Monthly Archives: November 2016

Powerful new Polish campaign from EnergyCasino

EnergyCasino is thrilled to announce the launch of an ambitious new brand awareness and player acquisition campaign for the Polish market, featuring superstar IFBB pro Robert Burneika, a.k.a. ‘Hardkorowy Koksu.’

Robert Burneika made his first appearance representing Energy at the 2016 Berlin Affiliate Conference, where he totally stole the show, challenging delegates to arm wrestling and demonstrating his incredible strength. Known as ‘Hardkorowy Koksu,’ Robert is a much-loved celebrity bodybuilder in Poland, and his fun no-nonsense personality makes him the ideal face, and body, of the EnergyCasino brand.

In addition to appearing at industry events, Burneika also features in a new EnergyCasino video commercial. Boasting industry-leading production values and plenty of humour, the video marks the start of a new era for EnergyCasino, during which they will be focusing on increasing the quality and intrinsic entertainment value of their marketing content.

Simona Pinterova, PR Manager at EnergyCasino, explained “Robert Burneika embodies so much of what the Energy brand is all about; he’s powerful, he’s capable, he delivers, but he doesn’t take himself too seriously. Most importantly, he’s genuine and people instantly take to him.

CalvinAyre.com featured conferences and events: December 2016

Online Gaming Masterclass

As part of Clarion’s Totally Gaming Academy, the Online Gaming Masterclass is a four-day course led by Igor Samardziski, founder and CEO of Nexus Gaming Intelligence.  The course will cover everything from game mechanics to bonuses, player acquisition, retention and reducing risk.  Attendees can expect to leave with a business plan, department KPI analysis report, formula glossary and a business intelligence development brief.

What: Online Gaming Masterclass

When: December 5-8, 2016

Borgata legal team point to Golden Nugget case in Ivey baccarat brawl

Phil Ivey’s legal team are contesting an allegation from the Borgata’s legal team that Ivey’s case is identical to one between 14 gamblers and the Golden Nugget in 2012 where the judge sided with the casino.

A legal team representing The Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in their Baccarat battle with Phil Ivey are arguing that his case mirrors that of a group of gamblers who were forced to return $1.5m in winnings to the Golden Nugget.

In that 2012 case, 14 players realised that the deck of cards they were using in a game of Mini-Baccarat had not been shuffled and quickly increased their bet sizing from $10 a hand to $5,000. They won 41 straight hands.

The judge presiding over that case declared that the games were ‘not authorised’ because the cards were not pre-shuffled ‘in accordance with any regulation’, and this violated the Casino Control Act. The judge ordered the players to return their winnings plus outstanding chips. The casino had to refund the money the gamblers put up to play.

Borgata legal team point to Golden Nugget case in Ivey baccarat brawl

Phil Ivey’s legal team are contesting an allegation from the Borgata’s legal team that Ivey’s case is identical to one between 14 gamblers and the Golden Nugget in 2012 where the judge sided with the casino.

A legal team representing The Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in their Baccarat battle with Phil Ivey are arguing that his case mirrors that of a group of gamblers who were forced to return $1.5m in winnings to the Golden Nugget.

In that 2012 case, 14 players realised that the deck of cards they were using in a game of Mini-Baccarat had not been shuffled and quickly increased their bet sizing from $10 a hand to $5,000. They won 41 straight hands.

The judge presiding over that case declared that the games were ‘not authorised’ because the cards were not pre-shuffled ‘in accordance with any regulation’, and this violated the Casino Control Act. The judge ordered the players to return their winnings plus outstanding chips. The casino had to refund the money the gamblers put up to play.

Borgata legal team point to Golden Nugget case in Ivey baccarat brawl

Phil Ivey’s legal team are contesting an allegation from the Borgata’s legal team that Ivey’s case is identical to one between 14 gamblers and the Golden Nugget in 2012 where the judge sided with the casino.

A legal team representing The Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in their Baccarat battle with Phil Ivey are arguing that his case mirrors that of a group of gamblers who were forced to return $1.5m in winnings to the Golden Nugget.

In that 2012 case, 14 players realised that the deck of cards they were using in a game of Mini-Baccarat had not been shuffled and quickly increased their bet sizing from $10 a hand to $5,000. They won 41 straight hands.

The judge presiding over that case declared that the games were ‘not authorised’ because the cards were not pre-shuffled ‘in accordance with any regulation’, and this violated the Casino Control Act. The judge ordered the players to return their winnings plus outstanding chips. The casino had to refund the money the gamblers put up to play.

Shared Experience – What is the biggest challenge leaders face today?

In this Episode of Calvinayre’s Shared Experience, Mark Blandford of Burlywood Capital talks about challenges of a leader in this day and age. As a leader, the different challenges are almost certain. So much happening and it’s vital to stay across of everything because by then it puts all of his/her decision as  a leader into context.

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Shared Experience – What is one characteristic every leader should possess?

In this Episode of Calvinayre’s Shared Experience, Mark Blandford of Burlywood Capital mentioned that humility is a great characteristic of a leader. Someone who can relate to everybody in an organization and be prepared to do the job to which his father taught him. 

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The PokerNews debate and why it’s easier to sell tea

PokerNews writer Marty Derbyshire offends poker players after suggesting they are lazy vagabonds who offer little value to the world and Lee Davy shares his opinion on the ensuing flak that followed.

Brian Hastings is quitting poker to sell tea.

The man who won $4.2 million in four hours against Viktor Blom has had enough. I know because Hastings said so on his blog – an invention that allows anyone with Internet access and an opinion to divulge in the freedom of speech we hold so dear to our hearts.

Hastings commented on the consequences of being accused of cheating after the Blom match (he studied hand histories obtained from a third-party). And this sentence got my grey matter flowing like mercury.

Caesars’ Korean partner can’t find exit; North Korea tells citizens to fink on gamblers

Casino operator Caesars Entertainment’s joint venture partner in South Korea says its experiencing delays in extricating itself from the stalled project.

In January 2013, Caesars, Indonesian conglomerate Lippo Group and a mystery third party announced the formation of LOCZ Korea, which promised to build a $2b integrated resort in the Incheon area. South Korea formally approved the project the following year, but to date there’s been zero actual progress in building this resort.

Shortly before last Christmas, Lippo announced there was “no certainty” that the project would go ahead. This March, Lippo said it was looking to sell its stake in the project due to frustrations in convincing its JV partners to make the necessary land deals.

This week, Lippo filed papers saying it had hoped to sell its stake to a new joint venture consisting of Caesars and the mystery third party by November, but the exit negotiations had hit a snag. Lippo said the outcome of its negotiations “is dependent upon a separate set of negotiations between Caesars Korea and [the third party].”

England appoint Gareth Southgate on 4-year deal; Phil Neville favourite to land U21 role

England has appointed Gareth Southgate as the England Manager on a four-year deal, and Phil Neville heads a short list to replace him as the next U21 coach.

There will be no fanfare, no 24-gun salute and no cars will roar around the city high streets with union jacks flying out of the windows as they blare their horns. Gareth Southgate is the new England manager, and the mood seems to be, “So what?”

I am not privy to the short-list of candidates that Football Association (FA), CEO, Martin Glenn, grilled over the past few weeks, but judging by the bookmaker’s odds it was a list Lilliputian in nature.

The bookies rarely get these things wrong – preferring to keep their misdemeanours to Brexit or Donald Trump type matters – and so it was the case when they installed Southgate as the odds-on favourite to take the reins from Sam Allardyce.

UK kids’ response to gambling advertising could spell trouble

Gambling operators’ advertising practices are likely to come under renewed attack following the results of a new UK Gambling Commission survey of youth gambling.

The survey (viewable in full here) involved a representative sample of 2,411 children aged 11-15 in England and Wales. Some 16% of kids reported spending money on some form of gambling in the past week, within the 15-17% range of the past three years, and well down from 2011’s high of 23%.

The most popular form of kid gambling was a tie between fruit machines in arcades and clubs, and private wagers between friends, each of which netted a 5% score. Playing card with friends and buying National Lottery scratchcards tied for second at 4%. The National Lottery’s main draw scored 3%, while bingo at bingo clubs scored 2%.

The following categories each reported 1% participation: other gambling machines, personally placing a bet at a betting shop or playing a shop’s gaming machines, gambling online and other National Lottery games (including online instant win games).