April 2019 Infinity Gaming Magazine

Infinity Gaming www.gaming-awards.com | ISSUE104

WIG DIVERSITY FINALISTS ANNOUNCED GAMING + ARTICLES + BUSINESS+ GLOBAL + ONLINE + NEWS+ AWARDS + etc

2

22 WHO KNOWS? Teresa Tunstall

37 WOMENS IMPACT ON GAMING

28 WHY STILL TALKING MILLENNIALS 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.

INFINITY GAMING

3

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

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

08 WIG DIVERSITY FINALISTS 15 TENNESSEE TO BE FIRST

16

16 EXPLOITATION Lynn Pearce De Freitas

EXPLOITATION OF MARKETERS

22 WHO KNOWS?

Lynn Pearce De Freitas

Teresa Tunstall

WIG DIVERSITY FINALISTS

08

28 TALKING MILLENNIALS Christina Thakor-Rankin

37 WOMEN & GAMING 41 IOWA NEXT UP

+ NEWS & MORE NEWS from the gaming industry

INFINITY GAMING

4

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

CELEBRATING THE FINALISTS“

PUBLISHING Infinity Gaming Magazine is operated by © Clever Duck Media Ltd ®

Lana Thompson - Editor-in-Chief

Welcome to the latest edition of the Infinity Gaming Magazine Welcome to the latest edition of the

the magazine, as always we have some

Infinity Gaming Magazine and here

superb articles by a wonderful line-up

we are celebrating the finalists in the

of our contributing writers from Teresa

Women in Gaming Diversity Awards.

Tunstall, Lynn Pearce De Freitas, and

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

Sponsorship Opportunities Colin@cleverduckmedia.com

Christina Thakor-Rankin.

Business Partnerships Svetlana@gaming-awards.com

nominations our judges had to review to

Next time we will be celebrating the

decide on the finalists, once again the

wonderful women who have been

Marketing & Advertising claire@cleverduckmedia.com

number of entries this year was a record

recognised this year, our very special

and just shows what we believed in ten

tenth anniversary. We hope to see you

years ago, that women are a huge part

then.

It was so inspiring looking at the amazing

of the industry we work in and a major contributor to the success it is.

Have a super month and Enjoy the magazine and will catch you all with the

Clever Duck Media are proud of the

winners magazine in May.

effort and work we have done to inspire and get Women and our diverse culture recognised, sometimes it is not about being popular but doing the right things.

“To Infinity and Beyond!”

This years event in May will feature also

Regards,

some great speakers in motivation and

Lana

diversity and really looking forward to the 16th May at The Savoy.

The Editor But it is not just about the awards in

INFINITY GAMING

Editorial Content & PR media@cleverduckmedia.com

A dynamic dual.

The all-new CrystalDual® 27 cabinet.

The CrystalDual® 27 cabinet takes player engagement and reliable performance to a whole new level, creating a true dynamic dual for your floor.

Contact your account manager and learn more at igt.com/cabinets.

© 2018 IGT. All other trademarks used herein are owned by IGT or its affiliates, may not be used without permission, and where indicated with a ®, are registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. IGT is committed to socially responsible gaming. Our business solutions empower customers to choose parameters and practices that become the foundation of their Responsible Gaming programs.

6

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.

www.affiliateinsider.com|www.bestoddsmarketing.com

Lynn has creatively strategized and implemented B2C and B2B acquisition, conversion and retention marketing campaigns.

She joined Forwardslash, (an igaming marketing company) as Marketing GM: Creative Studio. She then went on to work for a sportsbetting company to launch a poker room and casino for a while, before being headhuntered to join a startup casino company in Prague, where she worked as the Marketing Operations Manager. Longing for the sea and sunshine, she relocated to Malta to consult for a B2B igaming software development company.

Lynn Pearce de Freitas

Lynn started off her igaming career consulting to LCI, a prestigious land-based casino in the UK, where she was responsible for the online marketing and projectmanagement of conferences, events, presentations, video production, and other activities.

INFINITY GAMING

7

Videoslots

BEEN LOOKING FOR? FOR MORE INFO VISIT: www.videoslotscareers.com

INFINITY GAMING

WIG Diversity

BOOK YOU 16th May 2019 B2B Excellence Award Christina Haralambous (Kambi) Elaine Gardiner (Global Gaming) Emilie Zamponi (Quickspin) Income Access (Marketing Services Team) Jane Ryan (Nektan) Lena Yasir (Pragmatic Play) Melissa Summerfield (Pragmatic Play) Play’n GO Compliance Team

Best Use Of Technology Betway Ladbrokes/Coral Play’n GO William Hill International

INFINITY GAMING

In House Internal Communication Aspers Internal Communications Team William Hill International Ladbrokes/Coral Betway

Community Engagement Aspers Westfield Stratford Betsson Group Microgaming William Hill Gametek William Hill International

y Awards Finalists

UR PLACE Savoy Hotel London Best Place to Work Bede Gaming Ltd Betsson Group Lottoland Microgaming Play’n GO Quickspin Silverspin, A Jackpotjoy Group Company William Hill International

Company of the Year Betsson Microgaming Quickspin William Hill

Gaming Operator Australia & Asia Crown Resorts Galaxy Entertainment Melco Resorts & Entertainment Sands China Sociedade de Jogos de Macau (SJM) The Star Sydney Wynn Macau

Diverse and Inclusive Team Content Team Jackpotjoy HR Team Mr Green IGT Lottery Marketing & Insights, Scientific Games

INFINITY GAMING

WIG Diversity

BOOK YOU 16th May 2019 Diversity & Inclusion Betsson Group IGT Microgaming William Hill Gametek

Industry Achiever Helen Scott-Allen (The Stars Group) Jagoda Barber (Microgaming) Karolina Pelc (Scientific Games) Lauren Iannarone (Playtech) Lena Yasir (Pragmatic Play) Luisa Wright (Rank) Megan Easey (Videoslots) Nathalie Bjurenborg Wirf (Mr Green) Sarafina Wolde Gabriel (Paysafe)

INFINITY GAMING

Employee of the Year Alexe Reichert (Mr Green) Christine Chou (JPJ) Daniela Yaneva (The Stars Group) Kimberley Broad (Microgaming) Maria Karenda (Mr Green) Mira Kooy (Fast Track) Olena Kostylova (Playtech) Pauline Flynn (Rank)

Innovation in Employee Engagement Aspers Group Beth Thomas (The Stars Group) Kathryn Goodall (The Stars Group) Microgaming

Awards Finalists

UR PLACE Savoy Hotel London Employee Wellbeing Award Aspers Westfield Bede Gaming Ltd Betsson Group HR Department at Lottoland Les Ambassadeurs Club Mansion Microgaming Play’n GO William Hill International

Innovator Elaine Gardiner (Global Gaming) Hayley Da Silva (Microgaming) Holly Roberts (Bede Gaming) Kirsten Openshaw (Mr Green) Manuel Bevand (The Stars Group) Maria Lodenborg (Videoslots) Martyna Wilk (Microgaming) Oriane Teysseire (Rank)

Excellence in Customer Service Betsson Group Diane Green Cuddy (Scientific Games) Leah Griffin (Mr Green) Les Ambassadeurs Club Linn Bergman (JPJ) Lucy Nolan & Lexi Nicolaou (The Stars Group) Melissa Summerfield (Pragmatic Play) Rachael Cringle (Microgaming)

Inspiration of the Year Cherry Morcilla (JPJ) Ilze Cubare (Playtech) Kerry Dawes (Rank) Lorraine Sammut (Videoslots) Natasha Whittaker (Microgaming) Rebecca McAdam (The Stars Group)

INFINITY GAMING

WIG Diversity A

BOOK YOU

16 Leader of the Year Operators Alexe Reichert (Mr Green) Becs Cubbon (The Stars Group) Elaine Gardiner (Global Gaming) Gemma Hodge (Videoslots) Jessica Lee (The Stars Group) Kate Walker (JPJ) Mariachiara Lagravinese (Mr Green) Sarah Powell (Rank)

Star of the Future Suppliers Chelsea Dryden (Bede Gaming) Corinne Stanfield (Microgaming) Jiaxin He (Derivco Ipswich) Julia Salagaeva (Connective Games) Marta Āboltiņa (Playtech) Valeria Russo (Quickspin)

INFINITY GAMING

Leader of the Year Suppliers Deb Krupinski (Scientific Games) Karin Fuchs (Playtech) Kirsty Hanks (Microgaming) Lucy Buckley (Nektan) Melissa Summerfield (Pragmatic Play) Sandra Lindberg(Quickspin) Sarah Hitchcock (Bede Gaming) Sissel Weitzhandler (Play’n GO) Tara Wilson (Paysafe)

Young Leader Operators Alexandra Patten (JPJ) Christina Farrugia (Videoslots) Malin Angbo (Mr Green) Natalie Van Spelde (Aspers) Olga Lunkova (Mr Green) Sarah Carruth (Buzz Bingo) Stephanie Cook (Lottoland) Tetyana Matyveyeva (Quickspin) Vanessa Simpson (The Stars Group)

Awards Finalists

UR PLACE

6th May Positive Role Model Aries Cassar (Videoslots) Charlotte Davies (Microgaming) Karolina Pelc (Scientific Games) Kate Moughtin (Microgaming) Katharine Anderson (Scientific Games) Malin Angbo (Mr Green) Marja Vaisanen (Videoslots)

Star of the Future Operators Francine Watson (The Stars Group) Ina Macaria (Kindred) Jess Bartlett (Rank) Laura Zarb Cousin (Videoslots) Magda Renz (Mr Green) Moya Wilson (The Stars Group) Navdish Thandi (Rank) Raissa Tabone (JPJ)

INFINITY GAMING

GAMING NEWS

15

Tennessee First With Mobile-Only Sports Betting Bill

T

ennessee’s House Bill 1 has been doing the rounds of the Senate for almost a month, to no success. But early this week, progress was made in the form of an amendment, which may make legalized sports betting a genuine possibility in the Volunteer State.

The most significant change proposed to the Bill involves making Tennessee a mobile-only zone for sports betting. According to reports from the office of Democrat State Rep. Rick Staples, all wagering in Tennessee can only be made on mobile applications. The 50 brick and mortar betting locations sanctioned in the previous bill have now been removed, with the Bill covering only mobile betting platforms and websites.

Additionally, the Bill has also scrapped the in-person registration requirements for its mobile applications, choosing to go ahead with more sophisticated security measures. The amendments include a proposal for the implementation of age-verification and geolocation

technology, to control access to the State’s mobile sports betting and gambling services.

Reports from the Senate also confirm that the inspiration for the mobileonly market has come from New Jersey, where the mobile sports betting model has proved to be a phenomenal success. While Jersey does have physical kiosks and casinos, 80% of their sports betting revenue comes from mobile applications. Tennessee authorities believe this model will be a highly-sustainable alternative to physical sports betting.

In addition to a mobile-only industry, the amended Bill also proposes other changes. The established tax rate of 10% has been increased to 20%, and the number of licenses that can be granted has been increased to 10 per year, at $750,000 per license. Additionally, the amended House Bill 1 also proposes making the Tennessee Lottery the regulatory body for the sports betting market in the State, given its years of experience managing gambling operations and running a successful mobile application.

Industry insiders believe the move to enlist the State Lottery for help may be beneficial in swaying Republican Gov. Bill Lee, one of the most ardent opposers of sports betting legalization, in favor of passing the Bill.

The only thing missing from House Bill 1 is credit card funding. As of now, the Bill only mentions funding from debit cards for the mobile-only market. Further legislative discussions will decide whether Tennessee will support credit cards on its mobile sports betting applications or not.

The Tennessee sports betting industry is estimated to be worth $150 million, in the form of taxable revenues. Assuming the tax and licensing proposals are accepted, Tennessee is expected to earn as high as $30 million annually, in addition to the $7.5 million annual licensing fees, should all ten licenses be purchased.

INFINITY GAMING

16

The Exploitation of Marketers In this data-driven age – its time to smack back!

By Lynn Pearce de Freitas

I

was really privileged to be asked to judge the WIG Awards recently and spent a lot of time reading through the profiles of these remarkable women and seeing what they have accomplished in the past year. I took my time about judging the various categories, being a strategic brand marketer, I know intimately what is required from us on a day-to-day basis and wanted to award the right women for their amazing contributions.

Of course, this got me thinking about how marketing has changed over the past few years, becoming more data-driven and clinical, almost devoid of the human intervention with the need to be more analytical and less emotional. Are we really putting the customer at the heart of our endeavors, or are we being pushed into getting more monetary results – in a shorter time frame? It seems to me that companies are ex-

INFINITY GAMING

pecting more output from marketers, with less staff. They seem to think we should have more skills that traditionally were actioned by specialists in their fields. When I first started working as a marketer, I was asked by the company whether I wanted to take the “management” route, or whether I wished to be a “specialist” in my field.

I decided to take the management route but find that I am needing more and more specialist skills in order to survive and thrive in this environment!

The role of marketing seems to be a never-ending story, every day you read what marketers should be doing and how the responsibilities of marketing are growing, and the authority to make business decisions is being stripped away. In a nutshell – we must do more but speak less, our opinion is not wanted – just the data analyses proving the results of our endeavors.

We are being excluded from business

meetings more and more often but are expected to write the business marketing plans, in the absence of any strategic direction from the top down. Once approved, we must write the strategic go-to-market plan and action it ourselves – be “hands-on”.

We must bring in qualified leads for sales – but we get no commission.

We must be business analysts and researchers. Not only manage, set KPIs and goals; but be hands-on throughout the entire customer journey, from acquisition and conversion through to retention and loyalty. Besides SEM, we need to be proficient in SEO and become content writers.

Instead of concentrating on product marketing, we must be the UI/UX product specialist, be creative, set up the pricing structure, do project management and oversee the entire rollout of a new product.

The Exploitation of Marketers

We must not only understand new technologies but need to choose the correct software for the Saas, content platform, digital asset management, marketing automation, CRM, CXM, customer data platforms, segmentation, web platform, machine learning, AI, data sharing and visualization, data analytics, reporting and measurement.

Let’s speak about analytics, for a moment. Having worked in various companies as a B2B strategic marketer, and also in a B2C capacity overseeing 26 online casinos, I have always had the opportunity of working closely with Business Intelligence teams, data analysts and researchers, who would analyze and clean up the data before presenting it to marketing. We would then collectively discuss the data presented, look for trends, volume, customer scoring, forecasting, churn – and marketing would then be given the data to determine their own consumer insights and action plan. This was a collaborative process, working cross-functionally and having ap-

17

preciation for each team’s skills, great team building.

But now, because companies believe that marketers should be data analysts and researchers, they save themselves quite a bit of money rolling all those specialist skills and “tasks” into marketing!

They candy-coat their reasoning with: “you must be a data-focused marketer who has a deep interest in conducting qualitative and quantitative analyses, researching trends and forecasting programs, have a love for analyzing and understanding data in order to inform marketing decisions.’

Sounds perfectly fine, right? It would be if you did not read between the lines! What they are really saying is – we are not going to employ a specialist – this is your task as a data-driven marketer! Couple this with all your other specialist “tasks” and it is impossible to get through your workload.

Having been in marketing for many

years, being data-driven is something we have always been, this is not new – but does that make us business analysts? Absolutely not – the expertise of these analysts and researchers are vital and it is a full-time job. I am not saying that marketers cannot do this – I am saying that companies are rolling all disciplines under marketing in order to squeeze the most they can out of one person, instead of employing additional staff – it is monetary greed – I am beginning to see these companies as modern-day slave traders!

Another one of their little tricks are: “marketers should be cross-functional – this will aid in extensive cross-functional functions that the Marketing Manager must engage in”.

Start reading between the line’s folks – this means more work to be done by the marketer.

I am raising a red flag – am I a lone voice here, or do other marketers agree?

INFINITY GAMING

EXCITING ROLE FOR FRENCH SPEAKING CASINO MANAGER EXCELLENT SALARY AND BENEFITS

GAMING NEWS

19

Former Boss of Online Gambling Sues AMF

D

avid Baazov, a former Executive within the online gambling industry, is suing L’Autorite des marches financiers for a sum of $2m for having brought false allegations against him for illegal inside trading.

In June 2018, a judge referred to the doctrine of laxism, to sum up, the incompetence exhibited by L’Autorite des marches financiers (AMF) in the case concerning then CEO of Amaya Gaming Inc, David Baazov. Laxism states that in the case, where doubt arises in moral matters, the liberal moral course should be opted .

Baazov had been charged with many insider trading type charges back in 2016. The judge stayed all charges against him.

When Baazov instructed his legal team to sue AMF for $2m, the AMF responded by saying it would defend itself vigorously.

David Baazov rose to notice in the poker circle when he created the world’s largest publicly traded online poker room. The former CEO of

Amaya Gaming Inc played a crucial part in acquiring the $4.9bn PokerStars owners The Rational Group.

The AMF was suspicious that Baazov, his financial advisor Yoel Altman and Executive of Amaya Benjamin Ahdoot used illegal means to profit financially from the acquisition. A total of 23 charges were filed against the trio, and Baazov was found not guilty on five counts which included the allegation of influencing or manipulating the market price of the securities held by Amaya.

Quebec judge Salvatore Masci heard the case last summer and stayed all charges. He orally summed up the situation by stating that the AMF had shown a lack of rigor and laxism in handling the case.

Baazov Defends Himself Baazov has now retaliated by saying that the AMF had acted exclusively and maliciously in filing charges against him. If Baazov manages to win the Judge over to his side, AMF may have to shell out compensation of $2m – explaining their stance of

wanting to defend the charges vigorously.

Baazov’s lawsuit was filed in Quebec Superior Court. He has declared that he won’t keep any of the compensatory money for him if he wins the case, choosing to donate to five Montreal charities instead.

The Rise and Fall of David Baazov Baazov had been christened the King of Online Gambling after his famous acquisition of The Rational Group.

The allegations made by AMF had forced him to step down as the CEO of Amaya Gaming Inc. He had tried to buy the company and make it private but was unable to do so. He’d then gone on to sell all his equities. The Canadian company later rebranded itself to The Stars Group Inc., recently acquiring Sky Betting and Gaming for $4.7 billion.

INFINITY GAMING

GAMING NEWS

21

Is Germany Progressing With Online Gambling Policy?

I

n terms of online gambling, Germany has finally done what the world expected it to do in terms of their online gambling policy. Currently, Germany is both an inter-state agreement as well as what many believe to be a framework that is compatible with EU law.

Germany chose to extend the number of licenses as well as allow Schleswig-Holstein a way out of those elements which it wasn’t comfortable with. However, many people believe that this isn’t a good scenario for German facing operators as they would be forced to compete in an area they cannot win.

Are there any changes to the framework?

As of right now, the framework hasn’t received any significant changes and uses many elements from the 2012 Treaty. Sports betting will continue to be taxed at 5% of turnover while

the new licensing regime will put customer turnover limits of €1000 per month.

The betting landscape is currently 70% in-play as well as 80% heavy user dominated when looking at revenue. This landscape cannot function in the current climate.

A mass market with high margin and is multiple-led might thrive.

However, these are currently not dominant. A likely result is that the level of black market leakages, as well as dislocation, will probably be unignorable for all operators who choose to get a license.

A larger issue with the scenario is that in all probability, gaming would be effectively banned. In all honesty, some displaced gaming revenue will land up in betting. However, without in-play, the ability to give customers similar products will be limited.

There will be plenty who will head to the black market while some will stop. The question on everyone’s minds right now is whether the treaty will be enforced as it currently is. An amalgamation of the Supreme Court/ CJEU rulings, as well as the tightening of Germany’s media regulators and telecoms, paint a picture which suggests that a rather dim view will be adopted of any operator who tries to plead EU freedoms.

Rules on the global landscape are starting to pick up steam and become more interconnected. A private ‘dark grey’ operator would probably get away with it. However, an operator who is public or regulated in Tier One Point of Consumption jurisdictions might find that it is too risky for them in overall licensing footprint.

As of right now, only time will tell.

INFINITY GAMING

22

Who knows?

By Teresa Tunstall

G

ambling should be an entertainment for everyone however for many that doesn’t happen, the convivial atmosphere particularly surrounded by familiar so called betting or gambling ‘friends,’ it becomes an escape from work worries or difficult relationships, even family problems all can be every day issues ……escape from is the keyword!

So even through gaming and betting staff may be trained to intervene with dialog to a gambler they may have concerns for, however those gamblers may not want to hear or discuss their gambling in a place where they like to hang-out and relax betting in a place they feel comfortable enough to bet their money, it’s a conundrum.

I spoke with an 18 year old who was losing his rent money in closer inves-

INFINITY GAMING

tigation he lived in one rented room his only relief and happiness was the arcade after work in the evening it was his only enjoyment rather than the four walls surrounding him with his family living so far away. Discussing with him all the help available so as to guide him towards support were worthwhile and in many ways this was what he really needed to understand his gambling actions. In truth now the majority of gambling staff have an understanding of dealing with those who gamble posing so much, causing grief and in my experience nobody wants that to happen in their casino or betting shop.

However, time changes and there should be no doubt that the Gambling Commission mean business however, looking into whether staff should be trained in ‘Customer Interaction,’ with customers is this right or reasonable to expect staff to

recognise and speak with an angry customer upset by their gambling losses the majority would answer, “you just don’t want me to win.”

So what would be acceptable, what’s the next step for gaming or betting staff? Perhaps to have a Counsellor available to support the staff and help the gambler, of course this is unrealistic and unavailable anyway at this point in time.

But there could be a case for management staff to be trained although, my favourite was the lovely woman Cathy, working in her betting for over 20 years who when a furious gambler took a hammer to a machine (after she had only just spoken to him about his gambling) Cathy wisely went behind her counter where her regular customers stood surrounding her. The furious gambler then apologised, phoned the

Teresa Tunstall Article

company concerned and paid for the broken machine with his credit card.

Amazing what you can achieve and totally unacceptable.

Blocking Software has been available almost since Online gambling began.

Previously I spoke with a Scottish male nurse who when I asked why he’d never blocked himself from the Online site he was playing, he hesitated to think then replied, “I’d only have gone to one of the other 26 websites I play on.”

A good example of misusing blocking software was the female Online gambler who couldn’t open her favourite gambling site complaining, she said she thought it came about because another gaming website was continuing to entice her to play with them! I started delving below the surface to understand more about her situation, she started to open up by saying how

23

she had always played on this particular website however, she changed her mind wasn’t happy she was losing too much blocking software was to stop her but it didn’t work she was still able to gamble and she didn’t comprehend why.

I offered to contact the software blocking company to find out why it wasn’t working why wasn’t she blocked? They are a well-known software company and I spoke with Manager Director who immediately agreed to look into it.

Within an hour he was back on the phone it seemed she had called the company previously to block herself but never completed the job. I was back on the phone wanting an answer as to why she never actually activated the blocker she finally came clean she didn’t want the blocker on her lap-

top as she already had a blocker on her first lap-top but lost lots of money so in-exacerbation she went out and bought another her second lap-top leaving her with one lap with blocker and one without.

What could be the outcome of this conundrum? UK Regulators are looking into whether those who choose to use blocking software should be supported by Online operators and that they would also provide access to this software to their disgruntled punters which would be free of charge to their customers. This paraphernalia is all very well but we still have a long way to go especially when I recently heard through the grapevine that a couple of inspectors visited a casino and before leaving asked gaming staff whether they ever felt guilt over taking a customer’s money, obviously we all have a long way go.

INFINITY GAMING

EXCITING ROLE FOR FRENCH SPEAKING CASINO MANAGER EXCELLENT SALARY AND BENEFITS

GAMING NEWS

25

Norway Says It is Winning The War

I

nternational online gambling operators could be facing even more restrictions in Norway as the country’s government is putting in more effort to curb their ability to advertise themselves using local media.

broadband providers and television channels can be prevented. Once the order is given to these providers, it will be mandatory for them to follow and abide by the rules. If not, they will have to face appropriate repercussions.

Last week, the country’s Ministry of Culture made a proposition to amend the current Broadcasting Act so that the residents’ ability to see advertisements from international online gambling operators will be explicitly blocked. These operators do not have a local license since the government does not issue any, and Norway plans to prevent them from reaching local punters through advertisements.

However, the government has also acknowledged that if these changes were to be implemented, it would have a severe and direct effect on the finance of media companies. Therefore, it has initiated a consultation to consider the perspective of media outlets on the issue before going ahead with any decision. If any party wishes to make an argument, they are welcome to do so by June 7, even though it appears these submissions may prove to be futile.

According to Minister Triine Skei Grande, the ultimate goal here is to give the state media authority, Medietilsysnet, full power so that any “access to marketing of gambling” using

As of now, only state monopolies are allowed in Norway, which is Norsk tipping for sports betting, and Rikstoto for race betting. There are

also several lottery operations. Even though the country’s government has made many efforts to put down internationally licensed gambling operators so that they can promote their wares to Norwegian gamblers, there have been no significant results till now.

Payment processing channels also affected It’s not only restricting access to advertisement channels that Norway is focusing on. The government has also targeted the payment processing channels of these operators. It has even singled out certain operators such as Betsson AB and Kindred Group. However, despite these attacks from the government, the gambling operators have stood their ground and have implemented financial workarounds to ensure that their service is uninterrupted for their Norwegian customers.

INFINITY GAMING

GAMING NEWS

27

New Gambling Regulator For The Irish Government

T

he Irish Government gave its approval to establish a new gambling regulator, to ensure fair and safe betting to all those who wish to participate in it. David Stanton, the Minister of State, got the green signal from the Cabinet to go ahead with the Gaming and Lotteries Amendment Bill 2019. With the new draft, the government plans to bring their existing laws up-to-date.

In 2013, the government tried to bring new legislation as part of their efforts to modernize the gambling industry. However, their attempts failed, and they realized that it wouldn’t make sense to do the same after six years, due to significant technological changes.

As a result, Stanton’s group has been working hard to bring the legislation up-to-date, so that it can keep with the industry.

New Bill to introduce significant changes Staton stated that this decision was huge for the country, as it would

regulate all types of gambling, even spread betting. He added that the new body would sustain itself by imposing levies and fees on licensed gambling operators. A part of the finances will go into funding information and education programs, to help people with addiction.

Also, the legal draft talks about increasing the prize limits and stake of gaming machines from 3c and 50c to €10 and €750. The last time the government made any changes in this area was in 1956.

At the same time, the bill also talks about protecting vulnerable people by placing various restrictions on age, while promoting staff training. The government also wants to control sponsorship, promotions, and advertising.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar acknowledged that it would take 18 months to establish the gambling regulator.

An interdepartmental group released a report, recommending the various steps the government needs to fol-

low. They suggested in the creation of a sports betting integrity unit, based on a UK model. The group added that the regulatory body should fine a maximum of €50,000 to gambling operators if they break the laws of the legislation.

Recently, Minister Paschal Donohoe increased the gambling duty from 1% to 2%, in the budget. The new changes should bring the government an addition of €50 million.

Everyone in favor of the government’s latest decision Jim O’Callaghan, the Justice Spokesperson for Fianna Fáil welcomed the move by the Irish authorities. He stated that their party had been asking the government to keep a closer eye on the gambling industry.

Irish Bookmakers Association chairperson, Sharon Byrne stated that their members want the regulatory body to start functioning as soon as possible.

INFINITY GAMING

28

Why we’re still talking about the millennials: Gambling’s on-going challenge

By Christina Thakor-Rankin

E

ach generation is defined by its own specific characteristics, traits and values. The young adults of 1969 were markedly different to the new teenage generation of 1959. The young adults of 1989 were markedly different to those of the 1970s and the young adults of 2009 and beyond (our current and future customers) most commonly referred to as ‘millennials’, ‘generation Z’ and the ‘i-generation’ are markedly different to the generations before them.

Born after around 1985, this group of humans has been around for a while now. Many of them work in this industry. A significant number of them will be reading this article. That

INFINITY GAMING

being the case why is the industry still struggling to attract and engage them as customers?

Generations have historically been defined by a specific period or tranche of time marked by significant events such as war or a paradigm shift in society, and with the added benefit of hindsight. The last two generations so framed were the postWW2 generation, the Baby Boomers, and Generation X (also referred to as the ‘lost’ or ‘latchkey’ generation) as a result of social and economic drivers which saw women in the workplace normalised. But that’s it. Everything since then has been a melting-pot of different generational characteristics and traits driven by a world brought

closer together by the internet.

Where before the changes in a particular social group were influenced by events local to them e.g. women in work due to local economic drivers, changes today are increasingly driven by international influences e.g. women’s rights in order to present a better image to the rest of the world.

The world is also much more socially, culturally and ethnically blended than it used to be as people move around the world much more, with each new social and cultural grouping adapting and carving out a new identity in its new environment. Add to this the internet and the advent of a new virtual world which in some

Christina Thakor-Rankin

ways emulates the physical world but in another creates an entirely new set of social and cultural groups which transcend physical borders and the challenge of identifying a set of common generation characteristics and traits becomes nigh on impossible.

The millennials and their successors, Generation Z et al may be the biggest generation ever by population, but for all the reasons above they are also the most socially, racially, ethnically and culturally diverse generation ever with each social grouping (physical or virtual) having its own set of characteristics and traits.

In today’s multi-cultural world operators have a choice - go local and target specific (physical or virtual) customer groups based upon jurisdiction or

29

common interests; or go global based upon a set of principles which are the most common characteristics and traits of the generation. The first is too extensive a scope for a mere article, so focusing on the second, what are the key markers of this generation that the industry should tune in to.

This is a generation that has grown up in a ‘me too’ world of peer pressure, social engagement and validation.

As consumers they have more choice than ever, and their choices are increasingly driven by values, ethics and principles. Value and quality are more important than brand loyalty. Experience, achievement and interaction is everything.

Firstly, this is a group whose choices are driven by influencers, advocates,

endorsers, and peer reviews. This could be social media influencers on Instagram or endorsers of a product or activity on You Tube, or as a result of general popular culture. Examples of industry tapping into this is betting firms in Nigeria engaging actresses or rappers as ambassadors and BetVictor snapping up Harry Redknapp after I’m a Celebrity. Trust built via peer reviews us entirely in keeping with a group that has grown up with eBay, Amazon and Trip Advisor. Throw in a growing awareness of how companies can pay to manipulate search engine ranking, and a growing move to voice-based search (Alexa, Siri et al) and the first take-away is that the relevance and impact of traditional SEO and affiliate acquisition techniques is massively diluted.

INFINITY GAMING

Christina Thakor-Rankin Article

31

those who behave in ways which run counter to their views and values. The evidence of this is everywhere. From the growing back-lash against some social media sites for a lack of duty of care, brands for their treatment and exploitation of workers, marketing initiatives or the treatment of customers that suggest bias or discrimination on the basis of gender, sexuality or ethnicity to public chastisement of some of social media’s biggest influencers and brands for cultural mis-appropriation, mis-representation or stereo-typing.

Secondly, this is a consumer group that is more about quality than quantity and sharing new and unique experiences. The evidence of this is everywhere - from the increase in popularity of artisan products and personalised services and experiences compared to mass production and a one fits all approach. The latter does not support sharing or interaction. Customers today want an experience that is personal to them, is entertaining, engaging and interactive and that can be shared with others. This is not supported by an RNG driven game where the player has no control over the outcome and the achievement is driven by chance alone. The days of re-skinning and re-purposing existing games and

products by changing aesthetics or applying minor tweaks without any fundamental change to the underlying math model or game mechanics are numbered. The challenge lies in developing a game or experience which is engaging, entertaining and interactive enough to hold the attention of a generation whose attention span is less than 3 seconds, and which allows the player some semblance of control that can be shared with others as an achievement.

Thirdly, and perhaps the most important characteristic or trait of this group is that their choices are increasingly driven by ethics, values and principles. Nor are they shy in calling out or turning their back on

This is not good news for an industry which has long had an image problem, not just with the moral, religious and cultural connotations associated with betting and gambling but also accusations of consciously preying on the young and vulnerable and fuelling an addiction that purportedly has a higher suicide rate than any other. Alongside this a back catalogue of products that is still largely based upon traditional gender, racial and cultural stereotypes, often use overly sexualised imagery, and continue to be marketed along gender lines.

This is also the biggest challenge to engaging this generation. If the industry wants to engage with the influencers and reviewers who are best laced to promote its new more engaging interactive products it needs to reassure its target market that it is responsible and that it shares the same set of values, ethics and principles.

For a generation inextricably tied to social media image is everything.

INFINITY GAMING

We exemplify the very best in British gaming and as such, have an unrivalled reputation, bringing you round-the-clock high-stakes gambling.

American Roulette | Baccarat | Blackjack | 3 Card Poker | Slots 5 H A M I LTO N P L AC E , M AY F A I R , L O N D O N www.lesambassadeurs.com

GAMING NEWS

33

MGM Buys Hard Rock Casino For $1 Billion

M

GM Growth Properties has announced it has acquired the Hard Rock Rocksino Northfield Park in Ohio for $1.06 billion, the property is said to be the best performing casino in the state.

The deal which sees the casino that has been open since 2013 will join the MGM group once the legal requirements and regulatory approvals have been concluded which is expected to be completed in the second half of the year.

James Stewart, Chief Executive Officer of MGM Growth Properties said

in a statement, “MGP is proud to announce the acquisition of the Hard Rock Rocksino, the best performing gaming asset in Ohio. We are thrilled to join the Northeast Ohio community and look forward to continuing to work with the management team to consummate the transaction and identify a third-party tenant to operate the asset going forward.”

“The Hard Rock Rocksino has established itself as the premier gaming and entertainment destination in the market, thanks to our dedicated employees, partners, and loyal guests,” said Brock Milstein, Chairman of the Board at Hard Rock

Rocksino Northfield Park said in the release.

“MGM Growth Properties has many options and opportunities to invest all over the country, so we are especially proud and grateful that they have chosen to make such a meaningful investment in Ohio.”

Interestingly MGM Growth Properties are planning to sell of the gaming license and all operating assets and focus on the real estate value and rental of the property which is expected to rake in upwards of $50 million a year for MGM.

INFINITY GAMING

CLEVER DUCK MEDIA PRESENTS

WIG DIVERSITY AWARDS 16 MAY 2019

TAKING PLACE AT THE

SAVOY HOTEL London WC2R 0EU

Women in Gaming will be presenting the Diversity Awards to reflect the positive changes in our industry. These awards honour excellence in promoting diversity and inclusion within the gaming industry.

www.gaming-awards.com/wig/

GAMING NEWS

35

Buenos Aires Legalises Online Gambling

B

uenos Aires the province in Argentina has finally approved a piece of legislation allowing for the provisions of online gambling within the territory.

Under Decree 181 which has drawn a great deal of heated debate over several years of supporters trying to allow for online gambling it is finally passed and allows for online operators to legally offer their services in Buenos Aires.

Indeed Buenos Aires is the first province in Argentina to pass the law allowing for online gambling to

legally take part, the new law comes under the countries legislation to allow provinces to conduct their own internal laws.

with supporters saying that if it is happening then the governments should be regulating and taking taxes for it.

Buenos Aires Provincial Institute of Lottery and Casinos will become the regulator for all online gambling services, with in total seven online gambling licenses available and each of those licenses allows for one operator for each license.

The games allowed under the new law include: online slots along with other casino games, lotteries, betting on virtual sports, betting on horse races, sports betting and betting on non-sporting events.

The Decree 181 was brought into passing following years of illegal online gambling taking place not just in Buenos Aires but across Argentina,

Under the new law the Buenos Aires government will charge 25% tax on revenues received by the operators.

INFINITY GAMING

36

Contact us if you have an idea for a special event INFINITY GAMING and let us make it happen for you.

GAMING NEWS

37

Women and their Impact in the Gambling Industry

N

umbersdon’t lie. The figures of the online casino sector in the UK show that the industry is thriving right now. Data has emerged from the UK Gambling Commission which highlights how the gambling industry earned much revenue. Between the period of April 2017 and March 2018, the British online gambling industry earned revenue of £14.4 billion. This is an increase of 4% from the previous 12-month period.

There are more female leaders in the gambling industry than you might expect. Lydia Barbara, head of the innovation strategy at Microgaming, comes to mind. Ebba Arnred, chief marketing officer of Play’n GO is also paving the way for women in the gambling industry. Both of these women have been in the iGaming business for a long time. They are part of a large number of female casino experts who are working in the industry right now.

Casinos made 8% of the total revenue. The sheer amount of websites highlights how fierce competition is with close to 900 online casino licenses issued in the UK until 2018.

If you’re curious about female casino game players, Vanessa Selbst is the top-earning female poker player of all time. The NYTimes reported that she earned approximately $12 million from the card tables before switching things up by becoming an investment associate. A woman by the name of Kathy Liebert looks like she’s following Vanessa Selbst footsteps. She currently has career earnings of more than $6.25 million.

The roles of women in the gambling industry Many people make the mistake of assuming that the gambling industry is male-dominated. However, there’s plenty of data which highlights women succeeding in the online casino industry.

for all women in the industry is Barbara Enright. Barbara Enright became the first woman to be inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 2007.

Are these women making casinos more welcoming for other women?

The latest data shows that more women are playing games like poker, blackjack and so on than ever before.

The UK Gambling Commission has released data which shows that 41% of women had gambled in the last four weeks. In comparison, 48% of men had gambled in the last four weeks.

There was also data which shows that the gender gap is closing.

Currently, it isn’t clear if these successful women are a major factor in making casinos more welcoming for other women. However, one clear thing is that the number of women players playing in casinos is on the rise.

Another woman who paved the way

INFINITY GAMING

GAMING NEWS

39

Massachusetts Remains Impassive To Sports Betting

N

ew England state Rhode Island has made massive headway by passing the bill to legalize mobile sports betting in the state last week. However, the same cannot be said of neighbor Massachusetts.

The Bay State continues to remain inactive and impassive towards sports betting legalization, despite it being almost two months since the bills were first assigned for consideration to the Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies. The Committee staff recently reported that a hearing date is yet to be set, but that there is no guarantee it will be done shortly.

This news has made many unhappy, including Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker. Governor Baker has been a strong supporter of legalized sports betting in the state. In an interview with the press, he spoke of his attempts to push the Massachusetts General Court to set up a hearing date at the earliest. “Our preferred option would be that this is something the Legislature takes

up before they break for the summer, which will probably be somewhere around August. That would be the timeline we think makes sense because that would land before the start of the next NFL season,” he said in his Guest of Honour speech at the opening ceremony of the Draft Kings’ new office space in the Back Bay neighborhood.

betting services after legalization.

This doesn’t include the almost year-long debate that takes place actually to legalize sports betting.

Given how the Bay State has failed to take any action regarding the bills for more than two months, state officials believe that 2019 may not be the year for legalized sports betting in Massachusetts.

What’s happening in Massachusetts?

In mid-January this year, Senator Brendan Crighton and Governor Baker both sent in two separate proposals to authorize interactive online sports books without the need for brick-and-mortar casinos and to legalize sports betting, respectively, in the state. However, despite massive support from both parties, the Massachusetts General Court and the Joint Committee have delayed in setting a hearing date for the bills.

Other New England States Edge forward New Hampshire recently passed the bill which authorizes the state lottery to regulate sports betting operators with 269-82 support; inching a step closer to sports betting legalization.

Maine, Connecticut, and Vermont to have started discussions about the possibility of legalization.

New England states, as evidenced

by Rhode Island, take on average six months to set in place the required regulatory frameworks and operational capabilities, to offer sports

With one New England state having already legalized sports betting and the others well on their way to do so, Massachusetts must act fast if it wishes to avoid losing out on the rewards that sports betting will offer the region.

INFINITY GAMING

GAMING NEWS

41

Iowa Soon to Enjoy Legal Sports Betting

A

ccording to state representative Bobby Kaufmann, who is the primary sponsor of the sports gambling bill in Iowa, punters in the state may soon be able to legally enjoy placing on their favorite sports teams, as the bill is expected to be voted on soon by the House of Representatives in the state. After going through several amendments, the legislation has already been cleared by the House Committee, which is one of the main hurdles.

If things go as expected, the sports betting bill will be put to a floor vote by mid-April. About a week ago, it was passed by the House Ways and Means Committee with a 16-7 vote which is a strong indication that it has bipartisan support.

Considering all these developments, it appears the bill will likely not be facing any enormous obstacle to

getting passed.

As is the case with sports betting in many other states in the United States, the bill will not be allowing gamblers to place their bets on either the state’s college sports teams or their opponents. Bets on individual players are also prohibited.

The state government will be taking a tax of 6.75 percent on net receipts, out of which 25 percent will be going to the development of gambling treatment programs, which will be taken over by the state’s Department of Public Health.

The bill allows casinos to offer mobile gambling. However, if a player has an account which was created before January 1, 2021, they will be required to go to the casino in person to establish their accounts. According to legislators, this requirement has been introduced so that

there will be a level playing field for the 22 casinos in Iowa.

Future amendments may be required Although the sports betting bill in Iowa has received a lot of support with very few obstacles, this may not be the situation in the near future. In the coming weeks, new amendments that could change the bill are expected to be filed. On top of this, one legislator who previously voted yes on the bill has said that she may change her mind and change her vote to a “no” in the floor vote.

Representative Mary Wolfe, in a piece she wrote for the Clinton Herald, said that she is concerned about the low tax rate proposed by the bill, and is pushing for a mobile fee of 3 percent. This mobile fee will be placed on all wagers placed online.

INFINITY GAMING

WHAT WE DO

TALK TO US

• Affiliate News + Media

New to affiliate marketing?

Want to expand your reach?

Don’t know how to scale up?

• Program Management • Program Audits • Training & Events

We’ll help you be an affiliate marketing super hero.

sales@affiliateinsider.com affiliateinsider.com

GAMING NEWS

43

West Virginia Now 5th US State to Legalize Online Gambling

G

overnor of West Virginia has signed necessary legislation to legalize online casino and poker gambling in the state. The Gov. Jim Justice approved the West Virginia Lottery Interactive Wagering Act (HB2934) on Wednesday. The bill had been passed by both the state’s legislative chambers earlier in the month. The passage of this bill will enable the state’s five land-based gaming licenses to provide online casino and poker products to state residents.

The governor waited as long as he could to veto a series of bills already approved in the legislative session that was concluded this month. Former Michigan Governor Rick Snyder had issued a last-minute veto of the state’s online gambling legislation in December post-adjournment of the year’s legislative procedures. There were concerns that Justice would follow in his footsteps, but Justice spared online gambling as he vetoed 27 other bills on Wednesday.

The other four states in the nation where online gambling is legalized are New Jersey, Nevada, Delaware, and Pennsylvania. One must note here that Nevada is yet to authorize online casino operations. Pennsylvania, on the other hand, has had the prerequisite legislation to permit online gambling in place for the last 18 months but no online gambling operations at present.

The new legislation in West Virginia needs the West Virginia Lottery, i.e. the administrative head of all gambling operations in the state, to decide and finalize upon all the online regulations before June 2020. If this were true, West Virginia residents could participate in legal onlinegambling before the end of the coming year. However, a more realistic target would probably be early-2021.

Not just online gambling but digital sports betting has also been legalized!

The five US states to have legalized

online gambling have also approved digital sports betting. West Virginia’s only digital sports betting operations will not reap any benefits from this legalization. The endeavor which was managed by Delaware’s North Wheeling Island and Mardi Gras casinos has suspended its services in a highly abrupt manner this month. Services were suspended after the digital sports betting outfit could not resolve an ongoing dispute between Miomni Gaming – Delaware North’s online tech partner and Miomni’s third party vendor Entergaming.

Either way Gov. Justice’s ruling brings cheer to the residents of West Virginia, allowing them to enjoy their online casino and poker play guilt-free. Once they’ve their digital sports betting operations reinstated – it will be another legal online gambling option for West Virginians to explore.

INFINITY GAMING

Ready for a new hand?

Recruiting now for The Stars Group The Stars Group is a global leader in the online & mobile gaming and interactive entertainment industries.

We entertain millions of customers across our online real-money and play-money poker, gaming and betting products.

We rely on our employees in offices across the globe to provide an exceptional experience to all our clients.

In return, we offer industry leading benefits and opportunities for personal and professional growth.

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

7003 PT TSG SBG BE IGA SP A4 - IGA Magazine EN.indd 1

workatthestarsgroup

/company/starsgroup

28/11/2018 15:25

GAMING NEWS

45

New York Casinos Set To Reduce Slot Offerings

T

wo of upstate New York’s most prominent casinos – the Resorts World Catskills and Tioga Downs – are set to reduce the number of slot machine offerings they have in their casinos, following a steady decline in revenue in the past few quarters.

Both casinos are reported to have approached and secured the New York Gaming Commission’s permission to implement the slot offering reduction at the earliest. Representatives of the casinos say that each slot machine should have on average a $200 per day win, per machine. However, State Gaming Commission records show that both Tioga Downs, locatedwest of Binghamton in the Southern Tier and Resorts World Catskills, located near Monticello in Sullivan County, has failed to meet this limit in the past two years.

State records indicate that Resorts

World Catskills earned a meager $117 per day on average from its 2,150 slot machines, while Tioga Downs raked in $195 per day on average from its 942 slot machines.

Casino representatives believe that eliminating burdensome slot offerings may help them reach the $200 win threshold.

The only other authorized casino in upstate New York that experienced similar losses in revenues was the del Lago Resort & Casino near Waterloo in Finger Lake. The casino earned $160 per day on average from its 1,950 slot machines. But there is no word yet whether del Lago will engage in a similar elimination exercise or not.

The numbers Resorts World Catskills had about 2,150 slot machines when it started operations in upstate New York in 2018 and Tioga Downs had 942 slot offerings. The casinos have con-

firmed that they will be bringing down their slot offerings down to 1,600 and 882 machines, respectively. This will result in a 26% drop in slot offerings for Resorts World Catskills and a 5.3% drop for Tioga Downs. This reduction is expected to clear up space within the casino and allow for smoother, more financiallybeneficial operations.

New facilities The reduction of slot machines is expected to pave the way for modern amenities like more table games on the floor. Jeff Gural, owner of Tioga Downs revealed that he plans to use the disengaged resources to fuel the casino’s sports betting wing, once the New York State Senate legalizes sports betting. As for Resorts World Catskills, owners Empire Resorts have revealed that the freed-up space will be used as a harness racing track from April 23, 2019, when the elimination process is expected to be completed.

INFINITY GAMING

GAMING NEWS

47

Ohio Sports Betting Will Not Have Integrity Fees

A

s the works to legalize sports betting in the state of Ohio enters its Senate committee process, key legislators championing the bill say that there will be no integrity fee. They shared the news while introducing their S-111 bill.

For the uninitiated, integrity fees are taxes on legal sports betting that sports leagues such as NBA and Major League Baseball profit from. With the announcement from the lawmakers, Sean O’Brien and John Eklund, major sports leagues will most likely have to face a huge battle if they want their integrity fees.

Eklund expressed his failure to understand the concept of integrity fees, saying that there are lots of ways that sports leagues can make use of integrity fees and participate in the exercise. However, if the only reason that they expect such fees is because they “put on these contests and so we

deserve to be paid for you allowing betting to go on with these games,” then he doesn’t understand that.

betting bill in Ohio, Eklund said that he feels “fairly confident” about his bill.

The legislator further added that he was more open to working with the leagues on the use of official sports data. He said that there might be a place for the league’s “robust statistical gathering process” for legal sports betting in Ohio.

Mobile/online sports betting may be available Even though the bill in question includes mobile and online sports betting that will allow gamblers to sign up remotely, Eklund said that he wants to know what residents of the state think about being able to access sports wagering on their phones. Earlier this year, the senator had shared that despite not being a fan of mobile betting, he was slowly coming around it.

While both O’Brien and Eklund had introduced a placeholder bill on sports betting last year, they did not fill out the language. Currently, the Rules and Reference Committee and the Senate President are deciding on committee assignment options.

Eklund said that he and O’Brien would do everything they can to persuade the chairman so that they can start the hearings on the bill as soon as possible. Since no other senator has any intention of introducing a sports

The Casino Control Commission has been chosen as the regulatory body, should sports betting be made legal in Ohio. The senators do not wish the Lottery Commission to be involved as it has expressed no desire in legalizing sports betting in the state.

INFINITY GAMING

GAMING NEWS

49

Macau Mulls Tourist Tax

T

he Macau government has been considering the idea of levying a tourist tax to either successfully curb or gain from the hordes of tourists rushing into the region.

Bureau Head of Macau Government Tourism Office, Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes announced the idea saying that they were currently engaged in a comparative study of similar taxes being put in places such as Venice, Italy, and Japan.

At this moment, the study aims to comprehend why these tourist taxes were implemented in the first place and if they’ve had any benefits. However, Fernandes was quick to note that these places weren’t looking to limit their number of visitors but increase their revenue collection to be used for developmental purposes.

CEO of MGM China Holdings, Grant Bowie, has said in reply to this

proposition that if tourist taxes were decided to be implemented, it should be used to generate further tourism.

He expressed confidence in the sustainable and healthy financial position of the current government of Macau and said that it should consider itself fortunate for the same.

Why levy a tourist tax?

The news of the tourist tax follows in heels of the rejection of lawmaker, Sulu Sou’s bill which wanted to place a cap on tourism and met unanimous disapproval from the Macau assembly. Sulu had forwarded such a bill as he believed that the saturation of tourists in the city could threaten its infrastructure and put undue pressure on local businesses who’d have to pay higher rents.

Macau has arrived at a consensus as a whole that they need to address its proliferating tourism needs better.

A cap on tourism would not have

worked as it would have taken away the best income source for the region.

A tourist tax could be a possible solution as it would serve a dual function.

It would benefit the government financially and help subsidize infrastructure projects as a result. The citizens would gain from more benefits and be able to sustain the system of tourism that they’ve developed over time.

As Bowie had stated, using this extra money to sponsor tourism campaigns would help Macau compete with neighboring competitors like the Philippines and South Korea alongside helping the individual concerns of operators like MGM. It is all the more important as both these countries mentioned above have begun to welcome Chinese gamblers who Macau to tends to depend on rather heavily for its gambling revenue.

INFINITY GAMING

50

INFINITY GAMING

GAMING NEWS

51

Casino Ads in Japan To Be Restricted

J

apan’s general public spaces will not play host to gambling and casino-related advertisements come the 1st of April 2019, following Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s Cabinet’s recent ruling. Last week, the Japanese Government reconvened on the almost-year-long discussion regarding the display of casino advertisements in Japan.

The Cabinet finally ruled against displaying casino advertisements in all public areas of the island-nation, instead of restricting advertisements related to gambling and betting to international travel zones – in particular air and sea terminals.

The legalities of the matter Japan’s new ruling was first introduced as part of a long list of casino-related ordinances that were first tabled for consideration following the passing of the Integrated Resorts (IR) Implementation Act early last year. The then-proposed ruling covered only casino advertisements by the as-yet-unopened IR casinos in the country, with no clarity regarding the advertisement of non-gambling casino offerings.

Cabinet officials are yet to decide on the display of non-casino offerings in the country’s public spaces.

With the new ruling, Japan becomes the second Asian country to implement a restrictive advertising model for its casino industry, following Macau and Mainland China. Macau casinos aren’t allowed to advertise gambling and casino services within the region publicly, but casinos are allowed to promote their nongambling products & services within their resort premises. A similar rule is followed in Mainland China.

According to Cabinet officials, the ruling for restrictive advertising is part of phase two of the market liberalization plan currently being implemented by the Japanese Government. According to the Implementation Bill, three new Las Vegas-style casinos – called Integrated Resorts – will be granted entry into the country and rules will be set-up to regulate this burgeoning market. The ruling is expected

to create an even playing field for each of the three IR commercial partners and ease the liberalization process. The first phase of the market liberalization plan was 2016’s Integrated Resorts Promotional Bill, which legalized casino gambling in the country.

Japanese cities interested in hosting any one of the three new IR’s are expected to get their respective jurisdictions regulatory-ready for gambling and casino services. They are also expected to have dedicated zones in airports and harbors, to display casino advertisements.

According to reports, Osaka is said to be the first prefecture to begin the bidding process for an IR within the city. Jim Murren, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of MGM Resorts International is expected to visit Japan in the next few months, to be part of the process. Reports indicate that representatives of Las Vegas Sands and Melco Resorts & Entertainment too will be in Osaka in 2-4 months, for the bidding.

INFINITY GAMING

52

INFINITY GAMING