Damian Green MP will serve as the chairman of the Department of Digital, Culture Media and Sports Committee.

Green to Chair the DCMS Committee

Green will assume the rule in the wake of Julian Knight who recused himself from the Parliament recently. The latter man will meanwhile deal with sexual harassment allegations made against him to the Metropolitan Police.

Knight became the chair of the DCMS committee on January 2020, replacing Damian Collins in the position. Knight will now be temporarily succeeded by Green, who will serve as chair during the former’s absence.

Green is a Conservative MP for Ashford and has served as a member of the Committee since the beginning of the current Parliament. His earlier experiences include tenures as first secretary of state and minister for the cabinet office. He has also worked as а work and pensions secretary and has all the experience needed to lead the DCMS Committee.

Green: 2023 Will Bring Major Policy Challenges

Green spoke about his appointment and the important role of the DCMS in British politics in 2023. The committee is currently overseeing several inquiries, which, according to Green, will “bring some major policy challenges in the world of DCMS.”

The new chair listed a few of the important entries on DCMS’ agenda:

This year will undoubtedly bring with it some major policy challenges in the world of DCMS, with online safety, the future of public service broadcasting, sports governance and gambling all likely to feature high up on the agenda.

Damian Green MP

Green concluded that the DCMS Committee will continue working hard to “ask the right questions” and “scrutinize the approach and decisions of the Government and other bodies.”

The White Paper Is Set to Be Published in February

The DCMS Committee is comprised of members of various political groups. Its current iteration fields six Conservative members, three Labour Party members and two independents.

The body is of crucial importance to the ongoing Gambling Act review. The committee has been tasked with overseeing the inquiry and making sure that the new laws are in line with the modern age.

Unfortunately, the release of the notorious white paper was postponed multiple times in 2022, causing disgruntlement among both pro-gambling and anti-gambling parties. However, the review is now almost finished, according to the government, which makes Green’s role important to the industry.

The white paper will likely be published in February this year. Some are concerned about the outcome of the review. For example, John Stellar MP recently expressed his worries about the future of gambling, saying that the United Kingdom must protect the industry.

The group that offers securities brokerage, investment banking, and private banking services will pay attention to all options regarding strategic transactions and public tender offers that the group has received. While Catena Media has not yet received a firm bid for its business or assets, the affiliate did agree to sell AskGamblers to the Gaming Innovation Group in exchange for €45 million ($48.3 million) in December 2022.

All Eyes on Strategic Transactions and Public Tender Offers

Discussing the sale, Catena Media’s chief executive officer referred to it as a “major step” part of their journey with a focus on “online sports betting and casino affiliation” in well-developed, popular markets in North and South America. He also added that GiG has the potential of nurturing and growing a solid environment for AskGamblers as well as the other brands included in the same deal. 

The decision was made at the end of the strategic review initiated in May 2022 during which Catena Media took the possibility of the sale under consideration. An extension of the same review was announced later on, in August, allowing the company to decide if it should divest its European betting and online gaming assets and instead focus on markets in North America. Catena announced that a quarter of all of its staff in Europe had been laid off as a result of the review.

Expansion in US Markets

As part of its expansion plans in the regulated gambling market in the US, Catena Media announced its plans to launch sports betting in Kansas in August. Speaking about the launch, Catena Media’s vice president for content in North America, Dustin Gouker, expressed their great expectations regarding the launch while speaking about the “strong portfolio of national and regional sites”. According to Gouker, this portfolio would put the company in a good position in the context of the anticipated customer acquisition period following the launch of the sports betting market.

The leading generator of high-value leads for online casino operators, as well as financial and sports betting platforms has a rich portfolio packed with affiliation brands. The portfolio is used to direct online users to the best custom websites while improving their gaming experiences. At the moment, Catena Media has its headquarters in Malta and it is run with a staff made of 450 people located in North America, Europe, Oceania, and Asia-Pacific. 

The campaign was launched by the Kentucky Merchants and Amusement Coalition (KY MAC), an organization that represents the interests of small businesses such as bars, clubs, lodges and restaurants in the state.

KY MAC Calls for Additional Regulation of Skill Games

Currently, KY MAC represents more than 250 businesses that help by delivering economic stimulus and creating jobs. Under the new campaign, the organization urges lawmakers to implement changes to the legislation to better regulate skill games.

KY MAC calls for changes and additional regulations in an effort to protect such games which represent an invaluable revenue stream for small businesses. At the same time, the campaign calls for a further crackdown on illegal gambling activities in Kentucky.

The latest campaign, details of which emerged last week, will include digital advertisements, as well as radio spots. According to KY MAC, those efforts will help highlight the problem created by illegal gambling and urge for the additional regulation of skill games offered by small businesses.

The organization said that illegal gambling brings harm to communities and business owners. What’s more, KY MAC warned that money spent on illegal gambling does not stay in Kentucky and such operations “jeopardize the success of legitimate establishments.”

Tim Crisante, KY MAC’s secretary, explained that skill games deliver extra income for many small businesses in Kentucky. “Similar to pool and darts, skill games offer entertainment to patrons who stay longer, enjoy food and beverages, and spend additional dollars as these establishments,” he said. Finally, Crisante reiterated the support for the regulation of skill games and efforts against illegal gambling operations.

Although Kentucky doesn’t allow gambling such as luck-based games, this isn’t the case for skill-based games. This specific type of game does not fall under the current regulation, enabling businesses to provide such a form of entertainment.

“KY MAC is working closely with Kentucky lawmakers to pass legislation that would not only eliminate unregulated gaming operations but also generate additional tax revenue for the state from legal skill games.“

Wes Jackson, president of the KY MAC

Wes Jackson, KY MAC’s president, added that the organization continues to collaborate with lawmakers in the state urging them for legislative changes that will help skill games generate more taxes and crack down on illegal gambling activities. Last but not least, he pointed out that skill games deliver entertainment and boost the revenues of local businesses.

The fiery release introduces the first character of the pantheon, Svarog, the Slavic God of Fire. Players can expect an impressive selection of innovative game features and state-of-the-art mechanics known that have passed all field tests with flying colors. 

Power of Sun: Svarog Metrics Overview

• Reels: 5
• Rows: 3
• Paylines: 243
• RTP: 96.15%
• Hit Freq: –
• Max Win: 5,000x
• Volatility: Adjustable 
• Min/Max Bet: 0.10-10,000 

The First Installment in an “Electrifying Series”

Wazdan’s chief commercial officer Andrzej Hyla spoke about the “first installment” of what the company believes will turn into an “electrifying series”, describing the game as one with great potential to become a staple of their offering.

Hyka also discussed the “attention to detail on display” that will stimulate players’ senses and the easily-comprehensive game mechanics mixed with the theme inspired by mythology. Together, all these elements are prone to trigger “satisfactory results” for all Wazdan partners.

Among the most attractive elements and mechanics, we can mention the standard Hold the Jackpot round that comes with a variety of bonus symbols promoting bigger wins and turning all bonus rounds into even more exciting experiences. 

The Sticky to Infinity and Cash Infinity features are also part of the new game, giving operators the chance to take advantage of higher rates of player engagement improving the player experience, and boosting retention rates.

Players Can Pick their Preferred Volatility Level

When engaged in the Hold the Jackpot bonus round with the help of the Buy Feature, players are allowed to freely choose their preferred level of volatility while jumping straight into the action. The one-of-a-kind Wazdan Features allow players to easily make any additional adjustments needed to turn the game into a unique product.

During the Hold the Jackpot bonus round, players will enjoy the action on 15 different reels while waiting for the Mystery and the Svarog Mystery symbols. These symbols are able to change into a number of Collector and Jackpot symbols. 

The Svarog Jackpot is worth 1,000x the original bet and it can be triggered with the help of the Svarog Mystery symbol. Players who cover all 15 reels using bonus symbols can get their hands on the Grand Jackpot which is valued at 5,000x once the bonus round is complete.

Last December, Wazdan announced its sixth partnership deal with Paf, agreeing to power the company’s Spain-based brand with its top content. During the same month, the supplier also marked its seventh market entry for 2022 with the Czech Republic. 

Greentube, NOVOMATIC’s digital gaming and entertainment division, has launched Greentube Mynt, a new technology stack for producing and supplying games. According to the company, the revolutionary tech stack will “open a new chapter” in the history of iGaming.

Greentube Launched Greentube Mynt

Greentube Mynt is comprised of several modules and founded upon a cutting-edge remote gaming server (RGS). According to Greentube, Mynt is “the foundation for a future-proofed games entertainment solution. The new tech stack also comes equipped with all the engagement tools companies need to retain customers.

For example, player retention tools are presented as pre-installed in-game widgets with overlay functionality. This would help operators quickly grab the attention of players. Furthermore, Mynt’s back-end solutions would help operators create exciting promotional campaigns.

Another perk of using Greentube Mynt are the multiple jackpots, both timed and random, and the comprehensive Free Spins tool offered by the stack. Other community features, such as Prize Drops and Tournaments, will also be added. Lastly, Greentube promised to include a selection of white-label options in the near future.

Other Perks to Using Mynt

Thanks to Greentube Mynt Create, a refreshed version of the Games Development Kit, Greentube’s existing studio partners will be able to improve their pipeline and roll out quality games at a faster pace.

In addition, all of Greentube’s partners will be able to access the company’s network of business-to-business clients and business-to-customer brands.

Greentube added that the tech stack is supported by a robust microservices platform that provides a secure, reliable, robust and scalable framework. The platform also comes equipped with masterfully-designed tool support.

Mynt Can Revolutionize iGaming

Greentube is certain that Mynt has the potential to revolutionize the gaming market and usher in a new era of gamification. The company now plans to double down on its growth efforts and target more regulated markets.

Greentube’s chief games officer and chief financial officer, Michael Bauer, spoke about the launch of Greentube Mynt. He promised that the innovative tech stack will be “a true game-changer” for gaming companies all over the world.

This is only the start for the platform and we will be constantly improving it with fresh features that will further enhance the offering and improve returns for all stakeholders. We are working closely with our partners to offer the platform’s best-of-class services to as many of them as soon as it is possible.

Michael Bauer, CFO and CGO, Greentube

In other news, Greentube just inked a LATAM-facing agreement with LatamWin, a local gambling operator.