Infinity Gaming Magazine June 2021 by Clever Duck Media

InfinityGaming www.gaming-awards.com | ISSUE128

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

46 A NEW DAY

10 DONT GAMBLE WITH FUTURE

16 BETTING ON DRONES

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.

INFINITY GAMING

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

7 IGA2021 All the latest news

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

19 BIDS FOR WH BEGIN SLOT MANAGEMENT 101

26 CHRISTINA THAKOR-RANKIN 32 TIM CULLIMORE ARTICLE

IVAN MONTIK

56 THE BINO REBOOT + 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

Judging Time

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

Lana Thompson - Editor Welcome to the latest edition of the In-

struct, Digitain, Melco Resorts, Ultra-

finity Gaming Magazine and as I write

play, BBIN, 1XBet, IGT, Pragmatic Play,

this we await the announcement from

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the UK Prime Minister on whether the

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country will be released from all COVID-19 restrictions and once again be

Now to the magazine and always our

free on the 19th July.

superb writers give us their experience and insight on the gaming industry

However even just as important, is that

with contributions this month by, An-

our judges all good men and WOMEN

drew Cosgrove, Lynn Pearce de Freitas,

have all made their votes for the final-

Teresa Tunstall, Tim Cullimore, Chris-

ists of the 2021 International Gaming

tina Thakor-Rankin and two special

Awards (IGA). Our team are now com-

guest writers, Craig Morgan and Phil

pleting their admin and we will be an-

Gibbs. Not just all that but we have an

nouncing them on the 9th July.

exclusive interview with Ivan Montik the BGaming founder.

With all major restrictions expected to be lifted shortly we now look forward

Of course we got all the latest news

to meeting and greeting our superb fi-

covered from Australia, Asia, Macau, Eu-

nalists on the 8th September for a face

rope and all over North America.

to face real event at the stunning Savoy Hotel. Oh how long has it been since we all got together and celebrated our resilient industry, far too long I say!

As always- “May the Force be with you” - Star Wars

In the coming weeks we hope to hear that flights from Europe and further

Regards,

afield will be allowed and the celebrations can really begin.

Lana

It is only with the support of our superb

The Editor

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© 2021 IGT. Except where ownership is otherwise identified, the trademarks used herein are owned by IGT or its affiliates, may not be used without permission, and where indicated with a ®, are registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Artwork, descriptions, game play, photographs, videos, and other product details depicted are subject to change. IGT is committed to socially responsible gaming. Our business solutions empower customers to choose parameters and practices that become the foundation of their Responsible Gaming programs.

GAMING NEWS

New Boss New Rules To End Covid Restrictions

he UK witnessed the changing of the guard when it comes to the Health Secretary on Monday as the former Chancellor of the Exchequer Sajid Javid took the new position of boss of the health service. In what are unprecedented times with the global pandemic and what is surely one of the most important jobs in these times went to a man that over the past 16 months has called for businesses to be allowed to re-open. Indeed many political analysts say Mr Javid is a “lockdown sceptic” which too many businesses that are struggling because of current restrictions hope that what the new Health Secretary is saying will be true. In his first interview over the weekend when former Health Secretary Matt Hancock resigned over breach-

es in his own COVID rules on social distancing when found to be having an affair with an aide within his office. Mr Javid said: “We are still in a pandemic and I want to see that come to an end as soon as possible and that will be my most immediate priority, to see that we can return to normal as soon and as quickly as possible.” He went on to say that when the current restrictions are lifted that they are “irreversible”. Those words if true will be music to the ears of so many businesses including casinos, events, nightclubs and every other sector that works closely with customers to bring them face to face real live experiences. Indeed in a recent study it was found that currently there are fourteen times more deaths in the UK occur from flu and pneumonia than COVID. No-one is saying that the current pandemic is not serious,

but after some 16-months plus and now with the majority of the adult population vaccinated and indeed the elderly and vulnerable having all been vaccinated the time is now right to open up fully without government restrictions. Scientists have said for a long time now that COVID will be with us for many years to come if not forever, social activities are a huge part of life and we all need it to return to normal. Over the past year it has been found that depression and so many other mental health issues are rising because of the government restrictions, the time has now come to get back to “a normal” and it seems that the new Health Secretary also believes that. The next few weeks will tell if what he is saying will be the truth and for so many both in business and personal life it needs now to be true.

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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 products, technology and current affairs with the sector the Infinity Gaming Magazine is delighted to showcase our superb line-up of contributing

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 re-engineering, 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 – 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 ‘poacher to gamekeeper,’ spending 16 years with GamCare, who offer help and support to those who develop problems with their gambling. Working closely with the betting and gaming industry, She developed strong links delivering Social Respon-

sibility and Problem Gambling training around the world, Teresa now works independently consulting on all issues relating to Social Responsibility and Problem Gambling. To contact Teresa regarding consulting please email:

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 extensive senior management experience in online gaming. She is an experienced, data-driven, commercially focused, strategic marketing leader. She has over 15 years of proven success in gaming, from land-based casinos, to online gaming companies offering sports betting, poker and casino, live casino and Esports. Lynn has many start-ups under her belt

and is now co-founder and CEO of a start-up igaming company, Mobius Interactive Ltd, headquartered in Vancouver BC Canada.

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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Tim is a well-respected Consultant to the gaming industry, encompassing project management and operational analysis, as well as representing and advising some key manufacturers within the industry. Tim is a renowned conference speaker and also proud to be visiting lecturer at the University of West London College of Hospitality and Tourism.

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DON’T GAMBLE WITH YOUR FUTURE The Time To Move Ahead is NOW! By Craig Morgan

lanning, evaluating and taking ad-

-outside of the company’sfinancial po-

e-payments and table bookings should

vice on your post COVID evolving busi-

sition which is key), there are some key

now be your ‘normal’. Creating memora-

ness and customer trends has never

principles with which to review the cur-

ble community events, activities, charity

been more important than right now.

rent business strategy.

activities, take out / eat out services and live social media feeds for your custom-

Not long now and the furlough scheme

1. Digital – Your online presence and

ers to be part of, should become a fun-

will end and we will start to see the true

experience is more important than ever

damental part of your business.

extent of the damage that the pandem-

in making customers emotionally at-

ic has had on our economy.Businesses

tached and loyal to your products and

2. Negative Digital –Whilst enhancing

both small and large need to be ready

services. Instead of your web site just

technology in your business plays one

to stand and survive on their own “Post

being a marketing tool it needs to con-

of the most important roles, it can also

Furlough”. Some will, and some won’t…

stantly evolve to add value to your busi-

backfire. Customers are all aware of the

ness. The traditional marketing newslet-

negative impacts that digital can have

ter sign-up is out of date.Virtual tours,

on our lives from the use of personal

In the retail, leisure and hospitality businesses that I understand, (and out-

data, negative online comments, ‘cancel culture’ and many more. Whilst using technology to deliver elements of your product / services are important, it is worth taking a step back, looking at the fundamental offer and ensuring that it is aligned with your overall customer journey and that it adds to the customers experience. Mental health is increasingly significant in the digital age and Apple tell us every week our screen time as a gentle reminder to you to not become a slave to the machines. So, if you have brought customers in to an environmental or ethical journey as

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part of your role in the environment de-

and green space agenda. An alignment

before they even visit! They make deci-

batethen this is adding to your custom-

that has a positive impact on the envi-

sions to purchase based on a number of

er’s positive mental wellbeing, rather

ronment, mental health and wellbeing

factors such as; your support of a cause

than adding to their individual digital

will help win customers and develop

which they believe in, or whether your

dilemma.

loyalty for the future, so if you haven’t

ethical values align with theirs. Cus-

already, think now about creating your

tomers are keen to support causes, and

own positive story.

the sense of community spirit for such

3. Sustainability –It is certainly the case that an ever-increasing popula-

causes has risen substantially though

tion is having an impact on the climate

4. Customer behaviours and trends –

the pandemic. We have seen many ex-

we live in. This reality will continue to

Customer’s behaviours have adjusted

amples wherethe use of technology

drive world politics which in turn will

quickly over the last 18 months and

and digital media has quickly rallied

put pressure on businesses to be more

there are certain trends that now ap-

supportfor ethical and social change.

ethical and go beyond carbon neutral.

pear to becoming normal and for which

Engaging local communities and taking

Customers are now researching for

businesses must align their operations

advantage of the sense of togetherness

more information on the people they

with. The modern-day consumer contin-

that has arisen from the pandemicwill

spend money with and are looking for

ues to refine the behaviours that drive

definitely help maintain customer inter-

companies that go beyond just cleaning

their spending habits and savvy busi-

est in and loyalty to your businesses.

up after themselves, but actually put

nesses have aligned their policies and

With the cancellation of social gath-

back more than they take out. Hospital-

reinvested in order to embrace these

erings over the last year my local Pub

ity and leisure businesses have placed

altered behaviours.

continued its quiz night and then grew

more emphasis on using local produce

it via zoom calls. It now has an addi-

and local suppliers and some are going

i. Ethical & Community Values – Cus-

tional loyal following of customers who

as far as supporting the reforestation

tomers often evaluate your business

were vulnerable and isolated through-

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Craig Morgan Article

-out the lockdown. The Pub has won the heart of many new local residents and since reopening is trading really well. Brexit has also createdthe opportunity to “Buy / Support British” We are seeing reports of a huge rise in the “staycation” currently driven by factors beyond consumers control, but if holiday experiences are good and hospitality and leisure providers enhance their experience and servicesthen UK holiday destinations and businesses should flourishonce again. ii. Essentials – customers do not have an unlimited budget and the pandemic has helped focus customers on necessity, affordability and convenience. With cashless technology firmly in place consumers will naturally cut down on nonessentials so making your product, or service a part of their normal activityis key to repeat business. Premiumisation is also a concept that we have seen grow in recent years and UK customers are now familiar and embrace it. This has been demonstrated really successfully with fitness brands that have successfully delivered online group exercise or 1:1 PT sessions for members in their homes to maintain and keep subscription fees going throughout the lockdown.This trend will no doubt continue ABOUT CRAIG MORGAN:

with a “virtual membership” for pre-

your space with both comfort and activ-

mium customers who have invested in

ity in mind will help achieve what con-

exercise equipment at home, but need

sumers are looking for. The experience

Craig works with Nick Harding’s Spray

the motivation of a group class to use it.

you give has to be a positive one that

Lakes and independently as a consult-

contributes to the escape from normal

ant with a number of businesses and

iii. Mental Health & Wellbeing – The

life thus adding to a customer’spositive

private entrepreneurs within the gam-

balance between feeling healthier with

mental attitude.

bling and hospitality industry to help

a positive mental attitude has never

them with their products, networked

been more high profile than now. Many

Business leaders that take the time to

introductions and business planning. I

people on furlough schemes, or those

review their early performance and rea-

lead the turnaround in performance for

who have lost income through the pan-

lign their strategy based on their own

Gauselmann in the single site pub mar-

demic have experienced and, (in many

critical analyses will be better prepared

ket from 2017-2020 delivering a trans-

cases with the use of technology), self-

for the “POST furlough world” which

formation in their results before head-

diagnosed a mental health disorder.

I hope won’t morph into the business

ing off the pastures new at the start of

Customers seem to be making more de-

Pandemic…. But if it does, then possibly

the pandemic…

cisions based upon “escapism” rather

some of these thoughts will help you

than just eating healthy and exercis-

administer your own vaccine and stay

https://www.spraylakesconsultancy.

ing. Customers seem to treat activity or

healthy!

com/

evenings out as a “rest fromdaily life” event. So as an operator reimagining

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GAMING NEWS

China Chasing Down Illegal Online Gambling

he effect from China towards illegal online gambling is changing the way those operators are working according to a recent report. With China reporting that over the last twelve months they have arrested more than 110,000 suspects in relation to online gambling, closed over 3,400 online gambling sites and 2,800 payment providers to those illegal gambling platforms. All this along with the government of China using their influence in neighbouring countries to cease their involvement in allowing online operators to function. A focus has been live dealer gambling and those operators are now more than ever moving their focus

away from China and more towards Japan and Korea to avoid the ire of those hosting countries or China themselves. The financial muscle China has with aid and business support in the region has made the difference in the countries fight against those operators offering their services to Chinese gamblers. Indeed with China inviting gamblers to inform on those illegal websites is also having a major effect. It is also said that many operators working in the region are moving their operations to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), this has not gone unnoticed by China and they are working more closely with the UAE than ever before. Offering services such as the COVID-19 vac-

cines and supplying 5G technologies to the Kingdom. In this the Chinese government of course will influence officials there to clamp down on those operators trying to offer gambling services to Chinese nationals. China is chasing down any and all of those operators supplying online gambling to their nationals and there seems that they are not slowing down in that effort. One gaming consultant who did not want to be named said to the iGaming Post: “for many operators working in the region the safest bet now is to focus more on Korea, Japan and India rather than China, the authorities are not giving up on their battle against those operators.”

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BETTING ON DRONES ..... sports betting is flying high

By Lynn Pearce de Freitas

t never fails to amaze me how interesting and innovative our gaming industry is overall. I have just had the privilege and honor of judging the International Gaming Awards (IGA) again this year and it was so inspiring to see how our industry, even though they had at first struggled with the pandemic and the subsequent lockdown, how quickly they all managed to pivot, regain their momentum, and continue along their path towards growth and success in so many unique and technically challenging ways. In the USA sports betting companies went through multiple mergers and acquisitions and established their footholds solidly in all the States they entered as they became regulated throughout 2020 and continu-

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ing into 2021. The igaming industry is flying high – and for DraftKings, the sky is the limit, with the deal they enteredrecently with the DRL (Drone Racing League), making them an official sports betting partner in January 2021. Prior to that, in October 2020, according to a report from PRNewswire - the Drone Racing League announced a partnership with Genius Sports in order to accelerate DRL into the sports betting arena, as they believed that professional drone racing was on the fast track to be one of the best sports to bet on, based on consumer research indicating that drone racing fans are three times more likely to place a bet, than fans of major sports leagues, and ninety percent more likely to be interested in sports bet-

ting than the average global sports fan. It all started with drone sports, which combines physical reality with the virtual. First Person View (FPV) started as an elite hobby, as it was rather expensive when drone sports were first available, and a lot of people lost interest when it became much cheaper to acquire, but it seems the sport itself has been revitalized over the past few years, with drone racing taking off as a competitive sport. Participants control drones which are equipped with cameras, while they wear headmounted displays showing the live stream camera feed of the drones. To win a drone race, the player has to complete a set course as fast as

17 possible. The speed is incredible, it’s a real adrenalin rush, whether you are playing or a spectator, it is truly exciting, a spectator sport like none other, with custom-built drones at speeds above 80 MPH flying through threedimensional VR courses.The DRL have hosted these races anywhere and everywhere, the Colosseum in Rome, in arenas, in museums, castles and other exotic locations. Back in 2016, ESPN made the decision to televise drone racing and there were clear indications of its potential broad appeal, which means it also caught the attention of sports betting operators and sports betting platform providers, who are always looking for the next best thing to differentiate themselves. I guess they also wanted to see that a significant audience was tuning in and that the market would be big enough and to be able to determine the odds with the same precision that they applied to other more traditional sports betting – in the gaming industry, it’s all about the numbers. For the past few years drone racing has been making headlines, so it seems that the betting industry has decided to get on board, and quickly. Betting on drone racing appears poised to grow alongside the sport. Last June saw the first official drone racing betting market open on the Betfair sports betting site. The Drone Racing League broadcasts official drone races and now, having partnered with DraftKings, they have transformed high-speed racing into a betting sport, which appears to be taking off as the ultimate sports betting craze right now.Gamblers can make bets before the races and during them, the same as they can do for football, baseball, basketball, F1, horseracing and any number of other sports.

Betting on drone races is already legal in U.S. states including Colorado, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Tennessee and West Virginia, with more states awaiting approval. However, it appears not everyone is happy with drone activity in sports betting. Drones with live video feeds have become a major concern in the world of horse racing, particularly in the UK, where it is also legal. The devices are being used to give bettors an unfair advantage for “live” betting, where the bets are placed after the race is underway.And that’s where drones come in, giving punters a 1-2-second edge on live TV, an unfair advantage, some may say. There are also proponents of the use of drones in horse-racing in the UK. In an article in The Guardian, an evan-

gelist for in-running betting, Hughes, argues that a healthy in-play market also fosters pre-race betting, as punters like to establish positions from which to trade when the race starts. Hughes’s view is that fast pictures for all could be an enormous boon to the horse-racing and sports betting industry and help to get the attention of a technologically savvy younger generation. Whichever way you look at it, whether you are into drone racing as a sport or not, most sports betting fans will bet on anything that captures their attention and imagination, so they will, given the opportunity, bet on drone racing, and I believe it is time for the rest of us esports and sports betting operators to get on board, the sooner the better.

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GAMING NEWS

Bidding Begins For William Hill

FanDuel Listing Hitting Delays Due To Fox

The start of the first round of bidding for the

Flutter Entertainments hopes of floating FanDuel on the US stock market is not going to happen anytime soon observers believe with the ongoing dispute with Fox Entertainment.

European assets of William Hill with favourite at the moment being Apollo Global Management starts this week, the giant buyout firm that already owns Italy’s Lottomatica.

However speculation is building that some joint venture could materialise between Entain, Betfred and 888 Holdings.

Fox who has a 2% stake in Flutter say they had an agreement with Flutter to purchase a large stake in FanDuel at some 6 times it current sales of Fanduel which would mean the Fox Corporation paying around £1.6 billion.

Caesars Entertainment started what is believed to be the biggest asset fight of the year when buying William Hill and stating it wanted to sell off all its European business and retain just the US facing assets.

However FanDuels main competitor DraftKings is selling its stock at 12 times the sales estimate and that is what Flutter want to sell to Fox for, which would then mean Fox would have to pay some £3.2 billion.

Apollo have already done due diligence on William Hill as it was at one stage going up against Caesars for the entire William Hill business and so knows more than its competitors on the value of the business.

Fox are suing Flutter in the dispute and it is not expected to go to a judgement till late in 2022, however Flutter wants to get an investment bank on board to start the IPO process and it is finding it very difficult given the ongoing legal process.

But shareholders at 888 Holdings want to majority family owned Shaken Family to lodge a bid for William Hill, however it is speculated that this would only be online and the retail business could be sold off to Betfred.

Should neither side come to an agreement before the court ruling then Flutters hope of listing FanDuel on the US stock exchange look slim before 2023.

Analysts believe that the Entain interest will not really materialise into a serious bid as it already holds Ladbrokes and Coral retail outlets in its portfolio and would have to sell the majority off to pass competitions regulation.

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Interview with

Ivan Montik BGaming Founder Read the interview with Ivan Montik, BGaming Founder, and Malte Mueller-Michaelis, Member of the WBC Board of Governors and Women’s Championship Chairman

BGaming knows how to bring sport-

gambling have in common, how did the

Ivan: It started several years ago when

themed slots to the next level of enter-

cooperation start, and why does the

SOFTSWISS launched an online casino

tainment! The WBC Ring of Riches slot,

game not only give impressions, but

targeting martial arts amateurs. It turned

one the the latest title in the brand’s

also help many people?

into a successful brand and showed that

lineup, becomes more and more popular. The game was produced in association with the World Boxing Council, the most reputable boxing organisation in the world. This allowed the provider to uncover the exciting atmosphere of boxing bouts to a wide audience and show that collaboration of powerful

gaming has a lot in common with sports

WBC Ring of Riches slot is the first branded slot by BGaming in association with such a reputable organization as World Boxing Council. Who came up with the idea of the collaboration? Why did you find it promising?

and boxing in particular. Thanks to our partner Harald Pia, who introduced us to the representatives of the WBC, we discussed how we could possibly cooperate. Besides being the most recognized and reputable boxing association in the world, WBC is well-known for support-

players leads to promising results and

ing various programs and foundations

big wins. About what boxing and

helping children in need worldwide. We found the idea cool and donated to WBC Cares, their charity platform. Mauricio Sulaimán, WBC president, invited me and Marina Ostrovtsova, Head of BGaming, to visit the WBC 56th Convention in Kiev in October 2018. That’s where we first discussed the idea of launching a slot game together.

Mauricio Sulaimán immediately loved the idea. Boxing and gambling have always been closely connected. Many big fights have taken place in casinos. Las Vegas is not only the capital of gambling

INFINITY GAMING

21 Ivan Montik, BGaming Founder

but also the capital of boxing. So this cooperation definitely makes sense! What opportunities did the project open for both BGaming and WBC?

CSR program.

more than a sport. Boxing is life and life is boxing. As Joyce Carol Oates put it:

For WBC, the collaboration with BGam-

“Life is a metaphor for boxing - for one

ing is an opportunity to get in connec-

of those bouts that go on and on, round

tion with the igaming industry and en-

following round, jabs, missed punches,

hance online presence. Thanks to the

clinches, nothing determined, again the

Ring of Riches, their brand will become

bell and again and you and your oppo-

Ivan: For BGaming, it was the first ex-

more recognizable among the online

nent so evenly matched it’s impossible

perience of cooperation with such a

audience. Our software engineers and

to see your opponent is you.” Playing

reputable brand and it was important in

designers made sure that the new slot

this game is like entering the ring, step-

terms of enhancing our business image.

with its outstanding graphics and top-

ping through the ropes and standing

It also opened the opportunity to reach

notch features will contribute to the

in that spotlight. It takes the players

a huge new audience - sport fans, to

WBC reputation in the most positive

on this unique journey. I am sure eve-

learn their preferences and see how we

way.

rybody who plays it will know and feel

can create a top gaming experience for them. It’s always exciting to explore new boundaries and see how many areas are out there where we can implement our expertise as premium-quality game developers. Besides, we are glad that the WBC part of revenue coming from the

what I mean.

Boxing and gambling have a lot in common. Probably that’s why the game is an explosive mix of sports excitement and entertainment. Is this what you want to convey to the audience?

Ring of Riches is all donated to their

Ivan: It’s also about the chances to win big prizes and become part of the luxurious life. The opportunity of becoming a champion is out there for you, that’s what we wanted to convey to the audience.

charity foundation, so it’s an opportu-

Malte: Boxing is simply the greatest

nity for BGaming to further develop our

sport in the world. Some even say it is

(PTO)

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23 cussed this project we saw it as a way to support our charity initiative WBC Cares. The main goals of WBC Cares are to unite the world, inspire people and fight for freedom, peace and equality. This includes projects to prevent domestic violence and drug abuse, an anti-bullying campaign and events where our World Champions visit youth centers, schools, hospitals, orphanages and gyms or help with supplies in disaster areas. As Ivan already mentioned, we presented WBC Cares to BGaming and they immediately made a donation to help us with our projects. We also have the José Sulaiman Boxers Fund which helps former athletes in desperate situations. Our slot is a good opportunity to bring attention to these initiatives and raise funds to help those who need it most.

What do you like most about the WBC Ring of Riches slot?

also discussed which boxing champion’s image we should use as the main character. The choice of the legends

The production of branded slots is a promising area of work for BGaming, isn’t it? What do you expect from this in the future?

Ivan: I’m a passionate hobby boxer my-

was big: Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield,

self, so I really enjoy the realistic atmos-

Vitali Klitschko, or even Muhammad Ali.

Ivan: Branded slots are always good as

phere of a boxing ring that it brings me

However, we decided to unite all cham-

they allow targeting specific audiences.

into. It has all of the authentic elements,

pions under one roof and created an im-

It’s a matter of market research to de-

like the WBC belt, gloves, girls and

age of a mysterious fighter whose face

fine the areas or industries in which

golden cups. All the sounds are original

is hidden under the hood of a boxing

people are interested in gambling, on

and even Michael Buffer’s voice with

robe. We agreed it would leave scope

the one hand, and find brands that are

his trademarked catchphrases and the

for imagination and let every player see

willing to promote themselves in online

recognizable announcing style is there.

their favourite boxing idol as the game

casino games, on the other. BGaming

I hear “Let’s get ready to rumble!” and

protagonist.

never stops researching new opportuni-

get the feeling of fighting myself. It re-

ties and looking for partnerships to cre-

ally keeps me on the edge of my seat

Malte: We were indeed in close touch to

ate exciting content devoted to specific

and I hope other players feel the same.

the developers throughout the process.

topics. I believe that’s a good start of a

The team was always thankful for our

win-win relationship between BGaming

Malte: I can also say that the slot is full

input and implemented all of our ideas.

and WBC, and we are open for new col-

of wonderful details. The whole team

They did most of the work - and we were

laboration opportunities.

did a fantastic job and the result is spot

very impressed how fast and efficient

on. The graphics, the sound, the look

they were throughout the process. Just

and feel, the character of the game. It’s

great people to work with.

just an amazing experience.

How was WBC involved in the developing process? Ivan: WBC provided all its assets, like

As we know, WBC aims to donate the funds from the game to the WBC Cares organization. Why did you make this decision? What areas of work do the project have?

What would you like to say to players who choose the WBC Ring of Riches slot? Malte: I just hope that everybody who plays the game really enjoys it and sees all the effort we put in. Now I can say to players: “Seconds out - Round 1!”

the official images of the WBC belt and cup, as well as the original sounds. We

Malte: From the first moment we dis-

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GAMING NEWS

“Barbecue Pork” Resort In Korea Delayed

Rank Group Post Trading Update

Caesars Entertainment’s first ever venture into

Asia with the formerly named Caesars Korea Resort Complex is still being delayed and not expected to open till at least 2025. Now called Midan City Resort Complex under new ownership with Caesars completely out of the business was supposed to be open this year with 720 rooms, a conference centre, live entertainment and a foreigners only casino. However construction which started back in late 2017 was delayed with financing issues which led to the construction company not being paid.

The Rank Group who operate Grosvenor casinos and Mecca bingo brands issued a trading statement on their current performance stating that at present the company is “in line with management expectations”.

But with new owners Guangzhou real estate development company R&F Properties tasked with now completing the project by early 2022, however the company has said that with the minimal amount of construction done it is highly likely the development will not be completed till 2025.

Given that current COVID restrictions are impacting on business Rank said that although London is being effected more so than provincial, with trading there similar to 2019 levels, however London with the lack of tourism and the continuing travel at night is impacting to the tune of 38% lower figures.

Even with this timeline the development company has yet to find a prospective casino management team to operate the casino when it is completed.

Average weekly non gaming revenues (NGR) for the casino division totalled £5.5 million and Mecca £2.6 million which are both down on comparable 2019 figures by 17% and 20% respectively.

Caesars had hoped this venture would be a leading light for them in Asia as the company missed out on a casino license for Macau, however given the delay and financial issues it was earlier this year that Caesars Entertainment CEO Tom Reeg said in an investors call that: “Korea has gone, we sold it for some barbecue pork. We sold it back to our partners and have no more commitment. We’re out.”

On the companies digital business it remarked that it expected to come in towards the same figures as in Q2 & Q3, which would be disappointing given that all other online gaming companies had posted improved numbers given the current pandemic.

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Why the industry needs to be ‘in’ Why should the betting and gambling industry be more inclusive?

By Christina Thakor-Rankin

he simple answer is ‘because it’s 2021’ - the start of the second decade of the 21st century and an era in which power, leadership and success is no longer definedby, or the preserve of, (mainly) white men from the right background or with the right connections. Unfortunately, life is never that simple. As humans, we are the product of our past and decades (centuries even) of environmental, social, cultural and religious influenceswhich have contributed to shaping today’s definition of ‘normal’ or ‘acceptable’. To reverse engineer and undo generations of ingrained biases and prejudices is going to take more than a snappy statement or a couple of call outs on

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social media. And whilst most people reading this will believe in the principles of equality of opportunity for all, forcing diversity on a sector whose core activity requires cultural, religious or moral

approbation before it is considered socially acceptable is wrought with challenges, not least that those very barriers provide both a legitimate reason, and a convenient excuse for inertia and lack of change.

But this is exactly what this industry

relevant by embracing and adapting to

consumers and can help deliver. Just at-

needs to do if it still wants to be around

the winds of change and continuing to

tracting talent is not enough you have

and alive and kicking in the future, and

reflect the world around it.

to hold onto it long enough for it to

this is why.

make an impact. In fact, the long-term The world around us is changing fast.

success and survival of any organization

The industry has spent a long time try-

What

depends on how well it can attract and

ing to change the public perception of

even a few years ago is no longer the

gambling from a dirty deed done by a

case today, and these changes are be-

few behind locked doors and blacked

ing driven by consumers, employees

One of the entertainment sector’s big-

out windows, to something which is a

and investors. But remaining relevant

gest challenges right now is diversity

mainstream leisure activity enjoyed by

requires a deep understanding of the

and inclusion, or the lack thereof. Some

many. It has been hugely successful in

changing expectations of the audience

of the biggest players in the entertain-

its effortsand allying itself with enter-

you serve. It means being able to attract

ment industry (including Disney and

tainment has certainly brought in the

the right talent - the new generation of

the Oscars) have been faced with a hard

big bucks.But successful in the world

talent that understands the needs and

choice - change with the times or cease

of entertainment is based upon staying

expectations of the new generation of

to be relevant.

was

considered

‘acceptable’

retain the right talent.

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Christina Thakor-Rankin Article

If betting and gambling wants to be seen as ‘entertainment’ then it needs to be ready to deal with the same king of scrutiny. Slot games with overtly sexualised female imagery, turbaned princes, nasal boned big game hunters, coolie hatted characters, or any of the other many stereotypes currently found in games providers back catalogues are fast losing their relevance. Continuing to offer them as entertainment runs the risk of the industry being labelled at besttone deaf and out of synch with current views, at worst sexist and racist. This risk applies to all aspects of the industry, not just games and content. From imagery and language used in marketing and advertising, to the choice of ambassadors, advocates and influencers and advocates, the industry needs to learn from the mistakes of others such as Pepsi or H & M and be alert to tone deafness and cultural incompetence. And not just those things which are outward facing. In the age of information and the popularity of sites like Glassdoor mean there is no hiding place. Scru-

tiny in the world of entertainment has now moved from the problem to the cause of the problem itself - not enough diversity behind the scenes, or decision-making powers still being in the hands of (mainly) white guys with the right background or with the right connections. The people at the top of an organization set the tone, the culture, the strategy. And behaviour breeds behaviour.Unfortunately, in this industry the measure of success is too often defined by speaker line ups and awards ceremonies where the definition of success continues to be epitomised by (mainly) white males. And the reasons for this varied from ‘prestige’ and ‘gravitas’ to simply didn’t notice that everyone considered ‘successful’, or an ‘expert’, was almost without exception, male and white. In a sector like betting and gambling though where brand loyalty has effectively been replaced by USPs and points of differentiation in order to keep customers engaged, the ability to see, think, and do things

differently from your competitors is essential. This requires a diverse set of behaviours - not conformity and homogeneity. In his context the fact that conferences and awards ceremonies continue to perpetuate a false image of success could be a problem where it not for the face that some of the biggest and most influential players in the market have woken up to the fact that the world around them is changing. Not only are the CEOs of some of the world’s most successful operators not male or white, nor are those of some of the most interesting regulatory bodies and industry associations. Those in the know realise that the long-term success of this industry lies in its ability to remain relevant to the world around it. The world is changing and thankfully is this industry. For those who want to continue to hang on to the old definitions of success the choice is simple - embrace the change or cease to be relevant.

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GAMING NEWS

BoyleSports, Betway & Betfair In Court Case Of Fraud

nother case of fraud and theft along with a lack of due diligence and proof of funds failure has been reported by a national newspaper by online operators including BoyleSports, Betway and Betfair. Andy May was sentenced this week to 4 years for fraud after taking money from his employer to fund his gambling addiction. The Guardian newspaper reported that senior Manager May who worked for outdoor clothing company Sealskinzde defrauded his company of £1.3 million and gambled large sums with amongst others BoyleSports, Betway and Betfair and although proof of funds were asked by the operators on several occasions he was never refused to gamble. In documents that Andy May passed to the UK Gambling Com-

mission showing that in a two year period from 2017 to 2019 May lost £600,000 with Betway with over £460,000 of that being stolen funds. When Betway asked for proof of funds the newspaper says that he doctored false accounting papers and were accepted by the gambling firm. May also lost some £435,000 with Betfair of which at least £268,000 was stolen from the clothing firm he worked for. Boylsports never asked May for proof of funds and continued to stake large bets with the firm up until September 2020. Judge, Anthony Bate said in sentencing May: “This case is a sad and salutary illustration of what can happen when an addiction to gambling runs in this way.”

In response to the court case calls again come for a “single customer view” allowing operators to share details of problem gamblers and allow them to be barred from all licensed operators on a network. In replying to those calls in fairness all three companies mentioned have agreed in principle to the “single customer view” and it is sure to come into force either by regulators or operators themselves if it can be agreed. Betway said it had already returned funds to Sealskinz from the theft by May, Flutter, who own Betfair did not make any comment it is reported by the newspaper says that Flutter has a policy of returning stolen funds if proven by a court. BoyleSports said it had “invested significantly” in player protection, but would not comment on a single customer case.

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À la recherche du temps perdu By Tim Cullimore

Tim Cullimore looks at the common age for casino dealers and questions why some countries embrace older generations and some do not

ecently in one of the casino news mails I get each day I picked up on a job offer for experienced dealers for one of the U.K.’s major operators, for their casinos in London. I got me thinking about how rare it is to see in this country’s mature dealers, and next to impossible to see dealers of retirement age. How this differs from mainland Europe and the United States. I remember a great conversation with an Uber driver in Vegas who was also a Blackjack dealer, and he was a good ten years older than me. He said he did a couple of nights a week driving the Uber and a few days dealing Blackjack at Caesars. And he was really happy about it. He loved dealing and he felt it kept him young. I’ve also seen many a senior citizen in Italy, France and Germany imperiously directing the movement of the shoe on a Baccarat table, looking like he had been doing it all his life,

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which of course he had. I imagine that the more illuminated employers make special arrangements for more breaks for the older employees, but the experience and wisdom they bring to the job must be invaluable. When I started out as a dealer the only concerns we had was to get from one week’s pay to the next, and yes we were paid in cash in a little brown envelope every Thursday. It was fantastic job, getting good pay to effectively go and have fun playing games, at least that’s how we saw it. But then there was the expectation to move onwards and upwards. From single game dealer to multi game, eventually landing on the Punto Banco or dice table. Then moving to an inspector/supervisor role, perhaps making it to Pit Boss and eventually Floor Manager. It never crossed our minds that we might like to stay as a dealer throughout our careers.

Although my memories may be a little idealised after all these years I know I really loved that job. I have rarely had so much fun as being the palet man on a heaving Baccarat game or dealing at the roulette table where every single colour chip is on the layout, being in the zone unaware of anything going on around you. And what can compare with a night dealing Blackjack on a cruise ship with what was in all senses an audience of holiday makers who were intent on having a good time, and your job is making sure that will happen, and tomorrow you were

in the Virgin Islands with a day off on the beach! So why do some countries continue to employ more mature staff on the tables and others don’t? Well, I think there is convention, after all in some of the most traditional markets there would be two or three generations of the same family working in the same casino, often in the same pit. This gave a great sense of loyalty and continuity to the operation. In France you would often hear stories of not when the person you are talking to were young, but when their fathers were young, working on the same table in the same place, and I am aware that this was mainly a male tradition, which is now hopefully only a part of history.

Another reason why dealers in the U.K. rarely make a career of dealing is that to earn more money they have to strive for promotion, but in the places where tips are the main source of income that doesn’t apply. I have witnessed dealer colleagues who would earn more in the summer season than the general manager, and nobody complained about being left on table for too long when there was a generous player around. Another factor is flexibility in the workplace. In Vegas, where it seems everyone has at least a couple of jobs, the fact that the volume of positions available mean Casinos can be more proactive in offering shift patterns that suit the individual. And of course, tipping is such an important part of

the salary that who needs the stress of being a casino executive when you can drive home at the end of your shift without a care in the world. Now, I’m not blind to the negative aspects of dealing. How many times have we had to swallow the frankly unacceptable behaviour of one, or worse, a group of players who think you are there to be a verbal punch bag when they are losing, but happily this seems to be becoming a thing of the past. And who hasn’t suffered at the hands of a bullying pit boss or inept supervisor, but that’s part of life and you move on, and again, these things are hopefully no longer prevalent. (PTO)

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Dal Negro, through its R&D team, developed and applied to the new productions of both its cardboard and PVC playing cards, an innovative sanitizing technology. The effectiveness has been validated through independent laboratories through tests that highlight «prolonged reduction of viral and bacterial content». The innovative #playsafe technology has been applied to products marked with the dedicated QR code. Once scanned it leads to a landing page where additional information can be found along with the effectiveness tests. For playing cards, the QR is located on the first ace.

Tim Cullimore at London Gaming Dal Negro distributor for UK phone: +44 (0)7826857931 mail: tim.cullimore@londongaming.co.uk

Tim Cullimore Article

Casino Montreal

I have spoken before about how I enjoyed working for Lotto de Quebec in the early days of the Casino de Montreal. A fantastic working environment and true respect for all the employees. I was in charge of the dealer training school for quite some time and the equal opportunity employment practises meant that age was no barrier to joining the school. I was very sceptical about this at first, due to the rigid background I had come from. I found it hard at first to grasp why someone would want a second or third career as a dealer and join a training school where the other new recruits may be half their age. But I soon learned that it was my perspective that needed to change.

Canada, Like the United States, is a land of opportunity, and people are not shy about grasping those opportunities when they can. The older trainees were generally the most enthusiastic and diligent, and soon showed the younger ones that they had to up their game. The company was very understanding about anyone who had individual needs, and although they may not have been the fastest B.J. dealers, they certainly made up for it in customer service and the attitude they brought to the table.

the ground floor as my knees don’t do steps so good anymore. And not too near the slots as my right ear doesn’t hear as well as it used to do, and can you have some peppermint tea in the staff room, oh, and can you recommend some comfortable shoes, and make sure I’m never too far from the bathroom, and don’t make the food too heavy in the evening as it makes me sleepy, but I’d very much appreciate a nice glass of wine with my dinner. And can you for heavens sake turn the music down, I can’t hear myself deal!

So, Montreal Casino, if you need me to step in and do a few shifts get in touch. You might need to put me on

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GAMING NEWS

Scientific Games To Leave Lottery & Sports Betting Business

cientific Games has announced that the Company including Executive Chair Jamie Odell and Executive Vice Chair Toni Korsanos, intends to divest its Lottery and Sports Betting businesses. Scientific Games is evaluating strategic alternatives to execute the divestitures for each business, respectively, including an initial public offering (“IPO”) or a combination with a special purpose acquisition company (“SPAC”), or a sale or a strategic combination with another business. Jamie Odell, Executive Chair of Scientific Games, said “When I joined the Board in September 2020, I told stakeholders that we were focused on rapidly de-leveraging the balance sheet, unlocking the value of the Company’s products and technologies and creating a flexible, nimble company positioned to deliver above-market returns to investors. Today, we have announced major initiatives aimed at achieving each of these key objectives, recognizing significant value in each of the businesses and positioning the Company for sustainable growth, all as a result of the dedicated work of

our teams.” Barry Cottle, President and Chief Executive Officer of Scientific Games, said “Today’s announcement reflects key steps to optimize our portfolio and strengthen our balance sheet by significantly de-levering while also targeting investments in our largest growth opportunities. These steps will accelerate our path to become a content-led growth company focused on leading in both land-based and digital markets. Our company will be positioned to build great games that define the future of gaming, supported by platforms that power the best operators in the world. We believe these steps will enable us to capitalize on the high growth potential of each of our businesses, including their expanding digital content offerings and platforms, unlocking value for shareholders, customers, and employees. Each of our businesses will be better positioned to partner with their respective customers and to deliver long-term growth and profitability.” Mr. Cottle continued, “At the conclusion of this process, the new company will consist of leading Gaming, iGaming and SciPlay businesses, all

of which have great momentum and will collectively deliver great value. We will capitalize on the increasing convergence of these businesses, as players look to play their favorite games wherever and whenever they want to play. As the leading crossplatform global game company, we are uniquely positioned to take advantage of the incredible industry transition that is underway. Given this significant opportunity, we are targeting our digital businesses to be comparable in size to the landbased gaming business within three years. I’m confident that, with these steps, we are well positioned for future growth prospects.” There can be no assurances that Scientific Games’ exploration of alternatives for its Lottery and Sports Betting businesses will result in any transactions or other actions by the Company. The Company does not intend to comment on or provide updates regarding these matters unless and until it determines that further disclosure is appropriate or required based on the then-current facts and circumstances.

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GAMING NEWS

Trinidad Passes Gambling Bill

rinidad & Tobago passed the Gambling Control Bill in the House of Representatives with twenty one representatives voting in favour and the opposition party abstaining. Speaking in the Parliament yesterday, Finance Minister Colm Imbert said the legislation speaks to a rehabilitation fund to deal with the harmful effects of gambling. He said the bill states a committee will be established to administer that fund and will formulate guidelines with respect to the use of the fund.

The committee will within three months of the end of each financial year submit to the minister a report on the activities and management of the fund and the minister shall in turn cause the report to be laid in Parliament, he noted. He criticised Opposition MP Dinesh Rambally for questioning how the fund would be operationalised. Imbert accused the United National Congress (UNC) of ensuring that criminals are not removed from the gambling industry because of their approach to the bill.

But Rambally said the bill paid lip service to vulnerable people most affected and afflicted by gambling. “I am sure half the population will frown upon this financial restructuring of the gambling industry if only because they feel gambling is a vice and it breaks up families and causes degenerative behaviour,” he said. Rambally said while he understood the need for compliance and accountability in an industry as huge as this one, proper attention should have been placed on victims of the industry.

What about problem gamblers?

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Slot Management 101:

Initiating a Project

You developed a well-defined concept for your next big ‘award winning’project using the business case; you put together the project brief and used it as a firm foundation for project approval, so now what?

By Andy Cosgrove

ny project starts with your next great idea that will solve your currently most irritating near catastrophic ‘wrench in the works’ type problem. It willsave your company untold millions in revenues and it will earn you the respect of your boss and your colleagues while turning the competition green with envy. Equally challenging can be convincing the board of directors to approve the project and turn your concept into reality. You knew it wouldn’t be easy, so you expanded your business case and produced the project brief which defines the project in greater detail and helps push approval over the finishing line. Congratulations! You made it past approval, your project is ready to go, so now what? Welcome to the initiation stage! The purpose of the initiating a project process is to enable the organization to understand the work

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that needs to be done to successfully deliver the projects product(s) before committing to any significant financial expenditure. Specifically, all those involved in the project must be clear on what the project intends to accomplish, how the outcomes will be achieved and what each stakeholders responsibilities are. Without this stage the project board risk commitmentwithout fully understanding how it’s objectives will fully be achieved. The main objectives of this stage, which is the first stage of any project, are as follows: • The reasons for doing the project, the expected benefits and the associated risks. • The scope of what needs to be done and how the project’s products will be delivered and at what cost. • Who is to be involved in the project decision-making. • How baselines will be established and controlled.

• Set up of management approaches for risk, quality, change, and communication. • How progress will be monitored and controlled. •How the project will be tailored to suit the customers’ needs. The main activities of the Initiation stage are as follows: Agree tailoring requirements – this is necessary in order to recognize internal and external factors that can affect the way the project is delivered. The definition of tailoring is, “adapting a method or process to suit the situation in which it will be used,” and can be applied to processes, themes, roles, management products and also terminology. An example of a tailoring requirement might mean adapting the project to comply to governmental regulations.

Prepare the risk management approach - every project, no matter how large or small involves risk and the risk management approach describes the goals of managing that risk, the proceduresthat will be adopted, the roles and responsibilities of those involved, the timing of when risk activities should take place, the risk tolerances, the reporting requirements and the tools and techniques that will be used to minimize risk and improve the ability of your project to succeed. Prepare the change control approach – Change is inevitable in any project and the final product rarely ends up as an exact replicaof the one you imagined when the project was being initiated. That being said, if change isn’t managed effectively, it could cause unwanted delays and accrue unnecessary costs and thatvideo slot

you imagined might end up as a stepper slot that doesn’t add value to you or your customers.The level of change control can vary from project to projectbased on the level of importance. The complexityand the maximum level of control can be determined by breaking down the projects products so that each one can be independently installed, replaced or modified. Change requires a baseline by which progress can be measured and it also needs configuration item records and product status account reports to help keep track of requests for change and change approvals. If the probability of change is high a change budget will need to be set up to pay for the necessary changes. Prepare the Quality management approach – A key success factor of any project is that the project delivers the

product that the user will find acceptable. This cannot happen unless the quality expectations are established and agreed upon at the beginning of the project. The quality management approach captures and ensures that these agreements are maintained. The definition of quality is,” the degree to which a set of inherent characteristics of a product, service, process, person, organization, system or resource fulfills requirements.” The customer quality expectations, standards and acceptance criteria must be defined along with the tools and techniques to be used to ensure quality compliance. The quality needs to be managed, recorded and reported in accordance with the quality approach and the roles and responsibilities for quality need to be specified during the project initiation stage.

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Andy Cosgrove Article continued

Prepare the communications management approach – Without clear internal and external communications your projects risk of failure increases substantially. To minimize this risk the communications management approach contains details of how the project team will send information to, and receive it from, the wider organization(‘s) involved with, or affected by, the project. The communication management approach includes: the communication procedure, tools and techniques, records and reporting, timing of communications activities, the roles and responsibilities for communication, stakeholder analysis and the information needs for each interested party. Setup of Project controls–The level of control required by the project board after project initiation needs to be agreed and the mechanisms for such controls need to be established as does the level of control required by the project manager and the team managers. Effective controls are a prerequisite for managing by exception

and include: • The frequency and format of communications • Mechanisms to capture and analyze issues and change • The number of management stages • Mechanisms to monitor tolerances and escalate exceptions • How delegated authority will be monitored Create the project plan – before committing to major expenditure the timescale and resource requirements must be established. This information is held in the project plan and is needed for the project board to control the project. Planning is not something that the project manager performs in isolation and should include input from both suppliers and end users. Conclusion–Along with the refined business case and project management team structure, you now have all the documentation necessary to assemble the ‘Project Initiation Documentation’ (PID) which is a focal point at which all information relating

to the what, why, who, how, where, when and how much, is gathered on the project. Now ask yourself, would you rather increase the risk of your project failing before it even starts? Or would you rather decrease that risk by taking the extra time to add clarity, direction and to produce a well-planned project that will make you and your company a legendary success? 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@henimgwaycasinoconsulting. com or seehttps://hemingwaycasinoconsulting.com/

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a new day By Teresa Tunstall

here is no doubt that we have all had to endure this last year of “Lockdown” - a sense of incarceration with basically very little freedom, although for some distraction led them to play and gamble Online. However, not content with playing with just one website many will switch to a myriad gaming sites worldwide. For example India offering Goa and Sikkim or Sweden, France, Italy and Spain. The consequences sadly have led to many players facing financial disaster and ruin. This shows there is no unified gambling law governing Europe leaving most countries to their own region. Hopefully the Gambling Commission’s restrictions to make Online gaming safer will necessitate that players think twice before chasing their losses. Unfortunately many vulnerable and impressionable players are drawn by gambling adverts, particularly those that offer ‘free’ bets and spin speeds whereby players have a short, limited timeto bet.Inevitably losses soon mount up and financial

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problems follow in its wake. Prime examples of this include slot machines known as “losses” disguised as “wins”complete with enticing background music, all disguised to mislead and trick losing players into thinking they will achieve more on their next spin. Another specific of this is something called “Reverse withdrawals” which is a function that allows consumers to change their minds about withdrawing funds from

their gambling account by cancelling a withdrawal of part or all of the funds before the transfer to their bank is completed. Regulation had previously requested companies to remove potentially misleading features have proved to be of no avail. As a result all internet gambling rather than just slots will become mandatory.

Stuck in Lockdown also gave me the chance to go back in time to remember when Nick, 19 years old and in prison, wrote to tell me about how his gambling almost ended his life. It was a truly disturbing and depressing letter, but since then things have changed enormously with a better understanding of problem gambling. However, times have changed and the situation has altered for the better. Commendably the UK Gambling Commission have consistently continued to argue that Operations should take responsibility for problem gamblers.There are frequent examples of many “punters” opening twenty or more gaming accounts, each one separate from the last. This enables them to move

from one account to another allowing them to continue their gambling. For your edification the usage of online gambling includes poker, bingo and casino games, and combined together they grew six times among regular gamblers. Research has discovered that during “Lockdown” men were found to be three times more likely than women to gamble regularly more than once a week. Additionally regular gamblers were more than six times more likely to gamble online compared to before COVID-19. Thus, those working from home may need some attention in case they fall into the online gambling trap. Just what and how remains to be seenbut a watchful eye should be on alert.

Realistically, it would be impossible for the UK betting and gaming industry to create a national wide self-exclusion system for problem gamblers; it just wouldn’t work and perversely those in trouble could attempt to blame the industry for their losses. I found it of great interest when visiting Betting shops and Casinos watching those who self-excluded. Bizarrely many of them would literally stand outside these establishments and almost beg their friends to place a bet for them! On another occasion I visited a large betting shop in a small rural village where a regular player always entered and left by a side door in-case his wife turned up! However in today’s age most operators refuse entrance if they are aware of a problem gambler,

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Teresa Tunstall Article continued

and managers share their knowledge with other betting shops and casinos. There is little doubt that advertisements for betting companies have influenced players especially when big prize money is involved; it’s an exciting enticementespecially as gamblers are a captive audience.But as mere human beings those who may be struggling financially -especially at this time of Lockdown or loss of job– may be inclined and enticed to risk a gamble. Consequently big colourful adverts definitely make an impact!There is little doubt that these issues continue be they in the home, betting shops, casinos, slots Online or otherwise played in UK. The problems are here to stay but perhaps with a little more care they can be addressed and assessed. I don’t know if you are aware but huge amounts of moneydisappear online and many people are “scammed” on Facebook, Twitter, Google and others social media sites. In fact this happened to me and now it is confirmed by the National Crime Agency (NCA) so be vigilant and on your guard.

The NCA have seen a surge in issues including romance, investment scams and other frauds, and is looking for ways to circumvent and stop these ‘predators,’ from targeting the public. They state that victims were suffering catastrophic losses and vast amounts of money are being scammed from people into the hands of organised criminals because of the scale of fraud taking place. All this comes despite the Government’s announcement of a new Online Safety Bill which will require the tech giants to stop ‘user-generated.’ Those who failto be included will face large fines in advance which would improve public protection against fraud including online advertising by scammers. The Online Safety Bill will be relevant to scams circulated on Facebook between friends until the messaging goes end-to-end encryption.It applies also to romance frauds when it moves from the main platforms onto conversation. The new plea to the tech companies comes from growing concern about the extent of fraud being carried out in Britain. Official figures from the Of-

fice for National Statistics show there are now an estimated 4.4 million fraud offences being committed each year. Frequent types of offending are online shopping frauds which have risen during the coronavirus restrictions and also include investments frauds and the use of scam messages via text or email to steal people’s bank details. The extent of crime recently led the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) think tank to describe fraud as a national security threat and the need for major changes to safeguard the public. It is thought that Google could help, with adverts linked to investment fraud, while telecoms companies should be assisting by identifying numbers being used to send out bulk text message to cheat people. Facebook said, “We’re dedicating significant resources to tackling this on and off our platforms” Google said,” Protecting consumers and legitimate businesses operation in the financial sector is a priority for us”.

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GAMING NEWS

Japan Government Puts Anti-Casino Candidate In Yokohama

ixed messages in Japan are causing confusion on whether the current government ruling party really do want to see the development of integrated resorts in the country.

largely opposed to the development of a casino resort in their own backyard and could be a political move by the Prime Minister to back a candidate that sides with the majority of residents in winning the vote.

Yoshihide Suga the Prime Minister of Japan and who succeeded pro-integrated resort Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has just placed a candidate for Yokohama who is firmly against casino resorts.

However what does that say for the current governments interest in ever getting Japan to open a resort for gambling?

National Public Safety Commission Chairman Hachiro Okonogi who currently sits in the Suga cabinet is expected to resign his post to stand for Mayor in Yokohama. Indeed Yokohama residents are

Currently with many operators pulling out of Yokohama over recent months only Melco Resorts and Genting Singapore are in the race. In May this year Galaxy Entertainment, the Macau based operator left the competition for Yokohama, indeed Yokohama has had its ups

and downs in the integrated resort race itself, back in August last year it announced it was suspending the application to apply for an integrated resort, but now that process is back up and running but for how long. Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has his home district in Yokohama and could be more a political move to ensure his man wins the mayor race, but certainly sends a message to casino operators still involved in the Japan process that this could all turn upside down very quickly and find the current government opposed to integrated resorts should the political mood increase more than it is already against casinos.

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GAMING NEWS

Illegal Gambling Ring Busted In Hong Kong

Hong

Kong police say they have shutdown the biggest betting and gambling ring in over a decade with the raid on a suburb in the city. According to reports the Triad controlled gang took as much as HK$3.4 billion (US$438 million) in the first four months of the year and some single bets reaching hundreds of thousands of dollars. Almost all the bets were focussed on horse racing and football the police said they arrested 16 men and two women. Police said that the operation to close down the illegal betting syndicate had taken several months and was made more difficult because all the bets were made in cash and all records were hand written. Chief Inspector Hui Hong-kit of the organised crime bureau said: “Our investigation revealed that the syndicate had been in operation for about a year.” Seventy plus bank accounts were also frozen following the raid as law enforcement officials believe they are connected to proceeds of crime. One police officer was quoted as saying: “The amount of a single bet reached as high as hundreds of thousands of dollars and the gang took 0.5% of each bet laid as commission.”

Casino Owner Sues Insurer For COVID Losses

In what could be a landmark ruling the Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority that owns the Mohegan Sun casino have filed a lawsuit against its insurer for millions of dollars of lost income during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to reports the owners of the casino filed papers late last week against Rhode Islandbased insurer, Factory Mutual Insurance Co. Claiming the insurer failed to repay the losses the casino suffered when it was forced to close March 17 till March 31 2020. The Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority say that the policy covers their losses which is stated at $76 million and in the lawsuit the casino owners say, “Factory Mutual is obligated to cover the authority’s ‘actual loss sustained’,” However in a previous lawsuit brought by Mashantucket Pequot Tribe who operate the Foxwoods Casino against Factory Mutual, the insurer said in that court filing, “that the losses caused by viruses and contamination were specifically excluded from the policy.” Should these lawsuits be found in favour of the claimant it could open the door to thousands of other claims in similar positions with their insurers.

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GAMING NEWS

Aspire Global Signs Platform, Sports and Games Deal

spire Global has signed a deal with Stake.com, a fastgrowing innovative casino and betting site, for its upcoming launch of a new brand – stake.co.uk – in the UK. The agreement covers Aspire Global’s entire proprietary offering – platform, sportsbook, games, game aggregator and managed services. Stake.com was established in 2017 and provides an innovative casino site and sportsbook with more than 30 billion bets every year. Following its international success, Stake. com is now preparing for the launch of its new casino and betting site stake.co.uk in the UK.

In March 2021, UFC®, the world’s premier MMA organization, announced a new partnership with Stake.com, that became its firstever official betting partner in Latin America and Asia. World MMA champions Israel Adesanya and Francis Ngannou are Stake.com’s renowned brand ambassadors. Mladen Vuckovic, CEO at Stake.com, said: “When we planned our expansion to the regulated UK market, we searched for a partner who can provide the entire iGaming offering and is renowned for its technology, expertise and products. Aspire Global met our high standards and will offer our players a unique experience across multiple verti-

cals. We look forward to continue our expansion together with Aspire Global.” Tsachi Maimon, CEO at Aspire Global, said: “We are thrilled to partner with such a strong, fast-growing brand as Stake.com which provides an innovative gaming experience. This partnership is yet another proof of the strength and attractiveness in our complete iGaming offering. We look forward to support Stake.com in further strengthening their position as a fast-growing, innovative iGaming company in the large UK market.”

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the bingo reboot By Phil Gibbs

here has never been any doubt that Bingo is still one of the UK’s favourite pastimes but in more recent times has suffered in terms of appealing to a wider and younger audience. Having worked within or close to the industry for over 35 years I remember like most those glory days of the 1980’s and 90’s when admissions were much more easily obtained for club teams than they are at present.

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Sadly, gone are the days when a new door gift or new pricing structure would guarantee a substantial uplift in footfall. It’s seems that present strategies are more aligned to maximum extraction and less about attendances. So as this much-loved institution begins its own recovery post Covidhow can we change the perception of what a visit to the bingo actually

holds?Traditional Bingo now needs a vital reboot if it is to survive in the current climate, very much in the same way as the team behind the JamesBond franchise has been brave and stripped away the gadgets and over the top storylines for a more realistic and current hero. Bingo now needs to become more Daniel Craig rather than Roger Moore. Certainly, the growing presence of more and more online Bingo sites have not helped the smaller clubs deal with the challenges they face. Online Operators offer multiple games combinations, varying stakes & prizes and promotional offers which are cleverly supported via traditional and media marketing tactics. Who would have thought that back in the 1980’s Bingo platforms would sponsor prime time TV slots or programmes and most daily papers would use full house tactics to improve its circulation?

Despite the difficulties faced from both online and other leisure activities the bricks and mortar businesses continue to fight on. The High Street will look very different as we emerge from another lockdown and unfortunately not all clubs will survive. There is however a huge opportunity to bring Bingo back to the masses and the great British public will want the meet up with family and friends and traditional clubs need to be at the front of the destination queue. Operators now have the chance to re-visit the player experience and introduce sessions, game formats and structures that are more suited to today’s players. Clubs should not be governed by rigid sessions that run

to prescribed times but offer a more flexible 24/7 structure. Bingo should much more than just winning a prize. Why can’t clubs offer more than just Bingo such as live TV, sports events or the opportunity to hold that special party or just meet up with friends? The success of one-off Bingo events aimed at a younger demographic have shown that it’s more about the experience rather than prize money and that 2–3-hour sessions of just Bingo is not the option. It mustnow then be the time to promote the social side of visiting a Bingo Club rather than aimingthe messaging towards prize money. So, let’s keep the game simple, easy for new players to understand with a simple pricing matrix that puts the

visit experience first. --------------------Over the last 35 years Phil Gibbs has worked in numerous Marketing and Operational roles for Bass Leisure, Gala Bingo, RAL Ltd, Talarius and Praesepe. At various times each of these companies has been the largest AGC & Bingo Operator in the UK gaming sector. I n his most recent role he was Operational Manager for Beacon Bingo which includes Cricklewood the UK largest Bingo Club. Contact: philgibbs4@virginmedia.com

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GAMING NEWS

SOFTSWISS To Rebrand

OFTSWISS has announced its rebranding which will reflect the brand’s current position on the market and its vision to be the leading global iGaming software provider. The change in the brand visual identity marks yet another chapter in the SOFTSWISS brand evolution. The creation of the SOFTSWISS brand identity was based on the values and experience the brand acquired in over a decade on the market. The brand logo has been updated to a fresher, more contemporary look, correlating with the brand expansion and evolution over the years. The SOFTSWISS logo text will now be spelled in caps, as will be the brand name appearing in the company’s official press releases and marketing materials. The new look and feel will adhere to the

brand values and positioning as an innovative iGaming market leader striving to deliver the most secure and reliable solutions to its clients. SOFTSWISS will commence using the upgraded visual identity starting from July 1st, 2021. During the brand image development stage, SOFTSWISS incorporated its most important lessons from the past and combined them with the main secret of the brand’s success – its team. Launched in 2009, SOFTSWISS grew from a small software development startup of just several employees to a leading international iGaming brand that now employs more than 700 top-quality experts, with offices in Belarus, Malta and Poland. The business has since expanded its product portfolio to include not just an Online Casino Platform, but also a Sportsbook Platform, Game

Aggregator, Crypto Casino Solution, Affilka (Affiliate Management Platform) and Managed Services. Ivan Montik, Founder of SOFTSWISS, comments on the event: “Looking back, it’s astonishing to realise how much we’ve grown. We started over 10 years ago with a very small team, which has now become the size of a small village! The SOFTSWISS brand-new look will reflect our constant desire for innovation and development every step of the way. Through the new visual pattern and overall unified image, we will be able to communicate the brand positioning much clearer to our current and potential clients. The slight logo change is also paying tribute to SOFTSWISS origins – we’re fast evolving as a brand, yet we are staying loyal to our roots and where we come from. So, this way we reflect more where we are now as a business”.

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Infinity Gaming Magazine June 2021

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