Responding to an enquiry from a member of the public this week, Jarrod Wolfe, a strategic analyst in the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation compliance division, said that the use of loot boxes in video games is legally questionable and constitutes gambling under current provincial legislation, although it is hard to regulate. His …
Nick Tofiluk, a ten-year veteran with the UK Gambling Commission who was the director of regulatory compliance, has left the Commission to take up responsibilities as chief executive of the Cyprus National Gaming and Casino Supervision Commission. He will be responsible for managing the new online betting framework on the Mediterranean island and oversight of …
In an interview with the Australian Financial Review this week, the CEO of Unibet, Henrik Tjarnstrom gave an interesting insight into his expansion plans for Australia. The Kindred Group subsidiary has been making an impact in the market, and plans to boost its marketing spend in a bid to increase market share, Tjarnstrom said. In …
New online gambling regulations designed to combat illegal operators were passed in the Lithuanian parliament this week as the national regulator warned that it will not tolerate unlicensed operators accessing Lithuanian punters. Observers have noted that the changes are in many ways similar to those imposed in Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Estonia and Latvia, and include …
The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) has published its interim performance report for the period January to June 2017 detailing a rise in the gaming industry’s contribution to the Maltese economy which now stands at 12 percent. The gaming industry represents the third largest sector in the economy which contributed an additional Euro 556 million or …
Aspire Global has agreed a joint venture with a group of ‘industry veterans’ to launch the new Mr. Play casino and sports betting brand. The company has acquired a 40 percent minority shareholding, backing Mr. Play with a Euro 2 million investment. A further Euro 2 million has been pledged by other investors. In addition …
Free TV Australia, an industry body representing Australia’s commercial free-to-air television broadcasters, has announced the launch of a consultation period on new draft provisions that propose a curb in gambling advertising during live sporting events at times that children are likely to be watching. The restrictions would apply across multiple channels including online. Pamela Longstaff, …
The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has awarded Global Daily Fantasy Sports (GDFS) a Combined Remote Operating License, a key market for the daily fantasy sports company. GDFS is firmly focused at present on going live with its Italian clients and on the launch of its .com network, after which it will target the UK market …
Evolution co-founders Jens von Bahr and Fredrik Österberg have sold a combined total of 1,798,520 shares in Evolution Gaming Group. The transaction undertaken through an accelerated bookbuilding process to Swedish and international institutional investors, corresponds to approximately 5 percent of all outstanding shares in the company, at a price of SEK 557 per share. The …
Part-Cherry AB-owned and UK-based Highlight Games has launched a new innovative virtual sports product that combines archived real-life game footage. SOCCERBET combines six ten-second clips from an individual fixture across a number of seasons, presenting the randomly generated minute-long package as one individual game in a similar manner to virtual sports titles. The product is …
B2B software and white label provider SoftSwiss, in partnership with five times WBC champion boxer Christina “Lady” Hammer, and working in close consultation with the World Boxing Council (WBC), has launched a new online casino. Considered to be one of the most influential German boxers and an undefeated middleweight World Champion, Hammer will personally promote …
Genesis Gaming’s latest release is a graphic-rich, Wizardry-themed matching game played across a 6×6 grid. Mysterious Gems offers a Multi-Cascade feature, Random Multipliers, Stretching Wilds and a Free Spins Bonus feature. Check it out here: http://gen-game.com/slot-games/mysterious-gems/?platform=hootsuite
Gaming Innovation Group (GIG) has integrated Enteractive’s Player (Re)activation solution to its SuperLenny, Thrills and Kaboo brands. The solution from the player retention solutions provider boosts the reactivation of churned players through one-to-one personal phone calls in which trained agents interview players to glean precisely what they want from their gaming experience and guide them …
Microgaming’s Health & Care Trust has donated GBP 10,000 to the Manx Breast Cancer Support Group towards the acquisition of a new ultrasound machine. The machine will be a welcome addition to the purpose-built Manx Breast Unit Clinic at Noble’s Hospital which houses the island’s breast screening services. Julie Stokes, Chairman of the Manx Breast …
Sports data and digital content provider Sportradar has collaborated with the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) to launch a new AFC integrity mobile application enabling stakeholders to report suspicious betting activities or match-fixing information with ease. Fans, players and officials are able to make reports in real time using their mobile devices enhancing the AFC Integrity …
In an early warning report, Scientific Games Corporation has notified its acquisition of 11.6 million ordinary shares in NYX Gaming Grouprepresenting a 10.72 percent share for an aggregate price of CAD$27,054,565. The companies, who signed an acquisition deal earlier this month, also entered into a first amendment agreement in which Scientific Games will make a …
Harrison repeats warning that the customer treatment bar has been set too low by online operators and that “change is now coming”. Addressing the annual ‘Raising Standards’ conference in Birmingham Tuesday, UK Gambling Commission chief Sarah Harrison reiterated her warning that the gambling industry has set the bar too low in treating customers fairly and …
After just a week of investigation (see previous reports) the Belgian Gaming Commission has issued its opinion that the use of loot boxes constitutes gambling, finding: “The mixing of money and addiction is gambling.” Belgium’s Minister of Justice, Koen Geens has also weighed in, saying, “Mixing gambling and gaming, especially at a young age, is …
EA’s Star Wars Battlefront II game and it’s now suspended loot box offer have attracted more flak, this time from a Hawaiian lawmaker. Representative Chris Lee held a press conference this week, adding his concerns that loot boxes are a form of gambling to those already expressed by European regulators (see previous reports).. During the …
Canadian business development group Evolution Technology Resources Inc. expects to revitalise its VIPSpel online casino, purchased earlier this year, by acquiring gaming consulting firm Midacor to manage the operation. Evolution has already managed to boost player registrations 400 percent to 24,000 since taking the enterprise over, but now expects Midacor to increase that metric four-fold …
The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) has released a Request for Proposals (RFP) to select a service provider to enhance and expand sports betting in Ontario. Through the initiative, Ontario will join four other Canadian jurisdictions offering sports products online and on mobile platforms, as well as at retail locations: Atlantic Canada, Quebec, Manitoba …
Stride Gaming Plc (Stride) announced the acquisition of a 51 percent stake in Passion Gaming Private Ltd (Passion) Tuesday, a rummy-focused online gaming firm operating across India. A cash consideration of $3.75 million will be invested in the company’s working capital to accelerate growth, Stride said. In addition, Stride retains the right to acquire the …
Nigel Railton has been appointed the permanent chief executive officer of Camelot UK Lotteries Limited after conducting a wide ranging review on how to return the business back to growth following a series of disappointing results. Total National Lottery ticket sales reached GBP 3,280.4 million for the first half of the 2017/18 financial year – …
Magnet Gaming is eagerly anticipating the release of another cooking/cuisine-themed slot following the recent launch of its ‘Baking Day’ title (see previous reports). ‘Le Chef’ dishes up a French restaurant experience to players whose task is to impress Paris’ toughest food critics in the hope of being awarded rewards. This HTML5-built, nine-reel slot offers two …