Monthly Archives: May 2016

Maharashtra to earn $277M from casinos

The Maharashtra state government will potentially earn an estimated $277.78 million should it allow the establishment of land-base casinos, according to the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC).

The Times of India reported that the potential revenue of on-shore casinos was one of the issues discussed by the MTDC to the state government during last Wednesday’s high-level meeting on whether or not to allow brick-and-mortar casinos (gambling on ships) on the lines of Goa in the state.

“A certain percentage of this turnover, may be around 25% tax, makes up to Rs 1,500 crore ($277.78 million) a year for the public exchequer,” an MTDC official said.

MTDC, one of the major stakeholders, has supported the development of casinos in Maharashtra to give its tourism industry a major boost and at the same time for the state government to earn more revenues. It said that the Maharashtra will contribute a large portion in India’s $60 billion gambling market.Currently, Goa and Sikkim are the only states that allow casinos in India.

Maharashtra to earn $277M from casinos

The Maharashtra state government will potentially earn an estimated $277.78 million should it allow the establishment of land-base casinos, according to the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC).

The Times of India reported that the potential revenue of on-shore casinos was one of the issues discussed by the MTDC to the state government during last Wednesday’s high-level meeting on whether or not to allow brick-and-mortar casinos (gambling on ships) on the lines of Goa in the state.

“A certain percentage of this turnover, may be around 25% tax, makes up to Rs 1,500 crore ($277.78 million) a year for the public exchequer,” an MTDC official said.

MTDC, one of the major stakeholders, has supported the development of casinos in Maharashtra to give its tourism industry a major boost and at the same time for the state government to earn more revenues. It said that the Maharashtra will contribute a large portion in India’s $60 billion gambling market.Currently, Goa and Sikkim are the only states that allow casinos in India.

Resorts Casino exec predicts disaster over Atlantic City with the opening of 2 new casinos

With Atlantic City’s life hanging on a balance, will New Jersey sacrifice five casinos for the two others to live?

Resorts Casino Hotel President Mark Giannantonio made a grim prediction on Thursday that the two new proposed casinos for northern New Jersey near New York City will cause three to five of the eight surviving casinos to close, and potentially destroy Atlantic City.

The Associated Press reported how Giannantonio made a bleak forecast for casinos in Atlantic City comes six months before voters will be asked about approving the construction of two megaresorts that will rival the casinos in NewYork, such as Resorts World Casino in Queens and Empire City Casino in Yonkers.

Among the leading contenders in the planned North Jersey casinos were Meadowlands Racetrack in East Rutherford, home to the NFL’s New York Jets and Giants, and in Jersey City, where Reebok magnate Paul Fireman proposes a casino resort worth about $5 billion.

Why Paypal’s decision to kill apps on some mobile platforms is an exciting opportunity for bitcoin

Online payment processing service Paypal is ditching support for several mobile platforms.

The online payment platform recently announced that it is pulling their apps from operating systems Windows Phone, Amazon, and Blackberry starting June 30, 2016.

In a statement, Paypal said its decision to remove its mobile app from select platforms will help its developers focus more on iOS and Android. Windows Phone and Blackberry have never been a big mobile market for the online payment site, but abandoning Amazon’s Fire OS could cost Paypal given the popularity of the Kindle Fire tablets.

Joanna Lambert, VP for global consumer product and engineering at Paypal said in a statement that by focusing on just two apps, the company will be able to “innovate and make enhancements to Paypal’s mobile experiences to give our customers the best possible ways to manage and move their money.”

Okada’s Manila Bay Resorts on track for 2016 opening

Tiger Resorts, Leisure & Entertainment, Inc. will finally open the doors of multi-billion Manila Bay Resorts in Manila’s Entertainment City by the end of the year, following the completion of the first phase of the project, local media reported.

Tiger President Steve Wolstenholme told Manila-based reporters at the sidelines of the Asia Real Estate Summit 2016 in Manila on Wednesday that Tiger Resorts remains bullish on the prospects in Manila – especially on the non-gaming side of the business – despite being the third player to open a gaming facility in Entertainment City.

While Tiger Resorts sees China as its one of the main market, Wolstenholme hopes that they would also be able to lure tourists from neighboring countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, and India.

“The investment is on time. We will open our first phase which is a $2.7-billion [facility] at the end of this year. It will be something that is quite spectacular and the most significant investment that is happening in the Philippines,” Wolstenholme said.

KamaGames Announces New Player Research Statistics To Mark Pokerist Texas Poker’s 6th Anniversary

Dublin, Ireland – May, 27 th 2016 – KamaGames®, a global developer and publisher of social games for mobile platforms & PlayStation Network, today announced details of its player research and promotions to mark the 6 th anniversary of the launch of its flagship title Pokerist® Texas Poker.

Pokerist Texas Poker was KamaGames’ first social casino title released worldwide launching first on Facebook and then on iOS and Android on 28 th May 2010. Since then, the game has been released on the Yahoo store, Windows Phone Store, Amazon Apps Store and Apple TV with over 81 million players around the world sitting down at the tables which has made it the #1 Top Grossing App on the Apple Apps store in 89 countries as well as being in the Top 5 Google Play Grossing Apps in 24 countries.

KamaGames Ireland’s Managing Director, Andrey Kuznetsov, said “We are incredibly proud of Pokerist’s huge success over the years and wanted to say a big thank you to all of our players and supporters that have made the game what it is. Through our own extensive insights into our global player ecosystem, it’s been fantastic to see that Pokerist is more than just a social casino game, it is a place to meet with friends and make new connections with likeminded players of casual games”.

“Pokerist’s incredible reach and long lasting legacy, provides KamaGames with a unique view into the social casino ecosystem. As part of the game’s 6 th anniversary, we wanted to really focus on the mind-set and understand the psychology of the player. We have found that a vast number of our players use the game to not just play poker but also – and in some regions mostly – to interact with other players. We were absolutely amazed to see that over the past 6 years over 4 billion player-to-player chat messages were sent at the table, 1.3 billion private messages were sent between players, over 200 million new connections were made and a staggering 500 billion gifts were sent between our players”.

KamaGames Announces New Player Research Statistics To Mark Pokerist Texas Poker’s 6th Anniversary

Dublin, Ireland – May, 27 th 2016 – KamaGames®, a global developer and publisher of social games for mobile platforms & PlayStation Network, today announced details of its player research and promotions to mark the 6 th anniversary of the launch of its flagship title Pokerist® Texas Poker.

Pokerist Texas Poker was KamaGames’ first social casino title released worldwide launching first on Facebook and then on iOS and Android on 28 th May 2010. Since then, the game has been released on the Yahoo store, Windows Phone Store, Amazon Apps Store and Apple TV with over 81 million players around the world sitting down at the tables which has made it the #1 Top Grossing App on the Apple Apps store in 89 countries as well as being in the Top 5 Google Play Grossing Apps in 24 countries.

KamaGames Ireland’s Managing Director, Andrey Kuznetsov, said “We are incredibly proud of Pokerist’s huge success over the years and wanted to say a big thank you to all of our players and supporters that have made the game what it is. Through our own extensive insights into our global player ecosystem, it’s been fantastic to see that Pokerist is more than just a social casino game, it is a place to meet with friends and make new connections with likeminded players of casual games”.

“Pokerist’s incredible reach and long lasting legacy, provides KamaGames with a unique view into the social casino ecosystem. As part of the game’s 6 th anniversary, we wanted to really focus on the mind-set and understand the psychology of the player. We have found that a vast number of our players use the game to not just play poker but also – and in some regions mostly – to interact with other players. We were absolutely amazed to see that over the past 6 years over 4 billion player-to-player chat messages were sent at the table, 1.3 billion private messages were sent between players, over 200 million new connections were made and a staggering 500 billion gifts were sent between our players”.

Pariplay Ltd. Relocates Head Office to Gibraltar

iGaming technology company obtains Gibraltar gambling license and moves headquarters to southern European gambling hub following strong growth.

Gibraltar, May 2016 – Pariplay Ltd., a gaming technology company serving iGaming operators, land-based casinos and iLotteries that was previously headquartered in Douglas, Isle of Man, has announced that its head office and operations centre has relocated to Gibraltar after being granted a Remote Gambling license. The move comes on the back of the company’s strong growth in 2015 and into 2016 and has also been motivated by Gibraltar’s status as a global centre for top-tier gambling operators and service providers.

Pariplay, which was founded in 2010, has been approved by the HM Government of Gibraltar for a Remote Gambling license, allowing the technology company to join an elite group of gambling operations with a presence in the British overseas territory located on the southern Iberian Peninsula. These include some of the global gambling industry’s biggest operators such as Ladbrokes, bwin.party, BetVictor, Gamesys, and Gala/Coral Interactive, as well as technology firms such as NetEnt, NYX Gaming, IGT (Gibraltar) Ltd., and Bally Technologies.

The move by Pariplay follows the company enjoying sustained growth in its two core business areas. These are, firstly, to provide iGaming, social gaming and iLottery operators as well as land-based casinos with platforms to streamline their operations, and, secondly, to develop a portfolio of top-tier games for operators, including branded and unique and unique casino slots, instant win, scratch cards and bingo games.

Pariplay Ltd. Relocates Head Office to Gibraltar

iGaming technology company obtains Gibraltar gambling license and moves headquarters to southern European gambling hub following strong growth.

Gibraltar, May 2016 – Pariplay Ltd., a gaming technology company serving iGaming operators, land-based casinos and iLotteries that was previously headquartered in Douglas, Isle of Man, has announced that its head office and operations centre has relocated to Gibraltar after being granted a Remote Gambling license. The move comes on the back of the company’s strong growth in 2015 and into 2016 and has also been motivated by Gibraltar’s status as a global centre for top-tier gambling operators and service providers.

Pariplay, which was founded in 2010, has been approved by the HM Government of Gibraltar for a Remote Gambling license, allowing the technology company to join an elite group of gambling operations with a presence in the British overseas territory located on the southern Iberian Peninsula. These include some of the global gambling industry’s biggest operators such as Ladbrokes, bwin.party, BetVictor, Gamesys, and Gala/Coral Interactive, as well as technology firms such as NetEnt, NYX Gaming, IGT (Gibraltar) Ltd., and Bally Technologies.

The move by Pariplay follows the company enjoying sustained growth in its two core business areas. These are, firstly, to provide iGaming, social gaming and iLottery operators as well as land-based casinos with platforms to streamline their operations, and, secondly, to develop a portfolio of top-tier games for operators, including branded and unique and unique casino slots, instant win, scratch cards and bingo games.

iSoftBet reaches for the skies with launch of new Cloud Tales slot

May 26, 2016 – London (Press Release): iSoftBet, the leading online and mobile game supplier, has expanded its portfolio of original slots with the release of Cloud Tales.

The innovative and colourful new game, available in both HTML5 and Flash, invites players to dive into a fantasy dreamland where 3D-animated creatures float carefree on a magical island among bubble-blowing plants.

The slot comes packed with unique features such as a Floating Mushroom Island, Mystery Eggs and Symbol Switches, and adds excitement with high-paying Wilds and Multipliers.

Following a great response to recent releases such as Mega Boy and Luxury Rome, Cloud Tales is yet another excellent slot which confirms iSoftBet’s position at the forefront of software development.

iSoftBet reaches for the skies with launch of new Cloud Tales slot

May 26, 2016 – London (Press Release): iSoftBet, the leading online and mobile game supplier, has expanded its portfolio of original slots with the release of Cloud Tales.

The innovative and colourful new game, available in both HTML5 and Flash, invites players to dive into a fantasy dreamland where 3D-animated creatures float carefree on a magical island among bubble-blowing plants.

The slot comes packed with unique features such as a Floating Mushroom Island, Mystery Eggs and Symbol Switches, and adds excitement with high-paying Wilds and Multipliers.

Following a great response to recent releases such as Mega Boy and Luxury Rome, Cloud Tales is yet another excellent slot which confirms iSoftBet’s position at the forefront of software development.

CASEXE Goes to RGW 2016 with Exiting and Varied Program

10th anniversary exhibition-forum Russian Gaming Week in 2016 will be the largest epic event of gambling industry in the CIS countries. This time business platform of the event will bring together even more gambling industry experts, international companies, representatives of related business sectors, as well as true gambling connoisseurs.

Taking into account the scale and level of significance of the event CASEXE team has prepared an interesting program for visitors of the exhibition, providing them with a lot of unforgettable impressions and positive emotions.

CASEXE products and services will be presented at creatively designed A-3 stand in Sokolniki Exhibition Center, Moscow. Visitors will be able to communicate with leading managers and marketing expert of the company, ask questions and take expert advice on gambling operations, including the use of CASEXE software. CASEXE specialists have prepared many interesting presentations of new online casino projects that were added to company’s portfolio in the past few months.

In keeping with gambling atmosphere of RGW, CASEXE decided to create casino atmosphere at its stand. Everyone will be able to play blackjack and win prizes – certificate for the creation of your own online casino with the discount up to 50%, as well as other exciting presents from CASEXE. One more welcome surprise for exhibition guest is money certificates for games in online casino. These certificates will be given to those, who will visit the stand in order to learn about company products.

CASEXE Goes to RGW 2016 with Exiting and Varied Program

10th anniversary exhibition-forum Russian Gaming Week in 2016 will be the largest epic event of gambling industry in the CIS countries. This time business platform of the event will bring together even more gambling industry experts, international companies, representatives of related business sectors, as well as true gambling connoisseurs.

Taking into account the scale and level of significance of the event CASEXE team has prepared an interesting program for visitors of the exhibition, providing them with a lot of unforgettable impressions and positive emotions.

CASEXE products and services will be presented at creatively designed A-3 stand in Sokolniki Exhibition Center, Moscow. Visitors will be able to communicate with leading managers and marketing expert of the company, ask questions and take expert advice on gambling operations, including the use of CASEXE software. CASEXE specialists have prepared many interesting presentations of new online casino projects that were added to company’s portfolio in the past few months.

In keeping with gambling atmosphere of RGW, CASEXE decided to create casino atmosphere at its stand. Everyone will be able to play blackjack and win prizes – certificate for the creation of your own online casino with the discount up to 50%, as well as other exciting presents from CASEXE. One more welcome surprise for exhibition guest is money certificates for games in online casino. These certificates will be given to those, who will visit the stand in order to learn about company products.

South Africa rejects online gambling (again), Clickabet launches sports betting

South Africa’s politicians have soundly rejected the latest legislative attempt to expand the country’s online gambling options.

For a couple years now, Geordin Hill-Lewis, an MP with the opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) party, has been trying to convince his fellow parliamentarians of the wisdom of opening up South Africa’s online sports betting market by authorizing other verticals like poker and casino games.

Earlier this month, the National Assembly’s Trade and Industry Committee delivered a report rejecting Hill-Lewis’ latest version of his Remote Gambling Bill. On Thursday, the National Assembly debated whether or not to accept or reject the committee’s findings.

News24 quoted Hill-Lewis making his by now familiar arguments, which found some support from Inkatha Freedom Party MP Jan Esterhuizen, who pointed out that the country’s ban on other verticals and threats of harsh punishments for transgressors had failed to halt thousands of international online gambling sites from serving the needs of South African gamblers.

South Africa rejects online gambling (again), Clickabet launches sports betting

South Africa’s politicians have soundly rejected the latest legislative attempt to expand the country’s online gambling options.

For a couple years now, Geordin Hill-Lewis, an MP with the opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) party, has been trying to convince his fellow parliamentarians of the wisdom of opening up South Africa’s online sports betting market by authorizing other verticals like poker and casino games.

Earlier this month, the National Assembly’s Trade and Industry Committee delivered a report rejecting Hill-Lewis’ latest version of his Remote Gambling Bill. On Thursday, the National Assembly debated whether or not to accept or reject the committee’s findings.

News24 quoted Hill-Lewis making his by now familiar arguments, which found some support from Inkatha Freedom Party MP Jan Esterhuizen, who pointed out that the country’s ban on other verticals and threats of harsh punishments for transgressors had failed to halt thousands of international online gambling sites from serving the needs of South African gamblers.

Blockchain 2016: Results of Prague Conference

On May 19, 2016 Blockchain & Bitcoin Conference Prague – the second annual conference dedicated to cryptocurrency and blockchain technology took place in the Czech Republic. In 2016 to the conference former name (Bitcoin Conference) the word ‘Blockchain’ was added, since it is data structure blocks that developers, investors and financial institutions have focused on.

The conference was divided into three parts, dedicated to cryptocurrency trends, innovations and practical implementation of blockchain.

Besides the conference there was exhibition area, presenting financial and technical products, designed to simplify business operations and improve service quality from clients’ perspective. These solutions are:

– Bitwala service for bank transfers using Bitcoins;

Blockchain 2016: Results of Prague Conference

On May 19, 2016 Blockchain & Bitcoin Conference Prague – the second annual conference dedicated to cryptocurrency and blockchain technology took place in the Czech Republic. In 2016 to the conference former name (Bitcoin Conference) the word ‘Blockchain’ was added, since it is data structure blocks that developers, investors and financial institutions have focused on.

The conference was divided into three parts, dedicated to cryptocurrency trends, innovations and practical implementation of blockchain.

Besides the conference there was exhibition area, presenting financial and technical products, designed to simplify business operations and improve service quality from clients’ perspective. These solutions are:

– Bitwala service for bank transfers using Bitcoins;

Calling the Clock: Negreanu Twitter Flare; SCOOP Record; Soulja Boy Bluff

In this week’s Calling the Clock Daniel Negreanu believes it’s easier to win money playing poker today than pre-Internet times; PokerStars Spring Championships of Online Poker sets a new world record, and Soulja Boy was bluffing with his $400m World Poker Fund Holdings claims.

Daniel Negreanu believes it’s easier to win money playing poker today, than before the Internet. I happen to agree with him. I am not alone. There are a lot that doesn’t.

The PokerStars figurehead posted a diatribe of tweets explaining his views on the topic. His views were short and sweet. He believes that the old school pros didn’t have the luxury of the Internet to hone their craft. He also pointed to the advancements in technology surrounding the launch of the Internet. Also, the point that there are so many more professionals playing poker today than before the Internet was also a sure sign that it was easier to win today.

Negreanu then went on to say that the young wizards of the Internet era should give the poker pioneers more respect and that most of them would have been losers in those pre-Internet games.