Las Vegas-based gaming solutions supplier Scientific Games has expanded its sports betting partnership with Betfred to the state of Colorado. 

Scientific Games will be supplying its full range of OpenSports retail solutions to power Betfred’s recently launched sportsbook at the Saratoga Casino in Black Hawk, Colorado. 

Commenting on the news SVP Sportsbook at Scientific Games, Keith O’Loughlin, said:

“Scientific Games are a well-respected and successful UK operator and we are excited to partner with them as they build their expansion plans in the US.”

While Betfred Group COO, Mark Stebbings, added:

“OpenSports remains a core component of our US sports betting strategy. As we extend our presence across the US, the team at Scientific Games plays an important role in helping us to deliver match-winning experiences for players through its reliable and flexible technology.”

Betfred agreed a partnership with the Saratoga Casino back in January this year, with the sportsbook going live earlier this week. It is the British company’s second US sportsbook to open, following one at the Grand Falls Casino, Iowa, in February. 

Staying with Betfred and Colorado, this week the operator also announced a new partnership with NFL team Denver Broncos. Betfred will benefit from in-stadium branding and other marketing opportunities, helping it establish itself in the state. There are also plans to create at betting lounge outside Empower Field at Mile High, the Bronco’s home stadium. 

Betfred has said it plans to open at least two other US sportsbooks before the end of 2020, including a Scientific Games powered one at Wind Creek Casino in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

Earlier this month Scientific Games boosted its fantasy sports offering through a partnership with UK and Greece-based FSI (Fantasy Sports Interactive).  

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London-based video virtual sports specialist Highlight Games has entered a partnership with ComeOn Group. 

The global agreement will see Highlight supply ComeOn with its SOCCERBET, NBA Last 60, and IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship products to its online and mobile channels. 

SOCCERBET, in both English and Italian single match and league versions, NBA Last 60, and IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship will be made available on approved ComeOn, Mobilebet, and subsidiary online and mobile sites in Sweden, Norway, Finland, Germany, Poland, and New Zealand. 

Discussing the deal Director of Highlight Games, Nick Gardiner, said:

“Highlight Games is delighted to announce this deal with ComeOn Group which further extends its global footprint. SOCCERBET has already proven incredibly popular in the territories where it is live, and we expect the international appeal of our new NBA Last 60 and IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship products to mirror this success. We look forward to working with ComeOn to launch these compelling games in the near future.”

While Head of Betting at ComeOn Group, Lars Thomesen, added:

“We are the biggest international operator in Sweden and a big player in several other markets because we always strive to offer our players an awesome experience. In order to do so we want to offer a wide product portfolio with the best products available on the market. Our brand portfolio holds more than 20 brands and we are happy to partner up with Highlight Games and make their new exciting form of virtual sports available to our players.”

AYO.NEWS says:

The COVID-19 crisis and global sports shutdown really put virtual sports on the radar for many people, and products like SOCCERBET, which use real video footage, have proven invaluable for operators looking to keep bettors engaged through the long months of lockdown. 

Of course, with the very real threat of further waves of the pandemic, and more lockdowns, operators would probably do well to keep investing in improving their virtual offerings. 

‘AYO.NEWS says’ features the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of Pentagon Digital Limited or its affiliates or associates. 

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

Major online sports betting operator Betway has withdrawn markets relating to player transfers.

The move coincides with yesterday’s resumption of the English Premier League (EPL), following its suspension due to the COVID-19 crisis. Betway says its decision to stop offering odds on the movement of players via ‘football transfer’ or ‘player next club’ markets, will help improve responsible gambling and integrity. 

Betway’s action follows two high-profile incidents involving England international footballers this year. In March, Daniel Sturridge was suspended from all football for four months after it emerged he had divulged inside information about a possible transfer. While in May, Kieran Trippier also landed in hot water, being charged with misconduct by the Football Association (FA), for allegedly passing on insider information.

Explaining its decision Betway said it believes “betting on football should be about what happens on the pitch”, and that it is happy to see markets with so many grey areas shut down. The company also called on other operators to follow its lead. 

AYO.NEWS says:

With UK gambling under an unprecedented level of scrutiny, and powerful forces now calling for a complete advertising ban along with other draconian restrictions, Betway’s pre-emptive action to avoid more negative publicity is probably a smart move. Of course, whether other operators will follow suit remains to be seen.

Staying with Betway, earlier this week the operator announced a partnership with esports production company Beyond the Summit, and its sponsorship of CS_Summit 6. 

‘AYO.NEWS says’ features the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of Pentagon Digital Limited or its affiliates or associates. 

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Online sports betting and casino operator Bethard has announced it will be ceasing all UK operations in July. 

Bethard was awarded a UK license almost three years ago, but yesterday it stopped accepting new sign-ups, and has now emailed customers informing them that it will be ceasing operations on 6 July 2020. 

Existing customers will still be able to log in and use Bethard services until the 6 July. Any bets still open after that date will be voided, and customers will have five weeks to withdraw their balances. 

The operator, which is also licensed in Malta, Sweden, Spain, Denmark, and Ireland, has not given a reason for its decision to withdraw from the UK market. 

AYO.NEWS says:

Though Bethard hasn’t yet provided a reason for its decision to withdraw from the UK, anyone familiar with the industry will appreciate that though the UK may still be the biggest single regulated market, it is rapidly becoming an over-regulated nightmare, with operators regularly taking flak from the Gambling Commission, Advertising Standards Authority, politicians, and mainstream media. Of course, the COVID-19 crisis won’t have helped the operator’s sports betting business recently either. 

With the Gambling-Related Harm All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) now recommending a complete blanket ban on all gambling advertising, a £2 stake limit for online slots, a ban on VIP promotions, and other draconian restrictions, we can’t say we blame Bethard for throwing in the towel. 

‘AYO.NEWS says’ features the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of Pentagon Digital Limited or its affiliates or associates. 

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The UK could be on the verge of banning all gambling advertising, and introducing strict new stake limits for online slots. 

The Gambling-Related Harm All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) has called for a ban on all gambling advertisement, including online, and a £2 stake limit for online slots. It has also recommended a ban on all VIP schemes, along with a review of deposit and prize limits. 

Regarding live in-play sports betting, the APPG has recommended the UK should follow Australia’s lead, and restrict it to venues and telephone betting only. 

Since March 2019 the APPG, which is made up of over 50 cross-party MPs and peers, has been investigating online gambling, holding 10 public evidence sessions and meetings with the Gambling Commission – which the APPG has slammed as “not fit for purpose.”

In its report, the APPG said the government should consider implementing short-term changes to the 2005 Gambling Act to ensure it is fit for the digital age. 

Commenting on the report, APPG chair, Carolyn Harris MP, said:

“This multi-million pound industry has destroyed people’s lives. They resist change at every turn and claim to be reforming themselves but put forward limited changes. We cannot ignore this any longer. Urgent change is needed to stop this industry riding roughshod over people’s lives.”

AYO.NEWS says:

Just like Shekarabi and co. in Sweden, it is now clear that politicians like Carolyn Harris are hell bent on an ideologically-driven crusade against gambling. As we’ve seen time and again in the UK, the small minded Nanny State cheerleaders like Harris are determined to ruin it for the majority, to protect a minority.

On the economic side of things, with the UK facing its worst recession in three hundred years, the government would do well to recognise the contribution the industry makes to the economy, and the absolute dependence of many sports clubs on gambling sponsorships. 

We’d say change is needed to stop politicians riding roughshod over people’s lives. 

‘AYO.NEWS says’ features the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of Pentagon Digital Limited or its affiliates or associates. 

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

Sports and esports betting operator Pinnacle has re-opened its Swedish site after a two-year absence from the market. 

Pinnacle’s Swedish license application was approved in December 2019, but the company refrained from immediately launching. However, with Swedish football restarting this weekend, the operator has decided the time is right to make its entry into the regulated market. 

In addition to a wide range of traditional sports betting options, Pinnacle will be offering an extensive range of esports betting – with Sweden representing one of the biggest esports betting markets in the world. Indeed, prior to leaving the market in 2018, the operator reported consistent double-digit growth in Swedish esports betting.

Discussing the re-launch CEO of Pinnacle, Paris Smith, said:

”This re-launch is a proud moment as Sweden is a key market for us, with many loyal customers having used Pinnacle over many years. The Swedish regulator is one of the most respected in the world and we are proud to meet the incredibly high standards they require to be recognised as a licensed operator. We believe that satisfying the requirements in Sweden means we can do it anywhere.

”We left the market on good terms and are returning as a fully licensed, regulated operator. We fully embrace the Swedish regulations and wanted to do things in the right way. Having done so, we now see this as an opportunity to contribute to a serious gaming environment in Sweden long-term and to be a key part in the development of the market.”

AYO.NEWS says:

Given the issues the re-regulated Swedish market has encountered over the past year-and-a-half, with many operators getting burnt by the regulator due to unclear requirements, and the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, Pinnacle’s decision to hold off launching is looking like a pretty smart move! After watching and learning from the mistakes other operators made, the company should now be able to launch without any troubles. 

Don’t miss our exclusive chat about the COVID-19 crisis and esports betting with Paris Smith, CEO at Pinnacle.

‘AYO.NEWS says’ features the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of Pentagon Digital Limited or its affiliates or associates. 

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