UK casinos have finally been cleared to reopen after their lengthy COVID-19 closure but the welcome news may have come too late for a large number of Genting UK staff.

On Friday, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson laid out the latest phase of the government’s economic restart program, which will finally allow UK casinos to reopen to the public on August 1. The casinos were ordered closed in March as the country struggled to get its COVID-19 infection rate under control.

Betting shops were allowed to reopen last month but casinos were left behind, despite operators deploying the necessary health and safety precautions and furious lobbying by the Betting & Gaming Council (BGC) on behalf of the estimated 12k English casino staff furloughed since March.

On Friday, the BGC hailed the UK government’s announcement while demanding that regional authorities in Scotland and Wales “end the uncertainty” for the 2k casino staff in those regions who still don’t know when they might be going back to work.

Online gambling technology suppliers Evolution Gaming and NetEnt are sounding all the right financial notes ahead of their proposed union.

On Friday, Sweden-based gaming tech outfits Evolution and NetEnt issued separate trading updates for the second quarter of 2020. Live dealer specialists Evolution announced a proposed takeover of their RNG online slots rivals NetEnt last month in a bid to create an online casino technology powerhouse.

Evolution reported its revenue rising 50% to €128.3m in the three months ending June 30, while earnings jumped 90% to €81.1m and profit more than doubled to €70.4m. Evolution CEO Martin Carlesund said revenue would have been even higher had the company not reduced table capacity at its main live casino studios due to COVID-19 concerns.

Evolution’s UK-facing operations were the only geographic segment reporting a year-on-year downturn, falling €2.1m to €10.6m in Q2. Nordic markets gained €700k to €6.7m, while the Rest of Europe shot up 42.4% to €62.4m, North America improved nearly 81% to €8.5m and Asia nearly tripled to €28.4m.

The final day of the SBC Digital Summit North America wrapped up a successful conference, covering a huge range of topics ranging from esports, horses, regulation, land based gaming and the current state of sports in general. On this last day, everything began with a keynote from Ezra Kucharz, Chief Business Officer at DraftKings, who took a broad view of the U.S. sports betting market.

After giving a history of how we got to legal, regulated sports betting across much of the country, Kucharz noted that there’s still a long way to go. “Only a fraction of the U.S. today offers regulated betting and while DraftKings are up and running in many of those states the market is far from being fully realized,” he said.

But there’s no denying the roadblock COVID-19 has presented, and Kucharz noted that innovation will be the way through. “New protocols and contingencies will become commonplace,” he said. “The games we love will both be the same and different simultaneously. But while so many adjustments take place in and around sports, global betting and innovation will remain constant.”

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Jio Platforms is a broadband and streaming company out of India that was launched by Reliance Industries. It has picked up a lot of steam lately and is breaking into the smartphone market that will help it become an even bigger player in the tech realm. Reliance is backed by a number of international investment houses, as well as Facebook, and has just secured another massive injection of funds from one of the biggest tech companies operating today. Google is apparently ready to allocate $4.5 billion for Jio’s future, and the amount, as substantial as it is, only gives the tech behemoth a 7.73% stake in the company – a sign of the magnitude of Jio’s strength. 

Jio hasn’t even been around for five years yet, but has begun to attract a lot of serious attention. The newest partnership it has entered with Google will lead to the development of Android-capable smartphones, and Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani explains, “Together we are excited to rethink, from the ground up, how millions of users in India can become owners of smartphones. This effort will unlock new opportunities, further power the vibrant ecosystem of applications and push innovation to drive growth for the new Indian economy.”

Google feels that Reliance and Jio are primarily responsible for India’s tech growth and sees the investment as support for global innovation. Jio has around 388 million subscribers, representing about 10% of the population. In addition to Google and Facebook, U.S. investment groups Silver Lake, General Atlantic and Vista are involved, as are the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, Abu Dhabi-based Mubadala Investment Company and others. In total, Jiu has picked up approximately $20.2 billion in investment money.

Variety magazine points out that Jio got its start by offering inexpensive cellular broadband all across India. It proved to be a smart business move, as it grabbed a huge part of the market and, according to Reliance, data consumption in the country has increased by over 300% since Jio was founded. Globally, during the same period, India has seen its data traffic jump to control 17% of the entire market. 

Virginia continues to put together the necessary framework to bring both casinos and legal sports gambling to the state. Expanded gambling has been a hot issue this year, mostly because of COVID-19, and voters could see ballot entries this November to determine whether or not casinos should be allowed. One step in the drawn-out process has been taken, with the Virginia Lottery giving preliminary approval to four developers looking to establish a presence in the state. At the same time, draft rules for the launch of sports gambling have also been finalized by the entity.

Officials with the Virginia Lottery have paved the way for casino developers to consider casinos in Bristol, Danville, Norfolk, and Portsmouth. However, they make it clear that this in no way means that the companies need to start moving bulldozers into the areas. Kevin Hall, the executive director of the Virginia Lottery, was quoted by media outlet WAVY as saying, “Pre-certification should not be viewed as an endorsement of a specific proposal or of any city’s choice of a preferred casino partner. It also does not represent a guarantee that a casino license ultimately will be awarded.”

So far, Rush Street Gaming, Hard Rock International and the Pamunkey native Indian tribe have all expressed interest in bringing gambling venues to Virginia residents. Whether this happens will depend, partly, on how voters respond to their respective city ballot entries this November. The companies will also be put through the wringer next year when the Virginia Lottery scrutinizes their operations and approve emergency casino regulations, should voters say yes. 

The Lottery has also successfully completed its take on how sports gambling will be introduced. It presented draft regulations this past Wednesday that will now be open for public input before the final regulations are implemented on September 15 – just after the anticipated start of the NFL regular season. If the coronavirus doesn’t cause any changes, the season kicks off on September 10 when the defending Super Bowl champs, the Kansas City Chiefs, take on the Houston Texans.

While most gambling operators are still trying to figure out how they can incorporate blockchain and digital currency into their site, you don’t have to look very far to find a site that’s not only doing it well, but thriving. Peergame, a Bitcoin SV (BSV) online gambling site, has been steadily growing since August 2019, and are now celebrating the launch of their latest game, Dice.

Similar to Satoshi Dice, this new game has received glowing reviews from beta testers, Peergame tells us, and they’ve scheduled a few promotional events to roll out their latest product. As with all of their games, Dice features fast play, fun graphics and sound, and the same easy BSV transaction experience their customers have grown used to.

Unlike most traditional online gambling sites, by exclusively using BSV as their transaction method and base currency, Peergame customers aren’t required to make deposits or withdrawals. Instead, bets are placed directly with the site from a BSV wallet, and if the player wins, payouts are immediately sent back to the same wallet. The player never has to fear that they’ll forget their funds on site because they never really stay with the operator unless it’s for a pending wager. And because it’s all using BSV, bets are placed instantly, and payouts are received just as fast.

That’s not news to Peergame players though. They’ve already been using the site for several of their other games, which include Bitto, Turtle Race, Ladder and Baccarat. Bitto is a lottery game where customers can buy tickets, hoping to win the grand prize. Our sister site previously covered when a player was awarded a $13,000 prize from this game, and if you’re interested in checking it out now, you could win as much of 80% of the current grand prize, $41,471.

We’ve heard a lot lately about how Latin America will be the next big opportunity for gambling operators, but what is there that can be done today? Betsson is already making moves in the region, and our Becky Liggero Fontana spoke with Andrea Rossi, Commercial Director Southern Europe & LatAm at Betsson Group, to see what a major operator is already accomplishing in the region.

Rossi was happy to break down a few specific cases for us. With Upcoming in regulation in Brazil has made the market extremely appealing to the likes of Betsson. Rossi spoke about their decision to take a stake in Suaposta to prepare for the new market. Liggero Fontana asked why Brazil is expected to be such a lucrative new space. “Brazil will probably be regulated quite soon, the biggest regulated market in the world,” he said. “So let’s put it this way, 250 million people already having understanding on betting, because there are some operators that are actually operating in that market for now, and people is understanding the betting.”

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Argentina may be no slouch either, and Rossi was happy to talk about their attempt to get a license in Argentina with Casino Victoria, and how happy Betsson is with their new partner. “They are market leaders in land-based casinos, they are present in several provinces in Argentina. So of course, it’s important now in view of the province of Buenos Aires, we all know that city of Buenos Aires is also regulating, and in the future, we expect also other provinces.”

It has been just over two weeks since Imperial Pacific International (IPI), the controversial casino operator behind the Imperial Palace in Saipan, was given two weeks to settle all its outstanding debt with the government of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), as well as with its business partners. The “or else” demand had a threat of a license revocation attached to it, but it doesn’t appear that IPI has been ordered to get out of town. It has, however, pleaded its case and said that it can cover the tens of millions of dollars it owes, but will need more time to come up with the cash.

IPI told a district court judge this week that it can pay the sanctions levied by the courts and the Commonwealth Casino Commission (CCC), and company lawyer Michael Dotts has asked the judge to delay the process that could yank the license. He asserted, “I am also advised that IPI’s parent company has successfully raised funds and that it is only a matter of time before IPI has the ability to come current on all sanctions. I have not been told how much time.”

However, the judge, Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona, replied that it isn’t up to the courts to make the decision on whether or not to revoke the license. That lies squarely with the CCC, which could still take action against IPI for not complying with its order. The issues, though, don’t stop there.

IPI was on the hook for $5.65 million to a contractor, Pacific Rim Land Development, who had done work on the Imperial Palace. However, IPI tried to back out of paying its bills, arguing that the amount requested was more than it should have to pay. This led to a separate lawsuit against the company that has now run its course. IPI had been given ample time to respond to the lawsuit but decided it didn’t need to waste its time. A writ that was issued last month to seize funds to pay Pacific Rim never received a response from IPI, so Manglona has given permission for the US Marshals to hand over $1.38 million from money seized from an IPI account at the Bank of Saipan.

As Eldorado Resorts and Caesars Entertainment set out on their journey to become one massive gaming company, they had to make a lot of stops along the way. Each state in which they have a presence has to approve the marriage, and the two have dutifully made their rounds across the country, gathering all the necessary signatures to achieve their multibillion-dollar goal. There’s only one more stop to go and, while all the previous ones have been relatively mundane, this one is proving to be more challenging. New Jersey is the last stop on the list, and regulators seem to have a hard time reconciling the pros and cons of the potential merger. 

The last couple of months have proven to bring great news to those who favor the merger, as the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) said yes, which led to yes votes by Nevada and Indiana – two of the last three states that had to weigh in. Indiana was expected to be the more difficult signature to obtain, but it turns out that the Garden State, with all its gambling and revenue problems, isn’t overly thrilled with the idea. The Department of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) still hasn’t been able to make a decision, with deliberations and testimony about to enter their third day.

To make matters worse, it would appear that those providing testimony aren’t making things any easier. Perhaps they haven’t been able to express themselves properly, or perhaps officials with the DGE haven’t been able to pay enough attention because of all the problems in the state. Either way, confusion remains, and Deputy Attorney General Tracy Richardson asserts, In reflecting on the testimony presented, the division’s concerns, as they relate to the overall uncertainty associated with the transaction, remain.”

The DGE has to reach a decision before the Casino Control Commission (CCC) makes the call that will determine if the casino operators’ attempts to secure approvals over the past year were a waste of time. Indiana had been concerned about a lack of experience in horse racing and too much control over the state’s gambling, but still managed to need only a day to come to grips with the merger and give it the green light. The delays in New Jersey, which inarguably needs to change its standard operating procedures in order to get back on track, seem to be congruent with the state’s decision-making track record. 

South Korea’s Jeju Island has a lot of potential as a gambling destination, but continues to experience certain difficulties that are beyond its control. Casino operators such as Landing International and New Silkroad Culturaltainment have massive developments planned for the island that they continue to expand, and would like to complete as soon as possible. Delays in any major construction project are always to be expected, and throwing in something like a massive global pandemic doesn’t help the situation. New Silkroad, which is behind the Glorious Hill resort, will most likely need more time to fully roll out the venue as it looks to recover from the economic losses incurred because of the coronavirus. The company just released a financial update this week, indicating that its second-quarter health would be nowhere close to what it previously thought – and the previous expectation was already well into the red. 

According to Silkroad’s filing (in pdf) with the Hong Kong bourse, the first half of the year is going to see losses of around HK$47 million ($6.06 million). Given that the first half of last year saw losses of HK$23 million ($2.96 million), the prognosis isn’t very optimistic. Silkroad placed the blame squarely on its operations on Jeju Island, explaining that the “significant drop in revenue from the Group’s entertainment business in Jeju, Korea … brought by the outbreak of the novel coronavirus pandemic since January this year and the imposition of local travel and entry restrictions by the Korea government” had resulted in “a sharp reduction of tourists to Jeju, Korea.” 

New Silkroad also operates the MegaLuck casino inside the KAL Hotel on the island, which has experienced drops in revenue for the past couple of years. In 2018, the venue was responsible for 45.5% of the company’s business, but this dropped to 39.1% last year when its revenue took a 20.2% hit and only reached HK$82.6 million ($10.6 million). It will now become even more difficult for the company to find the necessary backing to complete the Glorious Hill resort. 

Gambling isn’t the only thing that has taken a hit. If anyone thought that a major global lockdown would have led to massive alcoholism, New Silkroad’s performance would seem to indicate otherwise. Also adding to the decrease in the company’s health, its wine business, the Shangri-la Winery, saw its revenue drop, as well. This, according to New Silkroad, can be attributed to “slack market momentum.” 

Gaming giant Playtech has been busy the past several years expanding its business endeavors into new territories. Once focused on the gambling industry, it wanted to incorporate other activities into the mix, including casual games. That led to the acquisition of Funtactix a few years ago, which brought with it FTX Games and Plamee Studios. However, things haven’t been going as planned since then, and shareholders have been getting nervous. As they exert their collective power over the company, Playtech has been forced to make some tough decisions, one of which has been the refocusing of its operations. In order to concentrate on the gambling activity that helped it get its start, Playtech has now gotten rid of FTX and Plamee, selling them to Tilting Point for an undisclosed amount of money.

U.S.-based Tilting Point is a free-to-play game publisher that will now control San Diego, California-based FTX and St. Petersburg, Florida-based Plamee. The former is the publisher behind titles such as Narcos: Cartel Wars, The Walking Dead: Free Casino Slots and others, and the latter developed the Narcos game. This is the third acquisition made by Tilting Point in eight months after it previously acquired Gondola, a tech platform, and Star Trek Timelines, a role-playing game.

The acquisition of Funtactix was expected to bring a whole new era of increased revenue for Playtech, with the company asserting that the casual gaming sector was going to deliver tremendous positive growth since its gambling operations had reached “peak capacity.” However, things have not gone according to plan, and the company has had to deal with several setbacks since making the purchase. This year hasn’t been any better, with the company having to put the brakes on its activity in Italy recently as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Playtech’s stock has been on an almost constant decline since 2018 and it has not been able to recover fast enough to appease its shareholders. Investors have essentially ordered the company to return to its gambling roots while they simultaneously begin to put all of the company’s operations under a microscope. However, things have still not improved by any measurable amount since then.

There were some big movers in the Premier League during a packed midweek schedule. At the bottom, Bournemouth just failed in their quest to get a point at Manchester City, but while The Cherries were left pitted, others rose to the occasion and got three huge points.

At the top of the table, however, the new champions were to suffer another ignominious defeat, as they slumped to another zero points against Arsenal.

Arsenal 2-1 Liverpool

An entertaining game at The Emirates showed that while Liverpool have been dominant in winning their 2019/20 Premier League title, they are not infallible. Next season may not be quite so easy for the Merseysiders, with defensive frailties coming to the fore in recent weeks. Manchester City knocked four unanswered goals past them, Burnley were unlucky not to leave Anfield with all three points and Arsenal got three points on a night that saw the Anfield side not help themselves.