April 2018 Infinity Gaming Magazine

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32 THE GAME IS UP Teresa Tunstall

38 A WOMAN IN THE ONLINE BUSINESS Lee-Ann Johnstone

20 BE THE CHANGE Christina Thakor-Rankin

Opinion Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in all external articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of The Infinity Gaming Magazine Any content provided by our feature writers or authors are of their opinion, and are not intended to malign any religion, ethic group, club, organization, company, individual or anyone or anything.

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4 EDITOR NOTES Lana welcomes you to the latest edition of Infinity Gaming Magazine.

6 OUR WRITERS Meet our feature writers, the superb writers on our rosta.

09 WIG9 FINALISTS 20 THE STARS GROUP

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Exclusive Interview

20 BE THE CHANGE Christina Thakor-Rankin

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW With The Stars Group

32 THE GAME IS UP Teresa Tunstall

THE WIG9 FINALISTS

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38 A WOMAN IN BUSINESS Lee-Ann Johnstone

55 SWEDEN CHANGES 56 NEWS & MORE NEWS from the gaming industry

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A note from the editor CONTACT US Clever Duck Media Centrix@Keys Keys Park Road Staffordshire WS12 2HA UK Tel: +44(0)1543 478 889 PRODUCTION Clever Duck Media Centrix@Keys Keys Park Road Staffordshire WS12 2HA UK

It’s Time For Diversity PUBLISHING Infinity Gaming Magazine is operated by © Clever Duck Media Ltd ®

Lana Thompson - Editor

Welcome to the latest edition of the Infinity Gaming Magazine

Welcome to the latest edition of the

en in Gaming Diversity Awards, Play’n

Infinity Gaming Magazine and Spring is

GO. Red Tiger Gaming, IGT, Caesars En-

here and just around the corner is the

tertainment, Alea, Videoslots, Micro-

9th Women in Gaming Diversity Awards,

gaming, Sportradar, The Stars Group and

this year we have sold out three weeks

Playtech, you are all amazing for your

before the evening, with the awards cer-

support of this innovative event.

emony taking place on the 11th May at the stunning Savoy Hotel it really will be

“To Infinity and Beyond!”

a special evening. We are sorry for those that missed out on tickets.

Regards,

We also have a superb speaker lined

Lana

up for the Women in Gaming Diversity Awards and we are really looking forward to that.

Now in our ninth year we have more companies taking part than ever before and we are going to have a superb time , both motivationally and inspirationally.

Before I go and let you read the latest edition of the magazine I want to thank all our wonderful sponsors of the Wom-

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The Editor

Company Reg. No. 687 1018 (Registered in England) V.A.T reg. no 972 6372 91

Sponsorship Opportunities Colin@cleverduckmedia.com Business Partnerships Svetlana@gaming-awards.com Marketing & Advertising claire@cleverduckmedia.com Editorial Content & PR media@cleverduckmedia.com

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The first of a new generation of independent game builders. microgaming.co.uk/studios Š 2018 Playboy Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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Infinity Gaming Magazine Contributing Writers A magazine is only as good as the content inside and with some of the leading specialists within the gaming industry. With specialised articles covering customer service, the gaming law, new prducts, technology and current affairs with the sector the Infinity Gaming Magazine is delighted to showcase our superb line-up of contributing writers.

Christina Thakor-Rankin Christina is Principal Consultant at 1710 Gaming Ltd, a specialist betting and gaming consultancy, delivering a range of services including licensing and compliance (incl. regulation, money laundering and social responsibility), business start-up, training and strategic reengineering, project management, research, business analysis and development, to start-ups and established multi-national operators and providers, gambling regu-

lators, law enforcement and government agencies, media, and specialist interest groups and associations within the sector, in both established and emerging markets across the world.

www.1710gaming.com

Teresa Tunstall – Independent Gaming Consultant After many years of working in casinos in the UK and on USA ships as a croupier and inspector, Teresa turned from ‘poacher to gamekeeper,’ spending 16 years with GamCare, who offer help and support to those who develop problems with their gambling.

Teresa now works independently consulting on all issues relating to Social Responsibility and Problem Gambling.

Working closely with the betting and gaming industry, She developed strong links delivering Social Responsibility and Problem Gambling training around the world, from Antigua to Moscow, and Auditing in the UK.

To contact Teresa regarding consulting please email: Teresatunstall1@gmail.com

Lee-Ann Johnstone - CEO Best Odds Marketing With almost two decades of digital marketing and affiliate experience gained within retail, payments and blue chip iGaming brands, Lee-Ann has a wealth of expertise as an award winning digital marketing expert and business mentor. She is the creator of AffiliateFEST, founder of Best Odds Marketing a digital consultancy specialising in affiliate marketing and recently launched Affiliate Insider offering training, events and business development for the affiliate channel.

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<u> Empowering women in the workplace. </u>

Nominated at the 9th Women in Gaming Diversity Awards. |

www.sportradar.com INFINITY GAMING

9th Women in Gaming Dive 11th May 2018 - Savo

B2B Excellence Angela Houslay – IGT Diane Crookes – NetEnt Emilie Zamponi – Quickspin Jane Ryan – Nektan Kostandina Zafirovska – BtoBet Melanie Hainzer – Mansa Gaming

Best Place to Work Aspers Westfield Stratford City Leo Vegas Les Ambassadeurs Club LV BET Mansa Gaming Mansion Microgaming Play’n GO

Excellence in Customer Service

Hidden Talent (OPERATOR)

Customer Service – Mansion Essa Frantsi – Videoslots Esther Scheepers – Kindred LeoVegas Lisa Schuster – IGT Mei Shi – Caesars Natalia Groisman – The Stars Group Olga Deņisova – Playtech Operations Management Team William Hill Sarah Mannion – Rank

Amanda Gilbert – Caesars Anna Niewiadomska – Kindred Cath Hannam – Rank Helen Scott-Allen – The Stars Group Lorna Attard Biancardi – Mr Green Mariachiara Lagravinese – Mr Green Naomi Pottinger – Videoslots Phillippa Garty – Aspers

ersity Awards - Finalists oy Hotel London

Company of the Year Aspers Group LeoVegas LV BET Microgaming Play’n GO

Hidden Talent (SUPPLIER) Aina Nunez Brown – Playtech Ana-Maria David – Nektan Irina Tyberg – Play’n GO Jeriel Bacani – Microgaming Marija Solovjova – Ecommpay Michelle Schenk – IGT

Employee of the Year Debbie Wyatt – Aspers Dunya Siala – Videoslots Joy Jiang – Playtech Kirsty Caldwell – William Hill Kirsty Hanks – Microgaming Liana Mifsud – Play’n GO Maria Arkelatyan – The Stars Group Maria Karenda – Mr Green

Industry Achiever Angel Jane Agius – Videoslots Ann Sullivan – Caesars Claire Osborne – Nektan Laura O’Brien – Mr Green Lydia Barbara – Microgaming Maria Nilsson – Play’n GO Marieanne Carmody Weir – Aspers May Maceiras – The Stars Group

9th Women in Gaming D 11th May 2018 - Savo

Innovator of the Year Justyna Majcher – SKS365 Lauren Monaghan – Mr Green Linda Lewis – Aspers Lorraine Sammut – Videoslots

Leader of the Year (Land Based) Bea Stevens – Aspers Erin Chamberlin – Caesars Helen Rowles – Aspers Perrina Hoser – Caesars Sue Price – Rank

Inspiration of the Year Danijela Slisko – Mr Green Dr. Laila Mintas, Sportradar Efrat Nadel – Playtech Holly Ashpole – Aspers Kimberley Broad – Microgaming Megan Easey – Videoslots Rebecca McAdam – The Stars Group Sharon Flowers – Rank

Star of the Future Alisa Samuel – Aspers Annie Linner – Mr Green Audrey Sauvan – Mansa Gaming Graihagh Hardinge – Microgaming Hodan Fourie – The Stars Group Kam Sanghera – Playtech San Van – Caesars Simona Brathova – William Hill Yanika Pisani – Jackpotjoy

Diversity Awards - Finalists oy Hotel London

Leader iGaming (OPERATOR) Alison Brincat – Videoslots Becs Cubbon – The Stars Group Daniela Lanzolla – SKS365 Irina Cornides – Jackpotjoy Kamila Kroll – LV Bet Kerry Dawes – Rank Leah Griffin – Mr Green Maria Boelius – Cashmio Melanie Hainzer – Mansa Gaming

Team of the Year All-in Diversity Project Founders Liv Biesemans Legal Team – Kindred Mr Green Affiliate Team People Operations Team Jackpot Joy Sporting Solutions Team Susan McGowan – Caesars The Stars Group Rebrand Team

Leader iGaming (SUPPLIER) Claire Osborne – Nektan Ebba Arnred – Play’n GO Kam Sanghera – Playtech Lee-Ann Johnstone – Affiliate Insider Lena Yasir – Play’n GO Lucy Owen – Playtech Natasha Whittaker – Microgaming

Young Leader of the Year Alina Nesu – Jackpotjoy Ciara Nic Liam – William Hill Cinnamon Tomlinson – Aspers Corina Lange – Mr Green Laura Zarb Cousin – Videoslots Malin Angbo – Mr Green Melanie Heinzer – Mansa Gaming Simona Pinterova – LV Bet

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Interview with The Stars Group Rebrand Team Eric Hollreiser Vice President of Corporate Communications

Thank you for your time today and for our international readers can you explain what your day to day role is with The Stars Group?

ecutive leadership and our Board of Di-

From start to finish, the whole process

rectors, we wanted to change our name

took around six months, but for a re-

to reflect the new company and under-

brand of this scale and complexity that’s

score that we had opened a new chap-

not very long at all. These things can

ter in our corporate history.

take a year or more. We couldn’t have

I look after communications for The

done it without the collaboration of so

Stars Group and its constituent brands,

When we started researching a new

which covers PokerStars, PokerStars

name, The Stars Group was one of

Casino, BetStars, Full Tilt, and, most re-

our first options and while we looked

cently, CrownBet.

at many different potential names, we kept coming back to the Stars

The team were responsible for changing the company name from Amaya to The Stars Group. When was the decision made to change the name?

many teams across the business.

What is the process in changing a large company like The Stars Group name and brand?

Group. It highlighted the heritage of the operational brands and resonated with employees and the industry,

We’re a dual listed gaming company,

who already referred to us as “Stars”.

with corporate headquarters in Toronto.

We hold 18 licenses today, held 17 at the time, and have offices all over the

The business has changed significantly since Amaya purchased PokerStars in 2014. Following a few tumultuous years and changes in corporate strategy, ex-

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It was back in August 2017 that the company changed its name to The Stars Group, but how long before that was the process?

world. As a result, we needed to take into consideration numerous jurisdictions, regulations and local laws, as well as languages and intellectual property

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rights. Each brings its own challenges, filing and disclosure requirements, da-

brand and what are the biggest challenges in re-branding?

ta-security and privacy obligations, and

filed before any significant design work begins and certainly before any internal procedure documents or back office

trademark restrictions. Prioritization,

Attention to detail is what makes a re-

collaboration and internal communica-

brand work. It’s the smaller things that

tion is critical. All this, while remember-

leave a lasting impression, but that

Thankfully, we have a lot of very expe-

ing our responsibility to communicate

means it’s easy to get bogged down.

rienced teams at The Stars Group who

these changes to our staff, customers

Every so often, you have to step back

can deliver on large and complex pro-

and shareholders. To describe the pro-

and look at the entire picture – to think

jects. We worked with and coordinated

cess in the very simplest of terms: we

about the elements that will reach your

our internal design and brand studio,

prioritized, organized working and ap-

audience and what the overall effect

TV production, IP and other legal teams,

proval groups and, importantly, kept

will be. Then it’s a case of making sure

accounts payable, website and back-

in touch with one another regularly

that your briefs reflect the same.

end development, tech infrastructure,

throughout.

How complex is a company re-

systems can be updated.

PR, office services, internal communiAll intellectual property needs to be se-

cations, human resources… it touches

cured and any regulatory filings must be

most parts of a company.

INFINITY GAMING

Ready for a new hand?

Recruiting now for PokerStars, BetStars, PokerStars Casino and Full Tilt The Stars Group brands have more than 115 million cumulative registered customers globally and collectively form the largest poker business in the world. We rely on our 1,800+ employees in offices across the globe to provide an exceptional experience to all our clients. In return, we offer industry leading benefits and wide opportunities for personal and professional growth.

Is it time you dealt yourself a new hand? www.starsgroup.com/careers /WorkAtTheStarsGroup

workatthestarsgroup

/company/starsgroup

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The Stars Group Rebrand Team Special Interview

The coordination by teams on both

clear, coherent brand. The Stars Group

sides of the Atlantic was fantastic with

energises the modern, positive and up-

everyone playing their role and deliv-

beat direction of the company.

ering the project on time and to brief: from logo design down to changing 2,000 employeesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; email addresses, business cards, email signatures and of-

How well do you think the re-brand went and is there anything that did not go so well?

fice signage in offices around the world.

Women in Gaming Awards in the Team of the Year category, how much was this project a team effort?

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s impossible to overstate just how important collaboration was to this project. From the smallest urgent request to

Knowing you can trust departments to

The brand has been very naturally em-

wholesale infrastructural shifts, every-

deliver takes a lot of the organizational

braced by employees, shareholders and

one brought their skills to the table and

difficulty out of a complex rebrand pro-

customers. We couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t ask for anything

had a role to play, all while juggling the

ject.

more.

everyday demands of the business and

What was the overriding reason for the name change?

Had the team had any previous experience in re-branding?

ensuring they kept the project details within our circle. It made for a stronger team delivering a great fringe benefit, the opportunity to learn about and from To underscore the significant changes in

We certainly leveraged the significant

colleagues who they might otherwise

the company, while reflecting our herit-

experience of our in-house branding

not work alongside. The team demon-

age.

and creative teams, many of whom have

strated the future of Stars and the in-

worked at some of the best marketing

dustry, and that having more women

agencies in the world.

leading on projects or playing signifi-

The Stars Group embraces the PokerStars heritage and legacy that is part of our DNA while also positioning ourselves for future opportunities under a

cant roles in project teams is not just an

Before we let you go, the team has been named in the finals of the 9th

ambition but where we are already.

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The Stars Group To Acquire Sky Betting & Gaming For £3.36 Billion

T

he Stars Group whose major brand is world leading online poker site PokerStars has announced the acquisition of Sky Betting and Gaming for a total value of £3.36 billion, in which CEO of The Stars Group says will create the worlds largest online gaming company.

In a deal the Toronto listed gaming giant almost an 85% share holding in Sky Betting and Gaming. CVC the private equity firm who had a 70% stake in Sky and SKy Plc who sold the majority shares to CVC originally have now reduced their stake to 12% and 3% respectively.

“The acquisition of Sky Betting and Gaming is a landmark moment in The Stars Group’s history,” its chief

executive officer Rafi Ashkenazi said.

Sky Betting and Gaming have had strong growth over the last two years with last year Sky Betting and Gaming reporting customer based figures rising by over half a million along with revenues soring to £624 million with profits hitting £212 million for 2017. The Stars Group also said it expected to make some £50 million in cost cutting savings once the companies are fully integrated.

The last two years revenues and profits have risen by an impressive 46% and 51% respectively.

ness CrownBet the Toronto based firm are looking to compete with GVC Holdings who recently acquired Ladbrokes Coral along with current businesses BwinParty and others.

The Stars Group are seriously looking to move away from its reliance on its PokerStars brand for revenues and make a strong move into sports betting. The deal will have to be approved by regulators and competitions authority and if successful will be completed by the third quarter of 2018.

Now with the recent acquisitions

by The Stars Group of William Hills Australian business and majority shares in another Australian busi-

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‘Be the change you want the world to see’

By Christina Thakor-Rankin

W

e’ve been talking about women in gaming for, well, quite literally over a decade now. Despite the chatter, and the various efforts of Women in Gaming, Global Gaming Women and others, the general perception remains that whilst there may have been some incremental progress during the intervening years, the ‘revelations’ at ICE this year, the allegations and investigations into Steve Wynn, and the gender pay gap data from the UK all strongly suggest there is still some way to go before we hit anything close to parity.

Given that its now 2018 and history is littered with examples of women taking on the men and often getting the better of them - from Cleopatra, Joan of Arc and Catherine the Great, to modern day role models such as longest serving monarchs (Elizabeth, Victoria, Elizabeth), prison reformers (Fry), scientists (Currie, Mayer, Franklin), aviators (Earhart, Johnson), politicians (Astor, Ghandhi, Thatcher

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and most recently New Zealand’s Arden’s the first serving PM to take maternity leave), and from the world of betting and gambling (Coates, Jones-Blackhurst, Ho, Williams, Sand and Harrison to name just a few) - why are we seemingly still talking the talk instead of walking the walk?

There are lots of reasons for why the world has been the way it is for so long (religious, social, moral and political) and also lots of reasons for why things are starting to change (economic drivers which saw employers open the doors to women and immigrants combined with medical and labour-saving technology which saw a change in attitudes to childbirth and marriage, and equality of education have allowed women to step outside the world of domesticity, which in turn has seen a generation of children - the millennials born between 1980 and 2000 grow up in a world where working mums is the norm rather than the exception.

This new generation who have grown up in a world of multicultural blended and single parent families and for whom the traditional choice of being a ‘stay at home mother’ is no longer an economically viable option and introduced the concept of stay at home dads’ are now starting to make their mark with their demands for equality rights and inclusion.

For their socially and politically aware, ethnically diverse, male, female and non-binary children nurtured in a world of dual and multi-parenting with successful working mothers as inspiration and role model is the norm - equality of opportunity and remuneration will be an expectation, not an aspiration - and they will have little patience for those that do not.

As the millennials and their progeny start to set the new rules for working practices, companies in every sector will start vying to promote themselves as good citizens - socially responsible, gender

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neutral (female friendly) employers in

who want to work for companies that

when they are still considering career

a bid to attract and retain the best tal-

do ‘good works’, the sector’s image is

choices and the outlook for gambling

ent.

a huge deterrent, further reducing the

being seen as a good citizen - socially

available talent pool.

responsible, gender neutral (female

And in the battle for equality, diversity

friendly) is looking bleak .

and inclusion this will be the gambling

And then there are the various industry

sector’s biggest challenge - image and

events from expos showcasing games

But it’s not too late. There are a couple

reputation.

featuring ‘twerking’, promotions girls

of years to go before the generational

wandering around in the barest of

shift hits tipping point, and a lot can be

Betting and gambling is a divisive topic

‘barely there’ costumes, pole-dancers,

done in that time.

at the best of times. For many both the

and after-show parties playing to a

activity and the choice to work in the

very traditional male audience - which

The first step is understanding and

sector is a non-starter based upon their

wrongly suggest the industry is gov-

admitting that the industry has an im-

personal, religious or moral views. This

erned by lecherous sexists re-creating

age problem. The second is making the

immediately reduces the size of the tal-

‘Mad Men-eque’ fantasies. Another nail

conscious decision to change. The third

ent pool available to the industry.

in the coffin of the available talent pool.

is to stop making guesses and assump-

For those who have no personal, reli-

Place this against a backdrop of gam-

which allows us to use data to identify

gious or moral objections per se, there

bling being an adult, age specific activ-

the key issues and trends, and then

is the issue of social corporate respon-

ity, which unlike other sectors such as

work together to develop the tools and

sibility and good citizenship and the

engineering, law, teaching, medicine,

resources needed to implement effec-

spectre of the gambling sector as a pur-

and its nearest talent pool competitor,

tive change.

veyor of products which cause harm,

gaming, precludes any opportunity of

addiction and social misery. For those

engaging with young people at a time

tions and take an analytical approach

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By Christina Thakor-Rankin

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Killing the overt and explicit ‘sexism’ at events and initiatives such as the Women in Gaming awards are a great start but given that the first is a direct product of the industry, and the second subject to the general cynicism surrounding awards ceremonies, their overall impact will be a drop in the ocean unless it is supported by a root and branch change of culture and attitude.

The obvious first step to this is more women at senior levels to guide and advise their male counter-parts on how develop and culture which supports diversity and inclusion. This needs to be done with care and consideration.

Nurturing talent and realising potential takes time - appointing individu-

more room for women; and is it really

to the extent that it can compete on a

als to simply meet quotas without the

fair to ask a business located in a ju-

level playing field with the rest of the

full weight of skill and experience is

risdiction where traditional views of a

leisure and hospitality industry in the

not only by its very nature, a discrimi-

woman’s place in society still prevail to

fight for the socially responsibly talent

natory policy (and increasingly so in a

move in order to meet a new agenda?

of the future, the minority needs to be a

world of 3 genders) but can often result

majority – this is everybody’s responsi-

in more harm than good, leading to not

Immediate change can be challenging.

bility and it needs to be a collaborative

only an immediate dilution of talent,

An immediate decision to start change

approach.

but also both male and those females

is not and that is the most important

not deemed good enough to step-up

thing right now - that businesses make

Tipping point is two years away -

feeling alienated and resentful as good

the decision that they want to change

change is coming. The only decision for

citizens.

and start working towards it now. And

the industry is does it go All-In or does

for those who do want to change the

it fold.

The second step is to understand that

first step might be to engage with those

not every woman (or man for that mat-

in industry who do have experience of

ter) wants to climb the traditional ca-

operational diversity and inclusion to

reer ladder. For them success is not a

understand what change means to their

The All-in Diversity Project is the indus-

title or salary, but rather project spe-

specific business and then how to im-

try’s global resource for data pertaining

cific goals, a degree of independence

plement it in a way which is effective,

to diversity and inclusion. We collect

or a work-life balance, and that failing

impactful and to the benefit, rather

data through employee surveys and

to provide an environment which sup-

than detriment of all. Most of all there

the All-Index — a standard index which

ports these new definitions of success

needs to be a transparent mechanism

is set to be the definitive benchmark-

will also have an impact on talent re-

for measuring that progress to ensure

ing tool for the gambling industry to

cruitment and retention.

that the initiative is actual change rath-

measure progress towards inclusion in

er than change for change’s sake.

the workplace. Our vision is to shift the

The third step is to understand that

ABOUT ALL-IN DIVERSITY PROJECT

paradigm for inclusion through trans-

every business is different, and that ef-

Those companies who will be at the

parency, measurability and action-

fective change takes time. A sportsbook

WiG awards, or have committed to the

able tactics. All-in Diversity Project has

operator, despite best endeavours and

All-In Diversity Project, either by way

launched its website and social media

efforts, will most likely continue to have

of direct participation or in an audit and

campaign and is now registering par-

a predominantly male trading room for

advisory capacity have ready made that

ticipants for the All-Index survey. More

some time; a traditional business with

decision, but they remain the minority.

information can be found at allindiver-

long-serving employees cannot simply just get rid of male employees to make

sityproject.com or by emailing info@ For the image of the industry to change

allindiversityproject.com.

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GAMING NEWS

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Wynn Resorts Add Three Women To Board Of Directors

W

ynn Resorts has announced that is has installed three women members to its board in an attempt to bring diversity to the company following the sexual misconduct allegations against its former boss and founder Steve Wynn.

Betsy Atkins, Dee Dee Myers and Wendy Webb have been named as independent directors of Wynn Resorts and the casino operator now has 36% representation of women on the board.

However some shareholders are still suing the company over claims that Wynn Resorts knew of the allegations against its founder for several years and did nothing about it.

Steve Wynn has continued to deny any wrong doing and calls the allegations against him as â&#x20AC;&#x153;preposterousâ&#x20AC;?.

All three women have no background in the casino industry with Ms Webb having a 20 year history working for Walt Disney as a senior executive.

Ms Myers was previously a White House Press Secretary for President Clinton and currently serves as an executive for Warner Bros. Betsy Atkins is an expert in corporate Governance.

All three ladies have been installed as board director with immediate effect.

Carl Icahn Exits Casino Business Carl Icahn is exiting the casino business after announcing his Tropicana Entertainment Inc casino properties to Gaming and Leisure Properties Inc for $1.85 billion.

The deal which included 8 casinos located in the US and one in Aruba with the flagship of them being the Tropicana Atlantic City which has consistently been outperforming all its competitors in New Jersey.

Under the deal Gaming and Leisure Properties will lease the properties to Eldorado Resorts who will pay $640 million in cash and take on the debt of Tropicana. Eldorado already owns 20 casinos across 10 US States.

Icahn got involved in the casino business back in 2008 when the Tropicana went bust and with the hiring of Tony Rodio and a senior management team turned the Tropicana into a thriving business.

Last year the Tropicana turned over revenues of $898 million, with its flagship Tropicana Atlantic City seeing annual revenues of $390 million.

INFINITY GAMING

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GAMING NEWS

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Online Gambling Accounts for 50% of Denmark’s Gambling Revenue

L

icensed online gambling now accounts for 50% of the overall gambling revenues in Denmark. The results were obtained from the annual report published by the local regulator.

Earlier this week, Denmark’s gambling regulator, Spillemyndigheden, published the 2017 Annual Report.

According to the data in the report, the total gambling revenue for Denmark was $1.53 billion, a 3.2% increase compared to the total earnings in 2016.

However, when compared to the earnings in 2012, the figure was 18.4% higher. 2012 was the year the country liberalized the online gambling market.

Lottery wins!

Lotteries are the most significant vertical here. The country made around DKK3.1 billion from this vertical in 2017 alone. However, when compared to earnings in 2016, there wasn’t any significant increase.

The second largest vertical happens to be online and land-based sports betting, which brought in around DKK2.3 billion in 2017; an increase of 7.4% compared to the earnings in 2016. The separate earnings for land-based and online sports betting were not listed in the report.

Online casinos came in third with earnings of DKK1.8 billion; an increase of 15.5% compared to 2016.

However, gaming machines, experienced a 1% decline, earning around DKK1.5 billion.

The country is home to 7 land-based casinos, which produced a flat revenue of DKK375 million. Horse betting brought in a revenue of DKK116 million.

Total earnings The total earnings for the online gambling market were up by 47.4% compared to earnings. As stated earlier, it accounted for 50% of overall gambling revenue. Mobile gaming

revenues for Q1 and Q4 were up by 46.7% and 54.5% respectively.

Earnings from slots accounted for 61.5% of overall casino earnings.

Roulette came in second with 11.3%.

This was followed by Blackjack with 10.4% and other games with 9.5%.

Poker games came in last with 7.3%.

Around 1/3rd of overall gambling spend is on lotteries, which is below the EU average of 46.5%. In contrast, sports betting makes up about 26.5% of all Danish gambling expenditure, which is above the EU average of 15.6%.

Casino spends accounted for 39.8 of the overall earnings; higher than the EU average of 38%.

According to the Gross Gaming Revenue per Capita, Danish punters come in third (in the EU) with regard to both, casino and gaming expenditure. However, with regard to lottery expenditure, they rank 13th in the EU.

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GIRLS JUST WANNA HAVE Even odds. No one wants special treatment. But until equal treatment is universal, congratulations are in order.

Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re proud to be part of a company that celebrates diversity in the workplace.

We do it every day, but instead of calling it a celebration, we call it business as usual.

Congratulations, women in gaming.

GAMING NEWS

29

The Most Successful Companies Have Women In Top Jobs

A

ccording to new research, while a majority of the most successful companies in Britain have women in their senior management roles, the United Kingdom still falls behind Australia and the United States of America in terms of gender diversity at the top of the hierarchy.

As revealed by a report by the leading management consultancy firm McKinsey, the data recorded from 2011 through 2015 showed that the companies that featured the highest gender diversity were found to have 20% greater chances of a better average financial performance than the least diverse firms.

In her statement to a news agency, McKinsey UK Boss, Dame Vivian Hunt, remarked that studies indicate a major correlation between gender diversity in a company and its financial performance in the long

haul. The data retrieved from a wide range of geographies and sectors indicated that the greater the diversity in a team, the higher the financial performance.

As the pressure from shareholders and the government to introduce a greater diversity at the senior management levels continues to grow since 2011, the number of women appearing on the FTSE boards has also been on a steady rise ever since.

While more women now than ever are moving over to positions of nonexecutive directors, their representation at the top still stays below average.

In addition to this, while British firms stand above the global average figures with 15% in terms of women working in executive roles, they are largely lagging behind the companies in Australia at 21% and the US at 19%. That being said, only seven

of the Financial Times Stock Exchange 100 companies have female chief executive officers.

In a bid to encourage them to bridge the gaping divide in salaries, all companies in Britain with 250 or more employees will be required to release the current data of what they pay their male and female staff starting April.

Sharing her insight on the gap in pay scales, the first ever woman chairperson at the Institute of Directors, Lady Barbara Judge, remarked that a difference in compensations may be one of the major reasons why more women do not strive to climb up the corporate ladder. She reiterated that the companies must invest sincere efforts in providing equal opportunities regardless of gender and ensure that more women are encouraged to reach executive roles.

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GAMING NEWS

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Pennsylvania Rolls Out Interactive Gaming Certificates

T

he State of Pennsylvania has been in the news a lot lately, especially with regard to online gambling. However, this shouldn’t come as a surprise since it’s no news that the state has been desperately trying to establish its online gambling industry.

Its most recent effort was made earlier this week when it rolled out the application process for Interactive Gaming Certificates.

The financial impact of online gambling on the state has been a major topic of discussion in the recent past. The new process was introduced to the state’s gambling authorities last year as a measure that would benefit both, the community, as well as the industry.

The new process is being introduced along with the mini-casino licenses for ten satellite locations. Both solutions are expected to boost the state budget significantly.

A little history lesson

Online gambling in Pennsylvania was legalized towards the end of 2017. The legalization occurred as part of an effort to diversify the state’s current offerings in the gambling arena. After Governor Tom Wolf signed the proposal into law, Pennsylvania became the 4th state to legalize online gambling and offer it to its residents.

Now, the state’s gaming authority is actively working towards improving the iGaming sector by assessing multiple opportunities for potential development.

The process Currently, there are around 13 licenses that are available to those interested. This includes even the operators of land-based casinos.

However, since this is the first stage in the application process, the applicants are required to be companies that already have been licensed by the state.

As of now, there are 12 gambling operations that exist in Pennsylva-

nia.

However, we will soon be seeing the construction of the new Live! Casino and Hotel Philadelphia. The actual launch, however, will take place in 2020. As a result, the Live! facility might be the one to grab the last of the available licenses.

But, as far as the entire spectrum of online gambling is concerned, there are 39 licenses available.

Each applicant will have 90 days to send in their applications for the online casino. In the meantime, they will be required to generate around $10 million to qualify for the application. As for taxes, it will most likely be the same as what developers are paying currently.

30 days later, the applicants can apply for a more specific license, according to the individual category they’re aiming for. The initial round of applications will continue till midAugust.

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32

The game is up……the truth will out ……courtesy William Shakespeare

By Teresa Tunstall

S

o now that the truth is out and not unexpectedly we learn that women are paid half as much as men who are doing the same job! Of course it’s not just in gaming but in most businesses worldwide where women are losing out; their sanguine turning into anger. Some women have time off because of pregnancy, as is the case with the relatively new Prime Minister of New Zealand, Jacinda Arern. Coincidentally and for edification purposes New Zealand is also the foremost country in the world addressing problem gambling. In today’s age there are more women reaching positions of command within global companies, albeit slowly. Many women are out there fighting their corner for pay that equals the same amount their male equivalent earn. However, I’m

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pleased to inform you that our first woman in command of gambling in the UK was Lady Shirley Littler, (she retained the post of Chairman of the Gaming Board of Great Britain until 1997) and was vehemently opposed to bank cards being used in gambling. Unfortunately it was never introduced.

Is there an equal amount of men and women who gamble? In the UK, Gambling Commission statistics show 41% of women gamble. The same statistics show that “women are more likely to participate in gambling where their aim is to win”…presumably because they NEED to win.

One Saturday morning, I spoke to a desperate housewife who had lost £2000 on her husband’s bank card.

Distressed and upset she’d gathered

her mother and sister around her for moral support. Her main concern, I learned, was if the gaming company contacted her husband to check whether he’d played that money. She was extremely distraught and so my aim was to enable her to understand her actions and why she’d done this in the first place. Hopefully I was successful and she learned her lesson.

Obviously there are other – sometimes deep-rooted reasons – why women gamble. One Online company told me of a regular player who actually posted that her husband had recently died of cancer, whereupon other players expressed their condolences and commiseration.

Within a year she then posted that she, herself, had cancer, and over a period of months detailed how severe it was getting. Eventually an

SEE OURSELVES AS OTHERS DO

33

Online Operator became so worried and

Women feature prominently within

excluded” in the one she had usually

concerned they decided to inform the lo-

the realms of Government. Jenny Wil-

frequented. Fighting to resist the urge

cal police in the area the gambler lived.

liams was appointed in 2004 as the first

of entering she called from her mobile

Chief Executive for the newly created

in the car park. It didn’t take long be-

The Police went to the house where-

Gambling Commission, a position she

fore I realised we’d spoken a year ago

upon a man answered the door. “Yes,

stayed in until 2015. Her replacement

at which time she had promised to at-

my wife is in the garden, do come in,”

at the Commission was another woman,

tend counselling. I reminded her of

he told them when asked. Lo and be-

Sarah Harrison, who made her mark

our conversation way back and I could

hold the woman was sitting there eat-

and moved on in 2018. Of course both

hear the shock in her voice. “What hap-

ing strawberries and cream! The whole

women were in what is still a very male

pened, you agreed to get counselling

thing had been a lie, a make believe, a

orientated arena.

help?” I asked. She sighed and was si-

complete fantasy. It begs the question

lent. I pointed out that she expended

as to what was going round in her head

In her early twenties Cheryl was desper-

much time and money to drive 40 miles

to become such an imposter? Was she

ate to break her slot machine habit and

to avoid being recognised. She under-

looking for attention in the Gambling

actually drove 40 miles to a different

stood, recognised the

world?

casino to avoid being picked up as ‘self-

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By Teresa Tunstall

madness behind her actions and promised she’d go home and make moves towards getting help. I spoke to the club concerned warning them of her actions, and they agreed to keep an eye out should she attempt entry whereupon staff would stop her.

Women are not exactly conquering the world yet but they are slowly getting there. One example outside of the UK and on the Caribbean island of Antigua, is Ms Kaye McDonald who was elected Director of Gaming for the Antiguan Financial Services Regulatory Commission in 2012 and was named as a recipient of the year’s Gaming Regulator of the Year award for her contribution to the gaming industry.

Let me cite another gambler’s tale of woe. Sue, a single parent with two

children, cried pitifully throughout our conversation. She was playing Online, controlling her gambling by purchasing a £30 Card and only played when the children were in bed and with just enough credit for the weekend until disaster struck! What was the catalyst that changed her “in control” situation? Her ex-mother-inlaw decided to visit her grandchildren and something happened or was said to upset Sue so much that after she left she hit the Online gaming site lost her £30 on the touch of a button. Immediately she opened her Bank Savings account which was designed to take the kids on holiday, and sure enough £1000 later she had lost every penny! Tears flowed during our conversation with Sue continually berating herself saying she was ‘stupid’ and an ‘idiot’… it was painful to listen. This illustrates that we have

35

successes and the failures in gaming: in a perfect world one would work towards supporting the other.

Finally, one only has to look at the Women in Gaming (WIG) annual awards started in 2010 by Colin and Lana Thompson of Clever Duck Media Ltd, who against all odds and barriers pioneered to be the first to recognise the quality and quantity of women in gaming, not just in the UK but worldwide.

Without their long hard work over the past decade little would have changed. Clever Duck Media Ltd have preserved to create a fairer, more representative face for the many dedicated, anonymous women who have chosen to work in the gaming industry. Long may it last.

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37

Galaxy Entertainment’s Casino in Boracay May Not Happen

T

he Department of Tourism (DoT) in the Philippines announced that the Galaxy Entertainment Group will not be building a casino on the island of Boracay.

According to Tourism Asst. Secretary Frederick Alegre, Galaxy Entertainment was looking for another location, which, he added, was a welcome decision. Alegre issued the statement earlier this week during a press conference.

If the news is true, the gaming company, which is based in Macau, will have to go through the process all over again to set up a new casino. This would include repeating the accreditation process and also, securing a PAGCOR (Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation) authorization.

The development comes right after Malacañang demanded that no casinos be set up on the island.

Duterte denies When questioned about his awareness

of the development, Duterte replied that he had no idea Galaxy Entertainment was planning to set up a casino on the island. The leader then went on to state that the island shouldn’t fall into the hands of “businessmen” and instead, should go to the farmers.

However, reports suggest that Duterte did meet with executives in Malacañang to discuss the casino.

There has been some pushback from the public concerning the development of a casino on the island. Many people have voiced their displeasure online over the issue and even referred to Boracay’s closure as a double-standard.

Galaxy denies Galaxy Entertainment, along with its local partner Leisure & Resorts World Corporation, had purchased land on the island, measuring 23-hectares, for the resort/casino. They were even provided with provisional licenses from PAGCOR last month.

Now, Leisure & Resorts World Corporation is denying the DoT’s claims that Galaxy won’t be opening the Boracay casino. A day after the DoT’s announcement, the company issued a statement that it was still in talks with Galaxy Entertainment regarding the construction of the casino.

It mentioned that both the parties haven’t made any final decisions yet regarding the new project. The statement also spelled out clearly that there were no plans to abandon the Boracay project and that no such decision was communicated to PAGCOR. Last year, a subsidiary of Leisure & Resorts World called AB Leisure Global Incorporated applied for a license to open up a casino in Boracay. This was followed by the signing of a Deed of Assignment between BPRLC and AB Leisure Group.

But, in the middle of January 2018, PAGCOR, responding to a moratorium imposed by Duterte, stopped processing applications.

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38

What being a Woman in Online - really means

By Lee-Ann Johnstone

A

s a shortlisted nominee in the upcoming Women in Gaming Awards, I’ve been delighted to be recognised as an innovator in the iGaming industry. It’s amazing to see so many women on the nominees list that have brought their “A Game” to this competitive industry. Digital is getting bigger and becoming more diverse, which is part of the industry maturing over time and now is as good a time as any to get your career boosted within it.

Creating an Accessible Industry The industry is seeing a surge of women leading bigger teams, and being placed in positions of leadership which is great for such a relatively new industry. With skills within sales and account management, being key to affiliate management, women are highly capable in spotting different opportunities tor niches from their male counterparts.

Each person has their own skill set and values, which is not inherently linked to their gender or creed. It is these diversities in teams that help to create innovating marketing campaigns that push the boundaries of traditional marketing techniques.

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Companies that seek out rising stars and give them opportunities will reap rewards. Those that show talent and are appreciated will stay with a company, which benefits both sides of the equation. Regardless of gender, everyone should have an equal chance to grow and develop their skills by learning on the job and also from those who have gained more experience in the field.

Each of us comes into the industry with our own experiences and diverse backgrounds. This means that we can all offer a unique perspective on how to achieve a good result using the principals of online marketing as the platform - not the driver. If we all had the same ideas it wouldn’t be a very exciting industry. Instead, we have people from all walks of life bringing their thoughts and ideas to the table.

If you want to learn how to market to these audiences, then you need to learn from those you want to appeal to.

Providing Development and Education Skills development opportunities should be available for all young graduates that want to get involved and experience the benefits that

this industry has to offer. Gender shouldn’t come into the decision for the candidate or for the employer.

Mentoring is a passion of mine and members of staff that show an interest in learning immediately gain my attention and my time, which means they can benefit from over two decades of digital experience.

It’s also how I’ve been able to understand more about the industry as time moves on. I’ve been privileged enough to work in companies that stimulated open, learning cultures and it was a main directive I wanted to keep when I created Affiliate Insider. Self development and continual learning are both essential traits for those that want to become digital experts. I still learn something new every day and I doubt that will ever end as technology and best practice continues to develop online channels. All too often, corporate cultures discourage this peer lead learning as it depletes competitiveness for promotion in hierarchical businesses but that’s really detrimental to skills development. If new staff members feel they can’t ask a question, then they miss out on learning from those with more experience. When that happens, they go into tasks with

39 less information so the end product won’t be as good.

If you want your staff to benefit from your experience, then make sure you’re delivering this to them every day on the job. It’s not always easy to find the time to mentor your staff, but if you do then you will see them flourish. This also feeds into retention, and helps cement best practice in the community as a whole. Your business is only as good as it’s people and if they feel they are getting more than just the opportunity that the job offers but also an investment of time and development this can mean a lot more to a young graduate than money. Affiliate managers can become much more effective if they are taught the right skills from the beginning, otherwise they can fall into bad habits.

Everyone has a responsibility to train up from within As a nominee for the Leader of the Year Award from Women in Gaming, it’s great to look back on the journey I’ve taken to get here. My background working in the world of affiliate marketing gave me the practical knowledge to start Affiliate Insider. I know what affiliates want to learn and where their concerns for operators lie.

I also have a good understanding of the entire affiliate ecosystem and the parties involved outside of affiliate and operator that make the entire industry run.

At each stage in my career, I’ve learned how to give back to this nascent industry to help us all grow.

It’s a passion project for me to be able to teach other affiliates how to commercialise their business and affiliate managers how to build better relationships. From AffiliateFEST, our first accelerator event that helped affiliates to get the latest digital insights for growing their businesses, we’ve

grown our events to offer the Affiliate Insider Bootcamp which launched in March this year. We’re also planning out an African Business Retreat next year, which will offer intense learning and local submersion for our affiliate attendees seeking to enter Africa as a target market. On our site, we’re expanding our exclusive news pieces and training guides too, so we can be a direct resource centre for affiliates to get access to articles, news, and insight that is relevant for their businesses.

Our industry is always changing. This means there’s always something new to learn and pass onto others. Being part of a stagnant industry that rarely changes, just isn’t as attractive to me, as I thrive on new challenges and learning - which is why I’ve now built

a business around continued learning and development.

Diversity for iGaming is great, as it is in every other industry. Creating a culture of acceptance within the industry and rewarding those that offer most to our industry will allow us all to thrive. In my own company, Affiliate Insider, I’ve tried to create this kind of culture and instil it in those that come to my training events. I’m looking forward to the awards and would like to congratulate all of the other nominees for persevering in a competitive space. There are plenty of shining stars out there who would welcome mentoring that these women can give, so it will be exciting to see the final list of winners.

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GAMING NEWS

41

Cebu Might be the Future Gambling Hub in the Philippines

S

tatistics indicate that Cebu might just be the next gambling hotspot in the Philippines surpassing Manila as the most attractive market for international casino operators to invest in. As per a report by the local news agency, Cebu Daily News, the demand for office spaces in Cebu from casino operators has been found to register a 25,700 square meter increase in 2017.

In addition to this, the data revealed

by Colliers International Philippines, which is a property consultancy company, indicated that Cebu is home to more than two global licensed casino operators within its boundaries. While one of the casino operators owns a gambling facility, sprawled across 22,000 square meters in Mactan Newtownâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Plaza Magellan Tower 1 based in the city of Lapu-Lapu, the other recently launched its operations in an office space of 3,700 square meters in the Cebu Business Parkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Momentu

Building in the Cebu City.

Despite the fact that a majority of the office spaces in Cebu are primarily occupied by BPO or Business Process Outsourcing firms, the Colliers data indicated that the Cebu Province might soon emerge as a leading landscape for online gambling businesses in the Islands of Philippines.

According to the report, Joey Bondoc, the research manager for Colliers revealed that there are a number of online casino companies that are eyeing the vacant office listings that have recently appeared in regions like Mandaue City and Mactan Island.

In his statement to the Cebu Daily News, Bondoc reiterated that given the stable and favorable regulatory environment in the province, they can expect the offshore gambling operators to eventually become the primary office space owners in Cebu in the near future.

Additionally, Bondoc also said that a majority of the China-based casino operators prefer to buy local residential properties for providing accommodation to their foreign workers.

As such, the real estate developers I Philippines are hopeful that the online gaming companies will most certainly help them revive their dying office space industry in the aftermath of the BPO investment plummet.

When the PAGCOR or Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation handed out the last eight of the total 53 POGO or Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator licenses last year, the Colliers had taken it as a signal for the future of office spaces in the province. Andrea Domingo, chair of PAGCOR outlined that the gross gaming revenues in the Philippines will eventually jump to PHP186 billion, with major contributions from POGO licensed operators.

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GAMING NEWS

43

Florida Government Negotiates Special Session For Discussing Gambling Bill

I

n his statement to the local media last week, Senator Bill Gavano had revealed that the lawmakers in Florida have not yet reached an agreement on holding a special legislative session in the state for the purpose of finalizing a gambling bill. Earlier this month, the state government had come out with the proposal of organizing a two day special session by the end of April in a bid to discuss and decide on a gambling legislation for the state, as they had failed to do so in their regular legislative sessions.

Back in January this year, the Florida lawmakers had come together for a 60 day long legislative session wherein both the chambers of the Legislature had come up with their individual proposals for a gambling bill. However, the state government could not reach a common consensus on what the future of the gambling industry in the state would be, and the session was eventually terminated on March 9.

As the stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s agreement with the local Seminole Tribe draws towards its expiration, the Florida legislators are concerned about losing on hundreds of millions of dollars in gaming revenues that the tribe transfers to the state in exchange for having an exclusive gaming license for blackjack.

After the Speaker for House Richard Corcoran expressed his concerns over the matter, the state government floated the news of holding a special session for gambling bill.

By holding a special legislative session, the Florida lawmakers can go on to make the required amendments to the state gambling laws independently without having to obtain public opinion on the matter. In the November ballot later this year, the residents of the state of Florida will cast their vote for an amendment in the constitution which would severely restrict the power of the legislators in issues associated with gambling in the state. According to the aforementioned constitutional amendment, the state would have to take the approval of the local resi

dents through a voting process prior to introducing any changes to their gambling legislation.

According to the press release by the local news agency Florida Politics, Senator Galvano has outlined that although there have been discussions on holding a special session, the legislators have not yet provided any recommendations or agreement for the same. In addition to this, press reports also reveal that there have been no discussions between the state and the Seminole Tribe, ever since the idea for a special session was floated in the state parliament.

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GAMING NEWS

45

New Jersey Online Gambling Sets New Record Due to Cold Weather

O

nline gambling has always flourished in New Jersey since it opened, but the month of March this year was one that called for a special celebration from the online gambling industry.

In a record-setting revenue of $25.6 million from the five virtual casinos in the state, March 2018 was a month to remember for the industry.

The cold weather is to be credited for this increased revenue. It was just too cold outside for people to head to land-based casinos. In fact, experts strongly believe that it is because of the unseasonal weather at this time of year that Atlantic City casinos experienced a drop in revenue by as much as 8.3 percent in the first quarter of this year.

On the other hand, it is because of the same reason that online gambling sites have hit an all-time high in revenue in the state. The first quarter of 2018 saw Internet gambling sites

in New Jersey generate a whopping $69.5 million in revenue. The number is even more impressive considering it is a 17.3 percent increase from the first quarter of 2017.

Online poker contributes little to record-setting revenue Surprisingly, only a tiny percentage (8 percent) of the $25.6 million March revenue came from online poker.

Precisely, just $1.97 million out of the $25.6 million revenue was generated by online poker. This was unexpected since The Garden State’s online poker industry is the biggest in the United States.

The rest of the $23.6 million was generated by common online casino games like blackjack and slots. It appears poker players would rather fight the icy roads and head towards landbased casinos in Atlantic City than play from the comfort of their house.

However, there is some good newMarch 2018 was still the best month

for the state’s Internet poker industry since August 2017.

Will the state’s online poker industry be saved in time?

In a merger between New Jersey, Delaware, and Nevada that is expected to increase online poker revenue for all three states by merging each of their player pools, the date for the merger has been set as May 1.

Despite this, New Jersey’s online poker industry has been struggling for the past few months. In fact, revenue stood at $5.7 million in the first quarter of 2018, which is lower by as much as 16 percent compared to last year’s.

With such a huge merger looming, the big question is whether New Jersey will boost its online poker revenue in time. Otherwise, the merger may not be as effective as predicted for all parties.

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GAMING NEWS

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Belgian Authorities to Impose Restrictions, to Limit Gambling in the Nation

A

ccording to a press release that appeared on the website of the Minister of Justice of Belgium, nearly 29,319 Belgians have removed themselves from gambling as a whole.

5 years. Nearly 19,670 gamblers removed themselves, 82,580 were banned by the court, and 89 gamblers were banned after the Belgian Gambling Commission received requests for banning these players.

In 2016, it was reported that 26,782 Belgians had excluded themselves from gambling. The current figure represents an increase of 9 percent from the data shown in 2016.

The EPIS A system called Belgiumâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Excluded Persons Information System or EPIS was implemented in 2004. The system contains information about gamblers who excluded themselves, was banned by the court or by a third-party request. The system stores a database of the names and birth dates of the gamblers so that they will be prevented from gambling any time in the future. The system is applicable to both online and brick-and-mortar casinos.

Aside from gamblers who have chosen to exclude themselves, a court ruling further banned nearly 158,413 gamblers from gambling.

The banned gamblers happened to have accumulated huge sums of debt.

As many as 409 gamblers were banned after requests made by family and friends to the Belgian Gambling Commission.

The number of gamblers who have self-removed themselves has been growing significantly over the past

Restrictions on gambling companies The Belgian authorities view this system an extremely powerful tool for protecting vulnerable citizens.

In addition to this system, last year, Belgian lawmakers imposed several

restrictions as part of their efforts to limit the adverse impact of gambling on people.

Gambling companies are prohibited from displaying their ads on television before 10 pm. Companies are restricted from advertising gambling products. Ads are prevented from airing 15 minutes before the start and after the end of programs aimed at children.

In addition, restrictions are imposed on the weekly amounts that gamblers can deposit into their gambling accounts. Also, authorities are imposing limitations on the bonuses offered by gambling companies and operators to their customers.

All these new measures are believed to come into full effect very soon.

The implementation of such rules is believed to protect vulnerable citizens and the nation hopes to keep gambling at a reasonable distance.

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GAMING NEWS

49

Dubai: No Casinos Yet As Caesars Palace Opens This Year

W

ith Caesars Palace due to open in Dubai later this year and The Bellagio along with The MGM Grand now set to open hotels in Dubai speculation had grown that further down the line Casinos in the Emirates would be a possibility.

In a recent interview with the emirate’s moth senior tourism official, Issam Kazim, chief executive of the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing who is charged with attracting 20 million tourists a year to Dubai by 2020 has said that the emirates had no plans to allow casinos even though three of the

worlds largest casino operators were opening hotels there.

“No [there is not a desire for casinos] … We need to bear in mind that there are cultural things that are a priority to us,” Kazim said.

On discussing Caesars Palace the chief executive said, “I believe that the idea of Caesars Palace is to bring the theme that revolves around that, with the historical Roman elements, more than anything else,” he said, adding, “It’s about creating that sort of a destination and experience, more than about the casinos.”

However many observers believe it could be a matter of time when Dubai at least allows for foreign only tourists to gamble in casinos there.

The issue of a Muslim state allowing gambling is nothing new already Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco and Malaysia allow gambling.

One gaming consultant who did not want to be named said, “three of the worlds largest casino operators who also run hotels all plan for resorts in Dubai, they must have an eye on the future and the possibility of casinos being allowed. Imagine the revenues that would bring in both for the state in taxes and for the operators.”

Leicester Square Casino Sold

A

&S Leisure the UK’s largest independent casino operator has sold its London casino to Mayfair Casino Limited for an undisclosed amount.

Napoleons Casino, located in London’s Leicester Square opened almost 30 years ago by Dave Allen the Chairman of A&S Leisure in what turned out to be a battle at the time for it to be opened.

Over the years it has been seen as the flagship for A&S Leisure but with heavy competition in Leicester Square with The Hippodrome Casino and Caesars venue The Empire, it seems A&S Leisure have decided to cash in on the casino they have held for 30 years.

George Polhill, Managing Director at Mayfair Casino Limited said: “Napoleons is one of the West End’s most well known and long established entertainment venues, whether for

after work, pre theatre or gaming crowds. Our immediate priority is to make the transition to new ownership as smooth as possible and ensure that casino members and guests continue to have the same high-level

customer experience.”

“It is an exciting time in our business and we are thrilled to join the dynamic London casino market.”

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Norway Could Be Facing Severe Restrictions With Online Gambling

I

n a fresh move to stunt the growth of foreign online gambling and betting operators, a coalition of political parties in Norway has successfully secured a mandate to do the same.

This mandate allows the four political parties – Norway’s Labour, Socialist Left, Christian Peoples and Centrist Party – to put pressure on the Norwegian Parliament as well as the cultural committee of Storting, which is the legislative assembly of Norway.

They are demanding these bodies to implement severe restrictions on engagement of consumers with internet gambling and betting operators from other countries.

Coalition demands immediate implementation of restrictions The coalition of the four political parties, after successfully securing the motion, demands that the country’s legislative assembly immediately implement certain restrictions on foreign online gambling.

These restrictions are quite severe,

and will definitely have a huge impact on the revenue of many foreign gambling sites. They include: * Blocking the IP of online gambling and betting operators from foreign countries. * Giving Lotteri og Stiftelsestilsynet, the regulatory body of gambling in Norway, the authority and freedom to actively monitor any banking transactions with online foreign operators. * Implementing severe and rigid restrictions on advertising and promotion of unlicensed gambling sites by targeting media owners’ digital inventory

protections in Norway. At the same time, this move also lends a supporting hand to one of the only two licensed gambling operators in the country, Norsk Tipping. Norks Tipping is also state-owned, and this move will likely strengthen its contributions.

It is also to be noted that Norway’s Sovereign Health Fund’s investments in various foreign gambling operators came to light recently.

This revelation put the Norwegian government under heavy criticisms of MPs since this move meant that the position of state-owned Norsk Tipping was undermined.

* Giving even more power to Lotteri og Stiftelsestilsynet by enabling it to set fines in case the gambling act and financial codes of the country are violated.

Venstre party, the liberal party in Norway has introduced a pilot project, where it aims to encourage foreign gambling operators by developing a licensing scheme.

However, because of the mandate, Venstre party will lose this project.

The reason behind the restrictions The coalition has stated that they are pushing so hard to implement such severe restrictions because they want to tighten gambling

As of now, news sources in the Scandinavian country report that Storting and Parliament have a deadline to impose the restrictions, which is 7 May 2018.

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New Jersey Ranks Eight Among Most Gambling Addicted States in The United States

he State of New Jersey occupies the eighth position in the entire country among a list of gambling addicted states.

The reports state that New Jersey is completely addicted to gambling on many levels. The results of the report are based on metrics like the number of gambling machines, the lottery sales per capital, and the total number of people in each state with gambling problems.

The state ranks eighth in terms of lottery sales per capita and it is no wonder. Out of the $73 billion worth of lottery tickets sold across the United States in 2016, New Jerseyans alone purchased about $3 billion worth of tickets. Out of the total $3 billion, about $2 billion was distributed among residents as prize money. In fact, there is already a large lottery winner for this year.

Richard Wahl has won $533 million at Mega Millions. The winner came forward to stake his claim after 12 days while speculation carried on about who could possibly have won

the lottery.

What will happen when sports betting is made legal?

As of now, sports betting is illegal in the state of New Jersey. The Supreme Court, however, is considering whether or not to legalize sports betting in New Jersey. If sports betting is legalized, then it would open betting at various venues, including the Meadowlands Racetrack.

When it comes to gambling addiction problems, New Jersey occupies the third position in the list of the states with most number of gambling addicted residents. In fact, nearly 2.8 percent of the adults in New Jersey has a gambling addiction problem. Roughly, this comes up to 195,000 adults.

Nevada is the most gambling addicted state especially with Las Vegas being the center for gambling and entertainment. Nevada stands 10th in terms of number of gambling addicts.

About 3 percent of the adults in the United States has a gambling addiction problem. The nation also suffers a loss of about $100 billion every year as part of the total gambling losses.

The new reports have stated that adults with an existing gambling problem are likely to amass huge debts and can even suffer from health issues when addiction reaches extreme levels.

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Sweden to Tighten Online Gambling Regulations

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weden is looking to tighten its grip on online gambling as lawmakers have come up with new proposals for 2018. The latest proposals include suggestions to implement a new licensing system and launch robust protections for gamblers/customers.

The new licensing system will be aimed at establishing stronger prohibitions against illegal online gambling and gaming operations.

According to a formal press release from the government, these new rules could be instituted as law by early 2019. Under the new regulations, licenses will also likely cost more. For instance, the online casino/sports betting license is estimated to cost around $84,000.

A long fight This isn’t the first time the country’s officials have tried to curb illegal online gambling. The demands have been doing the rounds for quite some time. The country’s Public Administration Minister, Ardalan Shekarabi, spoke to the media recently

about the issue. She pointed out the strong link between crime and illegal online gambling.

She also mentioned that the decision to regulate online gambling in a stronger manner was pending for over 10 years and that it was time now to put things into action.

The government believes that the new laws will serve as a deterrent to any new online casino venture and also, block current illegal operators from offering their services to the public.

Essentially, what will happen with new laws is that unlicensed providers will have to shut shop. There will also be an improvement in the protections offered to consumers, especially in the case of bonus-oriented memberships. Customers will be given the option of opting out of such memberships.

The discussions are currently being held at Stockholm, the country’s capital.

Another major development is the expansion in powers held by the country’s gaming regulator. Now, the regulator can get ISPs to issue warning messages for unlicensed online gambling sites, which will prevent payments and transactions.

The objective So far, unlicensed online gambling operators in Sweden have had all the freedom in the world. Due to the lack of robust regulations, they have been able to charge high deposits and even entertain problem gamblers.

But, Shekarabi is now working towards making the Swedish Gambling Authority more powerful by providing it with the necessary tools.

Experts are supporting the government’s new move, calling it an effective strategy to curb problem gambling and associated criminal activities. However, only time can tell us about the actual impact of the new laws.

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