Monthly Archives: January 2019

Scout Gaming enters Mexico with Logrand Entertainment Group

Scout Gaming has entered into a license agreement with Logrand Entertainment Group. The agreement gives Logrand full access to Scout Gaming’s full Fantasy Sports platform.

Logrand was established in 2005 and currently operates 14 casinos across Mexico, including 6,000 gaming terminals at venues in Cancun, Guadalajara and Monterrey. Logrand currently employs over 3,500 people.

“We are really pleased with this deal, making us enter into the Mexican market. We see big potential in the region and is proud to be chosen by Logrand which is one of the leading Mexican brands. Their ambition to build the top product offering aligns well with our ambition. The deal also further strengthens Scout Gaming’s position as the global leading B2B provider of Fantasy Sports.” commented Scout Gaming CEO Andreas Ternström.

The agreement is of strategic importance for Scout Gaming. The Mexican market has a lot of similarities with the neighboring US market as well as the broader Latin American market. Scout Gaming will before the upcoming launch in addition to their current offering add some leagues as well as new sports.

Genting Hong Kong re-ups deal to buy gaming equipment for cruises

Genting Hong Kong (Genting HK), the casino ship operator and gaming investment firm, has renewed an agreement with FreeStyle Gaming PTE Ltd. The agreement will allow Genting HK to buy equipment and devices for electronic games, specifically for cruise lines operated by the group.

FreeStyle Gaming is a branch of Resorts World Inc, the Singapore based gaming company. That company has split ownership between Genting Bhd, the Malaysian parent company of Genting HK, and by the group’s chairman Lim Kok Thay.

Reportedly, the deal will run from January 1, 2019 until December 31, 2021, and will allow for a cap of US$1 million in purchases for the first year, and US$3 million for the following years. The increased caps for 2020 and 2021 are necessary to provide a buffer incase demand increases, the company noted.

In December, Genting HK consolidated by relinquishing its stake in Norwegian Cruise Lines, specifically so it could free up capital to make future investments and purchases. Although this new agreement seems to be a bit more of an internal deal, the additional money probably helped move things along.

Initial bouts announced for ONE: Hero’s ascent on 25 January in Manila

3 January 2019 – Manila, Philippines: The largest global sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship™ (ONE), has just announced the initial bouts for ONE: HERO’S ASCENT, which is set for the Mall of Asia Arena in Manila on 25 January. Once again, the absolute best in local and international martial arts talent is set to showcase their skills in the ONE Championship cage. In the main event, reigning ONE Flyweight World Champion Geje “Gravity” Eustaquio of the Philippines will defend his title against Adriano “Mikinho” Moraes of Brazil in a historic trilogy bout.

Ticket information for ONE: HERO’S ASCENT is available at www.onefc.com.

Moraes first defeated Eustaquio in September 2014, winning by second-round guillotine choke.

Eustaquio then worked his way back up the ranks in order to secure a rematch with the Brazilian four years later. He picked up the ONE Interim Flyweight World Title with a victory over Kairat Akhmetov in January 2018, which set up the title unification bout with Moraes.

Melco installs solar panels for two Macau casinos

Melco Resorts and Entertainment looks to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and promote environmental sustainability with the installation of solar panels in the rooftops of its City of Dreams and Studio City casinos in Macau.

In a press release, the company said the placing of 18,000 solar photovoltaic panels, spanning nearly 30,000 square meters over its two casino resorts, have the capacity to generate almost 7.7 million kilowatt-hours of energy every year. According to the casino operator, this is equivalent to 1,500 average households’ annual energy consumption.

The switch to solar power is expected to cut CO2 emissions by over 6,000 tons, which is said to be equivalent to the amount that 260,000 trees could absorb in a year.

With the installation of the solar panels, Melco claims to be the first integrated resort in Macau to install on-site renewable energy technology.

Galaxy grants shares to directors at yearend

Galaxy Entertainment Group Limited has granted a total of 8,818,000 share options and awarded a total of 783,700 shares to its executive directors, including company founder Lui Che Woo, and other shareholders.

In a filing with the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKSE), Galaxy announced an exercise price for the options of HKD48.65 ($6.21) per share. At the time of the announcement, Galaxy shares had closed at HKD48.55 ($6.20) per share.

Such options to subscribe will be valid until December 27, 2024, and to be distributed every year from 2019 to 2021, beginning with 2,939,301 options on December 28, 2019.

The share awards will be distributed from 2019 to 2021, beginning with 261,225 shares on December 28, 2019.

Galaxy grants shares to directors at yearend

Galaxy Entertainment Group Limited has granted a total of 8,818,000 share options and awarded a total of 783,700 shares to its executive directors, including company founder Lui Che Woo, and other shareholders.

In a filing with the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKSE), Galaxy announced an exercise price for the options of HKD48.65 ($6.21) per share. At the time of the announcement, Galaxy shares had closed at HKD48.55 ($6.20) per share.

Such options to subscribe will be valid until December 27, 2024, and to be distributed every year from 2019 to 2021, beginning with 2,939,301 options on December 28, 2019.

The share awards will be distributed from 2019 to 2021, beginning with 261,225 shares on December 28, 2019.

Becky’s Affiliated: My top 5 most anticipated iGaming events of 2019

Here we are, another exciting year under our belts and in fact, 2019 marks my tenth year(!!) of covering iGaming conferences and events around the globe for CalvinAyre.com. While I always look forward to restarting our usual events coverage calendar in January, there are always a few surprises that pop up each year, gems some of you might not actually be aware of.

As we all put our professional hats back on after the holidays, please consider adding the below “gems” to your 2019 calendar where applicable, my top five most anticipated events of the year, in chronological order.

Fire & Ice ROCKS- February 6, 2019

So here I am gushing about ten years with CalvinAyre.com when Michael Caselli and Jodie Thind have been organizing and hosting the Fire & Ice party for 18 years and counting! I’ll assume most of you at least know of Fire & Ice which is easily the best iGaming party of the year, but for those who don’t, it takes place annually during ICE Totally Gaming on the Wednesday night of the show.

Thursday night NBA betting preview & trends

If it seems like the same handful of teams are showcased every Thursday on the TNT doubleheader, well, that’s largely true. The network paid a few billion for the solo national rights to telecast the NBA on Thursdays, so it has a say in which teams it wants to show.

Odds courtesy of OddsShark.com

The TNT opener this week is the Toronto Raptors at San Antonio Spurs. Solid matchup on the court, but the clear story line is Kawhi Leonard’s return to San Antonio. He forced his way out of town by barely playing last year, and the Spurs shipped him and Danny Green north of the border this past summer for DeMar DeRozan, Jakob Poeltl and a protected 2019 first-round pick.

For this year, the Raptors are clear winners of the trade as Leonard is playing at an MVP level and Toronto is battling for the NBA’s best record – it’s the betting favorite to win the Eastern Conference. However, Leonard can still walk after this season as a free agent. The Spurs are a bit above average with DeRozan, who is having one of his better seasons. Where the Spurs might win that trade long term is the fact DeRozan is under contract through the 2020-21 season (if he exercises a player option).

Sands China denies its app was hit with Beijing’s ban-hammer

Casino operator Las Vegas Sands is denying media reports that its Sands China division had a mobile app banned by Chinese authorities.

Last week, China’s Office of the Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission announced that it had banned 3,469 mobile apps involved in “pornography, gambling, illegal games and malicious programs.” The report said these apps were capable of “great social harm” and must be “attacked by all means.”

Among the apps hit with China’s ban hammer was one bearing the Chinese character for Sands Macao (澳门金沙), the name of one of Sands China’s casino properties in Macau. Sands China does have a ‘Sands Resorts Macao’ app for promoting its non-gambling amenities, as promotion of gambling is illegal on the Chinese mainland.

A few days later, Sands China issued a statement to the Macau News Agency stating that “all our official mobile apps continue to be accessible and function normally from within China. Our applications and websites comply strictly with Chinese rules and regulations.”

Gary Platt brings patented designs, latest innovations to ICE 2019

RENO, Nev. (January 3, 2019) – Coming off the best year in the company’s history, Gary Platt is bringing its patented designs and latest innovations to ICE Totally Gaming 2019. Gary Platt will be at stand #S5-200 at the tradeshow, showcasing its unsurpassed comfort seating for all areas of the casino and hotel.

“Our customers worldwide have been responding very positively to our product lines, and because of their support, Gary Platt is the number one global gaming chair provider for the fourth year in a row,” said Gary Platt Vice President of Sales Joshua Corrick. “We have one job, and that is to make the world’s most comfortable chairs for operators so that their players are as comfortable as possible, and we are honored to be recognized as the global leader in comfort and design.”

Leading Gary Platt’s exposition is the company’s new line of sportsbook chairs. Gary Platt’s sportsbook line features styles inspired by the company’s portfolio of field-proven and player-favorite chairs. Styles in the sportsbook line include the patented Monaco (US Patent No. D829458), Bleu, Genoa Club, GX2, Lido Revo, Lugano, Sierra, and Sonoma Club. Each chair is customizable to fit each individual casino’s design, with a wide range of upholstery, finishing, and base styles to choose from.

In addition to sportsbook seating, Gary Platt will showcase seating for all areas of the casino, including slots, tables, back of house, convention, and guest room.

Foxen & Bicknell rule the GPI World; Schindler tales Card Player crown

The Global Poker Index confirm Alex Foxen and his partner Kristen Bicknell as the two leading lights of the male and female Player of the Year race, and Jake Schindler wins the Card Platyr of the Year award.

It’s official; poker has a king and queen.

The noted poker ranking authority, The Global Poker Index (GPI), has crowned Alex Foxen as the 2018 GPI Player of the Year (PoY) and bestowed the GPI Female PoY title to his partner, Kristen Bicknell.

The mountain lion like Foxen booked the victory after finishing runner-up to Isaac Haxton in the season-ending Super High Roller Bowl V (SHRB). Any less, and Stephen Chidwick would have pinched it at the death thanks to his third-place finish in the same event.

EPL week 21 review: Spurs move into second; Arsenal and United book wins

Week 21 of the English Premier League sees Spurs return to second in the table after a resounding victory in South Wales, and Arsenal and Man Utd close ground on Chelsea in the battle fort Champions League qualification.

Cardiff 0 v 3 Spurs

Considering the quality of football coming from Anfield and The Etihad this season, you could be forgiven for thinking that Mauricio Pochettino’s side is a solar system apart. So, it’s a testament to how well Spurs have played this season that their win over Cardiff leaves them a mere six points behind the summit of the English Premier League (EPL).

Spurs travelled to South Wales to face a rejuvenated Cardiff side after stumbling to a 3-1 home defeat to Wolves. It was the perfect away fixture for the men in white, despite Cardiff winning four of their last six at home, as the Welsh side are incapable of beating the Big Six.

Dutch gambling regulator issues record €1.7m in fines in 2018

The Netherlands’ gambling regulator issued a record high total of financial penalties in 2018, although collecting these penalties will prove far more difficult.

Last week, the Netherlands’ Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) gaming regulatory body announced that it had imposed a record €1,709,800 in financial penalties in 2018, nearly twice the €1m penalty total in 2017 and more than four times that of 2016’s penalty package. (For comparative purposes, the UK Gambling Commission’s financial penalty total for 2018 exceeded £27m.)

The spike in fines came after the KSA announced strict new rules targeting online operators who didn’t do enough to block Dutch residents’ access to their sites. The vast majority of 2018’s penalty total was imposed on five internationally licensed online operators: Bet-at-Home, Betsson, CyberRock/Honeydew, Mr Green and William Hill.

Some of these operators are appealing these penalties, based on the argument that existing Dutch gambling laws run counter to the European Union’s rules against unfair restriction of trade between members states. However, these appeals have traditionally found little favor with Dutch courts.