The embattled Italian gambling industry has been given some relief by the government, which has temporarily suspended tax duties.

Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte announced a €25 billion rescue package to help companies, including those in the lottery and betting sectors, with payroll, mortgage and commercial rents costs during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Additional help includes:

• Gambling operators can defer duty payments for slots and VLTs until 29 May
• Gambling venues can postpone concession fee payments until end of trading year, and payments can be made in instalments
• Betting shop and bingo concessions extended by six months
• Concessions extension for slots and VLT tenders expected to be announced
• Bingo hall operators won’t have to pay license fees for duration of crisis
• Lottery, betting and gaming machine suppliers able to temporarily suspend payments to PAYE program

Prime Minister Conte has also urged the EU to allow Italy access to a €900 billion credit fund, ensured by the Union under its ‘European Stability Mechanism’ to provide for longer-term relief measures.

All original content featured on this site is © Pentagon Digital Limited, 2020.

Gambling and financial affiliate marketing company Catena Media has provided a trading update relating to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) crisis.

For January to February 2020, immediately prior to the COVID-19 crisis significantly affecting sporting events outside of China, the company reported a 6% increase in year-on-year revenue to €18m, while adjusted EBITDA surged 20% to €8.9m.

During that period, the casino segment generated 59% of Catena’s revenue, with sports contributing 35%.

Like most gambling businesses, Catena Media has shifted focus away from sports betting, towards casino, to try and dampen any negative affects from the pandemic, and the company has said it doesn’t believe the crisis will have “foreseeable negative long-term effects on the business.”

Commenting on the situation CEO of Catena Media, Per Hellberg, said:

“The world is facing an unusual and challenging situation due to COVID-19.

“Several sport events have been cancelled or postponed, and it is uncertain for how long this will last, but we are holding back on costs and finding alternative revenue streams for the sport segment.

“Provided  the sports events start up after the summer break, our target remains unchanged, to reach double-digit profitable growth in 2020.”

AYO.NEWS says:

As with all the business projections, statements and forecasts we’re seeing come out of the gambling sector, everything depends on just how long this crisis lasts.

In the short-term the immediate worry has been the cancellation or postponement of sporting events, but if the lockdowns and disruptions last for a significant time, then we will likely see many other factors come into play.

Already, in the UK and other countries, there are calls to limit or ban online casino gambling for the duration of the crisis due to a number of concerns. These include people stuck at home developing problem gambling issues, and also the fact that if governments are funding emergency wage subsidies, its unlikely they will allow that money to be gambled away.

Of course, some experts have already said this crisis could last a year or longer, in which case all bets are well and truly off, as entire economies, supply chains, and infrastructure could collapse, leaving online gambling in the dust like everything else.

Right now, all eyes should be on Wuhan, China. Yesterday, after two months, the city started lifting most of the draconian lockdown measures imposed on the 23^rd January. If there isn’t another flare up and re-imposition of the lockdown, then we can all probably breathe a sigh of relief knowing the crisis will probably last only a couple more months.

AYO.NEWS says features the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of Pentagon Digital Limited.

All original content featured on this site is © Pentagon Digital Limited, 2020.

Live casino supplier Evolution Gaming has closed its studio in Georgia in response to the worsening COVID-19 (coronavirus) crisis.

The company, which supplies over 200 operators, said it had closed its Tbilisi studio following the latest guidance from the Georgian government. Operations are continuing throughout the company’s other European studios.

AYO.NEWS says:

Despite much talk of live casino booming during the COVID-19 crisis, as sports bettors look for alternatives, it was just two days ago that we questioned Evolution’s ability to continue offering its full-line up, given the tightening lockdowns across Europe and North America. Realistically, it now seems highly likely that Evolution’s other live studios in Malta, Latvia and Canada, will also soon be unable to operate due to strict lockdowns.

AYO.NEWS says features the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of Pentagon Digital Limited.

All original content featured on this site is © Pentagon Digital Limited, 2020.

Paysafecard is a simple, fast and effective way of making payments on online casinos and gaming sites.

This payment option ticks a lot of boxes for many customers so many online casino operators have made this payment option available, meaning you will find no shortage of online casinos that accept it, with so many casinos accepting this payment method it is important to take your time deciding which is best. There are some popular Paysafecard casinos on offer in the UK when choosing where to play take into consideration a variety of factors regarding the banking method including deposit limits, cashout options, and timescales.

Paysafecard is a trusted payment method, certified and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. It is a multinational online payments company that launched in 2000 and its popularity has spread across Europe to the rest of the globe and can now be used in 43 countries with over 650,000 sales outlets worldwide.

How Paysafecard Ensures Payment Security

One of the key reasons many online casino players and gamers choose to use the Paysafecard is security. It is a prepayment card that allows you to top up and use when required, the full amount you buy is then available for you to spend.

Paysafe allows users to securely make purchases online without needing to link their bank accounts to it, therefore, keeping their debit and credit cards protected. They are very simple to use, you can purchase a card at a sales outlets, these are bought just like a voucher with varying balances from 10-100 GBP. To pay with it is very simple just enter the accompanying 16 digit PIN and the charge will be deducted. If you wish to pay off larger sums Paysafecard can be used by simply using multiple PINs to make up the combined value, a maximum of 10 PINs can be used per transaction. Any money you don’t use remains on your Paysafecard account for future use. 

Managing multiple Paysafecards is very simple, all you need to do is set up an online eWallet called a ‘My Paysafecard’ that will manage all your PINs for you and all you have to do is remember your account name and login. Alongside this you can download the Paysafecard app that not only allows you to use a QR scanner to enter your PINs but also to have complete control of your finances, making keeping a close eye on your spending and balance and managing your accounts on the go very simple.

There are several other benefits to paying with Paysafecard, having a digital wallet is a great way of budgeting casino spending, the app, and eWallet both make it simple and easy to keep count of how much you are spending and how much is left on your card. Another major asset is convenience as its one of the fastest and simplest online payment methods you can use when looking for a way to make your online casino deposits.

The Importance of Payment Security in Online Casinos

Keeping data secure in online casinos is important for a range of reasons, many casino players value privacy and discretion, their casino habits are personal information that shouldn’t be accessed by other people. Paysafecard enables this security and protection of data, by not sharing your personal or bank details with third parties it allows you to keep your assets protected. Paysafecard allows you to ensure your protection and privacy as you don’t need to enter your personal details, bank or credit card information at any stage of the transaction.

To ensure your security make sure you always use an online casino that you can trust that has been fully licensed by the appropriate gambling regulator. Checking this in the UK is very simple as casinos are legally required by the Gambling Commission to carry a license. To find this license simply scroll down to the bottom of the page and the licensing logo should be located in the site’s footer.

It is significant for every player to ensure they are playing at a safe web-based casino, this not only ensures a great gaming experience but also the security of the player’s banking and personal details. Paying with Paysafecard ensures this security one step further by making sure the sites, or third parties, have no access to your bank account, card details or personal information. 

Casino content developer NetEnt has announced 120 full-time redundancies in Stockholm and Malta, as it finalises its acquisition of slot developer Red Tiger.

NetEnt, which acquired Red Tiger in September 2019, says the redundancies are part of its strategy to improve its business, strengthen competitiveness and increase value creation.

The redundancies are reportedly going to hit the Stockholm-based games production and tech teams, and the marketing teams in both Sweden and Malta. Some positions are also going to be relocated to offices in Malta and India.

The company estimates the restructuring will save it somewhere in the region of SEK150m (approx. €13.74m) on a cash-flow basis, from H2 2020. If this pans out, it will mean the originally predicted annual synergies will have increased from SEK150m to SEK250m. Costs of the restructuring are expected to come in at around SEK25m.

Commenting on the news CEO of NetEnt, Therese Hillman, said:

“We are now entering the next phase of the integration with Red Tiger, whose sellers are also becoming shareholders of NetEnt.

“The integration will unleash the full potential of our shared capabilities, create significant efficiency gains in games development and strengthen our position as the market leader in online casino.”

NetEnt has also confirmed it will be paying the £23m GBP earnout consideration, originally scheduled for 2022, early through a directed issue of new B-shares in the second quarter of 2020, with the rest paid as cash in the second quarter of 2021.

According to NetEnt, it has decided to bring the earnout forward, and complete full integration of Red Tiger, because the slot developer’s performance “has exceeded the company’s forecasts by a wide margin and full integration will offer the potential to extract synergy increases for NetEnt, both in terms of revenue and costs.”

AYO.NEWS says:

Ouch, these redundancies couldn’t have come at a worse time for those involved. Despite the online casino industry not suffering from the COVID-19 crisis yet, the unprecedented global economic crash already starting will likely make jobhunting a nightmare. We wish everyone affected the best of luck.

Staying with Red Tiger, earlier this week we reported the developer had expanded its Swedish footprint, going live with Svenska Spel Sport and Casino.

AYO.NEWS says features the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of Pentagon Digital Limited.

All original content featured on this site is © Pentagon Digital Limited, 2020.

As the COVID-19 virus ravages the world, companies, institutions and individuals from across different sectors are stepping forward to help in the fight.

The help is coming in many different forms, from industrial production to high-tech research, and is being offered by companies from all over the world.

London’s ExCel Centre becomes emergency field hospital

Many in the iGaming, esports and tech sectors will be very familiar with London’s ExCel conference centre, as the venue for the world’s largest gaming show ICE London, but now the centre is being turned into an emergency 4,000-bed field hospital to house COVID-19 victims, as London’s regular hospitals already start reaching capacity.

The 100,000 sqm site in London’s Docklands is being urgently converted by military personnel, and will have an initial operational capacity of 500 beds as early as next week.

According to UK defence officials, more than one such hospital is being established in London, and other locations around the UK, including Birmingham’s National Exhibition Centre (NEC) have said they are ready to help if needed.

Car companies gear up to make ventilators

Late last, week famous Italian supercar maker Ferrari and auto giant Fiat Chrysler said they were talking with Italy’s biggest ventilator manufacturer to see if they could help boost production of the vital machines. Apparently, the automakers may be able to help produce some ventilator components, given their expertise with both electronics and pneumatics, and even set up some extra assembly lines.

Meanwhile, Elon Musk has said his SpaceX and Tesla companies will start manufacturing ventilators, and major car companies Ford and General Motors are also said to be setting up production facilities for ventilators and ventilator components.

However, as Musk pointed out, manufacturing the devices is one thing, but “getting them delivered, installed and operating is the harder part.”

We expect to have over ~1200 to distribute this week. Getting them delivered, installed & operating is the harder part.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 22, 2020

Artificial intelligence helps COVID-19 researchers

Last week we reported that researchers from the Allen Institute for AI, Chan Zuckerberg Institute Initiative (CZI), Georgetown University’s Center for Security and Emerging Technology (CSET), Microsoft, and the National Library of Medicine (NLM) at the National Institutes of Health, had released the COVID-19 Open Research Dataset (CORD-19) of scholarly literature about COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, and the Coronavirus group.

It is hoped that artificial intelligence (AI) experts and firms will be able to develop new data mining techniques to help the scientific community answer high-priority questions related to the virus.

From whiskey and gin to hand sanitizer

But, its not just industrial giants and tech firms getting in on the COVID-19 fight either. Distillers around the world are reported to be switching from making whiskey, gin and vodka to hand sanitizer, while other companies are racing to convert production lines to make badly needed personal protective equipment (PPE), including masks, goggles and disposable suits.

AYO.NEWS says:

This really is turning into something resembling a war effort, and the tech industries are well placed to play a pivotal role. Of course, the big question is, with the virus now hitting major cities, including New York, Madrid and London, and hospitals already collapsing under the strain, will the new equipment arrive in time to make a difference?

And, in the longer term, will AI and big data help researchers come up with a vaccine in time to save the world’s economy from complete collapse?

AYO.NEWS says features the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of Pentagon Digital Limited.

All original content featured on this site is © Pentagon Digital Limited, 2020.