Monthly Archives: May 2016

Online gambling software developers Odobo closing as costs outpace growth

Online gambling software developer Odobo is shutting down after five years of operation due to its apparent inability to scale the business.

On Friday, Odobo posted a message on its website’s home page titled “Odobo is closing.” The message stated that the company had taken the “very difficult decision” to cease all transactions as of May 31, while its two Gibraltar-based offices will shut their doors on June 10.

The company, which specialized in producing HTML5 casino games, launched in 2011 with a self-described mission to “disrupt and improve the way games are produced, distributed, marketed and enjoyed in regulated gaming.”

Odobo says it came to realize that “marketplaces like ours require wider scale to survive in an increasingly complex and fragmented regulatory landscape.” Unfortunately, Odobo determined that “the velocity with which the business was growing was outpaced by the costs associated with providing the services that Odobo offered.”

From Run It Up Reno, Survivor’s “Boston” Rob Mariano Talks All In or Fold Victory: Exclusive Interview

“Outwit. Outplay. Outlast.” That’s the motto of the enduring television show Survivor, which just wrapped its 32nd season. It could also be the motto for tournament poker, which is maybe why the two games often collide. Take, for example, Jason Somerville’s Run It Up Reno (RIUR), which is happening now at the Peppermill Resort in […]

The post From Run It Up Reno, Survivor’s “Boston” Rob Mariano Talks All In or Fold Victory: Exclusive Interview appeared first on .

From Run It Up Reno, Survivor’s “Boston” Rob Mariano Talks All In or Fold Victory: Exclusive Interview

“Outwit. Outplay. Outlast.” That’s the motto of the enduring television show Survivor, which just wrapped its 32nd season. It could also be the motto for tournament poker, which is maybe why the two games often collide. Take, for example, Jason Somerville’s Run It Up Reno (RIUR), which is happening now at the Peppermill Resort in […]

The post From Run It Up Reno, Survivor’s “Boston” Rob Mariano Talks All In or Fold Victory: Exclusive Interview appeared first on .

The Future Of Gaming Machines

London, England, May 25, 2016– The Officers of the Parliamentary All Party Betting & Gaming Group are very keen to hear from the different sectors where gaming machines operate at the fourth of their Future of Gambling Seminar Series, The Future of Gaming Machines to be held onMonday 7th June 2016. The speakers will be John White, CEO, BACTA, Simon Dorsen, Senior Director for Europe, IGT and John Appleton, Director of Electronic Leisure, Mitchells & Butler. Steve Donoughue, gambling consultant and Secretariat of the All Party Betting & Gaming Group said:

The British gaming machine sector has been in decline with the number of AGCs and FECs falling every year for the last five years. The sale of new gaming machines had been stable for the last few years but between 2013/14 and 2014/15 there was a massive decline of almost a third. Fortunately overall numbers of machines has stayed stable due to increases in Category C machines. To put this in context though, the total number of machines is 28.7% less than it was ten years ago. Some of this is obviously structural, but the Gambling Act and the disappearance of the triennial reviews for a number of years have all taken their toll.

For the first time the Parliamentary All Party Betting & Gaming Group is allowing the invited guests from the industry to attend its meetings and join with the Captains of their industry in the debating what the future of gambling in Britain is. If you wish to attend one of the seminars please contact the Secretariat of the APBGG, Steve Donoughue at [email protected]. John White, CEO of BACTA and key speaker stated:

I am delighted to be speaking at this seminar, as it gives me a great opportunity to share some of the views that Bacta has about the future of gaming machines.  There is a number of challenges facing the industry, but equally for those that are creative and progressive there could be some very exciting times ahead.  Clearly we need to sort out some immediate issues that are affecting the industry, such as the stake on FOBTs and get the Triennial Review underway.  But it will be from this that we will persuade the government to allow us to develop new ideas and encourage innovation across the industry.  Only in this way will we develop more exciting games and attract a new generation of customers that are essential for our future prosperity. 

The Future Of Gaming Machines

London, England, May 25, 2016– The Officers of the Parliamentary All Party Betting & Gaming Group are very keen to hear from the different sectors where gaming machines operate at the fourth of their Future of Gambling Seminar Series, The Future of Gaming Machines to be held onMonday 7th June 2016. The speakers will be John White, CEO, BACTA, Simon Dorsen, Senior Director for Europe, IGT and John Appleton, Director of Electronic Leisure, Mitchells & Butler. Steve Donoughue, gambling consultant and Secretariat of the All Party Betting & Gaming Group said:

The British gaming machine sector has been in decline with the number of AGCs and FECs falling every year for the last five years. The sale of new gaming machines had been stable for the last few years but between 2013/14 and 2014/15 there was a massive decline of almost a third. Fortunately overall numbers of machines has stayed stable due to increases in Category C machines. To put this in context though, the total number of machines is 28.7% less than it was ten years ago. Some of this is obviously structural, but the Gambling Act and the disappearance of the triennial reviews for a number of years have all taken their toll.

For the first time the Parliamentary All Party Betting & Gaming Group is allowing the invited guests from the industry to attend its meetings and join with the Captains of their industry in the debating what the future of gambling in Britain is. If you wish to attend one of the seminars please contact the Secretariat of the APBGG, Steve Donoughue at [email protected]. John White, CEO of BACTA and key speaker stated:

I am delighted to be speaking at this seminar, as it gives me a great opportunity to share some of the views that Bacta has about the future of gaming machines.  There is a number of challenges facing the industry, but equally for those that are creative and progressive there could be some very exciting times ahead.  Clearly we need to sort out some immediate issues that are affecting the industry, such as the stake on FOBTs and get the Triennial Review underway.  But it will be from this that we will persuade the government to allow us to develop new ideas and encourage innovation across the industry.  Only in this way will we develop more exciting games and attract a new generation of customers that are essential for our future prosperity. 

Legislative committee OKs smoking lounges on Macau casino floors

Smoking lounges are a go in Macau, but only if the health of casino workers isn’t put in jeopardy.

A committee composed of Macau Legislative Assembly members has—by a wide margin of 7-2—voted in favor of keeping smoking lounges on casino floors, rather than moving forward with a full smoking ban, Union Gaming Asia Securities said in a note.

A quick recap: In 2014, the government introduced a partial smoking ban that restricted smoking on casino main floors in the city state to airport-style enclosed smoking lounges away from gaming tables or slot machines. Smoking cigarettes in VIP rooms, meanwhile, are still allowed.

But there have been calls from Macau officials to put a full stop to smoking in all casinos—a plan that mirrors Beijing’s efforts to reduce smoking in public places in the mainland. That plan, however, was met with dissent from many casino and junket operators, who appealed for some wiggle room on grounds that the blanket smoking ban will be a fatal blow to Macau’s already slumping gaming sector.

NBA Western Conference Finals: Golden State Warriors survive elimination

The Golden State Warriors is not going home, yet.

Despite double-digit points from Kevin Durant with 40 and Russell Westbrook 31, the Warriors still manage to stave off elimination with a 120-111 victory over Oklahoma Thunders in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals.

Golden State Warriors had home-court support and we know that the Splash brothers are lethal when they are on their game, as proven in Game 2. Curry scored 31 points while Klay Thompson chipped in 27 points. Draymond Green, whose kicking controversy continues in Game 6, added 11 points and Andrew Bogut has 15 points and 14 rebounds,

“We just did what we’re supposed to do. We’re supposed to win at home,” Curry said. “We know what we still have to do going forward. We knew if we didn’t win we were going home. There’s no other motivation you need.”

NBA Western Conference Finals: Golden State Warriors survive elimination

The Golden State Warriors is not going home, yet.

Despite double-digit points from Kevin Durant with 40 and Russell Westbrook 31, the Warriors still manage to stave off elimination with a 120-111 victory over Oklahoma Thunders in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals.

Golden State Warriors had home-court support and we know that the Splash brothers are lethal when they are on their game, as proven in Game 2. Curry scored 31 points while Klay Thompson chipped in 27 points. Draymond Green, whose kicking controversy continues in Game 6, added 11 points and Andrew Bogut has 15 points and 14 rebounds,

“We just did what we’re supposed to do. We’re supposed to win at home,” Curry said. “We know what we still have to do going forward. We knew if we didn’t win we were going home. There’s no other motivation you need.”