Month: July 2021

The regulator opened a consultation on a number of changes, with stakeholders able to submitted their opinions on the new rules.

Previously, test companies could use ISO 17020, which is a conformity assessment that measures how a company performs inspections, as accreditation. Under the new changes, test companies must instead use ISO 17025, which focuses on the specifications and conditions of laboratory testing.

Spillemyndigheden also removed the condition that test companies need three year of experience to be deemed as such. The authority explained that this was due to the realisation that the people involved in a company are more important that the length of time it has been established.

For this reason, the requirements for staff experience remain unchanged.

In addition, it will no longer be necessary for test companies to have ISO accreditation in order to perform verification penetration testing, a form of testing which checks for and fixes vulnerabilities in a product. Spilemyndigheden explained that its certification carries enough approval, and that all licensees have relationships with Approved Vendor Scanners already.

Several standards for testing have also been addressed in the changes. For live casino equipment, new requirements will be in place to test roulette and card mixing apparatus. The three second rule, which ensures that each event of a casino game must take at least three seconds, will be moved from the list of inspection requirements to the list of testing requirements.

Besides testing, general inspection standards have will also be altered. The main document regarding these has been changed to include online bingo in the peer-by-peer game section, to make clear that online casino licensees can offer online bingo.

The requirement that a gaming system must store a customer’s self-exclusion status has also been removed after Spillemyndigheden determined that the information must not be kept for longer than necessary.

Spillemyndigheden expects all changes to be implemented in 2022.

Rebranded from Pulse, the Quantum platform uses modular technology, meaning sports betting and casino operators may select particular services depending on the markets they are trying to enter.

It also features third-party integrations, a content management system and a bonus engine that offers rewards to customers.

“Not only will the revamped Quantum platform provide operators with a comprehensive sportsbook and casino solution, it will be tailored to their particular markets and give them options to stand out from the crowd,” CEO of Sportingtech Ivo Doroteia said.

“Whether that is retail brands looking to go online, established European brands taking advantage of new markets, or media companies seeking to marry their brand with sports betting’s popularity, Sportingtech has a scalable solution to meet a variety of demands.”

Another version of the product, Quick Quantum, will be available. This platform consists of the same features but with a faster delivery time of between six to eight weeks.

The platform is currently undergoing certification to be launched in various markets including Latin America.

Last year, Sportingtech signed a deal with ESA Gaming in which the games provider saw its game hosted on the supplier’s igaming platform.

The Oregon Lottery, which runs the DraftKings-powered Scoreboard product, saw gross gaming revenue of $2.8m in the month to 30 June, which was up 17% on the $2.4 registered in May 2021. The figure was significantly up on the $777,903 generated in June 2020 when few sporting fixtures were available due to the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.

Read the full article on iGB North America.

Shareholders were due to meet on 15 July to consider a bid from a consortium led by Israeli investment business Barinboim Group and backed by Leumi Partners and Menora Mivtachim Insurance. Playtech’s board agreed to this deal in May.

The deal would be worth up to $210m, with an initial up-front payment of $170m, a deferred but guaranteed $15m payment and the remaining $25m paid based on performance.

However, last week, Playtech shareholder Gopher Investments produced a rival $250m all-cash bid.

Gopher then urged the Playtech board to delay the general meeting and enter negotiations with the investment company.

Playtech has now done so, pushing the meeting back two weeks until 29 July, so both the board and shareholders may “consider recent developments”.

However, the Playtech board pointed out that it remains bound by the terms of its agreement with the Barinboim consortium, which states that it may not engage with other parties on the sale of the division. If it does so, Playtech will be required to pay $8.8m as part of a break clause.

However today, Gopher added a $10m break clause of its own to its offer.

Gopher must pay the fee to Playtech if it does not enter into an official sale and purchase agreement on terms “materially equivalent” to the consortium bid within three weeks of the start of the due diligence process. The fee must also be paid by Gopher if the deal fails to receive regulatory approval.

This break clause in the Gopher deal would allow Playtech to consider the offer and cover the financial penalty of backing out of the Barinboim offer. 

“The indicative proposal from Gopher is non-binding and is subject to a number of conditions, therefore there can be no certainty that the transaction proposed by Gopher would proceed to signing or completion,” Playtech said. “The consortium offer has been signed and is binding, but remains subject to shareholder and regulatory approval, and as such there can be no certainty that the consortium offer will proceed to completion.”

The Barinboim consortium welcomed the postponement of the meeting.

“The consortium recognises Playtech’s fiduciary duty to its shareholders and is pleased that Playtech and its shareholders will now have the opportunity to scrutinise the recent indicative non-binding interest for Finalto from Gopher Investments,” it said.

However, the consortium reiterated its argument that serious questions about Gopher and its bid remain, as the business’ ownership and source of funds remain unclear.

“Since Gopher announced its indicative non-binding interest on 2nd July 2021, it has revealed very little information on itself, the source of its funds and its ultimate controlling parties, all of which will be heavily scrutinised by regulators,” it said. “To the best of the consortium’s knowledge, Gopher has failed to properly answer even basic questions on these matters, which should be of great concern.”

It suggested that the investment fund may have ties to China, which may raise “material regulatory concerns”, which would make approval of the deal more difficult.

The Barinboim consortium added that while Playtech may not negotiate with new bidders under the parties’ agreement, it may perform further due diligence about Gopher.

“The Consortium hopes that Gopher will use the extension period to now be more forthcoming and provide sufficient information so Playtech and its shareholders can properly assess the ability of Gopher to pass the intense regulatory scrutiny it will be subject to, removing considerable uncertainty for shareholders,” it said.

XR Casino is creating what it claims to be the first-ever cross-technology, multiplayer, blockchain technology-based online gambling platform that will allow users of different devices to play casino XR games with each other.

The initial augmented reality (AR), mixed reality (MR) and virtual reality (VR) games include blackjack, roulette and slots and will be featured in its MVP version launching on 21 August.

In a statement, the operator said sports betting and other games are in the development pipeline.

The platform is supported by major devices, such as iPhone and 39 types of Android smartphone, as well as Oculus, Samsung and Microsoft products.

“XR technologies are changing the way we interact with each other and eliminating the need for expensive equipment,” said Dan Martinez, XR Casino’s chief executive.

“Tech giants such as Apple, Google, Facebook and Microsoft have invested heavily into AR, VR and MR to speed up mass adoption through both hardware and software solutions. XR Casino has first mover’s advantage in providing XR SaaS solutions to online, traditional casinos and sports betting companies. Our solutions create value for the gambling industry and offer competitive differentiation to attract new Generation X, Y and Z players worldwide.”

The figure posted also represents an increase of 37.7% from the previous month.

The handle for sports wagering decreased compared to May, dropping 3.2% to $111.2m. The payouts to customers also decreased to $102.8m, down from $108.7m last month. Compared to last year however, handle has skyrocketed by 775.6%, whilst payouts rose by 749.6%.

The number of retail bets being placed has increased to reflect the constant easing of coronavirus restrictions. $16.1m was wagered in retail outlets in June, compared to $14.9m in May.

Read the full story on iGB North America.

Newbury’s 29 annual race meetings will be broadcast on Sky Sports Racing from January 2024 as part of a five-year deal. The track’s fixtures, including the Dubai Duty Free Spring Trials, will add to Sky Sports Racing’s existing portfolio which also includes Royal Ascot and The Cazoo St Leger Festival at Doncaster.

From 1 April 2023, all fixtures operated by Newbury will be distributed to the retail betting sector via TRP. The channel currently represents the retail betting rights for horseracing fixtures at all 16 Arena Racing Company (ARC) racecourses, as well as Fakenham, Hexham, Newton Abbot, Plumpton and Ripon. In addition, Newbury Racecourse PLC’s online media and data rights will be represented and distributed by TRP from 1 January 2024.

Newbury has been partnered with RMG since 2004.

Julian Thick, chief executive of Newbury Racecourse, said: “We believe the new agreement secures a positive and exciting future for Newbury Racecourse and its shareholders and fits with our long-term values and aspirations for the business.

“Sky Sports Racing offers a very attractive platform for us with its extensive reach to 14 million homes, a particularly strong supporting digital footprint with both Attheraces.com and associated channels as well as the brand alignment and cross promotional opportunities that come with being part of the larger Sky family.”

The agreement has been announced in the same week that RMG announced a new five-year deal with more than 30 UK racecourses.

Matthew Imi, chief executive at Sky Sports Racing, said: “Working closely with our wagering partners and maximising the exposure Sky Sports can bring to Newbury’s fixtures, events and high-quality brand we believe this will translate into significant long-term opportunities for them on many different levels.”

The group, which recently submitted a AU$4.0bn (£2.18bn/€2.54bn/US$3.09bn) bid to acquire Tabcorp’s wagering and media business, has signed a multi-year streaming agreement with Racecourse Media Group (RMG) and SIS for the distribution of live horseracing vision and wagering content. The deal covers more than 60 tracks in the UK and Ireland, with 34 courses through RMG and all 26 Irish racecourses plus Ascot and Chelmsford City with SIS.

The agreement was announced in the same week that RMG, the owner of Racing TV, announced a new five-year extension of its deal for audio-visual and data rights at more than 30 courses across the UK.

Todd Buckingham, BetMakers’ chief executive, said: “The model of a global racing network, importing and exporting live vision and wagering-related data and content to promote racing across regulated jurisdictions across the world 24/7, is something BetMakers has been successfully promoting.

“We are delighted to partner with SIS and RMG to bring British and Irish racing to as many punters as we can through our partner operators in Australia. This deal also supports British and Irish racing by increasing commercial returns for the sport.”

As well as its recent bid for Tabcorp’s wagering division, BetMakers last month completed its acquisition of the racing, tote and digital business from Sportech in a deal worth £30.9m.

Discussing the BetMakers partnership, Paul Witten, SIS’s commercial director, said: “This is an important step in driving greater access for British and Irish horseracing content in Australia where we know it is popular with punters.

“SIS has over 30 years’ experience promoting and facilitating vision and data to grow racing revenues on an international basis and this deal with BetMakers allows us to grow that reach through a number of new integrations with Australian digital operators.”

Plug and Play is a California-based early-stage investment business that targets start-ups with high growth potential. As part of the deal, FDJ will provide support to Plug and Play’s start-ups and partake in the selection of its next start-up promotion.

The partnership will focus on identifying key customer experience trends and technology.

“As part of its innovation strategy, FDJ has been supporting many start-ups,” said Raphaël Botbol, directors of strategy, innovation and new activities at FDJ.

“Thanks to this partnership that we have forged with the abundant Plug and Play ecosystem, we have the ambition to develop relationships and collaborations that will inspire and support the modernization of our network by putting innovation at the heart of the customer and retailer experience.”

Play and Go will provide FDJ with market player relationships and allow it to cement its place in France while expanding internationally.

“We are very happy to see FDJ join Plug and Play Brand & Retail,” said Christian Kunz, director of Plug and Play France.

“Since 2016, we have been supporting traders more traditionally. It is with great excitement and joy that we welcome FDJ who, through its unique positioning and its knowledge of the start-up ecosystem, will bring a new point of view and vision to our cohort of partners. “

In Q1, 23 matches were flagged. With major tennis events across the globe suspended throughout Q2 of 2020, year-on-year comparisons were not available.

Of the 11 alerts, two came from ATP 250 events, part of the main tour of men’s tennis. A further alert came from an M25 men’s ITF match, as well as four from ITF M15 matches.

In the women’s game, one alert came from a W15 ITF match and three from W25 matches.

No alerts came from WTA main tour events, ATP matches at the 500 or Masters level or any matches at the French Open, the only Grand Slam event during the quarter.

The ITIA said it was important to remember that alerts are not necessarily evidence of match fixing, but rather just represent evidence that “something inappropriate may have happened”.

“Unusual betting patterns can occur for many reasons other than match fixing – for example incorrect odds-setting; well-informed betting; player fitness, fatigue or form; playing conditions and personal circumstances,” it said.

During the quarter, the ITIA also banned four players for betting or match-fixing offences. In April, the body issued Slovakian tennis player Barbora Palcatova with a three-year ban from the sport. It then banned Argentinian player Franco Feitt for life after he admitted to nine incidents of match fixing.

In May, Roman Khassanov received a 10-year ban after admitting to several instances of match-fixing, and later that month three Belgian tennis players were provisionally suspended following a criminal investigation.