Monthly Archives: July 2020

Football Index partners with beBettor on Affordability

28th July 2020, London 

Under the partnership, Football Index will use beBettor’s geo-affordability data to provide an automated and scalable solution for considering customer affordability. The affordability data beBettor provides, enables operators to tailor customer interactions to the individual and protect customers from gambling related harms associated with spending beyond their means, whilst respecting customer privacy. beBettor affordability checks also identify those most at risk, such as those on the bankruptcy or insolvency registers, to safeguard those who need it most.

This announcement is just one of the Safer Gambling measures recently introduced by Football Index. In June 2020, Football Index launched their new Gambling Awareness Initiative with Nottingham Forest Football Club, highlighting the importance of safer gambling and helping to educate football supporters within local communities about the issues associated with gambling and how to get support.

Adam Cole, Football Index CEO and Founder, said: “We’re excited to announce partnering with beBettor in this critical area of affordability. Their geo–affordability check allows us to understand more about our customers earlier. This partnership further strengthens our safer gaming frameworks and illustrates the importance we place on player safety, which is at the heart of our business,”

Football Index partners with beBettor on Affordability

28th July 2020, London 

Under the partnership, Football Index will use beBettor’s geo-affordability data to provide an automated and scalable solution for considering customer affordability. The affordability data beBettor provides, enables operators to tailor customer interactions to the individual and protect customers from gambling related harms associated with spending beyond their means, whilst respecting customer privacy. beBettor affordability checks also identify those most at risk, such as those on the bankruptcy or insolvency registers, to safeguard those who need it most.

This announcement is just one of the Safer Gambling measures recently introduced by Football Index. In June 2020, Football Index launched their new Gambling Awareness Initiative with Nottingham Forest Football Club, highlighting the importance of safer gambling and helping to educate football supporters within local communities about the issues associated with gambling and how to get support.

Adam Cole, Football Index CEO and Founder, said: “We’re excited to announce partnering with beBettor in this critical area of affordability. Their geo–affordability check allows us to understand more about our customers earlier. This partnership further strengthens our safer gaming frameworks and illustrates the importance we place on player safety, which is at the heart of our business,”

Kazuo Okada permanently blocked from regaining Universal board seat

It’s been an interesting few years for Kazuo Okada, the embattled former CEO of Universal Entertainment. He has been fighting his forced removal from the company on several fronts and has repeatedly dealt with litigious drama from all sides. On top of that, he was ostracized from his closest circle – his wife and children – as the onslaught continued. While he may have gotten a reprieve this week in a Hong Kong court, he hasn’t had the same success in Japan. A judge there has just ruled that there’s no chance in hell Okada will be allowed to retake a seat on Universal’s board of directors.

The latest chapter in the ongoing saga centers on a trust agreement that includes two of Okada’s children, son Tomohiro Okada and daughter Hiromi Okada. Through the agreement, Hiromi had 9.78% of Universal through its parent company, Okada Holdings Limited (OHL), while Tomohiro held 43.48%. Hiromi had relinquished her percentage to Tomohiro in 2017, which gave him majority control of the company and allowed him to give his father the boot.

Hiromi later had a change of heart and made amends with her father, leading to an assertion in court that she had been tricked into giving up her share. In February of last year, a Tokyo court upheld the terms of the agreement, but Hiromi, along with Kazuo, appealed to try to get the decision overturned. That appeal has now been rejected, and the trust agreement will stand, leaving Tomohiro in control.

There’s no chance for another appeal, either. According to the court judge, the trust agreement “remain in effect for 30 years, with Tomohiro Okada given control of OHL. This effectively prevents former Chairman Kazuo Okada from returning to the boards of both OHL and UEC, as well as its subsidiary, Okada Manila, within this period. The Tokyo High Court had also previously rejected another petition by the defendant, making the Tokyo High Court decision final and binding.”

Kazuo Okada permanently blocked from regaining Universal board seat

It’s been an interesting few years for Kazuo Okada, the embattled former CEO of Universal Entertainment. He has been fighting his forced removal from the company on several fronts and has repeatedly dealt with litigious drama from all sides. On top of that, he was ostracized from his closest circle – his wife and children – as the onslaught continued. While he may have gotten a reprieve this week in a Hong Kong court, he hasn’t had the same success in Japan. A judge there has just ruled that there’s no chance in hell Okada will be allowed to retake a seat on Universal’s board of directors.

The latest chapter in the ongoing saga centers on a trust agreement that includes two of Okada’s children, son Tomohiro Okada and daughter Hiromi Okada. Through the agreement, Hiromi had 9.78% of Universal through its parent company, Okada Holdings Limited (OHL), while Tomohiro held 43.48%. Hiromi had relinquished her percentage to Tomohiro in 2017, which gave him majority control of the company and allowed him to give his father the boot.

Hiromi later had a change of heart and made amends with her father, leading to an assertion in court that she had been tricked into giving up her share. In February of last year, a Tokyo court upheld the terms of the agreement, but Hiromi, along with Kazuo, appealed to try to get the decision overturned. That appeal has now been rejected, and the trust agreement will stand, leaving Tomohiro in control.

There’s no chance for another appeal, either. According to the court judge, the trust agreement “remain in effect for 30 years, with Tomohiro Okada given control of OHL. This effectively prevents former Chairman Kazuo Okada from returning to the boards of both OHL and UEC, as well as its subsidiary, Okada Manila, within this period. The Tokyo High Court had also previously rejected another petition by the defendant, making the Tokyo High Court decision final and binding.”

Harrah’s New Orleans loses case against state over tax bill

Harrah’s New Orleans just got deeper in the hole. It’s bad enough the casino, like so many others, is scrambling financially because of fallout from the coronavirus pandemic, but an appeals court just made matters worse. The casino, which is part of the Caesars Entertainment family, has been fighting a previous ruling that supported the assertion of the Louisiana Department of Revenue (LDR) that it had to pay taxes on hotel rooms that it had comped for various reasons. The appeals court upheld the previous court ruling, and Harrah’s could be on the hook for taxes dating all the way back to 2001.

Harrah’s had tried to argue that a previous agreement made between the casino and Greater New Orleans Hotel & Lodging Association (HLA) superseded the tax obligations. Now entering its tenth year of litigation, the case has continued to cause grief for the casino while the courts continued to agree that the LDR trumps the tourism organization. As a result, the 10% occupancy tax paid by all lodging properties applies to Harrah’s, as well, even if it offers rooms at other venues for free or at a discount to high rollers or for other special purposes.

The 19th Judicial District Court said last year that the LDR was bigger than the HLA, and that Harrah’s needed to be prepared to pay up. The casino and its parent challenged the ruling, leading to the latest decision by the First Circuit Court of Appeal (FCCA) of Louisiana. The three judges that heard the case voted 2-1 to support the previous ruling.

Contemplating a possible denial of the appeal, Caesars and Harrah’s had reportedly set aside $40 million to pay against any claims coming from the LDR. That’s more than likely good news for Eldorado Resorts, given that the recently-completed merger would put it on the hook to cover any outstanding debts such as the tax bill, should any surprises come up. An additional bill for $40-$50 million would make it more difficult for the company to reduce its expenses by $500 million, which is an integral part of the merger.

Brand value among soccer teams drops almost $900 million

Although some would prefer that it not be this way, soccer, just like other sports, is not just about the athletic side of things. Professional sports franchises exist as a business and, as such, the goal for most of them is to make money. Just like every industry, soccer revenue has declined because of the coronavirus, and all the work put into building up teams and values over the years has taken several steps backward. According to the latest Brand Financial Football Annual report, brand value among the top 50 soccer organizations has lost just under $900 million (€751 million), and more losses could be on their way. 

The past six years have seen brand values steadily climb, pleasing owners, players and shareholders. However, that trend has come to a grinding halt because of COVID-19 and teams are going to be forced to start the rebuilding process all over again. The losses are primarily the result of the loss of revenue streams tied to game broadcasts, commercial partnerships and the matches themselves. 

SBC News points out that Real Madrid, which continues to be the world’s most valuable soccer brand, is worth $1.68 billion (€1.42 billion). A substantial amount by any standards, it represents a 14% drop from its value in 2019. FC Barcelona has been able to catch up as a result, and is now only $7.11 million (€6 million) behind in terms of brand value. That gap has been closed, in part, due to the weaker soccer market and additional efforts led by Barcelona to generate additional revenue.

In England, Manchester United has seen its brand value drop by around $187.4 million (£143 million). That has led to Man U, once occupying second place on the list of most valuable soccer clubs, to relinquish its position and be relegated to third behind Barcelona. Overall, English soccer franchises still remain some of the most valuable in the world, and have six listed among the top ten – 19 among the top 50.

Caleta Gaming embarks on Mexico adventure with new bingo games

30/07/2020 – Premium development studio Caleta Gaming continues to expand its presence across Latin America with the launch of three new Mexican-themed bingo titles.

The games – Señorita Cavalera, Saga Loca, and Señor Taco – feature a range of fantastic bonus rounds designed to keep players engaged.

Señorita Cavalera includes two bonus games: a frightful ‘Path of Candles’ bonus, and the ‘Funny Dancing Skulls’ bonus; Saga Loca features a comic multi-level ‘Bounty Hunter’ bonus where players must search for ‘El Coyote Loco’; and Señor Taco includes a ‘Spicy Taco’ bonus in which the player must be careful to avoid including too much pepper.

Rocio Moitino, sales manager at Caleta Gaming, said: “Caleta Gaming’s unparalleled experience across Latin American markets means we are perfectly positioned to deliver this innovative and engaging Mexican-themed content.

Locals gaming in Korea likely — but not imminent

The Covid-19 pandemic may be a trigger for South Korea to rethink its foreigner-only casino policy, as the country’s casinos struggle with a lack of tourism revenue.

That was the view shared by two experts on Asia Gaming Brief’s latest webinar session, which studied investment opportunities in the Korean gaming industry.

“This Covid is giving us a hard time and because of the situation I think maybe it’s time to rethink about South Korea’s foreign-only casino model,” said Nicholas Kim, investment director at the Incheon Free Economic Zone, which is home to Korea’s first IR.

The full-length recording of the AGB Webinar can be found here.

Gambling companies used to launder funds from Twitter hack

The recent high-profile hack of Twitter saw many of the platform’s biggest names suddenly posting that users could profit by sending them digital currency. A blockchain forensics firm has revealed that at least some of the funds gained from this scam may have been laundered through gambling sites.

After analyzing the wallet addresses posted by the hacked Twitter accounts, which included former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, as well as Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, CypherTrace determined that a total of 13.1364 BTC ($144 thousand) was sent to the hackers’ accounts.

Of that amount, they were able to trace 0.018 BTC, or roughly $200, to a digital currency gambling site, where they attempted to launder and cash out the funds. However, they also used a technique called a ‘peel chain’ to launder the funds they received, which involves sending the money around to several wallets, before depositing them to casino sites. It’s believed as much as 0.2 BTC ($2,192) was processed in this fashion.

While advocated for BTC often promote its ability to keep users anonymous, nothing could be further from the truth. Law enforcement authorities and firms like CypherTrace can use the inherent auditing powers of the blockchain to follow the money and eventually catch the hackers. But in the meantime, that doesn’t do much for gambling operators who must adhere to stringent anti-money laundering (AML) requirements. And if those funds are frozen, the operator is stuck.

Aspire Global expands its game offering to Switzerland

Earlier this month Pariplay received ISO/EIS 27001 certification which is a key criterion for the Swiss Federal Gaming Board ESBK. Close to 40 of Pariplay’s Swiss-certified slot titles, including Dragons of the North, Wolf Riches and Mystic Manor, are now available to players at Jackpots.ch.

Marcel Tobler, COO iGaming at Grand Casino Baden said: “We are thrilled to be one of the first online casino operators in Switzerland to offer Pariplay’s world-class casino games. We see their engaging content as an excellent addition to our existing portfolio at Jackpots.ch and believe they will be very well received by our players. We look forward to continuing to add Pariplay titles for our customers to return to, again and again, as our content partnership evolves.”

Adrian Bailey, Managing Director at Pariplay, said: “We are very pleased to already be moving into a new market so soon after obtaining our ISO certification, and to be working with a local industry pioneer like Grand Casino Baden and its Jackpots.ch online brand. The newly regulated Swiss online casino space has already proven to be a great success, so we see this as just a first step in a market with a significant future.”

About Aspire Global

NBA reboot brings excitement, nail-biting wins

The NBA restarted its 2019-20 season last night after being forced, like all sports leagues, to take an extended break due to the coronavirus pandemic. Sports fans everywhere were glued to their TVs, tablets, computers or whatever device they needed to use to catch the games, and they weren’t disappointed. With the LA Lakers taking on the LA Clippers and the Utah Jazz going up against the New Orleans Pelicans, there was a lot to look forward to, and all players brought their best to give fans a show. 

As expected, all players, coaches and referees took a knee as the National Anthem was being played, with virtually everyone sporting a “Black Lives Matter” t-shirt until after the music stopped. Removing the garments and revealing their usual jerseys, as well as footwear, players had added messages, with the NBA’s approval, to continue driving home the importance of social and racial equity. Among the messages were “Equality;” and “Say her name,” the latter being a reference to Breonna Taylor, a Black emergency medical technician who was fatally shot by police in Kentucky in one of many cases that have caused substantial claims of abuse of force across the country. 

With the statement having been delivered loud and clear, it was time to get the action started. The Lakers-Clippers showdown was always going to be one of the hottest games of the reboot in the NBA Bubble in Orlando, and proved to be everything expected. While both sides were a little rusty at first, they quickly developed a solid rhythm that would force the game to go down to the wire to find a winner. In spectacular fashion, it would come down to an attempt just ahead of the final buzzer.

The lead in the game went back and forth until the very end. The Lakers were up with just under two minutes left when Clippers forward Paul George threatened the lead and narrowed the gap to 99-98. LeBron James responded with a layup, only to have George come back with a three-point shot to tie the game – 29 seconds now remained on the clock. 

LeTou CEO Paul Fox on the future of gaming in Manila

The future of the online gambling industry in Manila is bright, according to LeTou CEO Paul Fox. An industry veteran, Fox has spent the last decade in Asia and has seen the industry undergo massive changes in Asia. Fox took some time out to speak to our very own Becky Liggero Fontana about the development of the online gaming business in Manila.

Paul was quick to share some insight on how the industry in Manila had developed from its infancy into the powerhouse it is today. “I’ve been in Manila for over eleven years now and the industry has changed massively. When I moved out here it was very much in its infancy and it has exploded since then,” he said.

Paul pointed out that government intervention had played a substantial role in the development of the gaming industry in Manila.  “I would say one of the big differences has been that before President Duterte, the industry was administered by what was known as CEZA (Cagayan Economic Zone Authority) and there’s now PAGCOR (Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation). That’s changed a lot of things and the cost of doing business has gone up substantially and there’s a lot more competition in the market and there are far more Chinese nationals in the Philippines now than there were back then.”

For new operators looking to enter the Asian market, Paul shared his experience of developing industry relationships in Manila.  “I was already working in the industry in Europe and we came out to set up a sports and betting hub for trading,” he said. “We did this, so we could get access to low standard live-sport that we couldn’t get access to in Europe. We weren’t actually targeting the Asian market with sporting bet but just being out in Manila when the industry was in its infancy and you get to meet people and develop further.”

WSOP Round-Up: Events #27-#29 see Nick Guagenti Win his maiden bracelet

Three more big WSOP events are in the books at the 2020 World Series of Poker, with big names and new bracelet winners celebrating epic moments in the Online Series events hosted on the official WSOP.com site.

Event #27 

In Event #27, it was Ian Steinman who was victorious, taking down the 1,940-player event, which cost $400 to enter. With a massive $110,556 top prize, Steinman triumphed at a nine-handed final table featuring players such as Cody Scherer, Lokesh Garg and his heads-up opponent, Satoshi Tanaka. 

The 2016 WSOP.com Online Player of the Year, Steinman won a WSOP circuit event last year and spoke with keenness about sealing a bracelet victory. A year on, and in strange circumstances amid a global pandemic, he’s done it. 

Parker ‘Tonkaaaa’ Talbot wins stadium series event for $261,489

Popular poker streamer Parker ‘tonkaaaa’ Talbot has made money from his classic ‘Team Never Lucky’ merchandise. After winning the latest PokerStars Stadium Series event for $261,489, Talbot might never lay claim to his catchphrase ever again.

One of the most popular players to stream his poker action, Talbot has long had a huge and devoted following. This result was his biggest-ever online score and cements his already stellar reputation as one of the best in the business, not just in terms of playing the game but entertaining thousands while the does it.

With 768 players putting up the $2,100-entry into the event, the top prize of $261,489 reflected the vast total prizepool, with $1.5 million guaranteed meaning that 87 players made the money. Some of those included the popular British player Max Silver, Thomas Boivin and Simon Pedersen.

On the final table, Talbot took control immediately, busting the Russian player ‘LeslieGroves’ after Talbot’s pocket queens had no problem holding against his opponent’s ace-ten. A queen on the flop led to the Russian’s tournament demise.

Imperial Pacific warned that paying casino license fee on time “non-negotiable”

Saipan casino operator Imperial Pacific International (IPI) has been warned to pay its annual license fee on time this year, although the company can’t even afford to refund gamblers’ deposits.

This week, IPI’s former contractor Pacific Rim Land Development asked a US federal court to allow it to claim the roughly $688k it claims is sitting in the casino cage at IPI’s Imperial Palace Resort. In April, Pacific Rim won a $5.6m judgment against IPI for unpaid construction work on the Resort.

Trouble is, IPI is dead broke and Pacific Rim is only one of many aggrieved former contractors seeking payment for work done. Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) legislators also claim IPI is $37m behind in payments to the Community Benefit Fund, payments that IPI is required to make as a condition of its license.

On Wednesday, the Marianas Variety quoted IPI attorney Michael Dotts telling the court that the company couldn’t release the cash in the casino cage to Pacific Rim because it belongs to gambling customers, not the company.

UEFA Europa League preview

Winning the Europa League in any season is a special achievement, but to win it this year could be the defining moment in the history of one of the football clubs still in with a chance of lifting the trophy at the end of August. But who will that team be and who might be their hero? Let’s find some value in the latest odds, with the best prices currently available via  

The Favourites 

The four most fancied sides left in the competition hail from England, Spain and Italy. Manchester United (11/4) are the current favourites and in many ways rightly so. They have a fully fit squad packed with seasoned players like Paul Pogba, Nemanja Matic and Harry Maguire, with an exciting, fast-paced frontline of Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and  Mason Greenwood, all of whom are capable of winning games out of nothing.  

They were certainly impressive in dispatching the minnows LASK 5-0 in the first leg of their Last 16 tie:  

UFC Fight Night: Brunson vs. Shahbazyan Odds

Odds courtesy of OddsShark.com

After spending two weeks at its Fight Island in Abu Dhabi, the UFC returns to its home base of Las Vegas Saturday night with a Fight Night card headlined by a middleweight bout between Americans Derek Brunson and Edmen Shahbazyan.

The 36-year-old Brunson (20-7) is ranked No. 8 among middleweights, a division currently owned by Israel Adesanya – he will fight No. 2 Paulo Costa later this year. Before Adesanya was the champion, he beat Brunson at UFC 230 by first-round TKO (knees and punches). Brunson also has lost to the likes of Anderson Silva, Yoel Romero and Robert Whittaker, so he clearly isn’t afraid of facing the top competition.

Brunson does enter on a two-fight winning streak, last in the Octagon in August 2019 and beating Ian Heinisch by unanimous decision. The majority of his victories, 55 percent, are by KO or TKO. So are most of his losses (71 percent). He is a +255 underdog Saturday.