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

Gambling technology giant Playtech is significantly expanding its Romanian Live Casino operations. 

Playtech’s Romanian live casino studio space currently features blackjack, roulette, and baccarat live tables, hosted by native-speaking Romanian, English, Spanish, and Italian dealers. The expansion will double the number of tables, and add native Greek-speaking dealers. Colombia-facing tables are also set to follow. 

Discussing the expansion Live Country Manager (Romania) for Playtech Live, Artyom Moskvin, said:

“The unprecedented extension of our Live Casino facility here in Romania reflects not only the significant growth of the local market, but also the major expansion of Playtech’s Live Casino business internationally. 

“By investing in the development of our facilities now, we can support the existing building demand for our services as well as planning for future growth. Expansion into newly regulating markets is at the core of Playtech’s long-term strategy, and by offering additional capacity and native-speaking dealers for a growing range of languages, we can prepare our business and our partners for an exciting next stage in Live Casino services.”

AYO.NEWS says:

The dramatic increase in demand for live online casino games, likely catalysed by the COVID-19 crisis, has seen providers scramble to increase capacity. Just last month, live casino provider NetEnt announced it had expanded its studio capacity in Malta, and agreed to provide dedicated tables to CasinoEngine – the iGaming integration platform from EveryMatrix. 

‘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

Lithuania has introduced new know-your-customer (KYC) rules for gaming operators. 

The new guidelines have been introduced to ensure the country’s gambling sector is compliant with the Prevention of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Act. 

According to the country’s Ministry of Finance Gambling Supervision Service, gambling and lottery companies will now be required to check all registrations to ascertain whether the client is “politically vulnerable,” or residing in a country deemed “high risk” by the European Commission. 

Specifically, the guidelines say:

“The company should try to get as much information as possible from the client. Such information should be collected prudently and efforts should be made to verify the information provided by the client.

“All information provided by the client must be confidential and carefully protected in accordance with the law and the company’s procedures.”

AYO.NEWS says:

While any measures that effectively reduce money laundering and terrorist financing should be welcomed, quite how gaming operators are supposed to ascertain if an individual is “politically vulnerable” is anyone’s guess. 

Staying with Lithuania, in August Ezugi became the first live dealer provider to launch operations in the county. 

‘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

Las Vegas-based gaming provider AGS has announced a partnership with BetMGM in the United States. 

Under the agreement, AGS will supply its online and mobile gaming content to BetMGM’s casino network, including BetMGM Casino, Borgata Online, and partypoker. 

Commenting on the deal AGS executive vice president, Matt Reback, said:

“This is an exciting development in the growth of our interactive business, giving us access to BetMGM’s broad player reach and distribution of our engaging game content through the BetMGM, Borgata Online, and partypoker robust online casinos, which are live in New Jersey and will soon expand to Michigan, Pennsylvania, and other markets.”

BetMGM, which is operated by joint MGM Resorts-GVC Holdings venture Roar Digital, recently signed a similar agreement with Playtech, which has seen its games launch through the platform in New Jersey, and a deal with NetEnt covering West Virginia. In September, BetMGM also revealed its new “The King of Sportsbooks” campaign, featuring Hollywood star Jamie Foxx, and last week announced a partnership with the NFL’s Tennessee Titans. 

Earlier this month AGS also announced the appointment of Brad Boyer as Vice President – Investor Relations, Corporate Development & Strategy. Boyer brings over a decade of experience as a research analyst in the Gaming sector, and joins AGS after a 10-year stint with Stifel, Nicolaus, and Company, where he led coverage of the gaming, sports, iGaming, and hospitality sectors.

AYO.NEWS says:

To say online casino got off to a slow start in what were clearly sports betting dominated early online gambling markets in the United States, the big operators now seem very keen to build their 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

SAZKA Group has confirmed it has completed the first stage of the Gambling Commission’s process to select the next operator of the UK National Lottery. 

The European lottery and gaming operator, owned by Czech billionaire Karel Komárek, has completed the Gambling Commission’s Selection Questionnaire, which is the first stage in the process to select the next operator of the National Lottery – which is currently run by Camelot Group.

Commenting on the news CEO of Sazka, Robert Chvatal, said:

“As a leader in operating lotteries across Europe, Sazka has made no secret of the fact that we would be thrilled to operate the UK National Lottery. The UK National Lottery is a national treasure with a proud 26-year history. Now it is looking forward to the next decade and how it can best serve its customers in a world so disrupted by digital transformation, the fourth industrial revolution and Covid. The landscape from when the UK National Lottery was launched back in 1994 has changed beyond measure.

“At Sazka we have a track record of facilitating the evolution of established lotteries to innovate for their successful future. We are serious about our intentions and respectful of the process we are entering into. We submitted our completed application to the Gambling Commission by yesterday’s deadline. This was an important and exciting moment for us, marking our official entry into the competition. We trust that our submission will demonstrate our professional track record and technical capabilities.

“We are in the process of hiring a team in the UK and are building the partnerships and relationships necessary to deliver in due course a compelling case which is based on a clear understanding of the needs and desires of all stakeholders and customers the UK National Lottery touches.”

The National Lottery is one of the UK’s most popular forms of gambling, and raises around £30 million GBP each week for good causes. According to Camelot, over £41 billion GBP has so far been invested in projects to help local communities, sports teams, the environment, creative arts, the elderly, and youth. 

Other parties reported to be interested in securing the 4th license to operate the lottery include Sir Richard Branson, Richard Desmond, Tabcorp, and of course, Camelot Group. 

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