Infinity Gaming Magazine July 2020 by Clever Duck Media

InfinityGaming www.gaming-awards.com | ISSUE118

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

26 SLOT VS CASINO

32 TOOTHLESS TIGER

08 GOOD INTENTIONS

Opinion Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in all external articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of The Infinity Gaming Magazine Any content provided by our feature writers or authors are of their opinion, and are not intended to malign any religion, ethic group, club, organization, company, individual or anyone or anything.

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4 EDITOR NOTES Editor welcomes you to the latest edition of Infinity Gaming Magazine.

6 OUR WRITERS Meet our feature writers, the superb writers on our rosta.

08 GOOD INTENTIONS 14 ILLEGALS COMING BACK? 20 BACK TO BLACK BACK TO BLACK

26 MANAGER VS MANAGER 32 TOOTHLESS?

GOING UNDERGROUND

+ NEWS & MORE NEWS

from the gaming industry

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A note from the editor CONTACT US Clever Duck Media Centrix@Keys Keys Park Road Staffordshire WS12 2HA UK Tel: +44(0)1543 478 889 PRODUCTION Clever Duck Media Centrix@Keys Keys Park Road Staffordshire WS12 2HA UK

The New Normal”

PUBLISHING Infinity Gaming Magazine is operated by © Clever Duck Media Ltd ®

Lana Thompson - Editor

Welcome to the latest edition of the

However let’s get back to the new edi-

Infinity Gaming Magazine and how fast

tion of the magazine, our excellent con-

things are changing even in just a cou-

tributing writers have surpassed them-

ple of weeks since our last edition.

selves this month with some superb articles, Christina Thakor-Rankin, Teresa

Since my last letter to you, we have

Tunstall, Andrew Cosgrove, Lynn Pearce

been informed that G2E Las Vegas has

de Freitas and industry veteran Tim Cul-

been cancelled for this year and that ICE

limore.

London has been postponed to April. Both are massive blows to the events

“May the Force be with you” - Star Wars

industry and we wish all concerned that events sector gets back to some normality soon. Also delighted to celebrate that the

Regards,

Casino industry in England has finally

Lana

ter a very long four month closedown. We truly hope that job losses are to a minimum, the sad news Genting UK are laying off staff already is not good and wish all the very best to all our readers from the land based gaming industry. Stay Strong. Also in the UK events and conferences have been signalled that they could be back with us by October, that is great news and hopefully we are on the right track to the “new normal”.

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Sponsorship Opportunities Colin@cleverduckmedia.com Business Partnerships Svetlana@gaming-awards.com Marketing & Advertising claire@cleverduckmedia.com Editorial Content & PR media@cleverduckmedia.com

for the sale of peoples livelihoods the

been given permission to reopen af-

Company Reg. No. 687 1018 (Registered in England) V.A.T reg. no 972 6372 91

The Editor

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Infinity Gaming Magazine Contributing Writers A magazine is only as good as the content inside and with some of the leading specialists within the gaming industry. With specialised articles covering customer service, the gaming law, new prducts, technology and current affairs with the sector the Infinity Gaming Magazine is delighted to showcase our superb line-up of contributing writers.

Christina Thakor-Rankin Christina is Principal Consultant at 1710 Gaming Ltd, a specialist betting and gaming consultancy, delivering a range of services including licensing and compliance (incl. regulation, money laundering and social responsibility), business start-up, training and strategic reengineering, project management, research, business analysis and development, to start-ups and established

multi-national operators and providers, gambling regulators, law enforcement and government agencies, media, and specialist interest groups and associations within the sector, in both established and emerging markets across the world. www.1710gaming.com

Teresa Tunstall â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Independent Gaming Consultant After many years of working in casinos in the UK and on USA ships as a croupier and inspector, Teresa turned from â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;poacher to gamekeeper,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; spending 16 years with GamCare, who offer help and support to those who develop problems with their gambling.

bility and Problem Gambling training around the world,

Working closely with the betting and gaming industry, She developed strong links delivering Social Responsi-

To contact Teresa regarding consulting please email: Teresatunstall1@gmail.com

Teresa now works independently consulting on all issues relating to Social Responsibility and Problem Gambling.

Andrew Cosgrove - Slots Guru Andrew Cosgrove is a seasoned slot operations veteran and certified project manager with over 24 years of hands on experience in Latin America and the Caribbean. Andrew has worked on both the operator and supplier side of casino slots and continues to help clients succeed and exceed customer expectations.

Andrew can be reached at andy.cosgrove@hemingwaycasinoconsulting.com or see http://hemingwaycasinoconsulting.com/

Lynn Pearce de Freitas Lynn has creatively strategized and implemented B2C and B2B acquisition, conversion and retention marketing campaigns. Lynn started off her igaming career consulting to LCI, a prestigious land-based casino in the UK, where she was responsible for the online marketing and project-management of conferences, events, presentations, video production, and other activities.

Tim Cullimore From dealer to CEO in the U.K., Europe and North America, Tim has pretty much seen it all in Casino gaming. For over 40 years, from running slot rooms which needed to frisk for guns to the Ritz in Mayfair, arguably the most luxurious casino in the world, Tim has never stopped challenging what we think we know about casinos.

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She joined Forwardslash, (an igaming marketing company) as Marketing GM: Creative Studio. She then went on to work for a sportsbetting company to launch a poker room and casino for a while, before being headhuntered to join a startup casino company in Prague, where she worked as the Marketing Operations Manager.

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The Road to Hell is Paved with Good Intentions By Christina Thakor-Rankin

or many in the industry this sums up perfectly the recent report by the House of Lords Select Committee on the Social and Economic Impact of the Gambling Industry entitled: “Gambling Harm Time for Action”. Over a year in the making, thisis a no holds barredreport that portrays neither the industry nor the regulator in a particularly flattering lightand concludes with over 60 individual recommendations designed to address a lack of sufficient governance, accountability and oversight of the industry. Whilst the contents of the report do not make for comfortable reading, they do not come as a complete surprise. Much of the report is

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simply an affirmation of the many discussions and rhetoriclinked to a shift in political and public attitude towards betting and gambling over the last few years, or a reminder to the government to honour historic commitments and promises such as an assessment of casino regulations which was scheduled to take place in 2014, which a recommendation that the regulator ‘work with bookmakers to create a protocol to ensure adequate supervision and staffing during opening hours, taking into consideration the size, lay-out and turnover of individual premises’, just comes across as advocating basic good common sense. Five recommendations for online gambling look at categorising games in accordance with a scale of addic-

tiveness or harm, and treating each product or game type I the same way irrespective of the location or context in which it is offered or consumed ‘so that no game can be played quicker online than in a casino, betting shop or bingo hall’ again just seems like good basic common sense. If a product is harmful in one setting it is probably likely to be just as harmful (maybe even more harmful) in an alternate setting. Off and online recommendations are following by a chunky section on meaty section next section of the depending on the accessibility and perceptions moving it to and one audience the laws of probability would suggest it would be just as harmful served in a different setting to a but equally accessible environment?

Eight of the recommendations relate

those who want to do the right thing but

is surprising, perhaps is how far the re-

to affordability checks, VIP players and

have struggled to compete with those

port goes in its recommendations for

self-exclusion. None of this new, and

who have deep pockets and view fines

change in less expected areas.

all of it forms the basis of research and

as a cost of doing business.

recommendations from expert groups

Firstly,regarding regulation. Following

or Gambling Commission consultations.

A further eight recommendations focus

swiftly on the heels of the Common’s

On one point in particular, the report

on advertising and marketing - from

Select Committee labelling what some

seeks to address one of the biggest

the effect of advertising on children,

consider to be the gambling world’s

operator gripes - principle based regu-

to shirt sponsorship, bet to view of-

most proactive enforcer ‘toothless’

lation that relies on interpretation and

fers and direct marketing. Again, none

comes this report from the upper cham-

leaves them open to being ‘damned if

of this is new, much of it having been

ber recommending changes to primary

they do damned if they don’t’ depend-

discussed and debated at length both in

legislation that would substantially

ing on the interpretation of the regu-

and around the industry and in keeping

strengthen the scope and enforcement

latory inspector or auditor. The Select

with the approach taken by other coun-

capabilities of the Gambling Commis-

Committee’s recommendation is clear

tries around the world such as Italy and

sion and local authorities. The recom-

‘the Gambling Commission must amend

Australia.

mendations including measures that

its Formal Guidance for Remote Gam-

would ‘provide it with more flexibility

bling Operators to define the minimum

Ten of the recommendations focus on

and allow it to react and adapt to fast

steps which operators should take

public health and seek to evaluate and

changing regulatory requirements’ and

when considering customer affordabil-

address levels and impact of gambling

address something that has long been

ity, and to make clear that it is for the

related harm. This is entirely in keeping

a bone of contention with the smaller

operator to take those steps, and any

with the title, purpose and scope of the

operators trying to do the right thing -

necessary additional steps, which will

Select Committee’s investigation.

large operators who might view regu-

enable them to identify customers who

latory sanctions as just a cost of doing

are betting more than they can afford’.

So far, none of this is unexpected or

business. The recommendation is clear.

Not great for those operators that apply

at any great variance to the changing

‘Fines currently imposed, and penalties

a broad-brush approach to the concept

political and public sentiment towards

agreed by the Gambling Commission do

of risk, but immeasurably helpful to

gambling over the last few years. What

not make a sufficient impact on large

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Christina Thakor-Rankin Article

corporations. They should reflect not just the seriousness of the offence but the size of the offender. In the case of repeat offences or other extreme circumstances the Commission should demonstrate much greater willingness to exercise its power to withdraw an operator’s licence.’

‘The minimum age at which an individual can buy any National Lottery product should be raised to 18’ (from 16) - finally bringing the UK and one of the most accessible and arguably most addictive products of all, instant win lottery scratchcards in line with the rest of the world and higher risk products.

What is worrying for the sector is that against a background of being labelled ineffectual and being presented with greater powers and the final recommendation in this section ‘The Government should conduct a triennial review of the work of the Gambling Commission, taking evidence from a wide range of interested persons and bodies, and prepare a report to Parliament on the past performance of the Commission, on lessons to be learned for the future, and on any changes which may be needed to its constitution or to the law governing it’ - the Gambling Commission will need to be seen to act - that can only mean one thing for operators.

There are a few other recommendations not mentioned so far, such as loot boxes and the introduction of an Ombudsman, but all still in keeping with a strategy designed to take a firmer approach to social responsibility, protecting the young and harm minimisation. Whilst the contents may have come as a disappointment to some in the industry, there is nothing particularly unexpected or surprising in it.

Secondly the recommendation that

The report is also cognisant of the impact of the recommendations and includes a caveat ‘To ensure that the implementation of online stake limits does not lead to increased unregulated offshore gambling, the Government and Gambling Commission must work with

payment providers and banks to establish a scheme to block payments to such operators.’ Pretty comprehensive expect for one thing. What the report does not take into account is the fact that the gambling genii is well and truly out of the bag. Customers that like playing higher stakes are not just going to stop, they are going to actively seek and find alternative ways of being able to continue. If the recommendations in the report are implemented then in the current climate of travel restrictions this can only mean one thing - a return to the vicious world of underground and illegal gambling dens of old and the reason gambling regulation was introduced in the first place. Without doubt the report (and the industry) is driven by the best of intentions - we just need to be careful that the road of good intentions does not result in a new version of gambling hell.

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GAMING NEWS

Green Light For Casinos To Reopen 1st August

asinos in England have been given the green light to reopen on the 1st August from the government, that means after 4 months of lockdown the casinos in England will be allowed to welcome customers back. However the way casinos will have to be operated for safety measures against the COVID-19 virus has already prompted casino operator Genting UK to announce the redundancies of some 1,600 workers. Below is a statement from the trade body Betting & Gaming Council responding on the news: The UK Government’s decision to give the green light to casinos to reopen in England has been welcomed by the industry standards body the Betting and Gaming Council as a major boost for the tourism and hospitality sector. But the trade body has urged the

devolved administrations to ‘show their hands’ and end the uncertainty for the 2,000 employees who work in Scottish and Welsh casinos who still have no end to lockdown in sight. The Prime Minister today confirmed that casinos in England can re-open on 1 August after more than four months in lockdown. Casinos in England employ more than 12,000 people and contribute nearly £300 million in tax to the Exchequer. Casinos also play a vital role in the tourism economy contributing nearly £4 million a week. The BGC has been working with members to persuade the government to give casinos the go ahead to reopen. The betting and gaming industry – which employs over 70,000 people across the UK and contributes over £3 billion a year to the Treasury –

have introduced a range of strict Covid safety measures which have already seen betting shops and bingo halls re-open and now casinos in England will follow soon. Betting and Gaming Council Chief Executive Michael Dugher said: “After four long months of lockdown, it’s fantastic to see casinos will reopen safely for business again on 1 August. I am delighted that they can now play their part in supporting the recovery of the tourism and hospitality sector.” “BGC casino members went the extra mile to meet strict Covid guidelines some weeks ago but were left in the dark as to when they would be allowed to reopen. I’d like to thank DCMS Secretary of State Oliver Dowden, Minister Nigel Huddleston and the many cross-party MPs who supported us and worked hard to secure a reopening date.

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Going Underground By Tim Cullimore

s any senior land-based casino manager will tell you, dealing with legislation within their particular jurisdiction is a large part of their daily workload. I have worked in many different jurisdictions and getting a grip on the gaming laws can be a positive learning experience, alternatively it can be a lesson in parochialism, and frequently just plain frustrating. I have always interacted with the officials with as much understanding and forbearance as is possible. They are, after all, simple putting into practise decisions made at a political level, and in the case in some European countries, rulings that were made decades or perhaps over a century ago. Sometime in late 2004, early 2005, when I was preparing to open the new casino in Brussels, Belgium, I was honoured to be asked to speak at a conference of senior gaming regulators from all across Europe. I took the opportunity to ask one question which I thought was

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probably more important than any other in that context. Why, despite an enormous convergence of regulations throughoutEurope and the European Union was gaming legislation so different from one country to another, even between neighbouringcountries with the same language and very similar cultures. At that timeI was working for a multinational company who had casinos in many E.U. countries. I pointed out to the assembled regulators the additional cost and extra effort required to certify one single slot machine in each of their countries. Different meter requirements, different formats of certification and different software verification practises were all essential. The added cost and lost timewas, and is, enormous whenever a slot was introduced into a new market. No answer was forthcoming, and I was probably not the most popular person in the room, because of course they each thought they had the best legislation, at least in the context of their particular jurisdiction.

Which brings me to the proposals for British gambling laid out in the House of Lords Select Committee on the Social and Economic Impact of the Gambling Industry. As I said in my last article, things have improved dramatically in the understanding of problem gambling within the industry. 40 years ago we werenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t particularlyinterested in the wellbeing of the players, to the point where, to my everlasting shame, we were, as a collective, openly contemptuous of players losing large amounts, often clearly exceeding their financial capacity. There should be recognition of how the industry, in partnership with regulators, has greatly improved its stance on the issue. Equally it can be seen that technology and social mores have evolved to such an extent that the 2005 gaming act may seem outdated, but it is hard to see why blame should be put on the operator, they have, for the most part, simply worked within the existing parameters.

There appears to be a disregard by the authorities of the complexity and variances of gambling opportunities. Although the end result of gambling across the different sectors may be the same, (you bet, you win or you lose), the experience of playing in a land based casino compared to on a mobile, or in a bookmakers is very different indeed. There seems to be a wilful desire by government agencies in the U.K. to not understand the industry. The self-regulating ethos of the Gambling Commission, introduced when it was first created, leaves far too much responsibility for the interpretation of the regulations on the shoulders of the operators, to the detriment of the end user, the player. This is not uniquely a U.K. situation. Across Europe self-regulation of industries,

especially banking and finance, has not been an unmitigated success. The playbook of the authorities in several of the European jurisdictions where I have operated is to say to the Casinos â&#x20AC;&#x153;Do what you think is right and appropriate, following your interpretation of the law, but be beware, if you get it wrong we will penalise you.â&#x20AC;? So to simply announce that sports advertising is a driver of problem gambling misses the point. If that is the case how it that the percentage of problem gamblers in the general population seems to have stayed relatively stable, despite going from the 1968 act where casinos were not even allowed to advertise in the telephone directory, to today where opportunities to gamble are clearly signposted, and to limit the amount a player can gamble in relation to his financial

situation, notconsideringwhether that person also likes to drive a luxury car, spend time in expensive restaurants, or drink fine wines is a shallow response. Perhaps that person just chooses to spend a larger part of their disposable incomethan the general populationon gambling. Which brings us to the truth of the matter, placing artificial barriers in front of players who may be problem gamblers does not solve the issue. Why in Britain do we limit the number of slot machines in the casino to 20, when in every other country in Europe it is recognised that slot machines are no more harmful than any other form of gaming? What happens when a slot machine has limited spins per hour? The player uses 2 or 3 machines at once. What happens when a players table limit is set low, they

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give money to others to bet for them, and most damagingly, what happens when a player who has a compulsion is stopped from betting in a regulated environment? They play in an illegal unregulated casino, or on a web site housed in an offshore jurisdiction. What authorities, and even some academics who have spent years studying compulsive gambling do not seem to grasp is that without treatment these gamblers will walk through fire to get a bet on. Will banning advertisement on football shirts help? It may reduce a little the number of new leisure gamblers, but it will do nothing to help those most in need. Will putting spending limits

on casino players be successfulwithout being complemented by effective treatment? They will simply go to a clandestine betting hall, and then how do we propose to give help to those problem gamblers who have effectively become invisible whilst playing on unregulated web sites or illegal casinos (which exist in every major city in the country). Land based casinos have to be one of the safest environments to gamble in, providing they are well regulated and all the staff are trained to be proactive to those in distress, but creating conflict between the casino and the player wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t help, a relationship of trust between the player and the casi-

no personnel will.On-line casinos can track every movement of the players, so let the industry and the authorities work together to use this information to reach out to players that need help, not take actions which will make the (highly) regulated industry less viable. Before any actions are taken to disincentivise the industry, effective treatment must be available to all those who need it, and when talking about help for players, lets talk about practical solutions, not theoretical studies. Otherwise, as Paul Weller of the Jam said, the business will be â&#x20AC;&#x153;Going Undergroundâ&#x20AC;?.

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BACK TO BLACK easy picking for rogue operators

By Lynn Pearce de Freitas

aving been in the gaming industry for long enough to know what it is like in the beginning, prior to The Gambling Act regulations in 2005, I am starting to get really worried that excessive rules being suggested now by The House of Lords will push problem gamblers back into the hands of unscrupulous operators. I personally believe there is a real chance of that happening, as gamblers will always find ways of gambling, regardless of any amount of laws being put in place, so instead of protecting the 300,000 known problem gamblers in the UK, I fear that the new suggested laws will only entice them to go and play elsewhere, putting them into unprotected terrain.

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Right from the beginning, as online gaming operators, we ourselves put in many rules to protect problem gamblers. I remember one example of a player in the US (prior to UIGEA) who was spending way too much money every month on gambling, he was a genuinely nice guy, had enough money to play, a successful businessman and family man. Unfortunately, he was addicted to gambling and was very quickly burning money and spending too much time gambling. The company I was working for took it upon themselves to phone him and ask him if there was anything we could do to help him with his addiction. He agreed that his gambling was getting out of control, we arranged counselling for him and assisted throughout this period, with regular calls to ensure that he was sticking to the program. We even assisted him

with getting his business back up and running successfully again. This is just one example of the lengths we went to in order toprotect our players.Ibelieve that problem gambling is a mental health disorder, and that governments should treat this as they would any other disorder. In addition, we also welcomed the help of eCogra and other governing bodies with instituting regulations that would assist in making sure we could look after our players and recognize early on if they exhibited signs of problem gambling, asking them to self-exclude for a period of 6 months or more. What made our work difficult for us, was the fact that there were literally thousands of online gambling sites that were very happy to take these players on and

they did not care what happened to these people, they just wanted to make a quick buck out of them. I was very proud to be a part of the company I was working for, as they genuinely cared about their player base. Doing comparisons, I also realized at the time that we were becoming far more regulated in the online space than regulated land-based casinos, who were still enticing VIPs and whales into their casinos, with offerings of free accommodation, shows, feeding them excessive alcohol – look at what happened with Terrence Watanabe in Vegas: During a year-long gambling binge at the Caesars Palace and Rio casinos in 2007, Terrance Watanabe managed to lose nearly $127 million –always in a highly intoxicated state. This would never happen in the online gambling space, yet more and more restrictions are being placed on highly regulated gaming operators, which in my opinion will only push those problem gamblers back into the open arms of unregulated, rogue

operators. According to the Parliament.uk website, The House of Lords Select Committee on the Social and Economic Impact of the Gambling Industry warns that much more needs to be done to prevent gambling-related harm. The liberalisation of gambling by the Gambling Act 2005, the universal adoption of smart phones, and the exploitation of soft-touch regulation by gambling operators has created a perfect storm of addictive 24/7 gambling. The Committee expects the Government and the regulator to make even more drastic changes now. If you read the full report, you will see that there are many good suggestions, which are overall well-considered and constructive, but it also includes taking action againstgaming companies for speed of games online vs in traditional land-based casinos, which I found to be a bit restrictive and quite frankly, old-fashioned, based on the fact that gamblers are looking for new and innovative games to play, which many of the software providers are offering now.

You cannot hold an entire gaming community to ransom because problem gamblers want their fix, as you would be pitting a couple of hundred thousand players against millions of regular, recreational gamers. Anytime you start to outlaw something, or behave in a prohibitive manner, means you end up sending players into the arms of unscrupulous operators and I believe this is the real threat. Even the fact that they want to ban armbands at sporting events to me appears to be over the top, if you consider the loss of income to these sports companies, is it really necessary in the long run. I don’t know, these are only my thoughts and personal opinions. The one thing I do tend to agree with is regulating the sale of loot boxes, which is hugely popular amongst the young, as I believe these sales and the lure of “what’s in the box” will teach children to gamble in the future. I also think that once you prohibit something, people will want it even more – moderation is key,anything over the top will just have an adverse effect, which will be counter-productive!

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GAMING NEWS

GVC Results Up in Online Down In Gaming

VC holdings the owning company of brands such as Ladbrokes, Coral, Foxy Bingo and others announced it latest set of trading figures with a decline in net gaming revenues by 11% compared to Q2 in 2019 but online revenues grew by 19%. Overall GVC said it expected H1 EBITDA2 to be in the range of £340 million – £350 million.

our brands, and the talent, commitment and professionalism of our people. We have worked hard to achieve our target of operating at cash neutral throughout the lockdown period, which has enabled the Group to retain the necessary financial strength to be able to take advantage of growth opportunities as and when they are presented to it. Our increased investment in BetMGM in the US is a case in point.

Outgoing CEO Kenneth Alexander said: “Given the extraordinary circumstances in which the Group is currently operating, delivering double-digit online net gaming revenue growth in all of our major territories is a very strong performance. It is a clear testament to the strength and diversification of our business model, the quality of our technology, the enduring appeal of

“During this period of lockdown measures around the world, we have been more aware than ever of our responsibility to provide the safest possible environment for our customers. We continue to focus on providing our customers with the tools to empower them to manage their own play, whilst deploying our market-leading technology to monitor for potentially problematic

changes in behaviour and intervene as required. We are pleased that there is no evidence of any increase in problem gambling during lockdown. Hopefully this has also been duly noted by those whose preference for punitive and mandatory restrictions runs the risk of driving customers into the hands of unscrupulous black-market operators, as has been the case in other countries in which stringent and misguided regulation has been introduced. “All in all, our resilient performance through what has been a turbulent first half and the proven strength of our business model means that the Group can look forward to the future with confidence.”

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GAMING NEWS

BBIN Builds Hope With Japanese Charity Project

he Gaming Beat Charity (TGB Charity), a subsidiary brand of BBIN, collaborated with the Japanese charity organization Playground of Hope (PoH) in July of this year to build a playground in the Matsuzaki-Ozaki Disaster Prevention Park in Kesennuma City. In addition to donating ¥7,281,000 for the purchase, transportation, and installation of playground facilities, TGB Charity also invited local residents to vote for the recreational equipment they wanted in the playground as well as participate in the construction process. The park, which is scheduled for completion in April 2021, will serve as a place for local residents to linger and relax, while also providing disaster prevention functions. BBIN, a leading iGaming software

supplier in Asia, has actively collaborated with many significant charity organizations since 2018. The company’s efforts have inspired many people to participate in philanthropy. This year, BBIN has made tremendous contributions to the reconstruction after the March 11, 2011 earthquake, in order to help the local residents return to their normal, peaceful lives. These endeavors will continue in the future, to ensure that BBIN’s collaborations with charity organizations around the world will benefit all peoples. PoH is a Japanese NPO founded by Michael Anop after the 2011 earthquake. PoH’s primary goal is to help rebuild affected communities by constructing outdoor recreational areas for children and supporting outdoor play at children’s homes. These ef-

forts allow children who have lost family members to live and play in peace. PoH is a strong advocate for outdoor recreation, because it helps improve children’s health, confidence, and teamwork. Furthermore, local residents can get to know each other during the process of building the playgrounds by hand, thus strengthening their sense of community identity. Official website of TGB Charity: https://www.tgbcharity.com/ Official website of Playground of Hope: https://poh.ngo/

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Slot Manager vs General Manager Essential Dialogue Part 1 Essential dialogue and dealing with difficult conversations are critical if you want your operation to remain focused, competitive and productive, and here’s why you can’t achieve success without them.

By Andy Cosgrove

s Casinos across the globe start to re-open after lockdown, there is a lot of uncertainty in the air and operators will have to adapt to a new way of life in order to remain competitive. Companies will need to re-define their strategy to survive, which might include reducing staff levels, reducing spending, and even closing down less profitable venues. The need to adapt, change and become more productive is more essential than ever so slot managers everywhere will need to engage in some essential, but sometimes uncomfortable, dialogue with their bosses in order to address the fundamental issues that impede progress, put the brakes on productivity and inhibit success. Many people choose to remain silent

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during essential dialogue and avoid giving an opinion for fear of retribution and the loss of their job, Others often resort to verbal violence to protect their power at any cost which may include, encouraging negative feedback, hiding the truth, and throwing the slots manager under the proverbial bus! However, those who understand the need for essential dialogue recognize its value and use it as an integral part of their improvement strategy and as a part of their day to day operations. Some say that part of essential dialogue is knowing and understanding the answers you seek before asking the big questions, and if your boss doesn’t listen and take note while you’re engaging them in a good or difficult conversation, then success will remain an illusion and failure imminent. I’m certain that no dedicated

slots manager wakes up in the morning thinking, “today I’m going to fail,” so if you’re like me and choose the path that leads towards continual improvement and learning, then you might find the following examples of essential dialogue useful the next time your boss asks you about slots performance, especially if you want to avoid being part of a failed operation that you could have helped save if only you had moved out of your comfort zone and spoken up. COMMUNICATION – “If some senior management team members fail to listen, understand, or participate after agreeing to their role in a project, how will we reach our revenue targets and remain competitive?” Have you ever been in a situation where you did everything perfect and even went above and beyond

normal expectations to help make a project succeed only to see it fail because other department heads you needed cooperation from simply failed to execute their part of the project work even after agreeing to it? If you have, then you’ll recognize this as a failure to communicate effectively and a failure of an executive team to do what they get paid to do. When communication is fluid and feedback is used as a way to improve and maintain focus then synergy can be achieved, engagement levels increased, and revenue expectations met and exceeded on a consistent basis. A great leader knows the power of communication so if the problem persists; you have to ask yourself who is really at fault. PRODUCTIVITY– “Instead of putting out fires and concentrating

on the short term, shouldn’t we be focusing on long term goals and the steps we need to take to achieve them?” In such difficult times it’s really easy to lose focus on your number one priority which should be adding value to your guest experience. How often have you had your day well scripted only to finish it by accomplishing nothing that improved productivity towards achieving your most important goal? If this hasn’t happened to you then you’re either extremely disciplined or very lucky. Either way, ultimate success comes down to being able to focus relentlessly on achieving your one ultimate goal. A great leader will let their management team do their job. However, what if the boss is unaware of your frustrations because every time they offer support, you stay silent for risk of sounding incompetent or weaken-

ing your position? A great leader will always support their staff, but the choice to remain silent is yours. Is the consequence of your silence worth it? ACCOUNTABILITY – “You hold me accountable but fail to deliver on the co-operation I need to achieve the results that you demand.” Did you ever feel like the scapegoat in your own horror movie? If so, you may be a victim of an accountability crime that you didn’t commit. It’s a wellknown fact that without clarity and unity there can be no accountability. When expectations aren’t made clear and your boss wants to remain popular your next big idea can quickly become your latest nightmare. A great leader will maintain unity, focus and productivity while making sure the project manager gets the support they need. They won’t walk in the

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Slots Manager vs General Manager (continued)

room and take over; they will be the guide you need to be successful. You want to be part of successful team, and so does your boss so why not remind them that you’re in it together because identifying a common purpose is part of a successful dialogue. TRUST – “You hired me to do a job but continue to micromanage and ignore my advice” Trust is arguably the most important factor in any kind of relationship regardless of whether or not it’s related to your business or personal relationships. If your boss is micromanaging you then it’s obvious that they don’t trust your ability to do the job, so why did they give you the job in the first place? You meet and exceed revenue targets; your staff are engaged and motivated and you’re always looking to improve on your success, but they continue to glare over your shoulder even when they’re not present! Micromanaging and not trusting your key employees, kills focus, motivation, productivity, and innovation so maybe it’s time to address the issue and dig deep by using positive dialogue to reach a positive compromise.

SUCCESS– “lack of Clarity, innovation and compromise is causing our best customers and staff to leave.” There are many definitions of success that both staff and customers love to be associated with, but the bad news is that there are just as many different ways of describing failure. Building success takes time and effort but it can be gone from one day to the next, and if leaders fail to recognize the importance of communication, compromise, accountability, and a clear vision, then success will remain an illusion. When your customers and team members fail to buy into what you’re selling, and your executives fail to see the warning signs (or maybe they’re in a state of denial!) then the time to act is now before your hard earned success become a distant memory soon to be forgotten. CONCLUSION - Recognizing the need for essential dialogue is critical for the success of you slot operation and whether your boss likes it or not there are some conversations we cannot and should not avoid as the consequences can become insurmountable. A great leader will listen, understand and use essential dia-

logue to introduce the kind of change that will promote success, transform your employees into engaged and enthusiastic brand ambassadors, and leave your customers applauding your success as they queue up for more. Essential dialogue can and will feel uncomfortable at times, but if you lack the motivation, consider the tragic consequences of remaining silent and burying your head in the sand. Stay safe. ----MY MINI-BLOG - Andrew Cosgrove is a seasoned slot operations veteran and certified project manager with over 24 years of hands on experience in Latin America and the Caribbean. Andrew has worked on both the operator and supplier side of casino slots and continues to help clients succeed and exceed customer expectations. Andrew can be reached at andy.cosgrove@hemingwaycasinoconsulting.com Or go to: http://hemingwaycasinoconsulting.com/

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A Mobile Game Helps to Plant Forests and Struggle with Climate Change

obile game “Plant the Forest” is a unique digital product, which combines educational and entertaining content with a real contribution to forest restoration. NGO EСA, together with KB Production, developed this game in 2019. This project aims to draw attention to global forest fires and the vanishing of the green lungs of the Earth. Today we face such losses from wildfires that every person on the planet should plant not only one but several thousand trees to compensate for the rapid decline of forests. But not everybody has the possibility to plant trees physically. Our game will help

them do it even without leaving their homes! “Plant the Forest” is a casual match 3 game, which combines the virtual world and reality. The playing field is a dying forest that needs to be restored. During the game, a player will find out how a forest grows, what threats it has and how to fight them. You can also play offline. The game is free, but if players want to buy some power-ups or make a donation to help restore the forest, they can do it right inside the game. All the trees will be planted in the real world by the PosadiLes project : https://posadiles.ru/en/

Since 2015 the PosadiLes project team has planted 700 000 trees in the areas which suffered badly from wildfires and pests. The game “Plant the Forest” won the social impact award of the Expo Live Program under EXPO 2020 Dubai and was recognized as one of the best environmental projects by UNEP within Young Champions of the Earth contest. The game is available at Google Play and the App Store.

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Toothless Tiger….. By Teresa Tunstall

oothless....I have to smile when I see that was the description used about our Gambling Commission, as I worked with problem gamblers for 16 years and in those days Online gambling barely existed - most gaming was a trip to the betting shop or an evening trip to a casino and occasionally a poker game. Today,however, you can bet or gamble on your way to work, again in your lunch break and continue when you reach home, if you still have a job that is! This begs the question. Has coronavirus had an impact on all those lock downed at home gamblers itching to have a gamble with nowhere to go? In fact, with face to face gambling vetoed anywhere in this day and age, gamblers latch on to play anything that keeps them - what they perceive - to be happy. It’s a common belief that we could

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well be in a prolonged period of economic uncertainty which of course could have an impact on customer spending. The recent easing of lockdown has opened the public to be able to shop, attend restaurants, pubs etc., and as from July 15 betting shops will also open allowing those gamblers and bettors to enjoy the whole face to face experiences again. The question is: are problem gamblers suffering from an addictive disease? We accept people who are massively over eaters have this as a weakness, the same applies to drinkers who step over the line with their alcohol consumption. So let’s ask where do operators and their staff actually stand in all this? Personalising it, the casino and betting staff that I have met in my time make it their business to know or get to know their customers. The fact is that the use of controlled

gambling has to be much better for punters than anonymous, unrestricted suppliers. This means discussions, or gaming education at colleges or universities could provide the pro and cons of the question. In other words opportunities for youngsters to gain insightful knowledge enabling them to understand gambling and betting from a safer standpoint. What I have learned over time is that there are many students who tragically and with great sadness succumb to gambling habits particularly those in university! Of course most parents are completely unaware as to what their children are doing, as in the main the kids live in university “halls” or share apartments with other students. To illustrate the point I received a call from an 18 year old who had come over to UK from Italy to study at a university in the north. Sadly he had gambled every single penny that his father had supplied

Teresa Tunstall Article

for his first year’s tuition! He was fortunate to be supported by his English friend who encouraged him to ‘come clean,’ and source help at which point he was wracked in tears as he told me his story. Then there is question about Libertarians whom seek to maximize political freedom and autonomy, emphasizing individualism, freedom of choice and voluntary association. What does this actually mean? Basically it means that we all have freedom of choice to gamble or not but realistically punters must make the best choice for themselves.

We know that some gamblers use gambling as a form of escape, perhaps from what they perceive to be their boring lives… to dance with Lady Luck and have a frisson of excitement; everyone wants to be a winner and likes the idea of a challenge. I mentioned “lockdown” earlier which has gripped millions around the world. Some people have taken to betting on line mostly from their homes, playing casino games, poker and roulette which has triggered a surge for many gaming companies. There is no way of estimating how many gamblers have won or lost – we may never know - but

at the end of the day they made their own choice to gamble or not. So as we ponder upon the inside argument going on between the All Party Parliamentary Groups (APPG) attacking the Gambling Commission as ‘Toothless,’ the squabble continues between the two. Surely both organisations should join forces as it would obviously be best for everyone to work together particularly to help those gamblers in trouble with their addiction. The best road is to work together to resolve issues instead of picking on each other!

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Teresa Tunstall Article

ccusations of toothlessness isn’t a new thing in the gambling industry. When I was a croupier working in the world of casinos, dealing blackjack, roulette and punto banco at an exclusive upmarket casino in upmarket Mayfair, Robert Maxwell, was a regular visitor. I have to admit that this particular casino in which I worked (and adored) was a stately landmark with massive marble columns standing sentinel and elegantly on the gaming floor. Staff and Management knew Mr Maxwell well and despite being a frequent visitor he could be a prickly customer. For example, there were four roulette tables and he insisted that the ball was not spun until he’d finished placing his bets. It was at this point that he would stand hiding behind one of the marble pillars leaving only the outline of his face to give him away! Once he’d heard the ball drop he’d take his winnings and move on to the next roulette table. Sadly the time came when it was decided to sell the casino and word

went round like a spinning top. Of course Robert Maxwell turned up knowing it was the last day of ownership. I was dealing roulette as usual, and, after placing his bets and with the wheel being spun, it finally dropped on an obscure number (gamblers have certain lucky numbers they always use). There were no gaming ‘chips’ on his lucky numbers but as I leaned over to clear the green baize, Maxwell grabbed my arms. Annoyed, I turned to my Inspector who immediately told Maxwell he wasn’t allowed to touch me or the chips. Robert Maxwell was a quixotic and enigmatic man and multi-lingual to boot. Thus when my inspector who was from Rome spoke to him in Italian Maxwell replied in Italian; the Assistant Manager (from Berlin) came over to the roulette table whereupon Maxwell spoke to him in German and finally our French Manager came over to join the table dispute. An international debate ensued and a decision made… I was to pay out Mr Maxwell.

Toothless? It’s not a new thing! By the way, it’s a whispered headline that David Beckham has added yet another bow to his business empire. He has invested a substantial amount (although he refuses to say how much) in esports which is now big time online gaming watched and gambled by millions throughout the world. In fact the UK has its own team called the London Royal Ravens but Beckham isn’t connected to them. No doubt he will add to his vast wealth. What’s his wife’s nickname for him? Goldenb….

READ MORE from Teresa Tunstall only in the next edition of the Infinity Gaming Magazine.

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GAMING NEWS

London ICE Gaming Expo Postponed Till April 2021

he London ICE2021 Gaming Show is to be rescheduled to 20-22 April due to the COVID pandemic. Due to be held on the 2nd February till the 4th 2021, the organisers Clarion Gaming were due to hold an online press conference on Thursday 16th July to make the announcement of the change. However our sister publication the iGaming Post broke the news on the morning before the press conference as sources close to Clarion informed the news site of the date change. With the current UK government uncertainty over when mass gatherings

will be allowed Clarion Gaming felt the danger of holding one of the biggest gaming expos in its traditional February date would be difficult to convince exhibitors to take part and hold the event safely under the current government restrictions. Also with flights around the world having quarantine imposed on some regions and also the Excel in London where Clarion Gaming host the event still being used as a back up hospital although currently not accepting patients Clarion Gaming have decided to postpone.

demic and how the winter in the UK survives with a possible second peak. Information from the UK government point to a close to normality in life come Christmas time. Confidence in flying and travelling will be critical on whether the ICE 2021 will take place in April. The news follows the announcement from Reed Exhibitions earlier that the G2E Las Vegas due to be held in October has been cancelled this year.

Whether the April date will remain will depend on the COVID-19 pan-

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GAMING NEWS

IGT Introduces Cashless Gaming in Sweden

nternational Game Technology (IGT) announced today that its cashless gaming technology is propelling the new era of gaming at Svenska Spel venues throughout Sweden. Through IGT’s INTELLIGEN™ systems product utilizing IGTPay™ technology, Svenska Spel players now have the option to easily and securely fund their play at Video Lottery Terminals (“VLTs”) from their mobile devices. Svenska Spel’s recent launch of IGT’s INTELLIGEN VLT system and Quasar® VLTs enables players to use their mobile device to register for and log into VLTs by integrating with their individual, nationally available Digital BankID, paving the way for cashless gaming with the addition of IGTPay. Now, with the deployment of IGTPay, players who are logged onto a Svenska Spel VLT are presented with the option to draw funds directly from their bank account through Swish, a widely used mobile payment service in Sweden that is owned by the banks. Players simply approve the transfer via their mobile device and start playing their favorite VLT games. This end-to-end process takes just seconds. Following completion of gameplay, Svenska Spel can return any available funds directly back to the player’s bank account automatically and instantaneously for a very progressive retail experience. “Launching IGT’s cashless product provides our players with a reliable, cutting-edge cashless solution that connects directly with the Swish mobile app, helping us drive efficiencies while responsibly advancing the player experience,” said Magnus Lannersund, Director of VLT Operations, Svenska Spel AB. “IGT has been

instrumental in our enterprise-wide modernization with solutions such as the Quasar VLT, the INTELLIGEN central system, our responsible gaming functions and now through their next-generation IGTPay cashless technology. This retail project was among the first of its kind in Sweden, enabling a retail business owner to return funds to a consumer’s bank account via a consumer’s mobile app. Svenska Spel is proud to be at the forefront of retail innovation especially when the need for cashless options for the post-COVID-19 era is more crucial than ever.” “Svenska Spel is at the forefront of innovation with IGT’s cashless gaming solution. This groundbreaking technology introduces a contemporary consumer experience to landbased gaming in one of the most progressive societies in the world,” said Declan Harkin, IGT Senior Vice President and COO, International. “The combination of IGT’s INTELLIGEN and IGTPay products builds upon our payment expertise in the digital gaming and lottery segments to create a solution that enables

players to enjoy the convenience and security of cashless gaming in retail.” “As the relevance of cashless and contactless gaming innovations continues to grow, technologies such as IGT INTELLIGEN with IGTPay become critical components of the player experience, and solutions that can bring tremendous value to our global customers,” said Ryan Reddy, IGT Vice President, Systems and Payments Products. “We have established a dedicated Payments Team to ensure that customers such as Svenska Spel are equipped with IGT solutions and services that deliver modern payment options that align with consumer expectations and future business opportunities.” IGT has been a Svenska Spel supplier of VLT technology since 2006. The Swedish state-owned gaming operator currently operates 4,750 IGT VLTs in gaming venues throughout the country, leverages the INTELLIGEN central system, and utilizes a vast range of IGT game content.

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TCSJOHNHUXLEY Care & Protect Range As Casinos in England are given the green light to reopen, TCSJOHNHUXLEY showcase how they are helping their clients work safely in the new world.

CSJOHNHUXLEY recently launched its Care & Protect range of products, designed to protect gaming staff and players in the fight against COVID-19. As casino operations start to resume around the world there is a wide range of mandatory measures required to ensure the safety and wellbeing of casino staff and players. TCSJOHNHUXLEY has developed a portfolio of key products ready to support customers with all they will need for their table game operations. The Care & Protect range of chip sanitisation products has been designed with flexibility in mind. From the Mini Chip Sanitiser 24-chip unit that sits on a gaming table, to multiple

stacked mobile units that can sanitise up to 600 chips at one time, all TCSJOHNHUXLEY Care & Protect products conform to the highest safety standards, incorporating innovative, patent pending design. TCSJOHNHUXLEY Chip Sanitisers utilise UV-C light technology, enabling chips to be sanitised in minutes,neutralising harmful germs that can cause infection. The Chip Sanitisers feature a unique patent pending design that ensures every surface of the chip is completely cleanedbefore being put back into play. It also incorporates a safety mechanism, so the machine will not operate unless the unit is completely shut, guaranteeing no harmful UV light can escape.

Where larger quantities of chip sanitisation is required, the MobileTrolley is ideal. Incorporating its own power unit to ensure a continuous power supply forup to 8 hours and with no need to connect to power, the Mobile Chip Sanitiser Trolley can be moved around thegaming floor where and when chip sanitisation is required, giving total flexibility. More information can be found on this and other Care & Protect products at: https://www.tcsjohnhuxley.com/ product-category/care-protect-range

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GAMING NEWS

Gambling Operators Start Changes To VIP Schemes

VC Holdings are the first major gambling operator to start to reorganise their VIP programmes following their agreement on recommendations by the Betting & Gaming Council (BGC). All the major operators have also agreed to the changes that will mean than any customers who are under 25 years old will not be classed as VIP players and removed from all benefits given to players above that age. It is hoped that the move by operators and the BGC will help improve gambling issues in younger players. The UK government are already planning to announce new sweeping measures on the gambling industry

and GVC and other operators are trying to Pre-empt those changes. In statement on the changes GVC are making it said in a statement: “GVC confirms that in line with its adoption of the Betting & Gaming Council’s new code of conduct for the management of high value customers (HVCs), it is restructuring its customer care teams. GVC was the lead operator in the industry working group on what were formally referred to as VIP schemes.” “This work paved the way for the creation of the new code, which introduces significant enhancements to responsible gambling safeguarding measures for HVC schemes and

reduces the number of customers eligible to participate, including a complete restriction for those aged under 25. “As a result of the restructure, a number of roles have been identified at risk, though it is hoped and expected that by offering alternate positions within the Group, compulsory redundancies will be kept to a minimum.” Workers involved in the VIP sector fear that job losses may follow the news as companies restructure their programmes also.

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GAMING NEWS

Genting UK To Shed More Than 1,600 Jobs

enting UK the casino operator has said that over 1,600 jobs are at risk. Casinos in England are not allowed to reopen till the 1st August and the majority of staff are still on furlough. However Genting believe that the changes to their casinos and working practices will change dramatically once opened and have made the decision to lay off workers they believe are not necessary to their new way of working once open. It is understood that the majority of those staff at risk are all poker room staff and service staff, Genting is understood the be closing all their poker rooms across their estate as once reopened poker will not be allowed under new guidelines and service staff requirements to serve customers at tables will be hugely reduced.

In a statement from Genting on the redundancies it said: “Like all businesses across the leisure and hospitality sector, we have faced unprecedented challenges and heavy losses over the past few months as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. “Despite the ongoing uncertainty in relation to when we may be able to open our doors again, we are continuing to prepare for our re-opening – albeit with significant changes being implemented to our physical premises and to our operating model. “In light of these changes, we are having to make some heart-breaking decisions about the future of the business and it is with huge regret that job losses are simply unavoidable.

“We can confirm that 1,642 colleagues in the UK have been put at risk of redundancy, however that consultation process is ongoing and we are intent on mitigating job losses as much as is possible. “A significant number of those at risk of redundancy will remain on furlough, and we will be doing everything we can to bring those individuals back in to the business at a later stage. “The Job Retention Scheme, however, is just that and therefore when it became clear to us that a significant number of roles could likely not be retained, it was only right to begin the redundancy consultation process rather than continuing to take government money via the furlough scheme.”

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ON THE ROAD TO

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GAMING NEWS

The Industry Influential Women of 2020

s we enter 2020 and look at who will show the leadership and innovation within our industry both online and land based, The Women in Gaming Diversity has revealed the most influential, innovative and inspiring ladies within our business. As we all know the gender gap is still there with the most recent survey by “Gender Imbalance in Business” shows that: 35% of women hold junior level roles within the

Media and Online sector, 25% represent mid-level management, which is the same proportion in Senior level roles also, BUT the big disparency is at the most senior level where CEO’s live, there is only 13% of women in those positions.

good.

However below we celebrate the women that not just have made the highest peak in business but those leading the charge to show that women in all levels have made a huge impact on their business for

See the next page to see the full list of influential ladies that made the 2020 Influencers of the year.

The list below is in alphabetical order only and does not represent any other order of importance, but shows the most influential women within the entire gambling industry.

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GAMING NEWS

Influential Women of 2020 - The List

The List

he list was compiled through a range of metrics, their time at the companies, their rise within the companies, their activity within business, any activity supporting women within their business, of course their influence in their region (geographically) and this is only the first “LIST” and an annual list will be updated and improved on in future

lists.

Here are the ladies that made the 2020 Influencers list in alphabetical order: Chryssa Amanatidou – Group Corporate Affairs Director at Intralot Ebba Arnred – CMO at Play’n GO Rachel Barber – CTO at IGT Britt Boeskov, Chief Experience Officer at Kindred Jennifer Bowman – Senior Director Marketing at IGT Hiu-Yu Vanessa Chan – Vice President, Business Development, Greater China & Asia Pacific IGT Stephanie Cheung – EVP and Chief Legal Officer at Melco Resorts & Entertainment Denise Coates – CEO at Bet365 Tracey Cohen – Director of Marketing at TCSJohnHuxley Irina Cornides – Chief Commercial Officer at Gamesys Group Melanie Hainzer – Chief Marketing Officer at Rootz Helen Hedgeland – Managing Director at Evolution UK Therese Hillman – CEO at NetEnt Pansy Ho – Co-Chair at MGM Macau Deb Krupinski – Vice President – Insights and Analytics at Scientific Games Siobhan Lane – Chief Commercial Officer Gaming Division at Scientific Games Ciara Nic Liam – Director of Product Gaming at Betsson Group Lucy Owen – Commercial Director & Head of Account Management at Playtech Alexe Reichert – Head of Marketing Operations at Mr Green Limited Brigid Simmonds – Chairperson at Betting & Gaming Council Paris Smith – CEO Pinnacle Sports Melissa Summerfield – Chief Commercial Officer at Pragmatic Play Shelly Suter-Hadad – CEO at Casumo Akiko Takahashi – Executive Vice President & Chief of Staff to Chairman and CEO – Melco Resorts & Entertainment Paddy Tang Lui Wai Yu – Executive Director/Board Member Galaxy Entertainment Kostandina Zafirovska – CEO at BtoBet

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