Monthly Archives: April 2018

Social poker apps find their backs against China’s ‘great firewall’

Online poker operators in China are bracing for the full impact of an imminent ban in the country.

South China Morning Post reported that the Chinese government will no longer recognize poker as a competitive sport starting on June 1, although the legal framework of the ban has yet to be published, which means changes are possible.

In a nutshell, the Chinese government will forbid app stores from offering poker so that its citizens won’t be able to download the game in their mobile phones and tablets. Social media channels, such as WeChat and Weibo, are also barred from promoting poker in general under the new Chinese policy.

The sudden Chinese crackdown on online poker application is expected to put a big dent on the earnings of the companies that operate them. The impact Chinese crackdown on poker will be felt drastically as far as Manila and South Korea’s Jeju Island, according to Hong Kong Poker Players Association managing director Stephen Lai.

A lotto revolution: Lottoland launches hourly draw games with jackpots up to £160 million

Leading online lotto operator, Lottoland has today launched a revolutionary new range of lotto jackpots called “GO!” – a brand new product, offering players a chance to win huge jackpots every hour.

The first GO! product is EuroMillionaire GO! – a game in the familiar and popular 5/50 plus 2/12 format. The jackpot of EuroMillionaire GO! will match the EuroMillions jackpot, so prizes can reach £160 million. The current jackpot is at a HUGE £121 million. The big difference is that Customers can win Lottoland’s jackpot every hour, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

For just £2.50, players can bet on this draw and – best of all – if they don’t match any numbers, Lottoland will give them their money back! The money back guarantee isn’t an offer nor a promotion, but a fundamental change after introducing a new “match no numbers” prize tier.

The second GO! product 6 / 49 GO! is based on the classic and much loved 6 out of 49 draw, with a jackpot that follows the German Lotto 6aus49 jackpot which can climb to over £25 million and can be won when a player’s bet matches all six numbers and the ‘super number’. For just £1 players can bet on this exciting new draw, which also offers players a chance to win on ten different prize tiers. Alongside 6/49 GO!, Lottoland has also launched three additional bonus games – Lucky 7s, Super6 and Monthly Moolah – all of which increase your chances of winning every hour.

Habanero signs RWB Solutions International deal

April 23rd 2018 – Premium slots and table games provider Habanero has expanded its reach with a deal to supply casino brands via prominent Asian sportsbook operator RWB Solutions International.

As part of the agreement, RWB will make Habanero’s full collection of titles available to a number of the region’s leading brands, including Supotsubet.com.

This will include the supplier’s very latest releases Presto!, London Hunter, and Four Divine Beasts, which have been well-received by players in a number of markets.

Daniel Long, Head of Sales at Habanero, said: “We are really pleased to have agreed a deal with RWB, who possess a fantastic client base, and we are confident they will benefit from the popular games we produce.

Nolimit City strikes deal with Playfortuna.com

Leading casino operator, Playfortuna, chooses Nolimit City as a direct partner

The multi-year agreement inked between Playfortuna and Nolimit City will see the two join forces in a direct partnership thanks to the proprietary owned RGS platform hosted by Nolimit City. Playfortuna are announcing their commitment to integrate the supplier’s API with immediate effect.

Another deal set out for the software provider thanks to the efficiency of Playfortuna and the eagerness to integrate Nolimit games. Playfortuna, a renowned operator, known for offering a library of premium slot providers, as well as hosting active casino streamer promotions, making the operator a leader in the industry for its unique embrace of the live streaming world.

Playfortuna plans to offer players the full suite of Nolimit City games, including the latest exciting title ‘Tesla Jolt’, released last march and several other known titles from the studio like; WiXX, Casino Win Spin and Oktoberfest, amongst other great games.

Josef Darmark: Online payments landscape is generally evolving

In this interview with CalvinAyre.com’s Becky Liggero, Josef Darmark of Trustly shares how the company continues to inspire innovation in the workplace.

Loading the player…

jwplayer(‘camediasplayer-365929-2’).setup({

file: “http://30.cdn.bit2host.eu/videos/josef-darmark-online-payments-landscape-generally-evolving-video.m4v”,

Cricket star Chris Gayle backs Deltin Poker Tournament

One of the largest cricket stars in India is lending his face to poker. Chris Gayle, who plays for the Kings XI Punjab team in the Indian Premier League, has been tapped to promote the upcoming Deltin Poker Tournament (DPT) Colossus in Goa, and will also take a seat at the felt during the game. He joins several other high-profile Indian sports figures that have been joining in to support the rising interest in poker in the country.

The 38-year-old cricket player hails from Kingston, Jamaica, was the first batsman in World Cup history to score a double century after reaching 200 off 138 balls in the 2015 World Cup.  He is one of two players who has hit two Twenty20 International hundreds, scoring 100 not out against England. When he’s not playing for Kings XI Punjab, he’s back on his home turf playing for Jamaica’s team.

Poker in India has been gaining tremendous favor, and has led to several high-profile stars signing on to endorse the game. The Poker Sports League picked up Viswanathan Anand, India’s leading chess brain, last year, and, in January, Olympic boxer Vijender Singh was recruited by PokerBaazi. The endorsements not only give poker a certain degree of clout in the country, it also helps to combat regulations that look at the game as strictly a form of gambling with no skill involved.

Gayle has been described as an amateur poker player. He’s taken part in some tournaments in the past, but certainly hasn’t produced the type of talent seen on the pitch. He’ll join other players at the Deltin Royale Casino for the Colossus event held bimonthly, offering prize pools that can top $300,000.

Canada’s Global Daily Fantasy Sports secures Malta license

Malta is a hotspot for business and relaxation, alike. Its beaches and crystal-clear water call to international tourists and a variety of businesses have set up shop there due to the generous tax structure. Internet gambling and, most recently, cryptocurrency are the hottest industries and now it’s the home of Canada-based Global Daily Fantasy Sports Incorporated (GDFS), a daily fantasy sports (DFS) software supplier.

GDFS has been granted a license for business-to-business controlled skill games from the Malta Gaming Authority (GMA). The Vancouver-based company applied for the license so that it could reach markets that don’t require approval by a specific regulatory body. It now will use the five-year license to roll out its products to operators in those markets.

In a statement, GDFS CEO Darcy Krogh said, “The Malta Gaming Authority always showed a belief in the potential expansion of daily fantasy sports in Europe.” In addition to the Maltese license, the company also has a license issued by the UK’s Gambling Commission.

DFS is proving to be big business.  GDFS anticipates gross gaming revenue of around $54.4 billion this year, of which about 50% will come from sports betting. Only looking at the European market, the company expects to pick up a little more than $29 billion and, according to Krogh, the Malta license will help GDFS provide a wider reach and a stronger foundation around the continent.

Sports handicapper Dave Malinsky falls to death during hike

In a tragic accident, popular sports handicapper and announcer Dave Malinsky has passed away. The 57-year-old missed a dinner date with his mother on April 14, leading to a massive search effort. His car was later found close to the Deer Creek North Loop, a popular hiking spot near Mount Charleston on the outskirts of Las Vegas.

Malinsky, who was an avid hiker, apparently fell while hiking the trail known for its Bristlecone Pine Trees, Las Vegas Review-Journal reported. He was well-known in the Vegas sports betting community, and once said, “To be the most successful in this endeavor were not the crunchers, but rather those that understood the various subtleties and dynamics of sport, so that they could maneuver their way around those long corridors that statistics can not [sic] explain properly. Those that understand the way the various sports play out still need the refinement of the numbers behind them in order to win, but those that do not understand how fragile statistics are, based on both the human component and the various odd bounces that make up sports results, are going to have difficult time treading water.”

The search brought out a large amount of volunteers, firefighters, drones, helicopters and friends and family. After his body was found, a Facebook poster said, “This past week has been filled with a host of different emotions; uncertainty, fear, love, and ultimately despair. One feeling that remained constant throughout the week was support. Some of the support came from people who knew David for decades, some from those who only knew him as an acquaintance, and some who had never met Dave at all, but still offered help. The outpour of support from the Las Vegas hiking and sports community has been truly remarkable. Words cannot describe how grateful we are for the volunteer hikers, Red Rock Search and Rescue, Metropolitan Police, and everyone who offered support to find David.”

Malinsky was active on the SportsBookReview.com website, as well as others. He was known for sparking lively content and for a unique talent for sports bets. A GoFundMe page, originally established to help in the search, is now collecting funds for the expenses of his untimely death. It has already raised over $15,000 of its $25,000 goal.

EPL odds analysis week 35: Who will join Stoke and WBA in the Championship?

In this week’s Premier League Odds Analysis we take another look at the innards of the relegation fight, and try to figure out who will end up in the Championship next season.

Four games left.

Four.

Can you imagine being the DNA of one of the clubs desperately clinging on to Premier League status like a teenager clings to his dirty bed sheets? Not the manager. The DNA will fire him. Not the players. The DNA will sell them.

Go beyond the Reels with Betsoft at G2E Asia

23/4/2018 – Valletta, Malta Join Betsoft at G2E Asia where they will take you beyond the reels to a sneak peek at the next generation of iGaming – MaxQuest. Part of their new Interactive Gaming genre, this action-adventure, multi-player gaming experience, allows players to fully immerse themselves in gameplay like never before.

Players all over the world have the option to log on and experience our games through Betsoft’s VAULT engine, which offers amazing quality and surprisingly fast access to one of the world’s largest desktop and mobile catalogues in slot gaming. But with each new release there’s even more to get excited for.

In the last few months, Betsoft have built on their already impressive collection of games with stunning and enticing new titles which are the groundwork for the revolutionary titles to come. One new application of this technology, the “trail system”, has already appeared in Legends of the Nile, Sugar Pop 2, and Reels of Wealth. These advancements are made possible by our progressive SHIFT engine, that allows for high-quality game development over multiple platforms at an incredibly small file size.

Building off what Betsoft have already accomplished, MaxQuest will allow players to explore an ancient Egyptian tomb, facing fearsome foes and finding fabulous treasure. Similar to console gaming RPGs, players encounter enemies, find collectables, and work together in order to win BIG. With item collection, achievements, and leader-board, Betsoft are bringing the world of social games to their players. This integrated gamification allows the fun and excitement of gameplay to last beyond just a single win and is guaranteed to have players coming back for more.

GPL India partners with PokerStars; Platinum passes on offer for the winners

The Global Poker Index (GPL) India has partnered with PokerStars.in to act as online poker host for the first season and have reacted by promising $30,000 Platinum Passes to the winners.

It’s taken a while (raising $27m in funding for an entirely different project tends to take your eye off the ball), but the Global Poker League (GPL) is the newest poker present set to delight the Indian audience.

A press release received from the GPL has thrown more light on the future of the league in India, four months after the GPL’s parent company Mediarex Sports & Entertainment entered into a multi-year deal with Kwan Entertainment.

We know the league format works. The Montreal Nationals won the first GPL in December 2016. And the Chengdu Pandas won the first GPL China in December 2017. Now it’s India’s turn to shine.

Scott Margereson and Rens Feenstra win WPT titles either side of the pond

UK pro-Scott Margererson has taken down the Main Event at the World Poker Tour Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown, and Rens Feenstra has done likewise in Amsterdam.

Scott Margereson holds the queen of hearts and jack of spades aloft. A ridiculously expensive Hublot watch sits in the middle of the World Poker Tour (WPT) Championship, and Seminole Hard Rock trophies, and high above his head is a Dr Pepper banner. The fizzy drink manufacturer escaped the recent sugar-tax in the UK, after reducing sugar content by 32% (replaced with artificial sweeteners), but this was a sweet, sweet moment for Margereson.

There is nothing artificial about the UK-pro.

Margereson may not be a wholesale name on the live circuit (the amount of his WPT win exceeded his entire live tournament winnings stretching back to 2012), but he has been known to take off a head or two in the online realm. Margereson has accrued more than $4.1m playing online as “Aggro Santos.” His most significant score being $244,174.92 after winning a World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP) title back in 2014.

Super High Roller Bowl add 15 more; Nitsche, Sontheimer & Leonard miss out

Organisers of the Super High Roller Bowl have added another 15-players into the mix, and the American-centric selections mean the terrific trio of Dominik Nitsche, Steffen Sontheimer and Patrick Leonard miss out.

I’ve been told by the people who compete in such things that the Super High Roller Bowl (SHRB) is the Superbowl of High Stakes Poker. The organisers pitch the buy-in perfectly, the structure is dynamic, and the hosts look after you in the same way Rambo cared for his Bowie knife.

So why the ridiculous lottery?

Honestly, the system for selecting 49-players is utterly bizarre. It feels like an intern walked into Poker Central Towers and said, “Hey, give me something to do, I don’t want to make cups of tea,” and someone gave him the job of deciding the fate of 50+ high stakes poker players.

Triton Poker finds space in the high stakes market with short deck poker

The Triton Poker series is back, and this time they may have found a niche in the high stakes market, introducing Short-Deck, Ante Only live poker for the first time at these insane buy-in prices.

When Neymar Jr isn’t playing online poker, he’s not bad at football. At 26-years-old, the most expensive footballer this side of the jackfruit wrap staring ominously at me from the fridge is a veritable legend in Brazil. But what makes him so great?

Neymar Jr scored 54 goals in 102 games for Santos; 68 goals in 123 games for Barcelona, and 19 goals in 20 games before he broke his toe playing for Paris St Germain. He has scored 53 times in 83 appearances for Brazil.

But it’s not the goals that make him so great.