GGPoker has confirmed it received a license from the Dutch regulator (KSA) on 1 October, and after resolving any delays at GGPoker.nl during the soft launch period, is now accepting players from the Netherlands. 

One of the first global gambling operators to receive a Dutch license, the localised site ggpoker.nl enables players to enjoy poker tournaments and cash game action, while benefiting from all the safer gambling features required by the strict local regulations. 

Commenting on the launch, Head of Europe at GGPoker, Marco Trucco, said: “The online poker landscape has changed a lot since the closure of the Dutch market, several years ago. Arguably, the biggest difference is that GGPoker is now the largest poker site in the world and the place where everyone loves to play. We’re really excited to welcome Dutch players to GGPoker to compete for the most prestigious poker achievements or just to have some fun at the tables.”

Staying with GGPoker, over the last few months, the brand has also received a Ukrainian license, and entered the Belgian market with a local site.

The operator says it will be matching every donation dollar for dollar until 29 May, with every one donating $1 USD or above also receiving tickets to a flipout. Prizes for the flipout will increase as more donations are collected, and will be announced soon.

All contributions will go to community run fund CryptoRelief, and will help provide medicine, oxygen, and other essential items needed to help India fight COVID-19. For full transparency all donations will be published on the Natural8 website. 

CryptoRelief fund has so far donated almost $1M towards providing #OxygenForEveryone during the current Indian crisis. 

Donations can be made in the following ways:

• Making a transfer (via the Natural8 app) to helpindia@natural8.com
• Contacting the Natural8 24/7 live support team
• Sending Natural8 an email at support@natural8.com

You can find out more about the initiative here. 

AYO.NEWS says:

Kudos to Natural8 and its players for helping India during this unprecedented crisis. Over the last few weeks, we’ve seen several gaming and tech companies step up to help, including British gambling giant Entain, which last week announced a £100K GBP donation, Swiss computer peripherals and software manufacturer Logitech, which donated $2M USD, and South Korean game developer and publisher, Krafton, which contributed over $200K USD. 

The Canadian superstar will kick the festival off in style by hosting an opening night party on April 3, which includes an exclusive music set streamed on GGPoker.TV and a $100K Freeroll Houseparty. GGPoker players will also have the opportunity to play with – and knock out – the artist in his own $10K GG Legends Bounty feat. deadmau5 on April 10.

The full GG Spring Festival will guarantee at least $150 million in prizes, the highest series guarantee amount in online poker history. The tournament series runs from April 4 through April 25, and includes more than 300 individual events, with buy-ins set at ‘Low’, ‘Medium’ and ‘High’, designed to suit every bankroll.

GG Spring Festival headline events include:

• Main Event-H – No Limit Hold’em – $1,500 buy-in – $10M Guaranteed
• Super Millions Main Event-H – No Limit Hold’em – $10,300 buy-in – $10M Guaranteed
• Headliner-M – No Limit Hold’em – $400 buy-in – $2.5M Guaranteed

In total, 39 festival events boast a prize pool guarantee of $1M or higher. The festival will also include community-focused special events and streamed DJs/artists.

“This is going to be the biggest online poker event of all time and will blow a lot of people’s minds,” said Daniel Negreanu, GGPoker Ambassador. “From the deadmau5-hosted launch party and other festival elements to the massive headline event guarantees, it’s a true poker party from start to finish, and I can’t wait for it to get underway!”

Some of the most exciting GG Spring Festival final table action will be broadcast on GGPoker.TV, with shows scheduled on April 6, April 20 and April 27.

New GGPoker players are eligible to claim the poker room’s Welcome Bonus, earn even more rewards with the Honeymoon for Newcomers promotion and automatically join GGPoker’s Fish Buffet loyalty program, with regular cash prizes on offer.

Further details on the GG Spring Festival can be found here. 

AYO.NEWS says:

Did you know that Joel Zimmerman, aka ‘deadmau5’ also has an official slot? Yep, back in November 2020, Microgaming and Eurostar Studios launched an official game. 

Having built an incredible career after discovering poker at college, Maria has gone on to win millions of dollars in professional tournaments, and has made a name for herself as one of poker’s most recognisable and inspirational celebrities.

Check out the video to find out how Maria got to where she is, what the best moments of her career have been so far, and what advice she has for aspiring poker players and those facing adversity.

Don’t forget to check out Maria’s official site here.

Betspin.com was founded way back in 2015 and operated as a casino until its closure last year. Now, it has been rebranded and relaunched as an affiliate casino site, focused exclusively on live casinos. 

The new site offers players a guide to live casinos, highlighting bonuses and promotions for blackjack, baccarat, roulette, and poker, and providing how-to guides for those who want to learn how to play. 

Commenting on the news Managing Director of GiG Media, Jonas Warrer, said:

“We are extremely excited to see Betspin rebranded and repositioned as a live casino affiliate website. It’s our first website that is exclusively dedicated to live dealer games, a highly valuable segment of online gaming that is expected to see further growth in the future.”

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

The partnership makes more sense when you consider that André Akkari, a co-owner of FURIA, is one of the most successful Brazilian professional poker players, and a PokerStars Ambassador. As part of the collaboration, Akkari will be leading a new team of poker streamers, including top Latin American female poker professional Lali Tournier, and Rafa Moraes. 

Financial details of the agreement have not been disclosed. 

Commenting on the partnership Akkari said:

“Poker plays a natural part in Furia’s DNA. It’s all about making optimal decisions in the moment for long-term results. The partnership is a natural step for expansion as we look to move beyond eSports.”

While Associate Director of Public Relations at PokerStars, Rebecca McAdam-Willets, added:

“The team at Furia work very hard, lead by example, and are always looking to improve and evolve.

“This approach, as well as their general ethos, sits extremely well with what we aim for at PokerStars. It will be exciting for us to see what we can bring our community and how we can engage new audiences by working together with such a passionate team.”

FURIA is well-known for fielding a particularly potent Counter-Strike: Global Offensive teams, and recently acquired a slot in the Brazilian League of Legends Championship (CBLoL) franchise. 

The organisation also has commercial partnerships in place with Aim Lab, AOC, GamersCard, HyperX, Legion by Lenovo, Nike, Nvidia, Rivalry, and Unilever. 

In April, FURIA also teamed up with Swiss blockchain-based mobile app solution Blocksport to improve fan engagement.

AYO.NEWS says:

While we see partnerships between betting operators and esports organisations, this relationship seems set to take collaboration to a new level, so it will be interesting to see how it pans out, and if it will inspire other esports organisations to get involved with traditional gaming. 

‘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.

As a sports and entertainment announcer, Buffer is best-known as the “Voice of Mixed Martial Arts”, and has been announcing UFC and other events since 1996 – including in front of a record 23 million viewers in Brazil at UFC 142. 

Buffer is also known for his Las Vegas style, is a skilled poker player, having played many of the world’s top professionals, and even has his own successful slot game, It’s Time!!

Commenting on the news CMO at Twin, Rui Barroso, said:

“At Twin, we could not be more delighted to have Bruce on board as our brand ambassador, knowing he will uphold and reflect the qualities of our brand, as we continue to grow at a thrilling rate. 

“We could not think of anyone better to represent us across all of our markets. Now more than ever is an exciting time to play with Twin, with plenty of unique Bruce Buffer promotions coming up and of course, some amazing exclusive giveaways.”

Over the summer, Twin has integrated several providers including ELK, and launched its brand in Sweden. Twin.com now offers 27 different game providers and more than 20 payment options. 

AYO.NEWS says:

With competition among online casino and sportsbook operators getting more intense by the day, and most product offerings (and branding) being extremely similar and easily confused with each other, high-profile brand ambassadors offer one of the few effective ways to differentiate brands – so it’s no surprise we’re seeing more and more operators enlist them. 

Staying with brand ambassadors, earlier today we reported that former England international cricketer, Kevin Pietersen MBE, had extended his partnership with global betting brand Betway until 2023.

‘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

With Ligue 1 football and all major sporting events in France, and most around the world, suspended due to the pandemic, sports betting in the country ground to a virtual halt. 

According to figures from the recently established French gambling regulator, L’Autorité nationale des Jeux (ANJ), gross gaming revenue (GGR) for online sports betting fell to just €94m for the quarter.

During the French lockdown, from 16 March to 10 May, sports betting operators’ turnover fell through the floor, crashing an incredible 87%. Active player accounts fell by 36%, and the average spending per player was down 32% year-on-year. 

In an attempt to support struggling betting operators, the ANJ did authorise French operators to add betting for 7 more competitions that were still running: Australian football, 1st Australian soccer league, Hungarian football cup, 1st South Korea and China football leagues, Korean baseball, and Belarusian hockey. 

Illustrating the extent to which sports betting was affected compared to other verticals, in total the online gambling market in France saw GGR drop by only 6% during the period, to €323m. 

Interestingly, horse racing betting GGR actually rose during the quarter, by 33%, to €88m, and saw punters bet more, with wagering increasing by 35% to €362m. 

As seen in other markets, online poker was a big winner from the lockdowns, with GGR surging 126% to €142m  and the number of active players growing by 68%. 

Overall, GGR for the French online market was up 8% year-on-year, to €758m, for the first half of 2020. 

AYO.NEWS says:

With the lockdowns hitting almost every country, it’s no surprise to see French sports betting crash during Q2, but after the resumption of sports, albeit mostly behind closed doors, things should improve during Q3. 

Staying with French sports betting, last month online betting operator VBET, which is celebrating a year operating in the French market, was named official betting partner of Ligue 1 football club AS Monaco. 

‘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