March 2018 Infinity Gaming Magazine by Clever Duck Media

InfinityGaming www.gaming-awards.com | ISSUE94

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

17 PER ERIKSSON Leaves NetEnt

09 STEVE WYNN Latest Allegations

12 TIME FOR CHANGE Christina Thakor-Rankin

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 Lana welcomes you to the latest edition of Infinity Gaming Magazine.

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

09 STEVE WYNN New Allegations

10 WIG DIVERSITY AWARDS

Innovative Event Just around Corner

12 TIME FOR CHANGE Christina Thakor-Rankin

WIG DIVERSITY AWARDS Innovative Event Next Month

17 NETENT BOSS LEAVES Per Eriksson Departs Company

SEE OURSELVES

24 SEE OURSELVES Teresa Tunstall

Teresa Tunstall

31 PENNSYLVANIA THIS YEAR 32 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

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

Lana Thompson - Editor

Welcome to the latest edition of the Infinity Gaming Magazine

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Sponsorship Opportunities Colin@cleverduckmedia.com

Welcome to the latest edition of the

from around the world and there really

Infinity Gaming Magazine and Spring is

is some amazing news out there this

in the air at last and with that we look

month.

Business Partnerships Svetlana@gaming-awards.com

Diversity Awards, this year I am told we

Before I go and let you read the lat-

had more nominations and more com-

est edition of the magazine I want to

Marketing & Advertising claire@cleverduckmedia.com

panies taking part than ever before.

thank all our wonderful sponsors of the

forward to the 9th Women in Gaming

Women in Gaming Diversity Awards, With the awards ceremony taking place

Play’n GO. Red Tiger Gaming, IGT, Cae-

on the 11th May at the stunning Savoy

sars Entertainment, Alea, Videoslots,

Hotel it really will be a special evening.

Microgaming and Playtech, you are all

For all you awaiting the finalists they

amazing for your support of this innova-

will be announced on Monday 9th April

tive event.

so look out for that. “To Infinity and Beyond!” We also have a superb speaker lined up for the Women in Gaming Diversity

Regards,

Awards and we are really looking forward to that.

Lana

As for the magazine we have as always

The Editor

some great articles by Teresa Tunstall and Christina Thakor-Rankin. We also take a look at the very latest news

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Editorial Content & PR media@cleverduckmedia.com

presents

created by

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 regu-

lators, 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.

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

Working closely with the betting and gaming industry, She developed strong links delivering Social Responsibility and Problem Gambling training around the world, from Antigua to Moscow, and Auditing in the UK.

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

Lee-Ann Johnstone - CEO Best Odds Marketing With almost two decades of digital marketing and affiliate experience gained within retail, payments and blue chip iGaming brands, Lee-Ann has a wealth of expertise as an award winning digital marketing expert and business mentor. She is the creator of AffiliateFEST, founder of Best Odds Marketing a digital consultancy specialising in affiliate marketing and recently launched Affiliate Insider offering training, events and business development for the affiliate channel.

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GAMING NEWS

Elaine Wynn Claims She Received Information On A Rape Accusation Against Steve Wynn

n the ongoing saga of Steve Wynn and alleged allegations of sexual misconduct Elain Wynn the ex-wife of the casino mogul has said in a court hearing that she had received information in 2009 that her husband at the time had raped an employee back in 2005. According to Ms Wynn she went and informed the company’s general counsel who was Kimmarie Sinatra and left it with her to deal with. Ms Wynn said she did not inform anyone else not even the Wynn Resorts Board of which she was a member. Steve Wynn denies any wrongdoing, however has stepped down from the

company and sold all his shares in Wynn Resorts. “I told Ms. Sinatra that I had received information alleging that Mr. Wynn had raped an employee of the hotel in 2005,” she testified. She said Sinatra later told her the accusation “had been discussed by attorneys and that it was deemed not to have been an issue of concern for the company, that it had been handled personally, and therefore, it had been resolved.” But following the hearing Sinatra made her own statement saying through company lawyers saying: “There was zero evidence presented, none, that anyone on the nominat-

ing committee (of the board of directors) knew anything about this 2009 incident,” Todd Bice, an attorney for Wynn Resorts, said. “… We fundamentally dispute that Ms. Wynn was reporting this matter to the company as part of a governance issue as opposed to seeking information from Ms. Sinatra and sharing information with Ms. Sinatra as part of Ms. Wynn’s divorce case.” The hearing was in relation to Elain Wynn dispute with Wynn Resorts on governance and her relationship with the company on not allowing her to sell her shares in Wynn Resorts.

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Be The Change By Christina Thakor-Rankin

iven the recent spotlight on all things ‘women’ within the industry - from remuneration to representation it is no huge surprise to see attention now turning to panels and speakers as the conference circuit starts to kick-in. Sadly, the statistics speak for themselves. A quick tally undertaken by the Editor of this publication suggests that female representation at conferences barely touches 9% - and this a number significantly boosted by the inclusion of a recent Asian facing event. In an industry where women account for 50% of the workforce this seems a little poor and sends out a rather lamentable message whichever way one looks at it. Clearly there are a lot of very capable intelligent women out there, so the question is who are they, where are they, and more importantly why are more of them not on a stage sharing their wealth of knowledge and experience? In my experience there are several reasons for this lack of representation - not all good, but equally, not all bad either.

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Firstly, looking at the industry overall. Whilst the sector may have the same numbers of male and employees overall, there is a shift which starts to kick in at the midmanagement level where female careers start to plateau out compared to their male counter-parts, and with the odd exception, a trend which continues all the way through to the most senior levels. Conferences are simply a mirror of this. Secondly, most people are not natural born public speakers, with many struggling to even speak in internal meetings with people they know let alone on a stage surrounded by strangers. The more confidence individuals have sharing their opinions and addressing others within a company environment, the more comfortable they will feel doing it externally. I know many young men who suffer from nerves for exactly this reason, getting more confidence as they get higher up the food chain. Women are no different – the only issue is that there are fewer getting up the food chain. The conference organisers want the established C levels and known

‘faces’ to attract other C levels and those aspiring to C level roles into parting with their delegate fee dollars. Currently this is a predominantly male and pale landscape when it comes to the established events. So, how to break the cycle? Unfortunately, the road to diversity is paved with good intentions, some of which can end up causing more harm than good. The first solution to the problem of a negative imbalance is quotas or positive discrimination – namely throw more women at it. This is not the right approach. People attend conferences because they want to hear from quality speakers and gain insights which are not just as easily acquired via a Google search, or quick call to a contact. Throwing less expert individuals at it (whether its gender, racial or age based) just to even up the numbers is damaging for several reasons. Firstly, it dilutes the quality of the event, which is commercial suicide. Secondly it shatters the confidence of the speaker if paired with more knowledgeable panellists or feed-

-back which is less than enthusiastic

nostic, diversity driven attitude to life

which serves as a bridge to the C suite.

and deters them from future events. A

and work will force change whether it is

These would be events which would

combination of the two simply reinforc-

wanted or not. In the meantime, the re-

serve as an aspiration hub for everyone

es the traditional because breaking with

ality is that there is not enough diversity

involved and include workshops and

it hasn’t worked for anyone – delegate,

at C level to effectively address the im-

open discussions designed to engage

speaker or organiser.

mediate gaps, and forcibly addressing

a wider and more diverse audience. A

the issue will only mask not solve the

place where the ones who have made

problem.

it (irrespective of gender, race or age)

Change is coming though.

would be reaching down a hand to the Those events held within the emerg-

The obvious solution then would be to

ones who want to make it. The events

ing and new markets are a little more

hold events which are pitched just one

will seek to provide a safe environment

diverse – some in part due to necessity

level lower – an incubation and learn-

in which new and nervous speakers can

(just like western events are populated

ing and development hub which acts as

build the skills and confidence needed

by western specialists, so it is with non-

a launch-pad to the next level in every

to take them into the next career chap-

western events) but also because of a

sense. And this is exactly what the All-

ter – not just public speaking.

conscious decision by organisers such

In Diversity Project is seeking to do with

as Eventus International whose ap-

the launch of its ‘Be The Change’ series

Change does not happen over-night

proach to agendas and speaker line-ups

of events.

and people cannot be forced into ac-

has resulted in some of the most diverse events on the circuit.

cepting it. Change is a gentle shift in The events will aim to engage and sup-

culture, attitude and approach, and

port those aspiring to C level and sen-

which, with a little care and thought, is

Additionally, over time the millennials

ior roles and who about to enter the

entirely achievable.

with their entrepreneurial, gender-ag-

leaky pipeline of middle management

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GAMING NEWS

Sky Bet Fined £1 million For Self-Exclusion Failings

ky Bet has been fined £1 million by the UK Gambling Commission after being found guilty of failing to protect gamblers who had self-excluded but then were able to play on the site. According to the findings 736 customers who had selfexcluded were able to open duplicate accounts with Sky Bet and gamble again. Sky Bet chief executive Richard Flint said the firm accepted that it “needed to do more” to stop self-excluded gamblers from opening duplicate accounts. Flint did also say that the company once aware of the error had tried to return the funds to those gamblers, however it was not made clear it that had been successful. The UK Gambling Commission also found Sky Bet guilty of sending marketing emails to some 50,000 emails to cus-

tomers who had specifically requested not to receive such emails. It was also found that customers who had self-excluded some 36,748 did not receive their balance on their account after self-exclusion. Sky Bet had only recently been celebrating their recent set of results which is owned by investment firm CVC with revenues jumping from £118 million to £339 million and customer numbers jumping by 20% to 2 million. Richard Watson, Gambling Commission programme director, said: “This was a serious failure affecting thousands of potentially vulnerable customers and the £1m penalty package should serve as a warning to all gambling businesses.

Final Hurdle Cleared For Ladbrokes Coral GVC Deal The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has given the green light to the Ladbrokes Coral GVC deal after the competitions watchdog said “the deal does not give rise to competition concerns”. It added that they are not close rivals and there are many other providers of betting and gaming services online”.

GVC and Ladbrokes Coral believe the tie-up will help make £100 million a year in cost cutting helping to improve shareholder value. Ladbrokes Coral has over 25,000 employees working in retail and online and GVC has 2,800 employees in Europe and globally for its online brands.

The CMA said its probe “looked closely at betting services for individual sports and individual games but found that, in all cases, there will be enough rivals to the merged entity to prevent price increases or a reduced quality of service as a result of the merger”. With the rubber stamp the deal which will see GVC take a 53% controlling stake in the betting firm with GVC Chief Executive Kenneth Alexander taking the top job. At present the takeover deal is valued at £3.2 billion but will rise with add-ons and performance. It was only last November Ladbrokes acquired Gala Coral in a £2.3 billion merger now GVC is moving in to take control of them both.

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GAMING NEWS

James Packer Steps Down Over “Mental Health Issues”

ames Packer the man behind Crown Resorts has stepped down as a Director of the casino company citing “mental health issues.”

It was only back in August last year he rejoined the board of Crown after leaving as Chairman in 2015. The company has had problems over the last couple of years with the arrest of its marketing team for China over illegal activities and also Crown separating from Melco the Macau based casino company. The latest news thou has come as a shock to many with a spokesman for Mr Packer’s Consortium Press Holdings, Crown’s largest shareholder, said the magnate “intends to

step back from all commitments”. Mr Packer still holds around 47% of Crown Resorts and no statement on any sale of those shares was mentioned. He still remains one of the richest men in Australia with a wealth of $3.1 billion according to the latest Forbes report on the world’s richest people. John Alexander the Executive Chairman of Crown Resorts said, “We have appreciated James’ contribution to the board and respect his decision to step down from his role as director at this time.”

Per Eriksson Removed As CEO of NetEnt Per Eriksson the President and CEO of NetEnt has been removed with immediate effect by the company, Eriksson who has served NetEnt since 2012 is thought to have been blamed for the decline in fortunes of the software provider company for the 2017 results that featured a 3.9% decline in profits.

her current position as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) until a permanent replacement for CEO is made.

The news comes as a shock to many as Erikkson only last week was talking of the future for NetEnt going forward. A statement from Vigo Carlund the Chairman of NetEnt said: “The Board believes that NetEnt needs a new driving force to reverse the trend and increase the focus on growth. The value creation potential in NetEnt remains significant. The online gaming market has structural growth driven by the migration from offline to online gaming. “The Company has a solid balance sheet and a strong brand name in its segment of the market. The Board would also like to extend its gratitude to Per Eriksson for his time as CEO for NetEnt.” It was also announced that NetEnt’s Board has appointed Therese Hillman as acting CEO. She will also remain in

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GAMING NEWS

Revel Finally Has Happy Ending?

ould the saga surrounding the failed Revel Resort in Atlantic City that fell into bankruptcy after only two years of operation costing $2.4 billion to build have a happy ending? It seems it could after the Colorado developer Bruce Deifik who purchased the resort in January said that they are ready to open in the summer of this year. A recent announcement by Deifik on the hotel management naming Hyatt as its affiliate. Deifik said: “Hyatt has an incredible 60-plus-year legacy in the industry, and its loyal global customer base will have access to an authentic way to experience all

that makes Atlantic City attractive and popular.” The name change from Revel to Ocean Resort is almost complete as gambling chips have been ordered and state regulators have already granted a gambling license. It was only six years ago that the Revel opened to great fanfare but only two years later without ever making a profit to resort collapsed into bankruptcy. The proceeded a

long story of owner and bids for the resort, but now that seems over as the resort is ready to open this summer. No exact date has been made but already the owning company are advertising for jobs and employing staff ready for the big re-launch.

Boss At SBTech To Leave Company

he Senior Vice-President of Business Development at SBTech is leaving the company to pursue other ventures, Tom Light who has worked for the company since 2014 but now is leaving SBTech to pursue his passion which he says is blockchain and gambling. Light will be starting a new venture on his own involving blockchain with gambling. Tom Light said on his move: “I have really enjoyed working at SBTech and seeing the group grow to become the leading sports betting and gaming solutions provider to the sector. The new project I will be heading is particularly exciting as it combines two great passions of

mine: blockchain and gambling. It will leverage the power of cryptocurrencies within an igaming setting and produce a truly disruptive offer for the sector.” Richard Carter, CEO of SBTech, said: “SBTech is particularly grateful to Tom for his incredible work over the past four years, which has enabled us to experience massive growth and has put SBTech in prime position to capitalise on future opportunities in the online and landbased gaming and betting sector

worldwide. He retains the full support of SBTech and we look forward to his new project, which we believe will be as successful as the past four years he has had with SBTech.”

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GAMING NEWS

Golden Nugget Atlantic City Plans with Online Operations

he Golden Nugget Atlantic City is planning to expand its online gambling operations in New Jersey with the launch of a fresh roulette game. The unique game is designed to connect online gamblers with those on the actual casino floor. The game, titled “Live Casino Floor Roulette”, was launched on GoldenNuggetCasino.com. The participation of internet gamblers is made possible through a live video feed that shows the designated roulette table, which is present on the casino floor. Though the format might seem similar to live poker games, it is quite different. One key difference is that the streaming takes place from a casino floor instead of a studio. Live Casino Floor Roulette is open to all online gamblers located in the state of New Jersey.

Official Press Release In the official press release, the casino stated that the idea allows for its internet customers to place bets just like their counterparts on the actual gaming floor, which results in a very authentic live casino experience. The casino, which is located in the Marina District, came up with live dealer games all the way back in 2013 and is the only licensed operator to offer such unique formats even today (within the State of New Jersey). The facility is owned and operated by Landry’s, a gaming, dining, and hospitality brand founded by Tilman Fertitta. The Ever-Expanding Online Gambling Market Atlantic City has been witnessing significant growth within the online gambling sector, which is also majorly contributing to the city’s economic recovery. Last year, the city experienced the second gain

in terms of gross gaming revenue after a 9-year slump that led to the closure of 5 casinos. The overall gross gaming revenue increase was estimated to be a modest 2.2% last year. However, online gaming was up by 25% in the same period. In fact, in 2016, online gaming went up by 32.1%. In the first two months this year, the city saw online gaming grow by 17%. The brand that’s dominating the online gaming scene is Golden Nugget. Last year, the casino generated $68.57 million in online gaming revenue; that’s 30% of the city’s overall iGaming revenue, which was $245.6 million. The market share for the casino has only grown. This year, it managed to rake in around $15.18 million in the first two months alone.

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GAMING NEWS

Goa Hikes Casino Licensing Fee

he Indian Union Territory of Goa, as part of a move to boost state revenue, announced that it would be hiking the current casino licensing fees earlier this week. It is believed that the new fees will be 4.5 times higher than the current rate.

casinos yachts with a passenger capacity of more than 400 has been increased by 3.5 times. This brings the figure to 40 crores, which is 28 crores more than the existing rate. The rate hike for the remaining casino yachts with lower passenger capacities is, more or less, the same.

The order, which was issued by the Department of Finance, will go into effect on the 1st of April.

For instance, casinos yachts with a capacity for more than 200 people will now be required to pay a licensing fee of 30 crores instead of just 11 crores. Casino yachts with a passenger capacity of 200 or less will have to pay a licensing fee of 25 crores instead of 10 crores.

Goa, a major tourist destination, is currently home to 6 offshore and 9 land-based casinos, which means the current licensing fee hike will boost the state’s revenue by 150 crores ($23 million). The state’s casinos are yet to offer their response as they still haven’t received the official notice. The Breakdown The yearly recurring fee for offshore

The hike has also been applied to transfer license fees. Onshore casinos will now be required to pay Rs. 30 crores instead of 10 crores whereas offshore casinos will have to pay Rs. 50 crores instead of 20 crores.

As for fresh applications, the fee has been hiked to Rs. 50 lakhs for both, offshore and onshore casinos. Earlier, it was set at 20 lakhs. The license renewal fee has also been increased. Both categories of casinos will now be required to pay Rs. 1 crore instead of 30 lakhs. Non-Refundable Security Deposit Increase The non-refundable security deposit, which is collected during the granting of the license, has also been increased. It now stands at Rs. 50 lakhs. Earlier, it was Rs. 20 lakhs. As for the amount due at renewal, the fee stands at Rs. 25 lakhs instead of Rs. 10 lakhs. The licenses for offshore casinos expire on the 31st of March. However, it has been reported that the state government will likely extend the renewal deadline by 6 months.

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The gift of God to see ourselves as otherS see us By Teresa Tunstall

any moons ago I was asked to go to Moscow by a casino group who wanted their staff trained in social responsibility. They had four casinos and they also wanted training for therapists at the Psychiatry & Psychoanalysis Clinic, Moscow. First, we were invited over to do a ‘recce’ to discover what was required and create bespoke training programmes for casino staff and therapists. Perversely, in Moscow, problem gambling was not an illness they recognised. Just to paint the canvas a little, it was Autumn and the snow still lay thick on the ground; it was like being on the film set of Doctor Zhivago. The Clinic had grey walls and clinical curtains in total contrast to the

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casino’s glittering decoration, and, in addition, an amazing massive framed photograph of Vladmir Putin covered half the clinic wall. We were given a translator to enable us to work with their staff who totally embraced our ideas and knowledge; they were really eager to learn what we had to offer about this ‘new’ addiction…. gambling. The Clinic administrator had previously done some research to discover the existence of a Gamblers Anonymous group in Moscow that had no more than six participants. The therapists believed few “problem gamblers” would attend such a group as it was seen as a disgrace to have this relatively unknown illness. We wandered around - nowhere too far from our hotel – and on the public pavements we saw ‘slot machines’ set into walls of various shops. Adults were playing them in those streets

often watched by children. However, these “slots” were to disappear by the time of our next visit. We were very pleased to realise the staff in casinos and therapists in the clinics were enthusiastically looking forward to our return to learn about problem gamblers. Much exchange of information flew between London and Moscow before Spring finally came and we were back in Moscow, ready to teach them all we knew. On this our second visit to Moscow which was actually designed to deliver training, we were greeted by the casino’s Head Office who informed us that word had gotten around reaching the ears of the other casino groups in Moscow.

SEE OURSELVES AS OTHERS DO

Thus a directive went out to the rank and

“Why are they laughing, what’s so funny”?

all the casinos in Moscow and licensed

file punters warning them not to gamble

She hesitated then replied, “they’re saying

gambling could only take place miles

in the casino in which we were providing

if you go out in Moscow and you know

away outside of the capital.

the training as they had problem gamblers

you’re going to drink you make sure you

wonder if this put a stop to gambling in

there and they might be tarred with the

have a full wallet!”...the obvious implication

Moscow , but I very much doubt it.

same brush! Working through a transla-

being that drink/driving offences could be

tor is never easy but we had to make the

dealt with by way of a bribe! Bizarrely we

Knowing that a compulsive gambler will

best of it: casino training was just for the

also heard tales of people who would rent

always find a way to play I once asked

Managers of each casino owned by the

a slot machine for the weekend and posi-

a guy where he was playing ,“Brixton in

group. A funny incident occurred in the

tion it in the reception of a tower block of

London,” he replied. When I reminded

training when I explained to the Managers

flats. Of course it never paid out and was

him this must be an illegal gambling

that in the UK if you’re going out drinking

removed late Sunday or early Monday full

den without any protection or safety

you don’t take your car. Laughter erupted

of cash!

it had no impact on him; he needed to play so went to the nearest possible

within the group who were chatting between themselves so I asked the translator,

I often

Within four years Putin closed down

place he knew where he could gamble.

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By Teresa Tunstall

Google is cracking down on cryptocurrencies by banning these companies from advertising on their website. Personally, I believe this to be a good thing, although I have friends who have “invested” in these digital currencies with no worries or concerns. However, the day will happen when the’ tax man cometh,’ having devised a way to have everyone paying tax. When the tide of adventure comes to an end, let’s hope not too many will be damaged by its conclusion.

-blem with gambling. Such gamblers can be convincing liars even to those trying to help them; often they’ll have craftily covered their backs to enable them to continue gambling whilst sincerely believing this is the only way to get their money back, and that once that happens all will be forgiven. However, probing beneath the surface is important for the gaming company and its players who have to accept in all cases that it’s done for their own good.

William Hill, are paying a penalty of £6.2m for not digging, delving and questioning enough to ascertain that when players say they can well afford to gamble thousands of pounds they actually do have their own money to do so. Without a doubt it is very difficult to recognise if a player is being truthful especially if they have a prob-

Finally, yet again, we the public are being warned of huge disastrous risks from hackers in our homes and businesses. In fact the EU Security Commissioner at a conference in London recently stated that action needs to be taken immediately. Experts have highlighted the risk of hackers accessing computer-controlled TV’s,

fridges and other household devices to steal personal data. Spookily these hackers could affect the UK making us vulnerable to the threat of ‘politically motived’ cyber-attacks by hacking into voting machines. Something that the aforementioned Mr Putin may know about!

Read Tersea’s only articles each month here exclusively at the infinity Gaming Magazine.

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GAMING NEWS

Netherlands Gaming Regulator Suggests Upgrading Outdated Gambling Law

he Gaming regulator in Netherlands has been recently prodding the legislators in the Senate to finally review and pass the remote gaming act that has been happily ignored by the government for quite some time now. The report added that the Kansspelautoriteit regulatory body or KSA has submitted a request to urge the Senate to pass a casino bill for regulating the online gambling operations in the country. According to the KSA, the passing of an online gambling bill will help curb the problem of illegal online gambling in Netherlands. Netherlands stands among the few countries in Europe that have not yet authorized the legal operation of online gaming based on chance. Expressing his concerns over the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s existing gambling policies, the chairman of the Kansspelautoriteit regulatory body, Jan Suyver remarked

that due to the stipulates of the outdated Dutch Gambling Law that was introduced back in 1964, the state regulators are unable to deal with the issue of illegal online gambling more proactively. He cited the example of the court ruling that occurred back in December 2017, in which the Administrative Law Division of the Council of State had issued an order for the Dutch regulator to stop focussing on the gambling payment providers in the country. The Dutch high court issued a statement saying that the payment service providers will not be stopped from processing the transactions associated with the online gambling websites that hold international licenses. The ruling was made after rejecting the state regulatorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s plea that such gambling websites essentially promote games of chance and are unconstitutional as per the Betting and Gaming

Act. Suyver further outlined that by passing the new remote gaming act, the regulator can exercise greater powers on not only regulating the existing online gaming portals but also issuing provisional licenses to new online gaming operators. Expressing his views on the current situation, Suyver pointed out that the gaming authority has been doing what it can to enforce better law enforcement in terms of online gambling in the country for the last six years. In addition to his request for an online gambling regulation, Suyver has also submitted a proposal for a central register for keeping records of problem gamblers as well as an additional fund to curb the issue of problem gambling.

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Online Gambling Market To Be Launched in Pennsylvania This Year

ennsylvania is all geared up for launching its newly established online gambling market sometime by the end of this year. The news came in after the PGCB or Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board executive director Kevin Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Toole made an announcement at the hearing of the House budget regarding the beginning of the casino licensing process on schedule from the next month. The state government has already begun accepting applications from the Daily Fantasy Sports operators for bringing in their operations to the state. Pennsylvania stands among the only four states in the United States that have legalized online gambling within their borders. Although the online gambling bill H 271 was already signed into law by the government last October, the regulators have not yet revealed any stipulated timeframe

for the launch of the gaming activities within the state. At the House budget hearing, Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Toole revealed the governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s plans of creating a temporary set of rules and guidelines for the operation and regulation of the forthcoming online gambling market in the state. However, he did not share any further details of how exactly the process would be carried out. While some of the most intricate details of the policy might still be under wraps, we do know that the state government will issue a total of 13 licenses to different casino operators in the state. The licenses would be further subdivided into smaller categories of sub-licenses that will be dedicated to each of the different online gaming products including poker, table games and slots. While each of

the single product licenses would be priced at $4 million, the cost of all three online gaming products will be $10 million. However, the regulators have not yet revealed as to how may skins will be allotted for every license. Skins may be defined as the interface of the gaming platforms that enable different websites to integrate the same gaming software for its operations. In its letter to the PGCB, the famous casino operator, Parx Casino urged the regulators to allot only a single skin to all the individual licensees. According to the operator, this would help in ensuring that the branding portrays the individual themes of the land based casinos and not the third party technology that is being used to bring it online.

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New Hampshire Senator Calls It Quits Following Failure of 20th Casino Bill

erseverance is the key to success. However, after spending twenty years of his life struggling to get the casino bill legalized in New Hampshire, Senator Lou D’Allesandro has reportedly decided to step down from his position and give it all up. D’Allesandro’s 20th consecutive proposal for a casino bill was overturned by an 11 to 10 vote by the Senate last week. After struggling for over two long decades to get his co-legislators to think more progressively, D’Allesandro had decided to take up the responsibility of urging the local government in the Senate to sign the casino bill into law this year as well. However, prior to the actual voting process, D’Allesandro also vowed that this would be his final attempt at trying to convince the government of his ideologies. As such, since the proposal for the casino bill has been rejected yet again by the Senate, D’Allesandro is not likely to try again next year. However, it is not like D’Allesandro has never tasted the scent of success in the past. Back in 2014, D’Allesandro had come really close to getting the casino bill legalized in the state of New Hampshire. At the time, the proposal for the casino bill had received a green signal by the Senate and forwarded to the House for a final review. However, the final

vote that was cast by Deputy Speaker, Naida Kaen, ended up in a tie. After Naida Kaen cast her vote in the House, the scores remained tied at 172 for 172 and consequently, the legislation could not pass the casino bill in the absence of a clear majority. Recalling his bitter experiences with regard to the casino bill struggle, D’Allesandro stated that while he came up with all the plausible ideas for casino legislation all these years, it is the other states that are taking his cue and reaping the benefits of his unique ideas and suggestions.

He further added that several states including Massachusetts, Maine, Connecticut, and Rhode Island have been inspired by his ideas ever since and created their own state regulations for casino gambling. D’Allesandro reiterated that by failing to legalize the casino bill in the state, New Hampshire has essentially missed out on nearly $1 billion in casino taxes that could have otherwise served to uplift the local community in the last 20 years.

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Crown Resorts Accused of Fabricating Story of Machine Trial to Escape Penalties

new wave of allegations suggests that Australian leading casino operator, Crown Resorts, might have allegedly stopped its ‘trial’ of removing the existing betting options allowed on its slot machines following complaints from the patrons. In an interview with the local news agency ABC news, a whistleblower revealed that the company that already owns and operates two massive integrated casino resorts in Perth and Melbourne is planning to establish its operations in Sydney as well. In addition to this, when the company received complaints from its customers at the Melbourne facility that their betting options had been significantly reduced, Crown Resorts had to unwillingly revert to its normal operations. Last year, the Australia-based casino operator had to give up its Victoria license after being involved in a

major casino scandal. According to an independent MP Andrew Wilkie, there had been tabled evidence from three whistleblowers that Crown had allegedly tampered with a total of 17 out of its 2628 slot machines or pokies installed at its facility in Melbourne. As a result of the tampering, the patrons were faced with reduced wagering options as well as lesser chances of winning. Among a slew of allegations, Crown Resorts was accused of directing its casino employees to remove a few specific buttons on 17 slot machines at the Melbourne facility. According to the whistleblowers, the aforementioned modification of the gaming devices not only reduced wagering options for the customers but also maximized profit earning for the casino. As such, the customers were forced to bet on the highest bid on the modified slot machines. In addition to this, the company was also

accused of intentionally allowing certain customers to manipulate the anti-money laundering regulations. While the operator denied all allegations made in October last year, it eventually came out with accepting that it had removed specific buttons off its 17 slot machines somewhere in March. However, the Crown maintained that the alleged ‘blanking’ of slot buttons had been carried out as a trial conducted at its premises in Melbourne. To this, the whistleblowers reiterated that the story of the ‘trial’ was nothing but a farce created by Crown Resorts to deal with the rising regulatory pressure that was damaging its general performance and profitability. The official also remarked that there was no such trial conducted by the company and it was just an effort to see how they could make greater profits by duping their customers.

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UK Gambling Commission Considers Credit Card Betting Ban

n recent times, the United Kingdom has faced a gambling epidemic, affecting about 430,000 people in the country. Not only this, about 2 million people are either addicted to gambling or are on the verge of becoming so. The fixed-odds betting terminals have also been a matter of controversy in the country, as they are believed to be the major contributor towards the rising gambling addiction in the country. As such, it’s not unusual for the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) to adopt certain regulatory measures in its pursuit of better gambler protection. The Commission now considers banning credit card betting at gambling outlets to curb the issue of problem gambling to some extent. The UKGC announced that credit card betting increases the chances of people gambling more than their financial capability.

The move would restrict people from using their credit cards at betting shops and prevent them from accumulating huge debts. The announcement from the Commission was included in its “Review of Online Gambling”, which highlighted ways to create a safer gambling ecosystem and the 10 percent rise in the industry’s 2017 profits. The Gambling Commission recommended that the seventy-two-hour window for verifying the age of gamblers should be done away with. Online gambling will only be allowed after a proper age verification of gamblers is complete. Free-play online casinos, which are encouraging young people to participate in gambling, will also have the age verification criterion. The objective of making such recommendations is clear- the Commission wants to tackle the problem of rising gambling debts and the in-

creasing number of minor gamblers. The proposal intends to protect the interests of children, lower the hazards for vulnerable customers, and regulate operators so as to safeguard consumers’ interests. The underlying principle of the credit card betting ban is that people should not gamble with money they lack. The Gambling Commission reckons that about 10 to 20 percent of online gambling deposits come from the credit card accounts of gamblers. The Commission, however, fears that restricting or prohibiting the use of credit cards can open other deplorable financing options. Some gamblers wouldn’t mind taking high-interest loans in order to fund their “addiction”. This policy recommendation, however, is not the only pursuit of the UKGC. The Commission intends to continue raising standards across the country’s online gambling sector.

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Three Is The Number For Integrated Resorts

he Japanese ruling Liberal Democratic Party along with its junior coalition party, Mokeito, have come to a compromise on the number of Integrated Resorts the country should have and that number is three. For more than a year speculation was that the number could be as high as five but with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe under pressure to ensure an agreement was reached three resorts will be built at least in the initial

phase. The Liberal Democratic Party had wanted five and their junior coalition party wanted two so the compromise has been reached with three. Also agreed was that no increase on that initial number will not be allowed for 7 years after the resorts are built, Komeito wanted a 10 year gap. One thing that either party has agreed on yet is the amount Japa-

nese nationals should pay as an entry fee to casinos, Komeit wanted a fee of ¥8,000 per person while the LDP wanted it lower at ¥5,000. More discussions are set to take place to be able to reach an agreement on the fee. With the number now set for Integrated Resorts, it will come as a disappointment to International Casino Operators who are vying for the rights to open an Integrated Resort.

Macau March Revenues Up 22%

he worlds largest gambling hub Macau, recorded March revenues of $3.21 billion which represents a rise from the same period last year of 22.2%, the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau announced. With the March figures added to the current annual figures the annual rise stands at 20.5% which is ahead of many analyst’s expectations for the year which generally is forecast at 16%. Many investment companies are now revising their quarterly figures to show an increase in Macau revenue figures growing faster than expected, all good news for the casino operators based on the tiny enclave. Deutsche Bank Securities Inc increased its forecast for the city’s casino sector performance in the April to June period. “On account of the upside to our March and first quarter 2018 forecasts, our second quarter GGR forecast goes to +15.3 percent

from +14.2 percent,” wrote analysts Carlo Santarelli and Danny Valoy in a

Sunday note. Their previous forecast was dated March 1.

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Branson Purchases Hard-Rock Casino Hotel

he Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas has recently been purchased by Richard Branson, founder of the Virgin Group. The purchase deal includes a renovation of the facility, which will occur over the coming months. It will also be renamed as “Virgin Hotels Las Vegas”. However, it will continue to function as part of the Hard Rock brand up until 2019, which is the projected period for the end of renovations. The hotel/casino is home to around 1500 rooms (including suites) and is located off the Las Vegas strip. Image Revamping There may also be a revamping in terms of the casino’s image. According to Branson, Virgin represents “entertainment and fun”. In his address to the media, he spoke of how the Virgin Group experienced good times flying its customers, implying that the same would be applied to

the new venture.

Management.

Branson, in fact, mentioned that the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas was a “very Virgin” facility, which is why he chose it specifically.

Branson, who has a reputation for planning extravagant and entertaining launches, has promised to do the same with the launch of the revamped facility.

The facility will continue to operate even during the renovation, which is expected to be carried out in multiple stages. Though there are no official estimates of how much capital will be invested, reports indicate that it will amount to a few hundred million dollars. There have also been no reports on whether or not existing entertainment venues will be retained. However, Branson did mention that the guitar, which is the Hard Rock logo, will be replaced with a “V”, which is the Virgin Group’s logo. The purchase was carried out with a group of partners, which included Juniper Capital and Brookfield Asset

Possible Unionization of Workers According to the Culinary Union, which boasts around 50,000 members from the casino-hotel industry in Las Vegas, stated that Virgin and Brookfield have agreed to remain neutral with regard to the unionization of workers. The union’s secretary-treasurer, Geoconda Argüello-Kline, called it a “new era” with regard to labor-management cooperation at the hotel/ casino. Virgin currently owns one other similar facility in Chicago and is planning to open more in Dallas, New York. San Francisco, Washington D.C., New Orleans, and Nashville.

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Nepal Goes to War with Asian Casino

ilver Heritage Group (SVH), an Asian boutique casino developer and operator, has become the target of a lawsuit in Nepal for removing one of its local partners, who was tasked with supervising a project in Bhairahawa. The legal battle is likely to affect the company’s second project in Dhulabari, a town situated in Jhapa’s eastern district. The company had purchased land here worth 1 billion Nepali rupees with the objective of using it as the location for a 5-star casino property that would draw in gaming patrons from neighboring Indian states, such as Sikkim and Kolkata.

began operations at the beginning of 2017.

Not New to Hurdles SVH is an entity based originally out of Hong Kong but is listed on the Australian stock market. It’s debut, however, was in the country of Nepal, where it set up its first venture – The Tiger Palace 1 resort-casino in Bhairahawa. The facility cost 5.2 billion Nepali rupees to build and

The property, which is located very close to the Buddha’s birthplace of Lumbini, is believed to be the largest casino resort in South Asia. It’s target market mainly includes gaming patrons from the Indian State of Uttar Pradesh, which is one of the most densely populated regions in the country. The Tiger Casino had also faced several challenges prior to its opening, such as delays in regulatory approvals and even a deficit in funding. Now. SVH is facing a new challenge – a lawsuit. Origins The trouble is believed to have begun when one of SVH’s holdings in Nepal, the Silver Heritage Limited Manage-

ment Service, ended its consultancy agreement with Rajendra Bajgain, a local partner, who accused the company of illegally recruiting workers from outside the country. Silver Heritage terminated its partnership with Bajgain on the grounds of “unauthorized disclosure” and imposed sanctions on his operations. Responding to this, Bajgain sought an annulment of the decision by moving the Kathmandu District Court. Earlier this month, the court issued an order against SVH, calling for the maintenance of the consultancy agreement. Now, SVH is looking to annul the order by moving the Patan High Court. Bajgain claimed that SVH had employed 22 foreign workers at the Tiger Palace, who did not possess work permits. As of now, 17 of those workers are reported to have exited the country as a result of the investigations. But, there has been no confirmation as to whether or not these workers were illegal.

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Big Fish Casino Online Gambling Labeled as Illegal

ig Fish, the interactive social game, run by Churchill Downs in the past, has been labeled â&#x20AC;&#x153;illegalâ&#x20AC;? under Washington State Law. The suit was filed by a federal appeals court judge. Judge Milan D. Smith of the 9th Circuit of the US Court of Appeals overruled an order that brought down an older case against Big Fish filed by a Cheryl Kater. In the earlier case, Kater had claimed that she was cheated of $1000 in the form of virtual chips, which are tokens needed to access the series of games offered as part of the Big Fish Casino suite. This, typically, includes games such as roulette, blackjack, and slots etc. Gamers who run out of chips are required to purchase more chips or wait for free chips that are distributed in the form of offers. Kater argued that the chips did possess an inherent value as far as the Washing-

ton Gambling Law was concerned. However, her lawsuit was dismissed in 2015 by a District Court Judge. The Reversal However, Judge Smith has now reversed the ruling, stating that the virtual chips offered players the privilege of being able to play Big Fish Casino. As a result, he added, that the chips held a certain value under the Washington State Gambling Law. According to this law, gambling is defined as the risking or staking of an item of value on the probable results of a contest/game of chance, prediction, agreement, or understanding etc. As far as the definition is concerned, Smith believes that Big Fish Casino is guilty of participating in online gambling. In his opinion, he mentioned that without the virtual chips, people are denied access to the games and persuaded to purchase more chips to

enjoy the privilege of having access to the games again. He also pointed out that winners are given more privileges without extra charges. He then went on to conclude, based on the above-mentioned characteristics of the chips, that they extended privilege. Return to the District Court The reversal will now result in the case being returned to the district court for a fresh hearing. Former operator Churchill Downs, against whom the lawsuit was filed, will have the opportunity to argue the case in the Appeals Court or at the Supreme Court. The final ruling will have a tremendous impact on the social market games, here in the US. If the ruling favors the plaintiff, it could put online gambling operators in a hostile situation where they may have to fend off an increasing number of lawsuits of the same variety.

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GAN Sees Growth Due to Online Gaming Popularity in the US

nline gaming technology provider GAN announce its year-end results last week and the numbers indicate a strong performance. The company has experienced tremendous growth within the US and is predicted to continue on the same path for the future. Also, this is its best performance so far and the first time it has shown clean profits since 2013. GAN, which entered the market in 200, has played a significant role in the global expansion of iGaming. The Numbers The company has generated around 9.1 million pounds in the form of net income while its gross income came up to 41.1 million pounds. Both figures represent a significant increase over the last few years. But, the best indication of its stellar performance comes from the fact it enjoyed a clean EBITDA profit

of 500,000 pounds. In 2016, the company actually lost double that amount. GAN also announced that it raised around 2 million pounds on a convertible loan note this month. It now has 2.7 million pounds in cash and 7.6 million pounds in assets. One of the many factors that led to this growth is the company’s continued investment in the US market. As of now, GAN is positioning itself for greater expansion in 2018. Seamus McGill, the Chairman, offered his summary of the performance, stating that the organization was satisfied with the results and its currently acquired reputation of being a leading provider of high-level online solutions for the land-based gaming industry in the US. Other Factors Dermot Smurfit, the group’s CEO, credited several factors for the positive performance. He called the New

Jersey Betfair Casino as one of the major contributors. New Jersey’s internet gaming market has enjoyed a stellar year as well. Gross gaming revenues increased by 30% bringing the figure to $246 million. Social gambling also contributed to GAN’s profits. One of its products, the Simulated Gaming System, which is used in unregulated markets, is a good example. According to Smurfit, the system represents a major opportunity in the US market as needs can be addressed right away. He pointed out that the opportunity was not dependent on upcoming regulations or the acquisition of digital users by clients. Simulated Gaming’s revenues are actually sourced from current customers. The Future GAN will continue to focus on the US market, especially considering the fact that the regulation of internet gaming is likely to move further ahead.

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