Monthly Archives: October 2017

Nevada casino sportsbooks set new betting handle record

Nevada casino sportsbooks enjoyed record betting handle in September while falling just short of setting a new betting revenue record.

Figures released Tuesday by the Nevada Gaming Control Board show the state’s licensed casino operators generated gaming revenue of just under $980m in September, 3.25% higher than the same month last year but down around $10m from August 2017.

For the first three months of the state’s fiscal year, the statewide casino gaming revenue total is up 5% year-on-year.

The state’s slot machines had a good month, rising 1.6% to $595.5m, while games & tables improved 5.9% to $384.3m. The table gains were led by blackjack, which improved 4.4% to $111.6m, while baccarat gained 4.65% to $97.2m, craps shot up nearly 30% to $36.5m and roulette rose 3.5% to $32.7m.

UK gov’t gambling industry review kicks can down road

The UK government’s triennial review of the gambling industry has proven far less decisive than industry stakeholders had feared and gambling critics would have liked.

On Tuesday, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) released its hotly anticipated review of the nation’s gambling operators, the key planks of which were expected to include new rules for gambling advertising, greater responsible gambling protections and significant reductions in the maximum stakes of betting shops’ fixed-odds betting terminals (FOBT).

On the FOBT front, the review does recommend a reduction from the current £100 maximum stake to one of four possible options: £50, £30, £20 or £2. The minimum time between spins may also be boosted from its current 20 seconds to one minute “to better reflect roulette in a casino.”

But in true government form, despite having three years to make a decision, the DCMS now says it requires a further three-month consultation with stakeholders to determine the best way forward. This consultation will extend to January 23, 2018.

EiG 2017 day one recap

The first day of the last EiG (RIP) took place today at the Arena Berlin with two more days to follow before the event officially becomes part of iGB Live! in 2018. This year’s focus for EiG is “Generation Hybrid”, an investigation of how to take our operations to the next level utilizing the latest developments such as artificial intelligence, Blockchain, social advancements, engaging millennials and more.

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Pennsylvania’s move to legalize is good, but it won’t help the PA Politicians

Another state, another crisis, another half-baked plan to plug a budget gap without cutting any spending. Legalizing online gambling in Pennsylvania, while certainly an improvement over outlawing it entirely, won’t significantly increase Pennsylvania’s state revenues overall, nor will it hurt or much help the firms currently operating casinos in the state like Penn National Gaming, Pinnacle Entertainment, or Las Vegas Sands. Sheldon Adelson’s aversion to online gambling notwithstanding, perhaps this is an opportunity for him to see that it’s not a threat to his business.

First, spending a day or weekend to have fun at a casino is very different from spending a few minutes or hours on your phone playing poker or slots on your daily commute. Though the two markets certainly overlap somewhat, it’s not like legalized online betting will thin out the casino crowds noticeably. The two activities are qualitatively different consumer experiences and won’t cannibalize all that much.

Second, remember when Chris Christie infamously predicted $180 million a year from a 15% internet gambling tax, but only ended up with $12 million? Something similar will happen in Pennsylvania. There will be a marginal increase in tax revenue but it will be much smaller than the politicians are expecting. The reason will be the same for why this happened in New Jersey. iGaming is not a productive industry. It doesn’t produce wealth. It only produces entertainment by consuming wealth. That’s fine, but that doesn’t increase tax revenue on net, at least not by much. Gaming is a consumer service, and therefore only redirects wealth from other industries for entertainment purposes.

The politicians are expecting the new legislation to rake in $200 million annually from license fees and taxes. Even if they do, they’ll lose tax revenue elsewhere as individuals balance their budgets so the net increase will be much smaller.

Pocket Games Soft integrates with Leander

Developer behind Medusa signs up as latest games partner for the LeGa platform

London 30 Oct: Leander Games is pleased to announce a further provider integration with Pocket Games Software’s (Pocket Games) roster of slots now added to the games available to Leander’s clients.

The games development studio behind such slots as Medusa, Summon & Conquer and Tree of Fortune will be added to the lengthening list of games providers now available on the UK and Alderney licensed Leander LeGa platform.

Steven Matsell, the Chief Executive at Leander, said the Pocket Games content added a further layer of exciting content. “In a short space of time, Pocket Games has quickly established a reputation as one of the more innovative games developers out there. They bring a freshness to gameplay and their designs are top class.”

Silver Heritage marks strongest Q3 with $4.8M

Australian-listed casino operator Silver Heritage Group what it described as the firm’s “strongest operating quarter”

since its initial public offering in 2016.

In a disclosure to the Australian Stock Exchange, Silver Heritage reported that its  July to August 2017 revenues jumped 16.4 percent to US$4.8 million in the third quarter versus the previous quarter.

Silver Heritage operates the Millionaire’s Club and Casino in Kathmandu, Nepal’s capital, and the Phoenix International Club, near Hanoi, in Vietnam.

SIGA welcomes Nevada Gaming Control Board to growing network of global supporters

30 October 2017; London: The Sport Integrity Global Alliance (SIGA) has today welcomed the prestigious Nevada Gaming Control Board (GCB) to its growing network of global supporters, taking another major step forward in its mission to help usher sport into a new era.

Founded in 1955 by the Nevada Legislature, the GCB is a state governmental agency, designed to regulate gaming throughout the state of Nevada. The GCB is the first institution of its kind to join SIGA and will add an important dimension to 100 other members and committed supporters united by the shared goal of protecting the integrity of the sports industry.

Guided by a robust set of principles, the GCB’s mission is to protect the integrity and stability of gaming in Nevada and safeguard its future. As the state of Nevada is synonymous with the growing gambling and sports events hosting industry in Las Vegas, which amongst other things is now widely considered the boxing capital of the world, the dedicated work of the GCB continues to increase in importance.

SIGA has built a close relationship with the GCB over the past year, with Chairman A.G. Burnett featuring as an expert speaker on the Sports Betting Integrity panel during July’s Lisbon Sport Integrity Forum. The GCB has a wealth of experience and an in-depth knowledge of integrity matters, and will offer SIGA invaluable support from a regulator’s perspective in the crucial months ahead. By becoming a SIGA Committed Supporter, the GCB will also benefit from the access to a network of industry leaders and learn from the methods of best practice that are shared amongst supporters.

Product Profile – Neon Jungle

In this interview with CalvinAyre.com’s Becky Liggero, Kevin Reid of 1X2 Network explains why the newest online slot isn’t just all about the glitz.

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iBus Media confirms The Stars Group owns a ‘large majority’ of PokerNews

The long-held rumours that The Stars Group owned PokerNews has been partly revealed as true after iBus Media held a company-wide conference call this morning to discuss a potential acquisition strategy.

In 2015, Red Crow Marketing estimated that companies intrude on the average American firing between 4,000 to 10,000 adverts at them per day. The most prominent companies in the world spend billions of dollars on marketing, and they do so because it works.

If you control the media, you control the people.

And so it’s disturbing, but no secret, to learn that The Stars Group owns a large majority of iBus Media, or the name we all know: PokerNews.

Fantini Research launches virtual trade show

What’s new and exciting in the gaming world? Fantini’s Gaming Show, a virtual trade show and newsroom featuring the latest technological advances and products from gaming industry suppliers.

Fantini’s Gaming Show takes the trade show floor and moves it online, allowing exhibitors that take advantage of gaming industry trade shows to present and sell products can now do that 24/7 throughout the entire year.

“We are using the power of the Internet to deliver a target audience of prospective buyers and business partners in 21st century fashion, and at the low costs made available by modern technology,” CEO Frank Fantini said.

The website features customized pages that serve as virtual trade show booths.

Casino Scouts acquires mobile gaming patent

Patent Foundation for In-Casino Mobile Wagering

Las Vegas, NV (October 30, 2017) – Casino Scouts announced today it has purchased the Robins/Hepworth patent (USA #8,142, 281) for an undisclosed amount.

“The Robins/Hepworth patent provides a foundation for live gambling, enabling activity on a patron’s smart devices while in a casino setting” stated Stephen A. Crystal, Esq., CEO of Casino Scouts. “This technology will be a part of the Casino Scouts app offerings, wherein patrons have the ability to wager and/or play live games, such as roulette, poker, craps and sporting events from their smart device without being tethered to the game or table, while enjoying other activities the casino resort has to offer.”

Crystal further commented that, “Live game wagering is only one aspect of our app.  As we have revealed over the past few weeks, we will be offering mobile concierge and premium content, engaging and relevant to current and future casino customers. This includes tournament and event support, social gaming, daily fantasy sports, and more, while leveraging new technologies to make these experiences better.

WSOPE Review: Chainsaw came close but no bracelet

Another round-up from the World Series of Poker Europe in the King’s Casino, Rozvadov, focusing on a fourth near miss by Allen ‘Chainsaw’ Kessler.

In 2005, Allen Kessler came within a flies foot from winning a World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet when he lost to Todd Brunson in a $2,500 Pot-Limit Omaha (PLO) Hi-Lo event. Five years later, it happened again, this time losing in heads-up action to Frank Kassela in the $10,000 Seven Card Stud Championship, and he made it a trio of close shaves in 2011 when he failed against Brian Rast in the final leg of a $1,500 Pot-Limit Hold’em event.

So when Kessler entered the final table of Event #6: €2,200 Pot-Limit Omaha he would have been glad the ilk of those three titans weren’t sharing the same oxygen as he attempted to win his first WSOP bracelet in a career that spans two decades.

The Chainsaw began the day with the second shortest stack at the final.

partypoker slaps PokerStars across the face with a $100m white glove

partypoker has made their next move in their bid to become the kingpin live tournament operator after releasing a 2018 MILLIONS schedule containing $100m in guarantees and a Grand Final in Barcelona.

Partypoker LIVE continues their trajectory to grind the PokerStars Championship into a fine powder after announcing a 2018 schedule containing $100 million in guarantees.

The jury is still out as to whom is the best live tournament operator between PokerStars and partypoker, but by the end of the year, my gut tells me that the debate will end.

By that time, the poker community will be able to compare the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure (PCA) with partypoker’s Caribbean Poker Party; the PokerStars Championship Sochi with the partypoker MILLIONS Sochi, and now, most important of all, the PokerStars Championship Barcelona with the partypoker MILLIONS Barcelona.

Greenstone 25 exceeds $10m in online MTTS; Polk receives Silver Play Button

Johannes “Greenstone25′ Korsar has become the sixth player to exceed $10m in online multi-table tournament earnings, and Doug Polk receives his Silver Play Button award from YouTube.

Johannes “Greenstone25′ Korsar has permission to leave solitary confinement after becoming the sixth player to earn more than $10m playing online multi-table tournaments (MTTs).

The Swedish online pro hit the milestone after a particularly productive session on partypoker saw him beating 145 players in the $530 buy-in High Roller Warm Up Special Edition for $13,514.52, and 4/217 in the $530 buy-in High Roller for $8,390.63 last week.

Here is a breakdown of Korsar’s results courtesy of PocketFives:

ESSA reports 72 suspicious betting alerts during Q3 2017

Brussels, 30 October: International sports betting integrity body ESSA reported 72 cases of suspicious betting to the relevant authorities during the third quarter (Q3) of 2017. This was made up of 46 cases in tennis, followed by football and table tennis with 8 cases each, basketball with four and two cases each for badminton, snooker and volleyball. A total of 152 cases of suspicious betting have been identified and reported by ESSA and its members during the first three quarters of 2017.

ESSA Secretary General Khalid Ali said: “The figures for this quarter again demonstrate the ongoing threat that faces the regulated betting sector and our sports and regulatory authority partners. ESSA has redoubled its efforts to meet that challenge and invested in a number of key initiatives and activities. Partnership working remains at the heart of that approach, with our recent betting integrity event and general stakeholder engagement programme a testament to that.”

The Q3 integrity report includes articles by international law enforcement body INTERPOL on the organisation’s actions to tackle organised criminal activity related to betting and match-fixing, and also by Matt Fowler, ESSA’s Betting Integrity Officer, who outlines his role and the positive impact of having a dedicated resource in this area for ESSA members and our partners alike.

ESSA holds positions on match-fixing and betting policy forums at the European Commission, Council of Europe and the IOC. It is driving a number of important initiatives aimed at addressing match-fixing and is currently involved in four anti-match-fixing projects (see here), having recently hosted an international betting integrity conference at Lords Cricket Ground in London attended by over 150 senior officials from sports bodies, regulatory authorities, policymakers and other key stakeholders.

Philippine police colonel suspect in junket operator kidnap, murder

A Philippine police colonel is among the suspects in the recent kidnapping and murder of a local casino junket operator.

On October 21, junket operator Oscar Tan aka Carlos Abad Tan and his chauffeur were abducted en route to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila. Tan’s driver was released later that same day while Tan was held after his kidnappers issued a P50m (US $1m) ransom demand.

This ransom demand reportedly went unpaid, so Tan’s kidnappers reduced their demand to P10m, but this too went unpaid when further negotiations failed. On October 24, Tan’s body was discovered near a bridge in Tagaytay City.

On October 27, the Anti-Kidnap Group (AKG) of the Philippine National Police (PNP) were involved in a shootout leading to the deaths of four individuals believed to be connected with Tan’s kidnap and murder. To the PNP’s surprise, one of these four was a serving police officer with the Quezon City Police District (QCPD), two others were former cops, while the fourth was a civilian.