Month: April 2021

The initial deal was agreed in December 2020, whereby GiG agreed to share its igaming and data platform with the unnamed group in addition to other managed services.

However the media group’s insistence on using a white label licence to operate – after it had previously planned on applying for its own licence – has created a situation where the partnership was “no longer viable for either party to move forward” .

GiG decided in 2019 to no longer support the white label model, which meant the deal was terminated.

GiG CEO Richard Brown said: “The change in strategy has led to an impasse for us to move forward together.

“While unfortunate to terminate this agreement, we wish them well and we continue to move forward on a multitude of our own opportunities”.

GiG insists that this decision won’t affect the company’s financial forecast for 2020, or it’s long term financial planning going forward.

The multi-year partnership will begin with the availability of wagering on PFL on DraftKings’ platform across the US, pending regulatory approvals.

Live DraftKings odds will also be integrated into each PFL broadcast across ESPN networks and streaming platforms, as well as during PFL’s pre-fight show. In September 2020, ESPN agreed a deal with DraftKings to promote its Daily Fantasy Sports products.

In addition, the operator will offer cash prizes together with PFL-branded pools tied to the league’s regular season, playoffs and championship events.

During broadcasts, DraftKings logos will be featured in and around the cage, and the operator has received the exclusive rights to use PFL logos and “official partner” branding for advertising and promotions.

It will also collaborate with PFL to create exclusive, themed content across both organizations’ social and digital platforms.

Read the full story on iGB North America.

Image: World Poker Tour

The report, which was compiled from findings by Sweden’s Coordination Function Against Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing group, organised by the police authority, said gambling businesses are often unknowingly “at risk” of money laundering exploitation.

Gambling at state-owned casinos and online gambling were highlighted as areas where the risk was especially high.

Although Sweden’s Gaming Act prohibits transfers between gaming accounts, the report warned that money can be transferred in other ways – for example, deliberate poker losses.

The group also found evidence to suggest that gambling accounts are being used for terrorist financing.

To counter money laundering, the report called for a change in the country’s Gambling Act on account and safe deposit box systems to include gambling companies. Currently, authorities have the power to quickly identify those who hold bank accounts and safe deposit boxes when money laundering is suspected, but cannot do this for gambling accounts.

The report also recommends periodic reporting from operators to the Swedish Gaming Inspectorate in order to curb money laundering potential and increase supervision.

In March, a report from Sweden’s Financial Police revealed that 700 incidents of money laundering were flagged in 2020.

Last week Sweden’s National Operations Department arrested five people in a match-fixing bust in Stockholm.

This month the Swedish government proposed an extension on the country’s novel coronavirus (Covid-19) restrictions for its gambling industry, including a SEK5,000 (£423/€492/$590) monthly deposit limit for online casino games.

Bao Casino, Pokie Place, Reels of Joy and Ozwin Casino were all investigated by ACMA after it received numerous complaints about the four websites.

ACMA found each site to be in breach of the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 and requested that ISPs block access in the country.

“Website blocking provides a valuable opportunity to alert the public to illegal gambling services through the messaging that appears when there is an attempt to access the site,” ACMA said.

“ACMA is reminding consumers that even if a service looks legitimate, its unlikely to have important customer protections. This means Australians who use illegal gambling services risk losing their money.”

Since the ACMA made its first blocking request back in November 2019, 263 illegal gambling websites have been blocked, while over 130 sites have pulled out of the Australian market since the authority began enforcing new illegal offshore gambling rules in 2017.

In March, ACMA also requested the blocking of 10 other gambling websites, including Play Croco, Aussie Play, Golden Reels and All Spins Win. This followed a request to block another 18 sites in February.

The operator last month agreed a deal through its Lockspell Limited Irish subsidiary to purchase Banach for US$43.0m (£30.1m/€35.8m) to purchase Banach on a cash and debt-free basis, with 55% of this being paid in cash and 45% in shares.

PointsBet said the deal strengthens its position in the in-play sports betting market in the US and also accelerates its technology roadmap, placing it in a position to take advantage of growth in sports betting activity in the US.

In addition, PointsBet said using Banach’s risk management algorithms and experience of trading will allow it to optimise achieved margin and offer greater value to its customers.

“We are delighted to welcome Banach into the PointsBet family and look forward to working together to deliver our full potential for the benefit of PointsBet shareholders and all of our stakeholders,” PointsBet group chief executive and managing director Sam Swanell said.

Read the full story on iGB North America.

We catch up with Joe Saumarez Smith, chairman, Eyas Gaming.

The majority of this revenue – $95.1m, up 19.3% from February – came from online casino gaming. 

Sports betting, meanwhile, brought in $32.3m, up 240.0%.

Michigan Gaming Control Board executive director Richard S. Kalm said this increase was largely due to betting on the NCAA basketball tournament.

“It looks like March Madness added a bounce to the sports betting handle, which jumped 19.1 percent from February, and internet gaming seemed to increase in popularity with monthly adjusted gross receipts going up 18 percent from February,” Kalm explained.

Read the full story on iGB North America

House Bill 1942, introduced by Representative Lee Johnson, asks for online sports betting to be approved “immediately” for operation in the state.

The bill outlines that each casino should have no more than three individually branded online sports betting platforms. The Arkansas Racing Commission would handle most other regulatory necessities such as determining the types of wagers offered, the record-keeping requirements, and ensuring children are not targeted by gambling advertising.

Read the full story on iGB North America.

Connecticut’s Mohegan Sun is one of the most impressive casino properties in the US, while Mohegan Gaming and Entertainment is one of the most progressive and forward-looking tribal operators in the market.

In this video, its president and general manager Jeff Hamilton, and vice president of expo and convention sales John Washko, discuss its post-Covid recovery. The pair plot out the roadmap for amenities to reopen and talk about plans for new launches, such as a branch of Tao in the property.

And in the wake of agreements on compact amendments being reached with the state of Connecticut, Hamilton and Washko explain the plans for sports betting. The property already works closely with sports teams, allowing events to be held and broadcast on-property, and with experience of legal wagering, they reveal how the operator plans to ensure a successful roll–out in the state.  

This video sees Dave Martinelli, chief marketing officer of Mohegan Gaming and Entertainment, and Erica Tessier, vice president of corporate marketing, explain how its stringent safety protocols are being communicated to customers.  

The pair also discuss the recent opening of the Mohegan Sun Casino at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, which saw Mohegan Gaming and Entertainment become the first tribal operator in the city.  

And as the company expands further afield, Martinelli and Tessier talk about future plans for markets as diverse as Greece, South Korea and Japan.