In a pre-close trading update, bwin.party digital entertainment plc reported expected bet volumes and active player numbers but “exceptionally weak gross win margin in sports betting”, particularly during the month of December. Weak gross win margins have impacted overall revenue performance in the fourth quarter, the company said, which are now expected to be in …
Nevada gambling revenues for November 2014 remained flat compared to the same period last year, the Nevada Gaming Control Board said Tuesday. Total Nevada casinos reported revenues of $876 million in November of which the Las Vegas Strip brought in $508 million, 4 percent down y-o-y. Downtown revenues were $43 million, an increase of 13 …
According to the Romanian National Office for Gambling (RNOG), Romania’s Government approved an emergency draft ordinance for the regulation of gambling earlier this week. Odette Nestor, president of the RNOG said provisions in the ordinance include a switch from posting tax in RON to EURO, protection of the under-aged with reference to remote gambling and …
Online casino affiliate management firm Affeurop is ending 2014 on a low note for both itself and its affiliate marketers, advised them that it plans to shut down all affiliate links with effect from December 31 2014. In an email notification signed anonymously by “Affeurop Team” the company advised Tuesday: “It’s with great sorrow that …
According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP), Malaysian Minister of Home Affairs Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has informed U.S. authorities that Paul Phua Wei-seng, indicted for operating an illegal sports betting operation from a Las Vegas villa (see reports), is not a member of Hong Kong’s 14K triad as suspected but in fact assists the …
The independent Senet Group, founded by UK gambling firms William Hill, Paddy Power, Coral Group and Ladbrokes, has kept to its word with the imminent launch of a responsible gambling campaign in the UK market. Members of the Senet Group will carry new prominent responsible gambling messages on all TV advertising and other forms of …
With the Adelson-backed Coalition to Stop Internet Gambling pumping out all sorts of misinformation and scare stories on the impact of online gambling on compulsive gambler numbers, the poker information site US Poker.com published a timely reminder this week that the facts established through scientific studies indicate otherwise. US Poker reminds us that there is …
A Cambodian court is currently trying seven South Korean nationals arrested by local police after a tip-off about an online gambling operation this week, reports the Phnom Penh Post. Chea Kimsan, chief of Siem Reap immigration police, gave evidence that the men were caught red-handed during a raid on Saturday on a villa in Svay …
Despite a major clampdown by South Korean police the public demand for sports betting services continues to ensure good, if risky, business for illegal operators, the local publication JoongAng Ilbo reports in an article on the “ghost operators.” Sports Toto is the only licensed, and therefore legal, sports lottery in South Korea, but hardly the …
Online slot fans have a new video slot for the festive season with the launch of Brighton-based British developer 1×2 Gaming’s latest offering, Gods of Olympus. The 5 reel 20 pay-line game brings 1×2 Gaming’s B2B inventory to almost 100 products and initially comes in Flash technology format, although an HTML5 version is on the …
Chris Holbrook, a 35-year-old British graphic designer, has hit a personal jackpot with his Free Post Code Lottery.com concept, enabling him to give up his day job in order to concentrate on growing a burgeoning business. The publication This Is Money reports that Holbrook developed his lottery concept after listening to a radio report on …
By exercising his veto after the state legislature shut down for the year, Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton has saved the state lottery’s online scratch card initiative from the lawmakers’ axe, but legislators say they will renew their attack in the new session. It does give lottery director Ed Van Petten, a passionate supporter of online …
The latest Billionaire list from Bloomberg business news shows that land casino and anti-online gambling crusader Sheldon Adelson was one of the biggest losers in the global wealth stakes in 2014, suffering a hit to his personal fortune of $8.9 billion. Dropping from 9th to 23rd position among the world’s wealthiest men is probably ego-bruising, …
The past year has seen plenty of cut and thrust in the online gambling legality duel between companies and political frontmen inspired by the largesse of land casino mogul Sheldon Adelson, and the perhaps less generously funded companies and organisations fighting to prevent the aging multi-billionaire from driving through a federal prohibition on most of …
Florida property tycoon Glenn Straub wants to pay $87 million for the Revel Resort and Casino in Atlantic City, built just two-and-a-half years ago at a cost of $2.4 billion…and as the only buyer on the scene at present it looks as if he may prosper from his tough bargaining stance. Straub was one of …
Nine more arrest warrants for policemen have been issued in the widening investigation into police involvement in a massive football online gambling ring, according to reports from Thai media Thursday. Charges include allegations that officers, some of them very senior and now removed from their posts, were receiving hefty bribes from a reportedly Indian illegal …
Confirming a schedule agreed by the warring parties, the US Third Court of Appeal has set January 14 for the state of New Jersey to submit its latest brief in the ongoing dispute over New Jersey’s attempts to legalise intrastate sports betting in defiance of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act. Ranged against the …
Complaints earlier this month by Rajan Zed of the Universal Society of Hinduism that an online slot machine themed on the god Shiva was insensitive to his religion have been followed by the product’s withdrawal from the market and an apology from the provider, Gauselmann Group in Germany. Announcing the withdrawal of the online slot …
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has quickly responded to NBA chief Adam Silver’s call for collaboration on changing US sports betting legislation (see previous report), observing during a television interview that the suggestion is a “bait and switch” tactic, and suggesting that it was “crazy” for the NBA chief to suggest a joint legalisation initiative …
Siddharth Jain, Suraj Nalin and Preeti Reddy, formerly game developers with social gaming giant Zynga, have launched their own company in India with investment funding from IDG Ventures and former senior Zynga exec Yezdi Lashkari. Titled PlaySimple, the start-up plans to develop innovative mobile games for the online social and casual market, building a business …
International Game Technology’s interactive division has announced the launch on desktop and mobile channels of the company’s popular Jeopardy! slot. The theme on the new game is based on the top American quiz show of the same name, which this year celebrates its thirtieth anniversary. The Jeopardy slot has been available through IGT’s internet social …
The Intertain Group has completed the acquisition of the entire share capital of Dumarca Holdings PLC, the Malta-based parent company of Vera&John (see previous reports). Intertain have made an initial cash payment of Euro 44.5 million and around 5 million common Intertain shares. A further payment capped at Euro 8.1 million may be due based …
Merkur Gauselmann subsidiary edict eGaming will integrate its Game Bridge remote gaming server into EveryMatrix’ casino engine following its first deal with a B2B provider agreed this week. Game Bridge will deliver ten Merkur slot titles to Everymatrix operators, the first roll-out being on Jetbull.com with others to follow.
Caesars Entertainment Corporation (CEC) will merge with Caesars Acquisition Company (CAQC), established in 2013, in an all-stock merger deal that will enable subsidiary Caesars Entertainment Operating Company (CEOC) to ultimately restructure as a real estate investment trust (REIT) as it moves ahead with plans for a voluntary Chapter 11 reorganisation bankruptcy filing scheduled for early …