Netherlands-based online casino game developer Stakelogic has partnered with online casino operator LeoVegas. 

The deal will give LeoVegas’ players access to the developer’s full portfolio of slot games, including its top-performing title Book of Adventure Super Stake Edition, and Stakelogic’s in-demand features like Quattro & Super Stake. 

Commenting on the partnership Sales Director at Stakelogic, Salvatore Marino, said:

“Going live with LeoVegas, Stakelogic clearly has a louder ROAR than our closest competitors which is a testament to the calibre of our future partnerships.”

While Casino Operations Manager at LeoVegas, Johan Ekberg, added:

“We are delighted to have boosted our casino offering with the addition of Stakelogic’s content. This is an important step for LeoVegas as we continue to strategically diversify our content portfolio. At LeoVegas Mobile Gaming Group, we strive to offer our players the latest and greatest gaming experience and by partnering with Stakelogic our customers will be able to enjoy a new range of exciting and engaging titles.”

Staying with LeoVegas, earlier this month the operator announced the launch of its GoGoCasino brand in Finland. 

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

Gambling and personal finance affiliate marketing publisher XLMedia is struggling to claw its way back from its Google deranking in late January. 

In a trading update, the Jersey-registered company says it expects revenue for the first six months of 2020 to come in at around $27.5M USD, with a forecast EBITDA of $3.5M. This means monthly revenue is currently around $2M less than before the Google deranking. 

The company says approximately half of the revenue drop is due to the deranking of the predominantly casino websites, with the rest a result of the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on the sports betting and personal finance verticals, and the management decision to discontinue media buying. 

Unsurprisingly, the first quarter of the year, which included a period of normal trading immediately prior to the Google deranking, and was only slightly impacted by COVID-19, was more positive than the second. 

In May XLMedia announced staff cuts and a switch to automation and outsourcing in an attempt to make significant savings, and in June it confirmed plans to offload the majority of its Finnish casino assets, along with some other sites, and to refocus its portfolio towards regulated and high-potential markets, including the United States. 

The company says the measures have led to a “healthy cash position at the end of June,” and that despite the effects of the deranking and COVID-19, it is confident of maintaining a strong balance sheet, with cash balances amounting to approximately $27.9 million. 

 You can find the full trading update here. 

AYO.NEWS says:

The delisting of XLMedia’s casino sites by Google really couldn’t have come at a worse time, because they meant the company couldn’t take full advantage of the COVID-19 lockdown driven surge in online casino. Still, the difficult steps taken by the company seem to have enabled it to weather the storm, so far…

‘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

The government of Uzbekistan has formed a committee to select a national lottery operator. 

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s office has sanctioned the Capital Development Agency to select and appoint a national lottery operator and develop a governing framework. 

The agency has the mandate to work with various government departments, including the ministries for trade, foreign investment, treasure, sports, law, heath, and the Olympic Committee to define how the new lottery should be organised and run.

The various departments have also submitted thoughts for how to regulate risk-based games using modern technologies, and how the lottery can best support “socially significant” projects – which it will be distributing at least 60% of proceeds from ticket sales to. 

Reports suggest the Capital Markets Agency is now determining the basic requirements any potential operator will need to meet. 

Uzbekistan’s national lottery has a lot of political weight behind it, with Prime Minister Abdulla Nigmatovich Aripov overseeing its development. 

AYO.NEWS says:

Uzbekistan really isn’t somewhere you hear much about, but with a population of just under 33 million it’s got plenty of development potential. Perhaps most interesting is the fact that, as a predominantly Islamic nation (88% according to Wikipedia), it’s even considering a lottery! 

We’re presuming that, given the lack of local technology and platform providers, the Uzbek government will be looking to work with a foreign supplier, so it will be interesting to see who submits proposals. 

‘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

Malta-based Genesis Global has said it will “vigorously” appeal the UKGC’s decision to suspend its operating license. 

As we reported yesterday, the license suspension came into effect on 20 July and affects brands including Casoola.com, Casinoplanet.com, Kassu.com, Casinocruise.com, Casinogods.com, Casinojoy.com, Genesiscasino.com, Pelaa.com, Sloty.com, Spela.com, Spinit.com, and Vegashero.com. 

The UKGC said it had taken the decision to suspend Genesis Global’s license, while it conducted an investigation, because it suspected the company of breaching a condition of the license (section 116(2)(a) of the Act), and is unsuitable to carry on the licensed activities (section 116(2)(c)(i) of the Act). 

In response, Genesis Global has said it has sought legal advice, and considers the Gambling Commission’s actions to be “disproportionate” and “inconsistent” with previous regulatory enforcement action relating to other operators. 

While the company has said it will cooperate with the UKGC review, it will nevertheless be “vigorously appealing” against the UKGC’s actions “using all channels open to it,” and has expressed its “extreme level of disappointment” with the UKGC’s actions. 

AYO.NEWS says:

While the response of Genesis Global is perfectly understandable, we can’t help but suspect its not-so-subtle reaction to the UKGC’s actions will likely make things worse. Considering the UKGC is already under pressure from politicians for being “torpid” and “toothless,” and its very existence is under threat, it seems very unlikely it will back down or go easy on Genesis. In fact, its far more likely to try and make an example of the company. 

‘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

Isle of Man-based Skywind Group has announced a partnership with online casino and sportsbook Interwetten. 

The agreement will see Skywind’s portfolio of more than 300 games, including live dealer games and slots like Wild Five, Big Buffalo, Aztec Reel, Viva Fruit Vegas, Joker’s Luck, The Karate Kid, Explosion, Inca Jackpot and Cheshire Wild, go live with Interwetten. 

Commenting on the news Wanja Gorunovic of Interwetten said:

“With Skywind Group we have expanded our casino product optimally for Interwetten’s main markets. Thanks to excellent graphics, innovative maths models and various bonus tools, slot lovers are guaranteed to have fun playing their games. We look forward to a successful future with Sykwind Group.”

While Oren Cohen Shwartz of Skywind Group added:

“Our games take player engagement to the next level. The gameplay experience and performance will help Interwetten to strengthen its position as a market leader, so we look forward to a mutually successful partnership.”

Staying with Interwetten, last week the operator appointed former Premier League footballer Yakubu “Yak” Ayegbeni as its first Nigerian market brand ambassador. 

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

The $17.3 billion mega-merger between Eldorado Resorts and Caesars Entertainment has completed, creating the world’s biggest casino company. 

A gaming superpower is born

With over 55 casinos in 16 US states, and eight resorts on the Las Vegas Strip alone, the new company, which will continue to use the name ‘Caesars’, is set to dominate the US gaming sector, both offline and online. 

The acquisition also includes Caesars Entertainment Group’s assets in the UK, Canada, Dubai, and Egypt, in addition to the golf course in the Macau casino. 51% of shares in the new company will be held by Eldorado shareholders, and 49% by Caesars shareholders. 

Imminent job losses

Unfortunately, confirmation of the merger was also accompanied by news of imminent job losses in Las Vegas. Addressing the layoffs, CFO of the new giant, and former Eldorado CFO, Bret Yunker, said:

“We remain focused on creating substantial synergies as we bring together these two companies. That will, unfortunately, result in some job reductions. Reducing the size of a workforce is always challenging to go through.”

Though Yunker promised the layoffs would be carried out as “compassionately and transparently as possible,” he didn’t provide further details. Prior to the COVID-19 crisis Caesars employed around 30,000 people in Las Vegas, and 65,000 worldwide, while Eldorado counted roughly 18,000 on its payroll. 

Yunker emphasised that, although the COVID-19 pandemic has devastated casino revenues and the tourism industry in the US and globally, and the company has around $13 billion US in debt, plus obligations to VICI Properties and another real estate investment trust, it had remained steadfastly committed to the Caesars deal. 

AYO.NEWS says:

Though some are sure to accuse Caesars of using the COVID-19 crisis as an excuse to lay off even more staff, the truth is that as more US states legalise gambling the focus will inevitably shift away from the traditional big casino resorts to online gambling. And, there’s no denying that the coronavirus crisis is accelerating this shift. 

Within the last couple of weeks we’ve already seen MGM Resorts International and GVC Holdings more than double funding for Roar Digital’s BetMGM online gaming platform, as it gets ready for the Phoney War to end and the Blitzkrieg to begin. 

‘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