Live casino supplier NetEnt has expanded capacity at its Malta studio, and entered a new agreement with EveryMatrix. 

Responding to increased demand for its live casino products, NetEnt has added three new standard blackjack tables in its Qormi studio, Malta, and agreed a deal to provide dedicated tables to CasinoEngine, the iGaming integration platform from EveryMatrix. 

Discussing the news Director of NetEnt Live, Andres Rengifo, said:

“Given the recent achievements of NetEnt Live it made sense strategically to expand operations of our Malta studio, building capacity for the future projected growth. Meanwhile, by securing a key reseller partnership with EveryMatrix, we have strengthened our position within the live casino industry as a trusted supplier for dedicated business.”

While CasinoEngine COO, Amund Stensland, added:

“NetEnt is a valuable partner to our business, and we are pleased to expand our existing partnership in live casino. The new blackjack tables are a valuable asset for our clients, and we are certain they will deliver amazing entertainment. EveryMatrix is a flexible provider, always looking to offer operators the entertainment options they need to grow.”

AYO.NEWS says:

With the closure of land-based casinos around the world for much of the 2020, and more people looking for online entertainment, it’s only natural that the demand for live casino services has increased, and NetEnt is clearly looking to capitalise – being in the process of trying to acquire live casino provider Evolution Gaming, which would massively increase its footprint in the vertical. 

‘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 Swedish gaming industry was hit by the COVID-19 crisis in Q2 2020, with gross gaming revenue falling to its lowest level since January 2019.

According to the Sweden’s gambling regulator, Spelinspektionen, licensed gambling operators reported a 4.1% year-on-year decrease, from $7m USD to $6.7m – this despite online gambling increasing 3.6% year-on-year to $4.1m. It all adds up to the lowest GGR since the launch of the regulated gaming market in January 2019. 

Hard hit by closures and restrictions were Svenska Spel’s lottery and gaming machines, which took a 8.5% revenue hit to $1.5m, though the resumption of operations did allow for a 14.7% recovery over Q1 2020. Indeed, Svenska Spel’s Casino Cosmopol chain remained closed for the period, generating no revenue at all. 

Branschföreningen för Onlinespel (BOS), the online gambling operator association has also again called for action to block payments to unregulated gaming sights, urging Spelinspektionen to investigate the level of channelisation in the market. 

BOS itself has estimated the online channelisation rate, a key performance indicator as to whether or not the regulated market is working, as 85%. It has suggested that, if Spelinspektionen isn’t willing or able to undertake its own investigations into channelisation, it should treat BOS’s figures as official. 

AYO.NEWS says:

What can we say? With the COVID-19 crisis hitting land-based operations so badly, logic would suggest we should have seen a bigger shift to regulated online operators (not excessive gambling, just customers moving from land-based to online) in a market as affluent as Sweden. 

However, it seems the negative publicity from certain elements of the Swedish government, combined with significant unlicensed competition, has dampened things considerably. And, with Shekarabi’s insane ‘temporary’ restrictions introduced in July, we should brace for more disappointing results in Q3 2020. 

‘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

Ronald Perelman, the billionaire banker, businessman, and investor behind MacAndrews & Forbes, is to sell his 39% stake in Scientific Games. 

According to the Financial Times, Perelman, who is Scientific Games’ majority shareholder and chairman, is planning to sell his holdings in the company in response to the COVID-19 crisis. 

Perelman’s personal fortune has reportedly fallen by over 50% since 2018, and the coronavirus pandemic has piled on the pressure, causing him to consider offloading some of his investments. 

A Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filling from earlier this year confirms the billionaire has been looking at the possibility of selling over 36.8 million shares in the global gambling technology company.

Perelman has valued Scientific Games at around $2 billion USD, and is said to be planning to sell his stake to Caledonia, an Australian global investment management firm.

In the second quarter of 2020, when the COVID-19 lockdowns were at their height around the world, obliterating the global sports calendar and shuttering land-based casinos, Scientific Games racked up a $198m net loss – up dramatically from the $75m for the same period in 2019. Despite group revenue plummeting 36% year-on-year, online gaming revenue actually rocketed 135% in the United States compared to 2019.

In April Scientific Games announced its COVID-19 corporate contingency programme, which focused on reducing workforce costs, was achieving significant cost savings, and in June the company announced plans to offer a private note worth over half-a-billion dollars in order to boost liquidity.  

Staying with Scientific Games, at the end of last week, the company announced it was launching a localised Monopoly Casino in Spain, in partnership with Gamesys Group plc. 

AYO.NEWS says:

There’s no hiding the fact that the COVID-19 crisis has hit Scientific Games hard, but like other suppliers, it has been spurred to pivot away from its reliance on land-based casinos and sports – something that should help it capitalise on future opportunities, and make it more resilient should the lockdowns return (which looks very likely). 

‘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 and mobile casino content provider iSoftBet has appointed a new Chief Marketing Officer and Head of HR. 

The latest appointments come just months after the company hired a new Chief Technology Officer and Chief Product Officer, and precede plans for a significant expansion in 2021. 

Former Microsoft and Vodafone marketing and communications executive Virginie Luce has joined the company as Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), while former Betsson HR Business Partner Lead Anne Muscat Scerri has joined as Head of Human Resources. 

In April, iSoftBet appointed former Betsson Head of Data Science & BI, Andrew Bonnici, as Chief Product Officer (CPO), and in June the company appointed technology transformation expert Neal Garman, formerly of Helios Towers and MoneySuperMarket, as Chief Technology Officer (CTO). 

Commenting on the hires CEO of iSoftBet, Nir Elbaz, said:

“Our new hires and recruitment strategy are testament to iSoftBet’s commitment to the iGaming industry in delivering innovative and compelling products and services, not only to serve our partners but also to entertain consumers.

“We can only achieve this by having the best people onboard, throughout the entire organisation, and I’m delighted with the talented individuals we have welcomed in the last few months. This will further strengthen the business and enable us to achieve even greater things in 2021.”

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Barclays, one of the UK’s biggest banks, has introduced a 72-hour cooling-off period for their gambling control tool. 

If customers switch off their ability to spend on gambling, they will now have to wait 72 before they can make a transaction. 

The tool, which was originally introduced back in December 2018, is reported to have been used 187,000 times since the COVID-19 lockdown started. It also gives customers the ability to set spending limits, and can be used for other spending, like at supermarkets and restaurants too. 

Commenting on the news, managing director at Barclays, Sian McIntyre, said:

“Customer feedback on our gambling control showed us there was more we could do to help and we’ve worked closely with them to design the solution.”

While GamCare CEO, Anna Hemmings, added:

“The ability to block gambling transactions through your bank card or app is incredibly helpful to those struggling to control their gambling, and is ideally used together with other practical tools such as self-exclusion, blocking software, and specialist support and treatment around the issue.”

AYO.NEWS says:

With a return to total national lockdowns looking increasingly likely (and already confirmed in Israel), even before the full economic and social impact from the first lockdowns has been felt, it seems inevitable that the world is about to witness an economic calamity on an unprecedented scale – with mass unemployment, homelessness, and desperation. 

Given this, it is more important than ever for banks to offer their customers ways to control their spending, so we expect more to follow Barclay’s lead over the coming months. 

‘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

Coingaming Group has appointed a new CEO and COO in a major reshuffle. 

Former COO Maarja Pärt is taking the reins as group CEO, and will oversee a stronger focus on the Sportsbet.io, Bitcasino.io, and Slots.io brands. 

Commenting on her promotion Pärt said:

“Today marks a new chapter at Coingaming and it’s a chapter that in comparison to our beginnings, looks incredibly different. We now have more pioneering projects, partnerships and possibilities than ever before but still, our core mission to disrupt and innovate remains unchanged.”

Former Head of VIP and Customer Support at Coingaming Group, Anita Brinke, has taken over Pärt former role as COO, and will be “overseeing the ascension and outreach of Coingaming’s operations.”

Regarding her new appointment, Brinke said:

“I’m thrilled to be able to take on such a position within the business. Working together with Tim, Maarja and the wider Coingaming Group there’s a sense that everything is possible and as I take on the COO role, I’ll endeavour to keep that spirit alive, ensuring that operationally we’ll also continue to go from strength to strength.”

Following the changes, Coingaming Group Co-founder and CEO, Tim Heath, will be focusing on growing the Group’s venture capital arm, Yolo Investments – who’s portfolio currently includes 44 early-stage fintech and gaming ventures. 

Discussing the reshuffle, Heath said:

“We are very excited to extend our focus into banking and disruptive crypto opportunities, alongside our existing gaming and fintech assets; the future looks very exciting. One immediate benefit of these changes is that we’ll be able to work with our the Sportsbet.io and Bitcasino.io brands, spearheaded by our newly appointed CEO, as investments alongside the other 44 the Group has made to date.”

Staying with Coingaming Group, at the end of August, Sportsbet.io came to the rescue of Southampton FC, after the club was forced to abruptly terminate its three-year partnership with Chinese sports content, marketing and entertainment platform LD Sports after just one year. 

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