Monthly Archives: February 2019

Italy Loses Final Group 1 With Lydia Tesio Downgraded

Italy’s ailing Thoroughbred industry has been dealt a blow, with news that the Premio Lydia Tesio has been downgraded to group 2 for 2019.

Knicks Go to Make Seasonal Debut in Sam F. Davis Stakes

Trainer Ben Colebrook has seen enough from the morning works at Tampa Bay Downs by Knicks Go to make the track’s path to the spring classics Plan A for his first grade 1 winner.

Poker Pro Jamie Kerstetter Aims Go Meat Free Via Vegan Prop Bet With Bill Perkins

Poker players are known for their propensity for making an outlandish prop bet or two, and Jamie Kerstetter is the latest pro to lock in a five-figure wager. This one […]

The post Poker Pro Jamie Kerstetter Aims Go Meat Free Via Vegan Prop Bet With Bill Perkins appeared first on .

Game Winner Heads List of Triple Crown Nominees

Led by unbeaten 2-year-old champion Game Winner, a total of 362 3-year-old Thoroughbreds were made eligible to compete in this year’s Triple Crown series during the early nomination phase, which closed Jan. 26.

Walking Thunder Back in Action at Meydan

On a path that could lead to the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1), unbeaten Walking Thunder will return to action Feb. 7 at Meydan in the $250,000 UAE Two Thousand Guineas Sponsored by Al Naboodah Ashok Leyland Partnership (G3).

Four-Year Ban for Darren Weir Following Jigger Inquiry

Darren Weir’s training career has officially been brought to a halt. He was disqualified for four years after not contesting charges relating to the discovery of three electrical apparatus, or jiggers, at his Ballarat premises last week.

Horseshoe Casino Baltimore snaps losing streak in January

Maryland gaming venue Horseshoe Casino Baltimore‘s New Year’s resolution was apparently ‘try not to suck.’

Figures released Tuesday by the Maryland Lottery & Gaming agency show statewide casino gaming revenue of just under $137m, a 7.2% rise over the same month last year but well below the $148.4m the casinos generated in December 2018.

As always, MGM Resorts’ National Harbor property led all comers with $56.2m, up 12% from the same month last year and representing a 41% share of January’s overall revenue pie. Cordish Gaming’s Live! Casino & Hotel retained its now-standard runner-up status with $46.3m in January, a 6.3% year-on-year improvement.

Horseshoe Casino Baltimore, the joint venture of Caesars Entertainment and JACK Entertainment, bucked its seemingly perpetual decline in January, rising a modest 0.6% to $20.2m.

Game Winner Heads List of Nominees to Triple Crown

Nevada Poker Revenue (Slightly) Rises in 2018 Despite Poker Table Decline

The Nevada poker industry had another good year. Although a few card rooms in the state closed in 2018, overall revenue was up a little more than one-percent. Each year […]

The post Nevada Poker Revenue (Slightly) Rises in 2018 Despite Poker Table Decline appeared first on .

Russian bookie Parimatch inks Conor McGregor as ambassador

Russian bookmaker Parimatch has made mixed martial artist Conor McGregor the face of the company’s new brand identity.

On Wedneday, Parimatch announced that it had signed a two-year personal endorsement deal with McGregor that will see the controversial fighter serve as “the face of a new look Parimatch.” The company is embarking on a brand refresh in tandem with creative partners Digital Choo and BANDA to coincide with the site’s migration to a new betting platform.

Parimatch and McGregor will collaborate on promotional content and consumer activations, focusing on the Commonwealth of Independent States region – Russia and eight former Soviet Union republics – and Cyprus.

Parimatch CEO Sergey Portnov hailed McGregor as “a bold global icon that transcends sport” and thus “the ultimate ambassador for Parimatch.” McGregor dutifully logrolled back, saying Parimatch “has a fighter’s spirit built into its culture.”

Svenska Spel revenue, profit fall despite online gambling surge

Sweden’s former gambling monopoly Svenska Spel suffered an overall revenue decline in Q4 2018 despite double-digit online gains.

Figures released Wednesday show the state-owned Svenska Spel generated revenue of just under SEK2.4b (US$260.5m) in the three months ending December 31, 2018, a 3.7% decline from Q4 2017. The company’s Q4 operating profit was similarly down 3.1% to SEK1.23b.

Svenska Spel’s mainstay lottery division was essentially flat at SEK1.32b but Sports & Casino division fell over 7% to SEK573m and the Casino Cosmopol & Vegas unit was down more than 10% to SEK491m.

The company’s online operations were the highlight of Q4, with overall online revenue shooting up 14% to SEK774m, pushing online’s share of overall revenue up five points to 32%. Mobile revenue grew even faster (26%) in Q4, pushing mobile’s share of overall revenue to 23%.

Keeneland Races to be Featured in EquiLottery Trial Run

Historic racetrack Keeneland and live sports lottery game provider EquiLottery Games have reached an agreement to feature races from the 2019 Keeneland Spring Meet.

NetEnt continues expansion in Pennsylvania through Parx deal

NetEnt has entered into an agreement with Parx Casino ahead of the opening of the regulated online casino market in Pennsylvania (USA).

NetEnt continues to ramp up its preparations to enter the regulated market for online casino in Pennsylvania. Once the market opens, a broad range of NetEnt’s portfolio of slot games and table games will be available at Parx Online, operated by Greenwood Gaming and Entertainment Inc, who also operate Parx Casino, a horse racing venue and the largest casino gaming complex in Pennsylvania.

NetEnt games will be delivered via the GAN platform, which also enables free spins and the free spin widget.

“Parx is a household brand in the gambling community in Pennsylvania. I am very excited that we have secured this important agreement ahead of market opening. I am certain that Parx player’s will enjoy our games and unique features and that our tools will help Parx grow their business within online casino”, says Erik Nyman, Managing Director NetEnt Americas LLC.

NetEnt continues expansion in Pennsylvania through Parx deal

NetEnt has entered into an agreement with Parx Casino ahead of the opening of the regulated online casino market in Pennsylvania (USA).

NetEnt games will be delivered via the GAN platform, which also enables free spins and the free spin widget.

Pragmatic Play’s Melissa Summerfield named in gaming intelligence hot 50

February 2019: Pragmatic Play, one of the leading software providers for video slots and live casino, has received further industry recognition with the inclusion of Chief Commercial Officer Melissa Summerfield in the Gaming Intelligence HOT 50.

Summerfield was recognised for her significant influence on Pragmatic Play’s expansion in regulated markets, overseeing integrations with major online casino brands including Lottomatica, Microgame, Svenska Spel and Danske Spil.

She has also played an integral role in the establishment of the provider’s multi-product strategy with the launch of bingo and the recent acquisitions of live casino studio Extreme Live Gaming and virtual sports provider VSoftCo.