Kambi Sports Solutions, Unibet’s B2B provider of sports betting services, has signed a contract with Egasa Group, Spain’s third largest Gaming Group, to deliver a complete sports betting service. Egasa is the second Spanish full sportsbook operator Kambi has signed recently.
The service includes odds compilation, risk management, customer profiling and a technical platform. The contract is initially for two years and gives Kambi exclusivity to develop Egasa’s sports offer online and on mobile in Spain and other Spanish speaking countries in Latin America.
The launch is expected after the Spanish re-regulated market opens.
Egasa, which has more than 30 years of experience in the gaming industry, is the third largest gaming group in Spain and has a leading position in Spain where it operates 76 gaming establishments and more than 7.500 points of sale.
Egasa also operates Casino venues in Croatia, Chile, and Colombia and will start operations in Mexico and Peru before the end of 2012.
“I have followed Kambi and their competitors for several years and I am confident that we have signed an agreement with the best B2B Sportsbook supplier you can find on the market. With the ambitions Kambi and Egasa have, we will be one of the leaders across all channels in the Spanish betting market”, says Carlos Lopez, General Director for Egasa,
“We are happy to welcome Egasa as client. Egasa has high ambitions for their gaming business and we are proud to be a part of those ambitions.” says Kristian Nylén, CEO Kambi.
June 14, 2012
Wynn Resorts applies for its own online poker licence
Wynn Resorts, has submitted an application to operate online poker in the the US Gambling capital, according to the Nevada Gaming Control Board. Wynn is one of the latest to apply as the state inches closer to the first industry of its kind in U.S. gaming history.
Wynn expressed interest in online poker more than a year ago when it agreed to a partnership with PokerStars. The deal was cancelled after the poker site fell into hot water with the federal government.
Wynn is now in talks with Zynga, Facebook.’s social gaming powerhouse, Forbes reported in late April of this year. Zynga has not applied for a license in Nevada.
Caesars Entertainment Corp. and MGM Resorts International, other Nevada brick-and-mortar giants, have had their respective paperwork in for months. Both companies already have partnerships with established poker sites that will be licensed to offer technology to casinos.
Last week the iGaming Post reported that, the Gaming Control Board approved Internet gaming applications for Bally Technologies, Inc. and International Game Technology. The companies head to the Gaming Commission later this month for final approval, expected date is the 21st June for the hearing.
Wynn expressed interest in online poker more than a year ago when it agreed to a partnership with PokerStars. The deal was cancelled after the poker site fell into hot water with the federal government.
Wynn is now in talks with Zynga, Facebook.’s social gaming powerhouse, Forbes reported in late April of this year. Zynga has not applied for a license in Nevada.
Caesars Entertainment Corp. and MGM Resorts International, other Nevada brick-and-mortar giants, have had their respective paperwork in for months. Both companies already have partnerships with established poker sites that will be licensed to offer technology to casinos.
Last week the iGaming Post reported that, the Gaming Control Board approved Internet gaming applications for Bally Technologies, Inc. and International Game Technology. The companies head to the Gaming Commission later this month for final approval, expected date is the 21st June for the hearing.
Bwin loses court bid to have name removed from Belgian blacklist
The Bwin half of online gambling operator Bwin.party has lost its legal bid to compel Belgian gaming authorities to remove its name from the country’s unauthorized operator blacklist. On May 9, Bwin found its dot-com site – along with that of Betfair, William Hill, Stan James and several others – on the Belgian Gaming Commission (BGC) most wanted list. Bwin earned this honor via its refusal to stop offering services to Belgian punters while its applications for land and online Belgian gaming licenses were pending. Bwin’s dot-com site was subsequently blocked by Belgian ISPs, but Bwin continued to email Belgian punters directions to unblocked Bwin domains. Bwin then proceeded to launch legal action against the BGC, demanding €300k for every day Bwin remained on the blacklist, prompting a tit-for-tat suit by the BGC demanding a similar sum for every day that Bwin continued to flout the law of the land.
In denying Bwin’s request, the President of the Court of First Instance in Brussels said Bwin’s claim had “no legal merit.” However, the Court declined to award the BGC the €300k/day fines it had sought, reasoning that since the ruling had rejected Bwin’s claim, the BGC’s counterclaim no longer had a reason for being. Totally Gaming quoted Bart Heynickx, one of the ALTIUS attorneys who represented the BGC in court, as saying the ruling proved that “an online gambling operator that willfully chose to undertake illegal activities cannot expect protection from the Belgian courts.” Bwin has offered no indication whether it plans to appeal the ruling.
The ruling could have repercussions far beyond Belgian borders. Last week, during the Nevada Gaming Control Board (GCB) hearing on William Hills’ 2011 acquisition of Nevada-based sportsbooks, regulators pressed Hills on its late May withdrawal from the Australian online gambling market. This abrupt Aussie exit was widely perceived as Hills’ attempt to shed any regulatory taint resulting from continued operations in a legally grey market. During the hearing, GCB chairman Mark Lipparelli said Hills should have made those legal determinations before accepting wagers from punters in such jurisdictions (rather than doing so only when it appeared to serve their interests in a potentially bigger market). Bwin.party has yet to have its day under the GCB’s microscope, but we’re sure Nevada regulators will have some pointed questions regarding Bwin’s determination to disregard the edicts of the GCB’s counterparts in Belgium.
In denying Bwin’s request, the President of the Court of First Instance in Brussels said Bwin’s claim had “no legal merit.” However, the Court declined to award the BGC the €300k/day fines it had sought, reasoning that since the ruling had rejected Bwin’s claim, the BGC’s counterclaim no longer had a reason for being. Totally Gaming quoted Bart Heynickx, one of the ALTIUS attorneys who represented the BGC in court, as saying the ruling proved that “an online gambling operator that willfully chose to undertake illegal activities cannot expect protection from the Belgian courts.” Bwin has offered no indication whether it plans to appeal the ruling.
The ruling could have repercussions far beyond Belgian borders. Last week, during the Nevada Gaming Control Board (GCB) hearing on William Hills’ 2011 acquisition of Nevada-based sportsbooks, regulators pressed Hills on its late May withdrawal from the Australian online gambling market. This abrupt Aussie exit was widely perceived as Hills’ attempt to shed any regulatory taint resulting from continued operations in a legally grey market. During the hearing, GCB chairman Mark Lipparelli said Hills should have made those legal determinations before accepting wagers from punters in such jurisdictions (rather than doing so only when it appeared to serve their interests in a potentially bigger market). Bwin.party has yet to have its day under the GCB’s microscope, but we’re sure Nevada regulators will have some pointed questions regarding Bwin’s determination to disregard the edicts of the GCB’s counterparts in Belgium.
June 12, 2012
Paddy Power risks high treason
Mischievous betting firm Paddy Power are taking the ultimate gamble: risking a charge of high treason by bringing Her Majesty The Queen to life on any 10 pound note through the augmented reality app Blippar.
Her Majesty having just recovered from her Jubilee celebrations will be sharing her views with Paddy Power on England’s chances, Rooney’s hair, the cheating French, the Germans’ penalty tactics, and anything else that makes the news during the tournament.
Customers will be able to ‘blipp’ any ten-pound note in circulation from today (Friday 8th June) by opening the app and holding their phone over the tenner. An animated Queen will appear on the phone screen and voice her opinion on footballing matters. The content will be randomized and refreshed daily during the full three-week tournament – so customers will see something new each time they blipp.
This is the first time Paddy Power has worked with Blippar. A spokesperson for Paddy Power said: “I’m sure the Queen like everyone else has views on football, but as we’re unlikely to hear them we thought we’d use a bit of creative licence. It might put us at risk of getting thrown in the Tower of London but as we know she likes a flutter we’re sure Her Majesty will see the funny side.”
Her Majesty having just recovered from her Jubilee celebrations will be sharing her views with Paddy Power on England’s chances, Rooney’s hair, the cheating French, the Germans’ penalty tactics, and anything else that makes the news during the tournament.
Customers will be able to ‘blipp’ any ten-pound note in circulation from today (Friday 8th June) by opening the app and holding their phone over the tenner. An animated Queen will appear on the phone screen and voice her opinion on footballing matters. The content will be randomized and refreshed daily during the full three-week tournament – so customers will see something new each time they blipp.
This is the first time Paddy Power has worked with Blippar. A spokesperson for Paddy Power said: “I’m sure the Queen like everyone else has views on football, but as we’re unlikely to hear them we thought we’d use a bit of creative licence. It might put us at risk of getting thrown in the Tower of London but as we know she likes a flutter we’re sure Her Majesty will see the funny side.”
June 11, 2012
William Hill clear hurdle to get 3 sportsbooks in Nevada
William Hill on Thursday received preliminary approval from the state Gaming Control Board to buy three Nevada race and sports book operations in a $55 million deal.
William Hill will acquire American Wagering, the parent for Leroy’s Horse and Sports Place, Brandywine Bookmaking and the race and sports book at the Cal Neva Lodge in Reno.
The new owners said they do not intend to close any of the locations and plan to spend $3 million in improvements before the pro football season starts.
Norman Topping, chief executive officer, said the company accepts 1 million wagers a day. The median wager is $5, he said. It has online betting operations in a number of countries outside the United Kingdom.
However, Board members questioned Topping and others about online betting in Australia, where it is illegal for residents to place wagers. But company officials said operations there were halted.
Board Chairman Mark Lipparelli and member A.G. Burnett were unhappy that William Hill did not check out the local law before entering the market.
Lipparelli said William Hill was a “sophisticated and well-run” company. But he said the company has a policy of “open market to the world” without due diligence in checking the local laws.
Burnett said there are “several unknowns” about Playtech, whom have a 29% stake in William Hill and if that firm is found unsuitable by Nevada, William Hill “will have to take care of that,” apparently meaning a buyout.
William Hill executives said they have an option to buy out Playtech this year and next.
The application goes before the Nevada Gaming Commission for final action June 21 in Las Vegas.
William Hill will acquire American Wagering, the parent for Leroy’s Horse and Sports Place, Brandywine Bookmaking and the race and sports book at the Cal Neva Lodge in Reno.
The new owners said they do not intend to close any of the locations and plan to spend $3 million in improvements before the pro football season starts.
Norman Topping, chief executive officer, said the company accepts 1 million wagers a day. The median wager is $5, he said. It has online betting operations in a number of countries outside the United Kingdom.
However, Board members questioned Topping and others about online betting in Australia, where it is illegal for residents to place wagers. But company officials said operations there were halted.
Board Chairman Mark Lipparelli and member A.G. Burnett were unhappy that William Hill did not check out the local law before entering the market.
Lipparelli said William Hill was a “sophisticated and well-run” company. But he said the company has a policy of “open market to the world” without due diligence in checking the local laws.
Burnett said there are “several unknowns” about Playtech, whom have a 29% stake in William Hill and if that firm is found unsuitable by Nevada, William Hill “will have to take care of that,” apparently meaning a buyout.
William Hill executives said they have an option to buy out Playtech this year and next.
The application goes before the Nevada Gaming Commission for final action June 21 in Las Vegas.
June 06, 2012
Playboy Casino closes down in Las Vegas
Las Vegas high rollers and tourists came to the Palms Casino Resort to get past a red velvet rope and ride up the elevator to enjoy the view of the Playboy Club’s Bunny dealers, who served drinks with the signature hip-swiveling “Bunny dip.”
However, the club closed with a big part Saturday night.
The Las Vegas Playboy opened near the top of the Palms’ Fantasy Tower on Oct. 6, 2006. It was the first Playboy Club opening in two decades.
Nightclub management firm N9NE (NINE) Group, which ran the Playbloy Club and operates other venues at the Palms, issued a statement Monday confirming the closure. There is no word yet about plans for the space. N9NE and Playboy had said in March they each were pursuing other options.
Joe Magliarditi, who now runs the Palms, said Monday that the idea was to “re-concept” the Playboy space. The Palms has been making some changes, including unveiling a new sports book that incorporates poker tables, so players can hold and fold ‘em while watching games and races on giant video screens.
Playboy clubs still exist in Macau, Cancun and London.
However, the club closed with a big part Saturday night.
The Las Vegas Playboy opened near the top of the Palms’ Fantasy Tower on Oct. 6, 2006. It was the first Playboy Club opening in two decades.
Nightclub management firm N9NE (NINE) Group, which ran the Playbloy Club and operates other venues at the Palms, issued a statement Monday confirming the closure. There is no word yet about plans for the space. N9NE and Playboy had said in March they each were pursuing other options.
Joe Magliarditi, who now runs the Palms, said Monday that the idea was to “re-concept” the Playboy space. The Palms has been making some changes, including unveiling a new sports book that incorporates poker tables, so players can hold and fold ‘em while watching games and races on giant video screens.
Playboy clubs still exist in Macau, Cancun and London.
William Hill shuts down Australian betting website
British bookmaker William Hill PLC has shut down its online sports wagering business in Australia, likely to protect its pending application for a Nevada Gaming license.
The London-based company was unavailable for comment Monday, but in an email to customers reported by Australia's Sports Book Review, William Hill said "please be advised that we have taken the decision to withdraw our sports betting service for any customer registered in Australia" and asked its Australian customers to request account withdrawals from the cashier through the "My Account" section of the website.
Australia's Interactive Gaming Act of 2001 makes it illegal for any company to provide casino and poker games to Australian residents. Violators can be penalized with fines up to $1.1 million a day. No company has ever been tried for violating the Australian law, but William Hill's decision to pull out of a jurisdiction where it's not in full compliance with local gaming laws comes as the Nevada Gaming Control Board prepares for an initial hearing Wednesday on the company's purchase of three Nevada sports book operators.
David Schwartz, director of the Center for Gaming Research at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, said pulling out of Australia might very well be connected with the company's desire to do business in Nevada, where failure to comply with laws elsewhere could jeopardize a license.
"Clearly this is a priority for them, Nevada," Schwartz said.
The gaming company spent more than $53 million in 2011 to acquire American Wagering Inc., parent of Leroy's Horse & Sports Place, Brandywine Bookmaking LLC, parent of Lucky's sports books, both in Las Vegas, and also Club Cal Neva Satellite Race and Sports book division in Northern Nevada.
In April, The Guardian newspaper in London reported William Hill's application could be delayed in part to concerns over the company's joint venture with Israeli-based Playtech, whose founder Teddy Sagi spent nine months in jail for bribery and fraud in 1996.
In a recent conference call, William Hill CEO Ralph Topping acknowledged Nevada gaming regulators have expressed an interest in its relationship with Playtech, and required the Israeli company to provide more information.
If recommended by the three-member Gaming Control Board, the Nevada Gaming Commission would discuss William Hill's gaming license application on June 21.
Sports betting continues to be popular in Nevada, which is the only state with legal sports books allowing gamblers to bet on a full range of events and leagues, from the National Football League to the Barclay's Premier League.
Nevada's casino visitors bet more than $2.8 billion on sports last year, the largest amount in the last five years. Gross gaming revenue totaled $140.7 million in 2011, or 4.9 percent of the amount wagered.
The London-based company was unavailable for comment Monday, but in an email to customers reported by Australia's Sports Book Review, William Hill said "please be advised that we have taken the decision to withdraw our sports betting service for any customer registered in Australia" and asked its Australian customers to request account withdrawals from the cashier through the "My Account" section of the website.
Australia's Interactive Gaming Act of 2001 makes it illegal for any company to provide casino and poker games to Australian residents. Violators can be penalized with fines up to $1.1 million a day. No company has ever been tried for violating the Australian law, but William Hill's decision to pull out of a jurisdiction where it's not in full compliance with local gaming laws comes as the Nevada Gaming Control Board prepares for an initial hearing Wednesday on the company's purchase of three Nevada sports book operators.
David Schwartz, director of the Center for Gaming Research at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, said pulling out of Australia might very well be connected with the company's desire to do business in Nevada, where failure to comply with laws elsewhere could jeopardize a license.
"Clearly this is a priority for them, Nevada," Schwartz said.
The gaming company spent more than $53 million in 2011 to acquire American Wagering Inc., parent of Leroy's Horse & Sports Place, Brandywine Bookmaking LLC, parent of Lucky's sports books, both in Las Vegas, and also Club Cal Neva Satellite Race and Sports book division in Northern Nevada.
In April, The Guardian newspaper in London reported William Hill's application could be delayed in part to concerns over the company's joint venture with Israeli-based Playtech, whose founder Teddy Sagi spent nine months in jail for bribery and fraud in 1996.
In a recent conference call, William Hill CEO Ralph Topping acknowledged Nevada gaming regulators have expressed an interest in its relationship with Playtech, and required the Israeli company to provide more information.
If recommended by the three-member Gaming Control Board, the Nevada Gaming Commission would discuss William Hill's gaming license application on June 21.
Sports betting continues to be popular in Nevada, which is the only state with legal sports books allowing gamblers to bet on a full range of events and leagues, from the National Football League to the Barclay's Premier League.
Nevada's casino visitors bet more than $2.8 billion on sports last year, the largest amount in the last five years. Gross gaming revenue totaled $140.7 million in 2011, or 4.9 percent of the amount wagered.
June 05, 2012
PokerStars open up in Spain today
PokerStars launch their new offering officially to Spain today with PokerStars.es, after the company announced it had been awarded a license to serve the Spanish online poker market recently.
This follows on from recent social media rumours regarding the signing of Spanish tennis star Rafael Nadal, which the site’s head of corporate communications, Eric Hollreiser, declined to address.
Regulations in Spain now allow residents to play online with licensed operators and PokerStars have made sure they are among the first to get in there with www.PokerStars.es. According to a recently passed online gaming law, Spanish players can only compete against their fellow countrymen.
Spain now joins France, Denmark, Italy, Estonia, Belgium, Malta, and the Isle of Man in PokerStars’ ever-increasing list of licenses.
Gino Appiotti, President of Licensed Markets – Spain, Italy and France, for PokerStars, said, “Spain is a very important poker market and features some of the best players in the world. As the most popular online poker site in the world, we are very happy to provide the best variety of games, the safest and most secure online play and our world-class software to the market.”
This follows on from recent social media rumours regarding the signing of Spanish tennis star Rafael Nadal, which the site’s head of corporate communications, Eric Hollreiser, declined to address.
Regulations in Spain now allow residents to play online with licensed operators and PokerStars have made sure they are among the first to get in there with www.PokerStars.es. According to a recently passed online gaming law, Spanish players can only compete against their fellow countrymen.
Spain now joins France, Denmark, Italy, Estonia, Belgium, Malta, and the Isle of Man in PokerStars’ ever-increasing list of licenses.
Gino Appiotti, President of Licensed Markets – Spain, Italy and France, for PokerStars, said, “Spain is a very important poker market and features some of the best players in the world. As the most popular online poker site in the world, we are very happy to provide the best variety of games, the safest and most secure online play and our world-class software to the market.”
June 01, 2012
Ladbrokes probe into trading chief Thompson
Bookmaking giants Ladbrokes have suspended their head of trading Jon Thompson and launched an investigation into how he was running the department.
Thompson, who was a surprise arrival from online gambling site Bodog a year ago for such a pivotal role in the Ladbrokes executive team, is in charge of the prices offered and the bets accepted in a massive gambling operation with a turnover of around £40million a week.
Such internal upheaval comes at the worst possible time for Ladbrokes, with the Derby tomorrow quickly followed by Royal Ascot and Euro 2012, which will be the company's biggest betting market of the year.
Ladbrokes, who like their betting rivals usually seek publicity at every turn, would not comment about Thompson or the probe, which is understood to be betting-related. A spokesman said: 'This is an ongoing staff matter.'
For eight years out of the last 13, the horse whose name has been chalked by gipsies on to the wishing well at the Amato pub in Epsom before the Derby has gone on to win the blue riband race. This time the gipsies have ignored hot favourite Camelot and gone for the Andrew Balding-trained Bonfire.
Thompson, who was a surprise arrival from online gambling site Bodog a year ago for such a pivotal role in the Ladbrokes executive team, is in charge of the prices offered and the bets accepted in a massive gambling operation with a turnover of around £40million a week.
Such internal upheaval comes at the worst possible time for Ladbrokes, with the Derby tomorrow quickly followed by Royal Ascot and Euro 2012, which will be the company's biggest betting market of the year.
Ladbrokes, who like their betting rivals usually seek publicity at every turn, would not comment about Thompson or the probe, which is understood to be betting-related. A spokesman said: 'This is an ongoing staff matter.'
For eight years out of the last 13, the horse whose name has been chalked by gipsies on to the wishing well at the Amato pub in Epsom before the Derby has gone on to win the blue riband race. This time the gipsies have ignored hot favourite Camelot and gone for the Andrew Balding-trained Bonfire.
May 24, 2012
Australia to allow online Poker & Sportsbook?
Australian online gambling sites may soon be allowed to bet on live sporting matches and offer real cash poker games. The gaming sites could run trials of both sportsbook & Poker within a year as the Federal Government tries to combat unregulated overseas gaming sites.
Documents have revealed the Federal Government recently briefed the Australian gaming industry on measures enabling online in-play betting.
Live betting, currently offered only by telephone and in person, could be a boom online industry – worth $300 million a year – given its accessibility on smartphones and tablets.
However this is in sharp contrast to the Government’s tough stance on advertising betting during sports televised events.
Betting during horse races is already offered by at least one gaming site, but it is not a popular option, given the brevity of races.
A recent gambling reform committee report recommended against legalising online poker and in-play betting, but said the live sports betting rules could be loosened to allow betting on end results live.
MP Andrew Wilkie supports legalising local casino-style gaming such as poker, roulette or blackjack on the basis of it being a lesser risk, as it would help punters avoid problems with overseas sites not paying Corporate teaxes.
Documents have revealed the Federal Government recently briefed the Australian gaming industry on measures enabling online in-play betting.
Live betting, currently offered only by telephone and in person, could be a boom online industry – worth $300 million a year – given its accessibility on smartphones and tablets.
However this is in sharp contrast to the Government’s tough stance on advertising betting during sports televised events.
Betting during horse races is already offered by at least one gaming site, but it is not a popular option, given the brevity of races.
A recent gambling reform committee report recommended against legalising online poker and in-play betting, but said the live sports betting rules could be loosened to allow betting on end results live.
MP Andrew Wilkie supports legalising local casino-style gaming such as poker, roulette or blackjack on the basis of it being a lesser risk, as it would help punters avoid problems with overseas sites not paying Corporate teaxes.
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