The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) has again confirmed the well-established principle that Member States cannot restrict national gambling markets to protect the commercial interests of incumbents or for other economic reasons. The latest ruling, handed down Thursday, adds that national laws which prohibit cross-border gambling, irrespective of the form in which …
Another company interested in the social gaming trend emerged this week when the Hungarian social gaming developer Mgame Solutions Corporation launched its slots and video poker games online, complementing its core social poker system. CEO Gabor Dan said that new casino games were in development and would be added to the inventory on a regular …
Because it only launched in mid-2012, year-on-year performance comparisons in the Spanish online gambling market are not yet possible, but looking at the latest quarterly reportage from regulator La Dirección General de Ordenación del Juego, progress is slow and halting. Figures for Q2-2013 released by the DGOJ this week portray a struggling sector: * Gross …
The Belgian Gambling Commission, Kansspelcommissie (KSC), has put out a call for participation from industry volunteers and players alike in two seminars due to take place on 30 and 31 October 2013 at the Egmont Palace in Brussels. The seminars will form a review of the current online gambling legislation which includes an evaluation of …
Game developer Rival has launched its latest 5-reel, 25-payline offering titled Coins of Olympus. Featuring Greek Gods and Goddesses, the legendary winged horse Pegasus and gold and silver coins which trigger free spins and expanding wilds, its base game offers a maximum win of 4000 coins. A Hermes Bonus Round is triggered when landing three …
Geonomics, previously known as Roboreus, has recently added a second-chance offering to its GeoSweep portfolio titled Treasure Hunt, an instant-win treasure-finding game for the US lottery market. The launch of the new product and a corporate rebrand follows a GBP 10 million investment by Tipp24 for a 25.7 percent stake in the company finalised in …
GameAccount Network, a UK software developer and supplier to the regulated online gaming industry, has launched an initial suite of online slot games for Italian operator Sisal. The multi-year deal enables Sisal’s online customers to engage in playing GameAccount’s portfolio of third party slot games delivered online into Italy via GameAccount Network’s Internet Gaming System …
A Pennsylvanian politician is currently defending his reputation after a federal ‘sting’ investigation and wiretap exposed a telephone conversation with an illegal sports betting operator that appears to suggest the suppression of a problem gambling complaint, according to widespread mainstream media reports in the US Tuesday. Pennsylvania Representative Marc Gergely, a Democrat from Allegheny, gave …
Atlantic City land casino operators continued to battle in August 2013, reporting year-on-year revenues down 4.8 percent to $298.1 million to the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement. In the year to date, the casinos have seen gambling win drop from $2,165,233,990 in the same period in 2012 to $1,973,173,496 so far this year. Overall …
This week marks the start of the U.K. Gambling Commission’s consultation phase on remote (online and mobile) gambling licence conditions and codes of practice in preparation for the introduction of the secondary licensing and taxation regime next year…and it presents an opportunity for interested parties to submit views and suggestions. Hopes are high that the …
Bubble Group BV trading as gaming developer Sheriff Gaming has had its Alderney Gambling Control Commission (AGCC) licence suspended pending a regulatory hearing. The AGCC investigation was prompted following a large scale investigation into the three successful young millionaires behind the company by the Dutch Prosecuting Authority, Kansspelauthoriteit Gaming Commission and Dutch Tax Authority at …
Spanish online social gaming firm Akamon has launched VideoSlots on Facebook. The offering comprises multiple slots with different themes that unlock on attaining pre-defined achievements and levels. The game is Akamon’s first to contain its corporate identity and is designed to “bring Akamon closer to the end consumer” while consolidating its multi-platform strategy. The Facebook …
The Journal of Consumer Research has published a study on consumer preferences regarding the semantics of the verb “gaming” as opposed to “gambling”….and it has shown a clear preference for the former. The study by Ashlee Humphreys of the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University and Cornell University’s Kathryn A. LaTour is entitled “Framing the …
The Social Gaming Association (SGA) and the International Social Games Coalition (ISGC) have agreed to unify, presenting one industry voice for the social games industry. The merger, which will see the consolidated organisation named the International Social Games Association (ISGA), represents social games companies across a wide spectrum. The ISGA’s core objectives will be to …
Inspired Gaming Group (IGG) has announced the appointment of Vitaliano Casalone, a seasoned industry executive with a strong history involving Italian gaming regulator AAMS. Casalone boasts 20 years experience in the Italian gaming industry holding high profile positions with SOGEI, Lottomatica and Gamenet. His focus will be on building IGG’s success in Italy. Martin Lucas, …
Software provider EveryMatrix is following up its Asian expansion in Manilla with another new office in New York. Pietro Addeo, currently based in the UK, will head the New York office. Addeo has a varied history in the industry having worked for IGT, Betshop and Bet365 among others. “The New York office will ensure EveryMatrix …
A report on online gambling led by British Conservative MEP Ashley Fox has been adopted by the European Parliament by an overwhelming majority. The Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) Committee report covers a wide range of proposals for EU and Member States to take forward in view of the upcoming European Parliament and Commission …
Colossus Bets, a UK-based online sports betting company, has announced a new partnership with 2001 European Footballer of the Year and former England striker Michael Owen. The deal sees Owen becoming the brand ambassador for the company’s range of sports-pool options, including the GBP 10,000,000 Colossus promo. Owen, whose 40 goals scored between 1998 and …
The interactive television gambling company NetPlay TV plc has posted an impressive set of results for the six months ending 30 June 2013, flagging the following highlights: * 36 percent increase in net revenue to GBP 14.2 million (H1 2012: GBP 10.4 million) * 17 percent increase in EBITDA to GBP 2.7 million (H1 2012: …
The concerns of Far Hills, New Jersey residents on the impact of legalised horse race betting on the beaches of Atlantic City appear to have been assuaged, with state governor Chris Christie approving bill A4149 Monday, a new law permitting the recreation on Atlantic City beaches of the Palio – a 700-year-old Italian horse race …
Fifty-year-old Newark resident Kenneth Baran is the latest defendant to plead guilty to online gambling charges involving the Costa Rica-based Beteagle.com website, which was the subject of a federal investigation back in 2010. 14 persons allegedly associated with an organised crime ring have been charged in the case, with several admitting guilt. Baran appeared before …
French operator Pari Mutuel Urbain (PMU) has launched its latest TV campaign moving away from what it terms the “forty-year-old punter sitting in a corner bistro” to target a younger audience. The two potentially controversial TV ads are based on significant historical events, the first the sinking of the Titanic and the other the 1963 …
High 5 Games has marked its High 5 Casino’s one year anniversary with the launch of “Jazz”, a 4×5 reel game featuring Wild Connections. The Wild Connections feature in Jazz transforms ordinary symbols into wilds when triggered on a winning payline and its Connected Lines feature guarantees the player a win when adjacent symbols line …
Italian firm Lottomatica has employed the services of Giulio Astarita in the position interactive poker director. Astarita announced his appointment in a lengthy Facebook post saying while there was a lot of work to be done; the team is committed to revitalising the company’s poker offering. He has the skills to take on the challenge …