Tag Archives: igaming

Premier League review: Manchester United fire four past Newcastle

The latest round of fixtures in the English Premier League had fans off their seats, whether those seats had cost them £14.95 via pay-per-view or not. With goals galore, there were massive wins for sides such as Manchester United and Manchester City.

Who else impressed, while others disappointed? Let’s take a look.

Manchester City 1-0 Arsenal

A tight, tactical encounter at The Etihad Stadium saw Pep Guardiola prove that he’s still the master to young protégé Mikel Arteta as Manchester City edged out Arsenal in Manchester.

MLB World Series faceoff now set

The American League (AL) Championship Series (CS) and the National League (NL) CS are now in the books. The ALCS had already been decided when the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Houston Astros in Game 7 this weekend, but the NLCS race wouldn’t be decided until its Game 7 last night. The Atlanta Braves were denied a trip to the World Series by the LA Dodgers, and it now comes down to the last best-of-seven series of MLB for 2020. The fight to become the champions of one of the strangest MLB seasons in recent history begins tomorrow night. 

The Rays started to feel a little pressure in the ALCS battle after the Astros found some success late in the series. Tampa had started 3-0 against Houston and needed just one more win to put the series to bed, but the Astros fought back and made it a 3-3 tie in the best-of-seven series. The Rays kept it together in the last game on Saturday, beating the Astros 4-2 to advance to the World Series for the first time since 2008. 

Coincidentally, it was a former Astros player that helped them get there. Charlie Morton was on the mound for the Rays in Game 7, and he happens to be the same Morton who played for the Astros in 2017 – the year they are said to have cheated on their way to a World Series win. He was also pitching for the Astros when they won that championship. 

As the Rays looked to advance to the World Series, they found success off the bat of Randy Arozarena, who brought in two runs in the first inning and followed it up with another run in the second. The game remained relatively mundane after that until, in the eighth inning, Carlos Correa gave the Astros two runs after hitting a bases-loaded single. That would be it, though, and Rays pitcher Peter Fairbanks would make sure the Astros didn’t find any more success, shutting them down completely in the ninth. 

Pennsylvania sports betting handle soars, revenue slides

Pennsylvania’s gambling market posted a modest year-on-year revenue gain in September as online casino sales hit another record high.

Figures released Friday by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) show state-licensed online and land-based gambling operators generated combined revenue of $284.2m, up 1% from the same month last year while falling well short of August 2020’s $310.7m.

Land-based casino operations continue to struggle under pandemic-related capacity restrictions, with total slots and table revenue of $216.6m, down from $259m in September 2019 but also below August 2020’s $232m. September’s slots were down 16.4% year-on-year to $157.4m while tables fell 16.2% to $59.2m.

Online casino revenue totaled $57m, up $1m from August’s previous market record. The state’s regulated online gambling market was only a couple months old in September 2019, during which revenue totaled a mere $4.1m.

Macau casinos’ mass market outshines flashier VIP cousin in Q3

Macau’s mass market casino growth dramatically outpaced its flashier VIP gambling cousin in the third quarter, but the overall market remains solidly in the dumps.

Figures released Friday by Macau’s Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ) showed total casino gaming revenue of just MOP4.88b (US$612m) in the three months ending September 30, a whopping 93% decline from the same period last year but a 51% improvement from the even more dire Q2 2020 total.

The VIP baccarat segment accounted for MOP2.34b (48%) of Q3’s total, a fraction of the same period last year but up 51% sequentially. VIP’s share of the overall pie increased slightly from Q2 but nonetheless took a back seat to mass market gaming for the seventh straight quarter.

Mass market gaming (including slots) gained MOP1b sequentially to MOP2.5b, driven by a 77% gain in mass baccarat revenue (MOP1.9b). Interestingly, slot revenue fell 13% from Q2 to MOP375m despite the market adding 649 machines to its total in a bid to tempt electronic gambling fans.

Spain’s online casino sector dethrones sports betting amid pandemic

Spain’s online sports betting market took a pandemic hit in the second quarter but online casino games quickly spun into action.

Figures released Friday by Spain’s Dirección General de Ordenación del Juego (DGOJ) regulatory body show locally licensed online gambling operators generated revenue of €208.5m in the three months ending June 30, up 17.7% from the same period last year but down 4.2% from Q1 2020.

The traditionally dominant sports betting vertical earned €68.1m in Q1, down 20.8% year-on-year and off 38.4% sequentially. Both pre-match (-49%) and in-play betting (-39.6%) suffered significant year-on-year turnover declines, while the pandemic halt to most major league play produced a 266.5% rise in ‘other’ bets, the only category to post a year-on-year increase.

Betting’s loss was online casino’s gain, as that vertical’s revenue shot up nearly 45% to €93.5m. Interestingly, while other markets have expressed great fear over pandemic surges in online slots play, Spain’s slots revenue rose slower than the overall category (€51.9m, +30.4%).

Macau government considers extension of COVID-19 test period

Government officials in Macau are hoping to extend the COVID-19 testing period to 14 days to create further opportunities for tourism in the region.

The Macau Chief Executive Ha Lat Seng met with government officials to discuss the possible options to fight the virus in the local community, reports Inside Asia Gaming.

“A lot of residents have urged us to extend the effective period of COVID-19 virus tests from the current seven days to 14 days, and we proposed this to the Chief Executive at the meeting,” a spokesman said.

“The Chief Executive said the government was studying it as well. The Chief Executive also noted that we had passed through lots of difficulties to reach the current and stable situation in Macau, so we should be cautious about considering any extension. He hoped that residents could understand the government’s decisions and policies on preventive works,” he added.

Suncity Group Holdings increases its stake in Summit Ascent

Hong Kong-based Suncity Group Holdings announced that the operator has increased its stake in Summit Ascent Holdings to 69.66%.

Summit Ascent is the majority owner of Russian based casino Tigre de Cristal. Suncity have designed a major expansion for the Tigre de Cristal that is set to include doubling the number of tables and slot machines, as well as a substantial increase in the number of hotel rooms. The estimated cost of the expansion is set to be close to $200 million.

Suncity are looking to take advantage of the traffic to Vladivostok; actively targeting players in the East Asian markets of South Korea, Japan and China. Suncity has proposed to open a new VIP room at the Tigre de Cristal once COVID-19 social distancing restrictions have eased.

Alvin Chau, chairman of Suncity Group was delighted with the positive growth of the Hong Kong-based firm.

Sydney software company pay high price over Dally M betting scandal

Two employees of a Sydney software company were convicted over the 2019 National Rugby League (NRL), Dally M betting scandal. The two men were charged with using insider information to place bets on the outcome of the end of season award show

StatsEdge was the data provider that had a contract with the NRL to tally the voting data from the Dally M awards ceremony in 2019. Local authorities found that company founder Joshua Dallas Wilson and the former director Benjamin David Tevisiol had placed bets on Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy in the hours leading up to his surprise win. 

Court proceedings revealed that both Wilson and Tevisol were in charge of the confidential voting data. The two then used this information to place bets.

In a Sydney court, police prosecutors revealed that Wilson had placed two bets of $354 USD on Bellamy through betting agent Sportbet. Tevisiol placed two bets of $110 USD for the win. The pair were drinking at a Sydney pub prior to the awards and prosecutors also allege the duo shared the betting information with friends.

Widus Hotel and Casino expansion plans hit a bumpy road

The Widus Hotel and Casino project being developed at the Clark Freeport Zone (CFZ) in the Philippines has hit a snag. It was the first casino resort in the CFZ to receive a full gambling license, which it picked up a year ago, and has been continuing to expand as it looked to become a major attraction for all types of travelers. However, COVID-19 had different plans and has caused some of the progress to slow down. The global pandemic has led to the resort being forced to push back the expected timeframe for the completion of its phase-one expansion, which now won’t be ready until sometime late next year. 

Not only has COVID-19 caused economic damage to casino operators around the globe, but it also forced construction projects to come to a grinding halt as governments implemented massive shutdowns and quarantines. The Philippines has had to deal with continued coronavirus problems, and the inability to keep construction workers busy at Widus has taken its toll. However, Widus Group, which is behind the project, has no plans of stopping, and told GGRAsia, “We are pushing through with our expansion plans albeit with a slight delay because of the pandemic.”

The expansion was first announced in 2018 when Widus Group decided to give the resort a $500-million facelift. Plans had been to have all parts of the first phase of the expansion, which reportedly carries a cost of just over $247 million, completed by the end of this year. This phase includes the relocation of the Widus Casino, which will also be renamed to Hann Casino, and the reported inclusion of a new facility, Swissôtel Hotels and Resorts. The company explained to GGRAsia that, “[due] to the pandemic, this [shifting the site of the Widus Casino] has been moved to the last quarter of 2021. Unfortunately, the pandemic has pushed back the completion date of the Hann Casino Resort, including Swissôtel, to the last quarter of 2021.”

The delays aren’t stopping Widus Group from moving forward with other plans it has in the Philippines. A project it has on tap for New Clark City, the Hann Lux Lifestyle Resort, is still on the table and will be the company’s “second, ultra-luxury resort” in the country. It will include three 18-hole golf courses, luxury accommodations and, possibly, gaming. Although it is still in the “planning and design stage,” remains active. Originally expected to open in 2024, it isn’t clear if the timetable will be pushed back because of COVID-19. 

The EU considers a ban on unproven, potentially hazardous chemicals

Protecting the environment and individuals’ health often go hand-in-hand. Addressing one will allow the other to be improved, as well. The European Union (EU) is taking a proactive stance on environmental protection, facilitated, in part, by the creation of the European Green Deal. Now, European Commission (EC), which is overseeing the program, believes it has a novel – but common-sense – way to improve both the environment and health. It plans on addressing potential issues before they’re allowed to cause any problems.

Specifically, the EC wants to be proactive on the subject of chemicals. While these are necessary in many ways, they are often not scrutinized for their health and safety implications until it’s too late. Frans Timmermans, the Commission’s VP managing the European Green Deal, recognizes the important role chemicals play in society, but asserts, “[We] need to make sure that chemicals are produced and used in a way that does not hurt human health and the environment.” 

Instead of being reactive when hazards are finally identified, Timmermans wants the EU to be proactive. The plan is to prevent any potentially hazardous substance from entering the EU until it has been completely vetted and approved by the necessary authorities. This would apply to toys, cosmetics, textiles, detergents and furniture, as well as anything else that might regularly be purchased by consumers. 

Timmermans said in a press conference this past Wednesday, “In most cases we now assess these chemicals one by one – and remove them when we find out that they are unsafe.” He added via a separate published statement, “We will just flip this logic on its head. Instead of reacting, we want to prevent. As a rule, the use of the most harmful substances will be prohibited in consumer products. This will apply for example to chemicals that cause cancers or gene mutations, chemicals that affect the reproductive or the hormonal system, or chemicals that slowly build up in your body.”

Election Odds for Trump continue to slide after $75M donation from Adelson

U.S. President Donald Trump appears to be in trouble. With his election odds looking slim and money running out, Casino magnate Sheldon Adelson is coming to the rescue, pumping $75 million into a pro-Trump super PAC.

The recipient of the funds is the Preserve America PAC, receiving the funds between August and September. The group only launched in late August, and is only a small fish when compared with the Biden super PAC, Priorities USA Action.

Casino magnate Sheldon Adelson and his wife, Miriam, pumped $75 million into a pro-Trump super PAC in the final stretch of the presidential campaign, providing a late cash infusion for President Trump’s faltering reelection effort as his Democratic rival, Joe Biden, raked in record-breaking sums.

Adelson, who is CEO of Las Vegas Sands, was reported berated by Trump in August for not doing enough to help the campaign. Trump’s been kind to the Adelson family, presenting Miriam Adelson with the Presidential Medal of Honor in 2018.

Aristocrat might be eyeing an entry into sports gambling

Aristocrat Leisure is considering adding a new market to its portfolio. Historically dedicated to supplying slot machines and digital games to the casino industry, the Australia-based company is eyeing a lucrative and rising activity that is already worth hundreds of millions of dollars, with no signs of slowing down. According to statements made by its CEO, Trevor Croker, Aristocrat could soon be getting involved in sports gambling.

During an interview with gaming industry media outlet Fantini Research, Croker indicated that sports gambling is on the company’s radar. He told the entity’s CEO, Frank Fantini, “We have the balance sheet, and we also have the intent – as you can see from our previous acquisitions – to either build or buy. We continue to monitor the market, looking at what are the right options for us. We get a lot of feedback from our [land-based operator] customers, and we are listening a lot to our customers, about what they want in a solution, and how they think is the best way to enter.”

It would be a smart move, if approached the right way. Aristocrat has a huge portfolio of clients that spans the globe, including in Asia, North America and its home country. It’s likely the biggest, and most lucrative, target would the North American market, with more states continuing to sign off on sports gambling legislation. In just two years, half the states in the country now have sports gambling and a handful more are working on their own versions of legislation for the activity. By this time next year, fueled even more by revenue losses from COVID-19, it’s possible almost the entire country will have legal sports gambling. 

The introduction of the new channel would boost a bottom line that is already on the rise. After Aristocrat began to introduce social gaming options a couple of years ago, the company has seen a marked improvement in its performance, recording a 19% increase in revenue for its digital division across the first six months of its most recent fiscal year. At that time, it had cash and cash equivalents amounting to $622.1 million, but has also taken a hit because of the coronavirus pandemic. 

PAGCOR begins enforcement of 5% gambling turnover tax on POGOs

For online operators in the Philippines, one of the sticking points about their tax obligations has been a disagreement over exactly what they owe, beyond their licensing fees. The previously non-committal Philippines Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) has now firmly chosen a side, telling operators to pay 5% of their revenues or leave.

In a memo sent to operators which CalvinAyre has obtained, PAGCOR Assistant Vice President Jose Tria Jr. tells operators they must pay the 5% tax recently passed by the Philippines Congress under the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act, or they will be shut down. Specifically, they must pay:

“(f)Amounts derived from the five percent (5%) franchise tax on the gross bets or turnover or the agreed pre-determined minimum monthly revenues from gaming operations, whichever is higher, earned by offshore gaming licensees, including gaming operators, gaming agent, service providers, and gaming support providers;

“(g) Income Tax, VAT, and other applicable taxes on income from nongaming operations earned by offshore gaming licensees, operators, agents, service providers and support providers.”

Yahoo, BetMGM partnership gets a boost with new Yahoo features

Yahoo Sports and BetMGM have enjoyed a relationship that has been developing for the past year. It began with Yahoo gently pushing sports gamblers to the sportsbook through its Yahoo Sports app as the operator’s “official Digital Media Sports Partner,” and has continued to gain strength since then. Yahoo Sports is now introducing new features that it hopes will keep BetMGM from turning its gaze elsewhere, while providing a more enjoyable gambling experience for users. The odds are good that the new enhancements will hit their mark, too. 

In a press release from yesterday, the two entities announced that Yahoo Sports users can now use their account to access a BetMGM account directly. Registering for and accessing a BetMGM account can be accomplished through Yahoo Sports and users are able to place their wagers with the BetMGM sportsbook in their Yahoo account, without having to download the sportsbook’s app. This allows users to get to the action quicker and from anywhere, even if they are temporarily unable to use their regular devices.

The Yahoo Sportsbook is also getting an update and now offers player prop odds to Yahoo Fantasy users. The odds will appear on the players tab, as well as the player card in the Yahoo Fantasy app and “other locations on the web.”  BetMGM is rolling out the unique player prop odds, which are built using fantasy point totals derived from Yahoo’s fantasy scoring system.

Says Yahoo Sports GM said Geoff Reiss, “At Yahoo Sports we are continuing to provide new ways for sports fans to go beyond engaging with content and interact in a seamless way with the sports that they love. The new features continue to enhance our fan’s experience and as we continue to reimagine the future of sports.”

20-leg golf parlay for $1 pays gambler in a big way

If this guy (or girl) has a sports gambling crystal ball, there’s a good chance a lot of people would like to get their hands on it. An unidentified gambler in Australia placed an extremely tame $1 bet on the BMW PGA Championship and walked away with a huge payout. The individual had to wait patiently as each of the 20 legs of the parlay bet came true and, when the final one hit, it’s possible the excitement could be heard across the whole of Australia. That $1 had just turned into AUD$679,894 ($482,045). 

The bet was made through Sportsbet.com.au, and the sportsbook didn’t waste time revealing the win on Twitter. The tournament had taken place at the Wentworth Golf Club in Surrey, England, and the individual should be thanking all the golfers that made the outcome what it was. While there have been impressive sports gambling wins over the years, this has to rank up there as one of the best. 

While it’s not possible to get inside the gambler’s head to understand how the choices were made, we know from the sportsbook’s post that he or she had chosen Graeme McDowell over Thomas Aiken, Richie Ramsay over Sean Crocker, Pablo Larrazabal over Thorbjorn Olesen, Bernd Wiesberger over Danny Willett, Kiradech Aphibarnrat over Joakin Lagergren, Lee Westwood over Robert MacIntyre, Martin Kaymer over Matt Wallace, Andy Sullivan over Alex Levy, David Horsey over Jordan Smith, Robert Rock over Julien Guerrier, Marcus Kinhult over Matthias Schwab, Masahiro Kawamura over Andrew Johnston, Ian Poulter over Wade Ormsby, Tommy Fleetwood over Sami Valimaki, Patrick Reed over Ryan Fox, Scott Hend over Gavin Green, Eddie Pepperell over Grant Forrest, Joachim B. Hansen over Adri Arnaus, Tyrrell Hatton over Victor Perez and Shane Lory over Matt Fitzpatrick. Of those options, one quarter were nail-biters that were ultimately decided by one stroke. 

Hatton, sporting his controversial hoodie, finished the last day of the tournament with a 67 to take the win. The Arnold Palmer Invitational winner from this past March started the day with a three-shot lead over Victor Perez, who fought back with a birdie and an eagle to close the gap. However, Hatton wasn’t done, and added a slew of birdies of his own to ultimately win by four strokes and take home $1.16 million. He said after the match, “It’s unbelievable. This was a goal of mine to win this tournament in my career and part of me is sad I didn’t get to experience the crowds, but it’s just amazing to win this trophy.”

Playson boosts Free Spins feature with innovative enhancements

Cutting-edge promotional tool set for fresh updates

Malta, 15th October 2020 – Casino software developer Playson has upgraded its engaging Free Spins feature, which gives those playing its slot titles a chance to enjoy additional rounds of gameplay.

Fully configurable for the provider’s operator partners and proven to significantly increase customer retention, the tool can be made available on all bets placed on any of Playson’s popular games.

Thanks to the supplier’s innovative updates, Free Spins can now be deployed using any currency and for multiple players simultaneously, with a termination period set by Playson’s clients.

BetGames.TV smashes its record for SBC Awards with seven nominations

Live dealer betting supplier proves itself a winning fixture

Vilnius, 15th October 2020: BetGames.TV, the leading live dealer betting games supplier, has claimed itself as one of the few industry suppliers to have netted seven nominations at the SBC Awards.

The annual SBC Awards, one of the most prestigious in the industry, recognises the companies that have demonstrated strong commercial success and business-changing innovations over the past year.

Outmatching its own record of five at 2019’s SBC Awards, as well winning in the ‘Rising Star in Casino Innovation’ award, the company has continued to prove itself to be one of the industry’s most in-demand suppliers following the cancellation of live sport.

iGaming NEXT proudly announces Pragmatic Solutions as main sponsors for its weekly podcasts

The iGaming NEXT Podcast is the iGaming industry’s go-to podcast of choice. Hosted by trailblazing, iGaming veteran and iGaming NEXT Co-founder Pierre Lindh, the weekly iGaming NEXT podcast offers unparalleled, fresh insights into the ever-evolving iGaming industry. Backed by more than 15 years’ experience in iGaming, Pierre, whose past projects have forever upended the iGaming landscape, each week shares his perspective of this dynamic sector and discusses the latest hot topics with the foremost industry leaders.

Dynamic Partnership

Since inception, iGaming NEXT has proved itself as the ground-breaking leader of the industry and its weekly Podcast is simply another vibrant chapter in its success story. Today, the podcast serves as an inspiring force within the industry and it is therefore an exciting moment to be acknowledged by the industry’s key heavyweights. For this reason, iGaming NEXT is thrilled to announce leading iGaming platform technology provider, Pragmatic Solutions as main sponsor and partner for its weekly Podcasts. Pragmatic Solutions believes that the weekly Podcast presented by iGaming NEXT is not only the most engaging in the iGaming industry but also offers superior educational and informative value to its many, many followers.

Ashley Lang, CEO Pragmatic Solutions, commenting on the partnership stated, “We are proud to support the iGaming NEXT podcast and to promote intelligent and informative discussion around iGaming. We hope that, through sponsorship, we can increase awareness for our products and services while supporting Pierre’s insightful discussions with the leaders in the iGaming sector.”

Global Bet strikes first Virtual Sports deal in South Africa with Supabets

Global Bet Virtual Sports is now live with the Tier 1 operator Supabets through Intelligent Gaming as part of Supabets Gaming Group’s effort to exploit the region’s fledgling market.

The company has struck a deal for Global Bet to distribute its premium virtual sports products into South Africa, with Global Bet’s CEO, Daniel Grabher, stating that “the aim of the agreement is to replicate the success we have achieved in other major African markets across the continent. The South African gaming market, known for it´s strict regulations has a massive potential and is yet to be fully exploited. I´m very confident that our success-story will continue in this key market, not at least because we teamed up with the right strategic local partner.”

The deal includes the full suite of Global Bet’s omni channel premium virtual sports and also the brand new PRO Series of games with features such as Instant Play that will change the South African gaming ecosystem for years to come.

Intelligent Gaming CEO Marc Plaxton-Harrison said. “Combining our distribution channels within existing operations with the best virtual sports product on the market was a fantastic decision for us. Considering the current boom of virtual sports globally, we anticipate a big revenue growth and a long and successful working partnership.”