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<strong>InfinityGaming</strong><br />

www.gaming-awards.com | ISSUE JANUARY 2016<br />

HAPPY<br />

NEW YEAR<br />

FRONT COVER - SARAH SCULPHER<br />

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW - LUKE ALVAREZ<br />

WIG NETWORKING DETAILS REVEALED<br />

GAMING + ARTICLES + BUSINESS+ GLOBAL+ ONLINE + NEWS+ APPS + AWARDS + etc


2 JANUARY 2016<br />

08<br />

IGA9 FINALISTS<br />

All the finalists announced<br />

24<br />

BRUSSELS SPROUTING<br />

Festivities by Christina Thakor-Rankin<br />

46<br />

42<br />

REALISTIC RESOLUTIONS<br />

Liz Karter<br />

Opinion Disclaimer:<br />

The views and opinions expressed in all external articles are<br />

those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official<br />

policy or position of The Infinity Gaming Magazine Any content<br />

provided by our feature writers or authors are of their opinion,<br />

and are not intended to malign any religion, ethic group,<br />

club, organization, company, individual or anyone or anything.<br />

INFINITY GAMING


JANUARY 2016<br />

3<br />

4 EDITOR NOTES<br />

Lana welcomes you to the December<br />

edition of Infinity Gaming Magazine.<br />

6 OUR WRITERS<br />

Meet our feature writers, the superb<br />

writers on our rosta.<br />

19 BITCOIN CREATOR<br />

Has he been found?<br />

LET’S MAKE IT A H’APPY’ CHRISTMAS<br />

Paul Swaddle<br />

SAVING MACAU<br />

Desmond Lam<br />

30<br />

21 BYE BYE PENNSYLVANIA<br />

Online gambling maybe next year<br />

24 BRUSSELS SPROUTING<br />

Christina Thakor-Rankin<br />

29 SBTECH JOINS<br />

Latest company to sponsor IGA9<br />

39 ROBOT DEALER<br />

Is this the future of casinos?<br />

51 LES AMBASSADEURS SOLD<br />

London VIP Club has new owners<br />

+ ALL THE LATEST NEWS<br />

& Opinions<br />

INFINITY GAMING


4 JANUARY 2016<br />

A note from the editor<br />

CONTACT US<br />

Clever Duck Media<br />

Centrix@Keys<br />

Keys Park Road<br />

Staffordshire<br />

WS12 2HA UK<br />

Tel: +44(0)1543 478 889<br />

It’s Winter and time for<br />

Expo season with Infinity<br />

Gaming Magazine<br />

Lana Thompson - Editor<br />

Welcome to the January edition of the Infinity Gaming<br />

Magazine and what an exciting part of the year this is.<br />

PRODUCTION<br />

Clever Duck Media<br />

Centrix@Keys<br />

Keys Park Road<br />

Staffordshire<br />

WS12 2HA UK<br />

PUBLISHING<br />

Infinity Gaming Magazine<br />

is operated by<br />

© Clever Duck Media Ltd ®<br />

Company Reg. No. 687 1018<br />

(Registered in England)<br />

V.A.T reg. no 972 6372 91<br />

Welcome to the latest edition of Infinity<br />

Gaming Magazine and as we near<br />

a very busy period for the entire gambling<br />

industry let us all take a little time<br />

off around this festive period to reflect.<br />

Ok that done, as always an amazing edition<br />

in store for you while you put your<br />

feet up for a well deserved rest before<br />

the madness of the New Year starts.<br />

We have the superb Christina Thakor-<br />

Rankin with her festive treat, Liz Karter<br />

on resolutions and The App Man himself<br />

Paul Swaddle on what Apps you<br />

really do need this time of year. Also<br />

as a special treat we have the lovely<br />

Desmond Lam talking about Macau<br />

and what a time that region has had in<br />

2015.<br />

As always we have the very latest news<br />

from around the world and yes inside<br />

are all the finalists for the 9th Annual<br />

International Gaming Awards (IGA). I<br />

have to say this year was the most competitive<br />

ever and it really is special just<br />

reaching the finals, there were some sad<br />

companies out there but remember it<br />

covers 12 months and next year could<br />

be your year.<br />

I want to however congratulate all the<br />

finalists and amazingly we are already<br />

sold out for the 1st February awards<br />

ceremony so I hope you got your tickets<br />

already.<br />

Finally with the first Women in Gaming<br />

Networking Event taking place on the<br />

1st February in London at the Savoy Hotel<br />

we are excited and cannot wait to be<br />

totally inspired.<br />

Enjoy the magazine.<br />

So, “To Infinity and Beyond!”<br />

Regards,<br />

Sponsorship Opportunities<br />

Colin@cleverduckmedia.com<br />

Business Partnerships<br />

Svetlana@gaming-awards.com<br />

Marketing & Advertising<br />

claire@cleverduckmedia.com<br />

Editorial Content & PR<br />

media@cleverduckmedia.com<br />

Lana<br />

The Editor<br />

INFINITY GAMING


6 JANUARY 2016<br />

Infinity Gaming Magazine Contributing Writers<br />

A magazine is only as good as the content inside and with some of the leading specialists within the gaming industry. With<br />

specialised articles covering customer service, the gaming law, new prducts, technology and current affairs with the sector<br />

the Infinity Gaming Magazine is delighted to showcase our superb line-up of contributing writers.<br />

Christina Thakor-Rankin<br />

Christina is Principal Consultant at 1710 Gaming Ltd, a<br />

specialist betting and gaming consultancy, delivering a<br />

range of services including licensing and compliance<br />

(incl. regulation, money laundering and social responsibility),<br />

business start-up, training and strategic reengineering,<br />

project management, research, business<br />

analysis and development, to start-ups and established<br />

multi-national operators and providers, gambling regulators,<br />

law enforcement and government agencies,<br />

media, and specialist interest groups and associations<br />

within the sector, in both established and emerging<br />

markets across the world.<br />

www.1710gaming.com<br />

Liz Karter – Psychotherapist specializing in women and problem gambling<br />

Liz Karter is a specialist in gambling and women and<br />

has worked as a therapist in gambling addiction since<br />

2001. Liz is also author of the book “Women and Problem<br />

Gambling” published in March 2013.<br />

In January 2010 having worked with all leading UK<br />

problem gambling treatment agencies, and having<br />

successfully established the first UK groups for women<br />

with gambling addiction, Liz launched Level Ground<br />

Therapy. A treatment service in the City of London,<br />

Level Ground specialises in meeting the individual<br />

needs of women with gambling addiction.<br />

Throughout her career Liz has been regularly consulted<br />

by the media regarding her specialisation and<br />

has made frequent national TV and radio broadcasts<br />

including This Morning, Radio 4 You and Yours and<br />

Women’s Hour and given numerous national newspaper<br />

and magazine interviews.<br />

Paul Swaddle - CEO Pocket App<br />

A self-confessed ‘gadget geek, Paul Swaddle has been<br />

working at the leading edge of mobile technology for<br />

the past 15 years. He co-founded Pocket App in 2011<br />

to bring the creative and technical development elements<br />

of mobile technology together under one roof.<br />

This unique approach continues to differentiate Pocket<br />

App in today’s increasingly competitive landscape.<br />

Working across a range of communications disciplines<br />

such as acquisition, loyalty, retention and customer development,<br />

Paul understands the importance of a strategic<br />

and coordinated marketing approach, particularly<br />

between on and off-line communications. In the past<br />

decade he has enabled brands as diverse as Kellogg’s<br />

Fruit Winders, Barclays and Loaded magazine to get the<br />

best out of mobile.<br />

INFINITY GAMING


JANUARY 2016<br />

7<br />

INFINITY GAMING


FINAL<br />

INTERNATIONAL G<br />

1st February 2016 -<br />

Best User Experience Mobile<br />

Betsson<br />

IGT<br />

LeoVegas<br />

Mecca Bingo<br />

Mr Green<br />

Unibet<br />

Casino Operator Americas<br />

Caesars Entertainment<br />

Isle of Capri<br />

Las Vegas Sands Corp<br />

MGM Resorts<br />

Wynn Las Vegas<br />

Casino/Integrated Resort<br />

Crown Melbourne Limited<br />

Galaxy Entertainment Group<br />

Marina Bay Sands (MBS)<br />

Solaire Resort and Casino<br />

Studio City – Macau<br />

Venetian Macao Resort<br />

Casino Operator Asia/Australia<br />

Crown Resorts<br />

Galaxy Entertainment Group<br />

Marina Bay Sands<br />

Melco Crown Entertainment<br />

Sky City, Australia


AMING AWARDS<br />

ISTS<br />

Savoy London<br />

Casino Operator Europe<br />

Aspers Group<br />

Caesars Entertainment UK<br />

Casinos Austria International<br />

Casino Poland<br />

Grosvenor Casinos Ltd<br />

Casino Equipment Supplier<br />

Cammegh Limited<br />

IGT<br />

Playtech<br />

Scientific Games<br />

TCSJOHNHUXLEY<br />

Casino VIP Room<br />

City of Dreams<br />

Crown Perth<br />

Galaxy Entertainment Group<br />

Studio City – Macau<br />

The Ritz Club<br />

Corporate Services Supplier<br />

All In Translations<br />

Bit8<br />

IGT<br />

Microgaming<br />

PaySafe<br />

Play’n GO<br />

Playtech


FINAL<br />

INTERNATIONAL G<br />

1st February 2016 -<br />

iGaming Software Supplier<br />

Betconstruct<br />

Evolution Gaming<br />

IGT<br />

Microgaming<br />

Playtech<br />

Yggdrasil<br />

In-Play Sports Operator<br />

Betsson<br />

Paddy Power<br />

Sky Betting & Gaming<br />

Unibet<br />

William Hill<br />

Innovator<br />

Betconstruct<br />

CORE Gaming Limited<br />

IGT<br />

Lottoland<br />

Microgaming<br />

NetEnt<br />

Playtech<br />

Scientific Games Interactive<br />

Lottery Operator<br />

Camelot<br />

EuroLotto<br />

Health Lottery ELM Limited<br />

IGT<br />

Lottoland


AMING AWARDS<br />

ISTS<br />

Savoy London<br />

Mobile Operator<br />

Betsafe<br />

Cherry AB<br />

LeoVegas<br />

Mecca Bingo<br />

Mr Green<br />

Unibet<br />

William Hill Online<br />

Online Bingo Operator<br />

GalaBingo<br />

Mecca Bingo<br />

Playtech<br />

SkyBingo<br />

Tombola Bingo<br />

Unibet<br />

Mobile Product<br />

CORE Gaming Limited<br />

IGT<br />

Microgaming<br />

NetEnt<br />

Play’n GO<br />

SafeCharge International Group Ltd<br />

Scientific Games Interactive<br />

Online Casino Operator<br />

Betsafe<br />

LeoVegas<br />

Mr Green<br />

Sky Betting & Gaming<br />

Unibet<br />

William Hill Online


FINAL<br />

INTERNATIONAL G<br />

1st February 2016 -<br />

Online Gaming Operator<br />

Akamon Entertainment<br />

Cherry AB<br />

Gala Coral Interactive<br />

LeoVegas<br />

Unibet<br />

Online Sportsbook Operator<br />

Bet365<br />

Coral Interactive<br />

Paddy Power<br />

Sky Betting & Gaming<br />

Unibet<br />

William Hill Online<br />

Online Poker Operator<br />

888Poker<br />

Full Tilt<br />

PokerStars<br />

Sky Betting & Gaming<br />

Unibet<br />

WSOP (Caesars)<br />

Payment Solutions Provider<br />

ECommPay<br />

PayPal<br />

Paysafe<br />

SafeCharge International Group<br />

Worldpay<br />

Technology Provider/Supplier<br />

Betconstruct<br />

Bit8<br />

Continent 8 Technologies<br />

CORE Gaming Limited<br />

Microgaming<br />

NetEnt<br />

Playtech<br />

Scientific Games


AMING AWARDS<br />

ISTS<br />

Savoy London<br />

Socially Responsible Land<br />

Aspers<br />

Caesars Entertainment UK<br />

Clubs New South Wales<br />

Crown Resorts<br />

Galaxy Entertainment Group<br />

Genting UK<br />

Slot Provider/Supplier<br />

IGT<br />

Iforium<br />

Microgaming<br />

NetEnt<br />

NYX Gaming Group<br />

Play’n GO<br />

Scientific Games<br />

Socially Responsible Online<br />

Amaya Gaming<br />

Betsson Group<br />

Sky Betting & Gaming<br />

Unibet<br />

William Hill<br />

Slots Operator<br />

LeoVegas<br />

Mr Green<br />

Sky Betting & Gaming<br />

Unibet<br />

Videoslots.com<br />

William Hill Online


14 JANUARY 2016<br />

THE IGA9 JUDGES<br />

01<br />

03<br />

05<br />

02<br />

04<br />

06<br />

01<br />

Andrew Cammegh- Sales<br />

Director Cammegh Limited<br />

03 05<br />

Desmond Lam Ph.D – Associate<br />

Professor of Marketing<br />

at the University of Macau<br />

Emma Loveday – Head of<br />

Marketing for Gaming and Betting<br />

at The Sun<br />

02<br />

Alison Digges – Brand<br />

Director Gala Coral Interactive<br />

04<br />

Prof. Dietmar Hoscher –<br />

Deputy Chariman of the Supervisory<br />

Board of Casinos Austria<br />

International Holding<br />

06<br />

Heikki Rinta-Panttila – International<br />

Gaming Consultant<br />

INFINITY GAMING


JANUARY 2016<br />

15<br />

07 09 11<br />

08 10<br />

12<br />

07 09<br />

Janet Viipola – Executive<br />

Coordinator Interactive Gaming<br />

Council<br />

Marek Milewski- Operations<br />

Manager Casinos Poland<br />

11<br />

Ohad Narkis-<br />

CEO BGO Entertainment<br />

08 Liz Karter – Psychotherapist<br />

specializing in women and<br />

problem gambling<br />

10 12<br />

Michael Silberling-<br />

CEO Affinity Gaming<br />

Onika Russell – Head of<br />

Gambling , Airlines & Travel Strategic<br />

Services, PayPal<br />

INFINITY GAMING


16 JANUARY 2016<br />

THE IGA9 JUDGES<br />

13<br />

15<br />

17<br />

14 16<br />

18<br />

13<br />

Professor I. Nelson Rose-<br />

Speaker & Gaming Law expert<br />

15<br />

Peter Hoetzinger – Co-<br />

CEO & President, Vice Chairman<br />

Century Casinos<br />

17<br />

Roger Marris –<br />

CEO at The Ritz Club<br />

14<br />

Paul Armitage – Operations<br />

Director Grosvenor<br />

Casinos<br />

16 18<br />

Richard Noble – Chief<br />

Operating Officer of the Aspers<br />

Group<br />

Roger Raatgever –<br />

CEO Microgaming<br />

INFINITY GAMING


JANUARY 2016<br />

17<br />

19<br />

21<br />

23<br />

20 22<br />

19<br />

Stella Dalton – Head of<br />

Business Development at Gam-<br />

Care<br />

20<br />

Stephanie Cheung – Chief<br />

Legal Officer at Melco Crown<br />

Entertainment<br />

21<br />

Sylvia Dietz –Vice President<br />

Global Gaming Marketing<br />

IGT<br />

22<br />

Tristan Sjoberg –<br />

Executive Chairman at<br />

TCS John Huxley<br />

23 Vahe Baloulian –<br />

CEO BetConstruct<br />

INFINITY GAMING


18 JANUARY 2016<br />

iGaming, Land based, Marketing and Media specialists – We are currently working with a<br />

number of the major players across the globe, all are looking to add talent to this resurgent<br />

market before the new financial year, attractive packages and options on offer, if you are<br />

looking for a new opportunity contact us in confidence: colin@empirecasinorecruitment.com<br />

INFINITY GAMING<br />

www.empirecasinorecruitment.com<br />

+44(0) 1543 478 889


GAMING NEWS<br />

JANUARY 2016<br />

19<br />

Bitcoin creator named in new investigation<br />

Has the man behind inventing Bitcoin been found?<br />

According to two major technology magazines<br />

the answer is yes, for years “Satoshi Nakamoto”,<br />

a pseudonym used by Bitcoin’s creator was the mysterious<br />

man behind the cryptocurrency but both Wired and<br />

Gizmodo magazines have named 44 year old Australian<br />

Brian Wright as the man who<br />

invented Bitcoin.<br />

Australian Federal police<br />

searched Craig Steven<br />

Wright’s properties, but said<br />

the raid was about tax, not<br />

Bitcoin.<br />

But the raid came only a<br />

few hours after both tech<br />

magazines named Wright following<br />

what they say is huge<br />

evidence to support their<br />

accusation.<br />

Whether the raid is to do with tax or the fact that the<br />

founder of Bitcoin holds over a million of the coins which at<br />

today’s value is worth $400 million only time will tell once<br />

authorities possibly charge Wright.<br />

In supporting their findings the magazine sites say Mr<br />

Wright said in an email: “I did my best to try and hide the<br />

fact that I’ve been running Bitcoin since 2009. By the end of<br />

this I think half the world is going to bloody know.”<br />

However it is not the<br />

first time someone was<br />

named as the creator<br />

of Bitcoin, last year<br />

Newsweek said that<br />

Satoshi Nakamoto was<br />

a 64-year-old Japanese-American<br />

living<br />

near Los Angeles was<br />

the creator, however it<br />

turned out to be false<br />

and the man did not<br />

even know anything<br />

about Bitcoins.<br />

Newsweek were sued by Satoshi Nakamoto for stress and<br />

the huge disruption the article had on his life.<br />

Macau November revenues fall by over a third<br />

November revenues for Macau fell again making it the<br />

18th consecutive fall in revenues for the world’s largest<br />

gambling zone. Gross gaming revenues fell by 32.3% in<br />

the month to $2.1 billion.<br />

The Macau’s Gaming Inspection and Coordination<br />

Bureau reported that the fall was larger than expected<br />

most analyst’s had expected it to be around 31%.<br />

Numbers also showed that the city’s economy shrank by<br />

24.2% year-on-year during three months to September,<br />

the city’s Statistics and Census Service said.<br />

“Economic contraction in the third quarter was attributable<br />

to the continuous decline in exports of services, of<br />

which exports of gaming services decreased by 37.4%<br />

year-on-year and exports of other tourism services<br />

dropped by 15.3%,” it added.<br />

INFINITY GAMING


20 JANUARY 2016<br />

13.2 million reasons<br />

why you should use<br />

Microgaming software...<br />

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Wearables. Mobile. Online. Land-based.<br />

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See you at ICE,<br />

stand number<br />

N5-220<br />

INFINITY GAMING


12 Apps of Christmas<br />

JANUARY 2016<br />

21<br />

9. Deliveries - A package tracker:<br />

Terrified of the one troublesome<br />

gift which is unavoidably going to<br />

be delivered too late for Christmas?<br />

Never again! Deliveries keeps<br />

a watchful eye on all of your packages<br />

ordered from multiple retailers<br />

within the single app, spelling<br />

the end of accidentally missing a<br />

delivery time.<br />

10. Hello Fresh: If it’s the supermarket<br />

assault course that’s getting<br />

you down, apps like Hello Fresh<br />

will send weighed measurements<br />

of all necessary ingredients as well<br />

as handy recipe cards, promising a<br />

Christmas dinner with minimal fuss.<br />

11. GoFantastic: Fantastic Services<br />

is offering a helping hand to<br />

stressed out workers by introducing<br />

a new service – Fantastic Elves,<br />

a team of helpers bookable by<br />

the hour to take care of Christmas<br />

chores such as cleaning, shopping,<br />

wrapping and decorating.<br />

12. Top10: If you’ve decided to get<br />

away from it all this year, hotel app<br />

Top10 offers a stress-free way to<br />

book a bespoke Christmas getaway,<br />

using your preferences to recommend<br />

ten stunning hotels at the<br />

best available price.<br />

Download Pauls 12 Christmas Apps here<br />

1. NORAD Santa Tracker (Android)<br />

1. NORAD Santa Tracker<br />

2. Inkly (Android)<br />

2. Inkly<br />

3. Fire Place 3D lite<br />

4. Manage Christmas – Christmas Gift List manager (Android)<br />

4. Manage Christmas – Christmas Gift List manager<br />

5. Price Spy (Android)<br />

5. Price Spy<br />

6. StreetLink (Android)<br />

6. StreetLink<br />

7. Good Food Festive Recipes<br />

8. Ruffl (Android)<br />

8. Ruffl<br />

9. Deliveries - A package tracker (Android)<br />

9. Deliveries - A package tracker<br />

10. Hello Fresh<br />

11. GoFantastic<br />

12. Top10<br />

INFINITY GAMING


Expect the Unexpected<br />

Voted<br />

Online Casino of the Year<br />

for three years running<br />

Consider this your invitation to join mrgreen.com


GAMING NEWS<br />

JANUARY 2016<br />

23<br />

Casino robots the future? Meet<br />

She has an hourglass figure, an unflappable<br />

manner and a friendly<br />

face. Meet “Min,” the robot<br />

whose creators say could revolutionise<br />

card-dealing in the world’s casinos.<br />

The svelte brunette is a prototype of a<br />

human-like electronic croupier, which<br />

Paradise Entertainment, a Hong Kongbased<br />

gaming machine manufacturer<br />

and supplier, says could cut labor costs<br />

and open up new markets for casino<br />

operators. While her function is currently<br />

limited to dealing cards, planned enhancements<br />

could have her recognising<br />

customers’ faces and speaking to them in<br />

multiple languages, Chairman Jay Chun<br />

said.<br />

After making her debut at a gaming show<br />

in Macau last month, Min and her clones<br />

will initially be introduced in the US,<br />

where labour costs in casinos are proportionally<br />

higher than in Asia and where<br />

humans, but not machines, are prohibited<br />

in some states from working as croupiers.<br />

Paradise is talking to potential overseas<br />

buyers, Mr Chun said, declining to say<br />

how much the robots will cost.<br />

“We are the first gambling equipment<br />

manufacturer in the world that produces<br />

the human-like robotic dealer,” he said.<br />

Automated table games are a growing<br />

segment of the North American gaming<br />

industry, according to Christopher Jones,<br />

an analyst with Union Gaming Group<br />

in New York. Installing electronic table<br />

games can help casino operators reduce<br />

their labor exposure on low-denomination<br />

games and during slow periods. Also<br />

novice customers may seek out robotic<br />

tables to avoid embarrassment if they<br />

make a mistake, he said.<br />

While relatively novel in the US, robots<br />

will be viewed similarly to virtual dealers<br />

by regulators, Mr Jones said.<br />

Robots can be a good solution in gambling<br />

jurisdictions where real dealers<br />

are banned, said Carlos Siu, an associate<br />

professor at the gaming teaching and<br />

research centre of the Macao Polytechnic<br />

Institute. Genting Malaysia’s Resorts<br />

World Casino in New York state uses electronic<br />

table games to get around state<br />

gambling laws that bar human dealers, Mr<br />

Jones said.<br />

In Macau, the world’s largest gambling<br />

hub, machines are less likely to appeal.<br />

Asian customers are more inclined to<br />

gamble in a noisy and crowded environment,<br />

preferring to banter with dealers<br />

and fellow gamblers than sit in front<br />

of a machine that provides little or no<br />

engagement, Mr Siu said.<br />

“Gamblers often slam the table and shout<br />

loudly to pump up the mood,” he said.<br />

“I’m not sure if robotic dealers can tap<br />

into the gamblers’ psychology correctly<br />

and give an appropriate response.”<br />

On top of that, a slowdown in Macau’s<br />

gaming industry may result in an oversupply<br />

of croupiers in the territory, Mr<br />

Siu said. Paradise wouldn’t comment on<br />

whether it plans to sell robot dealers to<br />

the city’s operators. Any roll-out in the<br />

Chinese territory could spark opposition<br />

from a labour union that has urged the<br />

Macanese government to keep barring<br />

foreign workers from dealer jobs. Under<br />

Macau law, only local residents can be<br />

hired for such positions.<br />

INFINITY GAMING


The Ritz Club<br />

150 Piccadilly, London W1J 9BS<br />

+44 (0)20 7499 1818 www.theritzclub.com @TheRitzClub


GAMING NEWS<br />

JANUARY 2016<br />

25<br />

Malaysia to tighten laws on internet gambling<br />

It seems the Malaysian government want to get<br />

tough on illegal online gambling within their<br />

country after the country’s deputy home minister<br />

said that the current legislation prevents the police from<br />

prosecuting operators and needs changes.<br />

“The police are facing constraints in prosecuting those<br />

responsible. They have proposed amendments to the<br />

laws on gambling to allow them to better deal with the<br />

problem,” Mr Nur Jazlan said at the country’s House of<br />

Representatives.<br />

At present the only piece of legislation that covers<br />

gambling was constructed in 1953 and although has<br />

received several amendments since then none have covered<br />

online gambling. The legislation makes it illegal for<br />

all forms of unlicensed gambling but contains no mention<br />

of “online” or “internet” or even “remote gambling”<br />

so makes no power for police to arrest those running<br />

gambling online illegal at present.<br />

However plans are now being considered to make<br />

amendments to the Communications and Multimedia<br />

Act, Lotteries Act, Common Gaming House Act, as well<br />

as the Betting Act to ensure online gambling will be<br />

Betfair surprise analyst’s with H1 results<br />

Betfair surprised many analyst’s with exceeding<br />

expectations for the first half year results with a 15%<br />

increase in revenues. The betting exchange firm<br />

chief executive Breon Corcoran said: Betfair traded<br />

strongly in its key markets throughout the first half<br />

of FY16.<br />

“These results, which came against a tough comparative<br />

period featuring last year’s football World Cup,<br />

are ahead of our original expectations and demonstrate<br />

the Group’s continued strong momentum.<br />

“Our strategy of focusing investment in markets<br />

with good regulatory visibility continues to pay off.<br />

Betfair’s relatively low exposure to unregulated jurisdictions<br />

meant that even though revenue decline<br />

in these markets accelerated, primarily due to the<br />

impact of suspending operations in Portugal, it was<br />

more than offset by growth in sustainable markets.”<br />

Total revenues for H1 ending October 31 stood at<br />

£274.4 million compared to £237.6 million in 2014.<br />

Profits were up 9% from £67.2 million last year to<br />

£80.5 million in 2015.<br />

Betfair and Paddy Power who have agreed a merger<br />

of the two companies which is still Subject to shareholder<br />

and regulatory approval expect the deal to<br />

go through in the first quarter of 2016.<br />

INFINITY GAMING


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PR NEWS<br />

JANUARY 2016<br />

27<br />

NetEnt sets new mobile jackpot record<br />

with Mega Fortune Touch<br />

instant.<br />

Today’s news comes hot on the heels of a €4.5m jackpot<br />

which fell on Mega Fortune Dreams with Unibet late in<br />

November.<br />

Alexander, 30, from Stockholm, said: “I was totally<br />

speechless and couldn’t believe what was happening. It<br />

was late and my wife had already gone to bed, but I had<br />

to wake her up and celebrate.<br />

NetEnt has made history on its Mega Fortune<br />

Touch slot by awarding an €8.6m jackpot – the<br />

largest ever via mobile.<br />

The huge prize was won on ComeOn Casino’s mobile<br />

website from a bet of less than €1.50, turning one lucky<br />

30-year-old from Sweden into a multi-millionaire in an<br />

“I’m going to lay low to begin with, but I’ll make sure<br />

my mortgage is paid and treat myself to some exciting<br />

holidays. It will probably be difficult to avoid buying a<br />

new car!”<br />

Simon Hammon, Chief Product Officer of NetEnt, said:<br />

“NetEnt’s games excite, entertain and reward our players<br />

and it’s fantastic to break another record with this<br />

jackpot won via mobile. Our games have paid out over<br />

€13m in jackpots in just over a week – the perfect early<br />

Christmas present.”<br />

That’s the Bullseye! Microgaming announce new branded slot<br />

Microgaming is delivering a ‘super, smashing,<br />

great’ online slot to its operators this December.<br />

The classic TV game show ‘Bullseye’, was presented by<br />

stand-up comedian Jim Bowen and was a huge hit. Based<br />

on the game of darts,<br />

Bullseye involved three<br />

pairs of contestants<br />

competing against one<br />

another to win prizes. Bully, the darts playing bull was<br />

the show’s mascot, making appearances throughout the<br />

programme.<br />

You can’t beat a bit of Bully! And the popular game show<br />

is presented in this 5×3 reel, 243 ways to win online<br />

slot, with reels based on the programme’s notorious star<br />

prizes, including a speedboat, caravan and car.<br />

It’s game on during Bully’s special bonus round, triggered<br />

by the prize board symbol on reels one and five. The<br />

bonus round lets the player step up to the oche for some<br />

real darts action. Players throw darts at the board for the<br />

chance to win cash prizes depicted by such vintage items<br />

as a VCR or carriage clock, worth<br />

up to 15x the total bet for each<br />

dart thrown!<br />

Furthermore, three or more scatter symbols on the reels<br />

takes players to the retriggerable free spins bonus.<br />

15 free spins are presented, during which all wins are<br />

doubled, and additional scatter pays between 5x and a<br />

ton (100x) can be awarded.<br />

INFINITY GAMING<br />

INFINITY GAMING


GAMING NEWS<br />

JANUARY 2016<br />

29<br />

Atlantic City to see more casinos close<br />

Credit rating firm Moody’s latest<br />

report warns that Atlantic City<br />

could still lose more casinos<br />

because of increased competition from<br />

neighbouring states.<br />

The famed Atlantic City boardwalk on the<br />

Jersey Shore has seen four casinos close<br />

in the last twelve months with over 8,000<br />

jobs gone but others could go the same<br />

way according to this recent report with<br />

only eight remaining at present.<br />

“We expect more casino closures to occur<br />

in Atlantic City as some struggle to grow<br />

their business and face additional competition,”<br />

said Moody’s Investors Service,<br />

in a report on the gaming industry.<br />

With Caesar’s, Bally’s and Trump Taj Mahal<br />

all currently in Chapter 11 bankruptcy<br />

protection the ratings firm say they are<br />

“already on the brink” of following those<br />

closed already suffering falling revenues<br />

as the whole of the industry in the state<br />

did last year by 8%.<br />

“As the number of casinos shrink, some of<br />

the remaining casinos have seen revenues<br />

increase,” said Moody’s. “But we<br />

expect increased competition will keep<br />

the heat on incumbents, and that number<br />

of casinos in Atlantic City will likely continue<br />

to shrink.”<br />

Competition from new casinos opening<br />

up in New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania<br />

and Maryland by the end of 2018<br />

will put even more pressure on those<br />

struggling already say Moody’s.<br />

It seems the question now is not whether<br />

more casinos will close in the state but<br />

which one will be first and then who follows?<br />

INFINITY GAMING


PREMIUM CASINO GAMES<br />

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