Monthly Archives: August 2017

Current state of the online gambling market in Slovakia with Dr. Robert Skalina at CEEGC 2017

18 August 2017, Budapest: The organizers of the event are honored to announce that Dr. Robert Skalina (Partner at WH Partners), who will be a key speaker about the Czech regulation, will also give a briefing about the situation of the online gambling industry in Slovakia.

The recent regulation of the markets in Eastern Europe show a clear sign that unlicensed online gambling will soon be eradicated from Europe.

Illegal gaming operations have been blocked recently in Poland, Slovakia and Czech Republic and the European authorities have announced major crackdown on illegal gaming operations as unlicensed platforms. Under recently approved regulations, three administrations decided to introduce ISP blocking to end unauthorised gaming operations just this year.

Although ISP blocking has been criticized by all involved companies, the European governments are reinforcing the legal battle against international gaming operators without license by banning the platforms in their jurisdictions. According to experts, the ban, however, is easy to break as ISP blocking is not very effective. Authorities from Poland, Slovakia and Czech Republic also stated that illegal operators could be charged with over US$587k fines.

Tom John Light (VP at SBTech) to speak about the “Key role of Omni Channel” at CEEGC 2017

18 August 2017, Budapest: Omnichannel is a common theme in the sports betting industry sector and the term has been used for a while now. It is the simple concept of offering the same product via different channels. Now, when the words innovation and evolution are mentioned, it is imagined that reference is being made to developments many years down the road. However, with omnichannel, we most be aware that the future is now.

When it comes to his gaming and betting experience, the consumer has high expectations and this report explains how any operator can deliver on these right now, using existing technologies.

Tom John Light, Vice President of Business Development at SBTech, will present the key roles omni channel has to offer and with the FIFA World Cup on the horizon, the technology will have a vital importance for the industry.

The “Innovation Talks – Latest innovations in the field of gambling and hot topics that shape the industry in 2017 and 2018” panel is scheduled to be held between 10:00 – 11:30 (Budapest Local Time) on the 20th of September (Day 2) during the second edition of the Central and Eastern European Gaming Conference Budapest. (you can view the full agenda here).

CEEGC2017 announce more keynote speaker for the Crytocurrency Talks and the Eastern European panel

August 2017, Budapest: As the Bitcoin price is going up, so is the interest for delegates that would like to hear more about cryptocurrencies during gaming events around the world. This has lead EEGEvents (organizers of CEEGC Budapest) to invite the best speakers when it comes to the presence of Bitcoin in the world of gambling. Thus, it is their honor to announce the next speaker who will join their first exclusive cryptocurrency panel in the Innovation Talk Series.

Max Krupyshev (COO of Cubits) will be the expert that will join the panel and we are really excited to give this great opportunity to gain access into some vital information for the attending delegates.

The “Innovation Talks – The Cryptocurrency Effect”  panel is scheduled to be held between 12:00 – 13:00 (Budapest Local Time) on the 19th of September (Day 1) during the second edition of the Central and Eastern European Gaming Conference Budapest. (you can view the full agenda here).

More about the speaker:

Morgan Stanley: Philippine casino cannibalization not a concern for now

Investors who bet on the Philippine casino industry may heave a sigh of relief after the “cannibals” failed to show up after Okada Manila opened recently.

Analysts from Morgan Stanley downplayed the possible cannibalization of the Philippine casino market due to a new supply of venue space as the Southeast Asian island nation rides on strong tourist arrivals and a vibrant and dynamic economy.

In the near term, the international brokerage said in its note on Thursday that potential cannibalization of the Philippine casino is “not a concern.”

“We are not concerned about cannibalisation, which is not visible in the second quarter. Strong tourist arrivals and the NAIA Expressway have brought in more Chinese and Filipino mass customers from cities outside of Manila respectively,” Morgan Stanley analysts Alex Poon and Praveen Choudhary said.

KamaGames enjoys a hugely successful WMGC & enters the Chinese market

Dublin, Ireland – August 18th 2017 – Global developers and publishers of social card games for mobile platforms, the KamaGames Group, today announced another very successful show attendance as they return from the World Mobile Game Conference (WMGC) part of this year’s China Joy Exhibition in Shanghai China.

As part of the group’s further expansion into the Asian markets, KamaGames were one of the conference’s platinum sponsors that saw them having a strong marketing and communications execution as well as a talk by Daniel Kashti, KamaGames’ Chief Marketing & Commercial Officer.

During his talk, Kashti discussed how the western social card game business, currently valued at over $4 billion, is rapidly expanding across the Asian markets with more players enjoying games on mobile resulting in a comparative decline in Facebook gaming. This has resulted in significant growth across the KamaGames group and allowed them to focus expanding into new and emerging markets across the world.

In addition, the developer and publisher also hosted an evening networking event, inviting key members of the local press and local publishers and distributors to introduce them to Europe’s largest independent social poker title – Pokerist.

Dan Iliovici (President of the Romanian National Office for Gambling) to co-host the CEEG Awards presentations

August 2017, Budapest: The organizers of CEEGC2017 are honored to  that Mr. Dan Iliovici (President of the Romanian National Office for Gambling) (ONJN) will be the co-host of the second edition of the Central and Eastern European Gaming Awards (CEEGAwards) presentations.

Mr. Dan will do the honors of presenting the winners of each category and giving each winner the opportunity to thank the attending delegates for the submitted votes.

Built on the success of CEEG Awards 2016, which brought together a large wave of Post Event linking and mentions of the winners published on major portal such as Yahoo Finance, Bloomberg, PRNewWire, GlobalLiveNews, local media, TV adverts and many more.

During the 2017 edition of CEEG AWARDS, delegates will have the opportunity to enjoy the awards ceremony and witness special moments with present peers.

Asian Gaming Summit takes a look at Taiwan’s gaming prospects

Industry players, experts and affiliates are coming to Taiwan for a brand new conference that will assess, among other things, the Asian country’s chances of becoming the next big casino, entertainment and integrated resorts destination.

The inaugural Taiwan Gaming Summit, which will be held from Nov. 8-10 at W Taipei, promises to take a look at the current state of things as well as the future opportunities for the casino industry in Taiwan.

The three-day event couldn’t have come at a better time, as the island of Kinmen is scheduled to vote on a gambling referendum on October 28. This is the third time a Taiwanese outlying island will hold a referendum on gambling after the government lifted the 15-year prohibition on gambling on the islands of Kinmen, Matsu and Penghu in September 2009.

The two previous referendums were held in Penghu, but residents voted—twice—against the idea of allowing casino resorts in the country. In the October 2016 referendum, 81 percent or 26,598 residents voted against the casino plan, while 6,210 votes were in favor of the drive to bring casinos to Taiwan.

Fantasy sports giant DraftKings eyes Ireland launch

US-based daily fantasy sports giant DraftKings is once again setting its sights across the Atlantic Ocean after state regulators thumbed down its merger with another fantasy sports juggernaut FanDuel.

Fora reported that the leading American fantasy sports operator is eyeing to bring is gaming service in Ireland before the year ends.

The report came out just weeks after the proposed merger between DraftKings and FanDuel met its untimely demise in the wake of efforts by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to block the union due to concerns over decreased competition in the US DFS market.

DraftKings’ Chief International Officer Jeffrey Haas, said the company will roll-out their offerings to Ireland although he quickly pointed out that there there’s no plans yet for the company to open its headquarters in the region.

Danske Spil’s Jens Nielsen heads the sportsbook session at #boscon2017

The Head of Sportsbook session featuring Danske Spil’s Jens Nielsen, Mr Green’s Enda Gaffney and Vladimir Dratsjov from Olympic Entertainment Group (OlyBet) will provide an explosive start to the ‘Leaders in Betting’ track at Betting on Sports 2017 (12-15 September).

Kicking off the first full day of #boscon2017 in the main auditorium at Olympia Conference Centre (13 September), the trio will be discussing a range of key issues including the choice of sportsbook suppliers, new product partnerships, managing P&L and adapting to target markets.

Having launched its Kambi-powered sportsbook product in time for Euro 2016, Mr Green is in the process of developing a new sportsbook version, as part of a scaled up ‘2.0 business strategy’ which led to its best ever quarter in business (Q2 2017).

Meanwhile, OlyBet has streamlined its operation to six European territories, using successful operations in Estonia and Latvia to offset lost revenues from Poland and Belarus, where the company was forced to discontinue services due to restrictive national gambling regulations.

Danske Spil’s Jens Nielsen heads the sportsbook session at #boscon2017

The Head of Sportsbook session featuring Danske Spil’s Jens Nielsen, Mr Green’s Enda Gaffney and Vladimir Dratsjov from Olympic Entertainment Group (OlyBet) will provide an explosive start to the ‘Leaders in Betting’ track at Betting on Sports 2017 (12-15 September).

Kicking off the first full day of #boscon2017 in the main auditorium at Olympia Conference Centre (13 September), the trio will be discussing a range of key issues including the choice of sportsbook suppliers, new product partnerships, managing P&L and adapting to target markets.

Having launched its Kambi-powered sportsbook product in time for Euro 2016, Mr Green is in the process of developing a new sportsbook version, as part of a scaled up ‘2.0 business strategy’ which led to its best ever quarter in business (Q2 2017).

Meanwhile, OlyBet has streamlined its operation to six European territories, using successful operations in Estonia and Latvia to offset lost revenues from Poland and Belarus, where the company was forced to discontinue services due to restrictive national gambling regulations.

Bitcoin corporate bond debuts in Japan

Financial information provider Fisco Ltd. has started experimenting with selling bitcoin-denominated, unsecured corporate bonds in Japan.

Last week, the Tokyo-based company issued a three-year bond worth 200 bitcoins to another firm in the Fisco group to test “the bonds’ potential to become a useful fundraising tool,” said Masayuki Tashiro, chief product officer of Fisco.

The bond, issued by the Fisco Cryptocurrency Exchange, pays a 3 percent coupon and returns the 200 bitcoins to the holder upon its maturity on August 10, 2022. The notes are currently worth $860,000 as of Friday’s trading, when the price of bitcoin holds at $4,300.

Tashiro told Bloomberg that the bond was designed “like a regular corporate note” to “satisfy regulatory requirements.”

Bitcoin corporate bond debuts in Japan

Financial information provider Fisco Ltd. has started experimenting with selling bitcoin-denominated, unsecured corporate bonds in Japan.

Last week, the Tokyo-based company issued a three-year bond worth 200 bitcoins to another firm in the Fisco group to test “the bonds’ potential to become a useful fundraising tool,” said Masayuki Tashiro, chief product officer of Fisco.

The bond, issued by the Fisco Cryptocurrency Exchange, pays a 3 percent coupon and returns the 200 bitcoins to the holder upon its maturity on August 10, 2022. The notes are currently worth $860,000 as of Friday’s trading, when the price of bitcoin holds at $4,300.

Tashiro told Bloomberg that the bond was designed “like a regular corporate note” to “satisfy regulatory requirements.”

Surprise, surprise: Mayweather plans to bet on himself in McGregor bout

As someone who likes to bet big bucks on sporting events, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Floyd Mayweather Jr. isn’t passing up on the chance to place a wager in his upcoming boxing match against Conor McGregor.

And who will the five-division world champion bet on? Himself, of course.

“I’m never going to bet against myself. Never,” Mayweather told talk show host Jimmy Kimmel on Tuesday.

Legally, nothing is stopping Mayweather from placing wagers, since the August 26 fight will take place in Las Vegas, where gambling is legal. And it appears that even Conor McGregor is also betting on himself, according to reports.

Unikrn looks to raise $100M with eSports betting cryptocurrency sale

eSports betting operator Unikrn is planning to sell $100 million worth of cryptocurrency tokens as part of an initial coin offering (ICO) in September.

The tokens are called UnikoinGold, which the Seattle-based start-up said are exclusive for its skill-based betting platform. The digital currency is designed as a decentralized token on the Ethereum platform, which means that it can be bought, sold and traded on digital currency exchanges that deal with Ethereum.

The presale registration period for UnikoinGold is already over, but Unikrn announced that the public token sale for the cryptocurrency will take place on September 22, 2017.

Unikrn, which has partnered with CoinCircle for the ICO, plans to “use the proceeds to help fund the growth of its business,” GeekWire reported. Mark Cuban already said that he will participate in Unikrn’s ICO, despite declaring the bitcoin was in a bubble.

Tighter casino controls weigh on Rank Group’s 2017 profits

Despite a strong performance in its digital arm, casino and bingo operator Rank Group saw its profits and revenues fall for the financial year to the end of June.

The UK leisure group, which owns Grosvenor Casinos and Mecca Bingo, reported a slip in total revenues from £709 million (US$913.27 million) to £707 million (US$910.7 million) during the 12-month period, while profits before tax dropped 7 percent to £79.7 million (US$102.66 million).

Pre-tax profits, on an adjusted basis, were up by 2 percent to £79.3 million (US$102.15 million). However, the group’s operating profit before exceptional items and group like-for-like revenue only grew by 1 percent. Meanwhile, a “challenging UK retail environment” has caused the like-for-like revenue and operating profit at Ranks’ venues to drop by 1 percent and 9 percent, respectively.

Revenues in Rank’s casino division fell 3 percent to £397 million (US$511.38 million), while operating profits declined by 14 percent. Rank CEO Henry Birch said one of the reasons for the company’s profit fall was the “more stringent customer due diligence to address money laundering, proceeds of crime and problem gambling.”

Calling the Clock: Tsang on Tsoukernik; Hellmuth on WPT; Bolt on Zoom

Another round up of news from the world of poker including One Drop winner, Elton Tsang, with some bold claims, Phil Hellmuth on the Raw Deal, and Usain Bolt on PokerStars Zoom games.

When Guy Laliberte decided to ban professional poker players from competing in the 2016 $1m buy-in One Drop event, it was recognised, almost universally, as a bad move.

The winner, Elton Tsang, banked €11,111,111, and all seemed fair in love and war. Tsang was not a familiar name within media circles. One assumed he was a mega rich businessman, playing in $1m buy-in tournaments for fun, using the winnings to prevent doomsday pathogens, cure malnutrition, or create robot mosquitos to kill their brethren and cure malaria.

But that would be an incorrect assumption.

Oklahoma favored over Oklahoma State, Texas on Big 12 odds

The Oklahoma Sooners have won the past two Big 12 titles in college football, and they are -110 favorites to take home their third in a row this year. The big question is, can another school from the conference prevent a three-peat?

Bettors would love to know the answer before the season kicks off, but there appears to be only three other top contenders to win the Big 12 in 2017 according to oddsmakers.

First of all, the Sooners obviously will be difficult to beat with the experience of winning the last two conference titles, going 17-1 in the Big 12 and 22-4 overall during that stretch. They also have one of the early Heisman Trophy favorites in senior quarterback Baker Mayfield, who has thrown 76 touchdowns and 15 interceptions at Oklahoma.

The Oklahoma State Cowboys (+300), Texas Longhorns (+500) and Kansas State Wildcats (+600) look to be the main challengers for the conference championship, although none of them have tied or won it since 2012. That year, the Wildcats tied the Sooners for the title with an 8-1 mark while the Cowboys and Longhorns tied for second at 5-4. Oklahoma State has also finished second in the Big 12 the past two years.