Month: June 2022

Ben Grad will take on the newly created role of senior vice president and head of strategic partnerships and operations.

Reporting to FuboTV co-founder and chief executive David Gandler, Grad will be responsible for developing and leading external partnerships and internal cross-functional initiatives for the business, covering both the streaming and online wagering segments.

Grad joined FuboTV in 2017 and was most recently senior vice president of content strategy and acquisition, following spells in strategy and partnership roles with Verizon, Fuse, Time Warner and Universal Music Group.

“Ben’s understanding of FuboTV’s business, combined with his expertise and track record as a media executive, will be invaluable as we transition from a start-up to a growth-oriented media and technology company,” Gandler said. 

Meanwhile, Todd Mathers replaces Grad as senior vice president for content strategy and acquisition, as role in which he will report directly to chief business officer Henry Ahn.

Mathers will be tasked with expanding FuboTV’s range of sports, news and entertainment programming, as well as realigning licensing costs with existing and new content partners.

Prior to joining FuboTV, Mathers was head of content strategy and business development for Verizon/FIOS. He also spent 20 years at AT&T and DIRECTV, including a spell as senior vice president of programming and content. 

In addition, Andrew Steinberg joins FuboTV as vice president for business development, also reporting to Ahn. 

Steinberg will manage and grow distribution of FuboTV’s networks and create new business opportunities with current platform partners.

Steinberg was previously director of business development and partnerships for Goldin, a marketplace for trading cards, collectibles and memorabilia. He has also worked in senior business development and strategy roles at Discovery Inc., Scripps Networks Interactive, Paramount Pictures, TEGNA and Premion.

“Todd and Andrew have demonstrably helped expand and diversify the revenue streams of some of the world’s most renowned media businesses,” Ahn said. “We are excited to tap into their expertise to grow our sports entertainment content experience across multiple platforms, while managing costs for consumers and providing value for our shareholders.”

The trio of appointments comes after FuboTV last month reported a 102.2% year-on-year rise in revenue for the first quarter of its financial year, but higher spending meant its net loss doubled.

Bowskill replaces Manjit Gombra Singh, who joined the business in July 2019 as president for product and technology, before also being appointed as an executive director in the following October.

Gombra Singh, the former chief technology officer and executive vice president of Aristocrat Leisure, will transition to a non-executive director role from today (1 June).

Bowskill joins PointsBet from Capital International Group, where he had been serving as an executive director and CTO. Prior to this, he spent time as CTO at both The Stars Group and Scientific Games Interactive, while he held other senior technology positions with Playtech, Gaming Technologies Solutions and Partis Solutions.

“PointsBet have invested in building a talented delivery organisation that uses modern technologies to create great products,” Bowskill said. “I am greatly looking forward to helping accelerate the pace of product innovation and business scale across multiple jurisdictions.”

Meanwhile, Catterall will take on his new role as Australian CEO on 4 July. He joins PointsBet from Racing.com, where, as CEO, he led the business through a major transformation in broadcasting, digital media, rights acquisition, audience development and commercial growth.

Prior to this, Catterall held senior leadership positions at Racing Victoria and the Australian Football League (AFL).

PointsBet Group CEO Sam Swanell said: “We are very pleased that a senior executive of Jerry’s quality and experience is joining PointsBet. Jerry has a wealth of gaming technology experience across numerous organisations and brings key leadership and technology capabilities to the global business as we continue to drive our technology strategy forward.

“I am also delighted to announce the appointment of Andrew Catterall, who joins our business with a track record of end-to- end commercial and strategy leadership experience at the AFL, RVL and Racing.com and has been involved in some of the most significant transformations and growth agendas in sports entertainment in Australia. 

“As the Australian business heads towards our third consecutive year of impressive growth and EBITDA profitability, Andrew has been provided a mandate to continue this growth and to seek out important strategic opportunities which can strengthen the business.”

Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) members including Flutter, Bet365, Entain and William Hill are among those to have signed up to the fundraising initiative ahead of the race on 16 June. The groups will hand over all profits they make from win and each-way bets, after levy and duties are deducted, on the big-field heritage handicap. If they do not make a profit on the race, the operators have agreed to make a donation to the charities.

ABF The Soldiers’ Charity, Sue Ryder, Ascot Racecourse Supports Community Fund, The Ivors Academy Trust and Cotswold Riding for the Disabled will all benefit from the Britannia Stakes.

Michael Dugher, chief executive of the BGC, said: “I am absolutely delighted that the BGC’s largest members are once again raising vital funds at the Royal meeting for some of the country’s top charities, especially in this the year of the Queen’s Jubilee.

“Her Majesty’s passion for racing is known across the globe. It’s a sport that has the power to bring people together and Royal Ascot is one of the great highlights of the calendar. Millions of people enjoy a flutter and I’m proud that betting companies will donate their profits from one of Royal Ascot’s top races, the Britannia Stakes, to go towards some great charities. I am once again indebted to everyone at Royal Ascot for their continued support.”

Queen Elizabeth has been to almost every Royal Ascot since first attending in 1945 and has had 23 winners. The Platinum Jubilee, celebrating 70 years since her coronation in June 1952, will be marked by a four day public holiday in the UK this week.

BetVictor, Kindred, Betway, Rank Group, Virgin Bet, Tote, Fitzdares and Bet with Ascot have also signed up to the initiative, which follows the success of last year’s Britannia Stakes fundraising drive when £1.25m was raised for a range of good causes.

Caroline Graham, director of fundraising at Sue Ryder, said: “Sue Ryder is delighted to be chosen to be one of the charities that benefits from the Britannia Stakes at the Royal Ascot to celebrate the Queen’s Jubilee. Her Majesty has been Sue Ryder’s Patron since 1993, so it makes it even more special to be one of the charities involved this year.

“The money that is donated will go on to help us provide more care for more people through our palliative, neurological and bereavement support.”

Initially available on the PlayUp USA sportsbook, the program provides enrolled players with the highest instant deposit limits in the US market.

Once a PlayUp USA customer joins the VIP program, their single transaction limit for an instantly funded deposit is increased by as much as several hundred times the standard limit, depending on individual know-your-customer verification.

VIP players can also withdraw their winnings from PlayUp USA to their Skrill USA account in real time, as well as transfer directly to their linked bank accounts.

Skrill USA plans to roll out the VIP player program across its wider network of US operator customers.

“With VIP players preferring digital wallets over every other payment method, we’re confident that our program and product upgrade will make Skrill USA the preferred wallet of American operators’ VIP customer segments,” Paysafe’s North America igaming chief executive Zak Cutler said.

PlayUp USA chief marketing officer Kevin Smith added: “We take great pride in taking care of our VIPs and the ability to onboard them quickly once they have cleared our due diligence protocols. Having a platform like Skrill USA allows us to have very little friction in the deposit process with our VIPs but still be fully compliant with the regulatory standards that are in place.”

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, but it was confirmed that Swifty will fund the purchase partly in cash, restricted shares and vendor finance. 

Swifty recently received its UK and Curacao gambling licenses and has been preparation to launch its sports predictions app in the UK market. The provider said that the acquisition of Goldchip would speed up this process.

Goldchip, which employs a total of 14 staff at its UK office, posted $94.0m (£74.7m/€87.8m) in revenue during its 2021-22 financial year, as well as a net profit of £1.8m. 

The operator also has a portfolio of nearly 750 high net worth VIP clients including a number of celebrities and sports stars. Swifty said it hopes to grow this VIP sportsbook to 900 clients by the end of 2022, as well as introduce its sports predictions app and casino to the Goldchip clients.

The acquisition deal comes after Goldchip this month had its licence suspended by the Great Britain Gambling Commission pending a review of its operations. The Commission did not disclose specific details of these activities, but it did state suspected social responsibility and anti-money laundering failings were key considerations in the decision.

However, Swifty said its acquisition of assets resolves this problem, with Goldchip’s clients now able to migrate to Swifty’s UK gambling licence with immediate effect. 

“I’m delighted about this deal; the team have been working extremely hard to build this business and it’s fantastic to be able to put substantial tangible scores on the board with immediate effect, especially since the share price has had a tough time of late,” Swifty chairman Nicolas Link said.

“With this deal, Swifty bypasses the next three milestones on its roadmap and becomes a serious player in the OTC, where there are not many businesses delivering nearly $100m in annual revenues.”

Meanwhile, Swifty also announced that it is “progressing well” with its EMI banking licence, with this to allow it to issue virtual banking cards from the Swifty Wallet when its larger integrated Fintech solution materialises in the medium to long-term.

Swifty said it will support its ongoing expansion into the Fintech arena by exploring several complimentary Fintech acquisition opportunities, which it plans to complete after the launch of its sports predictions app. 

Iosif Galea was detained on a European Arrest Warrant while on holiday in Italy with a group that included Malta’s former Prime Minister, Joseph Muscat.

Galea has been wanted by the German authorities since last year over alleged crimes including tax evasion. The Times of Malta reports that he was already on police bail in Malta over an alleged leak of information from the MGA when he departed for his holiday in Italy.  

Galea has been an igaming regulatory compliance consultant in Malta for more than six years, having previously been employed by what was then the Lotteries and Gaming Authority (LGA) for six years until 2013. According to his LinkedIn profile, his duties at the LGA included licensing and post-licensing as well as investigations on gaming systems and licensed operators.

In a statement, the MGA said: “The MGA would like to clarify that Mr Galea has not been employed with the Authority since March 2013. Mr Galea held the role of compliance officer between December 2007 and March 2013.”

Galea’s arrest came in the same week that former MGA chief technology officer Jason Farrugia pleaded not guilty to a number of charges, including money laundering, acceptance of bribes and fraud.

The Times of Malta reports that police are investigating why Galea was not arrested in Malta and was allowed to leave the island multiple times despite being subject to an arrest warrant.

MP Joe Giglio told reporters: “I cannot understand how we did not know about the European Arrest Warrant. This basically means that the Home Affairs Minister and the Police Commissioner have failed because a request for assistance by another country to fight criminality was ignored.

“This is a threat to our country because it means that if there are other people around the world who have arrest warrants issued against them, the airport, our ports… have no idea these exist.

“Because if nobody knew about the Galea warrant, what guarantee do we have that this is not the case with others?”

The iGB team has unveiled a new campaign slogan for the 2022 show, with ‘Connect. Converse. Convert.’ designed to emphasise the unique aspects of the event, which runs from 5-8 July at the RAI Amsterdam.

iGB Live! brings together the B2B and affiliate communities, allowing delegates to connect and converse with suppliers, and convert these insights into growth opportunities for their businesses.

Attendees will be able to network with over 4,000 visitors – with a target of 4,500 – and 250 exhibitors during the event.

“Last year’s edition of iGB Live! raised the bar in terms of engagement with an independent satisfaction survey conducted by exhibition research specialists Explori placing it among an elite top 2% when benchmarked against other exhibitions,” said Naomi Barton, portfolio director responsible for the iGB brand at Clarion Gaming.

“For 2022, we are bringing both iGB Live! and iGB Affiliate Amsterdam, B2B and affiliate, under one main iGB Live! brand as we look to cement this event as the only global gathering for the entire igaming ecosystem.”

Barton explained that this year’s show will feature extensive networking opportunities throughout the four-day event. Affiliates will be able to connect with over 100 programmes, while igaming visitors will have the opportunity to connect with a host of suppliers such as game developers, aggregators and platforms.

Barton added that the 2022 event aims to capitalise on the success of last year’s event and iGB Affiliate London, which took place in April 2022. The show at ExCeL London achieved an overall satisfaction rate of 89%, far eclipsing the industry benchmark of 59% for returning trade expos.

“iGB Live! 2021 was the first major gaming show to return post-Covid and the energy it generated at the RAI was unbelievable,” she said.

“We are looking to build on that tidal wave of positivity as well as the buzz of April’s highly successful iGB Affiliate London in order to deliver an experience that caters for the entire igaming ecosystem and cements iGB Live! as one of gaming’s top in-person events.”

The Council will be made up of individuals who have experienced gambling harm, or have been impacted by gambling harms. It will work with GambleAware and its board of trustees, to help guide its future strategy using their personal experience and expertise.

Members will be expected to provide independent advice to shape GambleAware’s programmes and activities, while helping to guide the charity’s governance and development strategies.

The Council will also have an advising seat at all board meetings.

“We are committed to meaningful and inclusive involvement of those with lived experience of gambling harms to ensure their voice is amplified across all areas of our work,” said Zoë Osmond, CEO of GambleAware. “As an imperative step in this process, we are pleased to be launching and opening the call for applications for GambleAware’s new Lived Experience Council.”

“I strongly encourage all those who are interested in being part of this new venture, to please get in touch.

“The new Council and community members will bring their unique insight, expertise, and knowledge to GambleAware and help us in creating a society free from gambling harms.”

In addition to the Council, GambleAware is also building a community of individuals who would inform the charity’s day-to-day work.

Caesars Racebook is a collaboration between the a collaboration between Caesars Sportsbook and the online betting arm of the New York Racing Association (NYRA Bets), using the NYRA Bets platform to offer pari-mutuel wagering on over 250 race tracks globally.

This includes racing from Belmont Park, Saratoga Race Course and a number of Caesars operated racecourses, such as Harrah’s Hoosier Park and Horseshoe Indianapolis.

The app also uses the Caesars Rewards loyalty program to offer bettors the chance to win exclusive experiences every time they place a wager.

Caesars and NYRA first entered into a partnership in January.

“The launch of Caesars Racebook is an important milestone as we continue to add wagering opportunities for our customers and livestreaming content for the first time,” said Dan Shapiro, senior vice president and chief development officer of Caesars Digital.

“Caesars Racebook is truly differentiated as the first horse racing advance deposit wagering app to include our award-winning Caesars Rewards loyalty program.”

“We look forward to welcoming new horse racing customers and existing fans onto the platform and to working with NYRA Bets to grow horse racing as we deploy Caesars Racebook with plans to launch in about 30 states across the country.”

There are plans to expand the app, which is available for download on iOS, to more states throughout the year.

“The new Caesars Racebook app, which utilizes the NYRA Bets interface and technology, will expand access to world-class horse racing now and in the future,” said Matt Feig, general manager of NYRA Bets. “The partnership between NYRA Bets and Caesars is a win for horse racing, its stakeholders and countless racetracks around the world.”

Under the deal, Soft2Bet will add Gaming Realms’ collection of Slingo content to the range of games available to its own clients. Content will include titles such as Slingo Starburst and Slingo Sweet Bonanza. 

B2B provider Relax Gaming led the incorporation of Slingo games onto Soft2Bet’s platform, with integration now complete and content live across both brands.

“We’re delighted to have reached an agreement with Gaming Realms, this partnership allows us to significantly elevate our product offering and provide players with even more amazing content,” Soft2Bet director gaming Daniel Mitton said.

“Gaming Realms offers an impressive assortment of games, with its innovative and unique Slingo IP at the heart of the offering – combining the finest aspects of slots and bingo.”

Gaming Realms’ head pf business partnerships Mouhcine Jalili added: “We’re excited to have agreed a partnership with Soft2Bet, a platform already has an established and dedicated player base, allowing us to expand our player reach.

“The Soft2Bet platform represents access to another market leading operator with international presence, collaboration with Daniel and the team we’re hopeful of expanding the partnership in the near future.”