B2B provider of gaming content, technology, hardware and services Inspired Entertainment announced a new exclusive agreement with Flutter Entertainment-owned brand Paddy Power.

Managed Services, VLT Cabinets

The agreement between Inspired Entertainment and the brand operating over 350 betting shops in the UK will see the tech solutions supplier provide Paddy Power with fully integrated managed services covering its entire UK estate, installing approximately 1,400 terminals and providing remote and field tech support, content and platform deployment.

Vince Bateson, head of Retail Gaming at Paddy Power, hailed the excellent partnership Paddy Power had developed over many years with Inspired Entertainment.

Our customers know and trust Inspired’s product and we’re delighted to be able to enhance our offering with the very latest terminal and the very best technology.

Vince Bateson, head of Retail Gaming at Paddy Power

As part of the agreement, Paddy Power will procure approximately 1,400 Vantage server-based gaming-ready cabinets by the end of 2023. Powered by an intelligent operating system, the cabinets of the Inspired VLT family feature functionalities that make players recommend the games to others.

“Inspired’s Vantage terminal has performed exceptionally well in our trials and is a perfect fit with our strategic goal of providing our customers with the best possible experience in our retail shops,” Bateson concluded.

For Inspired Entertainment, president and chief operating officer Brooks Pierce hailed Paddy Power for its “exceptional job” in operating the high street betting shops in the UK, “thrilled to partner with such a premier provider.”

Mutually Beneficial Agreement

As for the agreement, Pierce believes that it would be mutually beneficial, helping Paddy Power improve its product offering and drive growth in revenue alongside a reduction of operational costs while serving as “a prime example” of Inspired Entertainment’s UK transformation, where the business is shifting from “hardware-centric capital-intensive business model” to an asset-light one based on “managed services, content and platform.”

The agreement with Paddy Power is the latest between Inspired Entertainment and a UK-based operator involving the procurement of new gaming machines, following the deal with Betfred last month.

Under the five-year deal, Inspired Entertainment agreed to install 5,000 of its Vantage cabinets from the VLT family at Betfred’s UK estate of 1,400 betting shops. The deal also included remote and field tech support, as well as platform and content deployment.

On the gaming content front, Inspired Entertainment released three new holiday-themed games, Santa LinKing, Santa’s Winning Wishlist and Big Santa Fortune, to expand its gaming portfolio ahead of the end-of-year festive period.

Australia has been considered a gambling nation for a very long time. Australian gamblers lose approximately $25 billion per year on pokies, casinos, animal racing, sports betting, and lotteries. Former gambling addicts share their disturbing stories.

A Story of a Former Addicted Gambler

Mark Kempster, 34, relates that it all started on AFL Grand Final day in 2020 when he went to a pub and lost thousands of dollars in gambling. Then, as he was very angry and upset, he decided to drink his sorrow away. He spent the night at the house of a friend, and when he returned home the next day, his girlfriend checked the bank accounts and found out the truth.

Mark experienced seven-year gambling addiction, particularly sports matches and horseracing bets on his mobile phone. As a result, his family lost more than $100,000. Paradoxically, Mark worked at an online betting company, accumulated huge debts, and distanced himself from friends and relatives due to his secretive behavior.

Currently, Mark has recovered from compulsive gambling and has not bet for almost two years, although he states that it was not easy at all given the constant gambling ads and continuing contact with gambling companies that have tried to entice him.

Mark Kempster is one of the many former addicted gamblers who have asked a parliamentary survey to investigate the impact of online gambling on Australian citizens and whether the people are protected enough from gambling products.

According to Mark, the gambling industry is “predatory” and gains benefits from the most vulnerable people.

Research reveals that only 35 percent of Australians bet in an average month, and many of them gamble via lottery tickets. However, Australia has always been one of the most gambling nations. According to formerly addicted gamblers, the government has no interest to reduce betting practices, because it obtains tax revenue from gambling companies.

New Generation, New Ways of Betting

Per many experts, the new generation of phone apps is the reason for the rapid growth of mobile phone gambling. Australian citizens gamble approximately 20 percent more online than any other country. Rebecca Jenkinson, from the Australian Gambling Research Centre, states that online gambling has increased unexpectedly, while the other standard forms of gambling have remained on the same level or even decreased a little. The COVID situation also contributed to the growth of online gambling.

Responsible Wagering Australia responded to the criticism by stating that the giants in the gambling industry, such as Sportsbet and bet365, offer more than 32,000 jobs and contributed nearly $2 billion in taxes and levies in the prior fiscal year. The group also commented that it was open to conversations with the government in relation to possible changes in the betting legislation.

One of the possible amendments concerns the number of TV advertisements. There are limitations on broadcast times and warning messages were introduced. However, a full ban on gambling ads has been sought. Other potential changes are related to daily gambling restrictions, and centralizing the supervision of the industry, among others.

The global business-to-business gaming technology provider, Bragg Gaming Group, announced it expanded the reach of its technology and content to Michigan via a new deal with the leading operator BetMGM.

New Collaboration Brings Bragg Content to BetMGM in Michigan

The new collaboration announced Monday, sees Bragg deliver leading games for BetMGM customers in the state. Such content includes Bragg’s Atomic Slot Lab studio, as well as engaging titles such as Egyptian Magic. What’s more, the collaboration sees BetMGM benefit in Michigan from the company’s Remote Games Server (RGS) technology.

The latest deal builds upon a collaboration inked between BetMGM and Bragg’s Spin Games studio. This long-term deal helped the two companies in strategic US markets such as Michigan, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Now, the new deal further builds upon the positive momentum with BetMGM.

At the same time, Bragg benefits from increasing its presence in North America and the United States. Currently, the company has joined forces with six operators delivering its leading technology and content to multiple iGaming markets in North America.

The Company Plans Further North American Expansion

Bragg’s president and chief operating officer, Lara Falzon, revealed that the company planned to expand its presence in North America by delivering content from its proprietary studios for iGaming operators. Moreover, she explained that the company planned to bring new games thanks to its deals with third-party providers. According to Falzon, the new collaboration further boosts Bragg’s growth strategy which is expected to deliver growth.

“We are pleased to build on our existing relationship with BetMGM and look forward to providing them with content that helps them continue engaging with their existing players at high levels and attract new players.“

Lara Falzon, president and chief operating officer for Bragg Gaming Group

She added that Bragg is excited to expand its collaboration with BetMGM. Last but not least, Falzon said that the new deal will deliver engaging content which is expected to boost the retention and engagement rates for the operator.

The importance of the market in Michigan was underlined by data released from Bragg. The company pointed to research from H2 Gambling Capital, which predicted that the market in the state is about to generate some $1.5 billion in gross win for 2022. At the same time, separate research from Eilers&Krejcik Gaming’s US Online Casino Monitor revealed that BetMGM is undoubtedly a leader in the online casino market in Michigan by holding 38% of the market as of August 2022.

Israeli mobile gaming entertainment and technology company that uses art and science to create entirely customized game experiences Playtika has announced its second wave of employee layoffs. In June, the company announced it would bid goodbye to around six percent of its workforce, or the equivalent of 250 of its employees part of game development studios based in Montreal, London, and Los Angeles. Now, the social gaming giant is prepared to repeat the process for approximately 600 of its staff members, or the equivalent of 12% to 15% of its headcount from a total of 4,100 employees dispersed worldwide. Around 180 layoffs will take place in Israel.

Playtika: “This Decision Has Not Come Easy”

Playtika’s chief executive Robert Antokol made the news official by sending letters to all of the company’s “wonderful and talented colleagues and friends”. He called the decision a “difficult” one and explained it came as a result of “intense deliberation” aimed at helping Playtika enjoy the “best position” in the future. The layoffs will help the company wind down its “non-core products”, which comes in opposition to Playtika’s initiative to invest in JustPlay.LOL just nine months ago, in March. At that time, the business was planning on diversifying its non-core offerings. Now, Antokol explained the Israeli company has evaluated the current state of things and business environment in relation to the future and decided to return to its “roots of excellence”. This, according to Anokol, would be accomplished with the help of the talented staff’s efficiency, agility, creativity, and obsession with offering the most entertaining forms of mobile entertainment to their players.

Production of Three Games Has Been Halted

Antokol also said that the company has stopped producing three games that were in the making while getting ready to balance its teams and redeploy its talent. Playtika also plans to consolidate its studios to achieve higher levels of efficiency while showing more interest in optimization solutions. Fresh concepts for new games will be assessed by Playtika’s creative team at Wooga. This crew will prioritize pipeline games with a strategic high-growth potential.

Antokol also mentioned Playtika’s consistent financial results as proof of its employees’ excellent work. However, in Q2 2022, Playtika’s revenue remained largely steady while its net income and EBITDA dropped due to the challenging economic situation. In Q3 2022, the company’s revenue went up by 1.9% compared to Q3 2021, while the net income fell by 15%.

The company promises not to rest and to continue to use state-of-the-art technology and a diversified selection of high-ranking games targeting the “wonderful community of active and loyal players.” Since its foundation in 2010, Playtika quickly turned into a pioneer in the gaming industry, offering free-to-play social games while focusing its growth engine on casino games via brands like House of Fun and Slotomania. During the Covid-19 pandemic, the company decided to considerably expand its workforce, reaching 4,100 employees. Now, the downsizing decisions are an effect of Playtika’s commitment to staying prepared for any business scenario.

Authorities in Norway extended the exclusive rights of Norsk Rikstoto to offer gambling on horses for the next ten years, the operator announced in a press release Friday.

Problem Gambling Prevention Is Key

The Government justified the decision to extend the license for another decade via the operator’s efforts to ensure the implementation of public control measures and prevent the negative effects of gambling that have become a cause for the struggle of many Norwegians already.

“Norsk Rikstoto shows that they take the role of exclusive rights provider seriously, and that is good,” said Minister for Culture and Equality Anette Trettebergstuen, outlining that the major task for the government regarding the market is to implement a gambling policy that will ensure gambling is experienced without its negative sides.

“The Norwegian Parliament has implemented a number of measures to reduce the risk of gambling problems and gambling addiction,” Trettebergstuen continued, highlighting the aim of the authorities to ensure that sports and good causes will continue to reap benefits from the gambling industry profits.

Best-Suited for the Task

Following the license extension, Norsk Tipping and Norsk Rikstoto will remain as the exclusive providers of gambling on horse racing. The government considers the vertical one that requires particular public control due to its high prizes, high turnover and high risk of creating gambling-related problems.

Further, Norsk Rikstoto has established itself as a reliable medium between the gambling industry and organizations that promote equestrian sports, horse keeping and horse breeding in the country, passing some of its profits to support the industry.

Founded in 1982 Norsk Rikstoto made a significant move towards enhancing communication with its customers via a two-way integration deal with Agillic and Tealium earlier this year.

The Norwegian National Tote horse racing foundation turned to marketing automation to achieve a more personalized communication approach across all channels, inform customers on how to place bets and ensure that the responsible gambling message is received and integrated into the entire customer journey.

Upgrade of Betting Systems

Months before that, Norsk Rikstoto moved to enhance its betting system via an agreement with Global Tote under which the BetMakers Technology-owned supplier agreed to implement its Quantum Tote solution to replace Norsk Rikstoto’s pari-mutuel wagering system.

The dispute between Norway’s regulator, Lotteritilsynet, and Kindred Group-owned subsidiary Trannel, operating the Bingo, Mariacasino, Storspiller and Unibet brands was one of the central gambling industry topics in the year.

Several snooker players have been suspended for allegedly breaching the rules concerning match-fixing. In the midst of an ongoing investigation, several players, including the former Masters champion Yan Bingtao, have been suspended.

Bingtao May Have Fixed Matches

The World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) is investigating allegations of match-fixing and, as a result, has suspended several players. Yan Bingtao, one of the most notable players the association penalized, will be unable to compete in the World Snooker Tour until the investigation has concluded.

After the WPBSA finishes its investigation, Bingtao and his fellow players’ suspensions will either be lifted or continued if they are deemed to be guilty. Still, the players were allowed to appeal the current suspension.

Bingtao is currently considered the 16th-best snooker player in the world and is one of the rising stars of professional snooker. Aged 22, Bingtao, also known as “The Tiger,” is a promising young player who upset John Higgins in the 2021 Masters final. This cemented Bingtao as the first debutant to win the tournament since 2008.

Five More Chinese Players Were Sanctioned

Bingtao isn’t the only suspended player who has been accused of match-fixing. Other Chinese players, including Lu Ning, Li Hang, Zhao Jianbo, Bai Langning and Chang Bingyu, were also banned from attending or competing during the World Snooker Tour.

Similarly to Bingtao, the aforementioned professionals will be unable to compete in the World Snooker Tour until the investigation is completed or subsequent charges are brought (or not). The five players are also allowed to try and appeal the decision.

This wave of suspensions follows an October case when the WPBSA found out that Liang Wenbo, another Chinese player, may have manipulated the outcomes of snooker matches for betting purposes. Following that, the association launched an investigation, which it has now expanded to probe into other pro snooker players as well.

Speaking of the World Snooker Tour, this summer, the sports betting company BetVictor reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the league throughout the 2022/23 season. The company also promised to pay an additional £150,000 to the eventual winner of the global snooker championship.

BetVictor’s generosity was welcomed by Steve Dawson, the chairman of the World Snooker Tour. Dawson said that the bonus offered by the company will further incentivize the players to give their best.

In other snooker-related news, We1Win, a Malaysian sportsbook, recently named the seven-time world champion Ronnie O’Sullivan as its latest brand ambassador for the 2022/23 season.

Underdog Fantasy, a fantasy sports platform describing itself as “the best place to play fantasy sports,” has secured Xpoint’s backing. Under the agreement, the geolocation technology specialist will become the Mark Cuban-backed platform’s official geolocation partner.

Xpoint to Supply Underdog Fantasy with Geolocation

Xpoint, which provides geolocation solutions to sportsbooks and gambling operators all over the world, has agreed to power Underdog Fantasy with geolocation tech. The company announced that the daily fantasy sports specialist has already adopted Xpoint Lite, a geolocation solution tailored to the needs of fantasy sports operators. With Xpoint Lite integrated into Underdog Fantasy’s platform, the latter company will be able to provide its customers with experiences that are safer, securer and fraud-free.

Xpoint Lite is designed especially for daily fantasy sports operators and is compatible with web and app platforms. It is also compatible with Xpoint’s Xpoint Verify solution, the company’s famed real-money sports wagering and online gambling tech.

Underdog Fantasy, meanwhile, is one of the fastest-growing fantasy sports companies in the USA. The platform is backed by an experienced team of decorated industry veterans and is ambitious on becoming a leading force in American fantasy sports. Underdog Fantasy’s objective is to engage sports enthusiasts with exciting contests and fantasy sports games while driving innovation in the sector with fresh ideas.

Xpoint Is Well-Positioned to Help Its New Partner

Matt Garrigan, Underdog Fantasy’s senior director of sports betting, spoke about the new agreement. He expressed his company’s excitement to join forces with Xpoint and provide players with safe and fun experiences while complying with local rule sets. Garrigan lauded Xpoint as a “believer in innovation,” praising the company for thinking outside the box, just like Underdog Fantasy.

Xpoint’s chief executive officer, Marvin Sanderson, also commented on the agreement. He said that he couldn’t be happier to add Underdog Fantasy to Xpoint’s list of live partners. The CEO said that he is happy to see so many new companies seek Xpoint’s solutions.

This is a critical time for Xpoint, as we grow and expand our North American footprint. Now we have multiple partners live across the USA and Canada, with millions of location checks taking place, ahead of our targeted growth position by this point in 2022, and with a very bright 2023 ahead.

Marvin Sanderson, CEO, Xpoint

Sanderson concluded that Xpoint is well-positioned to help Underdog Fantasy differentiate itself from its competitors and rise as a leading force in US fantasy sports.

A few weeks ago, Xpoint also agreed to supply the sports betting operator Rivalry with geolocation solutions.