Month: March 2021

Sports betting regulation is moving rapidly across the US, but are consumer protections keeping up with the pace? To mark problem gambling awareness month, this session brings together some of the professionals looking to raise standards across the sports betting sector. Experts will share their key pain points, flag underlying issues and outline best practice examples for enhancing responsible gambling safeguards. Among the questions up for discussion will be: 

• Are state regulations providing sufficient safeguards for bettors?
• What are the market leaders doing to track and protect their customers?
• Can lessons from Europe be transferred across the pond?
• Have operators applied the same standards in Europe to US state markets? 

Speakers:

• Martin Lycka, Senior Vice President of US Regulatory Affairs & Responsible Gambling, Entain
• Keith Whyte, Executive Director, National Council on Problem Gambling 
• Seth Palansky, VP, Corporate Social Responsibility & Communications, Conscious Gaming

Falzon joins SKS365 having most recently served as operational CFO at NetEnt, where she played a major role in its acquisition by Evolution Gaming.

Prior to this, Falzon was CFO of Red Tiger, where she oversaw its acquisition by NetEnt in 2019.

“SKS365 is among one of the leaders of the Italian betting and gaming industry and I am thrilled to contribute with my expertise to further drive the company’s growth and transformation plans,” Falzon said.

“I am delighted to join the company at this time and I am looking forward to working with the team to execute on the company’s priorities, accelerate growth and enhance value for shareholders and all stakeholders.”

SKS365 chief executive Alexander Martin added: “Lara brings a wealth of experience in M&A activity and leading financial operations across international markets combined with in-depth industry experience from working at various gaming companies.

“Finance is a key function at SKS365 supporting actively our growth and profitability targets and I am delighted to have Lara leading our excellent finance team.”

Falzon was named one of iGB’s Most Influential Women in November last year. She also sits on Bragg Gaming Group’s board of directors.

With more and more states looking to legalise sports wagering and generate much-needed tax revenue, how can casinos harness sportsbooks’ power to attract new and dormant customers? This webinar will discuss:

• Building or adapting your sportsbook facilities to the post-Covid world to provide an entertaining and safe environment
• Quantifying the value of the sports betting customer
• Driving sports betting players to the casino floor to maximise their value to your operations

Moderator: Melissa Blau, Director, iGaming Capital

Speakers:

• Art Manteris, VP Sports Gaming, Station Casinos
• Vic Salerno, President, USBookmaking
• Luisa Woods, Vice President – Marketing, Gaming and Entertainment, Delaware North

Revenue from online casino gaming was up 299.1% from 2020, but down 3.3% from January 2021, ending a streak of record months that started in July 2020.

Online slots were still the largest source of igaming revenue, bringing in $50.6m, down 0.8%, while revenue from online table games was down 7.5% to $24.7m. Online poker revenue, which comes entirely from Mount Airy Resort’s PokerStars product, came to $2.5m.

Looking at operators, Penn National Gaming’s Hollywood Casino, which offers a  DraftKings casino product, was the leader in online revenue with $28.0m, leading in both slots and table games.

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Gregory will take on the role of chair of the remuneration committee and will also be a member of the audit and nomination committees.

He brings more than 35 years’ experience in a variety of senior positions to his new appointment, including a 19-year career at legal and leneral where he held key leadership roles such as chief executive of the savings business and managing director of its with-profits business.

Gregory is also an independent non-executive director at Direct Line Insurance Group, where he acts as a chair for the remuneration and investment committees.

“On behalf of the Board, I am delighted to welcome Mark to Entain,” Barry Gibson, chairman of Entain, said.

“Mark brings extensive knowledge of financial and customer services through his lengthy career in the insurance and retail sectors. He is an experienced remuneration committee chair who brings deep finance and commercial expertise and will further enhance the Board’s ability to support and oversee the delivery of our growth and sustainability strategy.”

De Kerckhove has been involved with the company since November 2017, serving as a non-executive director and chair of the nominations committee.

She is the current chief executive of commerce company Freespee, and has held senior roles at businesses including Iron Capital, Reed Elsevier and Inspired Gaming.

888 chairman Brian Mattingley – who himself is set to leave 888 and become Playtech’s new non-executive chairman in June – said: “With her extensive experience as an entrepreneur and investor, as well as her strong track record on the Board and its Committees, Anne is a real asset for 888 as it continues to grow and pursue its strategic objectives.

“I am delighted that she has agreed to take on the Senior Independent Director role.”

Under the arrangement, data will be used to power Sportradar’s in-play tennis odds and trading services outside of the US.

Sportradar sports betting customers that hold a Stats Perform WTA data licence will have access to in-play WTA tennis odds, powered by Stats Perform’s new scout-collected detailed data or the umpire data feed.

The new deal comes after Stats Perform in November agreed a six-year deal to become the official data supplier of the WTA, delivering an exclusive umpire-derived data feed for WTA matches and an ultrafast data feed collected by Opta analysts.

“Our ground-breaking approach to collecting and distributing high quality official WTA data as part of our exclusive agreement is not only broadening the appeal and accessibility for fans and bettors, but also making it more accessible to them. Our progressive deal with Sportradar exemplifies this,” Stats Perform chief betting officer Andrew Ashenden said.

Sportradar’s managing director for sports content and partnerships, David Lampitt, added: “This deal delivers a great enhancement to our extensive portfolio of tennis content. But more than that, it demonstrates what can be achieved through a constructive and innovative commercial approach, even between fierce competitors.

“Collaborating with Stats Perform in this way improves our live odds and managed trading services for WTA events and represents a significant development for the industry more broadly.”

Johnson has senior leadership experience in the commercial sports and media sector, currently serving as chair of the Rugby Football League and also a non-executive director at chartered accountancy firm HW Fisher.

Prior to this, Johnson had a spell as director of corporate affairs and company secretary at the English Football Association, and as chief operating officer for England’s 2018 World Cup bid.

Johnson also spent time as chief executive of Business in Sport & Leisure, as well as director of rights and business affairs at ITV, and chief executive of The Jewish Leadership Council.

“I’m very pleased to be joining SIS, one of the industry’s most recognisable and trusted brands,” Johnson said.

“SIS has made great strides in extending its presence around the world through quality and engaging products.”

SIS chief executive Richard Ames added: “The appointment of Simon is most welcome and follows the successful globalisation of SIS in recent years.

“Simon has extensive experience in working for some of the leisure industry’s biggest bodies and his leadership qualities will prove invaluable to SIS. We are now in an even stronger position to build on our recent momentum and further grow the company’s position within the global betting industry.”

The conditional arrangement, which includes supporting infrastructure and racing broadcast audio rights, will see SENZ commit to producing a two-hour weekly Saturday racing preview show.

TAB NZ will have no involvement in the running of SENZ, with the new operation to be independent of TAB NZ’s Trackside and its existing live simulcast of racing. However, the deal does include access to radio broadcast rights for domestic racing.

“SEN has a proven track record in delivering quality sport and racing coverage in Australia and we look forward to a close and mutually beneficial relationship in promoting and covering sport and racing in New Zealand,” TAB NZ executive chair Dean McKenzie said

“We’re confident racing fans will be well-served by the introduction of the new venture which will be in addition to Trackside’s separate existing live simulcast of racing which continues to be available through the TAB website, app and streaming services.”

The acquisition of the licences coincides with the launch of SENZ, which will also feature other live sports broadcasts and local programming.

SEN chief executive Craig Hutchison said: “Our 24/7 sports talk format will include shows hosted by some of New Zealand’s most loved sporting identities – as well as a blockbuster line-up of live sport – all delivered through a fiercely local lens.

“We thank the TAB for reaching terms to take on the former Trackside radio footprint and look forward to partnering with them to provide a unique offering to sports and racing, pacing and chasing fans alike.”

The budget reflects many of the stipulations published earlier this week in the State Assembly’s proposed budget, including a $12m licensing fee for the operation of mobile sports betting, to be secured through one of New York state’s land-based casinos.

For land-based sports betting, the Senate has proposed a tax rate of 8.5% of GGR, while for mobile a tax rate of 12% is proposed, as was also recommended by the State Assembly in its budget proposal.

In addition, it has passed a proposal to include a “sports wagering royalty fee” of 0.2% of the total amount wagered, to be remitted to the gambling regulator.

State senator Joseph Addabbo Jr., a long-time supporter of the introduction of sports wagering to New York, commented on the proposal.

“I appreciate the efforts of my Senate colleagues and staff for all the work that produces the Senate One-House Budget, especially in terms of including mobile sports betting and the expediting process for New York State’s three unused downstate casino licenses,” he said.

“This brings us one step closer to giving people a way to responsibly, legally and safely place bets from anywhere in New York.”

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