Monthly Archives: September 2018

Thai cops shut down Slot555 illegal online casino

Thailand authorities have shut down a popular but illegal online casino site whose operations were spread across four provinces.

On Tuesday, police in Thailand’s capital Bangkok announced they’d shut down the Slot555.com online casino and arrested 11 individuals, including the alleged ringleader, one Wasan Kaosa-art, who now faces an eternity behind bars in this extremely gambling-phobic country.

Officers at the Huai Khwang Police Station, led by Pol Maj Gen Surachate Hapkarn, said Wasan ran the gambling site from a server based in Bangkok’s Bueng Kum district. Some Thai media reports referenced a ‘network’ of multiple gambling sites, although Slot555 was the only domain name cited.

The site reportedly had over 10k customers who lost BHT103m (US$3.2m) on its games. The money was funneled through multiple bank accounts listed under the names of members of Wasan’s family in areas outside Bangkok.

Big Fish Games cuts 15% of staff as focus shifts to social casino

Social gaming operator Big Fish Games is shedding 15% of its staff as it refocuses its efforts on social casino and casual games.

On Tuesday, GeekWire reported receiving an internal memo sent to Big Fish staffers in which the company’s recently appointed managing director Jeff Karp revealed that Big Fish would be “doing fewer things better, to be bigger,” although the latter descriptive doesn’t apply to the company’s payroll.

Karp explained that the company would be “sharping our focus to only develop social casino and casual games,” and thus a number of staffers involved with “the premium business, SkyRocket studio and centralized teams” will need to update their resumes.

The total number of exiting staff has yet to be confirmed, although estimates are around 110 bodies exiting the company’s new Seattle offices. Among those exiting are several vice-presidents – Omar Amin (operations), Kathryn Ficarra (advertising), Steve Galic (engineering), Paul Handelman (licensing) and Pat Wylie (studios). Director of Finance Jina Heverley, a 15-year Big Fish veteran, has apparently decided to retire.

Stride Gaming sets aside £4m for UK compliance penalty

Online gambling operator Stride Gaming has warned investors it expects to pay a £4m penalty for one of its subsidiaries contravening its UK license obligations.

On Wednesday, the UK-listed Stride issued a trading update previewing its final results for the 12 months ending August 31, ahead of its official annual report on November 21. The company expects revenue to come in around £85m (£3m higher than in FY17) while forecasting earnings of around £16m (down from £20m).

The company blamed the earnings shortfall on £4m in extra tax paid during the current fiscal year, part of the “backdrop of more challenging trading conditions” the company dealt with in FY18. These challenges also included “implementing further measures to ensure that Stride continues to maintain high standards in the provision of responsible gaming.”

On that last note, Stride announced in early August that the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) had warned the company that it faced a “significant financial penalty following a review of the manner in which the Licensee has historically carried on its licensed activities.” Stride emphasized at the time that this notice wasn’t final but now appears to be taking the UKGC at its word.

“Sports Betting Hall of Fame Award” to Fabio Schiavolin

BETTING ON SPORTS 2018: during the international gaming convention in London Snaitech CEO received an award for his experience in the industry.

London, 26th of September 2018 – A career that defines visionary proportions: an intuitive capacity to aspire towards a world that is not yet in existence. This is the meaning of the Hall of Fame Award received by Fabio Schiavolin, Snaitech CEO during “Experience Counts – the Hall of Fame” panel at “Betting on Sports”, the international event for gaming industry (London Olympia Center, 18-21 September).

Some of the most important members of the SBC Sport Betting Hall of Fame joined the panel with Fabio Schiavolin, doing an interactive session about the experience they have had during their time in the industry.

The intuition and the capability to understand and “bet” on an idea, with a brilliant and smart supporting team represented Schiavolin’s winning strategy. “The story started in 1995, in Spain, three years before betting became legal in Italy.  In those years, Italian gaming was represented just by Lotteries and the historical pool Totocalcio. In Spain I learnt all I could about successful strategies for betting business, in advance. So, when in 1998 the first bet was placed in Italy, I was ready and able to catch the opportunity” Schiavolin said. His idea became reality with Cogetech, a smart and dynamic company that Schiavolin successfully brought to the integration with Snai for Snaitech merge. “Today we have to face new challenges, such as the one of internationalization. We departed from Spain to return and remain in Italy, unlike the others. When we decided to expand out of the national confines we returned there, Spain, where everything had started”.

Wazdan wins ‘Online Casino Innovator 2018’ at CEEG Awards

Wednesday, September 26; 2018, Malta – Slots provider Wazdan has strengthened its market leading position by winning the award for ‘Online Casino Innovator 2018’ at the 2018 Central and Eastern Europe Gaming Conference (CEEG) held in Budapest.

The CEEGC award for ‘Online Casino Innovator 2018’ is a confirmation that Wazdan’s meteoric growth this year is underwritten by the company’s laser focus on technology innovation that allows a talented and highly motivated team to produce some of the world’s best slots games.

The 2018 CEEG conference took place in Budapest this week, with the awards voted on by the attending delegates. In a hotly contested category Wazdan emerged with the Award despite strong competition from industry heavyweights: NetEnt, BetConstruct, Iforium and Tom Horn Gaming.

Many of Wazdan’s games are powered by their innovative suite of added-value tools, Unique Wazdan Features, that include the world’s first Volatility Levels™, Energy Saving Mode, Double Screen Mode and Unique Gamble Feature. The company is currently working on a number of new Unique Wazdan Features, some of which were on display at iGB Live!, and will be showcased at SiGMA in November.

Microgaming unveils Wicked Tales: Dark Red

ISLE OF MAN – Microgaming presents Wicked Tales: Dark Red, the online gaming giant’s latest slot developed by Triple Edge Studios, available exclusively to Microgaming operators.

From the game studio behind Microgaming’s Playboy™ Gold and Halloween® online slots, comes another stunning creation by Triple Edge Studios, this time reimagining a classic tale with a wicked new twist.

Microgaming’s Wicked Tales: Dark Red is a five reel, 25 payline slot set in the foreboding forests of Ravenmire, where fortune and fantasy collide. The game features Triple Edge’s signature Wandering Reels, a group of three reels that spin together and contain Jumbo Blocks, which work to increase the player’s chance of landing big wins.

Landing three bonus symbols in the base game triggers the Wolf’s Wheel Bonus, where the suspense intensifies. During the bonus, players have the chance to spin the wheel for cash prizes, multipliers and the treasure chest, a symbol that leads to the Forest of Fortunes where the game’s pick bonus awaits.

12 groups interested in building Yokohama casino

At least 12 entities, eight from outside Japan, are asking about building a casino in Yokohama City, according to the Kanagawa Shimbun.

GGRAsia reported the news that among the companies requesting information on setting up a Yokohama casino are Caesars Entertainment Corp., Wynn Resorts Ltd, Melco Resorts and Entertainment Ltd, and MGM Resorts International. Apart from these four, two other entities who had submitted related documents to the city are based in Japan, while two remained unidentified.

The Malaysia-based Genting Group, through subsidiary Genting Singapore, disclosed that it has incorporated several subsidiaries, including Genting Yokohama Co., Ltd. and Resorts World Yokohama Co., Ltd.

In spite of the interest from businesses, it is not certain that Yokohama will push through with a bid to host one of three casinos licensed by the Japanese government pursuant to the Integrated Resorts (IR) Implementation Law passed last July. In a survey conducted by the city last May and June, 94% of respondents expressed a “negative” view of having a casino in the city.

Viva Las Vegas, the new video slot by Red Rake Gaming!

The game developer based in Valencia (Spain) has launched a new 5×4 reel video slot where music, fun and entertainment are the real stars of the show.

With this new launch, Red Rake aims to give players the genuine Las Vegas atmosphere. Lively music that just makes you want to sit down, play and enjoy. An attractive design and a seemingly endless string of incredible prizes make for maximum gameplay enjoyment.

This new video slot adds an original bonus feature with its heart gauge sidebar where players will receive free spins when achieving 4 or more straight respins, as well as having the opportunity to multiply their prizes.

During the Free Spins Bonus feature, the featured “Viva Las Vegas” symbols – inspired by the legendary sign welcoming visitors to the city – will operate as Wilds, offering even more prizes in turn.

Silverthorn’s Laura Crimmons sees an end to marketing via links

CalvinAyre.com’s Becky Liggero discussed with Laura Crimmons, founder of marketing firm Silverthorn Agency, the effective ways for gambling sites to get noticed online.

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The Mouthpiece: A Rat Jacket?

Jurisdiction, privacy, and the future of gaming

“When it comes to privacy and accountability, people always demand the former for themselves and the latter for everyone else.”

David Brin

Once upon a time, a “rat jacket” meant that you had been identified as a “rat”—an informer, a stool pigeon. This qualified you for much unfriendly attention in certain circles. That was then.