Month: August 2021

Total market revenue for the month amounted to $7.1m (£5.1m/€6.0m), up 222.7% from $2.2m in July last year, but 15.5% lower than $8.4m in June this year.

Revenue from online wagering in July reached $6.2m, while the remaining $936,793 was generated at retail sportsbooks across the state.

In terms of handle, consumers spent a total of $88.9m betting on sports during the month, some 288.2% higher than $22.9m in July 2020, but 20.1% lower than $111.2m in June this year.

Players spent $77.9m betting online and $11.0m at retail facilities, winning $81.8m in the process.

Read the full story on iGB North America.

Total revenue for the three months through to 30 June amounted to $194.3m (£140.2m/€165.3m), which was level with the same period in 2020. Rental revenue remained flat at $188.3m, as did ground lease revenue at $6.0m.

The quarter saw MGP agree to acquire the real estate assets of MGM Springfield from MGM Resorts for $400.0m in cash. This will see MGM Springfield added to its existing master lease with MGM and the annual rent payment increase by $30.0m.

The MGM Springfield deal is expected to close in the fourth quarter of this year, subject to regulatory approvals from the Massachusetts Gaming Commission and other customary closing conditions.

In terms of costs for the quarter, total expenses reached $68.3m, which was again largely in line with the corresponding period last year. Consolidated adjusted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) amounted to $244.3m.

Read the full story on iGB North America.

Oshidori said it does not approve of the development and operation rules imposed by the prefecture and that the request for proposals (RFP) process is not being implemented ethically or fairly.

Many of the restrictions imposed by the prefecture are unreasonable, it said, and therefore it cannot conduct business in a rational and effective manner at present.

In a statement, the business also said it had encountered “multiple suspicions of ethical fraud in the RFP process.” It concluded that it could only participate in a selection process which is transparent and professional.

The business expressed its thanks to all those concerned, and to local people for their support and cooperation in Nagasaki’s IR business.

Oshidori joined forces with Mohegan Gaming and Entertainment in January this year, in a joint bid to acquire the Nagasaki IR licence.

In March, the Nagasaki government announced that it had narrowed its list of candidates for the new IR to three: Oshidori, Casinos Austria International and Niki Chyau Fwu Group, which is a joint venture between Japenese commercial real estate developer The Niki Group and Taiwanese construction business Chyau Fwu Group, also known as Parkview Group.

Oshidori International Development was established for the purpose of developing an integrated resort in Sasebo City, Nagasaki, and is owned by investment business Oshidori International Holdings.

Last week, Oshidori’s partner in the application, Mohegan Gaming and Entertainment, appointed Kim Cowan as its vice president of talent management, and Naketrice Snow as director of corporate employee and guest experience.

Cowan previously served as the principal for KWConsulting, and has held the position of vice president of human resources at Prudential Financial for eight years.

Mohegan said that Snow brings over 15 years of experience in the hospitality industry, working with various hotels and resorts across Florida. Most recently, she held the role of director of catering and senior even manager for Waldorf Astoria Orlando & Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek.

The operator said the appointments would see the business execute a robust, integrated human resources strategy across its properties.

“Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment is pleased to have Kim Cowan and Naketrice Snow join our corporate human resources team to support the continued organizational development of our company throughout the U.S. and abroad,” said Ray Pineault, president & chief executive officer of Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment.

“Our team members are vital to enabling MGE’s continued global success, and I look forward to Kim and Naketrice’s leadership to ensure each MGE team member achieves their full potential, while engaging the Spirit of Aquai.”

By Josh Walfish

There is good news for those hoping to target devoted esports fans, as these passionate consumers are among the most susceptible to out-of-home (OOH) advertising methods, according to a research study from YouGov.

In both the UK and the US, avid esports fans outperformed the average adult in noticing and engaging with OOH advertisements. YouGov asked the study participants about seeing advertisements on public transport – buses, trains and airports – and discovered that as many as twice as many esports fans noticed the advertisements compared to the average adult. 

In the same study, YouGov learned that nearly 70% of avid esports fans in the US searched for a product after seeing it on a billboard or poster. More than 60% of American respondents also said they comment to friends and family about what they see on those OOH advertisements. 

Analysing the data

What stands out about this data is that it holds for the younger age group and the generations more tied to technology. The avid esports fans between the ages of 18-34 are far more likely than their average counterparts to notice and engage with OOH advertisements. This is great news for products that might target younger gamers that might be worried about the diminishing returns from digital advertising. 

In particular, for sportsbooks, there are many positives to take from this data among esports fans. Nearly 70% of esports fans between the ages of 18-34 search for a product on their phone after seeing a billboard, meaning that those OOH advertisements can translate almost immediately into betting interests. The trend holds with the esports fans as a whole, which opens the door for various marketing strategies to connect with this emerging market of bettors.

Lessons from the data

The most straightforward lesson from this data is that posters and billboards around events are a must-have for sportsbooks. As online sports gambling continues to become legal in more states across the US, sportsbooks must capitalise on the conversion rate among esports fans. As we’ve seen in the traditional sports vertical, being able to bet on the event you are attending enhances the experiences.

The sportsbooks should focus specifically on the public transportation in the city of the event, connecting with bettors and fans who might not have tickets to the event. If fans are exiting the subway stations and bus stops with constant reminders about the esports event and the betting options, it will only drive more traffic – and therefore more money – to the sportsbooks. 

The other major lesson from this data is the importance of diversifying the marketing strategy for these sportsbooks. Driving traffic solely through digital advertising is an easy trap to fall into, given the reliance on technology in modern-day society. However, this data set proves that OOH marketing works and can help pique interest in a product via word of mouth, adding to the value of these more traditional advertising methods.

It’s not just about the 70% of esports fans who research the product after seeing a billboard or poster. Sportsbooks must also take advantage of the more than 60% of fans who then speak with family and friends about what they saw, helping spread the message further than any other marketing method. It is a tool that cannot be ignored and should be honed to help grow sports betting on esports.

You can play a demo of Spirit of Egypt: Hold and Win here!

Go-live date (expected):12/8/2021Game special features:– Stacked wild symbol
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– Synced reelsNumber of paylines:20 linesNumber of reels:5RTP% (recorded/theoretical):95.43%Variance/volatility:HighNumber of symbols to trigger feature/bonus?3 scatters for free spins; 6 or more bonus symbols for bonus game.Can feature be retriggered?NoNumber of free spins awarded?10Stacked or expanding wilds in normal play?NoStacked or expanding wilds in feature play?NoNumber of jackpot tiers?3 bonus game jackpotsAuto-play function?Yes

By Josh Walfish

Mobile gaming has skyrocketed, thanks partly to the pandemic. Between March 2018 and July 2020, Fortnite generated more than $745m (£536m) of revenue from its iOS platform.

While nearly half of users still spend $25 or less on mobile gaming per month because most games are still free to play, there is a definite uptick in revenue over the past few years. According to research from Interpret, nearly a quarter of iphone users spend more than $100 per month, and 22% of Android owners spend that much per month. In total, 45% of Android users spend at least $50 per month, slightly more than the 41% of iphone owners who hit the $50 threshold. 

Analysing the data

Our society is becoming more dependent on smartphones, with more than 90% of Americans owning a smartphone, and the rest of the developed world is only slightly behind the United States’ pace. It is not a surprise that revenue from mobile gaming is rising, but the growth rate is something sportsbooks need to keep an eye on in the future. The more the common gamers pour their money into mobile gaming, the more sportsbooks will need to be ready to pounce.

Already more than 40% of smartphone owners are paying at least $50 per month on games, which translates to $600 per year. That isn’t a small sum for most people, and a quarter of the users are up to at least $1,000 per year on mobile gaming. Simply put, the future used to be mobile gaming, but it is becoming increasingly apparent that the future is here and the switch from PC gaming to mobile gaming is vital. 

Lessons from the data

The issue for sportsbooks offering esports options is that now is not the right time to roll out betting options on mobile gaming. While most users are starting to use mobile gaming more than PC or consoles, the competitive gaming world has not made the switch yet. Most of the money is still in traditional esports played on PCs, and the industry has not adapted tournaments on a massive scale to mobile.

There is also an issue with age demographics, as most of those playing mobile games are not old enough to wager. So it is plausible that any offerings on mobile gaming would miss the intended audience and not be as popular. The esports betting industry on PC-based games is on the upswing, and sportsbooks need to capitalise on that while keeping an eye on the future.

This is why sportsbooks need to begin compiling the requisite data to be prepared for when mobile gaming tournaments hit the mainstream. It is difficult to keep track and collect accurate statistics from the few tournaments for mobile gaming, but that data is the key to unlocking the future of betting on these mobile games. The sportsbooks cannot afford to be behind the times and need to be ready to capture the transition when bettors are ready to wager on mobile gaming.

The good news for sportsbooks is that the grunt work of getting caught up to speed on esports will help them prepare for the rise in mobile gaming. The more revenues begin to rise for game studios from mobile, the more their focus will be on mobile, which means the tournaments will begin in earnest. The infrastructure is in place for sportsbooks to handle that switch, as long as they can recognise the trend and get off to an early start preparing for the shift from PC to mobile. 

The deal will run for three seasons, from the 2021-22 campaign that kicks off this weekend, until 2023-24.

As a partner of the club, Parimatch Tech will gain access to a rage of Chelsea’s digital, social and logistical assets to create mutual branding opportunities.

“Chelsea’s unique style, determination and charisma resonate perfectly with Parimatch’s passion for sport and ambition,” Parimatch Tech co-chief executive Roman Syrotian said.

Chelsea chief executive Guy Laurence added: “Last year was immensely successful for Parimatch as they expanded and opened new markets, while launching several game-changing projects. Chelsea also showed its excellence, becoming European champions for the second time in our history. 

“We are excited and proud of this partnership and the opportunities it brings.”

The deal comes after Parimatch Tech last month rebranded from Parimatch in a move designed to increase focus on its B2B marketing and technology solutions.

The operator said the rebrand highlights its “technological transformation”, from its formation as a retail bookmaker in Ukraine in 1994 to its growth in the online sector. This included a return to its home market earlier this year, as Parimatch secured the first sports betting licence when Ukraine re-legalised various forms of gambling.

The licences will be available to operators that do not currently hold a licence in the state or only have a temporary operating permit.

In line with the Illinois Sports Wagering Act, only an initial three online-only licences will be made available during the application process, which officially launched on August 5.

The board will formally notify the three successful applicants within 90 days of making a public announcement about the bids. Once named as a winning bidder, the applicant will have to pay a fee of $20m to secure the licence.

Read the full story on iGB North America.

In becoming law, the compact would allow sports betting exclusively through the Tribe online and in its class III gaming facilities.

It would also allow the introduction of new games, such as dice games, roulette and fantasy sports contests, at the tribe’s Hard Rock-branded casinos.

Read the full story on iGB North America.

This game is one of our big highlights of 2021, merging one of our most iconic IPs and best-performing games ever with the Megaways version.

You can play a demo of Big Bad Wolf Megaways here!

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