position, anyway. Browne was essentially forced to take the helm as regulators demanded the company appoint a leader and he knew his tenure would be short-lived. After six months, IPI is once again headless after Browne revealed that he stepped down last month with no announcement.

Browne vacated his position on December 22, according to a statement he made to the US Department of Labor (DOL). That statement came as IPI is still under fire for missing many of its court-ordered payments related to its Imperial Palace casino in Saipan and is now behind by tens of millions in dollars in license fees, employee pay and subcontractor bills. Browne explained, “My resignation was to be effective two weeks later on December 17. However, I extended my term to December 22 so that I could represent IPI at one last Commonwealth Casino Commission public hearing.”

Once again, IPI is apparently trying to operate without a CEO following Browne’s resignation, which may have been an effort to avoid being called out again and facing possible jailtime. However, he is still with the company, despite admitting that he, too, has not been paid his salary or backpay, and his continued ties to IPI could come back to haunt him. Browne deserves credit for being willing to take on a mammoth-size headache, but his allegiance could cost him in the long run.

The DOL is just one of a growing number of entities that are taking a closer look at IPI’s activity. The federal agency is reportedly calling the casino operator’s lack of ability to pay its employees a “humanitarian crisis,” which could bring a completely different set of issues to the company’s front door. IPI has also been called out for working with China-based construction companies that are being accused of using unauthorized workers, further exacerbating the situation.

Playtika, the Israel-based developer of mobile games and social casino titles, has pushed forward with it’s plan of a big Initial Public Offering (IPO). After a few months of preparation, the studio announced the impending sale of 69,500,000 shares, hoping to raise $1.67 billion.

The company is offering 21,700,000 shares of common stock, and an existing shareholder is looking to offload another 47,800,000 shares, the press release notes. Soon to be known as PLTK on the Nasdaq, shares are expected to go for anywhere between $22.00 and $24.00, with underwriters having the option to buy an additional 10,425,000 shares of common stock from the Selling Stockholder at the initial public offering price, less underwriting discounts and commissions.

At this price, Playtika would be valued at approximately $10 billion, well above the $4.4 billing a group of Chinese investors, led by Jack Ma, paid when it acquired the development studio from Caesars Interactive Entertainment in 2016.

Playtika was one of a few companies that started considering IPOs in 2020, spurred by the Covid-19 pandemic. Rather than looking for funds in a time of trouble, it was just the opposite story for the digital firm, hoping to cash in when things couldn’t be better. And an IPO that values the company at twice it’s 2016 sale price isn’t anything to sneeze at.

This is a guest contribution by Matthias Ciappara a Gamification and Player Engagement Specialist and Consultant of XperiencePlay. If you would like to submit a contribution please contact Bill Beatty for submission details. Thank you.

Like the Rolling Stones (except for Keith) we have a fixed amount of time. Unlike the ageing Rock Gods we don’t have unlimited money to play with, so what’s the best use of our time and money?

With increasing acquisition costs and player retention feeling like a leaky bucket, does gaming offer enough satisfaction to compete in today’s market, to drive better growth and profitability?

How can we, as an industry, create a compelling experience that provides players with enough value to play our content? How do we compete against blockbuster films premiering on Netflix or the next generation of console games that offer their own cinematic masterpieces?

An exciting set of fixtures played out in the 3rd round of the F.A. Cup, with shocks, surprises and ‘cupsets’ galore. Some big sides, such as Premier League West Bromwich Albion, went out to lower league opposition, in their case, Blackpool. Other big sides progressed with ease, such as Leicester City, who thrashed Stoke City 4-0.

While Manchester United won 1-0 at home to Watford and Liverpool triumphed 4-1 at a severely depleted Aston Villa, other games were tighter, with Everton and Burnley only escaping the 3rd Round with extra time victories earned through blood, sweat and tears against Rotherham and Milton Keynes Dons respectively.

Let’s look at an all-Premier League tie and a minnow attempting a giant-killing and see which way each tie went.

Arsenal 2-0 Newcastle United

With a new national lockdown in the United Kingdom meaning that people in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland must only leave their homes for vital reasons for the foreseeable future, millions of footballers who aspire to one day become professional are in lockdown.

To find out what youngsters can do to avoid the pitfalls of being locked in, we spoke to The Secret Coach. The Secret Coach is a professional football coach in English football… who will remain anonymous. The Secret Coach has worked with some of the biggest names in the game, been through the coaching badge courses and is currently part of the coaching team at an English league side… and that’s all we’re telling you. As ever, this week, The Secret Coach pulls no punches! 

This week, we’re focused on the youth of today who might become the footballers of tomorrow and what they can do to maintain their levels during a period where many are finding it hard.

Where would The Secret Coach suggest a young player who plays for their local team starts with their at-home work if they’re not going to see a football field in the next 12 weeks, as is likely? 

From the moment you exchange your hard-earned for a tournament ticket, you’re ‘in it to win it.’ But while you could well go into a cash game expecting to win money, virtually no-one goes into a multi-table tournament with thousands of entries expecting to be the one player left with all the chips at the end, posing for photos and collecting the trophy. There are too many factors that can influence your end result.

Words of wisdom, however, can carry with you during your play at the tournament tables, and we’ve compiled seven great quotes for you to keep in mind as you take on your next poker tournament.

1. “Money isn’t everything… unless you’re playing a rebuy tournament.”

It’s not known exactly who said this, but it was definitely a poker player. In modern times, rebuys in tournaments have become something of a hot topic. Should they be allowed, should they be outlawed? Either way, while they’re still in the game, they’re vital to many players chances in events that allow them. 

The latest big winner in the GGPoker World Series of Poker Circuit series is Swedish poker sensation, Niklas Astedt. Taking down the $10,000-entry Heads-Up event, Astedt claimed the top prize of $348,250 by beating Mirza Muhovic in the final duel.

Winning his first-ever WSOP Circuit Ring, Astedt put on a top performance and closed it out in style. The tournament, which had 94 entries and fell just short of its $1 million guarantee, saw some terrific players run deep, with players such as Wiktor Malinowski, George Wolff and Juan Pardo all making the quarter-finals.

Astedt’s win is perhaps all the more remarkable for the sheer calibre of player he beat along the way. With Luke Reeves, Guillaume Nolet and Timothy Adams all going down to the Swede, Astedt enjoyed a semi-final victory against Malaysia’s Cooper Li set up a final showdown with Muhovic.

In the semi-final in particular, Astedt had to pull out every trick in the book, with the match-up lasting 75 minutes. Astedt got off to a good start, but Li took down a bit pot with a straight and stole the lead. Li’s stack was hit, however, when Astedt hit a wheel straight to put himself 3:1 up in terms of stacks.

Casino operator Las Vegas Sands is belatedly tossing its hat into the US sports betting ring, upending the longstanding antagonism toward online gambling displayed by the company’s founder. 

On Friday, Bloomberg quoted sources who claimed Sands president Rob Goldstein – now acting CEO/chairman after Sheldon Adelson went on medical leave – was having early talks with an unspecified number of prospective sports betting technology partners. Sands shares enjoyed a brief spike on the news but closed Friday down 0.4%. 

Bloomberg didn’t identify any of Sands’ prospective partners, but suggested that the betting product that ultimately emerges could either be an existing platform with the Sands brand attached or a bespoke platform. Naturally, neither Sands nor Goldstein are saying anything to unmuddy these waters. 

There is of course no reason to expend any effort trying to gain market share in the US sports betting market if you don’t have an online component. New Jersey, which surpassed Nevada last year to become America’s top betting state, derived 93.6% of November’s record $931.6m betting handle from its digital sportsbooks. 

Finland’s state-run Veikkaus gambling monopoly isn’t going anywhere for the foreseeable future, according to a new government proposal for ‘reforming’ the nation’s gambling legislation. 

On Thursday, Finland’s Ministry of the Interior announced it was soliciting comments on “a proposal for reforming the Lotteries Act.” The key planks of this proposal are increased consumer protections, combatting prohibited gambling marketing and “securing Veikkaus Oy’s capacity to channel the demand for gambling.”

In case that last plank wasn’t sufficiently clear, the Ministry added that “the basic premise of the reform is that Finland’s gambling system will also in the future be based on the state monopoly in line with the government program.”

To preserve this monopoly, the Ministry wants to empower the National Police Board to compile a blacklist of internationally licensed gambling sites that market their wares to Finns, and local banks and other payment processors would be required to block the movement of money between these sites and Finnish gamblers. 

Netherlands gambling regulators have imposed a €600k penalty on a Curacao-licensed online gambling site for serving Dutch punters without local permission. 

On Friday, the Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) gambling regulatory body announced a €500k penalty on Virtual Coin Gaming NV, the Curacao-based firm behind the Futgalaxy.nl and nl.futgamer.com gambling sites. An unidentified individual connected with the sites was personally penalized an additional €100k. 

The sites offered games of chance linked to EA Sports’ FIFA video games, which are illegal under a Dutch law approved in 2019. The sites also offered betting markets on real world sports and eSports events using the FUT Coin virtual currency.

The KSA noted that the penalty was higher than the usual low-six-figure for “several reasons,” including the fact that the regulator had determined that “minors, or at least young adults,” were among the site’s customers. 

A lot of the news out there seems pretty bleak right now, making the concept of ignoring it all seem pretty enticing. With all of the obvious danger and political strife out there, it might seem irresponsible, but for your own mental wellbeing, it might be worth a try. Here’s how you can benefit from tuning out, and how you can do it responsibly.

The benefits of ignoring the news

First off, you’ll feel better. The news tends to focus on the dramatic, and although there are exceptions (Covid), most of it has no immediate chance of affecting us.

Secondly, you’ll find you have time for better things. Most of the things in the news act more as a form of entertainment than anything useful in your daily life. If you spend less time on news, you can spend more time with loved ones, work on a project, or simply read or watch more entertaining and fulfilling content.

U.S. President Donald Trump has finally conceded the 2020 election, admitting that a transition to a new administration will happen in just under 2 weeks. But after the events of January 6, when Trump supporters barged into the U.S. Capitol, will Trump last until the next inauguration?

Betting markets offering lines on if Trump would finish his term reacted sharply after the riots of January 6. With Democrats calling for another impeachment, and reportedly some Cabinet members whispering about invoking the 25th amendment to install Mike Pence as Acting President, PredictIt prices for Trump finishing his term went from $0.90 to $0.74 on the day of the action. Prices for Resignation, which were at a 30-day low of $0.06 just a week ago, spiked to $0.15 on the same day.

Although his initial tone on January 6 was definitely bellicose, he’d backed off that messaging when it became just how terrible the day was going to be, telling his supporters to go home. That didn’t stop Democrats from calling for impeachment, or several of his cabinet members from resigning, disgusted with the events of the day. By January 7, he was forced to provide his video of concession, admitting that some kind of new administration would begin on January 20 (but not naming Joe Biden as the President elect).

pic.twitter.com/csX07ZVWGe

The COVID-19 turbulence isn’t over yet. 2020 was a write-off for many businesses and, every time it seemed like the world was getting one step ahead of the pandemic, the pesky virus figured out how to weasel its way back in front. The gaming industry everywhere suffered significant setbacks because of the pandemic and Macau was one of the areas hit hardest, having spent many of its formative years concentrating on casinos. After losing as much as 75% of its gross gaming revenue (GGR) and seeing days where the number of visitors could be counted on one hand, Macau is ready to get back to work and is optimistic that this year will be much better.

Lei Wai Nong, Macau’s Secretary for Economy and Finance, said in a statement yesterday that the city will see a “stable and positive” economy this year, with optimism growing that Macau will be able to report GGR of around $16.28 billion. He pointed out that the forecasts for visitation weren’t hit, but emphasized the uptick that has been seen since mainland China began relaxing its visa travel regulations at the end of last summer. That culminated in a significantly higher level of traffic in the city to celebrate the new year. 

Lei added that one of the goals in 2021 is to entice visitors to stay longer in order to help support Macau’s recovery. He explained, “We are trying to keep mainland visitors to stay longer in Macau if the number of visitors does not increase greatly. We need to improve our services and products to make our visitors feel welcome and warm, and to attract them to visit Macau again.”

Those efforts, however, might prove to be more difficult than initially anticipated. When it seemed as though the world was finally coming to grips with how to keep COVID-19 from spreading and travel restrictions started to be reduced, Macau implemented a requirement that arrivals from foreign countries needed to produce a negative coronavirus test that had been administered within seven days. Now, as the virus is once again spiking everywhere, the city has reduced that timeframe to just 72 hours. Not only does this make it more difficult for last-minute visitors, but the simple fact that the virus is back is going to give would-be travelers reason to reconsider their journeys.

As Sportradar continues to blaze a path in the sports data intelligence segment, it’s adding some new firepower to its arsenal. The company, which is now found in all corners of the world, helping improve sports and sports gambling, announced yesterday that it has appointed Jeffery Yabuki as its Chairman of the Board. In the process, it has tapped a top executive leader with a solid background of business development and expansion that is going to help Sportradar continue to raise the bar for the entire sports industry. 

Yabuki is the former CEO of financial services technology giant Fiserv, a position he held for 15 years before being bumped to Executive Chairman. Fiserv started as a regional company with a small workforce before growing into a global behemoth that enjoyed almost triple-digit growth and massive shareholder return under Yabuki’s guidance. The executive is also listed on the board of directors at both Bank of Canada and Ixonia Bancshares, Inc. 

Speaking on his new role, Yabuki asserted in a statement, “As the leading global provider of sports data intelligence, Sportradar has achieved remarkable growth and is well positioned for the future in this evolving market. I am honored to join the Global Board to partner with Carsten and the incredibly talented Sportradar leadership team to create differentiated value at the intersection of sports entertainment and technology leadership.”

The new chairman was referring to Carsten Koerl, Sportradar’s Global CEO. In addition to now working with Koerl on a daily basis, Yabuki will also work alongside board members Hafiz Lalani, John Doran, Chuck Robel, Marc Walder, Hervé Couturier and George Fleet to drive the company forward. Sportradar continues to mold its global operations workforce after having enjoyed explosive success over the past couple of years, leading to the introduction of regional CEOs last month who will work under Koerl’s guidance to support the company’s continuing expansion. These three are Arne Rees, overseeing North American operations, Werner Becher, in charge of the UK, Latin America and Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and Eduard Blonk, tapped to spearhead Sportradar’s Asia Pacific activity. 

If Las Vegas falls further into the abyss because of COVID-19 restrictions, New Year’s Eve partygoers can take the blame. This is the position of a Nevada health official, who believes anyone who dropped in on Vegas to say farewell to 2020 and welcome in 2021 should now assume they are infected with the virus. He added that they could now be spreading the coronavirus without even realizing it, and that ignoring recommendations to avoid gathering on the streets of Sin City may end up costing more than what the celebrators had bargained for. 

In an interview with local media outlet KTNV-TV, Nevada’s COVID-19 expert, Caleb Cage, pointed out that Vegas visitors on New Year’s may have been exposed to the virus and that they might now be helping spread it, even if they aren’t showing any symptoms. He added that the choice to ignore health warnings recommending everyone avoid congregating to ring in the new year may prove costly, adding, “It was a risk to go out on New Year’s Eve. The governor made it clear.” Cage is more than just a scientific source on COVID-19; he was also infected with the virus.

Nevada had placed a restriction on gatherings a few months ago, limiting the number of people to 50. This position was reiterated ahead of the typically bustling atmosphere of Vegas to celebrate the new year, and a number of photos circulating social media and news sites show large clusters of people, some of whom aren’t wearing masks. Ahead of the expected New Year’s Eve crowds, Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak tried to motivate would-be revelers to stay away from inundating popular hotspots, asserting, “To organize or promote gatherings with the tickets or fee as if it’s business as usual, that’s just plain irresponsible. The science prevails, and the science says the more people in a gathering, it is guaranteed that a portion are going to have COVID, either symptomatic or asymptomatic.”

Megan Brownhill, who mans a temporary tattoo booth on the Fremont Street Experience in Vegas, knows first-hand how out of control the situation was. Despite the FSE supposedly only being open to local hotel guests on New Year’s Eve, she saw how the streets were flooded with people and was even fined because some of her customers didn’t wear masks. Since one of her coworkers tested positive for COVID-19 recently, she’s concerned that a new spike could be coming. 

Sky Betting and Gaming, better known as Sky Bet, has decided to uproot itself from its current office in Leeds to one down the road. The gaming company employs many of the city’s residents and will put around 1,400 of these in its new digs on Wellington Place, a newly-inaugurated commercial zone. The new facilities come with some added characteristics to conform to a COVID-19 world; along with several other changes designed to help its workforce stay protected from the coronavirus, Sky Bet is preparing to develop what it calls “neighborhoods” at its new facilities.

As with many companies around the world, Sky Bet has transitioned to allow many employees to work from home in order to control the spread of COVID-19. The Flutter Entertainment-owned gambling operator will continue its WFH scheme, but also anticipates employees spending about 40% of their time in the new offices. According to Sky Bet Brand Creative and Sponsorship Director Michael Afflick, the goal is to “promote working from home when [employees] want to and coming into the office when [they] need to.”

That transformation in the operational model required Sky Bet to alter its office blueprint, developing a hybrid solution that will provide an inviting atmosphere for employees. It is establishing its on-site neighborhoods, which are described as physical spaces at the facility to which employees can connect while working from home. These areas occupy the second through sixth floors of the new building and each floor will hold anywhere from eight to 18 meeting rooms and 266 desks. The ground floor of the building will offer reception and retail areas. There will also be a gym, a cafeteria, a gaming room and a faith room.

Afflick explains, “We’re preparing for a post-COVID world so the desks won’t be two metres apart. We want to make coming into work more appealing than it ever has before. We think that part-time office working and more collaborative spaces will set us up better for the future.” The new spaces are still being finalized, with Sky Bet pushing for a grand opening before the end of May. When it’s all done, the company will have at its disposal a total of 136,000 square feet, up from the current 105,000, and will offer almost twice as many meeting rooms as it did before, increasing the number from 37 to 79. The design also comes with technological upgrades, with Sky Bet building an app that will allow its employees to reserve meeting rooms and parking spaces, and introducing state-of-the-art video conferencing and audiovisual equipment.