The executive director held his speech during the ICE World Regulatory Briefing. Miller took the opportunity to issue a warning regarding the existence of illegal betting options while emphasizing the need to protect Britain’s regulated gambling market. 

“Gambling Today Is in Many Ways a Global Tech Industry”

Miller, who is responsible for research and statistics, policy development, and the national strategy for reducing gambling harms, expressed the commission’s view on today’s gambling industry. He explained what the new changes represent for gambling regulators. Calling today’s gambling “a Global Tech Industry,” Miller touched on the topic of the way large gambling organizations currently operate in the industry. 

He mentioned the advanced research and development adopted by these companies, along with their ongoing efforts to create innovative products and the expansion of their digital and multinational operations. Together, all these transformations look and feel “more like international ‘Big Tech’”, said Miller, comparing gambling companies’ operations from two decades ago. 

The changes are also influencing consumers’ experiences as well as the way regulatory bodies need to do their jobs, added the executive. Alongside the highly competitive markets found in numerous jurisdictions, the new state of things is currently triggering a number of trends that were flagged by the Commission during the ICE event.

Blurred Boundaries, Mergers and Acquisitions Cost More to Investigate 

One of the first trends discussed by Miller referred to the ongoing, fast-paced, “multi-layered” mergers and acquisitions in Great Britain. These operations helped the top three gaming operators here reach a market share of around 50% in the past five years. 

At the same time, the top 10 operators represent 77% of the total business-to-consumer gross gambling yield. Miller explained that the complexity of these mergers and acquisitions is forcing investigators to spend more resources to investigate wrongdoings. 

Miller spoke about fresh and innovative products like cryptocurrencies, synthetic shares, and non-fungible tokens that continue to be hard to define and regulate. While used by gambling companies to reach new audiences, these products are also targeted by people “looking to make money around the edges of regulated gambling.”

The Need for Global Collaboration Between Regulators 

The matter of illegal online gambling with an emphasis on “not on Gamstop” websites that target individuals who have self-excluded from gambling was also raised by Miller. Similar to other regulators in the industry, the UKGC continues to direct additional resources to combat this particular problem and disrupt illegal sites. At the same time, the UKGC is partnering up with other regulators while asking jurisdictions that host and license illegal platforms to stop.

Miller reiterated the idea that simply because illegal online options continue to exist should not force the regulated gambling industry in Britain to be subject to “lower, less fair, or less safe standards.”

Thanks to the strong bonds created between worldwide regulators, there is an increase in the number of discussions regarding bad practices and bad behaviors of some operators. In turn, this continues to help the UKGC keep an eye on the respective operators in their own jurisdictions.

Miller added that all regulatory bodies should keep making efforts to drive standards up while offering consumers a safe, top-quality experience.

In January, the UKGC fined TonyBet over anti-money laundering and social responsibility breaches. 

Details of the new all-in-one fan engagement suite emerged Tuesday. The company explained that the new engine will deliver unique ways for sportsbooks, teams, leagues, brands and other sports industry stakeholders to engage with their fans.

Genius’ fan engagement Suite consists of data-driven solutions that provide a wide range of marketing capabilities. What’s more, the new engine includes engagement tools and features that help bring closer brands with their fans by creating long-term relationships.

“With the launch of the Genius Marketing Suite, we are integrating the acquisitions of FanHub and Spirable alongside our proven media buying solutions to better serve any brand looking to engage sports fans.“

Mark Locke, CEO of Genius Sports

Mark Locke, Genius Sports’ CEO, explained that the launch of the company’s new solution delivers unique options for any brand that wants to engage with a sports fan base. He pointed out that the company is confident in its product, considering that it understands sports fans and knows the perfect way to connect with them.

Locke added: “As a leader in sports data, we can create authentic and real-time experiences at every step of the marketing funnel.” Finally, the CEO said that the new Genius Marketing Suite can help different stakeholders within the sports vertical regardless if sportsbook, apparel company or sports team.

As a proven leader within the sports realm, Genius is already famous for its unique activations. The company has engaged with globally recognized brands such as Heineken, Coca-Cola and Diageo, to name a few. Moreover, Genius has engaged with leading sports betting operators including FanDuel, DraftKings, bet365 and sports leagues like the MLB and the NFL.

Genius Marketing Suite Brings Unique Features

Details released by Genius reveal that the Genius Marketing Suite includes a service called Genius Media Buying. The service grants advertisers a unique option to retain and convert sports fans by using targeted advertisement campaigns. Additionally, the new engagement engine offers a feature that enables brands to “create, automate and optimize highly personalized dynamic video, display and CTV adverts.” This functionality is called Genius Creative.

On the other hand, the new fan engagement engine also offers Genius Games, a solution that helps brands engage with their fans by delivering gamification solutions. Such solutions can include predictor, trivia and fantasy games that connect the fans with the brands. Last but not least, Genius’ new product includes interactive media tools that help create widgets, sports data APIs and other data-rich visualizations via its Genius Data & Content feature.

The Reds are sitting in the No. 10 position in the Premier League with a 0-1-3 record since the start of the year. Everton are in slightly better form (1-0-3), but they’re still stuck in the relegation zone.

Liverpool vs Everton Odds

*Odds taken from bet365 on Tuesday, February 7, 2023.

When, Where, and How to Watch?

• Place: Anfield in Liverpool, England
• Date: Monday, February 13, 2023
• Time: 3:00 PM ET
• How to Watch: Paramount+

A Must-Win Game for Liverpool

The 2022-23 season won’t go down in history as Liverpool’s best. Jurgen Klopp’s men just aren’t doing well. They’re in the middle of the table in the Prem, while their journey in the FA Cup ended with a loss to Brighton in late January. Further, they also got knocked out of the EFL Cup in December after losing 3-2 to Manchester City.

What this all means is that practically the only way to win silverware this season is to win the UEFA Champions League. Unfortunately, for them, their opponent in the first round of the knockout stage is the UCL reigning champion, Real Madrid.

Their first game with Los Blancos is played just eight days after the clash with Everton. This explains why winning the Merseyside Derby is a must for Klopp’s boys – they need to win to boost their confidence.

The Reds do have a better roster than Everton, but some of their key men are struggling with injuries. Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota, and Roberto Firmino will miss Monday’s game.

Can Everton Slay Another Giant?

In their most recent game, Everton defeated the EPL table leaders Arsenal 1-0. It wasn’t a vintage performance by the Toffees, but they did get all three points. They defended with all they got in that match, letting the Gunners have the ball in their possession 70% of the time.

We expect to see them defend ferociously once again, but can they pull it off two times in a row? They might, knowing that they usually play well against their intercity rival. The last time they played (September 3, 2022), they held Liverpool to a 0-0 draw.

Liverpool vs Everton Prediction

It’s really time for Liverpool to start playing better soccer. Even though they’re banged up, they do have plenty of talent in their squad. They will also have fan support on Monday, which should help them get in the fight mode against Everton.

Picks: Liverpool to win and under 2.5 goals

The collaboration between the duo dates back to last year. Back then, the two companies joined forces to develop eight games. However, considering the extended deal between AvatarUX and Light & Wonder, the collaboration is expected to deliver games such as MonkeyPop and CherryPop to Light & Wonder’s leading digital casino ecosystem called the Opengaming platform.

Per the terms of the extended deal, AvatarUX will benefit from extending the reach of its leading games to new operators and jurisdictions. One major market for the company’s expansion will be North America. Additionally, the deal will deliver AvatarUX’s PopWinsä mechanics to new players this year. The distribution of the studio’s games will be facilitated via Light & Wonder. At the same time, Light & Wonder will benefit from delivering engaging content and titles to its customer base.

“Our relationship with AvatarUX has already proven to be a success after only a few short months.“

Steve Mayes, digital head of partnerships at Light & Wonder

Steve Mayes, Light & Wonder’s digital head of partnerships, said that the company’s deal with AvatarUX brought benefits immediately. He explained that Light & Wonder is excited to further build upon this strong partnership by adding new top-performing content that is expected to be significantly popular with online players. Finally, Mayes said: “AvatarUX is one of the most exciting emerging game providers in the industry, and we’re delighted to be working with them more closely than ever.”

“Light & Wonder is an iconic iGaming brand, and our collaboration has already born significant success.“

Niki Longmuir, CEO at AvatarUX

Niki Longmuir, AvatarUX’s CEO, added that Light & Wonder is a trusted and proven leader within the iGaming vertical. She pointed out that the company’s collaboration with Light & Wonder brought success to the duo. Longmuir predicted that the collaboration will create new revenue streams for AvatarUX by increasing brand visibility.

Moreover, according to the CEO, the extended deal with Light & Wonder will enable AvatarUX to deliver its leading games to important US jurisdictions. Finally, Longmuir explained that the extended distribution deal represents a monumental moment for the company and its collaboration with Light & Wonder.

Bonnie Rivers, a running back for the Los Angeles Rams, has won a whopping $514,837 thanks to his poker skills. The player played Three Card Poker at the Caesars Palace casino in Las Vegas and won by a landslide.

As reported by KTNV, the athlete was in Las Vegas to celebrate his birthday and his mother’s. The now-24 member of the LA Rams won with a royal flush between his three cards and the three cards held by the dealer.

The spectacular victory earned the young player more than half a million dollars, which will be life-changing for him. Rivers disclosed that he plans to spend the money on a new house. The sum he won notably represents around 70% of his annual salary (around $705,000).

Caesars Entertainment congratulated the player on his spectacular victory, sharing news of his achievement on its social media channels.

The Young Player Had Quite a Journey

The jackpot winner joined his current team in September 2022 and by November 2022, he was welcomed into the Rams’ main roster. Rivers finished the season with 9 carries for 21 yards and 5 catches for 29 yards.

Prior to that, however, the young athlete faced some difficulties in finding a team.

In May, Rivers had a short stint as a free agent at the Arizona Cardinals, which quickly cut him. The player later moved to the Seattle Seahawks, where he stayed but for a few weeks.

The athlete was always passionate about football. He played college football at the Fresno State and has always been an avid player and sports enthusiast. Rivers went to Freedom High School in Oakley, California, where he proved to be a talented young star. As a senior in high school, Rivers rushed for 2,239 and scored 33 touchdowns.

Other Recent Jackpot Winners

In December, a woman grabbed the $1.68 million jackpot at Harrah’s Resort in Atlantic City after wagering no more than 5 dollars. This win turned out to be the largest progressive poker game jackpot and once again attested to the opportunities offered by Caesars Entertainment.

Around the same time, another woman won a jackpot of $175,000 from scratch cards. While the federal taxes brought her win to $124,250, the win was still quite impressive considering that the woman paid only a few bucks for a bunch of tickets.

The company is happy to tap into the Megaways feature which will be introduced and incorporated into its own game development processes and allow Jelly to further enhance its slot offer.

Revelling in the Megaways Experience with Jelly Entertainment

Megaways games are patented by Big Time Gaming which has been patenting it to third parties in the industry, generating further awareness for the segment and revenue from its unique creation. Now, Jelly Entertainment is the latest company to leverage this feature and implement it into its products which will focus on the UK market at first.

Jelly already has a game in production, Fury of Hyde Megaways, which is part of the broader signature series, Curious Cases. Players are promised “heart-pounding excitement” and a high volatility slot that will come with excellent bonus features and free spins.

Multipliers and boosts are also implemented in the core gameplay, adding to the variety and excitement that builds up as players anticipate realizing a solid win on the reels. The maximum multiplier is set at 10,000x as is the case with most Megaways games, too.

Victoria Newbolt, the marketing lead at Jelly Entertainment, has hailed the arrival of the Megaways feature as part of the developer’s strong portfolio of games. Newbolt said that any game studio would be happy to have the Big Time Gaming feature and benefit from it.

So far as production is concerned, Newbolt is confident that consumers will be happy with what is to follow. “We have some incredible Megaways slots in the works that’ll leverage the hugely popular mechanic but with our unique twist to ensure Jelly’s Megaways titles stand out in any operator game lobby,” she explained.

Jelly Entertainment Continues to Strengthen Its Position in iGaming

Jelly Entertainment recently joined Pariplay’s Ignite platform, giving the studio the opportunity to access a wide network of partners, but also a robust platform that helps with delivery and development, and further slashes costs for studios.

Jelly’s position as a disruptor is yet to be consolidated as the company continues to add to its list of games, and is expected to grow its product offering in the coming months. The Studios secured investment from EveryMatrix back in 2022 and is continuing to be a promising developer in the iGaming sector.

Bet-at-home and EveryMatrix have solidified their existing partnership as the developer’s OddsMatrix solution goes live across all MGA-regulated markets, with a German launch soon to follow. EveryMatrix’s software suite offers various innovative features, promising to boost revenue and efficiency. The mutually beneficial agreement allows Bet-at-home to downsize its team, freeing up more resources to focus on future growth.

Bet-at-Home Is Still Recovering from Recent Misfortunes

The two companies announced their intent to extend their partnership in July 2022. Bet-at-home chose to gradually phase out its existing proprietary platform in favor of EveryMatrix’s comprehensive turnkey solution, powering the operator with a modern sportsbook, casino platform, player management, payments, and affiliate software. With the shift now complete, Bet-at-home faces some imminent changes.

The Tier-1 operator had a troubled 2022, withdrawing from the UK market after leaving Austria the previous year. The shock of these two events continues to impact the company’s bottom line, mostly offsetting any underlying growth. The shift to EveryMatrix’s technology stack is part of a broader consolidation effort, which will see up to 45 employees leave as their jobs get outsourced.

Adopting a new, more streamlined technology platform allows Bet-at-home to gather much-needed momentum, shake off its previous misfortunes and deal with looming macroeconomic challenges. The operator expects to acquire new licenses in Poland and the Netherlands, hoping its high brand recognition would net it a significant customer boost.

EveryMatrix Continues to Excel

Securing Bet-at-home as a core client maintains EveryMatrix’s streak of success. The developer enjoyed stellar 2022 financial results and began the new year with a bang, securing a partnership with Hungary’s national lottery operator. EveryMatrix CEO Ebbe Groes expressed excitement about the Bet-at-home deal, adding that the developer was quickly gaining popularity among global, tier-1 brands.

Going live with bet-at-home is a huge milestone for both our OddsMatrix sportsbook platform and for the business.

Ebbe Groes, CEO of EveryMatrix

Bet-at-home was equally as positive regarding the deal. CEO Marco Falchetto lauded EveryMatrix’s positive results on the operator’s casino division, expressing hope that the success would translate equally to the sportsbook platform, which is responsible for most of the company’s profits. Bet-at-home plans a two-stage launch, beginning with the company’s Malta-licensed businesses, with Germany soon to follow.

The combination of (EveryMatrix’s) outstanding track record, best-in-class technology, and enormous expertise made this an easy choice.

Marco Falchetto, CEO of Bet-at-home

Pursuing closer cooperation is immensely beneficial to both parties. Bet-at-home receives a superior technology solution, bolstering its operations while outsourcing a significant portion of the workload. EveryMatrix secures its ties with one of its most substantial and far-reaching customers to date, substantially improving its brand recognition and gaining access to new markets across Europe. With such a match made in heaven, the two companies can look forward to an outstanding 2023.