Monthly Archives: October 2016

Hillary Clinton continues to take lead post-second presidential debate

The second U.S. presidential debate, held on Monday night, saw a well-prepared Donald Trump, yet it was Hillary Clinton who continued to win over punters.

Sportsbook Bodog pegged the odds of the former U.S. first lady winning the upcoming elections at -425 (4/17) following her second face-off with Trump, who is now at +335 (13/4).  Before Monday night’s debate, the Democrats were a favorite to win with 3/10 odds, while Republicans were at 12/5.

Monday night’s event went down as the most negative and hostile debate in the U.S. presidential history—and that was even before the actual debate started. Thirty minutes before the start of the debate, Trump held a press conference in which he presented three women claiming to have been sexually assaulted by former President Bill Clinton. But it was the Republican nominee who was backed into a corner following the emergence of a video of him bragging about sexual aggression against women.

Trump apologized for the “locker room talk,” but pointed out during the debate that his were just words while “Bill Clinton was abusive to women.” The businessman also attacked Clinton’s use of a private email server, noting that the former secretary of state would have been in jail if he was the president. To which, Clinton responded: “It’s just awfully good that someone with the temperament of Donald Trump is not in charge of the law in this country.”

European bitcoin casino integrates Cubits payment

Bitcoin gambling is making waves recently as one of the most secure ways of playing online—not only because it offers low stakes, instant deposits and withdrawals, but also because it offers players security and anonymity.

However, one issue that bitcoin casinos face is the lack of a clear-cut method for payment and currency exchange. Yes, there is a wide variety of wallets and exchanges where online casino players can convert their money into digital currency, but it’s only recently that a platform—one that can be completely integrated into the framework of a casino—has been developed.

Cubits, a London-based start-up, came out with what it described as an “all-encompassing payment platform,” which allows both merchants and customers to make and receive payments.

This platform was recently integrated by European bitcoin casino BetChain, which allows players to make deposits in euros, play in bitcoin, and then withdraw their winnings in euros if they want.

William Hill and Amaya Now in a Precarious Situation

With William Hill and Amaya next in line for merger rumors, the first question to ask is, Is this a merger for the sake of merging, or does it actually make sense? The other questions:  Will it actually happen? Is either Amaya or William Hill a Buy now? First impressions, it doesn’t look like the proposed merger is solely for the sake of merging, but that seems to be at least some part of it because that is the current atmosphere in the UK gaming market. There is some sense to it, but it’s not a very compelling and obvious case. Will it actually happen? I’d say the chances are 55-45 yes, depending on whether or not an $870 million fine on PokerStars is enforced. More on that later. Is either Amaya or William Hill a Buy now? Amaya no, absolutely not. Sell it now. William Hill is safer to buy on a gamble that the deal goes through, but it’s not that great a position to take.

We took a 5% position in Amaya for the model portfolio way back in February at $13.28 a Nasdaq share on a positive Super Bowl betting indicator and speculation that David Baazov would take the firm private for C$21 a share. That didn’t happen but effectively the same thing happened and we are now at C$23.4 or $16.12 on the Nasdaq. That’s a 21.4% gain on a 5% position for a total portfolio gain of 1.1%. It’s time to sell and move on. The risk that this deal will not go through for whatever reason is high enough not to endanger gains already made.

Secondarily, this issue doesn’t come up often, but from a logistical standpoint for US Amaya Nasdaq shareholders and Canadian shareholders on the TSE, holding Amaya now would be difficult practically. If the deal goes through, William Hill would be the surviving entity and trade on the London exchange, and US and Canadian shareholders (or any non UK shareholder) whose brokerages do not support international exchanges would be stuck either converting to the very low liquidity OTC shares WIMHY or WIMHF which is not even an option for some specialized accounts that forbid OTC securities, or being forced to cash out anyway, or who knows what. So might as well sell now while you can.

As for the deal itself, there are two compelling features to it. The biggest is the cross-selling opportunities for Hill, a firm that has been struggling mightily with its online growth. Having access to PokerStars clients would beef up digital efforts, at least temporarily at the beginning. After that it depends on customer retention, something that is not assured. Secondly, it looks like Amaya CEO Rafi Ashkenazi would take over the helm, and William Hill could use some fresh new blood at the top. Can he provide the direction needed? Hard to know, but it would be difficult to do worse.

William Hill and Amaya Now in a Precarious Situation

With William Hill and Amaya next in line for merger rumors, the first question to ask is, Is this a merger for the sake of merging, or does it actually make sense? The other questions:  Will it actually happen? Is either Amaya or William Hill a Buy now? First impressions, it doesn’t look like the proposed merger is solely for the sake of merging, but that seems to be at least some part of it because that is the current atmosphere in the UK gaming market. There is some sense to it, but it’s not a very compelling and obvious case. Will it actually happen? I’d say the chances are 55-45 yes, depending on whether or not an $870 million fine on PokerStars is enforced. More on that later. Is either Amaya or William Hill a Buy now? Amaya no, absolutely not. Sell it now. William Hill is safer to buy on a gamble that the deal goes through, but it’s not that great a position to take.

We took a 5% position in Amaya for the model portfolio way back in February at $13.28 a Nasdaq share on a positive Super Bowl betting indicator and speculation that David Baazov would take the firm private for C$21 a share. That didn’t happen but effectively the same thing happened and we are now at C$23.4 or $16.12 on the Nasdaq. That’s a 21.4% gain on a 5% position for a total portfolio gain of 1.1%. It’s time to sell and move on. The risk that this deal will not go through for whatever reason is high enough not to endanger gains already made.

Secondarily, this issue doesn’t come up often, but from a logistical standpoint for US Amaya Nasdaq shareholders and Canadian shareholders on the TSE, holding Amaya now would be difficult practically. If the deal goes through, William Hill would be the surviving entity and trade on the London exchange, and US and Canadian shareholders (or any non UK shareholder) whose brokerages do not support international exchanges would be stuck either converting to the very low liquidity OTC shares WIMHY or WIMHF which is not even an option for some specialized accounts that forbid OTC securities, or being forced to cash out anyway, or who knows what. So might as well sell now while you can.

As for the deal itself, there are two compelling features to it. The biggest is the cross-selling opportunities for Hill, a firm that has been struggling mightily with its online growth. Having access to PokerStars clients would beef up digital efforts, at least temporarily at the beginning. After that it depends on customer retention, something that is not assured. Secondly, it looks like Amaya CEO Rafi Ashkenazi would take over the helm, and William Hill could use some fresh new blood at the top. Can he provide the direction needed? Hard to know, but it would be difficult to do worse.

Chinese Premier dangles 19 solutions for Macau’s economic woes

How do you fix thy Macau economy? Let Chinese Premier Li Keqiang count the ways.

Li, who is in Macau to take part in the fifth Ministerial Conference of the Forum of Economic and Trade Cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking countries, has announced on Monday that China’s central government has created at least 19 measure to ensure the city’s economic development.

As to what those measures are, Macau Business Daily reported that the Chinese Premier has yet to give the specifics.

The main thrust of the measures made by the Chinese central government, according to Li, was to ensure and speed up Macau’s diversification and reduce its reliance on gambling. Data shows that Macau’s gambling industry contributes about 80 percent of its tax revenue.

Philippines ends “eGaming cafe” war

The Philippines has formally ended its four-month war against online gambling that has left gaming technology provider PhilWeb’s business in shambles.

Radio news channel DZMM reported over the weekend that Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) is now mulling on opening the online gaming industry to more players, a sign that the worst if finally over for online gambling operators.

But unlike in the previous administration, Ignacio pointed out that government will strictly enforce the country’s gambling rules.

“We will open it up to more people but only under very stringent measures,” he said, according to the radio news.

Endorphina and Clarion events unite to create a unique slot EiG 2016

You might have seen cool things so far, but certainly not something as ground-breaking as the project Endorphina and EiG are about to present.

For the first time in the history, there comes a custom slot developed exclusively for an EVENT! Everyone can enjoy the game on www.eig2016slot.com and even win some serious prizes such as AAA ICE 2017 Conference Pass, 2017 Slot Academy Pass, a 3-month free trial of Endorphina games, genuine space food and more.

This cutting edge idea comes from collaboration of Endorphina and Clarion events and is dedicated to the upcoming EiG 2016 expo in Berlin, Germany on the 18th-20th October. That is the leading iGaming industry event and estimating to welcome up to 2,000 iGaming professionals travelling from more than 83 countries to meet, network and share ideas. Bringing together decision makers from across the entire ecosystem, the event provides rare insights into the challenges and benefits present in today’s market.

Rory Credland, the Event Director for EiG from Clarion events, said this about the the collaboration: „EiG is all about innovation and we are looking for something new and unique. When Endorphina came up with this terrific idea, we just couldn‘t say no to it, it was bold, brilliant and challenging at the same time, something that nobody-has-ever-done-before kind of a thing.“

Virtual Reality Gambling Wagers to Hit $520m by 2021

A new paper from Juniper Research has revealed that Virtual Reality gambling wagers will top $520m by 2021 with expensive hardware and limited early adopters the only things slowing the pace.

Do you remember a time when all you got for Christmas was an orange and uncrackable nuts?

Ok, perhaps I am going a little Charles Dickens, but the point I am trying to make is our kids costs us a bloody fortune these days. There was a time when $600 would be enough to fill the couch with presents. These days that’s how much you need to buy an Oculus Rift headset. I know this because my 15-year old teenage son knows this.

For those who don’t have teenagers, the Oculus Rift headset is one of many pieces of hardware that you need to enjoy the full sensory experience of Virtual Reality (VR). An industry that James Altucher believes will follow the Internet and Apps industries to become a trillion dollar goldmine.

Virtual Reality Gambling Wagers to Hit $520m by 2021

A new paper from Juniper Research has revealed that Virtual Reality gambling wagers will top $520m by 2021 with expensive hardware and limited early adopters the only things slowing the pace.

Do you remember a time when all you got for Christmas was an orange and uncrackable nuts?

Ok, perhaps I am going a little Charles Dickens, but the point I am trying to make is our kids costs us a bloody fortune these days. There was a time when $600 would be enough to fill the couch with presents. These days that’s how much you need to buy an Oculus Rift headset. I know this because my 15-year old teenage son knows this.

For those who don’t have teenagers, the Oculus Rift headset is one of many pieces of hardware that you need to enjoy the full sensory experience of Virtual Reality (VR). An industry that James Altucher believes will follow the Internet and Apps industries to become a trillion dollar goldmine.

Virtual Reality Gambling Wagers to Hit $520m by 2021

A new paper from Juniper Research has revealed that Virtual Reality gambling wagers will top $520m by 2021 with expensive hardware and limited early adopters the only things slowing the pace.

Do you remember a time when all you got for Christmas was an orange and uncrackable nuts?

Ok, perhaps I am going a little Charles Dickens, but the point I am trying to make is our kids costs us a bloody fortune these days. There was a time when $600 would be enough to fill the couch with presents. These days that’s how much you need to buy an Oculus Rift headset. I know this because my 15-year old teenage son knows this.

For those who don’t have teenagers, the Oculus Rift headset is one of many pieces of hardware that you need to enjoy the full sensory experience of Virtual Reality (VR). An industry that James Altucher believes will follow the Internet and Apps industries to become a trillion dollar goldmine.

Vermantia launches first Virtual Baseball game

Vermantia, leading omni-channel provider of virtual and live sports content for lotteries and licensed operators globally, today announces the launch of the first Virtual Baseball game in the industry.

Vermantia used professional baseball players, the latest motion capture technologies and advanced animation techniques to create the industry’s first Virtual Baseball game to add to its ever growing product portfolio of own and 3rd party games. Displayed in full high definition, the game features extensive close-ups of players, dynamic lighting and a spectacular baseball stadium to deliver the most realistic and engaging betting experience for customers. The game offers a variety of bet markets and customisation options, automated or live commentary in any language and a game logic adaptable to any regulatory framework.

Using Vermantia’s CONNECT Platform, lotteries and gaming operators worldwide can offer their customers access to a unique selection of 16+ virtual games through their retail, online and mobile channels.

Commenting, Yiannis Gangas, Vermantia’ s Chief Product Officer, stated:

Meet Betinvest in Berlin at EIG 2016

We are delighted to announce Betinvest’s participation at one of the most prominent event in the sphere of IGaming – EIG Berlin 2016, which will be held in Berlin on 18-20 of October.

Betinvest team is proud to invite you to visit us at stand #400. We will be glad to discuss possible ways of partnership and demonstrate our latest upgraded products and services:

WHITE LABEL

The BetInvest White Label is a fully managed gambling online solution, offering partners top-level sprortsbook, casino, live dealer, virtual sports and lottery products.

Wayne Rooney Dropped For Slovenia Clash; What Next For England’s Top Goalscorer?

Gareth Southgate has dropped Wayne Rooney for their crunch tie away in Slovenia prompting Paddy Power to axe the odds of him retiring from international football from 33/1 to 3/1.

When the Football Association (FA) appointed Gareth Southgate as England’s interim manager, two questions immediately popped into my mind replacing the recurring image of him missing THAT penalty in 1996.

1. Will he command respect from his senior players?

2. Can he bite?

Nigerian Top Operator Nairabet Signs an Agreement with BtoBet

Following BtoBet’s actions to expand into the African market, the company is now delighted to announce its partnership with the leading gambling company of Nigeria, NairaBet.

Nairabet and BtoBet join forces

Akin Alabi, CEO of NairaBet, commented:

“As a leading sports betting operator in the Nigerian market, we are always on the look out for quality partners and products to ensure a great experience for our customers. One of such partners is BetoBet and we are looking forward to working with them.”