Global online slots developer Booongo has announced a partnership with Swedish operator Betsson Group. 

The deal will see Booongo provide Betsson’s players with access to its growing slot portfolio, including popular titles like Dragon Pearls, Great Panda, and Aztec Sun. Betsson will also benefit from access to Booongo’s range of proprietary in-game promotional tools. 

Commenting on the news Commercial Director of Booongo, Sebastian Damian, said:

“Betsson is a global leader within our industry and this new partnership underlines just how far we have come. We are delighted to be working with Betsson as our portfolio goes from strength to strength and look forward to a long and successful relationship.”

While Product Director at Betsson Group, Ciara Nic Liam, added:

“Booongo’s impressive offering of both slot games and promotional tools is something that we are very eager to deliver to our players.

“With a strong roadmap featuring thrilling content to go live in the coming months, we are very pleased with this agreement and look forward to it being a success.”

Booongo is headquartered in Curacao and Taiwan, and has a development office in Ukraine.

Staying with Betsson Group, last month the company entered an agreement with Scientific Games in the United States, covering the provision of the Open Trade platform, and also launched a new production studio in Stockholm. 

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Swedish iGaming platform provider Bejoynd has partnered with player protection specialist Mindway AI.

Mindway AI employs artificial intelligence to ensure player protection through the precise detection of at-risk and problem gamblers via its GameScanner product.

According to the company, GameScanner is an artificial intelligence solution “based on neuroscience which – fully automatically – identifies problem gambling behaviour with the same performance as expert psychologists.” 

Commenting on the collaboration COO of Bejoynd, Mahmoud Haidar, said:

“It is important for us to take responsibility and to see in what direction the world is going in the iGaming industry. In our collaboration with Mindway, the customers can focus more on the fun parts of gambling but still be responsible.”

While CEO of Mindway AI, Rasmus Kjaergaard, added:

“We are very excited about joining forces with Bejoynd and creating synergy by combining their state-of-the-art software solutions with our award-winning GameScanner. We see our new partnership as a great step towards making sustainable gambling more easily accessible to operators and as a result also to gamblers.”

Last year Copenhagen-based affiliate company Better Collective invested in Mindway AI, acquiring 19.99% of shares for a total of 4 million DKK (€540K), with the option to acquire the remaining shares for a price of 20 million DKK (€2.68M) subject to performance-based conditions. As part of the deal, Better Collective also provided a 4 million DKK (€540K) loan to Mindway AI.

AYO.NEWS says:

With regulatory compliance, KYC, and player protection requirements getting to the point where they can easily overwhelm traditional systems, artificial intelligence offers the promise of an efficient and effective solution, allowing operators to focus on providing the best service, and players to focus on having fun. 

Staying with all things AI, as we reported earlier today, global tech giant IBM has made its first entry into esports, forming an artificial intelligence and cloud computing-focused partnership with Overwatch League. 

‘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.

Online casino supplier Evolution has agreed a deal to supply William Hill with live casino content in the United States. 

William Hill will launch live content, streamed from Evolution’s Atlantic City studio, across its US markets, starting with New Jersey. The operator is also active in Indiana, West Virginia, Iowa, Florida, Mississippi, New Mexico, Delaware, and Rhode Island.

Commenting on the news CEO Malta and chief commercial officer for Evolution, Johan Nordstrom, said:

“We are very proud to have been selected by William Hill US. Our Live Casino solutions have been instrumental to make William Hill’s Live Casino a stand-out offering in regulated European markets. We very much look forward to achieving the same high levels of success for William Hill in the United States.”

In July Evolution announced a strategic alliance with INTRALOT, covering the supply of live gaming across INTRALOT’s complete global market – which covers 44 regulated jurisdictions. 

AYO.NEWS says:

Though online gaming in general has seen healthy growth this year, the live casino vertical seems to have particularly benefited from the ‘stay at home’ culture of the COVID age – likely because it offers players a sense of social interaction. 

Staying with live casino, earlier this week Playtech announced it is significantly expanding its Romanian Live Casino operations, doubling the number of tables, and catering for more markets. 

‘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 gambling company Kindred Group has adopted targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in line with the Paris Agreement. 

By 2023, the company is aiming to reduce 85% of absolute scope 1 and 2 emissions (market-based) from a 2018 base year, by purchasing certificates of origin. It also aims to reduce business travel by 30% by 2023, again from a 2018 base year. 

The targets are considered to be science-based in line with IPCC 1.5°C and IPCC 2°C ambition levels – and will help towards the Paris Agreement’s goal of limiting temperature rise to below 2°C andthe ambition to limit it further to below 1.5°C.

Commenting on the initiative CEO of Kindred Group, Henrik Tjärnström, said:

“We know that businesses have an important role to play in fighting climate change and we are committed to doing our bit for the planet. 

“Our science-based carbon-reduction targets focus on cutting carbon emissions across our data centres, offices and business travel activities. They are also linked to our 2023 ambition to procure 100 per cent of our electricity from renewable sources of energy where we can.”

AYO.NEWS says:

It’s always good to be efficient, and this is obviously a well intentioned initiative. But, with the entire “carbon dioxide causes global warming” theory now giving way to the unsettling realisation that climate change is actually primarily driven by solar forcing and other factors in space (hardly a surprise given that our tiny rock exists in space) – and yes, even the IPCC’s latest data sets acknowledge this – it’s not going to make any real difference to the environment.  Still, it will make Greta Thunberg and her flock happy. 

Staying with energy efficiency, yesterday we reported the Mobility Open Blockchain Initiative (MOBI) is aiming to make electric vehicle charging and energy storage more efficient with a new global standard. 

‘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

A new online iGaming brand, Eyas Gaming, is aiming to strike gold in the newly regulated German online gambling market. 

Backed by the German gaming giant Gauselmann Group, Eyas Gaming is led by Joe Saumarez-Smith (Chairman), Michael Brady (CEO) and Adam Joseph (COO), and is planning to launch in July 2021 when the German market should be fully regulated.

Eyas Gaming’s offering will use the Bede Gaming network, which Gauselmann acquired in March 2020, for all its operations. Games will be provided by Gauselmann’s Blueprint and Edict divisions.

Discussing plans, Saumarez-Smith said:

“The regulation of the German market is a very exciting time and a huge opportunity for us. The proposed rules for the German market will present some big challenges for all operators but we think that we will be able to build a market-leading product with Merkur that is specific to the German market and the new regulatory regime.”

While founder and CEO of the Gauselmann Group, Paul Gauselmann, added:

“I am thrilled about this collaboration. The operational experience of our partners in conjunction with our technological platform as well as our renowned Merkur games will enable us to successfully establish online offerings in Germany and other regulated markets.”

AYO.NEWS says:

While Germany is obviously a huge market, given the stringent rules regarding wagering, play, and marketing that will be coming into effect next year, it’s not going to be cakewalk to make online casinos commercially successful. Saying that, Gauselmann knows the market well, and should stand as good a chance as any. 

‘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

Inspired Entertainment has teamed up with Ladbrokes to create the Ladbrokes Greatest Ever Cox Plate – a virtual race featuring stars from across the world and time. 

Timed to coincide with the 100th running of Australia’s WFA Championship, the Ladbrokes Cox Plate at Moonee Valley, on Saturday, 24 October, the Greatest Ever Cox Plate will be broadcast across Australia on 7Two on Friday, 23 October. 

According to Inspired, the virtual event will take place on an ultra-realistic 3D computer generated version of the Ladbrokes Cox Plate, incorporating an accurate re-creation of the notoriously tight Moonee Valley circuit in Melbourne and the atmosphere of the Cox Plate Carnival.

Probabilities of potential finishing positions, and the results of the race itself, will be determined by sophisticated software that analyses historical information about the horses and their racing records. 

Betting will be available exclusively through Ladbrokes and will be restricted to a maximum $20 fixed win bet to meet regulatory requirements.

Commenting on the news Ladbrokes Australia Chief Executive, Dean Shannon, said:

“At Ladbrokes we are racing fanatics. We love the sport’s history, and as the major partner of the Ladbrokes Cox Plate, we wanted to produce something that served as an appropriate tribute to the 100th running of the great race. 

“We can’t wait to see how some of the great champions of the past stack up against the likes of Winx, and we hope by introducing Secretariat, Deep Impact and Frankel to the mix it will only add to the intrigue and interest.”

While Chief Commercial Officer for Virtual Sports at Inspired Entertainment, Steve Rogers, added:

“We are excited for the opportunity to develop this landmark race with the addition of some international legends and showcase the quality of our state-of -art virtual sports.”

AYO.NEWS says:

While virtual horse racing has been around for some time now, and is widely available at online and retail bookmakers, since the COVID-19 pandemic hit we’ve seen the technology make an entrance into mainstream entertainment. 

For example, earlier this year, with the real event cancelled due to the crisis, Inspired Entertainment teamed up with a number of British bookmakers to create a Virtual Grand National, which was televised on ITV and raised £2.6M for the National Health Service. In May, Inspired also ran a Virtual Kentucky Derby, which drew attention from numerous mainstream media. 

We’re not sure real horses should be worried just yet though.

‘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