Malta-based slot developer RubyPlay achieved a surprising success in the £100K Slots Championship at Lottoland with Quest of Gods. 

As a newcomer, RubyPlay hoped for a good showing in the Quarter Final against the legendary Gonzo’s Quest, but pulled off a dramatic 83% to 17% win. This was followed by an even more unexpected 55% to 45% win against Holmes and the Stolen Stones in the Semi Final. 

The Final round was even more nail biting, with Quest of Gods going up against Holmes and the Stolen Stones. However, despite taking an early lead, Holmes clawed its way back over the week, and eventually pipped the RubyPlay title to win by the narrowest of margins at just 51% to 49%. 

Reflecting on the competition Chief Operating Officer at RubyPlay, Ittai Zur, said:

“As a new player in the slots market it was a great honour taking part in the Slots Championship with Lottoland. We also knew it would give us a good idea of how our games compare in popularity with some of the biggest slot developers, competition that we have a lot of respect for.

“We are delighted with how Quest of Gods resonated with Lottoland players, and to only just miss out on being the Lottoland Slots Champions of 2020 was incredible.”

While VP Gaming & Sports at Lottoland, Anthony Morris, added:

“We knew that Quest of Gods was popular with our players at Lottoland, but to be honest we didn’t think it would do as well as it did against some smash hit content from other major providers. We look forward to more great games from the team at RubyPlay over the coming months and years.”

AYO.NEWS says:

With competition in the slots market so fierce, it can seem like an impossible task for newcomers to break into the market, but RubyPlay has shown that a plucky team with a passion for games can still make an impact and take on the established giants. Hats off to the RubyPlay team. 

‘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

MGM Resorts International and GVC Holdings have announced a second round of investment in US sports betting and online gaming platform BetMGM. 

Shareholders in ROAR Digital, LLC, the joint MGM-GVC venture operating as BetMGM, has confirmed its shareholders have committed to invest another $250 million USD, in addition to the initial $200 million, bringing the total committed thus far to $450 million. This should provide ROAR Digital with more than $370 million of investable capital.

Launched in 2018, ROAR Digital should be operating in eleven US states by the end of 2020. 

Discussing the news CEO of ROAR Digital, LLC, Adam Greenblatt, said:

“We launched this business to combine the best of MGM Resorts and GVC, and establish BetMGM as a leading brand in the US sports betting and iGaming markets.

“With broad market access secured, our long-term technology foundations now firmly established, and a high performing team in place, this further unequivocal support from our two shareholders will ensure we can achieve leading market positions in this exciting industry that is growing even faster than our initial expectations.

“BetMGM is on track to generate over $130 million of net revenues this year predominantly from iGaming in New Jersey given the impact of COVID-19. With the return of sports and our growing operations across the US, we anticipate rapid growth in the coming year.”

While Acting CEO & President of MGM Resorts, Bill Hornbuckle, added:

“Our investment in ROAR is a demonstration of our continued excitement about the unique benefit of offering unforgettable, premier entertainment experiences to millions of our loyal guests directly through BetMGM. We believe this competitive advantage places BetMGM at the forefront of the most dynamic growth opportunity in all of US gaming and will ultimately deliver meaningful long-term value for our shareholders.”

And, CEO of GVC, Kenny Alexander, commented:

“We see enormous potential for the US market and are delighted to have such a strong foothold in it through our partnership with MGM Resorts. 

“Our stake in BetMGM is, by some distance, the most important and exciting investment that GVC has ever made. We are absolutely committed to ensuring that the Company has the funding and technical resources needed to achieve long-term market leadership, whilst delivering significant value for shareholders.”

AYO.NEWS says:

With the $17.3 billion Eldorado Resorts-Caesars Entertainment mega-merger looking likely to go-ahead, MGM and GVC will have a serious war on their hands as they battle for dominance in the rapidly emerging US online sports betting and gaming markets. 

Expect to see some serious capital flung around, plenty of acquisitions, and a lot of drama – with a prize this valuable at stake, no one will be taking prisoners! 

‘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

Nevada regulators have given the green light for Eldorado Resorts to acquire Caesars Entertainment, in a deal with $17.3 billion USD. 

The merger acquisition has now been approved by the Federal Trade Commission and both the Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB) and Gaming Commission, but is still awaiting approval from authorities in Indiana and New Jersey. 

Nevada regulators have also approved William Hill, Eldorado’s sportsbook provider, to take over operation of Caesars sportsbooks. 

The Indiana Gaming Commission is scheduled to meet tomorrow, the Indiana Horse Racing Commission should meet on Monday, and the New Jersey Casino Control Commission will be convening on 15 July. 

If the deal goes ahead, Eldorado Resorts would become a true gambling giant, one of Nevada’s biggest employers, and could overtake MGM Resorts International as the United States’ largest casino operator – with some 60 casinos and resorts, across 16 states. 

The company would also find itself with a network of strategic partnerships in the rapidly growing US online gaming and sports betting markets, plus several significant sports sponsorship deals. 

AYO.NEWS says:

Clearly, if this merger goes ahead, Eldorado will become a superpower in the land-based casino, resorts and sports betting space, but it will also find itself in a position to dominate the growing US online gaming and sports betting market. 

‘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

Casino and sports betting solutions provider SoftGamings has secured a B2B service license from the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA).

The company says the MGA Critical Supply License will help it expand the reach of its casino and sports betting solutions, and lead to greater cooperation and trust among existing and potential SoftGaming’s partners worldwide. 

Discussing the news director of partnerships at SoftGamings, Irina Sazonova, said:

“We are delighted and proud to receive the B2B Critical Supply License from the Malta Gaming Authority, as it represents a significant milestone in our company’s history and another confirmation that we are on the right track. 

“With the current presence and insight we have, MGA B2B licence is the recognition of the quality of our services and opens doors to new and long-term partnerships. Our current and future partners can be sure they are dealing with licensed and compliant casino software provider, which will lead to further expansion of our business. 

“With the boost this MGA license is bound to bring to our company, we are bracing for what is hopefully going to be a record year for us.”

Malta has long been one of the world’s premier gaming licensing jurisdictions, trusted for maintaining a vigorous inspection and compliance regime.

SoftGamings platform features thousands of casino slots and table games, and a Betradar-powered sportsbook solution, which is also expected to be licensed by the MGA. The company now has offices in Cyprus, Malta, and Latvia. 

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The American Gaming Association (AGA) and Reed Exhibitions have cancelled the Global Gaming Expo (G2E) for 2020. 

Originally scheduled to take place in Las Vegas from 5-8 October 2020, organisers have now decided the COVID-19 situation remains too uncertain to allow for a physical event to take place. 

Explaining the decision AGA President and CEO, Bill Miller, said:

“In light of continued uncertainty around a viable marketplace at a physical G2E show, global travel restrictions, and currently unknown guidance on large public gatherings this fall, we have come to the unfortunate conclusion that we simply cannot hold an in-person G2E this year.

“Health and safety have always been our top priority and the uncertainty created by the ongoing pandemic makes this the prudent decision ahead of critical deadlines for exhibitors planning to participate.”

While Reed Exhibitions Americas President, Hervé Sedky, added:

“We arrived at this decision after thoughtfully engaging with national, state, and local public health authorities, as well as exhibitors and buyers who have shared industry observations and priorities.

“Ultimately, it became clear that proceeding with an in-person gathering simply was not feasible. It is our commitment to use G2E’s platform, as the leading convener of the global gaming community, to continue to deliver unparalleled education content, inspiring collaboration, and innovative ideas as the industry readies for continued growth.”

G2E has been a fixture of the international gaming industry for 20 years, and regularly attracted 30,000 attendees. 

Organisers have said they will be running a series of virtual events for the rest of 2020. 

AYO.NEWS says:

This comes as no surprise given the fact that the US, and much of the world, is still in the midst of an extremely serious COVID-19 crisis, and we have to commend the AGA and Reed Exhibitions for making the responsible decision. 

Unfortunately, despite the accelerating spread of COVID-19, worsening situation in much of the world, and re-imposition of nationwide, regional/state, or local lockdown measures in many countries over the last few weeks, some gaming industry event organisers seem to think the pandemic is over and have decided to go ahead with international events, despite the very clear risks.

Earlier this week the organisers of Mare Balticum Gaming Summit announced it will go ahead, as Europe’s first “post-lockdown” live event, on 6 August. 

‘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 casino game provider Swintt has announced a partnership with Malta-based operator Rootz. 

The launch of Swintt’s series of land-based content popular across European markets including Germany, includes titles like Master of Books, Seventy Seven, and Fresh Fruit. Additional land-based games scheduled for release include Heart of Earth, Perseus, and Fruit Fever. 

The agreement with Rootz also covers Swintt’s property portfolio of games to be released soon, including titles like Monkey King, Panda Warrior, and Royal Golden Dragon. 

Best-known for its flagship online casino brand Wildz, last month Rootz launched its second casino brand Caxino. It is based on the same Rootz platform, and utilises the same retention and bonusing mechanics. 

Commenting on the agreement CEO of Swintt, David Flynn, said:

“I’m very happy to see the hard work of the Swintt team, reflected in this partnership. The team at Rootz are an entrepreneurial and high paced team with a focus on local markets. This matches our philosophy at Swintt and I’m looking forward to our launch in the near future.”

While CEO at Rootz, Lasse Rantala, added:

“We are extremely excited to be an early partner in the Swintt journey to make the most of their approach to delivering high-quality, localised content. 

“With both Swintt and Rootz being young companies with many shared values, we can grow together through close collaboration and form a formidable partnership. The range of games will perfectly suit our players at Wildz.com and Caxino.com.” 

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