June 2014 infinity gaming magazine

PokerStars & FTP sold to Amaya for $4.9 billion

Maria Ho special interview inside

Pennsylvania tries for online gambling

InfinityGaming www.gaming-awards.com | ISSUE JUNE 2014

BWIN.PARTY

DEUTSCHE BANK

Investor calls for change

To sell Cosmopolitan

RANK GROUP

OSAKA

New CEO announced

Wants to be first in Japan

LADBROKES

Leaked document

Christina Lindley

MACAU

Beat revenues forecasts again

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Poker Princess

SPECIAL FOCUS

5th WiG Awards the Winners

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contents InfinityGaming

EDITOR’S LETTER

WiG Awards all the winners & Photos.............04-22 The fifth WIG Awards fun, winners & Photos

Amaya Gaming buy Rational Group................24-25 The latest news on the deal

Sense & Nonsense from Congress....................28-31 Professor Nelson Rose latest excellent article

The Fabulous Maria Ho.........................................32-35

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WIG AWARDS

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PROF. NELSON ROSE

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MARIA HO SPECIAL INTERVIEW

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IRISH GAMBLING BILL LATEST

We speak to Pro Poker Player Maria Ho

Pennsylvania goes for online gambling.........36-37 Bill introduced to senate

Qatar and the World Cup.....................................38-41 Feature Writer Tina Thakor-Rankin

GTECH favourite to buy IGT.................................42-43 IGT up for sale but will GTECH be forst?

Customer Service....................................................44-47 Martin R. Baird latest article - Outstanding Guest Service

New CEO for William Hill?.....................................48-49 Has the gambling giant found their new boss?

Nicosia wants casino license...............................50-51 Also Corithian Club could lose license

Andrew Tottenham article...................................52-55 Gambling Industry & Politics

JJ Woods latest superb article............................56-59 InfinityGaming • ISSUE JUNE 2014

Update and questions on Irish gambling bill

02 2

Why gamblers are turned off..............................60-63 Online ads not hitting the mark

Australian Gaming Expo.......................................64-65 Celebrates Silver Anniversary

EDITOR’S LETTER Lana Thompson - Chief Editor

by

EDITORS NOTES

InfinityGaming

Welcome to the June edition of the Infinity Gaming Magazine.

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Christina Thakor-Rankin Martin R. Baird Professor Nelson Rose J.J. Woods Andrew Tottenham

I hope you are having a great summer so far, the month kicked off with the 5th Women in Gaming Awards and what a superb evening it was. As always glamorous, fun and inspiring to see so many talented women recognised this year.

It all bodes well for our gambling industry both land based and online that the talent from the fairer sex is stronger than ever and will not be long until more ladies are sitting on the boards of our larger companies in the sector.

Congratulations to all the ladies that won and to those ladies that did not take inspiration from WiG Winner Emma Loveday who has been a finalist four times until she won an award, perseverance and belief that you will get there is all that is needed.

We have a bumper magazine for you this month with all the photos from the WIG Awards, excellent interview with Maria Ho and our wonderful contributing writers have excelled themselves this month with some great articles.

Enjoy the magazine and see you all in July Enjoy

Lana x

The Infinity Gaming

CONTACT US Clever Duck Media Suite 105 Park Plaza Point South Hayes Way Cannock WS12 2DB UK Tel: +44(0)1543 578 689 claire@cleverduckmedia.com PRODUCTION Clever Duck Media Suite 105 Park Plaza Point South Hayes Way Cannock WS12 2DB UK PUBLISHING Infinity Gaming Magazine is operated by © Clever Duck Media Ltd ® Company Reg. No. 687 1018 (Registered in England) ADVERTISING: Sponsorship Opportunities Colin@gaming-awards.com

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

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Business Partnerships Svetlana@gaming-awards.com

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THE

WOMEN IN

AWARD

DS

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GAMING

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The Champagne Reception WiG Awards 2014

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O

n the 6th June 2014 at the stunning Jumeirah Carlton Hotel in fashionable Knightsbridge gathered the leading ladies within the land based and online gambling industries for the event of the year to celebrate, recognise and award the very best talent over the last 12 months.

It was a glamorous ocassion with finalists, colleagues, friends and supporters of the 5th Women in Gaming Awards taking place on a sunny evening in the heart of London.

The ladies and gentlemen were dressed in their finest to enjoy a stylish evening of awards, dancing, dining and networking in one of the capitals finest hotels.

The evening began with the Champagne Reception and continued into the main hall for the ceremony to begin.

During the evening competition was fierce not just for the awards but which of the industry tables were able to make the biggest noise in support of the industry finalist colleagues.

Should it become a competition and hosts Clever Duck Media say it may very well be next year, then the winners were the Unibet ladies tables just nudging out the Mr Green table in volume.

In all the evening was a huge success with attendees dancing in to the early morning to the sounds of the live band and disco following.

Congratulations ladies on making it a superb evening, now let’s take a peek inside the evening with all the photos.

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However we are sure Mr Green will dispute the result and wait till next year for a re-match.

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Above Giovanna D’Esposito Managing Director Paddy Power Italy. Finalist at the WIG Awards.

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Top Left Dance time after the awards ceremony with live band.

Left Indigo Soul entertaining a packed dance floor.

Above Mr Green girls

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“And the winner is” The WiG Award winners

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W

hen you win a big award you gotta share it with the boss and that is what Michaela Michaylova did after winning the Industry Pride of the Year, seen pictured above with COO of Unibet Britt Boeskov. Congratulations Michaela and truly deserved.

Above Michaela Michaylova & Britt Boeskov

Next Page Above Right Fiona Regan & Team Above Left Joanne Jones, The Ritz Club Below The dance floor fills up post WiG Awards

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Industry Pride of the Year Hodan Fourie & Michaela Michaylova

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or the first time ever in the history of the Women in Gaming Awards there were two recipients of the Industry Pride of the Year.

It was impossible to split the votes for either candidate and so hosts and organisers Clever Duck Media decided to award both outstanding ladies.

Both these outstanding ladies had strong nominations for the award and the judges felt it unfair to name one over the other.

So congratulations to you both Hodan and Michaela

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Left this page Michaela Michaylova Far Left Hodan Fourie

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Above Bea Stevens - Aspers Star of the Future

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Right Carly Sawers - PokerStars Affiliate Team of the Year

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Above Cath Riley - Grosvenor Casinos Inspiration of the Year

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Women in Gaming Awards The Winners

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The awards just keep coming

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Above Dubravka Burda - GTECH Leader of the Year(land based)

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“

The competition was really tough this year and was so happy just to be nominated for the final, but winning is unbelievable

Top Left Elizabeth Dutton - Playtech Hidden Talent of the Year

Left Emma Loveday - News UK Innovator of the Year

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Below Fiona Regan & The HR Team- Grosvenor Casinos Team of the Year (Land Based)

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“

Going up on stage was a thrill and my chance to say thank you for all the help and support I have received over the years from the company

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Top Joanne Jones - The Ritz Club Industry Achiever of the Year

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Right Linda Arbman - Mr Green Team of the Year (iGaming)

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Top Left Maria Hedengren - NetEnt Leader of the Year (iGaming)

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“Recognising the very best women over the last 12months”

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Above Melanie Hainzer - Leo Vegas Affiliate Manager of the Year

Left Nora Felin - Mr Green Marketing Excellence Award

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Left Melissa Zalbeigi Excellence in Customer Service

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The selfies from the WiG Awards

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What happens when you invite the audience to take selfies and send them to us? Well you get some great personal images of people really enjoying themselves.

Congratulations to everyone, both finalists and winners, once again you made the WiG Awards a very special evening.

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Build Your Brand, Business & Social Responsibility

InfinityGaming • ISSUE JUNE 2014

THE 8th INTERNATIONAL GAMING AWARDS COMING SOON

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Sponsorships now available Highlight your company to the Global Gambling Industry

POKERSTARS NEWS

Amaya Gaming buy PokerStars & Full Tilt Poker

F

ollowing weeks of speculation it has been announced that Amaya Gaming will purchase the world’s largest online poker sites following confirmation that the Oldford Group which owns PokerStars & FullTilt Poker will sell for $4.9 billion.

Amaya Gaming confirmed the deal on Thursday 12th June saying PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker “are collectively the world’s most popular and profitable online poker brands with more than 85 million registered players on desktop and mobile devices,” Amaya said of the acquisition.

Founded in 2004 and listed on the Toronto stock exchange, Amaya offers products ranging from slot machines to software for online betting.

The acquisition will mean that Amaya Gaming will overtake Bwin as the biggest public online gaming company in the world, Amaya said.

Rumours have been swirling around the industry for two weeks that

Amaya could move for the online poker giant, but observers doubted the ability of Amaya to raise the funds for the purchase. It now seems the company which has been

PokerStars talks with NJ regulator next week

Talks between Amaya and the State Division of Gaming Enforcement will take place next week to see if PokerStars can gain a license to operate in the state.

Previously under the old ownership PokerStars were suspended for two years until such time as circumstances changed said the regulator at the time.

It now seems with the purchase by Amaya and both Isai Scheinberg and Mark Scheinberg stepping away from the online poker giant the path is now open for the com-

pany to successfully enter the US online gambling sector.

State Division of Gaming Enforcement director David Rebuck says he’s optimistic Amaya can get

approval to let PokerStars begin operating by the fall.

If Amaya are successful in negotiating the entry of PokerStars in to the New Jersey market it will not take long for the company to try their luck with other regulated states that operate online gambling and those looking to enter the fledgling online gambling market in the US. Observers say that the move by Amaya to purchase PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker has cleansed the company of its past and will see the online poker brands strengthen their position in the US and globally as the world’s largest online gambling operator.

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N

ow that Amaya Gaming have agreed to purchase the Rational Group who own the PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker brands to the Amaya Gaming Group for $4.9 billion, the new owner is wasting no time in pursuing the entry of their new acquisition into the New Jersey online gambling sector.

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US GAMING NEWS

T

Gaming Standards Association open European office

he Gaming Standards Association (GSA) announced today that as part of its global collaboration initiative in the creation of standards for the gaming industry, it has established a satellite office in Brussels, Belgium.

Work in the creation of GSA’s Online Gaming Standards is progressing at a fast pace, and Europe has been a leader in the adoption of regulation for online gambling and betting.

With the establishment of an office in Europe, GSA will be working and consulting with all stakeholders from both the regulatory and policy domain as well as the industry.

Phyllis Farrugia, as GSA Europe Special Representative, will manage the new office. Farrugia has more than 15 years’ experience in EU policy and the reform and regulation of markets, having held senior positions in both government and industry in various previously monopolized sectors. She is considered as an expert in her field and has held a key advisory position to the Maltese Government and the Maltese gaming regulator for almost a decade, covering areas of EU and international affairs and regulation policy and participated in multitude

of strategic, gaming regulatory debates, legislative proposal negotiations and policy discussions at bilateral, European and multi-lateral level.

GSA President Peter DeRaedt said, “As online activity spreads and grows in Europe and around the world, enhanced by the spread of smartphones and tablets, regulation and technical requirements remain fragmented along (Member) State boundaries leading to burdensome inconsistencies for gaming providers active and licensed in more than one jurisdiction. GSA believes that at this stage of regulatory and market development in Europe, it seems there is increased focus on compliance for both the regulators and the regulated, where we believe the adoption of common technical standards could be the next building block and a catalyst for enhanced global collaboration between the various stakeholders.”

GSA offers a range of membership levels to suit any company’s budget and business interests. For more information on the many benefits of membership, please visit GSA’s website at www.gamingstandards. com.

About the Gaming Standards Association (GSA): The Gaming Standards Association (GSA) is an international trade association that creates benefits for gaming manufacturers, suppliers, operators and regulators. We facilitate the identification, definition, development, promotion and implementation of standards to enable interoperability, innovation, education and communication for the benefit of the entire industry.

Established in 1998, GSA’s members represent a wide cross section of the global gaming industry.

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GSA’s primary aim is to bridge the gap in the debate concerning technical requirements and to facilitate the creation of solutions through standards that will yield benefits to regulators, operators, and manufacturers and provide a platform for further development of both domains.

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FEATURE ARTICLE

Sense and Nonsense from Congress © 2013, I. Nelson Rose. Prof. Rose is recognized as one of the world’s leading experts on gambling law, and is a consultant and expert witness for governments and industry. His latest books, INTERNET GAMING LAW (1st and 2nd editions), BLACKJACK AND THE LAW and GAMING LAW: CASES AND MATERIALS, and the recently published GAMING LAW IN A NUTSHELL, are available through his website, www.GAMBLINGANDTHELAW.com.

I

t’s generally known that Congress is about as popular today as cockroaches.

who actually showed up seemed to not know what they were talking about.

That is actually unfair to cockroaches. In a head to head survey conducted by Public Policy Polling, cockroaches had a more favorable rating than Congress. And that was in January 2013.

The new Democratic U.S. Senator from Hawaii, Brian Schatz, might be forgiven for his comments. He was only appointed to Congress at the end of December and is the second youngest member of the Senate. But somebody, like an aide or a senior Senator, should have told him that, no, the federal government is not going to overrule Hawaii’s complete prohibition on commercial gambling. It is impossible to imagine Congress imposing the same policies toward gaming on Nevada and Utah, or Hawaii.

By June, a different polling organization, Gallup, found congressional approval had gone down even further, to a historic low of 10 percent. This is not only the worst rating ever for the legislative branch of the federal government, it is the lowest approval rating for any institution of any kind since Gallup first started taking surveys of the public approval of Congress 40 year ago.

InfinityGaming • ISSUE JUNE 2014

And this was before the Republicans in Congress shut down the federal government and brought the U.S. to the brink of defaulting on its national debt and sending the world into a second Great Depression.

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It’s not just the misuse by the GOP of the filibuster in the Senate or the repeated attempts at economic extortion by the Tea Party crackpots in the House of Representatives. Congress holds hearings that seem to have no connection with the real world, such as discussions of abortion and women’s health with no women testifying.

The most recent example is a hearing on Internet gambling, with only opponents, and one guy who wants to sell something, testifying. The few members of Congress

But the Republican U.S. Senator from Nevada, Dean Heller, has no excuse. He is the ranking member of the committee hearing the testimony. And coming from Nevada, he had to know that the main point he kept reiterating was simply wrong. Many of the members of Congress, but especially Heller, repeatedly blamed President Obama’s Department of Justice for “unilaterally” overturning decades of established law.

The law in question is the federal Wire Act. And the position that got overturned was that of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division, which used to hold that the Wire Act covered all forms of gambling. Heller is not a lawyer, but had he bothered to ask one, he would have been told that the DOJ’s position had been criticized for years, and had been rejected by federal courts, including the only U.S. Courts of Appeals to consider the issue.

Sense and Nonsense from Congress

Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill (D.-Mo.) started things off by declaring that Congress was concerned that online gaming was being used by “terrorists looking to launder money to fund their activities.” This is known as a canard, defined as “a false or unfounded report or story; especially: a fabricated report; a groundless rumor or belief.” There is no evidence that Islamist fundamentalists are sitting around plotting how to blow up airplanes, while they play Texas Hold ‘em.

The hearing, held July 17, was by the Senate Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety, and Insurance. You knew how things would turn out when you read the title of the hearing: “The Expansion of Internet Gambling: Assessing Consumer Protection Concerns.” If that weren’t enough, here’s who they chose as witnesses: ! Chuck Canterbury, National President of the Fraternal Order of Police. The highlight of his testimony: “We know this for certain, organized crime is using offshore online operations to launder their profits.” Really? Is that offshore online gaming operations? Name one.

Matt Smith, President of Catholic Advocate, who accused “large states” of lobbying to get the DOJ to change its position on the Wire Act. Assuming a lobbyist for a state could do that and not go to

prison, exactly which states are those?

California?

Texas? Florida?

He wants the federal government to overrule the states and crackdown on legal gambling. He’s only about 60 years too late, since every state except Hawaii and Utah have large-scale commercial casinos, tracks or lotteries; or all three.

Jack Blum, a lawyer specializing in money laundering cases, began his testimony with, “Personally, I think gambling is dumb and I learned early on that the house always wins.” I have always loved that canard. If the house always wins, why are there repeat customers?

Thomas Grissen, whose company makes bio-identification for online applications. Grissen started by saying he is neutral on online gaming.

So, what new facts did the Subcommittee discover from these experts?

I bet you did not know that not just terrorists, but drug dealers, pornographers and human traffickers “could be” using Internet gambling to launder money. Exactly how are all these terrible human beings utilizing online gaming? Blum, the money-laundering expert, explained how Al Capone and Meyer Lansky bought casinos and race

“

Congress is so strange. A man gets up to speak and says nothing. Nobody listens—and then everybody disagrees.” t only five centuries, but also the leap into electronic typesetting.” Boris Marshalov

tracks to launder their money. It’s always good to throw in organized crime, when you want to scare people.

But I’ve always wondered why criminals need to use gambling to finance their other crimes. Doesn’t dealing in illegal drugs and prostitution produce enough money?

BUSINESSMAG • ISSUE JUNE 2014

Even the DOJ does not have the right to reject published opinions from these Courts, second only to the U.S. Supreme Court in their power to interpret federal law.

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Sense and Nonsense from Congress

M

eanwhile, members of Congress from states with legal gambling and those without, conservative Republicans and liberal Democrats, U.S. Senators and Representatives who know the law and those who don’t – all have plans for Internet poker.

They all want it done their own way.

This would cause a political problem, if there were any chance Congress might actually pass a law dealing with online gaming. But since our federal lawmakers have literally not passed any new substantive law since the Republicans took over the House in January 2011, that’s not likely.

Congress has passed some bills: naming post offices, appointing

people to commissions, while fighting over money. Democrats, with the help of a handful of Republicans, have managed to overcome Tea Party resistance and approve extending the Federal Aviation Administration and renew the Violence Against Women Act. But, except for amending the patent laws, no new substantive proposal has gotten through both houses to be signed by the president.

So, there is virtually no chance that the only new substantive law would be a bill legalizing Internet poker, or outlawing it.

The states, including governors, state legislators, and state lotteries, have woken up and are actively lobbying Congress to keep its hands

off legal gaming. The argument that the states can’t handle Internet gaming falls in the face of a century of states-only regulation of alcoholic beverages and gambling. And the idea, advanced again at this hearing, that a completely new federal gaming commission would do better than state regulatory agencies with decades of experience, is just plain silly.

The good news is that all this nonsense is only a waste of time. It won’t produce an actual new federal statute.

This may be the only time that it is actually good for the country that Congress never passes any new laws.

END

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(Continued)

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Maria Ho Interview

Interview with

Maria Ho

What does Barack Obama, Nikki Manaj, Johnny Depp, Kobe Bryant & Julie Andrews all have in common?

M

aria thank you for talking to us today, can we start by asking you how, where and when you took up

poker?

MH: My dad and grandfather were the ones who introduced me to the game. My dad liked to play poker at the local casinos, recreationally, and my grandfather taught me how various card games growing up. That was my earliest introduction. In college was when I really became interested in poker and started playing house games with friends, which eventually led to me trying my hand at Limit Hold’em in the local Indian Casinos. The rest is history!

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Q: You are currently rated 4th top female professional poker player in the World do you think there should be a definition between men and women?

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MH: I think most women who play poker prefer there not to be a sense of segregation. We’re all playing the same game, using the same skills and buying in for the same amount of money. I work hard to be respected for my poker game and let that speak for itself, regardless of my gender. But, because it’s such a rare thing to be a female player in the very male dominated world of poker, I don’t mind (for ranking and statistical purposes) that there are lists of results pertaining to various player demographics.

Q: When was the first time you ever cashed out in a tour-

nament and how much was it? When was the first time you ever cashed out in a tournament and how much was it?

MH: My early success in poker was as a Limit Hold’em

MH: cash game player. That’s what I primarily played before discovering tournament poker. My first official result was in 2005, in a tournament at Hollywood Park Casino. I took 6th place in a $300 tournament for $2,945.

Q: You were born in Taiwan, how much do you play in Asia and of course Macau?

MH: I don’t often get to play in Asia, since most of the professional tournament circuit is spread throughout the U.S. and Europe. However, I am a big advocate of the poker scene in Asia and try to visit and play there whenever I have the opportunity.

I recently played the WPT National China in Sanya and it was an amazing experience.

Q: How is the professional poker circuit in Asia?

MH: It’s rapidly growing. The WPT National China was introduced this year. Also the Asia Pacific Poker Tour has been finding success. I’m definitely hoping to start playing more APPT events and have been hearing great things about the juicy cash games in Macau.

MH: I’m currently the Spokesperson for the WinStar World Casino and a co-host and commentator on the Heartland Poker Tour. Those are the logos you’ll see me patched up with at the tables. After Black Friday there hasn’t been much opportunity for American players in the ways of sponsorship, since online sites can’t market or operate in the USA. But hopefully that’ll change soon.

Q: You have 21 WSOP cash outs and 3 World Series of Poker final table achievements to your name, is it frustrating getting so close to a famed WSOP bracelet and not getting one so far?

MH: Haha. Yep! Of course you feel glad any time you are able to even make it to a WSOP final table, but after doing all the work to get there you definitely want to seal the deal and walk away with that first place bracelet. My 2nd place finish in 2011 was exciting but also excruciating. Busting out just one person away from a coveted WSOP title is definitely more frustrating than busting the first hand of a tournament.

Q: Outside of poker you are a busy lady with singing as one of your hobbies are you a rock chick then?

Q: Does it bother you if you play against men or women at a poker table or do you still play the same game?

MH: I don’t have a preference. I adjust my game according to each player individually, regardless of gender. It’s about how they play and adapting my game to whatever the current player or table dynamic is that I’m faced with

MH: I couldn’t call myself a poker player if I wasn’t on the hunt for a World Series of Poker bracelet! I’m grateful for the consistent string of success that I’ve been able to have in poker. I can’t complain. But there’s just something about a WSOP bracelet that feels like the ultimate pat on the back and would give me a certain sense of validation and achievement in this game.

Q: Are you a sponsored professional?

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Q: What ambitions do you have Maria in the world of poker?

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Maria Ho Interview

MH: I’d have to say that I’m more of an R&B girl, although when I was younger my sister was the lead singer in an Indie Pop band and I’d occasionally join them on stage and rock out.

Q: You also support charities, which are they and is there any reason for helping them?

MH: Poker can be a lonely and somewhat selfish game, but being active with charities and financially supporting a variety of causes (and family and friends) gives me the sense that my career is worthwhile. It doesn’t matter how much success or money someone obtains, unless they find ways to share it with others and do something good and purposeful.

Q: Do you play online poker Maria and do you prefer online to live tournament play?

limit on staying a professional poker player or will you keep playing for as long as you can?

MH: When I’m not traveling the tournament circuit I play online a lot. Live and online poker are two very different experiences. I like a good balance of both. There’s something to be said about waking up on a Sunday morning, staying in my pajamas and grinding multiple, big

MH: Ironically, I’m constantly threatening to retire from poker. I enjoy the game and am grateful for all the opportunities and amazing things I’ve gotten to do as a poker player, but I also aspire to things outside of the game. I’ve seen too many players get sucked into poker and spend all the best years of their life chasing money, success and notoriety, and missing out on all the other wonderful things life has to offer. I have to remind myself that poker isn’t going anywhere. There will always be a tournament or game I can jump into, so taking time off to spend with friends and family and enjoy all that life has to offer, outside of the casino, is a priority for me.

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Q: If you could choose 5 people to play poker with, be it professionals, celebrities or indeed any body living or dead who would they be?

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MH: Nikki Minaj: I don’t know why but she just seems fun crazy, and like she’d be a good smack talker. Julie Andrews: Merely because Sound of Music is my favorite movie and I’d love to hang out with her. Johnny Depp: Because I wouldn’t mind staring at his poker face for a while. I hear that Barack Obama enjoys some cards, and it’d be a sick brag to say that I’ve played with the President! And Kobe Bryant: I’m a big Laker fan and I’d imagine he’d be a fun opponent to tangle with at the tables.

Q: Before we let you go Maria, can you tell any budding professional poker players out there what are the benefits and pitfalls of being a Pro Poker Player? guarantee tournaments.

Q: Best place you have ever played poker?

MH: It’s so hard to choose! I love the different places I’ve travelled to for very different reasons. If I had to only choose one place though, I’d say Australia. I’ve played Aussie Millions in Melbourne a few times and I love the people, the accents, the views, the critters… I could go on and on.

Q: Have you given yourself a time

MH: I can’t stress enough the importance of balance. Poker can suck all your time, energy and money if you don’t know how to manage those things or prioritize the other aspects of your life. Poker is an exciting and challenging game but ultimately success and money alone won’t fulfil you. So, be sure you have other hobbies, interests and relationships outside of poker.

I’ve found that’s what really keeps me going.

“

There’s something to be said about waking up on a Sunday morning, staying in my pajamas and grinding multiple, big guarantee tournaments”

CL: big tv final table there was really just a bonus to the amazing experience I will never forget.

Q: Would you recommend poker to women looking to become professionals?

“

I couldn’t call myself a poker player if I wasn’t on the hunt for a World Series of Poker bracelet!”

crucial to success. You have to be aggressive, competitive, okay with financial instability, and a gambler by nature. You have to be able to handle being punished again and again. You have to be okay with punishing others. Winning and losing are a daily experience that brings emotional highs and lows a lot of people would not be able to handle. Poker offers incomparable freedom to be your own boss, your own coach, your own employee.

This is a freedom some people can not handle who need more struc-

ture. Being on the road all the time, and the lifestyle makes it incredibly difficult to maintain friendships, relationships, and to have a family.

You can do it, it is just takes a ton of work. To be truly great at poker, it can not be your livelihood, it has to be your way of life. If you are ok with all of those things, and are truly passionate about the game, I would tell you that there is nothing that has been more rewarding to me than being a professional poker player.

(Images provided by acePLAYpoker.com)

BUSINESSMAG • ISSUE JUNE 2014

CL: Poker as a profession really takes a certain kind of person. Regardless of what sex you are there are certain qualities I see again and again in the best poker players that are

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Build Your Brand, Business & Social Responsibility

InfinityGaming • ISSUE JUNE 2014

THE 8th INTERNATIONAL GAMING AWARDS COMING SOON

36

Sponsorships now available Highlight your company to the Global Gambling Industry

US IGAMING NEWS

Pennsylvania introduces online poker bill

P

ennsylvania has introduced a bill to the state senate that would allow for online poker but may also allow online casino games as well under a clause in the bill.

The state which should it legalize online gambling would be by far the largest of the current three state allowing online gambling with a population of over 12.5 million residents was sponsored by Senator Edwin Erickson.

However the bill could already unravel as part of the bill which covers the bad actor clause would forbid “any trademark, trade name, service mark or similar intellectual property that is used to identify any aspect

of the Internet website or the operator offering the wagers or interactive games to its customers” from companies that accepted Pennsylvania players after December 31, 2006.

This clause say observers of the bill could be unconstitutional as it preempts guilt specifically to a company or individual which cannot be enforced at a state level.

Included in the bill also is the provision for interstate compacts,

licensing fee is set at $5 million, with tax set at 14% of gross gaming revenue, payable on a weekly basis.

Other parts of the bill ban any resident playing under the age of 21, the taxation of even unlicensed operators along of course legal action and the restriction of online operators using bot players.

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avin Isaacs has been named as the new President & CEO of Scientific Games, taking over from David L. Kennedy with immediate effect said a statement from the company. Mr. Kennedy will remain with the company as Executive Vice Chairman of the Board.

The announcement was no surprise as rumours had been swirling that Mr. Isaacs whose previous role was Chief Executive Officer of SHFL entertainment, overseeing the purchase of the company to Bally Technologies. In his time, Mr. Isaacs served as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Bally Technologies from May 2006 through March 2011. Prior to joining Bally Technologies, he held

senior roles at Aristocrat Leisure Limited, including Head of Global Marketing and Business Development, Managing Director of Aristocrat’s London-based European subsidiary and President of Aristocrat Technologies, Inc., Aristocrat’s Las Vegas-based subsidiary focused on North and South America. Mr. Isaacs is also a Trustee and former President of the International Association of Gaming Advisors.

“Gavin is a very talented and seasoned gaming industry executive with the necessary skills to lead our Company to the next level of growth and performance,” said Ronald O. Perelman, Chairman of the Board of Scientific Games. “He has an impressive track record of success and is recognized for his

dynamic leadership. We believe his focus on customer relationships, strategic thinking and expertise in growing innovation-focused businesses make him the ideal choice to lead our efforts to achieve greater profitability and increased cash flow.”

Mr. Perelman continued, “We extend our thanks and appreciation to David for stepping up to lead the Company during the last six months and work with the Board to facilitate the CEO succession.

We were fortunate to have a leader of David’s stature and experience at such an important time, and we are pleased that he will continue to serve the Company and our stockholders as Executive Vice Chairman.”

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Gavin Isaacs new boss at Scientific Games

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FEATURE ARTICLE

The Other Reason Qatar is not yet ready for the World Cup

By Christina Thakor-Rankin Our feature writer Christina Thakor-Rankin takes a look at the event of the summer, The FIFA World Cup and why Qatar is not ready for World Cup 2022

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or some years now football fans and bookies alike, have been preparing for the mother of all modern day World Cups – the perfect alignment of the world’s most popular second national team, taking the beautiful game’s highest prize in the sport’s spiritual home.

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Brazil would showcase football’s ability to bring down social, racial, gender, economic and political barriers in one big samba party, the home team and fan base acting as living proof of this, embodying FIFA’s mission statement of: ‘Football can inspire communities and break down barriers. Football is for all. FIFA believes that everybody has the right to play football free from discrimination or prejudice and we are striving to ensure that this is the case.’ That, at least, was the plan.

To date though, the build-up to Brazil has been fraught with tensions, scandals, claims of match-

fixing, social and political unrest, racism, bribery, corruption and other general acts of villainy and skullduggery.

led by the infatigable Sepp Blatter – who has rightly or wrongly been described as living on a different planet.

The vast cost of hosting the tournament has highlighted the plight of the Brazilian under-class and raised very pertinent, albeit uncomfortable, moral and ethical questions of social welfare versus state of the art stadia; shadowy Nigerian individuals have been openly claiming they can fix games – arguably a fumbled move on their part given the mass media coverage and the acute global analysis of every pass and kick; and Brazil, despite all of the promise, have yet to really get going on the pitch.

What started with a somewhat unusual, dual World Cup bid, which resulted in Russia (2018) and Qatar (2022) beating off competition from a whole host of eligible nations has snow-balled into what is quite possibly the sporting world’s biggest ever scandal. The result raised enough eye-brows at the time for some to start asking a few questions, which, over time revealed a governing body which was rotten to the core, involved some of the sport’s most influential and respected figures, and inducements ranging from trips, to cash and in one bizarre incident Mulberry bags!

All of the above is however a mere trifle compared to the Christmas come early pantomime known more politely as FIFA’s bidding process.

Whilst the tale is light on heroes we do have more villains that we can shake the proverbial stick at,

Thus far, Russia, having successfully hosted the Winter Olympics, and now presumably quite far down the planning stage for the Confederations Cup in 2017, (and with a more

clement footballing climate), has escaped too much scrutiny.

balling world has always questioned why an established football governance body would be so blind to the obvious health considerations of holding a summer tournament in a climate where average temperatures would be consistently over their own 32 degree water break rule. The recent revelations of bribery and corruption over a period of time appearing to be the accepted Modus Operandi of the games bodies would explain much.

That notwithstanding the foot-

Both the heat and corruption are

compelling arguments for a new bidding process, but a more pertinent question could be should Qatar have been considered in the first place.

FIFA’s mission statement is ‘FIFA believes that everybody has the right to play football free from discrimination or prejudice and we are striving to ensure that this is the case.’

How then does FIFA equate this principle with a venue which is contradictory to this vision?

FIFA wants to stamp out racism and Sepp agrees saying: “We are in a game, and at the end of the game, we shake hands, and this can happen, because we have worked so hard against racism and discrimination.”

Qatar does not recognise the state of Israel but has said it would allow the Israeli national team into the country if it qualified. Does anyone believe that holding the World Cup in Qatar will engender a longer

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Not so Qatar which has born the full brunt of the scrutiny. Following revelations last week by the Sunday Times that it had obtained millions of emails, documents and bank transfers showing that bin Hammam (a disgraced top football official who was involved in the bid) paid over $5 million (3.67m euros) from slush funds to win support in the bidding process, the rumour mill has gone into over-drive. Add in Beckenbauer’s apparent reluctant to answer questions, and Maradona of all people suggesting that Platini too had been led astray, and more recently still of Interpol involvement – this is a story which is not about to go away. It should be noted that Qatar itself has and continues to deny all allegations of wrong-doing and at this stage the investigation is still on-going.

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FIFA wants to attract more women to the sport. Why is it then promoting a venue where the majority of women wear an abaya, and do not have the same choices and opportunities as their counterparts elsewhere in the world?

In the end, the World Cup and any major event in fact is, all about the fans. They set the tone and define the mood and dictate whether it is a good or a bad tournament by their behaviour and their attitude.

In the end without the fans, it is just football.

The most recent drive has been to end the taboo regarding homosexuality in football. This is illegal in Qatar.

There is the argument that embracing nations who have a culture and society which is different shows tolerance and inclusivity and may also encourage change, but is this the right way to do this?

Qatar certainly seems to be willing to make allowances and bend in its

Above all any major venue must be one in which the fans feel comfortable enough to be themselves, and to express themselves– and where visitors can become one with the locals for what is for many, a once in a lifetime event.

And this perhaps is the most compelling argument for why Qatar is not yet ready to host the World Cup. In short, any nation which operates any form of discrimination whether it be gender, race, sexual-

ity or otherwise, by definition fails to meet FIFA’s own stated principle, and what’s the point of having a principle if you are not going to stand by it?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Christina Thakor-Rankin is Principal Consultant at 1710Gaming working with start-ups, investors, operators regulators, and industry groups internationally, covering all aspects of the gaming and gambling cycle - from initial research, licence and operational go-live, to new markets and opportunities, to customer engagement and experience. She has over 20 years industry experience and has previously held roles at William Hill, Blue Square, Tote (Sport) and Virgin Games managing multiple business disciplines, functions and teams.

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duties as host, already stating that alcohol will be available in certain places during the tournament, but is this enough?

erm tolerance in this respect, or whether this is simply something to be tolerated in pursuit of the bigger prize?

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US GAMING NEWS

Atlantic City has again shown disappointing results for May both in land based and online gambling. The New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement reported that casinos posted a win of $232.4 million for the month which is down 8.2% compared to the same month in 2013.

More worryingly is the continued decline of online gambling taking $10.4 million in May, which is a decline of $1 million from April. Internet gambling revenues have now declined for two straight months in New Jersey since launching six months ago.

Since going live late in November last year, online gambling has won $61.9 million which is a far cry from Governor Chris Christie who had estimated they would rake in $1 billion in its first year, the estimate now is between £200 to $300 million.

GTECH favourite to buy IGT

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ollowing the announcement last week that gaming machine manufacturer International Gaming Technology (IGT) were looking for a buyer, it now seems that Italian lottery operator GTECH is in pole position to purchase the company.

In a statement on Monday 16th June GTECH said it was in preliminary talks with

the Las Vegas based company to buy out IGT. “This transaction could potentially involve the use of a mix

of cash and equity as consideration,” GTECH said, adding it did not anticipate needing a cash call to fund the acquisition.

California tribes agree to online poker bill draft

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fter months of negotiations the California tribes which have been negotiating an agreement on poker legislation came out on Tuesday 3rd June and said that they had reached a settlement on how online poker should it be legalized in the state should look like.

Thirteen tribes have now agreed on the draft bill which would currently exclude PokerStars from entering the business there as part of the draft bill includes a “Bad Actor” clause similar to

that used in Nevada, excluding any company offering online poker in the US after 2006.

However one tribe the Morongo Band of Mission Indians who have an arrangement with PokerStars to offer products in California will not sign the bill, predictably because they want PokerStars involved in online poker in the state.

The draft letter on the agreed bill was sent to State Senator Lou Correa and Assemblyman Reginald Jones-Sawyer (the two sponsors of the

current online poker bills in the California state legislature) and explaining their new agreement with thirteen tribes, they also sent a draft copy of their online poker bill, which is called the “The Internet Poker Consumer Protection Act of 2014.”

How this new agreed draft bill will fair as it has not been presented for legislation is unclear but many observers in the state involved in the push for online poker believe that without the support of all the tribes it will fail.

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New Jersey May gambling results

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ARTICLE

Casino Customer Service Training is the Foundation of Outstanding Guest Service Our feature writer Martin Baird in his June article makes the point for a strong foundation towards Outstanding Guest Service.

By Martin R. Baird

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ouldn’t it be great if casino employees inherently knew how to provide outstanding service for their guests? They could just work the floor and do their thing, much to the delight of people walking through the door.

While some employees seem to have a natural talent for providing service, most are not born with the customer service gene. For the vast majority of casino staff members, guest service is a learned skill.

That means gaming properties must invest in casino customer service training. And it is an investment, not an expense, because guests tend to stay and play and return to play again at casinos that offer great service.

So how do you offer only the best in training for your employees? The following seven keys to great guest service training should give you a good start.

uest service training is not just for management and employees who have direct customer contact. It’s for ALL employees. Many casino employees who do not interact with guests do have contact with other employees who, in turn, have an effect on the guest’s experience. If guest service is crucial to success, you can’t afford to have any weak links. Everyone must be on the customer service bus.

Key #3: Start With An Accurate Perspective Now that management fully supports the concept of quality guest service, it’s time to find out where you are today. You need to know what your customers really see and think. An insider’s point of view is not nearly enough. Do a 360-degree evaluation so you see things from the guest’s perspective, from management’s viewpoint and from the employees’ standpoint. When you do this, you have a clear view of what is really happening.

Key #1: Management Must Commit

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For training to be successful, a casino’s management must be totally committed to creating a guest service culture at their property.

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When the general manager participates in the training along with hourly employees, it sends a powerful message to everyone that this is important. When each person from the management team participates, word gets out that this is a mission, not a one-time event.

If you don’t start with this perspective, you’re doing training or trying to improve service based on fiction.

Key #4: Boring Is Deadly Looking for a good way to waste your time, energy and money on training? That’s easy. Make it boring.

You are in the excitement and entertainment business and if your training isn’t exciting and entertaining, what message are you sending to your people?

Key #2: All Aboard the Customer Service Bus The subject isn’t what makes training fun. It’s the way

ARTICLE

Your training should mirror the experience that you want your employees to pass along to your guests.

Training should be participant centered. That means the program should focus on the people who are there to learn new skills. People learn by doing. Great training uses activities and exercises to keep the participants interested and active.

The program should be timed and choreographed so that there is a change or new activity every seven or eight minutes. Develop a series of games or activities that encourages or requires the participants to say and do the new behavior. Take a current trend and blend it into the training. For example, how can you incorporate a reality TV program into your training?

Key #5: Hire the Right Trainers

I recommend that casinos hire training companies and in-house staff trainers the same way they hire an act to entertain their guests. Have open auditions. Good facilitators can take a roomful of people through a variety of exercises and emotions that foster learning. Simply put, they must be able to work a room.

The trainers also need to know the industry. They should understand that most gaming employees only make money when they offer their guests a great experience.

Hire a company that specializes in customer service training for the gaming industry. If you need to improve guest service, don’t hire the most available company.

Invest a little time auditioning to make sure you find the best solution for your guest service needs.

Key #6: Size Does Matter I’m often asked how many people should attend a day-long training session. When a training session has a group of 90 or more people, it’s difficult to get all of them to participate. With a group of 40, people have an opportunity to express their opinions and have their voices heard. So, yes, size does matter!

Or Read on App Store

But there’s more. What about the size of the training room? The room can actually have an effect on how people participate in the training. If you have a group of 30 and your training is held in a showroom that seats

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(Continued) the material is presented and the thought that goes into developing and planning the program. If the training is well designed, it will get the participants so involved that they will actually want to learn and open their minds to new opportunities. In this industry, training should be glitz and glamour, fun and excitement because that’s what you sell to the public every day. Your training should mirror the experience that you want your employees to pass along to your guests.

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ARTICLE

Key #7: Length Matters, Too. How long should the training session be? As long as it needs to be to get the information across without becoming repetitive. Any longer than that and the attendees will zone out.

Problems can arise from a session that’s too short. If you try to cover three hours of material in two hours, you’re wasting everybody’s time, including yours. It can take 45 minutes to an hour for a group to get warmed up and start taking part in the training. If that only leaves an hour to cover the material, you could end up accomplishing absolutely nothing.

The length of the training modules – organized sections of the training – also must be taken into consideration.

If modules are too long, they lose impact.

Some people try to have one module for eight hours of training. This is very difficult for the participants.

People who go through training need to see progress and that requires a beginning, middle and end. Modules give participants a feeling of progress so they know that

they are reaching the goal.

The length of the lecture also is important. There’s an old saying in the training profession that the mind can only absorb as much as the backside can endure. If a trainer stands at the front of the room and drones on and on, they will lose the participants very quickly.

Now you have seven keys to providing great customer service training. To survive in today’s brutally competitive gaming industry, casinos need to stand out and give their guests a reason to come back again and again.

Stellar service is the answer. And training gives your employees the skills they need to help you create that crucial guest service culture at your property.

Martin R. Baird Bio Martin R. Baird is chief executive officer of Robinson & Associ-

Or Read on App andStore their guest service so they can compete generate future ates, Inc., a Boise, Idaho-based consulting firm to the global

gaming industry that is dedicated to helping casinos improve growth and profitability. Robinson & Associates is the world leader in casino guest experience measurement, management and improvement. For more information, visit the company’s Web sites at http://casinocustomerservice.com and www.advocatedevelopmentsystem.com or contact the company at 208-991-2037. Robinson & Associates is a member of the Casino Management Association and an associate member of the National Indian Gaming Association.

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(Continued) t500, people feel lost and intimidated by the size of the room. Likewise, when you pack 50 people into a room that’s designed to hold 35, they can’t get comfortable and they actually find it difficult to participate.

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iGAMING NEWS

James Henderson rumoured to be new Chief at William Hill

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umours swirling around William Hill say that industry veteran and long-time servant of the company James Henderson will be named to replace outgoing Chief Executive Ralph Topping.

With the company for 29 years and working his way up through the ranks from trainee at a bookmakers in London, James Henderson sounds like a perfect replacement for the top job that current boss Topping is stepping down from at the end of 2015 or even sooner if William Hill can find a suitable replacement.

However no one at William Hill would confirm the speculation and

although Mr Henderson is now a very firm favourite no final decision is understood to have been made, just quite yet.

Observers of William Hill say that the external search for a new CEO

did not bring anyone that stood out from what the company has working for them at present, so the clever money is on an internal appointment with Henderson the clear favourite.

Spanish online gambling revenues jump in Q1

The Dirección General de Ordenación del Juego (DGOJ), which is responsible for overseeing online gambling in the country reported that gross gaming revenues hit €67.9 million during the first quarter, which represents an increase of 9.2% compared to the same period in 2013.

In total Spanish gamblers spent a total of €1.6 billion representing a rise of 16.1% from last year. January was said to be the stand out month with

revenues totaling €540.2 million.

But sports betting were the star for the quarter with gamblers spending €642.7 million, that helped generate €37.6 million in revenues, 55.4% of total gross gaming revenue during the period.

Second in popularity was online poker generating €17.7 million in revenues that represented a total of 26% of the total revenue for the quarter, with online

casino games coming in third in popularity with 13.1% of revenues accumulated.

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panish online gambling enjoyed a revenues jump in the first quarter of 2014 with online sports betting cited as the main contributor to the rise.

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EUROPEAN GAMING NEWS

Corinthian Club faces losing license

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ollowing the leaked Ladbrokes document that shows the countries second largest bookmaker made £1 billion in a month from the highly controversial Fixed Odds Betting Terminals (FOBTs), David Cameron the Uk’s Prime Minister will announce stronger penalties for any bookmaker that fails to enforce maximum playing times and loses for gamblers on the machines.

The leaked internal memo from Ladbrokes shows that the new rules coming in would not affect bookmakers as 92% of customers playing FOBTs do not play longer than 30 minutes consecutively.

Even the alarm on players losing over £250 stopping them playing and alerting a member of staff would not work as The Ladbrokes analysis shows that the average loss per “60-minute or over” session of roulette is a little more than £93, well below the cap proposed.

The Ladbrokes memo which showed in April 2013 that gamblers had played their FOBTs 4.8 million times, staking £1bn, over a fourweek period.

Over the last four years, annual player losses from the fixed odds betting terminals (FOBTs) have risen from £1.3billion to around £1.5bil-

lion. And last year the gambling industry regulator warned that the machines expose ‘even normal leisure gamblers to potentially harmful rates of loss whether or not they would be classified as problem gamblers’.

The latest news on Ladbrokes is another blow for the struggling bookmaker whose Chief Executive is already under fire and has until this summer’s world cup to turn around the companies fortunes and try to catch up with William Hill in both its online and retail businesses.

Nicosia wants casino resort license a casino resort license from the Cypriot government when it is expected to be handed out in the spring of 2015.

The Mayor of Nicosia Constantinos Yiorkadjis said the capital is the only location that makes the most business sense.

The Nicosia Chamber of Commerce

(EVEL) met this week to discuss how to boost tourism in the town and having a casino resort is seen as the main driver to push Nicosia as a tourist destination.

EVEL president Costas Georgallis said the capital was best placed geographically, and being located in the centre of the island, Nicosia was the heart of the business and political communities and had the population to sustain a casino all

year round.

Also, Nicosia, he said, was only 20-25 minutes from Larnaca airport, “while in the event of a Cyprus solution, it would also be a stone’s throw from the ‘now illegal’ Tymbou-Ercan Airport.”

It was also pointed out that by having the casino resort in Nicosia would eliminate the need for Cypriots to travel to the north of Cyprus.

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Nicosia is pushing hard to win

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Feature Writer - Andrew Tottenham

a challenged gambling industry

Andrew Tottenham Our feature writer Andrew Tottenham looks at the politics involved in the gaming industry

I have been involved with the gambling industry since before the internet was born. My consulting career, which began in the 1980s, has taken me to many countries around the world , which has enabled me to learn about the vast cultural and regulatory differences surrounding the gaming industry – in all its forms, including casinos, slot machine halls, VLTs, lotteries and remote gambling - in all of these different places. Through this series of occasional articles for the Infinity Gaming Magazine I will be putting pen to paper (finger to keyboard) and writing about my experiences, knowledge and thoughts developed during more than thirty years in this industry.

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n my last article I discussed one of the difficulties in getting big casino resort projects of the ground in Europe; finance. In this article I am going to look at another component; the political dimension. As said before Europe already has plenty of opportunities to gamble; lotteries, betting shops, AWP arcades, VLTs, bingo halls, casinos and remote gambling and betting.

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But the European gambling industry is under siege from increasing competition. I am not talking about remote gambling or new mega casinos. People’s habits are changing. We have more restaurants on our high streets than ever before. Coffee that used to cost €1 is now served by cool people in cool surroundings and costs over €3 per cup. European citizens only have so much disposable income and time and if they are spending more of their money and time on food and coffee they are not spending as much on gambling.

The industry needs a shot in the arm but this requires political action and unfortunately our politicians are not great supporters of gambling; you don’t win votes for liberalising gambling laws or regulations. However, you do for creating jobs.

It is easier to make the economic case for changing the laws to enable a large casino resort to be built than for increasing the maximum prize on a slot machine; the employment the resort would create is large and tangible. Europe needs jobs (we also need more taxpayers) and politicians know it. On an individual basis most casinos are not big employers and the changes they request would not lead to a big increase in the number of employees (perhaps less of a decrease). Based on current thinking, it seems doubtful that allowing an increase in stakes and prizes or having more machines in the market place would have a negative social impact and yet it is hard to get politicians to support even these changes.

During my work in Spain on the Las Vegas Sands project, government officials and the politicians in power were very supportive; They understood the economic arguments. Spain needed and still needs the jobs. Those in opposition did what the opposition are supposed to do: oppose! Their crass arguments showed the usual lack of understanding and their alarmist statements were trumpeted loudly by the noisy Spanish media.

Feature Writer - Andrew Tottenham

Why is it so difficult?

Usually the threat of new, large mega casinos in any jurisdiction creates an “unholy alliance” of the incumbent industry who feel threatened by a well-capitalised competitive product, the faith groups who are morally opposed to gambling and the political opposition. This alliance fuels the public “debate” with stories of Sodom and Gomorrah. However, in this instance, the Spanish Casino Association took a very brave position and supported the project. They saw the advantages of supporting a project which would allow the politicians and bureaucrats the political cover to remove or modernise the myriad of regulations that made their industry so inefficient. It is a shame that our industry cannot get these necessary and overdue changes.

Having said all of this, most proposals for mega casino resorts are not plain sailing, as they do not get immediate and unconditional support from our political leaders.

The benefits and negative impacts have to be carefully and slowly explained. Sometimes they get it and other times not. Even if they do understand the net benefits it might not be enough to gain their support; the political cost could be and usually is too high.

Gambling and betting is regulated in silos; each sector has a set of regulations that shapes it. Liberalisation for one sector of the gambling/betting industry is seen as an increase in (and unfair) competition by another.

This leads to infighting and politicians will not act (in

fact they are happier not acting) if they get conflicting stories from what they consider to be a unified industry but is in reality a group of angry fiefdoms.

Support for new casinos usually follows the 30:30:40 rule; 30% support the initiative, 30% oppose it and 40% don’t really care one way or the other. The 30% who are supportive are not very vocal, the 40% who don’t care either way say nothing but those who oppose are very loud and get column inches and airtime from media outlets. Politicians don’t react to silence but they do to angry noise.

Recently, UK bookmakers were under fire for offering Fixed Odds Betting Terminals (FOBT’s or the “crack cocaine of the gambling industry” – I think this expression was first used in the US to describe VLTs) and for “clustering” betting shops on the high streets of deprived areas. The media screams reached such a crescendo that politicians knee jerked and demanded action. The antiFOBT group was supported by the “Campaign for Fairer Gambling”( whatever that means). The Bookmakers tried to pre-empt Government action with a social responsibility code that put in place controls on playing times, maximum losses, etc. Instead of evidence based policy making that the UK Government champions we have policy based on “Mr Angry” from the Daily Mail. It also didn’t stop the Chancellor of the Exchequer from taking a swipe and increasing the tax on FOBT GGR from 15% to 25% in his budget speech.

What the politicians fail to see is that there is demand for gambling. Bookmakers are only allowed four FOBTs

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Do bigger bars create more alcoholics? Yet it is still a constant battle to legitimise casino gambling as part of the entertainment industry, despite being legal, regulated and potentially a high density employer.

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New Feature writer - Andrew Tottenham

Another example of this type of thinking is when I was explaining to a regional finance minister the need to reduce gaming tax to enable a large scale investment. It is obvious you cannot get an adequate return on a billion euro investment when gaming taxes are above 20% of gross gaming revenue. The regulatory and competitive environment as well as the specifics of the location can add significantly to the operational costs and the gaming tax generally needs to be closer to the 10% mark. Once explained, the Minister was all in favour of lowering the tax rate to something more reasonable.

However, it was not to be. The Justice Minister understood that this particular country, as in most countries, uses gaming taxes to control gaming supply. In their minds high tax rates squeezes out investment making it uneconomic to invest large amounts. This is patently true but what most legislators don’t understand is that by employing this strategy you get a lot of small

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Andrew Tottenham, Managing Director, Tottenham & Co Tottenham & Co is an independent consulting firm specialising in the international gaming industry, whose services include; strategic planning, market surveys and feasibility studies, international negotiation and project development. Former clients include Las Vegas Sands Corp where he was the in-country project lead on what was to be the largest integrated resort development project in Europe. Prior to this he was Managing Director Development Europe, for Caesars Entertainment Inc, as such he was responsible for Caesars expansion into Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Andrew founded Tottenham & Co in 1986 which he grew into one of the most prestigious management consulting firms specialising in the international gaming industry. Clients included blue chip gaming operators and suppliers in all continents. The firm has also acted as advisers to the Government of Hungary.

casinos – as in France for example - and other gambling products just fill the gaps.

“Mr Angry” has also been complaining about the amount of advertising for remote gambling that appears on UK TV. The confluence of remote gambling, whose offer has no geographical (at least on a national basis) restrictions or limits on the number of machines, games, stakes and prizes, and the explosion of satellite and terrestrial television channels who are hungry for advertising spend has led to a plethora of television advertising for remote gambling and betting. Casinos, betting shops and bingo halls whose offer is very local cannot afford to advertise on national television. Why do we have demand for remote gambling or FOBTs? It is all because politicians through misguided policy think they can control gambling by their citizens. In reality they can only control what they gamble on.

Demand for gambling is universal, all cultures gamble; humans enjoy risk- we invented it! The lesson for our politicians is that if you artificially constrain one form of gambling another form will expand to fill the void.

Surely it would be better for them to consider promoting forms of gambling that confer other benefits, like employment and regeneration, rather than trying to prohibit an activity that is going to continue to expand in whatever way it is (or is not) permitted to do?

In his role as a consultant and as MD Development for Caesars he has analysed the viability of casino resorts throughout the world, including but not limited to; Japan, Korea, Austria, France, Greece, Italy, Turkey, Spain, Portugal, Canada, and the USA. He has negotiated joint venture and management agreements in China (SMS lottery), Slovakia, the Netherlands, Spain, Slovenia, and the Czech Republic. Mr Tottenham has also had involvement in the interactive gambling industry having project managed the development of an online casino and an interactive tv gambling channel.

Andrew was Chairman of the GREaT Foundation (now the Responsible Gambling Trust), an organisation he founded to raise money from the UK gambling industry to be used for research into, education about and treatment of problem gambling.

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(Continued) per retail outlet. There are no controls on the number of outlets and with European Freedom of Establishment rules there are unlikely to ever be these controls. So if you are restricted to four machines per outlet the way to cater to market demand is to open more outlets. If politicians are complaining about “clustering” the simple solution would be to allow thirty or forty machines per outlet.

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SPECIAL Feature Article

Update on Ireland’s Gaming Legislation Issue Our feature writer JJ Woods gives us an update on the Irish Gambling Control Bill along with asking defining questions to Minister of Justice Frances Fitzerald.

By J.J. Woods

JJ Woods was born in Ireland but left in the 1970’s to live in London and he started his career in banking. After four years in Banking in London JJ trained in the Casino Industry. Over the last 30 years JJ has dedicated his career to the setting up, including: design, opening and management of Casinos around the world.

Throughout his time in Ireland JJ has also done several Radio, Television and Newspaper interviews on the subject of Casinos and gaming, he is above all extremely passionate about the Casino Industry and Completed a gaming submission to the Irish Government during Legislation Research. He is a leader in respect of the responsibility of customer care He was responsible for the following Casino designs and set ups in Ireland : Macau (Cork), Silks (Dublin). www.atlanticcasinoconsultants.com Email: info@atlanticcasinoconsultants.com Introduction

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n 15 July 2013, Alan Shatter TD, Minister for Justice, Equality and Defence, announced government approval for the General Scheme of the Gambling Control Bill 2013. This Bill is a preliminary step towards legislation, which if enacted will provide a significant overhaul of the law in this area and a comprehensive new licensing and regulatory framework for gambling, both land-based and online. It is important to note that the Bill has no legal effect at this stage but it does give us an insight into how the Irish Government is thinking on the whole issue which has been going on since 2006.

The present legislation and existing Act’s are the Betting Act 1931 which applies to bookmaker shops and the Gaming and Lotteries Act 1956.

The Act’s are archaic by any standards and they fall way behind one of the fastest growing industries in the world.

Opinion One year on and the general opinion and mine is that the bill was badly thought out and badly advised on, It certainly did not set the Gaming World on fire and the person responsible for that Bill Alan Shatter (Minister of Justice) has since resigned from office. Since

Government research into gaming began back in 2006 Ireland has had six ministers of justice (including a short term one) and we are now on our Seventh which is Frances Fitzgerald who is one of the few females to occupy this role.

It must be said that Michael McDowell who was in office when the research began was generally against Gaming in any case and since then (eight years later) no one in my opinion has made any impression or shown any real will to roll out a new gaming legislation that would take Ireland out of the dark ages.

Update on Ireland’s Gaming Legislation Issue

We have recently seen the manic betting on the World Cup and we will probably see another World Cup go by before the Irish Government make any revenues from the fastest growing industry in the World today.

I have stated for the last 10 yrs that the problem is that the Government have no understanding of the issue and have not pursued it in any positive way , I predicted that Cyprus would have their Legislation before Ireland and it will have taken them all of 2 years probably. The Bill that was released last year was certainly an indication that the Irish Justice department have no understanding of the existing business on the ground and rather than attract investors which is what a 1st Bill is supposed to do , it pretty much told investors that Ireland was a no go area for Gaming Investments.

Summing Up I believe we need a new draft of last year’s Gambling Bill and we need proper discussion on how this new Bill is formed. It should send out positives to the International Gaming world and also state that Ireland is ready to compete strongly in this

ister’s functions will include licensing, inspections and prosecutions and they will be carried out by a body to be called the Office for Gambling Control Ireland, to be located within my Department. There will be a dedicated inspectorate to ensure compliance by licence holders with the terms of their licence and with the new legislation generally.

I am committed to publishing the Gambling Control Bill in early 2015.

However, in the interim, the General Scheme of the Bill is available on my Department’s website.

Answers.

QUESTION NOS: 662 to 665

QUESTION NO: 666

DÁIL QUESTIONS addressed to the Minister for Justice and Equality (Ms. Fitzgerald)

DÁIL QUESTION addressed to the Minister for Justice and Equality (Ms. Fitzgerald)

by Deputy Terence Flanagan for WRITTEN on Tuesday, 27th May, 2014.

by Deputy Terence Flanagan for WRITTEN on Tuesday, 27th May, 2014.

- Terence Flanagan

*662. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality her plans to introduce a strict age policy, a minimum of 21 years of age, for those permitted to enter casinos here; her plans to record the number of visits a person makes to a casino in any given month; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

REPLY

- Terence Flanagan

The Gambling Control Bill, the General Scheme of which was approved

by Government in July 2013, will update all existing laws on the regulation of betting and gaming (other than the National Lottery).

* 663. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality her views on whether the lack of regulation in relation to private casinos here could lead to money laundering and criminal involvement; the measures that are being taken to address this matter; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

- Terence Flanagan

* To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality her plans to establish a Gaming and Lotteries Authority; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

The Bill will confer responsibility for all regulatory matters on the Minister for Justice and Equality. The Min-

BUSINESSMAG • ISSUE JUNE 2014

market. That said I personally up till now have had no correspondence with the new Minister Of Justice Frances Fitzgerald but I asked local TD Terence Flanagan to ask a question on my behalf at the Dail and he kindly did and here is the Questions and

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SPECIAL Feature Article

Update on Ireland’s Gaming Legislation Issue continued

- Terence Flanagan * 665. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the assessment that has been made of the casino gaming industry here; its value to the Irish economy; the regulations that need to be introduced to ensure that the public is safeguarded and a more modern structure is in place; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

- Terence Flanagan REPLY The Gambling Control Bill, (the General Scheme of which is available on my Department’s website) makes provision for the licensing of “moderate” sized casinos in Ireland for the first time. The legislation will, when enacted, establish a single licensing authority for gambling, namely the Minister for Justice and Equality.

Head 4 of the General Scheme sets out the primary purposes to be

served by the new Bill. Among them is the need to ensure gambling is not used by or for criminal purposes, and also to ensure the protection of children and other vulnerable persons. Under the terms of the proposed legislation, no persons under the age of 18 years will be allowed to engage in any form of gambling activity.

There will be terms and conditions attaching to each licence, designed to protect consumers and to prevent criminal activity. With specific regard to casino licences, the regulator may make it a condition of a licence that each person attending a casino be obliged to enter personal details in a database to be maintained by the licensee. Such persons may also be obliged to produce verification of identity before being granted admission to a casino premises.

While there is currently no provision in Irish law for the licensing of casinos, there are currently 40 private member gaming clubs registered with my Department under the provisions of Section 109 of the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Act 2010 as amended. My Department’s anti - money laundering compliance unit conducts inspections of these premises to assess compliance with

the 2010 Act. In accordance with Head 32 of the General Scheme, each applicant for a licence must declare any criminal convictions either in the State or elsewhere. Failure to disclose a conviction may lead to an application being refused. It may also result in the withdrawal of a licence issued to an applicant whose failure to disclose is established only after the licence has been granted. There will be provision for the Minister to specify certain offences that, due to their relevance and nature, must be declared in all cases where applications are being submitted. Heads 32(4) and 34(3) set criteria for the evaluation of convictions.

While I am aware that some assessments of this sector have been carried out, the fact that the sector is currently unlicensed means that the State is not in a position to make an accurate assessment of its value to the economy.

I am committed to publishing the Bill in early 2015 and believe the proposals contained therein will serve the public interest and will contribute to the protection of consumers.

BUSINESSMAG • ISSUE JUNE 2014

*

664. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality her plans to introduce a rule that directors and shareholders in casinos here must not have any previous criminal convictions; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

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ARTICLE

Why most gamblers say online gambling ads are missing their target A recent new survey found that online gambling companies were not finding their mark in advertising online when targetting new customers, this article looks at what can be done to cure that.

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ccording to new research by IgnitionOne 67% of UK consumers are concerned over the volume of online gambling advertising, while only a fifth of the populace believed that online gaming brands target the right audience.

The ‘Betting on Digital’ report was commissioned by digital marketing technology specialist IgnitionOne, which worked closely with ComRes and surveyed 2,000 UK consumers.

To gain a perspective from the gaming firms themselves, IgnitionOne also conducted in-depth qualitative interviews with 11 senior marketers from the online gaming sector.

opportunities and challenges, according to the marketer research.

“You’re seeing real-time event based concepts, particularly around promotions and events or getting people to interact, through mobile technology such as smartphones,” said one anonymous marketer. “This is where this industry is going - rather than sitting at a desk or sitting facing a laptop.”

But another marketer argues that the gaming industry is currently not tapping into the potential of tablets, adding that they are the most “under-utilised area of play and are set to “take off in the near future”.

MARKETING EFFECTIVENESS

A quarter (23%) of British adults said they gamble online, including 28% of men and 18% of women.

InfinityGaming • ISSUE JUNE 2014

The National Lottery is the most popular form of gambling, with 58% of the UK population having taken part, followed by bingo (45%), horse racing (44%), and sports betting (42%).

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Of the British adults who have never gambled online, 62% said it was because they thought it was a waste of money, and 58% because they did not find it appealing.

Meanwhile, 18% said they had never gambled because they are against gambling in any form.

Marketing effectiveness and accurate targeting is an area in need of much improvement, according to the views of consumers. Only 21% of UK adults agreed that advertising for online gaming companies targets the right audience, with a 51% majority disagreeing and 27% saying their did not know.

Many of the marketers surveyed felt that online marketing has failed to deliver and that TV was a safe, reliable - albeit “competitive and expensive” - format, but this was a view contradicted by consumer sentiment.

MOBILE

“We still feel we will receive much greater reach and brand awareness through TV,” said one marketer.

The shift from high-street betting shops to mobile- and tablet-based gaming is presenting marketers with both

Another marketer concurred, adding: “All of us aspire to move a lot more budget digitally because that’s where

ARTICLE

(Continued) our customers are, but you have to evaluate different campaigns and say, well, we can still deliver very strong tactical campaigns digitally but if you are going for brand reach, TV is absolutely enough.”

Yet a quarter (24%) of consumer respondents who are active or previous online gamblers said they were equally motivated to use an online gaming website by both TV and online advertising.

But outstripping the advertising effect was the impact of the gaming experience. The biggest influencer among gambling-friendly respondents was an easy user experience (for 73% of resondents), followed by the quality of the game (69%).

One marketer revealed that some recent customer analysis threw up a surprising finding.

“We did some recent analysis and we found that our player base is a lot younger than we thought,” he said.

“We would have said that the average player would be aged 25 to 40, but we found that we had quite a high percentage of 18 to 25 year olds.”

The marketer attributes this to partly the growing penetration and accessibility of mobile. “A lot of our advertising online has been in places where we have more of these people online – we are doing more social media campaigns, and the kind of things that would be more attractive to these kinds of players.”

But 67% of adults said they were concerned about the amount of advertising for online gaming companies.

“A strong segment of the British population gambles online and those polled said that product quality was more important in determining which site they used, compared to advertisements,” said Simon Haynes, IgnitionOne’s managing director. “Brand reputation and a brand’s corporate social responsibility policies are big factors when it come to positive perceptions among consumers.”

CSR Most marketers surveyed felt that consumer did not really care whether a gambling company donated money to CSR causes, with one marketer adding that a company’s social reputation mattered more to government, regulators and the media than consumers.

But this was not a view shared by consumers, 40% of whom said they would be more likely to place a bet with a company that had made a financial contribution towards research, education and treatment of addicted gamblers.

Three-fifths (58%) of adults agreed that “problem gambling” should be considered a priority for government and 65% thought the issue was more pertinent to gambling online than in betting shops.

However, marketers did agree that being seen as a responsible company in terms of policing and helping gamblers play responsibly could “set yourself apart from competitors”.

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Key to conveying a gaming brand’s social responsibility is social media, argued one marketer, keeping responsibility and reputation at the centre of a social strategy.

“There are two sides to it. One, are there social elements that you can introduce to games, particularly around online bingo which is growing and is particularly strong

BUSINESSMAG • ISSUE JUNE 2014

Word-of-mouth was a strong influencer too – with 43% deeming it important - yet that figure fell to 26% if that recommendation from a friend were made on social media.

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ARTICLE

Unsurprisingly, marketers for the most part thought there was no need for further regulation, bar one marketer said he would welcome “additional steps where applicable”, particularly because he felt it might help public perception “if it’s a bit more heavily regulated”.

“I still believe there’s a big segment of our players that do not want to gamble online because they just don’t trust it,” he added.

His point was backed by the consumer research, which found that 67% of active or previous online gamblers agreed there should be greater regulation to ensure gaming companies acted responsibly towards customers, compared with 74% of those who had never gambled.

(Continued) in the UK? “The other area is the crossover with social media and tries to build on that social element. So you have the chat room alongside the screens, a sort of online gambling meets social media – at what point is it gambling, at what point is it not? Regulators are looking at that.”

TRUST The research found that for a sector often beset by controversy the key to engendering consumer loyalty and public trust was transparency.

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“I think it comes down to annual reports and figures and finances: all our reports are published and are available online. With a lot of smaller companies, you just do not see what happens in terms of their turnover, what they pay as tax, what they pay as a contribution to society in terms of responsible gaming contributions.

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“Players, like anyone, want to know where their gaming pound goes if they lose. So it’s very much where that comes back in to helping other people, whether it be charitable, whether it be in a responsible nature of gambling, and obviously looking at profitabilities of those companies as well.”

REGULATION

Another marketer called a uniform approach to legislation. “We’re still fighting for a lot clearer EU-wide legislation which will enable us to deal with some more of the challenging markets, which is quicker and easier when you know the standards line of product provision.”

But another marketer countered that this might lead to a less liberal legislative framework because of the more stringent regulations in place in more conservative markets than the UK. “Marketers need to be more mindful of the proportion of consumers that desire stronger government legislation and increased corporate social responsibility,” said IgnitionOne’s Haynes.

LACKLUSTRE WEBSITES Online gaming marketers admitted that their presence online was ripe for improvement, and needed to play catch-up with the sophistication of sites in other market sectors.

“If you think about Amazon or eBay or those sites, they are really functional and you always know what you’re doing,” one marketer said. “It’s not the same in gaming. A lot of the sites are actually quite bad.”

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This article was first published on marketingmagazine. co.uk

INFORMATION

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To find out how your company can advertise contact our sales team

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To find out how your company can advertise contact our sales team

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To find out more about advertising contact: media@cleverduckmedia.com

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Just search for us in the App stores “infinity gaming magazine”

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GAMING EXPO NEWS

Silver Anniversary Australasian Gaming Expo set for Glebe Island

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very year since 1990, the Australasian Gaming Expo has attracted top gaming and hospitality industry executives. This year’s 25th Gaming Expo moves to the new Sydney Exhibition Centre @ Glebe Island with more space, more features and more exhibitors.

The Gaming Expo is on 12, 13 and 14 August this year, and its 15,600 square metres makes it one of the largest trade events in Australia and easily the largest gaming event.

Owned and operated by the Gaming Technologies Association, the Gaming Expo is the ultimate showplace for new gaming technologies for casinos, clubs and hotels.

The biggest attraction is always the new games from poker machine suppliers, who look forward to August each year to unveil their latest and greatest games and machines. The Association’s primary members Ainsworth, Aristocrat, Aruze, Bally, IGT, Konami and WMS Gaming are world’s-best at their trade and the Gaming Expo right in the heart of Sydney presents a great opportunity for their customers from around the region.

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But poker machines are not the only attraction, with more than 160 exhibitors proudly showcasing Audio Visual equipment, ATM Equipment, Building Services, Cash Handling & Equipment, Consultancy Services, Entertainment, Financial Services, Food and Beverage, Furniture, I.T., Interior Design & Fitout, Marketing Services, Membership Management, Paging & Communication, Point of Sale Systems, Retail, Security, Signage & Displays and Staff Uniforms. So there’s definitely something for everyone.

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There’s been more interest than ever this year, with 26 first-time exhibitors. They’ll be part of a project where over 750 poker machines and a hundreds of truckloads of signage and equipment is moved in to Glebe Island, installed, connected, tested, used and compared by the most demanding critics and then moved out again – all in only a few days. The logistics of the event are amazing, even by exhibition industry standards. But paramount in all this is the safety of all the people involved

– whether stand builders, exhibitors, visitors or venue staff. In particular, all stand builders hold safety accreditation and all contractors and exhibitors undertake a safety induction before they’re allowed to start work onsite.

More than 160 companies have signed up for 15,600 square metres of exhibition space – which is about the size of an Australian Rules football field. Last year well over 2,300 visitors attended each of the first two days, with more than 1,100 backing up for the third day. They came from every Australian State and Territory, along with a big contingent from New Zealand and international guests from America, Europe and around the Asia-Pacific region. nd the Gaming Expo delivers. 99% of visitors surveyed last year saw the Expo as an opportunity to see new products and technology, while the same 99% said they saw what they wanted to see at the Expo.

The new venue will fascinate visitors, with direct Sydney Harbour water frontage on three sides and captivating views of the Anzac Bridge and the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Getting there is easy with additional transport including complimentary ferries operating on the event days from Darling Harbour’s Convention Wharf to Glebe Island, complimentary buses from Pyrmont and from Central Station, along with a complimentary shuttle bus from the Sydney domestic airport. Of course, taxi facilities are available at the Sydney Exhibition Centre and limited paid car parking is also available.

A range of contemporary pop-up eating spaces will be available on event days including an alfresco area.

Visitors will be invited to attend the Best Stand award presentation at 5pm on the Tuesday of the event and also a Silver Anniversary celebration at 5pm on the Wednesday.

Visitors who attend the Australasian Gaming Expo are eligible to win a trip for two to the Global Gaming Expo in Las Vegas– including airfares from Sydney and 5 nights at the luxurious Palazzo Venetian Resort and

transport timetables and booking facilities, an interactive floor plan and a detailed exhibitor list.

The event website www.austgamingexpo.com includes an interactive floor plan which is updated in real time, along with a list of exhibitors which can be sorted by company name, stand number or category – and provides contact details for each exhibitor and their website address for further information.

Exhibition entry is complimentary to gaming industry executives, courtesy of the Gaming Technologies Association. The exhibition is open from 10am on Tuesday 12, Wednesday 13 and Thursday 14 August and closes at 5pm on the Tuesday and Wednesday (3pm close on the Thursday). Trade suppliers are not eligible to attend the event unless exhibiting and nobody under 18 years of age (including infants) may enter the Exhibition.

More information and Visitor registration are available online at www.austgamingexpo.com or call the Gaming Expo Help Line on 02 9211 7430.

Another new feature in 2014 is the AGE14 app which is available at the Apple Store or on Google Play. The app features all the important information that visitors to the show will need including how to get to the new venue,

BUSINESSMAG • ISSUE JUNE 2014

Casino. One trip for two will be drawn on each day of the Gaming Expo.

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HEADLINES

HEADLINES

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