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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 />
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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
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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
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