Saipan casino operator Imperial Pacific International Holdings vastly eclipsed its previous VIP gambling turnover record in the month of January.

In a filing with the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on Thursday, Imperial Pacific announced that the 16 VIP gaming tables at its temporary casino Best Sunshine Live had generated turnover of $5.59b in January.

The astonishing sum represents a $1.6b improvement over Best Sunshine’s previous record of $3.95b set last September and nearly $4b more than the $1.7b the property generated in November. January’s total represents one-sixth of the total VIP turnover Best Sunshine reported through all of 2016.

While undeniably impressive, the number could prove problematic for Imperial Pacific, what with US financial watchdogs reportedly eyeing the volume of money flowing through the casino and local politicians publicly musing about how the government isn’t getting its fair share of Best Sunshine’s bounty. Then again, the strong showing could help the company find the financing it needs to complete its permanent Saipan property, which is supposed to open sometime this quarter.

Saipan casino operator Imperial Pacific International Holdings vastly eclipsed its previous VIP gambling turnover record in the month of January.

In a filing with the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on Thursday, Imperial Pacific announced that the 16 VIP gaming tables at its temporary casino Best Sunshine Live had generated turnover of $5.59b in January.

The astonishing sum represents a $1.6b improvement over Best Sunshine’s previous record of $3.95b set last September and nearly $4b more than the $1.7b the property generated in November. January’s total represents one-sixth of the total VIP turnover Best Sunshine reported through all of 2016.

While undeniably impressive, the number could prove problematic for Imperial Pacific, what with US financial watchdogs reportedly eyeing the volume of money flowing through the casino and local politicians publicly musing about how the government isn’t getting its fair share of Best Sunshine’s bounty. Then again, the strong showing could help the company find the financing it needs to complete its permanent Saipan property, which is supposed to open sometime this quarter.

Saipan casino operator Imperial Pacific International Holdings vastly eclipsed its previous VIP gambling turnover record in the month of January.

In a filing with the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on Thursday, Imperial Pacific announced that the 16 VIP gaming tables at its temporary casino Best Sunshine Live had generated turnover of $5.59b in January.

The astonishing sum represents a $1.6b improvement over Best Sunshine’s previous record of $3.95b set last September and nearly $4b more than the $1.7b the property generated in November. January’s total represents one-sixth of the total VIP turnover Best Sunshine reported through all of 2016.

While undeniably impressive, the number could prove problematic for Imperial Pacific, what with US financial watchdogs reportedly eyeing the volume of money flowing through the casino and local politicians publicly musing about how the government isn’t getting its fair share of Best Sunshine’s bounty. Then again, the strong showing could help the company find the financing it needs to complete its permanent Saipan property, which is supposed to open sometime this quarter.

European Poker Tour founder, John Duthie, will be looking to do it all again as partypoker install him as president of the partypoker LIVE brand.

When PokerStars pulled out a 12-barrel shotgun and aimed at their foot, I was looking at the other online poker rooms waiting for a response.

Cue the tumbleweed.

I missed it.

European Poker Tour founder, John Duthie, will be looking to do it all again as partypoker install him as president of the partypoker LIVE brand.

When PokerStars pulled out a 12-barrel shotgun and aimed at their foot, I was looking at the other online poker rooms waiting for a response.

Cue the tumbleweed.

I missed it.

In this week’s Calling the Clock partypoker hire John Duthie as President of partypoker LIVE, AI triumphs over humanity in Pittsburgh, and much more.

The poker unemployment statistics got a boost this week. The free to play online poker room Cafrino.com bumped their co-founder into the role of Chairman and brought Joseph Conner into the fold to become the Director of Poker Operations.

Cafrino.com is a US-facing online poker room that offers real money prizes by using ad-revenue money and not player money. CEO, Michael Murphy, is hoping the roles and responsibility juggle will help them move into their next phase – a subscription model.

Conner used to work for bwin.party Digital Entertainment and their former daughter partypoker were also in the hiring frame of mind this week. Who do you turn to if you want to create the baddest live tournament series in the world? You hire the guy who created the baddest live tournament series in the world.

Australian gaming operator Tabcorp profits fell more than one-quarter in its fiscal H1 in part due to startup costs of its new UK-facing online betting joint venture.

Figures released Thursday showed Tabcorp revenue rising 2.1% to A$1.16b in the six months ending December 31. Earnings rose 1.7% to $270.4m and pre-tax profit gained 5.3% to $102.7m, but $43.8m of significant items drove actual profits after tax down 28.1% to $58.9m.

Those significant items included $17.9m related to the launch of Sun Bets, the UK-facing online betting joint venture with Rupert Murdoch’s News UK. The site, which went live last August, has signed up 85k customers who generated turnover of $96.8m. But Sun Bets’ revenue totaled just $1.5m, reflecting “mid-single digit” margins that were offset by major bonus and promo offers. Tabcorp expects Sun Bets will lose an additional $15m in H2 2017.

Sun Bets wasn’t included in Tabcorp’s core Wagering & Media division, which reported H1 revenue rising 1.4% to $987m. The gains were attributed in part to a record Spring Racing Carnival, which saw turnover rise 4.7% over the 57-day period (spurred by a 17.6% rise in digital betting).

UK-listed online gambling operator GVC Holdings says it outdid its own performance expectations in 2016 and 2017 looks set to extend that hot streak.

On Thursday, GVC issued a Q4 trading update that showed net gaming revenue rising 7% to €231.3m, its highest quarterly total of 2016, despite Q2 having enjoyed a boost via the Euro 2016 football tournament.

Q4 daily sports betting handle gained 3% year-on-year to €12.8m, while sports revenue was up 5% to €904k as margins rose a full point to 9.6%. The company credited the “international diversity of our business” with helping to offset December’s “particularly punter friendly sports results in the UK” that have bedeviled GVC’s UK rivals.

GVC also got a boost from its gaming/other division, which reported Q4 daily revenue rising 9% to €1.6m (up 11% in constant currency terms). Here again, GVC credited its “proven portfolio” of brands for goosing the numbers.

Nordic online gambling operator Betsson has boosted its UK market presence via a £26.4m bid for AIM-listed interactive TV gambling operator NetPlay TV.

On Thursday, Betsson announced that it had made an all-cash £26.4m offer to acquire NetPlay, which operates the Jackpot247, Supercasino and Vernons brands. The price represents a 12.5% premium to NetPlay’s current share value, and Betsson hopes to close the deal by April 2017.

While the deal must be approved by NetPlay shareholders and UK regulators, NetPlay’s board of directors plans to unanimously recommend that shareholders accept the deal. Betsson has also received signed statements of support from NetPlay’s top two shareholders – Directforce Trading Ltd and Henderson Global Investors – who, along with NetPlay’s directors, account for nearly 40% of NetPlay’s issued share capital.

Betsson CEO Ulrik Bengtsson said NetPlay’s brands each had “strong offerings” and believes that “applying Betsson’s experience of operating successful casino brands will add to NetPlay’s earnings and growth.”

Nordic online gambling operator Betsson has boosted its UK market presence via a £26.4m bid for AIM-listed interactive TV gambling operator NetPlay TV.

On Thursday, Betsson announced that it had made an all-cash £26.4m offer to acquire NetPlay, which operates the Jackpot247, Supercasino and Vernons brands. The price represents a 12.5% premium to NetPlay’s current share value, and Betsson hopes to close the deal by April 2017.

While the deal must be approved by NetPlay shareholders and UK regulators, NetPlay’s board of directors plans to unanimously recommend that shareholders accept the deal. Betsson has also received signed statements of support from NetPlay’s top two shareholders – Directforce Trading Ltd and Henderson Global Investors – who, along with NetPlay’s directors, account for nearly 40% of NetPlay’s issued share capital.

Betsson CEO Ulrik Bengtsson said NetPlay’s brands each had “strong offerings” and believes that “applying Betsson’s experience of operating successful casino brands will add to NetPlay’s earnings and growth.”