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OCTUBRE 2018
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contents 04
The success behind ICE Africa
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The gambling in South Africa
09 Exhibitors at ICE Africa
26
Nature and history in Johhanesburg
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October
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Cover SPECIAL ICE AFRICA
THE BEGINNING OF AFRICA One of the most important fairs of the game reached the African continent in October, which places the region in the spotlight of many entrepreneurs worldwide. Production
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The bet of Clarion Events could not be more successful at this time. And so it was verified, in situ, by CASINO magazine. However we must give time the fair to be strengthened, we can say that this first edition came up to the expectations of the attendees for the quality of the participants and exhibitors, which raised the level of the event.
Manager Director
María Victoria Cabrera I. mariavictoria@revistacasinoperu.com mariavictoria@mcapublicaciones.com.pe Administration
Marco Cabrera administración@mcapublicaciones.com.pe
In this edition you will find interesting articles and interviews that will broaden the panorama of the gaming industry on the continent. In the same way, the main exhibitors of the fair are sharing with us the various innovations presented at ICE Africa.
Editorial Committee
Hadassá Castillo Sulehi Aquino Gustavo Pichilingue Designers
King regards,
Mayra Martinez Loza Korita Upiachihua Silvano Photography
MCA Publicaciones
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INTERVIEW
Kate Chambers, Managing Director of Clarion Gaming.
THE SUCCESS BEHIND ICE AFRICA
In order to organize the fair, the Clarion Gaming team had studied the panorama two years before. During this time they held events that helped them study the acceptance they would have.
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he biggest game meeting came to the African continent for the first time. ICE Africa dazzled all its attendees with the great organization, which received extraordinary comments from the most outstanding
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figures in the entertainment sector. The event, which was organized by Clarion Gaming in a major area of Johannesburg: the Sandtone Convention Center, featured lectures on regulation, business intelligence,
blockchain in Africa, mobile lottery and integrated resort casinos, among others. 91 cities in the world participated in ICE Africa, including 26 Africans. Experts think that with these opportu-
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forward to continuing to work with our stakeholders to develop the ICE Africa brand and take it to the next level. During the event we noticed that there is a growth of two powers in the world, which are Latin America and Miami. We have concluded with a significant number of visitors in Africa, which is an indicator that things are going well to finally look at the continent.
What has been the average number of participants in the fair? The event has been declared a milestone. We have welcomed 1,597 visitors from 79 countries, including 23 African nations, who participated in the two-day learning sessions. It was the first time that the world-renowned ICE brand was exported out of its home in the United Kingdom.
How long did it take to organize the event? We started studying ICE Africa two years ago, especially the presence of visitors at all Ice London events. After studying the market we had two test events, one in Nigeria and the other in Uganda, which were very well received. In 2017 we organized a games event in Africa, but very small in reality, with the
aim of studying the welcome. From then on, I told my team that it is the perfect time to start planning ICE Africa.
We have concluded with a significant number of visitors in Africa, which is an indicator that things are going well to finally look at the continent. How long have you been doing this and what is your expectation in Africa? London continues to grow in size every year, where exhibitors demand more space. And we also care that it works for them and that they do not spend a lot of money because it is important that they receive a return on their investments. We work very hard with them to find the right people. We have noticed a growth of 9% growth every year, sometimes we have a little more but that is the average and I think there is no other event that works better than the ICE.
nities, the region becomes the power of the games. The success was so great that Kate Chambers, CEO of Clarion Gaming, confesses in the following interview that they are ready to organize a second edition.
What makes you think about doing an event like Ice Africa? It was the industry that first asked us to bring the ICE brand to Africa and I am delighted to have been able to work in partnership with so many facets of the business to make that vision a reality. Throughout the development and planning process, there has been a deep and extremely genuine enthusiasm to make it a success and we look
Staff of Clarion Events. OCTOBER 2018
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OPINION
THE GAMBLING IN SOUTH AFRICA
The gaming industry in the country is one of the most developed in the world. Their large contributions contribute to improving public services, such as education, infrastructure and health. tence within the national and provincial spheres of government to establish certain uniform norms and standards in the gambling industry. These provisions apply throughout the Republic of South Africa with regards to gambling and wagering pertaining to casinos; betting on horseracing, sports, and other contingencies; Limited Payout Machines as well as Bingo to ensure that gambling activities are effectively regulated and licensed.
As of June 30th, 2018, there are 38 operational casinos in South Africa. GAMBLING ONLINE
Nalukui Caroline Kongwa, Regulatory of South Africa.
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he Gambling industry is regulated in terms of the National Gambling Act, 2004 (Act 7 of 2004). The National Gambling Board is 6
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an implementing entity of the dti, mandated amongst other functions in the NGA to coordinate activities relating to the exercise of concurrent compe-
Although online betting on sports and other contingencies through bookmakers’ websites that are licensed in South Africa, the country still prohibits online gambling. All betting websites that are not licensed in South Africa continue to be illegal in terms of the South African laws. Stakeholders’ engagements undertaken by NGB has seen the establishment of a Stakeholders Priority Committee to provide for the cooperative approach by various enforcement stakeholders towards fighting illegal gambling. The NGB continues to work with the committee to ensure that a plan of action is fully adopted in order to deal decisively with illegal online gambling.
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VARIETY OF OFFER As of June 30th, 2018, there are 38 operational casinos in South Africa. The controlling shareholders for operational casinos are Sun International (13 casinos), Tsogo Sun Holdings/ Hosken Consolidated Investments (14 casinos), Peermont Resorts (8 casinos), London Clubs International (1 casino), Northern Cape Casino Consultants (1 casino) and Niveus Investments (1 casino). Of the total casino market, Gauteng has the most number of casinos in province, i.e. seven or (18.4%), whereas Western Cape and KwaZuluNatal each host 5 casinos or 13.2%. There are currently 382 operational totalisator outlets, 284 operational bookmakers and 542 operational bookmaker outlets. Gold Circle is the totalisator operator in KwaZulu-Natal, and Phumelela in Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, North West, Northern Cape, Eastern Cape and the Free State. Kenilworth Racing (totalisator) is operating in Western Cape, however, Phumelela currently manages the Western Cape racing operations on behalf of the Kenilworth Racing Trust. As of June 30th, 2018, Gauteng accounted for the highest number of licensed operational bookmakers, i.e. 123 or 42.9%, followed by KwaZulu-Natal with 43 or 15.0%,
In Sun City you can find many entertainment alternatives. and Western Cape with 37 or 12.9%. The largest number of licensed operational bookmaker outlets were situated in the Western Cape, i.e. 142 or 25.6%, followed by Gauteng with 123 or 22.2%, and KwaZulu-Natal with 90 or 16.2%. Gauteng also accounted for the highest number of licensed operational totalisator outlets, i.e. 109 or 28.3%, followed by KwaZulu-Natal with 107 or 27.8%, and Western Cape with 54 or 14.0%.
CONCENTRATION OF THE GAME As of June 30th, 2018, the number of operational LPM sites is 2211 and the number of active LPMs is 11896. There are 13 Route Operators and Independent Site Operators in the LPM industry operating in the various provinces. Vukani Gaming operates in all nine provinces; Goldrush Gaming in six; Grand Gaming in three provinces; Crazy Slots and Hot Slots only operate in Gauteng; Kingdom Slots, KZN Slots, Luck@it, Galaxy Bingo and Great Bingo operate only in KwaZulu-Natal; Varloflash operates in North West; and Pioneer operates in Eastern Cape. The number of operational bingo outlets is 50 whilst operational bingo positions are 8520. Bingo is divided into 1977 Traditional bingo positions and 6543 Electronic Bingo Terminals positions.
OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS
Sun City is one of the most important holiday destinations in South Africa.
The total Gross Gambling Revenue (GGR) generated by the gambling industry from all legal modes of gambling was R28, 763, 259, 881 as at March 31th, 2018. Of this total, casinos constitute 66.4%, followed by betting with 18.9%, LPM with 10.0%, and bingo with just 4.7% of the South African GGR. ProOCTOBER 2018
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OPINION
vincially, Gauteng generates the highest GGR with 41%, followed by Kwa-Zulu Natal with 18.5%, and Western Cape with 16.0% of the South African GGR. A total amount of R2, 898, 984, 519 in taxes and levies was collected during FY2017/18. 64.8% of this was collected from casinos whilst betting contributed 17.2%, LPM contributed 13.5% and bingo contributed 4.5%. At 37.2% Gauteng accounted for the highest amount of taxes and levies in the country. A total number of 27, 910 people were employed directly in the gambling industry as at March 31th, 2018, with the casino sector accounting for the highest employment numbers.
Sun Central is home to millions of tourists during the year.
The number of operational bingo outlets is 50 whilst operational bingo positions are 8520. SECTOR OF EMPLOYMENT There is a need for gambling regulations to create a balance between revenue generation and protection of the public, particularly vulnerable persons, while taking cognisance of and supporting Government’s developmental priorities, and specifically the Nine - Point plan in terms of encouraging private sector investment (gambling industry) and unlocking the potential of Small Micro Medium Enterprises, cooperatives, townships and rural enterprises (i.e. corporate social investment programmes and gambling licenses to individuals/consortiums, small and medium businesses). The country would like to see more investments and participation of previously disadvantaged local communities in the manufacturing, testing and operations sectors of the gambling industry. Furthermore, public education on the differences between legal and illegal forms of gambling, responsible gambling, as well as the ills of illegal gambling remains a priority for the NGB 8
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Montecasino is the most visited entertainment complex in Johannesburg.
INVESTMENT IN THE COUNTRY Gambling investment stimulates local economies and contributes to government revenues in the form of taxes and levies, Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and employment. The industry contributed 0.81% of the GDP of South Africa during the FY2016/17. For every 100 jobs created in the legal gambling industry, a further 360 were created indirectly in other sectors of the economy. The taxes collected from gambling contribute to enhancement of public services, e.g. taxes used for education, roads, health schools, infrastructure development in communities, and other services to the public. Gambling attracts tourism and results in increased economic activity in and around gambling venues.
South Africa’s gambling industry is amongst the most developed in the world. There is extensive monitoring of gambling activities across all legal modes of gambling. The adoption of legislative and technical provisions in terms of the National Gambling Act to ensure real-time monitoring of all gambling activities, as well as multiple research activities that are carried out each year enable the National as well as Provincial gambling boards to extensively monitor the entire regulated gambling industry. Continuous improvement through regular review of legislations and technical standards will further refine our already extensive monitoring provisions.
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“We are planning to build the iGaming industry’s future together” The company is characterized by providing a quality service to its customers.
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he casino magazine spoke with Catalina Lukianenko, COO, BOSS. Game solutions, who commented on the innovations presented at ICE Africa.
How you define your company? BOSS. Gaming solutions is an independent developer and provider of online and land-based gaming solutions. The company is focused on developing casino and betting products which give clients all of the tools they need to launch a gaming company from the ground up. Our core products and solutions are the BOSS. Platform, landbased casino software, sportsbook, and betting services.
About the positioning: what strength defines for the challenge? What offers to his clients? We want our clients to trust BOSS. as their go-to reliable gaming partner. That’s why our products and solutions are scalable and flexible, to meet all client’s requirements. By now, we are able to launch a fully customizable online casino located in anywhere in the world in 60 days. We offer two ways to start a reliable gaming business: white-label, or a full turn-key casino solution. It’s up to you whether to choose to work under BOSS. Gaming license or obtain your own license with our help. Whatever the choice is, BOSS. team will consult and support your gaming business.
What news are you presenting at ICE AFRICA? Having performed extensive research of the betting market, we found out that sports betting in Africa is gaining in popularity, in spite of some market headwinds. In response, we created a brand-new product named SIMPLE BET to help to develop this gaming niche.
Catalina Lukianenko, COO, BOSS. Gaming solutions. With SIMPLE BET, you can easily launch and manage a betting company from scratch. It is available as Sportsbook and a ready-made solution for land-based betting shops operators. We really hope, SIMPLE BET will enhance the iGaming sector across Africa and give games operators a new niche product for customers.
What is your vision for iGAMBLING and SPORTS BETTING around the world? Online gaming and sports betting has never been more popular than it is today. According to H2 data, the highest percent of sports betting is concentrated in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. This is where more than 77% of the world’s sports bets take place. They also predict it is about to grow at a CAGR of 1.5% in 2019. Sports betting is going through a positive period of growth, so we should consider it as a promising gaming sec-
tor. We believe that investing in sports betting will show results very soon.
The Latin American market, Is this in your plans? We certainly won’t exclude any betting markets from our aims for next year, and Latin America’s market looks quite attractive. However, within this year’s ICE, we are focused on South Africa now. We’re looking forward to 2019, to start moving towards the Latin America betting and adapt our solution to customers in those countries.
What commercial challenges are you looking to tackle next year? For 2019, we have ambitious plans for BOSS. Gaming. We’ll keep on developing our gaming and betting platform, adapting it to the market demands. We are planning, as well, to network with more companies and build the iGaming industry’s future together. OCTOBER 2018
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INTERVIEW
Groove Gaming
INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE
Groove Gaming Limited is the best games providers for the online gambling market and recently made a deal with one of the biggest operators in Latin American. partners and a broad portfolio of over 1500 HTML5 slots and other games from leading games makers.
What strength defines for the challenge?
Rebecca Sotomora, Head of Sales, Groove Gaming.
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roove Gaming has a full gaming solution that includes casino games, sportsbook, lotto, and Live games. We will offer Bingo and Fantasy games very soon. The CASINO magazine talked with Rebecca Sotomora, Head of Sales at Groove Gaming, who gave us details of her company.
A solid grasp on industry detail and a culture of innovation throughout the company, has been at the centre of a number of breakthroughs. Groove Gaming is always looking to meet the new tools of today like achievements and rewards tools that will help operators retain and convert while at the same time we look at social gaming markets to see what the next thing will be. Groove Gaming staff works every day with the idea in our heads of becoming the best and unique provider and that is one of the reasons why Groove Gaming has been so successful.
Our networks and relationships are a significant strategic resource for all our clients.
include payment processing, fraud protection, risk management, regulatory compliance, business intelligence, affiliate promotion and customer service, as well as support in launching, maintaining, and growing new online casinos.
What news are you presenting in ICE Africa? Well, as you know, the African market is not a legal market for casino yet, but I hope it will be in the near future. Basically, we came here to get familiar with this exciting market and to let African would-be operators know that we have a complete solution for them when regulation allows.
What is your vision for the iGaming – sport betting around the world? Our goal is to give a solution to operators when they add Groove it means that they don’t need to invest in resources to get to the best outcome. One person on the operation can manage the relationship and everything else is provided by us. We provide the intelligence of GEO and value of each game, with a wide range of game selection that grows every month.
What offers to his clients? How you define your company? A winner! Very hard-working. A great partner committed to service excellence. Groove Gaming’s mission is to give the full-suited game solution to operators and make all our clients and partners succeed; for that we have created an internal plan according to the requirements and needs of our partners. At the heart of Groove Gaming’s expertise is selecting the highest-quality content to differentiate their offering and to drive player-engagement for clients. The company’s services are extensive, covering world-class game supply from a stable of carefully selected 10
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We offer the latest of today’s most popular slots and top table games. We have created commercial partnerships with the most distinguished games providers to put into their hands a great solution for our client’s business, expanding the list of games on their project. Groove Gaming wants to give the opportunity to operators to take their businesses to another level of successful. We give wide range of option for every market and the BI tools to continuously make sure the games that are offered will maximize player experience. Apart from the growing portfolio of games, other services
Latin American market, Is in your plan? Even though Groove Gaming is a young company its development and market position has been impressive, we are always working on various ways to upgrade our services and expand our markets. Latin America is a great market and has a good future still to develop but we are already there, we recently made a deal with one of the biggest operators in Latin American and we have some other deals on the way to come. So, as you can see, Groove Gaming already has a presence in Latin America but with the hunger to grow.
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ZenSports
GUARANTEED BET
ZenSports is a platform of sports betting that recently participated in Ice Africa 2018. what we’re offering in the Public Sale in December. Public Sale: The Public Sale in December is for unaccredited or accredited investors interested in investing less than $25,000. The maximum investment allowed during the Public Sale is going to be $10,000 in order to get our token into the hands of as many customers as possible. Also, investors in the Public Sale will have to pay the token price of whichever tranche hasn’t been taken by investors during the PreSale, meaning the token price could be substantially higher than what’s available during the PreSale. The good news is that the minimum investment for the Public Sale is really low -- only a measly $10.
Mark Thomas, Co-Founder & CEO, ZenSports.
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enSports has officially opened up the Token Sale for its peerto-peer sports betting app. The company uses crypto and blockchain to create a decentralized sports betting experience without the need for a book maker and it’s already have a beautiful iOS and Android mobile app available in market that you can download today.
What’s the benefit of investing in the Token Sale? Almost anyone can invest in ZenSports by purchasing our newly created SPORT token. How does this work? Either buy our SPORT token during our current PreSale or upcoming Public Sale at a discounted price. By purchasing SPORT during our Token Sale, you’ll be eligible to earn
dividends from the fees generated on our sports betting platform, as well as be the first to trade our token once it goes live on the cryptocurrency exchanges in early 2019.
What’s the difference between the PreSale and Public Sale? PreSale: If you’re an accredited investor who is interested in investing at least $25,000 into our Token Sale, then you would be eligible to invest in our PreSale going on from now until November 30th. The PreSale is offering a discount of up to 50% on the token price compared to the Public Sale that is taking place in December. In addition, the maximum investment in the PreSale is quite high ($12,000,000), so you would be able to invest a much higher amount than
The PreSale is offering a discount of up to 50% on the SPORT token price compared to the Public Sale that is taking place in December. What are next steps if you want to invest? If you’re interested in getting in on the PreSale going on right now, simply email me back and we can set up a time to chat on the phone. If you’re instead interested in getting in on the Public Sale in December, then there’s no need for us to chat on the phone, but I would ask that you fill out our investor questionnaire so that we can reach out to you when the time comes with exact instructions for how to invest. OCTOBER 2018
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INTERVIEW
Betradar
LEADER IN BETS Currently the company has a large the current presence worldwide and is the official data provider of the most recognized sports leagues. globally for over a decade now. Sportradar arrived in the US market in 2013 and have since become the official data provider of some of the country’s most renowned sporting leagues, including the NBA, NFL, NHL and NASCAR. Now with the decision to regulate the US betting market, the company as a whole has an even greater opportunity to expand our support across the sports, media and betting industries. Our 360 degree offering provides clients, large and small, with everything they need to establish and run their own sports betting business. We already deliver our services to many operators in states like New Jersey, Nevada and Mississippi. We can’t predict how the market will continue to open in the US but we have been preparing for it for a number of years so are ready to offer our solutions to operators as states continue to open.
Lorenzo Caci, Director of Business Development and Strategic Partnerships in South Europe and Latin America, Sportradar.
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orenzo Caci, Director of Business Development and Strategic Partnerships in South Europe and Latin America at Sportradar, talked with CASINO magazine and we hope that it becomes a potential market for sports betting, so they have developed a special product for the region. 12
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Betradar has a long tradition in the sector, with a global presence. How would you define its recent expansion to the US market and what possibilities does this territory offer for your company? Sportradar’s betting arm, Betradar, has been operating in the betting space
As an expert with many years in the gaming arena, do you consider that the sector has shown (especially in Las Vegas) some progress over the last year on relevant issues such as casinos security, the increase of responsible gaming practices and a deeper concern and protection of women and other minorities in the industry? Las Vegas has always been at the forefront in terms of innovation in this space and lead by example in the gaming market, across the US and worldwide. The decision to lift the ban on sports betting in the US will obviously provide even more opportunities in Vegas, and this is evident given many sports leagues are already expanding their teams to this area.
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Obviously, there are a number of potential challenges with a newly evolving market, including the complexities involved in developing regulations. However, as our CEO Carsten Koerl pointed out when the announcement was first made, the benefits of tax revenues, job creation, consumer protection and the overall economic impact outweigh such concerns. As an organisation that provides end-to-end solutions for bookmakers, while serving leagues and associated organisations with data partnerships and Integrity Solutions, we are poised to help shape the framework and ecosystem of the new US betting economy through a safe and secure infrastructure that balances the priorities and needs of all stakeholders.
What sales perspective do you anticipate for the different segments of your company in the next year? Will there be an expansion of Betradar offering to the US and Latin America? The US is expected to emerge as one of the biggest markets for sports betting in the world . We have therefore been developing a US market-ready portfolio of services that operators can use to underpin their own success. We want to continue to position ourselves as a global market leader in the industry, and so the US will be a very important market for us. The American punters are sharp, so operators will need the best tools and instruments to be able to cater to them. Betradar’s risk management solution, Managed Trading Services (MTS), are key for this. Latin America remains a very important market for our company too. Now that countries like Colombia and Peru have become regulated, it provides even more opportunities as a region that is passionate about their sports.
Which are some products’ initiatives your company is developing for the Latin American market? One of the key areas that we are currently focusing on for Latin America is Sportradar Arena. This service
Representatives of Betradar in G2E 2018. provides sponsorship opportunities for our partners and bookmakers to help grow in their chosen market.
In 2019 we are obviously expecting even further growth in the US and Latin American markets across our industry. From increasing brand awareness via impressions on digital channels, to in-stadium and shirt sponsor opportunities, Arena ultimately is a great way for our betting partners to maximise their exposure. As such, we really believe it will prove popular amongst Latin American operators who want to increase their profile amongst the passionate sports fans in the region.
What’s been the commercial performance of Betradar in Latin America during this year? Which countries have had the best results? We have seen real growth in Latin America of late, especially in Colombia. It has been a very important market for our added value services.
In Mexico, we already have a number of well-established clients and continue to see a growth of 20% in the market each year. Hopefully Brazil, as a country who loves their sport, particularly football, will follow the US so that they too can benefit from the opportunities that a regulated betting market offers. The more countries worldwide that have legislation in place the better equipped they will be to leverage from the potential economic advantages, whilst minimising black market betting corruption.
What do you foresee as key trends in the I gaming for 2019? What are the main goals for your company in the next year? In 2019 we are obviously expecting even further growth in the US and Latin American markets across our industry. For us, what will be really important is continuing to work with the relevant regulators and operators collaboratively to leverage the opportunities for increased entertainment that regulated sports betting provides across the entire continent. This is ultimately what our solutions are designed for – to assist sports, media and betting companies in driving greater fan engagement and entertainment that this technologydriven world continues to demand. OCTOBER 2018
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INTERVIEW
Betgenius
INNOVATING IN THE MARKET The experience and knowledge of the gaming industry by the company are reflected in its great growth.
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or fifteen years, Betgenius has established itself as one of the most important providers of technology for sports betting in the world. According to their representatives, the secret of their success is based on innovation and the development of technology, in which we can identify the market trends and, at the same time, offer their customers the most suitable products for their players. We spoke with Mark Locke, chief executive officer de Genius Sports.
What is the trend in your products? An major trend, which has emerged over the past couple of years, is about giving customers more control over what they bet on and how they do it. It is a trend that we have been tracking and are now actively driving by bringing several new and innovative products to market. BetBuilder is a perfect example. The fully-automated product takes single event accumulators – itself a major change in sports betting – to the next level, by enabling punters to instantly build accumulators made up of dozens of different player, team and event markets within the same event. By combining a slick interface with instant pricing driven by machine learning, it gives maximum flexibility for customers and operators alike, as well as having a significant impact on revenue. This type of individual product innovation reflects our innate understanding of the huge growth in popularity of in play betting markets that has helped fuel the company’s explosive growth. 14
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Mark Locke, chief executive officer, Genius Sports.
Betgenius has a long tradition of being, with a very solid presence. How you define this expansion? Having been a trusted supplier to licensed bookmakers for well over a decade, we have extremely strong relationships in the sector and that allows
us to keep ahead of the curve when it comes to delivering value. We like to work in close partnership with our clients to understand their needs, rather than just assuming everyone thinks and acts the same. More recently, we have been acquired by Apax Partners Private
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Equity Group which has provided us with necessary funds to rapidly expand our business to satisfy the huge global demand and improve service to our existing customers.
Another point, how you maintain that positioning? Its not a matter of how we maintain our positioning but more about how we structure and manage the unprecedented growth that we are currently enjoying. We need to make smart acquisitions and scale our offering to emerging markets such as LatAm so that we grow our presence and deliver outstanding results for our customers.
What strength defines Betgenius for this challenge? Experience and expertise. We have learned a great deal about the sports betting industry in our fifteen year history and can confidently offer our customers the best expertise in the business. We understand the potential pitfalls and can help guide our customers around them to become market leading brands that provide the most exciting products to their punters.
What news are you presenting in G2E and ICE Africa? We have built out our presence in the US market over the past three
Betgenius received a significant number of visitors during their stay at the fair.
years since we opened our first office in Washington, DC in August 2006. Since then we have offered our integrity services and expertise to all the US leagues, most notably Major League Baseball and the PGA TOUR, to help educate and prepare the major leagues and casinos for the expected opening of the sports betting market over there. This year at G2E and ICE Africa we are super excited to see our hard work coming to fruition with an overwhelming amount of interest in our sports betting products and services.
The company has established itself as one of the leading suppliers in the world.
What is your vision for the Latina American market? What challenges regarding commercial issues have you come across in that region? As regulation evolves across the region, so does the opportunity for sportsbook brands to find sustainable growth. The likes of Colombia and Mexico have led the way in terms of creating robust regulatory frameworks and there is plenty more to come in the shape of Peru, Brazil and others in the years to come. Recognising the journey towards maturity in the LatAm sports betting sector is why Betgenius has been continually investing in the region – both in terms of product and personnel which is why we established its regional Headquarters in Medellin, Colombia over three years ago which employs over a hundred people and growing. Everyone knows that South America has always been attractive to operators and software providers, but we see that there is still so much more to come in terms of growth. However the market still faces regulatory challenges and is still some way behind, for example, European markets, when it comes to technology and innovation so it will take time for operators and punters alike to realise that there is a whole new world of sports betting opportunities out there and money to made. OCTOBER 2018
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INTERVIEW
PlayLogiQ
A CLEAR MISSION The company aims to be the most flexible and customizable software provider on the market. work hard to build the betting platform we would love to use. This is our mission. We use our proven betting knowledge and experience in the gaming industry to meet and anticipate our clients’ needs. We constantly monitor the market and its trends to be always up to date and provide our clients a top-notch software, knowing how important it is to be competitive in this market.
Margherita Giudetti, chief operations officer, PlaylogiQ.
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layLogiQ is a company based in Barcelona, formed by a group of professionals with more than 10 years of experience in the iGaming and betting industry. Its main strength is to work hard to build the betting platform. Margherita Giudetti, chief operations officer at PlaylogiQ, says in the following interview what were the innovations presented at ICE Africa and the challenges they have in the short term.
How you define your company? PlayLogiQ is a company based in Barcelona, made from a group of professionals with 10+ years of experience in iGaming and betting industry. We faced ourselves all the issues and struggles that working with a software provider can lead to, and this is our main strength: we 16
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operators need to perform successfully and acquire new customers.
What offers to his clients? We offer a complete sportbook solution and all mayor casino providers plus a full payment solution adaptable to all Markets in the form of software provider and white label solution.
What news are you presenting in ICE AFRICA?
We are a start-up and we recently started operating in emerging Markets where we are trying to strengthen our position.
At ICE Africa we presented ‘Limitless’ project. We’ve added 3 new beautifully crafted, professional layouts that give our clients an easy way to quickly build an online presence among each type of players. The modular design allows them to set or select from the general settings menu and to switch to the desired view in a blink of an eye.
We are the first dedicated iGaming Bookmaker Software with extensive knowledge of UX/UI and a studio of bespoke iGaming designs. We create digital experiences that communicate and engage users with companies. Masterpieces are created with fun, laughter, and celebrations.
Sportbetting and gambling in general is on the rise. The business represents a huge potential for entrepreneurs who wish to explore a new challenge!
About the positioning? We are a start-up and we recently started operating in emerging Markets where we are trying to strengthen our position. We aim to be the most flexible and customizable software provider in the Market.
What is your vision for the I GAMBLING – SPORT BETTING around the world?
Latina American market, Is in your plan? We are already present in Latin America and especially in Peru with the website www.timberito.pe. Latin America together with Africa is the most exciting and challenging Market at the moment.
What challenges regarding commercial to next year? Next year could be the year of the eco-
What strength defines for the nomic boom for certain Markets such as Latin America and Africa. We need to be challenge? Experience! We have over 10 years’ experience as operators in Europe and we are able to deeply understand what
well established when the economic boom has occurred. We are working hard to be the best choice for gaming operators!
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Game Media Works
GREAT PRESENCE IN THE WORLD
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ame Media Works is a Cypriot company that has developed Slot Machines for 16 years for markets in Latin America, USA and Europe. For 8 years we have been developing online platforms to offer our retail content in online solutions. As a consequence we have a robust proposal for the B2B market in RGS. GMW currently provides 48 games in HTML5 and 80 in Flash and in six months we will reach 100 games in HTML5. As a great market opening, all HTML5 games have a Chinese language version. You can try our games at www.gamemediaworks.com speak for themselves.
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INTERVIEW
Betinvest
THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY
The company, has been in the market for 19 years, is ready to continue expanding. able around the world. We have always been guided by our goals to grow our company’s network and enhance our ability to set technological trends within different markets. These goals drive us forward to overcome new challenges and seize new opportunities. We offer land-based and online solutions, developed both in-house and by third-party providers, designed to enhance the success of betting businesses. Our team of business developers has over ten years of experience and our IT specialists keep up to date with all the latest technology. We have a dedicated strategy to develop our internationally renowned technology, solutions and services within the US. We are also working on promoting our solutions within the Asian and African markets.
How have you maintained your position in the industry? What strengths enable BetInvest to succeed?
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Valentyn Kyrylenko, VP of Business Development, Betinvest.
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alentyn Kyrylenko, VP of business development, comments in the following interview that they provide a personalized service according to the needs of the clients. He added that his work does not end once the product is delivered. 18
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Betinvest is a long-standing, well-known company within the sports betting industry. How did you achieve your reputation? Nineteen years of experience have enabled us to create first-rate IT products and services and make them avail-
We employ over 850 members of staff, including 350 traders, 260 IT specialists, 140 risk managers and 100 customer managers. This is our main strength. Moreover, our wealth of experience means that we understand how the betting business works. We are prepared to branch out into new markets and we believe that our products and services are the best in the industry. We constantly focus on the development of our technology, solutions and services, improving them on regular basis in line with current trends.
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What does BetInvest offer its clients? We take a personal approach with every client to address their business needs. Our cooperation with clients does not stop once we have delivered the product. We are not looking for short-term profit - our goal is sustainable growth. Our success is only possible due to the ongoing success of our clients. We create a personal team for each client to ensure that our services are fully aligned with their business goals. In addition, we are a sports betting company and we are proud to say that we have one of the largest betting pools in the industry. This allows us to provide a correct and reliable data feed - one of the most stable there is. This is thanks to our extensive experience, the quantity of bets that we have processed and the work we do with clients that has created the perfect synergy.
Valentyn Kyrylenko in G2E Las Vegas.
What news are you announcing at G2E and ICE Africa? To help us to achieve our goal of expanding within the US market we’ve come to G2E and ICE Afica to present our leading product - Sportsbook. It is our core product for the US market. We provide clients with Turnkey and White Label options of Sportsbook, offering: • Full customization options to enable our clients to easily manage both profit margins and the number of sports and markets they offer • A wide selection of innovative third-party products • Flexible payouts, free bets and a bonus scheme for players • Over 40 payment methods • Seamless omnichannel access to terminal, desktop and mobile versions Furthermore, Sportsbook has 30,000+ events per month, over 80 sports worldwide, up to 420 markets in a single event and 3 odds formats (European, Asian and American) which are monitored by over 350 traders. We provide our clients with a
Betinvest is an architect of advanced digital solutions for sports betting industry with over 19 years’ experience.
flexible management tool which enables them to manage multiple risks and understand their players. BetInvest clients also have a personal success manager, a personal trader and risk management team and a personal technical support team. As well as this, we offer simple and profitable products, such as a Lottery solution, Keno and Roulette, with special offers and unique discounts. We have enjoyed meeting so many visitors and are looking forward to forming strong working relationships with our new American partners.
What is your vision for the Latin American market? What challenges have you come across in that region - specifically those relating to commercial issues? Latin America is a very significant region for the American market and also for our company and our current international expansion. The products we offer help our partners to drive their sports betting businesses forward. We understand the potential that this market has. Very soon we are going to open a new office in Costa Rica, which will help us to become more established in the Latin America market. OCTOBER 2018
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SOCIAL
ICE AFRICA 2018 The fair was the perfect scenario for manufacturers to exhibit their new releases.
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he main suppliers of the gaming world met at the international fair ICE Africa, where we obtained the knowledge of the latest opportunities and solutions to enhance and expand the business of its customers.
The event was held in one of the most prestigious areas of Johannesburg: the Sandton Convention Center, on October 24 and 25. As usual, each company innovated its stands with avant-garde designs and models to receive its customers.
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1. Maria Victoria Cabrera and Kate Chambers, Manager Director Clarion Gaming. 2. Stand Sport Radar, Cuan Warman, Sales manager. 3. Mariannna Gauselmann and Markus Wessler, Sales Director Manager of Merkur. 4. Executives of Betway. 5. Iria Mon, Sharne Pillay and Given Mothoy of Betway.
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6. Mateo Dimateo in Mondo Gaming. 7. Maria Victoria Cabrera and Evgeniy Trofimov, Partnertship Executive 1xBet. 8. Tebogo Makamo and MarĂa Victoria Cabrera. 9. Suren Khachatryan, CEO Digitain. 10. Alessandro Fried, CEO BtoBet. 11. Moreno Tanfani, Media Systems Technology. 12. Borut Leban, CEO Iconix. 13. Artur Porta of MGA. 14. Executives of Gaming Laboratories International. 15. BlasĂŠ Gaming, Naresh Kumar and staff. 16 Maria Chunys of Evoplay and Maria Victoria Cabrera.
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Steven Spartinos. Co. CEO Kiron Interactive. Andy Kwan in Hogaming. Thomas Nimsad and Crystal Nadal in Solid Gaming. Simon Pintar of Gambee. Alike Chukwudi and Jonny Clegg, of Betgeniuss. Diego Verano, MarĂa Victoria and Yecenia Mirelles. Marguerite Giudette in PlayLogiq. Kate Chambers and John Kamara, Director of Global Gaming Africa. 25. Quantum, present in the show. 26. Staff of Clarion Events.
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TOURISM / CULTURE
Nature and history in Johannesburg The city harbors a big part of the culture and tradition of South Africa and it also has spectacular landscapes that make it into a destination that you can’t miss. The gaming sector has had a big impact in the place’s tourism promotion.
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lso known as the “City of gold and diamonds,” Johannesburg, heart of South Africa, has the perfect mixture of wild nature, industrialized areas, and modern neighborhoods. It also has botanical gardens, parks sprinkled with skyscrapers, and golf courses. It is located in the prov-
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ince of Gauteng and is one of the forty biggest metropolitan areas in the world. Its location—in the Alto Veld plateau—gives it its ideal combination for its subtropical mountainous climate to be enjoyed by its inhabitants and visitors alike. Which is to say, the city enjoys sunny weather in the summer;
and days as dry as sunny, followed by cold nights, during the winter. It also has around six million trees—in what is considered one of the largest manmade forests in the world—and in this place you can find the largest animals in the region. For these reasons, to many, this is a global city.
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HISTORICAL PARK Three hours from the center of Johannesburg, you can find Pilanesberg National Park, situated in the crater of an extinct volcano that is around 1,300 million years old. Originally, the northern part belonged to a tribe known as the Bakgatla. In 1860, the southern part of the park harbored a set of farms belonging to local farmers, who were responsible for the development of the Mankwe dam, located in the center of the reserve. After one hundred years, this part was bought by the government under the apartheid. There is an average of 200 kilometers of path inside the park and places for picnic. On a road trip, you can appreciate meadows, hills, sabana, and rocky outcrops. Tourists can also observe dangerous animals up close in their natural hábitat: buffalo, elephant, lion, leopard, and rhino (known as “the five big ones”). Currently, this place is a hunting reserve, but it complies with certain established rules. In the surroundings of Pilanesberg there are safari stores, chalets and campings, in the resorts. Likewise, visitors can stay in five star hotels inside the reserve. The place is
also busy since, in the adjacent farm, the Company Sun international built one of the biggest entertainment complexes in South Africa: the Sun City.
OUTDOORS Another one of the natural places that can be appreciated in the city is the Johannesburg Zoo, ten minutes from Braamfontein. It has more than 320 species of animals and it comprises of almost 55 hectares of terrain.
It was founded in 1904 and is currently open day and night. The Botanical Garden is also a part of the wonders found in this metropolis. It is 81 hectares of “green lungs” that offer a real encounter with nature. Its beginnings (1969) were a golf course, the place now has big spaces of vegetation. Among its special zones, there is the outstanding Shakespeare garden, a garden of roses and the principal arboretum.
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HOMMAGE TO LIBERATION South African history is told in one of the most important museums in the city: the Apartheid Museum, open since 2001. This cultural center, the first of its kind, reflects on the rise and fall of the racial prejudice system that ruined a big part of South African development, as well as the triumph of reason that ended half a century of struggle. For these reasons, many touristic platforms on the web, like TripAdvisor, consider it one of the must-see places in Johannesburg. The museum is known as a relevant place in the world because it shows the South African reality in the twentieth century. It has 22 areas with photographic exhibitions, text panels, provocative movie images, and artifacts that show the historical facts of the apartheid. All of this material has been organized by a great team of multidisciplinary professions: historians, designers, curators, and filmmakers. Its creation took place due to an agreement between the South African Gaming Board and the consortium Akani Egoli. The agreement determined that, upon building a casino—the Gold Reef City Casino—existed a compromise of building a museum. To conclude such an activity, 800 million South African rand were spent (more than 11,708 million dollars).
Mandela is still palpable in the streets of Johannesburg and South Africa. Not only represented in the Apartheid Museum, but also in Soweto, one of the main opposition regions against the racist apartheid regime. In this neighborhood Mandela lived, and currently, his house has been made into an open to the public museum. The place still conserves furniture, personal objects, and a tree planted by Mandela himself, among other belongings. Another one of the most outstanding places, with an imposing statue of “South Africa’s favorite child,” is the Nelson Mandela plaza. It is located in the Sandown neighborhood and it possesses a European style that commemorates the national heritage and celebrates international style with South African warm hospitality. Here, you can find other alternatives to have a good time: cafés, excellent restaurants, and more than 88 exclusive stores. Likewise, there is a space of more than a thousand square meters that serves as a concert venue or a venue for any other important event. Each month, there are around one million visitors to the plaza where they can delight themselves with diverse activities that can be done in this part of the city of Johannesburg.
The Apartheid Museum was created thanks to an agreement between the private gaming sector and the South African government.
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Nelson Mandela statue located in the plaza that bears the same name.
COMMEMORATING THE PAST The “Center or origins” is another obligatory spot to see, because it allows you to explore African history firsthand. It was inaugurated in 2006 by the then president Thabo Mbeki. The museum has an extensive rock art collection that belongs to the Institute of Art Investigation Wits Rock. Visitors can also see fossils discovered in South Africa and get to know the contributions that these have had in obtaining knowledge regarding the develop-
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ment of humanity. Likewise, you can also appreciate colonial vestiges and examples of resistance. On the other hand, five minutes away from the center of Johannesburg you can find the Cultural Town Lesedi, a village situated among rocky mountains and forests. Here, visitors are allowed to participate in tribal rituals and see how tribes used to coexist (Basotho, Pedi, Ndebele, Zulu, and Xhosa). Since the tour takes around three hours, it is better to do this in the afternoon so that you can have In the Sun City you can find a bridge of time.
Museum Africa is the social and cultural history museum of Johannesburg.
In the Cultural Town Lesedi, inhabits people with traditional garments and souvenir stands.
the possibility of staying the night and experiencing this fully. The pictures of the leader Nelson Mandela have circled the world (Brasil 2018).
MORE ACTIVITIES
The Botanical Garden has exotic plants and views over the Emmarenti dam.
One of the most important and trendy zones of Johannesburg is the Newton Precinct, propelled since 2000. The place has three theatres, two art galleries, and a busy market. In this neighborhood there is also the outstanding Mary Fitzgerald plaza, where you can find the African Museum and the Market Theatre, historically important buildings for South African history. This is a luxurious zone that also possesses an interesting mining area to visit: the Crown Mine Shaft, where it is explained how gold extraction was done a hundred years ago and how it is done now. With more than a hundred years of standing, the Art Museum of Johannesburg is another one of South Africa’s attractive places. In its rooms there are more than 9,000 pieces distributed in five stops, in which you can find masterpieces by Picasso, Monet, and Rodin. The place is open from Tuesday to Sunday and is located very close to the center of the city. OCTOBER 2018
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