Sports content management system (CMS) Sportal365 announced an agreement for the integration with fan management and gamification platform, Fans United, last week.

Shared Business Values

The new commercial partnership and integration with Fans United will allow users at Sportal365 access to content from the fan management platform directly from the CMS platform and create games for use in their posts by utilizing Fans United’s API-based technology.

Commenting on the integration with Sportal365, Dobromir Penchev, head of Product Development at Fans United, outlined the similarity in values between the CMS and the fan management system as both rely on “speed, accuracy, and desire to engage [with] audiences in a unique way,” adamant that Fans United “found a great partner” in Sportal365.

“The integration is seamless and will provide Sportal365’s clients with a new fantastic toolset to engage their users with gamified and personalized content,” Penchev added, highlighting that “users will be able to specify interests, play games and engage with the content on a much deeper level.”

Insights, Personalization, Monetization

As for the clients of both platforms, he is convinced that they would benefit from “incredible insight into their users’ behavior” and would be empowered with the tools to “personalize their content and unlock new monetization opportunities.”

An important milestone for both platforms, the integration will allow users to earn points, badges, and cash prizes based on a tier system, and will bring the gamification of the entire fan experience a step closer.

Founder and chief executive officer of Sportal Media Group, the parent of Sportal365, believes that the integration with Fans United would also help Sportal365 better understand its customers and what drives their preferences.

A provider of out-of-the-box prediction games such as Top 7, as well as match quizzes and single-event predictions, Fans United allows its users to build their own games and customize them based on a set of criteria such as teams, leagues, markets, time-frames, and others.

The agreement with Fans United is the latest following the partnership Sportal365 established with Stoke-on-Trent-based online sports betting and gaming operator bet365 last year as the CMS is looking to inject new impulse into its commercial development in 2023.

Under the deal with bet365 signed in March, Sportal365 agreed to deliver next-level sports content for the UK sports betting operator created by top providers including Spotlight Sports Group, and help it boost customer engagement across all bet365’s markets, including the UK, Ireland, Germany, Bulgaria, Austria, Spain, Romania, the Czech Republic, Greece, and Norway.

Circus, a gaming and sports betting website operated by Gaming1, wants to take the Dutch lottery operator TOTO.nl to court over alleged unhealthy monopolist practices. According to the former company, the latter brand abused its monopoly rights to expand its online presence.

TOTO Had Many Unfair Advantages

Circus insists that TOTO has been abusing its power ever since launching online on October 1, 2021. At that time, the Netherlands launched its official online gambling market, allowing iGaming operators to take bets from local customers.

According to Circus, TOTO and its ownership group, Nederlandse Loterij, had an unfair advantage over its competitors. One of the most notable transgressions, according to Circus, is that Nederlandse Loterij began promoting TOTO before the official launch of online gambling.

Circus pointed out that this move breaches Dutch regulations, which required licensed companies to cease their advertising activity before launching. In addition, licensees were required to wipe their databases of Dutch player data to ensure that no company has an unfair advantage over its competitors.

In addition, the Nederlandse Loterij was already popular among the locals, which provided its online subsidiary with yet another advantage. To top it off, TOTO also secured premium advertising slots on local media, which it used to aggressively promote its iGaming content. This was yet another breach of the KOA and was later scrutinized by local ministers.

Circus Feels There Was No Level Playing Field

In an interview with CasinoNieuws.nl, Martijn Maertens, chief executive officer of Circus, said that TOTO and Holland Casino Online abused their influence, funds and database to dominate the market. He added that the Dutch Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) is currently investigating whether this is indeed a violation of European regulations.

In any case, Maertens said that his company felt that there was not a level playing field for all companies, which should have been the case as per the KOA rulings.

Bas Braeken, Circus’ lawyer noted that Nederlandse Loterij supplied the TOTO brand with a loan of $32.3 million dollars, which was yet another monopolistic move.

CasinoNieuws.nl previously contacted the ACM but the regulator refused to comment on the matter as it concerned a still-ongoing investigation. CasinoNieuws.nl also contacted Nederlandse Loterij and inquired about its opinion on the matter. The group which operates TOTO said that it is aware of the appeal but seems unfazed by it. It said that it would patiently and confidently wait for the ACM’s decision.

The news comes after failed efforts to introduce a regulated sports betting market in Brazil.

What Will the New Deals Bring to the Table?

The Blaze-Atlético Clube Goianiense agreement will turn the sportsbook into the main sponsor of the club’s kits. The exact duration of the new contract has not been made public. At the same time, the Parimatch-Botafogo agreement will expire in two years. According to the terms of the deal, the online sports provider will turn into the club’s primary shirt sponsor.

Blaze’s director of operations Nick van Gorsel spoke about the new contract, expressing the company’s pride in becoming the Brazilian club’s new sponsor. He also spoke about the club’s “passionate and loyal fan base” that is expected to help Blaze strengthen its foothold in the country while calling it “a great honor” to join the ACG family. 

At the same time, ACG’s president Adson Batista explained that the club’s current state as a “solid club” was one of the main factors that helped them decide to secure the new agreement with the company that also “showed a lot of interest in our brand”. 

The Botafogo-Parimatch Deal: A “Move in Line” with the Club’s Plans 

Botafogo believes the new sponsorship agreement with the Cyprus-based company is a decision that is perfectly aligned with plans to grow at a global level. Using the voice of its owner John Textor, the club explained they were “pleased” to be the “chosen club” by the global betting company to enhance its visibility in Brazil and all across South America. 

Additionally, Parimatch International’s chief executive officer Anton Rublievskyi explained that the company has come across “the right fit“, calling Botafogo “a team that shared our values, had a rich history, loyal fans and big ambitions for the future”. Last November, Parimatch became the official betting partner for Team Secret.

Botafogo and Blaze had signed a previous sponsorship agreement in July 2022. The deal ended at the end of the year. Now, Parimatch will join the roster of important club partners like Reebok, which is the club’s sporting goods supplier, Tim, Champion Watch, and Brahma.

Ex-president of Brazil Jair Bolsonaro did not sign the latest sports gambling law prior to leaving office. If the law had received the green light, it would have allowed Brazil to take control of the online sports betting market while generating an unlimited number of licenses. At the moment, the country does not receive any income from the market. 

The Times-Leader reported that two people were imprisoned as a result of the uncovering of the scheme.

The Offenders Won Over $21,000 from the Craps Table Scheme

According to court documents submitted by Pennsylvania State Police’s Bureau of Gaming Enforcement, Jason Richard Kutney, age 52, who was working at the casino Mohegan Pennsylvania as a table dealer for an electronic craps game, together with Louis Attilo Grasso, age 66, who was a frequent guest at the casino, conspired together, came up with the fraud scheme and executed it in collusion.

As the dealer for the game, Kutney had to press a button after a clock counted 30 seconds allowing patrons to place their wagers. When he pushed the button patrons could no longer place bets as the winning numbers were revealed.

In alliance with Grasso, Kutney pushed the button earlier so that Grasso could see the winning numbers before he placed his own bet. Kutney and Grasso only managed to run the scheme for two days on December 30 and January 5 before they got caught. As a result of the fraud, Grasso won $17,521 on the first day and then another $4,125 on the second day.

A court judge set unsecured bail for Kutney and Grasso at $25,000, which they were not able to pay. The two fraudsters are currently in jail on charges of criminal conspiracy, theft, acquiring stolen property, and fraud. They face a prison sentence of 1 to 6 years and a possible fine of $10,000.

Cheating Usually Happens with the Help of an Insider

Kutney and Grasso are not the only ones trying to trick a casino with the help of an insider. A similar case was reported in June 2022, at Riverwalk Casino in Vicksburg, Mississippi.

The incident happened way back on March 18, 2022, and resulted in the conviction of one of the casino’s employees – Valinda Jackson. Jackson, similarly to Kutney, was working as an electronic craps game dealer at the time. What she did was change the winning numbers manually from the game system resulting in losses for the casino.

However, Jackson, Kutney, and Grasso’s crimes seem minor in comparison to those of the Pennsylvanian treasurer, Antoinette Hodge, who was caught having stolen over $100,000 from the state’s coffer to pay for her gambling activities. Hodge did away with the money during the period from 2020 to 2021. Besides spending money on gambling, she also did expensive trips to Costa Rica, France, Jamaica, and other countries.

The new bill would generate the necessary framework for building the Texas Gaming Commission. The new body would be responsible for supervising legalized gambling in the state that continues to celebrate its “Wild West” roots. 

What Would the Bill Include?

Originally, the amendment was pre-filed by state senator Carol Alvarado last November. At the moment, the bill does not clearly mention the size of the licensing fees, but it does mention the number of licenses and the type of licenses that would be granted to operators in Texas.

A total of four destination resorts located in metropolitan areas in the state would be able to apply for a Class I license. It is, however, necessary for the respective cities to have a minimum population of two million and not to already possess an active licensed Class I casino operator.

The proceeds would go towards tax relief as well as funding for public safety programs and education. Casino taxes are expected to be set at 25% of gross gaming revenue from slot machines and 10% from table games.

If the bill is passed, three Class II licenses for “limited casino gambling” will become available for operators interested in providing horse racing options in large metropolitan areas. These licenses will be destined for operators with a previous pari-mutual wagering license.

A pair of Class III licenses will allow operators to provide limited greyhound racing gambling options.

Changes for Tribal Casino Operators 

A limited number of three tribal entities can currently provide casino gambling under the current Federal law. The list includes the Kickapoo Lucky Eagle Casino in Eagle Pass, Naskila Gaming in Livingston, and the Speaking Rock Entertainment Center in El Paso.

However, the new state amendment would ask Indian casinos to cover an additional portion of revenue in the form of taxes. The bill would also ask the same tribal operators to have an effective gaming agreement or obey all state regulations related to Federal laws. 

To pass, the new bill would need votes from two-thirds of both chambers as well as a majority of the people polled during a future referendum. The state house and senate are currently under the control of the Republican party. Alvarado is seeking bipartisan support to make the proposed law pass.

If it would pass, the new law would also bring changes to the constitution and free the path for the introduction of sports betting through the standard legislative process. This would require a simple majority of both chambers instead of a supermajority.

At the start of the year, a report released by the Baptist Standard announced that lawmakers in the state were likely to resist pushes for the expansion of gambling.

The American Gaming Association (AGA), a United States gambling industry association, has reiterated its commitment to combating human trafficking by releasing a new toolkit. The new release has everything gaming industry bodies need to spread awareness of the issue.

Human trafficking is one of the biggest problems the gaming industry faces, especially in countries where it is not well-regulated. As a body that has been long aware of the seriousness of the issue, the AGA has long been working to promote awareness of the problem.

In June last year, for example, the association published its anti-human trafficking guide which provided companies with crucial information about preventing such crimes. With January being National Human Trafficking Prevention Month, the AGA has doubled down on its efforts in the war on human trafficking and has released a new toolkit.

As first announced by Gambling Insider, the new toolkit includes everything that companies and workers in the gaming sector need to promote safety. It comes packed with educational materials and social media graphics that can help people better understand the issue. In addition, the AGA will run various programs for gaming employees where they can learn more.

The AGA has also picked four weekly themes that will see it promote awareness throughout the entire month. The first week of January saw it support survivors of human trafficking. The topic of the current week is Work with Law Enforcement. From January 15 to 21, the AGA will talk about the “Unite with Travel Partners” topic. Finally, the association will seek to Empower Employees.

The AGA Believes Unity Is Needed

According to the AGA, the new toolkit will allow companies to take key messages and use them to communicate important information about the various aspects of human trafficking. According to the association, all bodies in the gaming sector have a “moral and legal obligation” to keep their customers and employees safe.

The AGA hopes that its campaign will educate people about the dangers of human trafficking and inspire companies to do more to oppose crimes of this nature. The association emphasized that it remains “deeply committed” to advancing industry efforts and making sure that the industry remains responsible in the markets under AGA’s influence.

The AGA emphasized that its new toolkit seeks to add to existing National Human Trafficking Prevention Month initiatives. The association concluded that it is important to remain united when tackling the issue.