Infinity Gaming Magazine November 2021

InfinityGaming www.gaming-awards.com | ISSUE132

THE A TO Z OF US SPORTS BETTING Interview with Maarja Pärt GAMING + ARTICLES + BUSINESS+ GLOBAL + ONLINE + NEWS+ AWARDS + etc

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11 A TO Z OF US SPORTS

30 RISE OF ESPORTS

20 UNDERSTANDING MACAU

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

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

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

13 LVS & PLAYTECH?

36 CLOUDGAMING FABIENNE BOURGAIZE

42 MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS 48 SHOW ME THE WAY

CEO YOLO GROUP

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66 WORLD CUPS

+ NEWS & MORE NEWS from the gaming industry

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Lana Thompson - Editor Welcome to the latest edition of the

Cosgrove, Lynn Pearce de Freitas, Chris-

Infinity Gaming Magazine and what a

tina Thakor-Rankin, Teresa Tunstall and

month it has been with potential ac-

Tim Cullimore.

quisitions, scandals and Florida sports

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betting on and then off again. Not to

Wow what a magazine we have served

mention that nominations for the 2022

you this month and will keep you busy

International Gaming Awards (IGA) has

when you have the time to read.

Business Partnerships Svetlana@gaming-awards.com

2021 which is amazing given the chal-

By the time I write to you next we will

lenges we have all endured over the

be announcing the finalists for the

Marketing & Advertising claire@cleverduckmedia.com

last year.

2022 IGA which is held on the 31st Jan-

seen the number of entries surpass

uary at the iconic Savoy Hotel, wishing However in the magazine we have a

you a great month and will be with you

bumper edition for you covering two

before the end of the year.

superb interviews with Maarja Pärt the CEO of Yolo Group and Fabienne Bour-

As always- “May the Force be with you”

gaize from Eyecon. Also an in-depth re-

- Star Wars

view of the US sports betting industry which is ever growing and sometimes

Regards,

difficult to follow, but we give you the very latest.

Lana

Not just all that but we also look at the

The Editor

latest mergers and acquisitions in the gaming sector along with a wonderful piece from Mary Mendoza on the Macau gambling scene.

Now you would think that would be all but no we still have a our superb writers giving us their experience and insight on the gaming industry with contributions this month by, Andrew

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Editorial Content & PR media@cleverduckmedia.com

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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 Lynn has extensive senior management experience in the gaming industry, with over 18 years of proven success, having launched more than 30 casino, live casino, poker, sports betting, lottery and esports brands globally.

She is currently CEO of PLaza Holdings (Ontario) Inc.

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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The US SPORTS BETTING LANDSCAPE An A TO Z of where Sports Betting is at present in the US

S

ince a controversial (but very welcome) 2018 U.S Supreme Court ruling, legalized sportsbook betting has catapulted into U.S mainstream gaming. The much-anticipated overturn of the PASPA (Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992) legislation has re-invigorated the betting landscape, opening up huge commercial opportunity to the industry’s biggest stakeholders.

Although intrinsically linked to the frontier history of the U.S, sports betting had largely not been able to unshackle itself from century-old chains.

This drove activity underground, a feature of the nation’s gambling scene that has been difficult to shake, given the appetite for (and infrastructure of ) sport.

The seismic shift initiated by the 2018 ruling is perhaps best contextualised by what activity had occurred up to the bill’s press. Unsurprisingly, Nevada was first to (legally) introduce Sportsbook odds. However, it’s popularity only really started to gain momentum in the 1970’s, somewhat earlier overshadowed by the wider

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reach and intensity of Las Vegas Casino’s.

For others, legislation was rare and often shoehorned into a state’s betting landscape via the backdoor. In addition to Nevada, only three other states (Delaware, Oregon and Montana) had assembled some sort of sports format, but these were largely restricted to state-controlled lotteries and fantasy leagues.

As offshore betting firms started to exploit the U.S market from afar (facilitated by the rise of the internet and later by smartphone culture), the government once again stepped in at

the start of the century to try and curtail betting operations. Although this did much to detract some of the more unsavoury sections of the market, there was and continues to be a host of foreign parties who enjoy a pretty thick slice of the American pie.

So, where are we up to now?

The 2018 amendment gave state houses pretty much carte-blanche on gambling law and control. The variety of localized response was as every bit as diverse as you would expect from a nation wrestling with it’s political and moral consciousness.

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Using a broad brushstroke will offer some vague insight into collective local approaches between neighbouring states, somewhat in sync with the red republican and blue democrat heat map one sees at election hour.

Generally, however, it tends to follow no real rhyme or reason. Autonomy in a state’s betting apparatus is influenced by so many defining factors; governors, historical laws, traditional attitudes, Native American presence.

The list goes on.

The secondary dynamic to all of this is to what extent states are prepared to relax not only retail but online channels. Within each sub-section, there are ranging viewpoints on to what extent governing bodies should allow online platforms to permeate everyday life. Although a decent proportion are averse to allowing bettors place stakes in their homes or local community, a sizeable contingent offer a fuller experience to those residents with a smartphone in-hand.

It is therefore difficult to isolate a real cultural blue-print for which states have enabled which freedoms (apart at rather extreme ends of the spectrum). Nevertheless, states can be largely compartmentalized into four headings: Legal & Active (largest group), Approved and Ready, Potentially2022, and Potentially 2023/beyond/or never.

Legal and Active

ensuring that both retail and online functions were in-play. Perhaps best highlighting a ‘buck’ in the socio-political trend, deeply conservative Arkansas quickly introduced in-person, retail betting (that is, place your bet at counterpoint). However, the prospect of online betting seems distant at best.

Colorado is perhaps a model case study in how a state can, from practically a standing-start, embrace a new way of working and quickly accrue vast sums into the state economy coffers. Only matched by the gaming heavyweights of Nevada, New Jersey, Pennsylvania &

The determining factor for these states

Indiana, Colorado has a monthly betting

was an innate desire to get a Sports-

handle of over $200m, as well as a rich

book in motion. Many have flirted with

complement of digital sportsbook suit-

the concept, but only a host of states

ers.

navigated legislative blockages with pace and success.

(PTO)

Arizona opened the market in time for this season’s NFL launch in September,

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The US SPORTS BETTING LANDSCAPE pinnacle of the ‘in-person’ betting experience, still has the rather archaic practice of requiring residents to register at a local casino before hitting an online vendor. This issue was accentuated by COVID-19, with restricted social movement halting this process at source. As for New Jersey, it’s agitation and energy in getting the bill in front of the Supreme Court has paid huge dividends.

This, plus a hospitable environment for ambitious investors, has meant the state has propelled itself into pole position, turning over a massive $5b in handles throughout 2020. Some are declaring the state ‘Vegas East’.

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n Connecticut, a deal between local Native American groups and government officials led to a launch of state-wide mobile sports betting. Initiating the onset of a New England drive towards progressive gambling laws. Indeed, New Hampshire also has actively engaged this new opportunity, yet it’s solo operator (DraftKings) rather monopolizes its online platform, with commentators forecasting a less optimistic view of the future if neighbouring Massachusetts decides to mobilize.

Heading back to the South, both Mississippi and Louisiana have surprised some in their readiness to embrace the sportsbook scene. In Louisiana, a massive 55 out of 64 parishes endorsed legal state betting in 2020, resulting in the implementation of retail betting units and an online presence on the horizon in early 2022. Neighbouring Mississippi were even swifter, opening up retail from August 2018. In a technical sense, the state has also sanctioned mobile betting, however, it demands that punters only use online functions when within the grounds of a casino,

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therefore severely hampering its marketable potency.

The role of Native American influence on state practices can also not be under-estimated. This is best articulated by the current betting environment in New Mexico, whereby Native groups have simply re-interpreted existing state-tribal gaming compacts to facilitate movement towards sportsbook activity. In Oregon, despite college sports betting being prohibited and not accessible on the state-developed lottery app, some casinos located in reservations allow college stakes, although admittedly driving low revenue & limited interest. And leaping over Idaho into Wyoming, Northern Arapaho Tribes have added retail sportsbooks to the roster, despite (and somewhat bizarrely), the state exclusively offering mobile services as opposed to in-person betting.

New Jersey & Nevada unsurprisingly take the top two spots when it comes to commercial return since relaxation, however it is the former rather than the latter that grabs the number one ranking. Nevada, often seen as the

However, there is a cautionary note on New Jersey’s unparalleled success. Customers currently migrating over the state line from New York may soon have an expansive betting format to enjoy, with latest reports suggesting a host of major gambling firms will have licenses processed by January 2022. The regular big-hitters such as DraftKings, MGM & FanDuel all feature, eager to take their cut of a $1b per annum marketplace, and therefore causing some significant deflection of NJ revenue streams. The only caveat is state taxation, which will exceed a colossal 50% of companies gross gambling revenue, way beyond the nationwide average of 11%. Nevertheless, this doesn’t seem to have detracted betting suitors from making moves.

Approved & Ready Unlike many of its New England counterparts, Maryland was a little late to the sports field, waiting until April 2021 before legislation was passed.

However (and despite successive recent delays), when markets go live, an impressive 60 online and 30 retail vendors will be invited to trade.

11 Meanwhile Nebraska’s alleviation of strict regulation has been one of protracted progress, firstly softening licensing laws on horse racing and ‘games of chance,’ before committing to establish new retail facilities at some point in early 2022. Although, as per so many, college betting will be excluded from the bill.

Heading back eastwards, Wisconsin’s collaborative assault on gaming licensing, spearheaded by the Oneida Tribal Nation and Governor Tony Evers, is set to bear fruit in the very near future.

Potentially 2022 Even the most conservative of states are edging closer to sportsbook emancipation, with Georgia & Alabama officials optimistic about a 2022 bill passing through, despite each state having traditionally sceptical views on the gaming industry.

Legislative blocks and bureaucratic frustrations have riddled many in this category, despite unilateral, cross-party support in respective state houses.

In Massachusetts for example, both democrats and republicans in general court have endorsed a bill, but negotiations break down on specific trading details (college sports, which vendors to invite etc.). Similarly in Ohio, a state bustling with successful sporting franchises, representatives have also failed to agree on exactly how the sports betting scene should shape up.

Another dynamic is that of neighbourly competition, with each keen to not pass up the chance of regional supremacy. However, this drive is often offset by cultural resistance in the form of anti-gambling sentiment. The mid-western bloc of Kentucky, Kansas and Missouri find themselves in this struggle; each trying to calculate the boost of commercial gain, the potential political backlash, and the potential drop down the local pecking order.

Potentially 2023/Beyond/Never Given only a handful of states have not shown any inclination towards any sportsbook format, you can safely say that majority opinion in public and political quarters is pro-introduction.

A few states have put the proverbial shutters down. Hawaii and Utah are the only two states without any major gambling enterprise of any description, particularly surprising in the latter’s case given the hub of activity encircling them (Colorado, Utah, Wyoming & Arizona all have booming online & retail industries). Alaska also looks like a lost cause.

for punters and major gambling firms alike.

For a nation famous for its capitalist appetite, free market and colossal sports industry, it can surely only be a matter of time before Sportsbook betting becomes a cornerstone of the American gaming landscape. You would struggle to bet against it anywhere, not just in Hawaii…………

However, such is the tantalising prospect of untapped riches, even the most ‘traditional’ of states are positioning themselves to become potential future benefactors. In Texas, where deep South conservative values often cut through social and political debates, the landscape is changing. The state is fertile ground for big industry players, and the scope of commercial benefit will surely undermine those who are resistant, particularly in the context of a pandemic-ravaged economy. This is one gift horse they really cannot afford to look in the mouth.

In truth, the picture is one too complex, too variable, and in some cases too volatile to really gauge on a nationwide scale. State political and cultural identity will always play a factor, but a shot in the arm from the gaming industry (not to mention a shot in the arm from the vaccine), has already made a sizeable impact on languishing local finances.

En masse, it’ll perhaps never be quite the uninterrupted, unregulated freedoms that so many Europeans enjoy, but some will get there if not already.

Furthermore, the momentum in most houses (and indeed in public opinion) is to evolve towards less restrictions and state interference; welcome news

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Las Vegas Sands To Make Offer For Playtech?

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s Las Vegas Sands About to join the battle for Playtech? According to sources close to the business it is rumoured that the company that was controlled by Sheldon Adelson until his death at the beginning of this year may make an offer for the online gambling technology supplier.

Indeed in reporting the companies first results since the death of their founder in January CEO Robert Goldstein was quoted that Las Vegas Sands were interested in getting into the sector by saying, “I have very strong thoughts about this, “we just want to keep working toward our goals. It’s a very interesting business.

The question is can we bring something to the table that can make a lot

of money.”

It was later mentioned that should they venture into the sector they would look at a B2B service provider to acquire possibly so the casino operator can develop their own software. That would allow them to gain a foothold in the ever expanding US sports betting market.

Leisure but now there are more players with former F-1 team owner Eddie Jordan and Keith O’Loughlin, a former senior executive from Scientific Games have along with major investors have asked also for due diligence on Playtech. Under the name JKO Play Limited Jordan and O’Loughlin are seeking institutional investment for a potential offer.

The current valuation of Playtech is at £2.7 billion even if that was to rise towards £3 billion it would not cause any problems for the operator that has casinos in the US, Macau and Singapore.

Playtech are certainly still in play and there is still time for Las Vegas Sands to enter the fray, if the rumours are true expect the US based casino giant to make a move before the end of the year.

With Playtech management already accepting an offer from Aristocrat

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GAMING NEWS

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Florida Sports Betting Must Stop Says Judge

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lorida sports betting has been thrown into disarray with the court judgement that says the agreement violates key provisions of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) — the law which “creates a framework for regulating gaming activity on Indian lands.”

Earlier this year Florida governor Ron DeSantis concluded an exclusive deal with the Seminole Tribe to extend their casinos and to allow them to operate all sports betting within the state. However the agreement was met with opposition and both sides expected legal challenges but the tribe has already launched sports betting in the state.

But Dabney Friedrich, a judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia has now overturned this gaming pact between the governor and the tribe with this ruling. That “This decision does not foreclose

other avenues for authorizing online sports betting in Florida,” the judge wrote stating. “The State and the Tribe may agree to a new compact, with the Secretary of the Interior’s approval that allows online gaming solely on Indian lands.”

Basically this would stop the tribe offering any kind of sports betting whether physical or online outside of tribal land.

It is expected an appeal will be forthcoming from the state and the Seminole Tribe but whether sports betting at present has to be halted is not clear while the appeals are set into motion.

In an update to the article two days later the judge in the initial ruling said the Seminole Tribe MUST cease all activities in relation to sports betting until an appeal is heard.

had requested a stay until the appeal but U.S. District Court Judge Dabney Friedrich who made the ruling that the new compact violated the current federal ruling on tribal gambling said that the decision must be followed and cannot continue sports betting until the appeal has been heard and a ruling passed.

But according to local reports the sports betting app is still working and violating the judgement, in the judges response to the request she said that the, “tribe hadn’t shown that it would be irreparably harmed if a stay were not granted.”

In the state and tribes argument they said the servers were located on tribal land and customers used the mobile devices to access them meets the federal arrangement on the rules, the judge said this was pure “fiction” in her first ruling.

Both the state of Florida and the tribe

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Interview with

Maarja Pärt CEO at the Yolo Group Maarja, many thanks for speaking to us today. Could you start by introducing yourself and the Yolo Group?

a wide range of business areas, including our venture capital firm Yolo Investments, our B2B arm Yolo Ventures and much more.

I’m CEO of Yolo Group, which recently rebranded from the Coingaming Group. We’re disruptors across a number of sectors, including gaming, fintech and blockchain.

You probably know us best as the operator of two leading gaming brands, Sportsbet.io and Bitcasino, but Yolo Group today incorporates

I joined the company at the beginning of its journey, when we were a small team exploring the possibilities around using cryptocurrencies to create amazing user experiences that put the customer at the very centre of the universe. So I’m immensely proud today to be leading nearly 700 Yoloers who are innovat-

ing in ways we couldn’t have imagined even just a few years ago.

You have been the CEO of the company since September 2020 and previously you were the Chief Operating Officer. What is the company like to work for?

It’s been the ride of a lifetime to work for this company. I’m a firm believer that any company is ultimately about its people, and we’ve been lucky enough to have built the Yolo Group around an outstanding group of individuals. As a result, we’ve organically grown a company culture around the Yolo Group that matches our ethos of always being fun, fast and fair.

It has been particularly rewarding to have risen through the ranks to the position of CEO. Since the beginning, we’ve really emphasised personal development and creating opportunities for growth. I’m proud to work for a company that places no limits on what its team members

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17 one of our customer support superstars, Lais Bordallo, won the ‘Excellence in Customer Service’ category.

How important is diversity and inclusion to the company?

Being recognised as the ‘Best Diverse Place to Work’ was so special because we’re extremely proud of how the Yolo Group has built a culture in which great work is always rewarded, regardless of background. We didn’t decide one day to become a diverse team; it is something which has happened organically.

Does it help to have a female leader in the company to push forward with these initiatives?

Courtesy of Arturs Briedis Photography

can achieve.

How many people work for Yolo?

We continue to grow rapidly, and the team now exceeds 600 Yoloers and we are constantly on the lookout for new talent.

Previously the company was called the Coingaming Group. Why the change to Yolo Group?

The Coingaming Group brand served us well for many years, but it was time for a change. We now work across multiple business areas spanning gaming, fintech and blockchain, and we needed a name

that really captured our essence.

We loved the name Yolo Group because we felt it represented our people, our business and our vision.

We only live once and we all want to make sure it counts.

It was great to see the company at the Women in Gaming Diversity Awards in London. How did you get on?

It was a pleasure to attend an event that brought together many of the forward-thinking women who are driving real change in this industry.

It was a real honour to pick up two awards: ‘Best Diverse Place to Work’ for the company as a whole, while

We’re focused on building worldclass teams with the right strengths and the correct balance to achieve our goals. When we are hiring for senior positions, we’re always looking for the best person for the job, and we’ve found that this results in a diverse range of people from different backgrounds, which in turn helps us approach challenges from all angles. We’re disrupting and creating every day in competitive spaces, and so team building with an open mind and a laser focus on excellence is a must.

With the company winning two awards at the WiG Diversity Awards, would you recommend more women to take part and see the support and inspiration the event creates?

I would absolutely recommend others to take part to support this initiative. It was a fantastic opportunity to meet and talk to some really inspiring women who are changing the way our industry operates.

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GAMING NEWS

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NY Moves Closer To Mobile Sports Betting

Nicola Fitton Named COO At GiG

Mobile sports betting in New York is inching

Gaming Innovation Group has announced the promotion of Nicola Fitton to COO with the key deliverable of driving sustainable growth with the aim to strengthen operational effectiveness, streamline processes and improve efficiency on platform delivery.

In the publication the regulator said the rules were, “for mobile sports wagering through servers located at casinos and improve sports wagering regulation at casinos.”

Nicola joined GiG in 2019 as director of managed services where she was responsible for overseeing the operations, CRM and media managed services teams. She has over 15 years of experience within the commercial sector of the gaming industry covering casinos, sports and poker from both B2C and B2B sectors having driven several tier 1 international brands, including Betsafe.

closer to reality as the regulator the New York State Gaming Commission published the adoption of mobile sports betting rules for the state and operators to abide by.

The licensees will all pay $25 million for a ten year permit to operate sports betting in the state and will pay 51% tax rate which is one of the highest in the US but for Bally Bet, BetMGM, DraftKings, FanDuel, Caesars Sportsbook, WynnBET, PointsBet, and BetRivers-owner Rush Street Interactive the cost they believe will be well worth it.

It is hoped that all the rules and regulations will be in place so mobile sports betting in New York will be up and running in time for the Super Bowl in 2022.

Throughout her time at GiG, Nicola has played a key role in empowering the organisation’s growth via managed services. Nicola will now be responsible for the overall platform delivery in addition to the managed services operations, customer onboarding process, and operations and retention departments.

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Understanding The Gambling Capital of The World

By Mary Mendoza - Managing Director of The Platinum Limited

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s the future of the gambling capital of the world uncertain in the short-term? Macau, S.A.R., China has been coined the “gambling capital of the world,” having first surpassed the Las Vegas Strip’s gross gaming revenue (GGR) in 2006 (Macau GGR USD7 billion while Las Vegas was USD6.5 billion)and the entire State of Nevada by 2008 (Macau USD13.5 billion while Nevada USD11 billion).

Macau’s gaming giants (casino integrated resorts) are run by three foreign operators (Sands China Ltd, Wynn Macau Ltd., and MGM China Holdings Ltd.) and three local operators (SJMHoldings Ltd., Galaxy Entertainment Group Ltd., and Melco Resorts &Entertainment Ltd.). Macau’s gaming tax & levies of 39 percent are some of the highest in the world, making the enclave’s economy reliant on the casino industry with contributions of 70-80 percent of the government’s revenue. However, all six licensees (concessionaires & subconcessionaires) are set to have their licenses expire in June 2022. Investors, operators, industry experts and

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observers are questioning if these decades of glory are nearing an end.

Macau is geographically located bordering mainland China and accessible by foot (Zhuhai) and by bridge (Zhuhai and Hong Kong) while the nearest tier 1 city (developed city), Guangzhou is around 90 minutes away by high-speed train via Zhuhai. With ease of travel enhanced by the individual visa scheme (IVS) and cooperation with motherland China, Macau enjoyed visitation from 39 million touristsprior to the pandemic, of which 70 percent were mainland Chinese while the remaining tourist population came from Hong Kong, Taiwan, and other Asian countries.

These circumstances have made Macau reliant on a single source market (mainland China) and as well as a single source economy (gaming).

VIP Clampdown Macau is uniquely positioned as the only place within Chinese territory where gambling is legally permitted.

At the peak of its gaming glory in 2013, Macau’s GGR reached USD45 billion of which the VIP (junkets) seg-

ment’s contribution was 66 percent.

Junkets (gaming promoters/agency) have a vital role in soliciting high rollers and extending credit to VIP players. However, the central government in China started clamping down on VIP players’ activity and junket operators organized gaming trips over concerns of money laundering and unlawful transfer of money out of the mainland China.

As a result, the revenue driven by the VIP market was gradually replaced by the “premium mass” market and increased visitation of mass market players. Five years after the crackdown, Macau’s GGR finally peaked at

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USD37 billion, of which the VIP market represented only 55 percent.

For the first time in Macau’s gaming history the mass market has surpassed the VIP’s GGR contribution in 2019, representing a low 46 per cent of VIP market.

Pandemic & Gaming License Review Fast forward to today, there are two significant events on the gaming industry’s horizon. First, the pandemic’s impact on the market and second, the expiring licenses for all casino operators next year.

Pandemic Impact Macau is using the “zero-virus strategy” as opposed to “living with the virus strategy.” One of its tourism campaigns is being a “safe destination.” In perspective, there are cumulative infected cas-

es of 77; no deadly cases reported, and a vaccination rate of nearly 70 percent (November 2021 data). Therefore, the government is prioritizing the safety of its people, be it locals, non-resident workers, or tourists. There are strict regulations to ensure the prevention of an epidemic; for instance, mandatory wearing of masks in all public areas (except while dining/drinking in bars/ karaoke), sanitization of public areas, and each person having to present their government health code app at point of entry into all public areas (casinos, restaurants, hotels, retail stores, public offices, etc.).

Only mainland Chinese tourists are currently allowed to visit Macau. Foreign passport holders are prohibited from entering Macau (except for a few eligible persons subject to tight requirements and approval). While residents coming from Hong Kong and Taiwan are allowed to enter, these visi-

tors must go through a procedure that is cumbersome, time consuming and costly to undergo all of the requirements required to enter Macau. For instance, a PCR negative test certificate issued within 48/24 hours prior to arrival must be presented, followed by a quarantine/medical observation of up to 21 days at their own expense. Macau residents coming from overseas are only allowed to enter if residents are vaccinated and are virus free for at least the past two months plus all other requirements such as a PCR test certificate and quarantine upon arrival. Macau residents and Mainland Chinese coming directly from China are the only exception to the quarantine.

Pent up demand from mainland China was anticipated for Golden Week in October; however, Macau unexpectedly had local delta variant infected cases at the end of September. This caused neighboring Zhuhai, followed

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Understanding The Gambling Capital of The World

Tourist Visiting Ruins of St. Paul Before Pandemic

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he The primary effect of the pandemic was a staggering drop in tourist visitation.

As of September, Macau has only welcomed 5.7 million tourists this year, which is at least 30 million short compared to pre-pandemic levels, while in revenue it translates to GGR of USD9 billion this year (JanuaryOctober 2021) vs. USD30 billion for the first 10 months in 2019.

Gaming License Review The worst decline in market capitalization Macau gaming ever experienced shocked the world of gaming in early September when an aggregate total of USD18.4 billion (26.1 percent loss) was wiped out at the Hong Kong Exchange (HKEX) and a decline in China’s bond market associated with the gaming operators from Macau. That was due to the panic of uncertainty after the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau of Macau (DICJ) announced a draft of proposals to revise the enacted gaming “Law 16/2001” and Law “26/2001” including tightened restrictions on

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Tourist Visiting Ruins of St. Paul 2021

casino operators and the number of licenses. The proposals were open for a 45-day industry and public consultation to discuss the legal revisions and convey opinions on the Government’s principles for the future of Macau gaming.

The liberalization of the gaming industry in 2002 revolutionized the sector from 40 years of monopoly under STDM to awarding six new licenses, which allowed casinos to operate until 2022. Although the Macau Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng hinted the possibility of extending the current gaming license beyond June 2022 if gaming law revision is not completed on time it is still worrying the operators.

What has unfolded during the industry and public consultation period that ended on October 29 was debate among operators, legal advisors, analysts, industry experts on the nine topics of interest as part of the gaming law review. As published by Rato, Ling, Lei & Cortés – Advogados

e Notários - Lektou in a legal alert on the subject, these nine topics below are the focus of the Macau Government for the existing gaming-law legal revision.

1. The total number of concessions (licenses) 2. Term of the concession 3. Supervision of concessionaires (share capital, managing director, profit distribution) 4. The appointing of a government representative to supervise the operators 5. The protection of Macau residents and its employment benefits 6. Strengthen review mechanism for casino operators and junket operators 7. Criminal Liability & Administrative Sanction 8. Increase of non-gaming elements in support of Macau’s diversification 9. Corporate Social Responsibility The key takeaway is the defining moment. The total number of licenses is unknown and the existing casino operators do not have guarantees

23 guarantees if their licenses will be renewed. However, as quoted from Bernstein analysts, led by Vitaly Umansky said that, “officials had highlighted the importance of maintaining a scale for the gaming industry, indicating that all six companies are likely to keep their licenses”. The duration of new concession terms is still unknown, whether it would be a 20-year period with the possibility of five-yearextensions.Strengthen review mechanism for casino operators and junket operators is a question of how much control there would be, given that the historical GGR of Macau is above 50 percent VIP market.

Ltd. As an integrated resort operator, Sands China Ltd., frequently reinvests in its properties to keep competitive.

As an example, the rebranding of Sands Cotai Central to The Londoner Macao with additional luxury rooms, David Beckham designed suites, new non-gaming amenities, featuring iconic landmarks of London such as the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben. The property progressively opened in phases starting in February of this year.

amenities comprising MICE, shopping, dining, entertainment and three hotel towers comprising 1,892 keys of rooms and suites. The Grand Lisboa Palace Macau opened this summer and other towers are expected to open in a later stage including the Palazzo Versace Macau and THE KARL LAGERFELD. Galaxy Entertainment Group Galaxy Entertainment Group is expanding its footprint with an additional 1 million sqm at Galaxy Cotai phases

The Macau Government has a maximum of six months from the end of public consultation to deliver their conclusionsfollowed by the proposal for the amendment of gaming-law.

Projects In The Pipeline The increase of non-gaming elements in support of Macau’s diversification has already begun unfolding since 2007 when the Venetian Macau Resort opened the largest arena with 15,000 seats (where Macau previously had less than 3,000), a retail mall with 360 shops (previously Macau had a less than 200 shops in a retail mall space), MICE space of 150,000 sqm (1.6 million square feet) just to name a few.

The non-gaming amenities that had subsequently been added continue to wow the world. The efforts of the casino operators never ceased to amaze locals and tourists. This is in line with the goal to attract a diversified profile of tourists globally and increase weekday visitation.

Grand Lisboa Palace Resort Macau – SJM Resorts, S.A. The USD5 billion Grand Lisboa Palace Resort Macau (GLP) held its first phase opening in July 2021.90% of the total area is dedicated to non-gaming

3 and 4. The Galaxy International Convention Center will open a 16,000-seat arena. The legendary Raffles Hotel, an exclusive, all-suite luxury tower with 450 keys, and Andaz, a lifestyle hotel with 700 keys are scheduled to open in phases in 2022.

Even though casino licenses are set to expire by mid-2022, there are several projects being developed as part of the casino operators’ non-gaming amenities. Here are the highlights of projects opening from 2021 onward: The Londoner Macao – Sands China

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Galaxy currently has the largest upcoming development in Cotai Macau.

About the author:

Melco Resorts & Entertainment The expansion of Studio City Phase 2 is on track for completion before yearend 2022. This development is expected to offer around 900 keys of luxury hotel rooms and suites, an auxiliary water park touted to be one of the largest in the world, a Cineplex, fine dining F&B outlets, and state-of-theart MICE space. Melco Resorts & Entertainment is continually driving growth and diversifying its portfolio in alignment to Macau’s diversification plan.

Although the Macau gaming industry appears to be uncertain in the shortterm, one can be optimistic to see the brighter side of the industry in the long-term as it plays a crucial role to adding non-gaming elements as part of Macau’s diversification plan. This is one of the top priorities to maintaining the image of Macau as a global leisure tourism destination. With the total mainland Chinese population of 1.4 billion and the Greater Bay Area (GBA) connectivity right at the doorstep of Macau, expect a promising future for Macau.

Mary Mendoza is managing director of The Platinum Limited, a gaminghospitality consulting firm and affiliated with C3 Gaming Group (Las Vegas based gaming consortium). Mary has over 25 years of working experience of which she served within the hospitality, gaming, and tourism industries. Having studied and worked in Macau, she provides expert advice on Asian market, insights on the casino integrated resort with in-depth on-the-ground insight on Macau and Asia’s gaming, hospitality, and tourism sector.

of Casino Marketing (AVP) at Hoiana Suncity in Vietnam, Vice President of Marketing at The Grand Ho Tram in Vietnam, and before that was Vice President of Marketing at Imperial Pacific in Saipan, CMNI, USA. She also held management positions at Sands China Ltd in Macau.

Mary Mendoza has visited nearly 1,000 casinos plus integrated resorts globally, she is an IR executive, thought leader, speaker, advisor, and consultant. She was invited numerous times at G2E Asia Macau as a judge and speaker. In addition, numerous speaking engagements she was invited to including EGR Manila, ASEAN Gaming Summit Manila, Hong Kong City U, Macau MUST, IFTM, Macau University, Rotary Clubs (globally), Chamber of Commerce, and GRWA in Australia just to name a few.

On a philanthropic capacity, Mary is serving as an ASEAN Advisor for a nonprofit organization The Cambodian Community Dream (The CDDO).

She previously held positions as Head

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26

Interview with Fabienne Bourgaize Marketing Manager at Eyecon Following our series of speaking to the leading ladies at the recent WIGD Awards, this month we talk to Fabienne Bourgaize

Fabienne lovely speaking to you, firstly can you tell our readers a little about Eyecon?

A bit of both really, we are incredibly

them. It was such an inspirational event

fortunate in our position. Eyecon was

and we felt so honored to be in the

acquired by Playtech because of its dis-

same room as such an empowering

tinct way of developing new content.

group of individuals. We had three team

Eyecon was launched in 1997 in Aus-

We have maintainedour own design

members shortlisted for various awards,

tralia by players who wanted more from

team who create our games from con-

myself for B2B Excellence, Dominque

gaming. Since switching our focus to

cept to completion, our own manage-

Spanier our Compliance Manager for

online slots in 1999, we have created

ment and sales teams, our own, compli-

Young Leader of the Year and Alison

some of the biggest bingo slots on the

mentary distribution network and our

Beattie, our Office Manager for our Em-

market, including Fluffy Favourites,

own RGS. For the most part we function

ployee of the year. I felt very honored to

Temple of Iris and Shamans Dream. We

as a separate entity. However we have

be nominated alongside Dominque and

have a proven track record of making

a very close and hugely successful re-

Alison as they are such integral team

games that players love!

lationship with Playtech which allows

players with in Eyecon and I couldn’t

us to draw on the incredible wealth of

think of any one more deserving.

We were acquired by Playtech in 2017,

expertise and knowledge the Playtech

and today we have a portfolio of more

teams, such as Legal and Marketing, can

than 100 titles and a full suite of en-

offer to us as well as being able to lever-

gagement tools to enhance player ex-

age Playtech’s scale and distribution.A

I was incredibly shocked and humbled

perience across all our games. We strive

great example of this is the incredibly

to win in my category of B2B Excellence.

to keep pushing forward to offer our

successful strategic partnership with

It was the first time I had ever been

players and operators more. Because of

Playtech Bingo.

nominated for an award like this and I

this offering we are proud partners with the world’s biggest casino operators.

Eyecon is a part of Playtech since 2017, however does the company work autonomously from Playtech in design and management?

Did the company win an award?

was incredibly proud and grateful just

Eyecon recently attended the Women in Gaming Diversity Awards, how did the company do?

to be nominated.

Is supporting women and diversity important to Eyecon?

Yes, it was our first time attending the awards and we were blown away with

Supporting the Women in Gaming Awards was something we were incre-

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“There had been some incredible speakers up before me who helped to inspire me and overcome my fear of ‘imposter syndrome’. Yet another reason I was so grateful to attend this event!”

Fabienne Bourgaize at the WIGD Awards

-dibly proud to do. At Eyecon we pride

simple as supporting religious holidays.

up to the event as I am not someone

ourselves on fostering an environment

It also works to treat every person as

who revels in the spotlight, however

that promotes diversity and inclusion

an individual, and looks to offer things

there had been some incredible speak-

and believe that this is key to a com-

like flexible working around childcare or

ers up before me who helped to inspire

pany’s creativity and innovation. Events

other personal circumstance, based on

me and overcome my fear of ‘imposter

like this one are essential in order for us

specific needs. Inclusion is a key part of

syndrome’. Yet another reason I was so

to promote and drive this commitment

the culture at Eyecon and mangers at all

grateful to attend this event!

across the business

levels ensure that staff feel supported and listed to, giving each of us a voice

Have you got any examples what the company does to support diversity and inclusion Fabienne?

It is something that is part of our dayto-day ways of working. We have a di-

at the table.

You actually presented an award on stage and were very good at speaking, is that something you have learnt?

verse and multicultural team spread

How has Eyecon done during the past 18 months with the pandemic, what changes have been made and is the company getting back to normal now?

As an online business we were very fortunate with our position throughout the

over a range of global locations. Eyecon

Not at all. This was my first time on stage

pandemic. I work in the Guernsey Office

actively works to understand the dif-

since my school years, which is going

and our island took a fairly aggressive

ferent nationalities and is respectful

back quite a bit now! I was quite nerv-

approach to lockdown early on, which

of each of the cultures. This can be as

ous about going up on stage on the lead

meant offices across the island were

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29 only closed for a couple of months right at the beginning of the pandemic. Since then life has been pretty much back to

women working within the industry, do you think it is a good environment for women to work in?

normal for us with the exception of not

creates?

Definitely! Just being in the room with so many inspirational women was so

being able to travel. Our offices in Bris-

I have worked in a few different indus-

humbling and exhilarating at the same

bane have not been so fortunate and

tries prior to entering the gaming in-

time. It infused me with a renewed pas-

working from home became the norm

dustry a few years ago. One of the first

sion for following this career path and

for them. Eyecon invested in equip-

things that stuck me was the inclusive

filled me with a sense of empowerment.

ment to ensure that staff could work

nature of not just Eyecon but the gam-

from home with as much ease as pos-

ing industry as a whole. I could instantly

sible given the circumstances and we

see the difference this inclusivity and

were able to adapt well to the changes.

diversity had on the energy and crea-

We adapted to work with customers re-

tivity of the office. On a personal note,

motely through zoom QBRs and meet-

I had always struggled to find women

ings, the success of which was possible

who could inspire me in the field that

For sure. We are so lucky so have an

thanks to our relationships we built up

I worked in, however with gaming I was

incredible team at Eyecon, each and

over many years with our clients. Like

suddenly faced with a plethora of wom-

every member puts so much passion

a lot of online gaming businesses, we

en who inspired me in my new career. I

and dedication into their job they all

have seen growth during the pandemic,

think gaming is a great environment for

deserve awards. I would love to see

probably due to most people being at

women to work in and I think that we

Alison and Dominque get recognized

home more than usual and land based

really have a seat at the table which is a

for everything that that do for Eyecon,

casinos and betting shops being closed.

brilliant feeling.

they really are pillars of the company

Now that things are easing off with restrictions we are still seeing good retention.

What are your thoughts about

Are there more women within Eyecon that you feel should deserve being recognized for their achievements?

and have been inspirations to me since

Having won and attending the WIGD would you recommend more women to take part and see the support and inspiration the event

I started. Nicole Guilmoto our BI Analyst is another woman within Eyecon that I would love to see being recognized. She joined us at the end of 2020 and since then has proven herself as a truly adaptable, versatile and valuable team member. And lastly but by no means least, Jo Bentley our game Designer and Mathematician, who since joining earlier this year has been adding hugely valuable knowledge and insights into our new games and contributing innovate ideas.

One final question is there anything you can tell us about Eyecon for 2022, has the company got big plans for the coming year?

We do have some big plans for next year. We have some huge game releases in the works including a new Fluffy Favourites game and more successful Playtech IPs. There are also some new markets that we are looking at and to top it all we will be rolling out a new and very exciting product which we think will position us as pioneers in tech.

Watch this space!

Suporting each other at the WIGD Awards

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30

The Rise of eSports Over the last five years the popularity of eSports has grown year on year

From

its roots as a niche arcade entertainment, it has continued to amaze with its digital presentation, technical complexities and is now, within the gaming world at least, one of the main targets for capital investment.

This in turn has turned the heads of the betting and gambling community. Gaming has always been a place for lucrative gambling deals and now, as traditional sport is brought streaming to a home screen near you, eSports has brought a great

new dynamic to world of gambling.

The market has recognised the new kid on the block and the young generation who are playing these roleplaying games are becoming heroes and living legends before almost they are in their twenties. So how has that rise taken place, what is the evidence for the new armchaircontest explosion and what of the future?

A clash of ideals in the west In the west, the idea of eSports still has its antagonists because the concept of eSports tends to clash with the traditionalist idea of what sport is all about. In other words, many traditionalists believe sport is an activity which fuses physical exercise,

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31

competition and team play. Purists believe eSports is a pale substitute for those who love sport. They tend to favour the idea eSports has intellectualised the sport and made it sedentary. Hence it may dangerously leave the younger generation staring at screens when they should be enjoying the outside world practicing real physical skills. Although it is now much more accepted in the west (see statistics below), it is sometimes ridiculed on digital platforms.

Sport is about competition At its heart, sport surely is about competition. The fact is there is a plethora of sports which do not call for outdoor activity or physical prowess (such as Chess, formula 1 or fishing perhaps). You only have to look to eSports very own League

Of Legends to see that competition is fundamental to its gameplay and in turn through practice skill dedication and effort encourages ambition, goals and rewards. In the long-term it produces heroes and legends for its fans and players.

There is no doubt that in a world where computers, digital games and communications are the future, eSports have grabbed the imagination of all ages – especially the younger market - and gaming companies, big brands, and investors are listening and ploughing money into it.

Whether you believe in it or not - it would seem foolish to ignore it.

Popularity in Asia eSports has taken hold in the east to a much greater degree. In fact, in some parts of Asia it is now treated

with the same respect as traditional sports. League of Legends is central to eSports across the world and high in the ratings is Chinese player Jian “Uzi” Zihao. A professional player, Zhiao commits to his own marketing campaigns. Recently, he signed a contract with one of the biggest sports equipment providers – Nike.

This is of course great marketing for Nike as Zhiao has huge social influence in Chinese popular culture.

Chinese eSports organisations have also been signing deals over the last year with KFC and Mercedes Benz.

Head a little further south and in Korea you will find another renowned League of Legends player, Lee “Faker” Sang-hyoek who has committed to a similar contract and now – also no doubt to his social influence in the country –has his own Ice Cream brand.

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33 US actually doubled. It increased from 34 investments to 68 investments. A year later the increase in the actual amount of money invested was also eye-popping. According to II, the increase was from $490 million in 2017 to $1.5 billion in 2018. All of this adds up to a year on year increase of 837%. eSports teams are already valuable eSports teamsaccrue revenue in many different ways. As may be expected, franchises, endorsement deals, tournament winnings and monies from live events all add to annual revenue and total valuation. The result is very wealthy and powerful teams on the eSports stage. Already the value of the top five eSports teams have been listed in Forbes and they are as below: 1. TSM is valued at $410 million 2. Cloud9 is valued at $350 million 3. Team Liquid is valued at $310 million 4. FaZe Clan is valued at$305 million 5. 100 Thieves is valued at $190 million

In the west, big names in pop culture are championing the cause of eSports – celebrities such as Michael Jordan, Drake, and DJ Marshmello to name but a few. Retail companies such as ESPN is also getting in on the act.

Statistics reflect popularity over the last 5 years

to hit a massive $1 billion and Insider Intelligence estimates there are now 27

What of the future?

million eSports viewers in the US alone – a rise of over 10% in 2020.

Perhaps the most important tool in 2022 will be the mobile. Already the

One of the main reasons why eSports

centre of the eSports industry in China,

is catching on so fast is due to the fact

It is expected that the mobile phone as

that devotees can stream it easily either

a main device will hit home next year

through You Tube or Twitch. It is acces-

across the world. It will allow many

sible to a wide market of users. This new

more fans to join and current devotees

popularity and its surge into fashion-

to access their favourite games at any-

The growth in popularity of eSports is

able culture has been heightened and

time, anywhere. Continuing the growth

reflected in recent figures produced by

enhanced by sponsorships. Also, media

into 2022, Newzoo expect revenue

Insider Intelligence. The top three mar-

attention is driven by high-profile ce-

from eSports to hit $1.8 billion. eSports

kets are Asia-Pacific, North America and

lebrities which in turn has led to inter-

continues to break down barriers and

Europe (APAC) in terms of audience and

est from big brands and venture capital-

create lucrative deals through media

revenue. APAC accounted for over half

ists offering investment.

rights, sponsorships, live event ticket

of viewership in 2019 (a rise of 7% in

sales and in-game purchases.The future

2017). North America itself is expected

The increase in investments in eSports

to hit $300 million in revenue and Eu-

recorded by Insider Intelligence (II) over

rope - $138 million this year. Across the

the last 4 years is quite staggering. In

world, the eSports industry is expected

2017, the amount of investments in the

looks very positive.

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GAMING NEWS

35

Scientific Games Continues Social Responsibility Push

S

cientific Games has announced that its Lottery Group continues with responsible gaming initiatives for the fourth consecutive year to participate in the National Council on Problem Gambling’s (NCPG) annual “Gift Responsibly” holiday campaign. The company has wrapped the initiative into its ongoing Healthy Play™ responsible gaming program, which provides lotteries with innovative products and tools promoting Have Fun. Do Good. Play Healthy.

Scientific Games joins U.S. and Canadian lotteries as well as a number of lotteries in Europe and Australasia in support of the NCPG’s 2021 “Gift Responsibly” campaign to raise awareness about the risks of gifting lottery games to underage players during the holiday season.

“Scientific Games is a global leader

in the gaming and lottery industries, and one of the first companies to be certified by the World Lottery Association as a responsible gaming supplier,” said Keith Whyte, National Council on Problem Gambling Executive Director. “They are a valued NCPG member that is once again participating in the Gift Responsibly Campaign. We thank Scientific Games for helping to spread the message that adults should avoid giving lottery tickets to children during the December holiday season.”

Scientific Games integrated its efforts for NCPG’s 2021 holiday campaign into the company’s Healthy Play responsible gaming program.

“The NCPG’s “Gift Responsibly” campaign is perfectly aligned with the goals of our Healthy Play program,” said Carla Schaefer, VP of Responsible Gaming for Scientific Games Lottery. “Our creative and communica-

tions teams have developed holiday Healthy Play trade ads featuring the Gift Responsibly visuals, as well as social media, website and internal communications tools to help share the important message that lottery games are not child’s play and should not be gifted during the holiday season or ever.”

The goal of Scientific Games’ Healthy Play program is to help lotteries educate their players, establish trust and increase lottery literacy by providing the tools and best practices that enable lotteries to market and sell their products in healthy and responsible ways. The company recently rolled out its Healthy Play Guide, a digital magazine available to lotteries, and will launch a Healthy Play website accessible by players through a QR code and customizable for individual lotteries.

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36

CLOUDGAMING – ARE WE THERE YET?

By Lynn Pearce

D

epending on who you speak to, the future has arrived already! However, the more I read, it seems to not be the case – yet! We have come a long way in mobile gaming and even augmented reality, developers are constantly rolling out the latest technology updates to improve gameplay without any lag, 5G is readily available, especially in emerging markets and casino games are becoming more exciting, including live casino, and in-play betting.

According to Newzoo, my go-toguide for gaming analytics, cloud

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gaming is expected to surpass $1 billion in revenue and 23 million paying customers by the end of this year, and revenue is projected to grow to more than $5 billion by 2023 as the technology improves.

So, what does the future really look like for the gaming industry? And what exactly is cloud gaming, will everything be dependent on cloud technology and outsourcing hardware requirements? Imagine not having to buy an expensive PC, console, or other gaming peripherals, sounds great, but how will this affect the user experience, or will they even care?

Cloud gaming is a way of playing games online through remote servers, hosted in the cloud. This means that you do not need to download the games, as the games will be served to you via online streaming to your home or mobile device, something we are all familiar with already.

And the best part is, even games that are not compatible with your device can still easily run via the cloud. All you will need to do is use an app on your device,have 5G or a high-speed internet connection and voila! You can play any game you want, if the game itself is available in the cloud.

Obviously, this also means that in

37

countries where online gaming is not permitted, players will still be able to access games through remote servers – and play their favorite games, so I am not quite sure how this will go down in some countries!

Another great advantage, from the research that I have done, is that these advanced cloud systems can handle millions of gamers playing simultaneously! Cloud gaming on mobile devices will allow for the full web-based experience, emulated on the player’s browser.This is great for gaming communities, like sports bettors using in-play during live games and esports online tournaments

for players and their spectators and fans.Casinos and sportsbooks have realized the importance of improving their platforms’ scale so users can game without friction. Graphical interfaces are becoming more realistic, and players online will have many different games to play – and wager on. The large number of online gaming companies will spur further innovation rapidly.

Another benefit with regards to cloud computing, is that providers have invested heavily in security and data integrity, resulting in a much more secure online environment for online consumerswho do not have to worry

about their personal data, which will ultimately be more protected in the cloud.

According to Roundhill research, technology such as cloud gaming, blockchain, virtual reality, and the metaverse may further enhance the player experience. Gaming in the cloud will eliminate the need for hardware, requiring only an internetenabled screen to access gambling experiences via a capable bandwidth connection. Transferring the computing liability to remote servers could also reduce downtime for sportsbooks, which is critical during large sporting events, with many bets being placed. Blockchain

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Article by Lynn Pearce de Freitas

technology could improve settlement times related to deposits and withdrawals, contingent on regulatory compliance. Blockchains could also automate some back-office tasks like document collection and user verification, which may improve margins for operators and allow them to reallocate spending to consumer acquisition.

Obviously, all this gaming on cloud technology and the opportunities it presented was not lost on Big Tech!

Google was first off the mark, releasing its Stadia subscription service in November 2019, but this service was poor initially – and the games were too few to mention, although they have added to it. Facebook also got on board with cloud technology, hosting an interactive reality TV game,

Rival Peak, where millions of viewers could vote on how characters should act and interact. The idea behind that test was to allow people to chill and get into games with their friends on Facebook. Microsoft are making their cloud gaming services available on more devices, and Amazon broadened access to its growing cloud service. NVIDIAhas been actively developing cloud gaming technology. In January 2018, GeForce NOW cloud gaming PC beta was released.

In February 2020, it was opened for all players.

While cloud gaming is currently a miniscule part of the video gaming industry, its scope could be huge.

As Matt O’Neill of Whatnerd says: “Sony bought cloud gaming company Gaikai in 2012 and now has PlaySta-

39

tion Now. Microsoft recently came out with Xbox Cloud Gaming (formerly Project xCloud). The two largest companies in console gaming are clearly gearing up for a cloud-based future.

Mix in Google’s efforts with Stadia and Amazon’s upcoming attempt with Luna—the two biggest companies in tech—and you’d have to be blind not to see that cloud gaming isn’t just a passing fad”.

In conclusion, cloud gaming is certainly gaining in momentum right now, and I cannot wait to see mostof the online gaming companies joining the cloud, they have the games, all they need to do is get their heads into the cloud – the future is now!

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41

US Online Slots Company Sued Over Refusal To Pay

A

US gaming company is set to go to court over refusal to pay a gambler what they saw as a $100,000 jackpot on their mobile phone. Lisa Piluso from Pennsylvania is suing American Gaming Systems (AGS) along with 14 other individuals for failure to payout jackpots.

Piluso playing on her mobile phone in New Jersey says the company refused to pay her the jackpot even thou she took a screen grab of the prize and AGS only offered to pay her $280 instead of the $100,000 shown, however they did make another offer of $1,000.

In the lawsuit Piluso claims AGS are guilty of consumer fraud in connec-

tion to her claimed win on 2nd October 2020. In a statement from her lawyer Piluso claims: “I’m an experienced online player, and I was shocked when AGS officials, including the company president, told me they weren’t going to pay, even when I showed them the screenshot that I made of the $100,000 jackpot.” The statement went on to say, “They said I actually won about $300, but they then offered me $1,000, saying we were ‘nice people,’” Piluso said. “How many other players have been in the same situation but agreed to settle for a fraction of their winnings after being told they, too, were ‘nice people?’”

Division of Gaming Enforcement investigated the issue, informing Piluso that there was an error in the game” that wrongly failed to clear bonus symbols from previous rounds from a player’s screen.

“This error caused the customers to believe that their bonus round winnings were higher than the actual winnings.”

The New Jersey regulator said it had taken action against AGS on the matter with a reported $1,000 fine for failure to ensure the game worked correctly.

In August this year the New Jersey

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The Mergers & acquisitions merry-go-round This year has seen huge actvity in M&As we take a look at those and what 2022 has in store for the industry

T

his year has been characterized by a number of lucrative mergers between a range of global betting companies. Indeed, some have been particularly busy, undertaking substantial expansion through the acquisition of several rival firms.

Such activity is perhaps unsurprising in volatile marketplace conditions.

The pandemic has hit many hard; changing consumer habits have accelerated, online gaming is increasingly popular and driving muchneeded footfall away from retail units.

The threat of future lockdowns looms large across a number of global marketplaces, further consolidating this direction of travel. Many businesses, gambling sector or otherwise, are feeling the pinch from the de-stabilising effects of COVID-19.

However, there’s also plenty of green shoots to consider. The legalization of online sports betting across huge swathes of the U.S has facilitated a rapid rise in the fortunes of many, with American sports betting agents reaping the reward of considerable

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new freedoms. They too have played an integral role in the acquiring arm of 2021’s merging activity.

This article reviews the biggest movers & shakers in this year’s takeover deals. A widespread of sportsbook, software technology and media stakeholders have found themselves at the centre of varying mergers; both in times of financial size and legal complexity.

Major American Outfits Make their Move Caesar’s Entertainment have certainly been active in this space. The North American betting company, which boasts over 50 Casino’s and a perpetually growing presence in alternative gambling markets, consolidated its status as one of the U.S biggest firms by acquiring William Hill and its merger with Eldorado Resorts throughout the course of 2021.

William Hill’s notable stamp on Sportsbook markets across the US were of massive appeal to a company looking to step up their competitiveness in the online sports betting

market. They staved off Apollo- an Asset Management firm- to acquire WH for a cool $4 billion dollars. Forecasts are good given the prospect of even more states aligning freedoms in their localized gambling activities to the recent Supreme Court Bill.

It was embraced by William Hill executives, who voted unanimously in favour of the takeover; with COVID-19 conditions exacerbating challenges in their Retail arm. Similarly, Eldorado Resorts found themselves in financial vulnerability as a consequence of the pandemic; Caesar’s were on-hand to strike up a $17.3 billion dollar merger deal that secured the newco’s status as the largest Casino business in the United States.

As mentioned, America’s abandonment of its archaic prohibitive practices has jolted sports betting revenues northwards, with players such as DraftKings profiting markedly from the change in legislation.

The leaders in fantasy betting merged with technology software brand, SB Tech. A wise move from DK, with

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integration allowing SB Tech’s solutions to be deployed in their operational activities. Via a rather complex acquisition which involved investment firm Diamond Eagle featuring to enable NASDAQ access, DraftKings acquired the tech company for $3.3 billion dollars.

However, the deal was a little overshadowed by a recent investigation conducted by private investment group, ‘Hindenburg Research’; with some rather controversial allegations to pursue. Company share price unsurprisingly plummeted in the wake of a report claiming SB Tech had been embroiled in illegitimate gambling practices in a host of countries. DraftKings, convinced a competitor ploy to drive down business value, assured shareholders that a detailed assessment of SB Tech was executed pre-mergerwith no adverse findings.

Another North American superpower reaping the benefit of partner offered services are Penn National Gaming.

In its acquisition of a 36% stake in Bar Stool Sports, PNG are able to manipulate the considerable expertise of the media group, who use techniques to direct consumer traffic towards PNG assets and away from competitors.

scope, have turned to other markets to protect future profit and pave new commercial opportunity. Their commitment to preserving William Hill retail units is notable; with the group emphasizing, despite the substantial headwinds presented by the COVID pandemic, that betting shops remain profitable and are central to the firms onwards success.

Across the Atlantic Activity is certainly not limited to American shores. Conversely, a company who specifically cannot leverage its fledgling partnership to probe into the U.S market, is 888 Holdings. Theiracquisition of William Hill UK & Europe business is curtailed by Caesar Entertainment’s exclusivity of its branding use in the U.S.

Entain, who control the UK’s two biggest betting companies (Coral & Ladbrokes, who themselves have a huge high-street presence) conspired to exploit opportunities in the Iberian market. Its acquisition of bet.pt, a leading innovator and, despite its tender years (established in 2016), key player in the Portuguese market, grows its estate into the Continent and further strengthens its global market share.

888 Holdings, who themselves are reeling from recent regulatory changes within their own operational

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the M&a merry-go-round which rocketed Flutter’s controlling stake from 58% to 95% in 2020 and FanDuel’s value to $18 billion dollars, through the lens of current marketplace conditions. Flutter’s acquisition came post the landmark Supreme Court Ruling, and therefore Fox contest that they should be able to purchase a chunk of the company at a proportionate rate.

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nother iGaming giant, Flutter presided over the acquisition of The Stars Group, famed for their ‘PokerStars’ subsidiary which dominates the poker room channel. TSG’s presence is further enhanced by Sky Betting & Gaming, a big player in UK sportsbook markets.

Through this merger, Flutter set goals of becoming the biggest global betting firm, with expected revenue projections sitting at $4.82BN. The deal was universally approved by Flutter & TSG shareholders alike, with part of the negotiation stipulating that The Stars Group would attain 45.4% of share capital.

Flutter therefore adds another significant name to its enviable roster of subsidiary operators, with TSG joining the likes of Paddy Power, FanDuel and Sports Bet Australia in its ranks.

Court Wrangling & The Scrap for FanDuel And finally, the saga of 2021 (a termwhich ironically characterizes the drama that has so far unfolded in what is set to be 2022’s biggest merger event), was Fox Corporation’s legal challenge of Flutter Entertainment’s well-timed deal withFanDuel; who enjoy an extraordinary 40% share of the recently invigorated (and highly lucrative) U.S sports betting market.

Fox interprets the $550m dollar price,

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Expectedly, Flutter would prefer an ‘IPO’ option, where potential suitors could bid on a fair price set via the initial public offering framework.

Ongoing legal proceedings has compromised the chances of an IPO being floated in the near future, and a Flutter dispute with one of Fan Duel’s cofounders certainly doesn’t strengthen its prospects.

Set against a backdrop of incredible social upheaval throughout a chastising year for all, it’s safe to say that the narrative of 2021 mergers &acquisitions is rather indicative of its surrounding context: unpredictable in their pattern and unyielding in their execution. Perhaps a year characterised by polarization; the big got bigger, and the small got smaller……..

2022 - Triangular Tension The Flutter, FanDuel & Fox Corporation triangle of discontent seems destined to rumble on well into the New Year, but it is a different triumvirate who have pre-empted a potentially major 2022 episode through their inputs in the closing months of the year.

DraftKings, who, as covered earlier, have already successfully absorbed SB Tech into their overall holdings, have been in hot pursuit of Entain and by extension its notable subsidiary brands. DraftKings set their stall out, with an offer valued at an eye-watering $22.4 billion dollars.

The approach has left industry analysts scratching their head in efforts to understand the reasons behind such an aggressive mark of intent.

It may give audiences an insight into the next chapter of U.S sports betting; with one theory asserting that DraftKings seek to hastily pull back from an American marketplace rife with fierce competition and often high state taxation. Something which would be unthinkable to many given that many firms are still riding the crest of the initial wave. However, perhaps an early re-think of an increasingly saturating market could be an intelligent ploy; could this trigger a wider movement?

Could it be that DraftKings have resolved to acquire Entains Technology Stack? This would be a not too subtle signal to SB Tech & its associated services.

Perhaps it’s the capability to exploit far-reaching markets? Entains presence extends far outside its UK enterprises (see earlier comments on Portuguese/Spanish markets), its subsidiary arms operate in Australia, across Europe and Latin America.

This would offer DraftKings lucrative opportunity in previously untapped markets.

More likely, it’s a combination of all three. Each offers a compelling

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theory. Critically however, no deal was struck, and, at best, negotiations remain firmly on ice.

MGM- innocent by-stander or silent assassin?

MGM, who entered a partnership with Entain through its MGM Resorts International group on the BetMGM venture, may look to take action. During negotiations between DK and Entain, there was requirement to consult MGM, who have a joint exclusivity of U.S sports betting clause in their Entain agreement.

Despite the obvious conflict of interest generated by a merger; MGM, initially expressed ‘a congenial tone’ and were happy to support the two parties in arriving at an ‘amicable resolution’. However, it’s been long since rumoured that MGM were plotting an assault of

their own, mobilizing quietly whilst Entain & DraftKings were locked in negotiation, a return themselves from a failed bid earlier in the year, unlikely but rumoured by some news services.

Comments from Entain CEO NygaardAndersen rather dispel the myth of MGM deploying an open stance towards proceedings. In an interview with Reuters, she states the contractual obligations between MGM & Entain ‘played a role’ in the eventual cancellation of takeover talks last month.

Furthermore, MGM showed their cards earlier this year, with a $11.1 billion dollar bid rejected, its currently unclear as to whether they’ll return with a grossly improved offer in 2022.

Stepping into 2022- More of the same?

range of stakeholders and complicated legal dynamics, may suggest a potentially protracted start to merger & acquisition activity in 2022. However, if struck, each could have a colossal impact on which players will dominate global markets in the medium-term.

True, it seems next year promises to be another bumper year for merging activity. With the prospect of further lockdowns looming large for a host of nations (and some ongoing), financial fickleness & vulnerability seem to be an enduring feature of the contemporary marketplace.

Conclusion - don’t be surprised if the industry see’s significant further activity as we head into a New Year, and a new way of living.

These complex deals, which involve a

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GAMING NEWS

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More Asian Countries Push For Legalising Online Gambling

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alaysia could consider legalising online gambling within the country to be able then to tax the industry. Deputy Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Zahidi Zainul Abidin wants the government to consider the option so they can tax an industry that operates in the country from overseas operators in India and Philippines.

The iGaming Post reported last week that the ministry were considering

mobile gambling and now understands from sources close to the regional industry this could happen within the next 6 months.

China still opposes its neighbours to open up to legalised gambling but more and more countries in Asia are considering the option in a way to raise more taxes following the devastation of the COVID-19 has had on economies.

considering the option of legalising online gambling to raise government taxes. Asia has been the most resistant to online gambling with the influence of China who wants to protect its Macau gambling hub and able to control gambling but it seems 2022 could see more regions in Asia turn to the legalisation of online gambling instead of trying to stamp out the activity which is only growing in popularity.

It is also understood Laos is also

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Show me the way to the next whiskey bar

By Tim Cullimore

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recently had a very enjoyable catch up with an old friend who is undoubtedly London’s most experienced high volume casino venue director, and for my money one of the best.

After chatting about family, friends and our days working as dealers together in the old dinosaur era we got to talking about food, certainly one of my favourite subjects, and specifically what type of F&B is right for each specific casino.

Going back some years the restaurant in a casino was often the best place to eat in town, and at a late hour. This is still the case in many countries and jurisdictions. Unless things have changed dramatically in Divonne, France, I couldn’t think of a better place to have dinner than the casino restaurant. Situated next to the beautiful traditional live gaming floor this dining room has a welldeserved reputation for high quality traditional French cuisine.

There is though a limit to how many times a week one can eat this superb but rich food. Another old friend, who was gaming manager of the Casino de Divonne, could no longer face eating Foie Gras or Steak Tartar every day, so would most nights ask for a spaghetti Bolognese or similar

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plate of pasta. Equally when I was part of the management team at the Ritz Club in London’s Mayfair, despite having one of the most diverse and sumptuous menus in the city the gaming managers could be found more often than not eating fish and chips.

Now, the purpose of a restaurant, café or other eating establishment in a casino has 3 main objectives. The first of course is to enable the players to eat during their visit. This may be at the beginning of the evening before playing or late at night when they are deeply involved in their session.

What the casino management would like is for the player to have all the amenities they require so that their visit is an enjoyable one. Although many players are “comped” or eat for free this should not be conflated with any inducements to gamble. In previous times players would “game” the system, asking exactly how much was the minimum they had to gamble to earn a free dinner or cocktail. In today’s more enlightened times we recognise that encouraging players to bet more is unethical. But rewarding clients for their loyalty, as in many retail and leisure activities, should not be considered an encouragement to gamble.

Secondly the restaurant may be a way for new clients to experience the atmosphere of the casino without having to play. Many birthdays, anniversaries and other milestone events are celebrated in the casino. Equally, especially in the resort towns and spas throughout Europe, the casino may be the main focus of the community, so events at Christmas and New Year take on a great importance, for playing and non-playing guests alike.

Lastly the food and beverage outlets should be a place where guests can go when they want a break from playing, an oasis away from the slots and tables where they can perhaps watch sport or talk with friends, and to simply take a break from playing.

Relatively new to the U.K., sports bars where live action sport is shown on big screens have become hugely popular in some clubs, to the point where operational managers complain that “real” players are not able to navigate the gaming floor in comfort due to the volume of sports fans thronging the bar areas. Well, that casino has to decide which type of leisure it wishes to offer and should factor these scenarios in when designing the venue.

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Now, as on-line operators wish to replicate the live gaming experience as much as possible especially with live gaming studios, I am surprised that no operator has begun to offer food as a reward to regular players. Now that 80% of the population seems to have access to fast food deliveries at home I would think that offering free pizza or burgers whilst playing would be far more attractive and arguably less contentious than giving free spins or games. How about a button offering to order a thin crust pepperoni if

the player takes a 15-minute break to eat it?

We all recognise the difference between a medium sized casino in Europe, such as those we find in Holland, and the mega casinos in Macau or Vegas, where one food outlet will never be enough. But what is inescapable is that if the food and beverage offering is not suited to the player profile, or multiple player profiles of the casino, it will never be successful.

With new casinos there always seems to be a tendency to over supply the bar and restaurant product. Over the years I have seen many such projects, almost always led by the architects or marketing departments, with little or no input from the management who will have to ultimately run the venue, and who have the experience of players preferences.

(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

How about an iced-cream bar? Not such an excellent idea for an English casino and not what a player will need in November. A specially imported tandoori oven? Maybe but make sure you can find a chef who knows how to use it first. A futuristic system for allowing over 30 types of wine to be served by the glass? Perhaps, but all the guests wanted was a decently priced good red or white, and the profit margin collapsed in direct relation to the volume of wasted wine.

As experience tells us, it is so important to learn from our own mistakes, and those of others. So, when advising operators on new projects I always advise an organic approach to F&B, allowing for new products to be rolled out as and when the time is right. Over the first couple of years of a new casino reasons to continually promote the business are always in demand, and what better way to do

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that than the roll out of an exciting fresh food outlet. Rather than go for the big bang theory of throwing everything into the mix at the opening, it is far better I find to allow the customer experience to develop organically. Gradual enlargement keeps the loyal customer far more engaged than seeing areas of the casino going dark.

So to the relationship between betting and alcohol. We are now very sensitive to the effects alcohol can have on the judgement of a player. It is clear that impaired decision-making abilities can have disastrous consequences for a gambler, and the practise of denying gambling activities to those who have consumed too much alcohol is now the norm in most regulated gaming jurisdictions. Numerous court cases where a player has been offered unlimited alcoholic drinks whilst playing, leading to excessive

losses has made us all aware of our responsibilities. I certainly wouldn’t recommend the old rules of no drinks on the gaming floor and bars closing at 10:30 pm but being vigilant to the vulnerability of drunk players must be a part of the whole social responsibility programme.

Over the years I have been privileged to sample some amazing food in casinos all around the world, and I must admit to having enjoyed wonderful wine, sometimes a little too much, and I cannot imagine not wanting to eat in a casino, but what I really love is to eat in a casino where the concept has been really thought through and the bars and restaurants feel to be an integrated part of the whole experience.Then you can really relax and enjoy the experience. “Bon Appetit!”

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GAMING NEWS

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Entain Secures Continued Membership of DJS Index

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ntain has secured membership of the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for Europe (DJSI) for the fourth consecutive year, following the results of the DJSI’s annual review. The award further endorses the Group’s approach to ESG and sustainability as presented at the Group’s inaugural Entain Sustain ESG conference held on 10 November.

At the Entain Sustain event, the Group highlighted its leadership across ESG issues, including on safer betting and gaming. The event detailed Entain’s industry-leading approach to environmental management, social investment and best practice governance as well as an update on the results of trials of its ARC™ (Advance Responsibility & Care™) programme.

Entain is the only global sports betting and gaming group within the DJSI, which was launched in 1999 and has become the gold standard for corporate sustainability. The DJSI tracks leading sustainability-driven companies based on analysis of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) factors as well as S&P DJSI’s robust index methodology. Through a consistent, rules-based methodology, the analysis looks at an average of 600 data points per company into one overall score to determine index inclusion.

In addition to Entain’s continued membership of the DJSI, it is also constituent member of the FTSE4Good Index and has an AA rating from MSCI. The Group is also the only betting and gaming operator to have received internationally recognised standards (ISOs) for its environmental management as well as independent verification of its emissions disclosure from the Carbon Trust. Entain’s commitment to safer betting and gaming has also been recognised with the Group holding the title of EGR’s Safer Gambling Operator of the Year.

Barry Gibson, Entain’s Chairman said: “As we set out at last week’s Entain Sustain event, we have proudly put sustainability on an equal footing to our growth strategy. We want to take a lead on the issues that matter to us – sustainability, diversity, and responsibility and as such we are delighted to once again have been recognised by the DJSI following their comprehensive assessment of how we deliver against ESG factors throughout our operations.”

Manjit Jus, Global Head of ESG Research, S&P Global: “We congratulate Entain for being included in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) for Europe. A DJSI distinction is a reflection of being a sustainability leader in your industry. The record number of companies participating in the 2021 S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment is testament to the growing movement for ESG disclosure and transparency.”

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Slot Management 101:

Managing Product Delivery

You got your project approved and started your first stage of work. Progress is good but you need to manage how each product is delivered before your roulette wheel ends up spinning like a flat tire and transforms the roulette ball into a deadly weapon! Welcome to managing product delivery.

By Andy Cosgrove

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fter receiving project approval, you made it to the first stage and are already looking forward to your first stage boundary. After all, it took a lot of work to reach this stage, and you view this as a good opportunity to reflect on the success you’ve achieved so far. You know what needs to be done when the project reaches the stage boundary which includes planning the next management stage, updating the project plan and reporting management stage end. Then you realize that despite your best intentions, the stage hasn’t ended and there’s a lot of work that you, as the project manager, have to do to get there.

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Your team managers are the product specialists that get the work done but you can’t relax because it’s your job to issue the work and ensure that it’s done within the boundaries for cost, time and quality. Managing product delivery views the project from the team managers perspective whereas controlling a stage views it from the project manager’s perspective, so it’s important that they work together to produces the necessary results.

The objectives of managing product delivery are simple enough but to overlook them could mean certain disaster. Work on products allocated to the team needs to be authorized and agreed. Team managers, sup-

pliers and team members need to be clear on what is to be produced.

The products need to be delivered to expectations and tolerances, and accurate progress reports need to be delivered to the project manager to ensure expectations are managed.

Following is a detailed description of the forms and activities involved.

The work Package –The work package is a set of information about one or more required products collated by the project manager to pass responsibility for work or delivery to a team manager. The main contents are as follows:

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• Date, Team manager and work package description • Techniques, processes, procedures and development interfaces • Operational maintenance interfaces • Change control requirements • Joint agreements, product constraints and tolerances • Reporting arrangements and problem handling •Extracts or references and approval methods Accept a work Package – Before a work package can be delivered to a team there has to be an agreement between the project manager and the team manager as to what is to be delivered. The contents of which are

covered above in the work package description. In order for the team manager to accept and agree to deliver the work packagethey have to ensure thatthe following happens: • Review the work package to obtain referenced documentation. Clarify with the project manager what is to be delivered. Negotiate constraints and agree tolerances. Understand reporting requirements and approval methods and confirm how the project manager is to be informed about the completion of the work package.

• Produce a team plan showing which products can be completed. Consult with project assurance to make sure

the team plan is viable and in accordance with the required standards, and then seek approval for the team plan.

• Undertake a review of the risks and inform the project manager of any additional ones and consult with project assurance as to whether any further quality reviews are required.

Execute a work Package –The work has to be executed and monitored according to the requirements listed in the work package so it’s important for the team manager to ensure that the work doesn’t exceed the agreed tolerances. Work can only continue while forecasts remain within the tolerances listed in the work packages

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Andy Cosgrove Article continued

and if they are likely to exceed those tolerances the team manager should raise an issue with the project manager who will decide upon a course of action. Use the following as a guide to executing a work package: • Develop products according to quality criteria. Ensure the work is conducted using the specified techniques, processes and procedures.

Develop and maintain operational and support interfaces. Monitor and control issues and risks.

• Notify the project manager of any new issues and risks and take action as required • Review and the report the status of each product in the work package, ensure the project plan is updated and feed progress information back to the project manager in the manner and frequency agreed.

• If agreed tolerances are forecast to be exceeded, notify the project manager via am issue report.

Deliver a work package – Just as the work package was accepted for deliv-

ery by the team manager, notification must be given to the project manager when the work package is ready for delivery. Once complete, the team manager should verify the following: • Review the quality register to ensure all related quality activities have been completed • Review approval records to ensure products ready for delivery have been approved • Update the team plan to show the work package has been completed • Follow the work package procedures to deliver products • Notify the project manager that the work is complete.

Conclusion – Part of successfully managing a project is managing the work in progress and ensuring that all products are produced to the specified criteria listed in the work packages. By working together the team manager, the product team and the project manager ensure less delays, risks and issues and a greater project success rate. Planning and

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writing product descriptions may take time but do you really want a lawsuit that may arise from a flat tire roulette wheel and missile like roulette balls?What do you prefer, the boss complimenting you on a job well done, or a boss telling you that you’re done working for him because of the job that wasn’t done despite your best intentions? Contact me if you need more clarity.

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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Christmas is coming

By Teresa Tunstall

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reen Jade Games, chairman and former Mr Green CEO Jesper Kärrbrink admits the gambling industry went overboard with aggressive advertising in Sweden which has led to an inevitable backlash. Gambling marketing in Sweden is a hot and divisive topic.

The prevalence and tone of the sector’s past advertising practices has led to legislative ramifications.

result of redevelopment.

The mini-golf will be one of the Puttstars chain of locations, part of the Hollywood Bowl Group, and the group is quoted as saying there will also be an FEC on-site.

Work has already begun on the location that will be in the New Mersey Retail Park, which will open next summer.

Introducing an 18-month programme Gamble-Aware is taking a mixed-methods, multidisciplinary and multi-sector approach including roundtables, depth interviews and community committees for women who lived and experienced gambling harm.

The location already houses a cinema and six new restaurants, as a

The research has been commissioned as part of Gamble-Aware wider five-

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year organisational strategy, guided by an overarching vision of a society free from gambling harms.

Alison Clare, research director at Gamble-Aware, said: “Women’s experiences of gambling harms are under-researched, often presented as homogenous and in terms of how they differ to men’s experiences.

Pleased to have been awarded this grant in strong multi-agency, multi-disciplinary team which will be drilling down into the experiences and needs of different communities of women.

This is an important step towards en-

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-suring Gamble-Aware and others are commissioning the range of treatment and support services women want and will use.

Gamble-Aware is committed to delivering a whole-system public health approach to gambling harms and understanding the wider determinants that drive these - including gender, health, race, ethnicity and inequalities - is fundamental to achieving this...

I was very interested particularly with the times we now live in, to read of the two most common terrorism charges of the 2006 Act. These offences are clearly and simply drafted and juries have not had difficulties understanding what elements are required

to be proved to established the offences in question. The offender must be shown to have the requisite intent, which involves an inquiry into the “mindset” of the defendant.

The Home Secretary has the power to list proscribed organisations, which currently include the IRA, Islamic State5 and National Action.

Investigators commonly encounter encryption and the use of encrypted technology is standard in most terrorist organisations! Social media apps and specialist private encryption apps are popularforsuspects who are generally reluctant to volunteer their passwords.

A key question in this process for investigating offers is when to seek the advice of specialist counsel.

They are often required to advise at very short notice in fast-moving investigations. Recent years have shown an increase in ‘lone-wolf,’ attacks by self-radicalised individuals acting outside conventional organisations and a growing number of younger terrorist offenders. A 13-year-old boy from Cornwall became the UK’s youngest terrorist offender in February 2021.

He was convicted of disseminating terrorist documents and possession of terrorist material.

(PTO)

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Teresa Tunstall Article continued

A key challenge for the authorities and investigating officers is timing: whether and if so, when to make the call to intervene and arrest someone identify as a potential terrorist offender. Intervening too soon may result in a lack of evidence for example, acts preparatory to an act of terrorism. Intervening too late may result in a terrorist attack taking place and innocent lives imperilled. Sometimes suspects are charged with lower-level crimes to disrupt them in their radical path. Fortunately, most terrorist acts are foiled by the authorities during the planning stage before an actual attack has taken place.

Legal action could be taken in the UK against online casino Sky Vegas after promotional emails were sent to recovering gambling addicts.Sky Vegas apologised last week after promotional emails were mistakenly sent to those who had opted out of betting correspondence. Proceedings on behalf of up to 120,000 people who are believed to have been sent the promotional emails offering “free online spins” despite asking not to receive betting correspondence.These

emails have already caused harm and distress to those who opted out of receiving gambling promotions for very good reason,said the director of Clean Up Gambling, there is already too much temptation driven by the volume of advertising, so, when someone takes steps to keep themselves away from promotions like this, they should not be force-fed to them again.It is inexcusable of Sky Bet and we would encourage anyone who has been sent these emails to alert the relevant authorities and seek out the support they need.

Sky must do more to protect vulnerable customers, regard to this incident specifically, it is important that Sky are transparent and disclose how many people were sent the promotional material and the reasons for it.

The family members of those with gambling-associated issues will be at home worried if their loved one has been sent this offer despite having done everything they can to try to stay away from these kinds of triggers.

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UK of Sky Vegas continued, “I would like to sincerely apologise to all those who have been affected by the recent issue at Sky Vegas, whereby a number of people were mistakenly sent promotional communications.I want to assure you that we are doing everything we can to get to the bottom of how this happened. We are conducting a full investigation into what went wrong, in particular so that we can ensure that it doesn’t happen again.As soon as the error was identified it was notified to the UK’s Gambling Commission and we will keep them informed as our investigations progress.Sky Vegas, and indeed all our brands, take their responsibility to protect customers extremely seriously.

Safer gambling is our number one focus and while we haven’t always got everything right, we are determined to do as much as we can to protect those who may be at risk,I recognise that on this occasion we have let many people down, and for that I am truly sorry.”

Conor Grant, chief executive of Flutter

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Evolution Accused Of Working In Illegal Markets

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volution the online gambling giant is accused of offering online gambling to restricted countries and also regions that are under US sanctions according to a report by Bloomberg.

In the damaging news article it is claimed that senior counsel Ralph Marra who works at Calcagni & Kanefsky LLP, sent a complaint letter to the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement which Bloomberg claim have seen a copy that the Swedish based gambling firm allow gamblers in Iran to gamble on their platforms along with Sudan, Syria where even it is claimed that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s family were among the players on the site.

Other regions apparently Evolution offer gambling is Singapore and even Hong Kong.

The accusations from Marra are said to have been carried out by investigators working for an un-named investor that is believed to be a US competitor of Evolution. The company is valued at $33 billion and are one of the largest online gambling companies in the world, however news of the breaches have seen some 8% fall in share value but Evolution has enjoyed a 64% rise in its valuation this year.

In response Carl Linton head of investor relations at Evolution said: “Evolution strictly complies with all

applicable laws and regulations,” however Linton did acknowledge he has not seen the complaint but went on to say, “Evolution strictly complies with all applicable laws and regulations.”

Marra says his investigators have recorded proof of them being able to gamble through an Iranian IP address.

It is not the first time a large gambling firm has been accused of working in illegal regions, DraftKings owned SBTech were accused by Hindenburg Research of working in illegal markets earlier this year.

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Blackstone Makes Third Bid For Crown Resorts

IGT Considers Separate Listing

Troubled Australian casino company Crown

Casino manufacturer and online gaming company IGT says it is looking into the possibility of separating its business and re-listing on a public offering.

Resorts has said in a filing to the Australian stock exchange that private equity firm Blackstone Group has made “an unsolicited and nonbinding proposal” to acquire all of the shares in Crown Resorts.

The offer if accepted by Crown values the company at

At present the company runs its entire business under one listing but the company said in an investor update that over the next 12 months it will consider the options for this.

AUD8.46 billion (US$6.16 billion), offering AUD12.50 per share which at close of trading on Thursday was valued at AUD9.90.

Crown said it was assessing the offer from its largest independent shareholder which Blackstone holds almost 10% of Crown shares already. Blackstone has

Currently IGT runs its online and betting services separately to its manufacturing of slot machines and lottery, however with the sale of its lottery business the company is now considering listing its betting and online business into a single public offering away from its traditional casino arm.

now made its third bid for Crown Resorts as it offered AUD11.85 per share in March of this year and then came back in May with an increased offer of AUD12.35 but was rejected.

In a statement from the casino operator it said: “The Crown board has not yet formed a view on the merits

This month IGT brought in Gil Rotem an industry veteran of the online gambling business to run its online and sports betting business and points towards that strategy and in its investor update the company said it would “further enhance its strategic flexibility.”

of the proposal,” but it would “now assess the proposal, having regard to the value and terms of the proposal and other considerations.” and would also “engage with relevant stakeholders including regulatory authorities.”

Chief Executive Marco Sala, said on the companies future performance “Over the next four years, we are confident we can deliver accelerating organic growth, significant margin

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Ten reasons the Women’s World Cup 2023 will be bigger than Qatar 2022

By Christina Thakor-Rankin

W

omen’s sport is on the rise. A recent Neilson Report indicates that up to 84% of all sports fans (51% male and 49% female) are interested in watching women’s sport. In countries like the UK, US, New Zealand, Australia, Spain, Germany, Italy, and France - around 66% of the population is interested in at least one women’s sport. Further research indicates that when it comes to the most recognisable female team sports athletes football players appear in almost every national list - in France, Germany, and Italy the top three most recognizable female athletes are footballers, and in the US the top two.

2. Women’s football (soccer) is the fastest growing sport on the planet - bar none. Recent reports by Pitcher and WGP Global show the exponential rise in popularity of women’s football both in terms of players and viewers. The most compelling figures are FIFA’s own. Audience numbers for the last Women’s World Cup in 2019

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broke the 1 billion mark - exceeding all previous records and expectations. A closer look at the numbers indicates that this was not regional but global. Audiences figures in Africa and the Middle East doubled from 12 to 24 million compared to the previous WWC in 2015, the rise in other parts of the worlds was even bigger with Europe seeing an increase in audience number of 136% and Latin America a staggering 560%. The overall growth in audience from 2015 to 2019 was 65%.

The largest increase in viewers was Asia with coverage of live matches increasing in every territory compared

to the previous event in 2015. A point of interest for sportsbook operators who link viewer numbers with betting activity is that the 10 most watched games in 2019 involved the national teams of countries where betting is now a regulated activity. The final between US and The Netherlands pulled in a live global audience of just over 82 million. This may pale in comparison to audience figures for the men’s equivalent in 2018 but compare it to other events such as an average audience of 102 million for the Superbowl, and the rise in popularity of women’s football becomes increasingly hard to ignore.

3. Generation Z. ‘Post-millennials’, ‘snowflakes’, ‘zoomers’ - call them what you will, this generation is here, and already taking on the world.

Tech savvy, globally connected, socially responsible and the most ethnically and racially diverse generation ever, this group has the sheer scale of numbers to make things happen. This is the protest generation, from climate change to racial

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and social injustice and inequality.

They do not believe in labels or stereotypes. they do believe in equality and being defined not by who they are - but what they can do.

4. Not just for boys. The impact of Generation Z values of equality is starting to make their mark. As they start to come of age, they are using their voice as a means of dismantling old and established stereotypes. The world has more females leaders than ever before, and women making their mark in other areas of life too. From Kamala-Harris becoming the first woman mixed-race Vice-President to the recent UAE space agency currently led by a woman, and the team responsible for their mission to Mars

being 80% female, woman arestarting to take on the boys in almost every aspect of life. This includes things like esports, which now has professional female teams and e-athletes and where the gender split is estimated to be around 50/50, and of course sports generally as witnessed by the increase in female viewers and more female pundits for mainstream sports broadcasts and programmes. A landmark crossover moment was EA sports putting Alex Morgan alongside Lionel Messi on the cover of its US version of FIFA 2016.

5. Female sports bettors are on the rise. Given the growing popularity of women’s sports, the growing numbers of Generation Z and their growth of

slogans and initiatives like ‘This girl can’ it is perhaps no surprise that this trend is starting to make itself evident in sports-betting. What is perhaps surprising is the suggested number of female bettors compared to their male counterparts. A study last year suggested that the spilt between male and female sports-bettors could be as high as 43% female to 57% male. Others predict female sports bettors to be in the more conservation region of 20 to 30% compared to their male counterparts. The numbers have been met with a degree of incredulity from some quarters but is it really that surprising given that the trajectory of regulated sports betting in the US is on a par with the growing popularity of women and sports and

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THE INTERNATIONAL GAMING AWARDS 2022

31st January 2022

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Article by Christina Thakor-Rankin

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3 things women could do as part of its move towards addressing women’s rights (the other two were driving and going to the cinema). It has made women’s soccer a key part of its Vision 2030strategy and earlier this year launched the first Saudi women’s football league. Iran recently faced a national football scandal where some of the players in the women’s side were accused of being men. The explanation was that they were not men they were trans-gender. This is unprecedented. Two hard-line Islamic nations using women’s football as a vehicle for modernisation and exploring otherwise taboo subjects.

Generation Z. The increase in female led sports blogs, podcasts, pundits and tipping sites surely speaks for itself. Most compelling of all is the fact that one US operator actually conducted some demographic analysis and concluded that typically female sports-bettors are more successful with higher ROI than their male equivalents. Just the fact that a major player has even looked into this suggests that female sports-bettors may after all be ‘a thing’.

6. New role models. One of the most interesting post on Instagram this year by #worthfeed showed a sideby-side comparison between a near nude picture of Kendall Jenner and Alyssa Carson who at 19 just became NASA’s youngest ever astronaut. The new generation is starting to re-define the term role model. Increasingly today’s role model is about relatability and achievement – ‘if they can do it so

can I’ - and no longer just about looks or money.

7. Football as a platform for equality and human rights. The game is increasingly becoming a springboard for quality in sports. The Norwegians became the first country to pay their male and female national teams the same pay. More recently Canada has seen a conversation about merchandise and the lack of it for the women’s game when compared to the men. Football is also becoming a platform for a conversation about human rights with protests from national teams and sponsors and the arrest this week of journalists in Qatar reporting on human rights abuses and the plight and deaths of migrant labourers building the stadiums for the world cup.

9. Qatar 2022 - ‘worst’ world cup ever?

The arrest of 2 journalists reporting on the World Cup is only the latest in a long line of reasons why folks are not happy. From speculation about the treatment of fans (in particular women), impact of the heat, rumours of corruption, timing of the event at the end of the year and the rising tide of protests about violation of human rights - Qatar 2022 has been shrouded in negativity since the start.

If Qatar does end up being as bad as some believe it might, FIFA will be under the spotlight and have to do everything it can with the next event to win back trust and confidence and limit the damage of Qatar 2022. Cue the Women’s World Cup 2023.

10. Women’s World Cup 2023. The WWC 2023 willbring together women of every creed, colour, race, and religion in the spirit of togetherness embodying the values, beliefs, and aspirations of a new generation across the world, and an anthem for gender equality and a platform for social and cultural change the world over. This truly would take the sport from beautiful game to Beyond Greatness .

8. Middle East. Saudi Arabia cited going to football matches as one of the

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