Online lottery group Zeal has posted a positive set of H1-2018 results, highlighting: * Revenue up 17 percent y-o-y at Euro 73 million; * Sales up marginally at Euro 141.9 million; * Marketing spend up 69 percent; * New players up at 293,000 (H1-2017 : 174,000; * On the negative side, the company withdrew from …
Norway’s gambling regulator has become increasingly aggressive in commercially protecting the market, presently restricted in licensing terms to Norsk Tipping and Norsk Rikstoto. In its latest initiative the Norwegian Gaming Authority asked the App Store to remove apps used by Norwegians, saying that it was motivated by concerns for player safety, protecting problem gamblers and …
Online gambling operators are clearly interested in entering the soon-to-be-liberalised Swedish gambling market, it appears from the 22 applications submitted on the first day for licence applications. Lotteriinspektionen reported brisk business Wednesday as major companies like Betsson, Cherry, Expekt and Svenska Spel threw their hats into the ring in preparation for the official market opening …
OpenAI’s team of bots is 1.28 on with Betway to triumph over a professional team in a 5v5 game this Sunday 5th August. A year after unveiling a bot that could win a 1v1 game, OpenAI will take on a team of five professional human players this Sunday and the online bookmaker expects the bots …
In an interesting PR exercise, online gambling group Betway has resurrected the almost three-year-old story of Jon Heywood, a former British army trooper who hit the headlines in October 2015 when he hit what is still the biggest ever online jackpot playing the Microgaming Mega Moolah progressive. Heywood’s win of GBP 13,213,838.68 came just 25 …
US gambling supply company Scientific Games has posted its Q2-2018 report, announcing strong revenues and a reduction in debt. Highlights include: * Revenue up 10 percent at $844.7 million, with a $50.6 million contribution from NYX subsidiary; * Net loss for the group narrowed to $5.8 million, compared to $39.1 million in Q2-2017, thanks to …
The Bloomberg business news agency reports that Resorts Casino Hotel and DraftKings have received approval to become the first companies to offer online and mobile sports betting in New Jersey. The New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement gave approval Wednesday afternoon to the casino and its Boston-based online partner to launch an invitation-only version of …
Significant tax reductions which would have seen Albanian gambling operators paying 15 percent tax on gross earnings rather than turnover have been vetoed by national president Ilir Meta, according to local media reports. The reductions were approved last month by the ruling Socialist Party, but President Meta claimed that the lower tax take would have …
The government of Malta announced the implementation of the Mediterranean island jurisdiction’s new Gaming Act on Wednesday (August 1). The act was passed by parliament in March this year and comes into force following the approval of the EU Technical Regulation Information System (TRIS) process, in line with European Union Directive 2015/1535. The new framework …
Mississippi joined Delaware and New Jersey Wednesday as the first states to start accepting sports bets following the recent overthrow of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act by the US Supreme Court. MGM Resorts International properties Beau Rivage Resort and Casino in Biloxi and Gold Strike Casino Resort in Tunica were the first to …
Michael Pedersen, CEO of online casino operation LetsBet.com, has revealed that a 27-year-old Swedish punter who wishes to remain anonymous, has scored a Euro 6.7 million jackpot on NetEnt’s Mega Fortune progressive. Incredibly, the player had only just signed up and had a mere three hours of membership before hitting the win of a lifetime. …
Luckbox, the eSports betting enterprise which accepts cryptocurrencies and was founded by former Pokerstars managers Lars Lien and Mike Stevens (see previous reports) has given an update on progress so far following its ICO. The most significant development was the acquisition this week of the Isle of Man Gaming Supervision Commission’s first crypto-based eSports betting …
Global Gaming’s subsidiary SafeEnt Ltd, Malta filed a licence application in Sweden Wednesday, preparing for the liberalisation of the market early next year. Global Gaming CEO Joacim Möller said in a company statement: “Sweden is Global Gaming and Ninja Casino’s premier market, so it is of the utmost importance for us to be able to …
Social mobile poker operator KamaGames has launched its latest social casino game titled simply Craps Based on the popular dice game enjoyed in casinos around the world, Craps is the first 3D multiplayer game of its kind launched on the App Store and Google Play, the company claims. Like many classic games, it takes just …
After two years of being shirt sponsor for UK football club Leyton Orient, Energybet.com has expanded the relationship and is now the club’s official betting partner. Reprising last season, Energybet will be engaging with fans throughout the season with match day giveaways, half time competitions on the pitch, plus offering fans match and hospitality tickets. …
Following industry consultations, the UK Gambling Commission is set to introduce tighter standards of operational conduct from October this year. Aimed at creating a fairer environment for punters, the changes include giving the Commission power to impose unlimited fines for promotional campaigns that appeal to children or glamorise gambling. Operators will also face am eight-week …
Online gambling games developer Yggdrasil Gaming has signed an agreement to provide slots content to Intralot Italy, one of the world’s most established regulated gambling markets. The agreement will see Intralot add Yggdrasil’s content portfolio of video slots, including Vikings go to Hell and sequel Vikings Go Berzerk, as well as its latest release, Penguin …
Genius Sports, a betting data and technology supplier, will soon have new ownership following an agreement to purchase for an undisclosed consideration by London-based private equity company Apax Partners. Reporting on the deal, the Bloomberg business news agency noted that the betting data company has close links with a number of international gambling operators, along …
Riot Games, the publisher of eSport games like League of Legends, is inviting European cities to tender for the next European League of Legends eSports Championships. According to an open letter keeping eSports fans in the picture, Riot has initiated contact with some 300 cities with a view to selecting four hosts for the 2019 …
Lawmakers in Illinois have again turned their attention to previously failed attempts to legalise online gambling. The chair of House sub-committees on Gaming and Sales and Other Taxes, Rep. Bob Rita, is once again a major driving force behind new initiatives that will see hearings in August and October this year to hear views on …
Figures from the Macau Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau released Wednesday show that in July gambling revenues were up 10.3 percent y-o-y at 25.3 billion patacas (US$3.14 billion). July was the 24th month of consecutive revenue gain in the former Portuguese colony after it plunged to five-year lows due to slowing economic growth and a …
Online gambling group LeoVegas AB has released its Q2-2018 numbers, reporting: * Revenue increased by 76 percent y-o-y to Euro 87.4 million (49.7); * EBITDA was Euro 15 million (6.1), corresponding to an EBITDA margin of 17.2 percent (12.4%); * Organic growth of 38 percent (excluding markets closed in 2017); * NGR from regulated markets …
The Philippine Gaming and Amusement Corp. has posted its H1-2018 financials, reporting that it has exceeded expectations and targets by 9.7 percent. The operator-regulator reported revenue up 18.3 percent y-o-y from gaming operations at PHP33.4 billion (US$629.4 million). Net income reached PHP15.88 billion, whilst profit soared to PHP35.79 billion, compared with PHP3.05 billion in the …
US gambling provider group International Game Technology has posted a set of Q2-2018 numbers with revenue almost flat following the sale of its DoubleDown social casino subsidiary, currency fluctuations and jackpot expenses. Q2 highlights include: * Total revenue of $1.2 billion represented a 1 percent year-on-year decrease for the supplier; * Operating income was up …