International Game Technology’s IGT Interactive has launched a new Asian-themed slot titled “Jewel of the Arts”. Showing distinctive and beautifully designed Asian style graphics, features include Wilds, Multipliers, a Free Spins Bonus Round and a Fan Dance Bonus Round. This 5-reel, 20-payline game was launched in select online casinos such as Mr Green. BetOnSoft has …
A new LGA-licenced online casino at BlingCity.com was launched this week. The new online venue claims an innovative concept in melding online gambling with social media by offering a “constantly evolving world” where players can visit different locations. Players are able to achieve status levels, interact with other players and play for real money within …
With the European Commission breathing down the Greek government’s neck, the Emma Delta-owned Greek gambling group OPAP could find its sweet monopolistic online sports betting deal somewhat diluted. Reports from Athens indicate that just before the Easter break the government introduced amendments to its gambling law in a bid to stave off Commission action. The …
International Game Technology’s operating results for the second quarter ended March 31, 2014 show continued growth in the interactive division, but rather dismal numbers from the diverse group as a whole. * Total revenues fell 15 percent to $513 million * GAAP earnings per share from continuing operations decreased 66 percent to $0.10 * Non-GAAP …
In a bid to meet European Commission demands regarding free movement of goods and services within the European Union, the Polish government’s highly restrictive and nationalistic laws on payment processing – a critical feature in online gambling activity – have been relaxed. Late last month the amendments were implemented, permitting companies based within the European …
The Minnesota online betting row appears to be escalating following complaints by some lawmakers last month that the director of the state lottery had overreached his authority in launching limited forms of online ticket buying and scratchcard games (see previous reports). On Tuesday the House Tax Committee was urged by Rep. Ann Lenczewski to support …
Net Entertainment’s Q1-2014 report released Wednesday showcases another successful quarter with the performance indicators all going in the right direction for the period January-March 2014. * Revenues for the first quarter increased by 26.7 percent to SEK 188.4 (148.8) million * Operating profit came in at SEK 51.2 (41.0) million * Operating margin was 27.2 …
The Rt Hon Sajid Javid MP has been appointed Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport and Minister for Equalities at the Department of Culture, Media and Sport. Javid succeeds Maria Miller who resigned earlier this month amid a furore involving over-claimed expenses. He previously served as Financial Secretary to the Treasury and is …
Cape Town-based bookmaker BetFlash has launched a Betradar-powered in-play betting offering to South African punters. BetFlash general manager, Samantha McMurtrie who believes the product, available on mobile, tablet and PC, to be far superior than any other in-play offer currently in the South African market, said: “We have focused on a clean, easy to use …
UK news publisher Trinity Mirror Plc has inked a strategic partnership with Paddy Power. Trinity Mirror, publisher of the Daily Mirror and the Sunday People, in partnership with Paddy Power will launch a sports betting app. However, the app will be a fully-branded Paddy Power offering unlike other white label offerings launched by The Sun …
UK gambling firm Coral has partnered with San-Francisco based game development studio Ruby Seven Studios. Through the partnership, new social casino gaming apps will be developed, the first based on popular Coral land-based games such as “The Magician” and “The Magician Triple Pots”. Coral will gain insight into the social gaming industry allowing it to …
US-based Goldfire Studios has officially launched its HTML5 social casino game Casino-RPG. The multiplayer role-playing game, which was launched in Beta in the fourth quarter of 2013, was funded by raising capital through a crowd-funding initiative on KickStarter (see previous report). CasinoRPG allows players to design and manage a casino empire funded by their winnings …
Despite his previous experience in government research into problem gambling, you have to ask whether the new head of the French regulator ARJEL is really up to speed on the realities of the French market. Charles Coppolani, the new boss at ARJEL, gave one of his first interviews to Les Echoes – a French newspaper …
Russian president Vladimir Putin already has a new activity earmarked for his recently annexed Crimea territory; he wants it to become the fifth gambling zone in Russia. The BBC reports that by law casinos are restricted to four special areas in Russia, all a long way from Moscow. Of these four zones, thus far only …
Scientific Games Corporation has signed a contract with La Francaise des Jeux (FDJ), extending the business relationship between the two companies. The terms of the deal see Scientific Games continuing as the primary supplier of instant games to FDJ, the second largest instant game lottery in the world. Scientific Games supplies a significant share of …
IGT has announced the appointment of e-commerce veteran Will Daugherty as general manager of DoubleDown Interactive. Well experienced in management in the e-commerce, online travel and mobile industries, Daugherty most recently served as vice president of Amazon Payments, where he led the business to substantial growth in number of customers and revenue. Previously, as president …
The Guardian newspaper reports that over the weekend a petition organised by the Association of British Bookmakers appeared in shops across Britain headed “Enough’s Enough” and seeking customer support for an appeal against government restrictions which it claims could cost jobs in the industry. The Guardian took a jaundiced view of the effort, which does …
Online sportsbetting operators targeting the Malaysian punter will have to tread carefully during the FIFA World Cup football spectacular in June this year – the Malaysian police are making extensive preparations to combat the upsurge with even more vigour than usual. Police Federal Secret Societies, Gambling and Vice Division principal assistant director Senior Asst Comm …
A fuel tank explosion and fire at a Gibraltar power station Sunday resulted in local power cuts and extensive disruption of international online gambling services provided by Gibraltar-based operators like William Hill, Betfred and Ladbrokes. Rival BetVictor escaped unscathed thanks to its independent emergency power generator. The disruption came on a busy day in which …
A gambling row that has been simmering for the past week in Australia is set to heat up after the holidays with Tabcorp at the centre after an activist body dubbed Fair Wagering Australia published a leaked internal document that on the face of it suggests a strategy to winnow out successful punters to reduce …
The latest op-ed aimed at lawmakers through the Washington DC publication in The Hill appears to suggest that moves to reinstate a stricter and more specific Wire Act are really just about creating a “time-out” and space for legislators to debate and better inform themselves on online gambling. The two Republican politicians pushing for the …
Teddy Sagi, the forty-two year old Israeli billionaire and main shareholder in the Playtech online gambling technology empire was the target of a highly personal attack published by the UK newspaper The Daily Mail Saturday. The Mail is well known for its anti-gambling crusades and in particular its vehement opposition to the Fixed Odds Betting …
With Belclic’s decision last week to reverse out of the Russian online gambling market still reverberating around the industry, the Swedish online gambling operator Unibet plc has announced that it intends to follow suit – at least temporarily. The sudden surge of enforcement interest from Russian prosecutors and enforcement officials, leading to more black-listings (see …
Mark Brooker, the erstwhile director of sports betting at Betfair, has been promoted to chief operating officer of the group, the company announced this week. Brooker has been with the company for the last four years, and his new responsibilities will place him in the i-gaming hot seat, with the introduction of a new sportsbook …