January 2018 Infinity Gaming Magazine

InfinityGaming www.gaming-awards.com | ISSUE93

WORLD-LEADING SPORTS BETTING & iGAMING PLATFORM PROVIDER

GAMING + ARTICLES + BUSINESS+ GLOBAL + ONLINE + NEWS+ AWARDS + etc

2

16 WHAT’S GOING ON JAt the IGA11

34 DON’T LOOK BACK IN ANGER Teresa Tunstall

20 LOOT BOXES 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 Lana welcomes you to the latest edition of Infinity Gaming Magazine.

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

10 IGA11 FINALISTS See who made it

16 SEE WHAT IS GOING ON

10

At the IGA11 this year

20 LOOT BOXES Christina Thakor-Rankin

WHO ARE THE FINALISTS? See who made it at IGA11

26 AFFILIATE MARKETING Is it Dead? Lee-Ann Johnstone

AFFILITE MARKETING Lee-Ann Johnstone

26

34 DON’T LOOK BACK IN ANGER Teresa Tunstall

44 GENTING GIVEN GREEN LIGHT 45 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

The best night of the year is nearly here

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

Lana Thompson - Editor

Welcome to the first 2018 edition of the Infinity Gaming Magazine

Welcome to the first 2018 edition of the

giving us her perspective on the Affili-

Infinity Gaming Magazine and for many

ate Industry.

this is the busiest time of the year, let me wish you all a very successful 2018.

Just before I go if any of your lovely readers want to challenge your self

As you all know the 11th International

and at the same time support Care In-

Gaming Awards is just around the cor-

ternational why not apply to run in the

ner and we feature the finalists and for

London Marathon, details are inside the

the first time what is going on at the

magazine.

event itself. It is going to be a very special evening and we are sold out weeks

I will let you get on with reading all the

ago.

superb articles as always and till next time.

Please DO NOT FORGET to bring some cash with you as we have some great

“To Infinity and Beyond!”

fun and all in aid of charity.

Regards, Back to the magazine and we have the superb team of Chistina Thakor-Rankin explaining exactly what are Loot Boxes and the implications for the Gambling Industry. Then Teresa Tunstall giving us the latest low down on socially responsible and of course Lee-Ann Johnstone

INFINITY GAMING

Lana 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

presents

created by

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

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.

INFINITY GAMING

www.affiliateinsider.com|www.bestoddsmarketing.com

7

play

Casino Game Aggregator

One Integration +50 providers +2000 Games

50 softwares

2000 games

VR slots

Exclusive brands

Innovative automatic settings

Smart API

INFINITY GAMING We are an operator building tools for operators

PAYMENTS PORTFOLIO

COMPLIANCE SUITE

Integrated solutions and kiosks that bring next-level transactional security to your casino floor, reducing your casino’s risk of fraud, increasing patron accessibility to funds, and easing potential stress due to compliance and reporting requirements.

New and innovative products that expand our ability to service patrons and casino customers. Everi’s compliance products are the gold standard for Anti-Money Laundering (AML), allowing operators to easily meet regulatory requirements.

Everi’s diverse portfolio gives casinos the products they need to win. For more information on what a partnership with Everi can do for your casino, visit everi.com.

Powers the Casino Floor™

everi.com

GAMING NEWS

9

London Marathon call for runners to support Care International

D

o you fancy taking on the London marathon?

Well our charity that we have supported for several year and raised hundred of thousands are asking if anyone from the gaming industry wants to take on the challenge.

We have partnered with CARE International for the last seven years, raising over £121,750 for their work putting an end to poverty around the world and responding with lifesaving assistance in emergencies.

We’re passionate about the difference supporting CARE makes, and we would like to invite you and even your colleagues to support CARE by running the London Marathon in 2018.

There is a total of five places available and would love to see runners from the gaming industry taking part to support CARE, allowing us to help more communities living in poverty together. A direct donation of £2,000 to CARE will cover one place in this unforgettable event for a member of your team.

zine will cover your support of the Marathon and CARE and ensure you and your colleagues get the recognition and praise such a challenge deserves.

If you’re interested in supporting CARE through the 2018 London Marathon, please get in touch with our contact Tony Jones at tjones@careinternational.org or on 020 7091 6049 to discuss this great opportunity for your staff.

The Infinity Gaming Maga-

INFINITY GAMING

10

INTERNATIONAL G

THE IGA11

FINAL

5th February 2018 - G Australia/Asia Technology BBIN Cammegh Continent8 One Touch Tangam Systems TCSJohnHuxley

Gaming Operator Europe Aspers Group Caesars EMEA Groupe Partouche Lucienne Barriere Olympic Entertainment Rank Group

INFINITY GAMING

eSports Betting Software Betconstruct Betradar Betway SBTech William Hill Pinnacle

Great Place to Work 138.com Aspire Global Bethard Caesars EMEA IGT Microgaming NetEnt Sportradar

11

GAMING AWARDS

1 FINALISTS

LISTS

Grosvenor House London Gaming Operator Americas Caesars Interactive Golden Nugget Penn Interactive Ventures PokerStars NJ Pilot Games

iGaming Software Supplier BBIN Betconstruct Microgaming NetEnt Playtech Red Tiger Gaming Tom Horn Gaming Yggdrasil

Gaming Operator Australia/Asia Crown Resorts Galaxy Entertainment Melco Resorts & Entertainment Sands China The Star Sydney Wynn Macau

Innovator Operator Bitcasino Coolbet Kindred Group Leo Vegas Lottoland Mr Green SlotsMillion Videoslots

INFINITY GAMING

12

INTERNATIONAL G THE IGA11

FINAL

5th February 2018 - G Innovator Supplier Betconstruct Digitain Inbet Games Microgaming Play’n GO Playtech Red Tiger Gaming Yggdrasil

Mobile Operator Cherry Kindred Group Leo Vegas Lottoland Mansion Mr Green William Hill

INFINITY GAMING

Integrated Resort Altira Macau Galaxy Entertainment The Grand Ho Tram Strip The Parisian Macau Wynn Encore Wynn Macau

Mobile Product BBIN Leo Vegas Microgaming Play’n GO Pragmatic Play SBTech Yggdrasil

13

GAMING AWARDS FINALISTS

LISTS

Grosvenor House London Live Casino BBIN Kindred Group Leo Vegas NetEnt Playtech The Ritz Club

Online Casino Operator Karamba Kindred Group Leo Vegas Mansion Mr Green PokerStars Casino Slotsmillion Videoslots

Lottery Product Camelot EuroLotto IGT Kindred Group Lottoland

Online Gaming Operator Kindred Group Leo Vegas Mr Green Pinnacle PokerStars Vbet Videoslots William Hill

INFINITY GAMING

14

THE IGA11

INTERNATIONAL G

FINAL

5th February 2018 - G Online Poker Operator

AstroPay ECommPay Everi Global Gaming JCM Global Paysafecard

888Poker Aconcagua Poker Kindred Group PartyPoker PokerStars Vbet

Socially Responsible Land Based Aspers Group Caesars EMEA Crown Resorts Galaxy Entertainment Melco Resorts & Entertainment The Ritz Club

VIP Room

INFINITY GAMING

Payment Processing Company

Socially Responsible Online Alea Kindred Group Leo Vegas Mr Green Sky Betting & Gaming Videoslots

Caesars Entertainment EMEA Galaxy Entertainment Les Ambassadeurs MGM Grand Hotel & Casino

Mr Green The Ritz Club

15

1 FINALISTS

GAMING AWARDS

LISTS

Grosvenor House London Slot Provider IGT Microgaming NetEnt Play’n GO Pragmatic Play Red Tiger Gaming Tom Horn Gaming Yggdrasil

Sports Betting Operator ComeOn Kindred Group Leo Vegas Mr Green Pinnacle Vbet William Hill

Slots Operator CherryCasino Karamba Leo Vegas Mr Green Slotsmillion Videoslots William Hill

Technology Provider Bede Gaming Betconstruct Fast Track Microgaming NetEnt Red Tiger Gaming SBTech Yggdrasil

INFINITY GAMING

16

WHAT’S GOING ON AT THE IGA11 APART FROM THE GREATEST GAMING AWARDS CEREMONY YOU MEAN!

A

lways with the International Gaming Awards we offer our attendees great entertainment and this year is no different with the BAFTA Nominated Band * Award Winning * World Record Breaking * International Violinists FUSE. THEY ARE GOING TO ROCK YOU! As ever we support deserving chari-

ties and again this year we are raising funds for CARE INTERNATIONAL & CHILDREN WITH CANCER, so please bring some cash with you as we have some great items to win and also to take part in.

RACE FOR LIFE F1 RACING....Your chance to race the fastest tiime and win prizes in Amazon Vouchers kindly supplied by Videoslots. All we ask is that you offer an entry fee for each

time you race, the amount is up to you. The fastest time recorded will win 1st Prize...Good Luck.

Also supplied by our kind sponsor Videoslots is the fun Photo Booth at the Champagne Reception, free to have you and your firends and colleagues have some fun and get the photos printed while you are there.

Last year all our attendees had great fun and we are sure you are going to enjoy it again this time.

So that is the first part of the evening for you, then we have the charity items The Cartier Cufflinks up for Raffle (so bring more cash!) and then Auction Items: Neymar Jr signed Footbal Shirt.

The Brazil International Footballer and PSG footballer who cost the French club a world record 222 million euros.

INFINITY GAMING

17

You have the chance on bidding for this special item for a fraction of that cost.

The shirt is his Brazil number 10, the same type that he will be wearing at the 2018 World Cup later in the summer in Russia.

The shirt comes with proof of authenticity and in a frame to show off to all your friends, colleagues and customers.

Anthony Joshua Signed Boxing Glove The Heavyweight Champion of the World Anthony Joshua singed Glove in framed case.

Joshua used the same type glove to defeat Wladimir Klitschko for the WBA “Super� WBO and IBO titles.

Anthony Joshua could go on to be one of the most exciting heayweights in the history of the sport and this is your chance to own a piece of that history.

our other events, you can make a donation on the evening, just speak to one of the organisers.

We thank you for all your support.

Items for the auction and raffle have been kindly donated by our sponsors Caesars & Alea with all proceeds going to CARE INTERNATIONAL and also supporting CHILDREN WITH CANCER. If you are not able to make the winning bid or win the raffle or any of

INFINITY GAMING

20

Blurred Lines: Loot Boxes When gaming becomes gambling?

By Christina Thakor-Rankin

T

he last couple of years has seen the lines between the worlds of traditional video ‘gaming’ and traditional ‘gambling’ beginning to blur as developments in the former change what used to be a pure skill-based experience, into one which is increasingly linked to gambling.

skins or cosmetic (decorative) enhancements have been around for years and are either earned by playing the game, or for those in a hurry, simply bought as an in-game purchase for real cash, and historically have had no value outside of the game to which they apply, beyond status and bragging rights.

Last year the talk was all about skins, free or paid for cosmetic ingame goods which did not impact on the performance of the player or the game, but which could be exchanged for real cash outside of the game, either at an online skins exchange site, or more invidiously, converted to cash or cash equivalent which could then be used to place bets and gamble on skinsbetting sites.

The game-changer came with the game Counter Strike Global Offensive and the launch of an associated skins exchange site which for the first time ever enabled players to exchange (buy or sell) skins which they had either earned or bought in the game. Suddenly, something which was nothing more than an aesthetic or decorative asset with no value outside of the game, became something which had very real cash value, both within, and more importantly, outside of the game.

This year, the talk has moved onto another free or paid-for in-game goods: loot boxes.

It is important to note that skins and loot-boxes are not the same thing: whilst one facilitates gambling - the other is gambling.

For those in need a quick reminder:

INFINITY GAMING

In theory, and one of the stated reasons for the exchange was that it would add to the game experience by allowing players to act out the scenario of trading goods on a black market. The reality is that it spawned a new cottage industry

and the creation of ‘virtual convertible goods’ – effectively a new form of unregulated currency.

The impact of this was two-fold.

Firstly, any player, including preteens and teens who had previously spent several hours a day playing the game for just fun, could now play the game as a means of generating cash – any ‘skins’ accrued or earned from playing the game normally could now be converted into real hard cash on the exchange sites. Secondly, the creation of a new form of currency created the opportunity to diversify into markets where activities using regulated currencies are prohibited, such as betting and gambling.

If the arrival of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies saw the launch of hundreds of unregulated, but not necessarily illegal, Bitcoin betting and gambling sites, so the arrival of virtual convertible goods, launched hundreds of skins-betting sites, but without the challenge, complexity and hassle of mining and cryptocurrency wallets and exchanges, making it easier to understand and use, and freely accessible to a new

21

audience of young and impressionable

them a free in-game item, to drive en-

The introduction of the paid for loot box

minds to whom betting and gambling

gagement and stickiness. The monetisa-

has serious ramifications on the world

could be presented as cool and an easy

tion of this simple free reward and re-

of both gaming and gambling.

way of making money.

tention mechanism is today’s loot box.

Skins allowed gaming to take an attrib-

A loot box contains a random selection

of gambling and places it right at the

ute of gaming and adapt it to the world

of in-game items and content. Some

heart of gaming. A loot box is like buy-

of gambling via a bridging mechanism.

of it could be a skin – a cosmetic item

ing a raffle ticket. The player pays a fixed

What loot boxes do however, is take

which is nothing more than aesthetic

amount for a ticket, or in this case a ‘loot

the principles of gambling (chance and

or decorative, or it could be new out-

box’ without any indication of what that

prize or win) and drop them straight into

fits, weapons, instruments and strategic

box might contain. If they are lucky, the

the world of gaming without any adap-

devices for a character which could en-

box will contain something which is

tion.

hance the character’s abilities or impact

relatively rare and valuable, useful to

on that character’s performance, which

the player or an item which is relatively

So, what is a ‘loot box’? Loot drops have

normally could only be earned as a skill

popular, and can be sold or exchanged.

been around for some time. The original

based reward by playing and getting

If they are not so lucky the box will con-

aim of the ‘loot drop’ is to reward play-

better at the game.

tain items which are nothing more than

Firstly, it takes one of the oldest forms

ers for playing by randomly dropping

low value skins or items which are so

INFINITY GAMING

22

INFINITY GAMING

23

LOOT BOXES

By Christina Thakor-Rankin common as to be practically worthless.

gambling, seems to be presented in this

already covered by regulation - permit-

context as a legitimate and acceptable

ted or prohibited. There are also those

Just like a raffle, or hitting spin, a player

means of fast-tracking a player’s pro-

jurisdictions where video gaming has

could spend $10 and get exactly what

gress in the game.

been so much a part of the national cul-

they wanted on the first hit; or they could

ture for so long, such as China, Japan,

spend $100s and never get anything of

The implied message is that gambling is

and South Korea, and where authorities

actual value, the value of the contents

a quick and easy route to success. This

have introduced laws that attempt to

of the loot box being significantly less

is a risky message to send out to any-

regulate loot boxes or specific forms of

than the cost of purchase even. In short,

one at any time, but to do it within the

‘gacha’.

the player pays a consideration and

context of an activity which is supposed

takes a chance of an outcome where the

to be nothing more than a game is argu-

Regulated jurisdictions notwithstand-

prize is determined randomly and could

able both dangerous and irresponsible.

ing, this still leaves a large part of the

be a ‘win’ for the player if the box con-

world where the law is silent on the

tains something they wanted, or a ‘loss’

By introducing loot boxes game devel-

concept of ‘money’s worth’ or virtual

if the contents turn out to be worthless

opers have also introduced the concept

goods, and in a digital world where the

to them. This is basically gambling.

of ‘pay to win’ – the more loot boxes a

imposition of hard borders is virtually

player ‘buys’ the greater their chances

impossible, regulators can only do so

Unfortunately, loot boxes are not lim-

of ‘winning’ contents which will help

much to guard against youngsters ac-

ited to over 18 games. They are in-

fast-track their progress.

cessing loot boxes.

games which are designed to appeal to

For traditional gamers this pretty much

The long-term solution lies with the

a broad spectrum of ages, such as Star

ruins the game, the point of which is

game developers themselves, and for-

Wars: Battlefront II, where loot boxes

skill not gambling, so within the gaming

tunately, many are already realising that

can be bought using an in-game cur-

community a backlash is building. This

a pay-to-win mechanism goes against

rency called Crystals, which themselves

is already having an impact with some

the very nature and purpose of the skill

are either earned through play, or pur-

game developers going back to loot

based game.

chased at a cost of around $5 for 600

boxes which contain only skins or cos-

Crystals to $100 for 12,000 Crystals.

metic items and nothing which could

In the meantime, the best we can do is

materially impact or aid the progress of

ensure that regulators continue to regu-

the player.

late and make the public aware of the

cluded in and form an integral part of

Further, the application, mechanism and motivations behind a loot box mirror

risks hidden within an activity which on

those of traditional slot games, packag-

Unfortunately, the genie that is the lu-

the face of it looks harmless, but which

ing the loot box and its opening in such

crative new revenue stream of paid for

could be breeding a new generation of

a way as to emulate the same emotional

loot boxes is well and truly out of the

young gamblers.

and chemical reactions as a big win or

bottle, and is unlikely to simply fade

triggering a bonus round or feature in a

away, resulting in a very dangerous situ-

READ More from Christina Thakor-

slot game – the aim is to make it com-

ation where youngsters are being led

Rankin next month in the Infinity Gam-

pelling, or addictive.

to believe that not only is gambling ok,

ing Magazine.

but potentially, a necessary and integral And whilst adults have been gambling

part of success and progression in the

for years, the issue here, and something

game.

which makes is slightly more concerning than skins betting - more than the

For those jurisdictions where betting

fact that this feature is in games which

and gambling fall under regulation, and

appeal, and are designed to appeal to

which define consideration or prize as

youngsters, and where the cost of a loot

‘money or money’s worth’, or gambling

box is earned by play or at a relatively

as having an element of randomness or

modest purchase price – loot boxes, or

chance, both skins and loot boxes are

INFINITY GAMING

GAMING NEWS

25

$6 Million Macau Theft Dealer Arrested Along With Uncle

T

he casino dealer at the Wynn Macau that stole $6 million in gaming chips from the casinos VIP Room has been arrested along with his uncle a security guard at the same casino.

Police told reporters that the deal named only as “Lee” was working in the VIP Room in the early hours of the morning 7am and there was only one other dealer in the room and no customers.

According to police Lee shouted at the other dealer to lie down on the floor and proceeded to steal HK$47,895,000 ($6 million) in chips. He made his getaway on a scooter.

It is claimed by police that when he left he met up with his uncle named only as “Ho” at a park in neighbouring Taipa

with the chips.

Lee admits the theft but refuses to disclose where the chips are, he apparently has large gambling debts and did the robbery to pay off those debts. His uncle denies any wrongdoing in the robbery.

Police are yet to discover the location of the gaming chips which can only be cashed in at Wynn Macau which is owner by casino mogul Steve Wynn.

Following this latest breach of security questions will be asked on how just one dealer can steal such a large amount and walk out without being challenged by any security or management.

Former William Hill Boss Joins Stars Group Amid Merger Rumour Talks The former Managing Director of William Hill Online Andrew Lee has joined the Stars Group as Head of it Online Sports Division Betstars sparking rumours of a new potential tie-up with William Hill.

ya at the time) now being changed to Chief Executive Rafi Ashkenazi who took the reins after the failed deal and with a new look team rumours are again swirling that 2018 will be the time for the merger to go through.

Andrew Lee was MD of William Hill Online from 2012 to 2016 and at one time was tipped for the top job at the UK bookmaker but lost out to James Henderson who succeeded Ralph Topping.

It was not clear at the time for the departure of Mr Lee from William Hill, whether it was that he missed the Chief Executive role or another reason.

However with the previous attempt by senior management back in 2016 to merge the two giant companies failing because of major investor Parvus Asset Management who holds 14% stake in William Hill opposing the deal and then the UK bookmaker finding that other investors were not in favour both pulled back from the deal.

It is thought the reason being that William Hill investors did not like the senior management at Stars Group (Ama-

INFINITY GAMING

26

Affiliate Marketing is Dead Long Live Affiliate Marketing

By Lee-Ann Johnstone

I

t’s clear that the affiliate marketing channel is in a state of flux right now. With open letters being written to the affiliate community to charge it’s participants with change, big brand programme closures and reactionary strike policies being issued, this once favourite acquisition stream is certainly taking strain.

The industry is maturing, regulation and advertising codes now govern where and how affiliates should be representing operators. Networks are racing to find ways to allow operators the ability to police their vast affiliate databases to adhere to these policies and with a distinct lack of active affiliate management skills in the industry at the moment, it’s no wonder that there have been some knee jerk reactions taking place in a bid to avoid infringing regulatory guidelines or worse, receiving hefty fines.

INFINITY GAMING

Truth is - It’s hard for anyone to speculate where or how the affiliate channel as a digital medium will seek to change to accommodate these growing requirements, but one thing is for sure - this digital channel is on the cusp of an evolution and will adapt - not die.

Affiliate marketing has been a popular acquisition channel for brand exposure and a key part of customer acquisition for nearly two decades now, but it’s almost unrecognisable from it’s humble beginnings as a simple link based “refer a friend” scheme. As the channel grow - technology adapted to provide more insight and the emergence of the 80/20 rule governing direct and long tail programme strategies shows how far we’ve come. Thing is - we aren’t finished yet. The channel is changing yet again to adapt to the various markets, verticals and strategies around it.

Expertise in this channel has grown from doing the delivery on a daily basis. Technology has became more functional and provides a depth of data to understand where and how to spend budgets for better ROI, but unfortunately over time, this simple commercial process has become complicated and in that developing sophistication, we’ve sort of lost our way in terms if understanding what the true function of the affiliate based marketing model is and how to apply it effectively to grow a brand online.

Don’t worry all is not lost…

As the industry changes, some partners are lackadaisical about changing the way they operate or deliver commercial terms to partner with affiliates. This doesn’t have to be the case though, as there are solutions out there to keep the operator and affiliate working cohesively together

27

as one, for a common goal . Affiliates have always been considered as an acquisition source or for unpaid brand exposure to the masses. Some have developed such big brands and loyal consumer bases that they also play a function in retention or reactivation models as well. Fact is a symbiotic relationship exists between an operator and their affiliate - no matter which way you look at it. The affiliate model still provides a value and how much or how little you choose to use in this relationship to prop up upper overall digital strategy is entirely up to you.

The ecosystem of affiliates is changing with the emphasis on recent mergers and acquisitions. Super affiliates are being created who are in a position to demand a higher rate of attention from operators. They command fleets of highly rated affiliate portals and

thus hold a lot of power over price , positioning and delivery. Nobody wants a monopoly but because this channel is still highly profitable a monopoly on traffic is being naturally created by those who see value in this space. This could create massive competition for smaller affiliates and also encourage bigger innovation and diversity - which brings about positive change for all.

position or niche their services and helping mid tier affiliates to scale up fast is good for business. To do this, a greater collaboration is required with a focus on helping start ups access in depth industry knowledge and expert skills to succeed. Creating marketing campaigns that are truly innovative give smaller affiliates the chance to bootstrap themselves to a much better position.

This innovative culture is what makes the affiliate channel so exciting and a necessary part of a diversified digital marketing strategy.

Affiliate Programme Strategies will change.

It’s essential now for operators to continue to invest and develop smaller affiliates to find new ways to market themselves with a bigger ROI. Helping entry level affiliates get a quick understanding of where and how to

• 80/20 management techniques are no longer valid. • Technology will lead change in management techniques to help scale programmes efficiently.

INFINITY GAMING

28

INFINITY GAMING

By Lee-Ann Johnstone

29

Long tail affiliate network closures are also

Having a wider management strategy of

These operators will put more effort into

hitting the affiliate industry hard. Com-

the affiliates you work with and allocating

compliance , skills development and re-

panies like Sky have sought to close their

account management resources accord-

ally knowing their affiliates. This kind of

affiliate programmes entirely in the last

ingly to grow those that perform month

deeper interaction between the two part-

few months whilst others have removed

over month despite not being a top af-

ners will allow both to continue to benefit

the long tail from retail based affiliate net-

filiate will help to reduce reliance on the

from the relationship long term. They can

works. This seems to be in response to the

old 80/20 management style. Times have

seek to continue to grow traffic and sup-

Gambling Commission and Advertising

changed - we have more tools at our dis-

port acquisition together, using the right

Standards Authority handing down more

posal to assess, automate and engage

automated tracking and compliance tools

and more fines and a desire to stream-

customers on a deeper more personalised

and building longer term brand promo-

line partnerships and cut the dead wood.

level. Training affiliate managers on how

tion arrangements. The main thing that

(Clean up) Even where the mistake is on

to better achieve ROI and targets through

both sides of the partnership need to work

the part of the affiliate, the operator is be-

active management, digital insight and

on is adaptability, as this will allow them

ing held accountable.

expertise and better commercialisation

to weather any potential storms posed by

techniques using big data management -

further regulatory changes.

Two top tools that have emerged from

is crucial.

This is the way in which affiliate marketing

the need for better compliance which operators could look at using are wag.io and

With the ROI of affiliate channels proving

will continue to thrive, regardless of the

rightlander.net which give you the ability

so precious to smaller brands, they really

challenges that a changing marketplace

to actively monitor affiliate creative and

can’t afford to lose this acquisition chan-

may pose. Affiliate marketing is not dead,

your brand presence online. With larger

nel. They will be incentivised and forced to

but it will adapt to survive and it will be ex-

affiliate programmes boasting thousands

engage with the affiliate portals in order

citing to see how those who adapt to these

of affiliates, these tools cut down the time

to deliver a steady stream of new players.

changes fast , succeed.

taken to monitor each one drastically. It

With rising costs for almost every other

provide a technical solution automating

kind of advertisement and no guarantee of

some of the affiliate management func-

a return, affiliate marketing is the only way

tion.

forward for these smaller operators.

INFINITY GAMING

ARE YOU GAME? FIND OUT BY MEETING US AT ICE TOTALLY GAMING STAND N3- 460

Planet Fortune - Prepare for Blast-Off. Planet Fortune is a five-reel video slot from Play’n GO that really takes you back… to the future! Astro-Adam, Extragalactic-Eve and other sci-fi symbols appear in stacks of 2-4 on each reel.

Try Planet Fortune and all our games at playngo.com

Play´n GO Omni channel

GAMING NEWS

31

Boyd Gaming Buys Valley Forge

E

ver since it opened up almost half a decade ago, the Valley Forge Casino in Pennsylvania has experienced a few ups and down. However, the greatest change came in at the end of 2017.

It was announced that Boyd Gaming would be signing an agreement with the Valley Forge Convention Center Partners LP to take over the First Avenue Fun Palace for a price of $208.5 million. When questioned about the deal, Boyd spokesman David Strow said that it was too early to predict anything about what might happen to the iconic casino once it comes under their control.

The deal is still a month away from being closed. Strow says that Boyd would be taking a look at current operations to determine what changes need to be made. However, according to Strow, Boyd remains confident and sees plenty of potential in the property.

Pennsylvania’s gaming market is

one of the biggest in the US and the state itself had been doing well by bringing in people with attractions like the Valley Forge National Historical Park.

Boyd, which has had no prior presence here, is aiming to leverage the recent acquisition towards this objective.

The CEO speaks In a recent press release, CEO of Boyd Gaming, Keith Smith, mentioned that the Valley Forge acquisition would serve as an opportunity for Boyd to spread its wings further, especially on a nationwide scale. He also pointed out that they were entering the country’s second-largest gambling market through this particular purchase; a move that could produce significant benefits.

Pennsylvania recently passed a bill allowing for more gaming expansion, which makes Boyd’s timing perfect. Also, the elimination of a $10 entry fee just makes things all

the more appealing.

Casinos in the state generate gross revenues that are only slightly less than that of the ones in Nevada.

Now, with the $10 fee gone, entry is free. Customers can simply enter and start playing.

Developments Valley Forge is a full-blown gaming resort that boasts live table games and a range of new and old slot machines. To be more specific, there are 600 slot machines on offer and around 50 table games that include Pai Gow Poker, Craps, Blackjack, Baccarat, and Roulette.

With the introduction of the gaming expansion bill, 250 more slot machines were added recently.

Boyd Gaming will also continue to return capital to existing shareholders in the form of repurchases or quarterly dividends as part of the deal.

INFINITY GAMING

GAMING NEWS

33

California Tribe Mulling Over Casino Proposal

A

local tribe called Timbisha Shoshone Tribe recently submitted a proposal worth $29 million for building a casino within an off-reservation region of the town called Ridgecrest in California. The proposal witnessed a new development when the tribe (that is officially recognized by the Federal Government) took to gather the feedback from the locals regarding the aforementioned proposition.

As reported by a local news daily, the Analytical Environmental Services president, David Zweig, represented the tribe in a special meeting that was held last Thursday in Ridgecrest in a bid to collect inputs of the local people regarding the Tribal Environmental Impact Report draft. According to the newspaper, the 40-minute long meeting was attended by a total of 45 local tribal people who voiced their opinions and concerns on the matter. How-

ever, David did not provide any answers to their queries as he was there for the sole purpose of accepting their feedback. At the end of the session, David went on to announce that the local tribal people can still submit their comments on the matter until the end of the month.

Any inputs received would be duly added to the final draft of the Tribal Environmental Impact Report by the Timbisha Shoshone Tribe and only then presented before the officials of the Kern and Ridgecrest County.

According to the report, David is planning to create a type of ‘hybrid document’ of the Tribal Environmental Impact Report on the lines of reports that are officially acceptable under the stipulates of the National Environmental Policy Act and the California Environmental Quality Act. David addressed the meeting by saying that the Tribal Environmental Impact Report is essentially

an official document that will be formulated in compliance with the guidelines stipulated in the tribalstate compact. He further added that a rough draft has already been created and presented to the Governor’s office and is yet to be released to the general public. The provisions mentioned in the draft are up to the standards of environmental regulations.

The tribe’s proposal for developing a casino has apparently been subjected to a lot of criticism given the fact that the facility will be established at a distance of 130 miles from Death Valley National Park, which is also the reservation for the local tribe. In addition to this, the locals are also a little worried that the development of a casino within their vicinity might promote the evil of problem gambling.

INFINITY GAMING

34

Don’t look back in Anger

By Teresa Tunstall

A

nother change of temperature, exchange of currency and most wicked of all continual time changes… try convincing your body clock that everything’s normal! Yes, I’ve left the cold shores of the UK to soak up the sun of New Zealand in temperatures that make you feel alive again!

Meanwhile, back in the UK abundant stories appear about players who practise self-exclusion then attempt to re-enter gambling premises and are not identified; In some instances are even being allowed in by staff.

I find this hard to believe as in my experience most staff just do not want a problem gambler back in their betting shop or casino. Firstly because it’s against regulation and secondly - even more importantly they are at this point very angry and difficult people. Problem gamblers by the nature of the beast are liars; in order to conceal their forbidden last few gambling hours and losing money they create all sorts of ficti-

INFINITY GAMING

tious excuses.

Which beggars the question; how do we make problem gamblers take selfexclusion seriously?

Those who self-exclude do so for a reason. Either they’re angry at continual loss of money and the only way to make a stand is to withdraw as a punter from the casino, betting shop or amusement centre OR they finally realise that they’re still chasing the dragon of their lost money.

My viewpoint is that self-exclusion should immediately be followed by obtaining help and support. Sadly it’s impossible to align the figures for self-exclusion together with professional help as opposed to those who self-exclude and say, “I’m going to do this myself, I don’t need outside help.”

The latter is possibly the worst situation particularly for ‘Affected Others,’ family and friends.

Naturally we all like to believe we

have control of our destinies and refuse to admit we need help. The caveat is that this is mostly sought only when rock bottom is reached and there’s nowhere else to go.

Some will attend Gamblers Anonymous, which is a well-recognised group usually run by an ex-gambler with the group sharing experiences and supporting each other. There is nothing wrong with that except it’s NOT professional help, and they aren’t Counsellors who are trained to deal with the deeper issues. .

Let’s jump to New Zealand, a country the same size as UK, but with a far smaller population of 4.5 million people and six casinos as compared to the UK with 66 million population and 150 casinos. Queenstown, where I’m staying has two of those casinos. A friend of the family told us how she went through a period of not being able to sleep, waking up at 2am with an overactive mind and thus decided to visit the casino.

Don’t Look Back In Anger

35

She only played machines which isolated

est period of time 24 months. However,

Re-entry to the casino required her to

her from the main casino area and its staff

she sourced no other help, putting the

attend 6 counselling sessions; one a

who never ever spoke to her. In fact she

excessive gambling down to lack of

week for an hour which apparently were

didn’t want them to and they, in turn, may

sleep.

stated in her Exclusion Order, together with a letter from a counselling service

have felt uncomfortable at the thought of When the period of 2 years was over

as proof confirming her attendance.

she returned to the casino but what she

Not surprisingly she was reluctant to

Unfortunately over those couple of

hadn’t bargained for was the casino’s

go through these steps as she felt she’d

sleepless months of gambling it was the

procedure for ‘re-entry conditions,’

been punished enough and wanted to

loss of $2500 that left her devastated

which had to be met by regulation. She

leave this all behind her. Nevertheless,

and angry. Hating herself, she finally

spoke of the fact that she didn’t know

I see New Zealand as having particu-

plucked up enough courage to speak

or realise there were such ‘re-entry con-

larly strong laws and regulations whilst

to the Manager and requested self-ex-

ditions,’ although admitted maybe she

dealing with problem gamblers, maybe

clusion. There are various time periods

hadn’t mentally registered the informa-

something we could learn from in the

of self-exclusion offered over here from

tion. After a late night machine playing

UK.

3 months to 24 month and being upset

session and losing lots of money it’s

with what she’d done she took the long-

hardly surprising, is it?

approaching her.

In Early December I attended the Gam-

INFINITY GAMING

INFINITY GAMING

By Teresa Tunstall

I attended the Gamble Aware conference. It was painful to watch a man in his early 20’s starting to describe his gambling addiction and suddenly breaking down in tears. Many years ago at a GamCare conference we were fortunate to have an ex-problem gambler in his 40’s from Scotland who spoke of his years of gambling and the impact it had on his life. He had stopped gambling nearly 5 years earlier and said, “Even now when my wife calls, my first reaction is not to tell her where I am: all those years of lying are hard to move on from and the damage I’ve done is almost irreparable”.

I had wanted to write about Bitcoin, except everything I’ve read about cryptocurrencies is harrowing. The extreme activity of some speculators who are said to be mortgaging their homes despite warnings of a ‘danger-

ous bubble,’ and, “this is not something a family ought to be investing in,” or “at some point in time there’s got to be a levelling off,” looks frightening and precarious. Even with watchdogs saying it is unregulated and that HM Revenue & Customs must be rubbing their hands with glee, transactions are so speculative they are more like gambling which means no tax relief.

Coutts, the bank of our Royal Family, has refused to invest saying it is backed by sentiment and nothing else. However, the frenzy continues…. “look before you leap” seems to be the only advice.

37

We’re a good little group with really interesting Speakers delivering worthwhile subjects all to do with gambling. Come by and say hello or even better on Thursday 8th at 2pm you are invited to join us meet our members and listen to our Speakers.

‘Quote of the week;’ overheard in New Zealand… “Of course he’d recognise hashish, he was the coach driver for the Lord of the Rings crew!”

Finally, the Society for the Study of Gambling will be on their stand: S9314 at ICE exhibition in London 6th 8th February.

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

GAMING NEWS

39

Louisiana to Get its New Set of Casino Laws in March

A

ccording to a recent report published by a local news daily, the lawmakers in the state of Louisiana are mulling over a set of major amendments to their age-old (antiquated) casino laws by the end of the first quarter this year.

The report further stated that Ronnie Johns, the Republican Senator for the state has revealed his plans for sponsoring a bill which will not only call for a meaningful discussion regarding the riverboat casino laws in Louisiana but also promote the revision of the regulations that were originally formulated nearly two decades ago.

by the lawmakers in Louisiana which directly contributed to the establishment and development of a total of 15 riverboat casino within the state. The report further states that out of the total $900 million worth of state gambling revenues, an impressive $400 million is earned solely by the state’s riverboat casinos. The Gambling laws in the state of Louisiana were last amended back in 2001. According to the new provisions, the riverboat casinos would be permitted to keep their facilities docked permanently if they agreed to pay a higher tax rate to the state government.

As per the report, Johns stated that they have decided to work on a project that is quite manageable and comes with endless opportunities for developing the casino industry in the state. Back in 1991, a law was enacted

According to the press release, Johns believes that a majority of the gambling laws that are currently in force in Louisiana are no longer applicable or feasible in today’s world. He further added that Louisiana is among the

handful of remaining states in the US that has a law which obligates its riverboat casinos to stay in the water.

Johns also pointed out if the amendment goes as planned, the riverboat casinos in the state of Louisiana will be permitted to move their gaming facilities to larger spaces on land. In addition to that, the lawmakers are also planning to remove the taxes levied on the promotional expenses of the casino operators that are essentially spent on attracting gamers to their brick and mortar operations.

The chairman of the Louisiana Gaming Control Board, Ronald Jones, strongly believes that the revisions to the gaming laws in the state are likely to propel the growth of the casino industry in Louisiana and make it more competitive.

INFINITY GAMING

WORLD-LEADING SPORTS BETTING & iGAMING PLATFORM PROVIDER

GAMING NEWS

41

Low-Tier Cities in China All Set to Support Macau Casino Business

A

ccording to a research report published by the leading financial institution Morgan Stanley, the low-tier cities in China are likely to become wealthier in the next couple of years and consequently contribute to the development of the casino industry in Macau. The reason for this is that the natives of these cities are now earning more and switching to better lifestyles featuring greater spending on consumer products and travel. The report included valuable insights procured through publicly available data and proprietary research.

As per the report, nearly 66% of the visitors in 2016 in Macau comprised of Chinese citizens with more than half of the population coming in from the Guangdong province, Beijing, and Shanghai. Also, an estimated half of the 20 million visitors who arrived from China in Macau belonged to the

lower-tier cities. The report reiterated the fact that the number of citizens coming in from the lower-tier cities of China can be further enhanced by promoting outbound tourism in these cities, increasing the number of hotel rooms available for tourists, and improving the transport logistics in the country.

Shanghai and Beijing are recognized as the Tier 1 cities of China based on a number of parameters including their rich culture and history, hi-tech infrastructure, world-class transportation, remarkable gross domestic product and economic development. On the other hand, the Southwest city of Chongqing in China may be regarded as a classic example of a Tier 2 city.

The report further adds that the market penetration figures for the casino industry in Macau in 2016 for Guangdong province, Shanghai, and

Beijing were recorded at 11.9%, 2.4%, and 1.7% respectively. In addition to that, the market penetration rate for the Tier 2 cities including Chongqing and Shaanxi province were recorded at 1.2% and 0.8% respectively.

According to the description provided in the report, the term market penetration may be defined as the value achieved by calculating the ratio of people visiting from a target market to the total population of the feeder market. According to the statistics mentioned in the research paper, while the average income of the natives of the lower-tier Chinese cities was reported at US$4,482 in 2016, the figure is likely to witness a major spike at US$10,388 by 2030. Also, the gross gaming revenues in Macau are expected to witness a rise of 16% year-on-year in 2018.

INFINITY GAMING

addedvalue.lu

TAILORED CLOUD, CONNECTIVITY, AND COLOCATION SOLUTIONS. www.datacenter.eu

GAMING NEWS

43

Australia’s Betting Ad Ban Exemptions Get Full Support from Major Sports Leagues

A

s the major media groups in Australia try to persuade the government to enforce exemptions for the siren-to-siren ban on all sports betting advertising in the country, several major sporting leagues too came out in full support of the proposition recently.

As reported by a local media house, the Coalition for Major Professional and Participation Sports for Australia recently unveiled its plan for extending its complete support to the appeal for exemptions on gambling advertising ban in the nation.

According to the appeal, there must be a broadcast of a gambling ad once in every two hours across both television and radio stations in the country while any sort of multi-sport or long-form sports competitions is being aired.

The current ban on the gambling advertising prohibits the television and radio stations in the country from airing any gambling-related ad campaigns or promotions especially during the all live sports broadcasts that are available for viewing from 5:00 am to 8:30 pm. The ban comes into effect five minutes prior to the start of the game until five minutes after the game has ended. As stated by the government officials, the gambling ad ban has been imposed in a bid to minimize the exposure of children to the concept of betting.

In the wake of the gambling ad ban,

the sports coalition had extended a warning to the Australian government directing at a possible dip in the revenues for the sports industry in the country as a major portion of the same comes from the contributions made by the wagering companies. Also, according to the statement made by the sports group, the gambling ad ban is likely to have an adverse effect on the importance of the media rights in the country.

After the imposition of the ban, the major media authorities such as the Free TV Australia, the Australian Subscription Television and Radio As-

sociation and the Commercial Radio Australia announced their intentions of seeking amendments to the policy.

However, the RWA or the Responsible Wagering Australia (an online lobby group) stated that any exemptions to the gambling ad restrictions will call for the broadcast of a minimum of one gambling promotion for every two hour’s worth of long-form format sporting events including cricket. In addition to that, the lobby group also remarked that the ban exemptions are likely to promote ban exclusions for lottery companies such as Lottoland as well.

INFINITY GAMING

GAMING NEWS

45

Genting Given the Green Signal for Marina Development

T

he Genting Group might have faced a number of roadblocks in their effort to try and develop a casino in Miami, but their determination to not quit has finally paid off. The group might finally be able to establish one of their properties in the city of Miami.

However, there is no confirmation yet on whether they’ll be allowed to operate a casino.

Genting has, for a considerable amount of time, planned to set up a casino resort in the coastal city. It had even acquired some property for this purpose all the way back in 2011.

Now, the plan might go through, thanks to the fact that the city has unanimously agreed to finally transfer the submerged land to the gambling giant. This move will now make it possible for Genting to construct a marina in the bay.

Genting currently owns a significant piece of waterfront property via the Resorts World Miami LLC, which is one of its subsidiaries. This is the same stretch of land that was once home to the Miami Herald offices.

The current land transfer will now open up room for negotiations between Genting and the city regarding the topic of leasing land that is located lower than sea level. The company has indicated that it would like to develop a marina, irrespective of whether or not they receive gaming licenses.

What was the issue?

The issue of Genting having to face a delay actually goes back to a battle between The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) and the city.

The state-run entity is believed to have been the actual owner of the land and the land was supposed to be used to construct the MacArthur Causeway, connecting Miami Beach

with Watson Island.

Miami had to reacquire the land from the FDOT before handing it over to Genting. Fortunately, this became a possibility as soon as the development of the causeway got completed.

Genting’s dreams of Miami Developing a property in Miami is something Genting has been aiming for since 2011. It started with their purchase of the Miami Herald Site. Genting had initially hoped to construct the Resorts World Miami, a $3 billion project. However, there were several legal roadblocks that played spoilsport.

Now, the company is looking to settle for a residential cum retail cum hotel setup. However, even this plan hasn’t seen any progress.

But, with the current land transfer, the possibility of a Genting casino resort in Miami isn’t too bleak.

INFINITY GAMING

GAMING NEWS

47

Spain Publishes Resolution for Sharing Online poker Liquidity with France

A

s included in the new regulations publication in Spain, the country is now gearing towards promoting online poker liquidity along with France. A resolution that had been signed by Direccion General de Ordenacion del Juego (a regulator in Spain) last month, has now been published in the Official State Gazette of the country. According to the resolution, the state now authorizes the sharing of online poker liquidity among all licensed casino operators in countries including Portugal, France, Spain, and Italy.

As per the stipulates of the resolution, the newly created agreement is inter-jurisdictional and slated to be enforced with effect from the day following its publication in the state gazette that is January 16. Although the agreement for the pool sharing of online poker liquidity has already

come into force, the real-world application of the resolution might be delayed until the required technical approvals are obtained.

Given the fact that the PokerStars. es that already holds the Spanish license for the Star Group has been extended a cross-border license as well by the ARJEL (French Regulator), it will automatically be one of the first ever casino operators to start with the online poker liquidity sharing business. According to the recent statics, the online poker industry in both France and Spain seem to have been revived as a direct result of the online tournament growth in the countries. However, the revenues associated with cash games is still on a decline.

In an interview with a local news daily, Juan Espinosa Garcia, the director of DGOJ stated that he expects the prospect of shared

liquidity to provide an instant boost to the growth and proliferation of all licensed poker providers in the countries. He further remarked that the poker markets in both Spain and France need time to acclimatize to the changing trends in the industry.

That being said, Garcia is positive that after witnessing the long-term returns of shared liquidity, the other nations in Europe too will be convinced to join in and follow suit.

Italy, on the other hand, is in two minds over the prospect of shared liquidity after a handful of its lawmakers raised their concerns over possible money laundering issues associated with it. However, Garcia shrugged off all such arguments by saying that the scheme is pretty foolproof and less than likely to spell trouble for the country’s economic situation.

INFINITY GAMING

www.empirecasinorecruitment.com +44(0) 1543 478 889

GAMING NEWS

49

NetEnt Q4 Results Lower Than Expected

N

etEnt has announced that is final quarter results for 2017 will be lower than expected with revenues of SEK 419 Million compared to expectations of SEK 447 Million.

Profits for the period are now expected to be SEK 150 Million compared to the forecast of SEK 170 Million, the fall in profits for the online games provider is put down to regulatory changes in Australia, Po-

land and The Czech Republic where the firm had to “phase-out2 some of their offerings to customers.

The company also said that the lower revenues were attributed to some markets returning lower than expected trading for the quarter.

It is a blow to NetEnt that has over recent years seen quarter on quarter rise in revenues and profits, making the company one of the big-

gest players in the online gambling industry.

Questions will be asked if the rise to fame for NetEnt has now reached its pinnacle or is this just a blip in the companies success?

NetEnt are expected to announce their full years results on the 2nd April 2018.

William Hill To Sell Off Australian Business?

F

ollowing on from William Hill the UK based bookmaker announcing their annual results the company also took the time to mention that currently the bookmaker is considering its options towards its Australian business.

William Hill has three different businesses in Australia all focusing on betting with Tom Waterhouse brand along with Sportingbet and Centrebet, in some Australian publications saying that William Hill could even sell them by February.

The reason for William Hill’s change of direction in Australia is the governments decision their to introduce a Point of Consumption Tax, similar to that the UK government introduced and also banning bookmakers in giving lines of credit to gamblers.

With both of these regulations William Hill believe it will severely impact on profits there.

It was only last year that the UK bookmaker was in talks with Crown Resorts on expanding their business-

es together, that now seems unlikely and given reports the bookmaker could well sell up in Australia and focus its attentions in the US for expansion.

Wiliam Hill said in a statement that, “Given the credit betting ban in Australia and the likely introduction of a Point of Consumption tax in a number of states, it is clear that profitability will increasingly come under pressure and therefore we are undertaking a strategic review of our Australia business.”

INFINITY GAMING

The Ritz Club 150 Piccadilly, London W1J 9BS +44 (0)20 7499 1818 www.theritzclub.com @TheRitzClub

GAMING NEWS

51

Online Casino Could be Included in Rhode Island’s Future Plans

O

fficials in Rhode Island are looking at a few unique options to sort out their budgetary issues. One such idea involves legalizing online casinos, which would greatly change the way the current gambling revenue system functions.

Revenue sourced by the RI Lottery Commission has been gradually slowing down, while other issues such as delayed projects and competition from Massachusetts have only made the overall revenue generation from gambling an even bigger challenge.

In early 2017, the lottery reported a noticeable reduction in revenue, a sure sign that Rhode Island’s revenue stream was not in good shape.

The reduced figures weren’t just limited to specific categories. The trend was observed across the board.

In fact, the report caused a mild

panic at the budget office since gaming happens to be a major revenue source for the state and also, one that boasted a fair bit of stability, until recently.

negative effect on the state’s current favorites such as Twin River. Twin River has already been facing several delays with regard to the development of its Tiverton unit.

On the horizon…

The question of online gambling legalization is a big one and the answer to that lies with the landmark Christie v. NCAA case, which is currently being presided over by the US Supreme Court. Parties on all sides remain anxious as to what decision the court will make regarding the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992.

Plus, it is set to face more competition from Massachusetts.

If the law is declared unconstitutional, online gambling across the country will receive the “get-go”. This very much applies to Rhode Island as well. The decision by the Supreme Court is likely to come out in early 2018. The impact If things go as hoped, it may not work out well for all sides. Legalization will have a

However, there might be more to gain than lose for the state as far as the current scenario is concerned.

Lottery figures have been low for quite some time. Games like Mega Millions®, PowerBall®, Bingo, Wild Money, and Keno reported a drop of $9 million, bringing the figure to $155.6 million in 2017 from 2016’s $164.5 million.

A similar result was observed in the Instant Games category as well. The figure went down to $94.2 million in 2017 from $96.2 million in 2016.

The lottery also reported that its expenses had gone up by $3 million.

INFINITY GAMING

If you want to go fast go alone, If you want to go far go together.

Want to growth hack your business?

Get in touch.

Digital Strategy

Affiliate Marketing

Increase your revenue with our no-nonsense digital marketing strategies which attract new customers and increase online sales.

Find out more at: bestoddsmarketing.com

@bestoddsmarketing

@oddsmarketing

Event Management

Business Mentoring

“Driven, focused and attentive, Best Odds Marketing are an absolute pleasure to work with�

CEO, Fanto

hello@bestoddsmarketing.com

GAMING NEWS

53

Gambling Commission Reviewing 5 UK Online Casino Licenses

A

s many as 17 online casino operators serving the UK gambling market are under investigation and or review by the UK Gambling Commission. The investigations center around money laundering and social responsibility controls and it is reported that 5 of those operators are under review by the Commission on what if anything should be done with their licenses.

The Commission refused to name any of those either being investigated or being written to regarding the Commissions concerns regarding money laundering and social responsibility. Rumours are now rife on who those under review are but this is a serious problem for all online opera-

tors as too how serious the industry is taking social responsibility.

Sarah Harrison, Gambling Commission Chief Executive, said: “It is vital that the gambling industry takes its duty to protect consumers and keep crime out of gambling seriously. The Gambling Commission’s new strategy sets out our vision for a fairer and safer gambling market. The action we are taking to examine online casino operators’ compliance with money laundering and customer interaction requirements is just one example of how we will be relentless in turning that vision into reality.

of the British gambling market, it is right that we maintain a sharp focus on online gambling. That is why in addition to our work on compliance among online casino operators, we have also been conducting a wider ranging review of online gambling looking at how the market has evolved and to identify where further action can be taken to make gambling fairer and safer for consumers.”

The Commission did not say how long the review would take and if it would name those under review depending on the conclusions found by the Commission.

“As the online sector continues to grow, and now accounts for a third

GVC To Hit Top Line On Yearly Results

G

VC Holdings the giant online gambling firm that is currently awaiting final approval from Ladbrokes Coral shareholders for the acquisition of the business in a £4 billion deal has announced it expects full year results on earnings to be at the top of expectations.

The firm announced their Q4 2017 results showing daily net revenues for the group up 24% to €2.2 million,

compared to €1.8 million for the same period in 2016.

Sports betting was the biggest boost to revenues said the company, generating €1.2 million in daily revenues with a strong 13% win margin on those revenues.

Kenneth Alexander GVC Holdings CEO said on the results: “I’m delighted to report another strong year for the Group with underlying

NGR growth of 18%, reflecting the strength of our brands, technology and the hard work of our talented people. We have once again demonstrated our ability to integrate significant acquisitions, realise material synergies and at the same time deliver top-line growth” The final full yearly results by GVC is expected on the 24th March 2018.

INFINITY GAMING

GAMING NEWS

59

Florida Voters May Have a Ballot Initiative for Expanded Gambling

T

here is a group of people in Florida that is opposed to gambling expansion. This group recently declared that it had collected sufficient signatures for a distinct ballot initiative that will be placed before those voting at the upcoming midterm elections of the state.

A report from last week suggests that the organization i.e. Voters In Charge’ has collected more than 800,000 signatures for its Amendment 3 or Voter Control of Gambling Amendment to be a part of the ballot.

In case the amendment is included in the forthcoming ballot and gets passed with 60% votes, the lawmakers in the state would need to pitch for the same number of votes at the election before they can make any changes to the legislation on expanded gambling. According to reports in the Sun-Sentinel paper,

the Voters In Charge organization is rooting for The Walt Disney Company to get its maximum share of funding even though the Seminole Tribe of Florida has allegedly made the second-highest donation. The latter is a casino-operating entity.

The official website of Voters In Charge has a statement reading that The Voter Control of Gambling Amendment has been formulated to put the future of Florida in the hands of the voters with regards to gambling. It also highlights that for the longest time, lobbyists and campaign contributions have flooded the political system of Florida with gambling interests and that it is high-time that that voter approval be given its due importance for casino gambling.

News in the Sun-Sentinel also suggests that the announcement by

Voters In Charge was made on the day when the Senate Regulated Industries Committee of the state approved a legislation on cutting taxes on casino slots (from 35 percent to 25 percent) in addition to protecting operators of fantasy sports like DraftKings and FanDuel from existing gaming regulations.

Travis Hutson, the senator of the state, has sponsored this measure.

He explained that the proposed Senate Bill 840 would additionally legalize ‘banked’ games like blackjack throughout Florida. At the same time, dog and horse tracks would have the freedom to avoid races while retaining their slots.

But the Sun-Sentinel informed that the proposal set forth by the Republicans will face a major battle to convert to legislation. Hutson is quite optimistic that the state’s House of Representatives has been busy formulating a bill and will present something within a couple of weeks.

INFINITY GAMING

presents

created by

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

GAMING NEWS

61

MGM Cotai May Get Live-Dealer Tables, Request Sent to Macau Govt.

T

he government in Macau recently got an application for live-dealer gambling tables for the MGM Cotai casino.

This casino resort has been recently constructed and will be open for public use starting January 29.

The news was briefly shared with the local media on Friday by Lionel Leong Vai Tac, the Secretary for Economy and Finance for Macau.

According to Mr. Leong, Macau’s casino regulator i.e. the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau, has been sent a request for the new gaming table for MGM Cotai. The application date wasn’t specified and neither were any details disclosed on the count of live gaming tables requested.

However, Secretary Leong announced that a detailed analysis report of the matter had been submitted by the gaming department, with ideas on further action.

He added the final decision on the

subject would be announced by the government in due time.

Macau authorities adhere to certain guidelines or practices when it comes to declaring fresh table allocations for an American casino resort. This is typically done very close to the opening time. One can take the example of the US$2.7billion Parisian Macao (Sands China Ltd.), which was launched in 2016.

It was on 2 September that its table allocations were finally confirmed and its official launch was scheduled for September 13.

MGM China Holdings Ltd. is promoting the Cotai resort worth US$3.46billion). It is one of the 6 firms that have the authority to operate casinos in Macau.

A special table cap policy has been followed by the Macau government since 2013. The policy is designed to restrict total annual rise in the count of fresh live-dealer tables to 3% until

2022 end. The calculation is based on the 5,485 table-count recorded in 2012 (fourth-quarter ending). At present, there are 6,419 such tables in the Macau casino market.

MGM China’s chief executive, Grant Bowie, announced on 15 January that MGM Cotai would be a grand opening ceremony on 13 February, fifteen days after the venue opens its doors to the general public. This will allow for the fine-tuning of the high-end technology being utilized at the site.

While talking on the subject of the casino, Secretary Leong also said that he was expecting Macau’s total casino gaming revenue in 2018 to increase at a stable rate tall through the year. He informed that greater efforts might be made by the government to improve the competitiveness in the gaming sector.

INFINITY GAMING

62

Enquiries@RedTigerGaming.com

INFINITY GAMING

www.RedTigerGaming.com

GAMING NEWS

63

All Eyes on Michigan To Follow Pennsylvania Into Online Gambling

I

n 2017 all the excitement was about Pennsylvania joining the exclusive club of online gambling in the US where only Nevada, New Jersey and Delaware were members but with the state late in the year passing legislation to allow for online gambling all eyes now look to the next state that could join in 2018.

bills that could legalize online gambling in the state. Bill sponsor and Chairman of the Regulatory Reform Committee Brandt Idena believes that online gambling would help in propping up state funds and at the same time allow residents in the state to play online gambling legally where at present they gamble online with offshore unlicensed operators.

That state could very well be Michigan, late in last year the Regulatory Reform Committee passed a raft of

Idena believes that both online gambling bills 4926 and 4928 have a great chance of becoming law and

the provisions for online gambling closely match those of Pennsylvania, with only land based casino operators allowed to apply for a gambling license for internet offerings along with tribal gaming operators so long as they renegotiate their state compacts.

Text in the bills also allows for the setup of state compacts allowing for states currently that legalize online gambling to pool share players.

Uruguay Bans All International Online Gaming Operators

U

ruguay has now enforced their law banning all overseas operators from offering their services to nationals within the countries borders. The ban will cover both online poker and online casino games, but will still allow the current state run lottery operator La Banca which is based in the country

to offer its services along with sports betting.

In effect the ban will cover both International and local companies that are not licensed to offer their services to Uruguay nationals. The law banning those activities has been in place for many years but never actually implemented before

but from the 1st January 2018 the ban will be enforced.

The country still has land based casinos which have just seen their tax rate increased by 0.75% on all betting and gaming turnover.

INFINITY GAMING

Let’s Play with Wild Fury Jackpots™ Video Slots on the IGT CrystalCurve™ gaming machine.

Contact your Account Manager today!