Under the terms of the new deal, announced Thursday, the company will operate a sportsbook location that has the potential to grow and become a sportsbook within a hotel. The new venue is located at 2700 New York Avenue NE in Washington, DC and according to Elys, will be managed along with M. Jones and Company, an organization described as a “DC Certified Business Enterprise.”

Michele Ciavarella, Elys’ executive chairman, said that the company is excited to join forces with T & L Hospitality in Washington for the operation of this new location. He explained that the new venue has a strategic location considering it is at the border of DC and Maryland and can be accessed by customers from the two states.

“We are thrilled to partner with T & L Hospitality to operate this exciting new venue in Washington, DC, and being situated along the border of DC and MD, makes this venue accessible to players from both states.“

Michele Ciavarella, executive chairman at Elys Game Technology

The New Outlet Is Expected to Offer Plenty of Amenities

The new retail sports betting location is planned to have what Elys described as an “express betting area” where visitors can use the company’s Build-Your-Bet mobile tool that enables them to walk in and scan a QR code that finalizes their wager. At the same time, the location would have a 4,9000-square-foot lounge as well.

Besides the sportsbook lounge, the retail betting location is planned to have an additional restaurant area of 6,990 square feet that would offer a bar, as well as a VIP area. According to Elys, the new retail sportsbook would offer plenty of convenient options for bettors that want to place a fast wager, as well as sports fans that may be interested in sticking around and socializing. Visitors that prefer to go by car would be able to use parking that can fit up to 200 vehicles.

Initially, the agreement between the two companies is for a term of two years from the start of the sports betting activities. However, this agreement can be extended two times for two years at a time. It is important to mention that prior to commencing the activity licensing is needed.

“We look forward to continuing our sportsbook expansion within restaurants and bars in DC and neighboring states over the coming months.“

added Ciavarella

Elys’ chairman explained that the new location further complements the company’s growth. Ciavarella pointed out that Elys has already gained positive momentum in DC and plans to keep it. Finally, he predicted that Elys will continue to expand by offering such convenient locations that help boost local businesses.

The iGaming provider that has won the Innovator of the Year Award at the International Gaming Awards 2023 has teamed up with the bespoke content provider that specializes in innovation and intellectual property to create a romantic adventure-themed slot right on time for this year’s Valentine’s Day. 

Power of Love Metrics Overview 

• Reels: 5
• Rows: 4
• Paylines: 40-80
• RTP: 96%
• Hit Freq: 40%
• Max Win: €380,100
• Volatility: High
• Min/Max Bet: 0.20-50
• Release date: February 9, 2023

Keep the Love Growing and the Wins Coming 

Power of Love is played on a 5×4 grid that counts up to 80 payline. The action carries players in the middle of a retro love story in the 1950s. Players will get to experience the rockabilly music in the background, the inimitable Hollywood charm ruling over the scenery, and a red-colored background ruled by none other than Cupid watching over from a floating cloud. 

The design features a Love Meter to the right while the dashing lady and her suave gentleman partner take over the stage on the reels packed with small tokens of love including hearts, diamonds, and roses.

Yggdrasil’s head of product and programs Stuart McCarthy has expressed their delight to be able to launch the new game right in time for the upcoming holiday that celebrates love. McCarthy spoke about the mix of exciting features and the “love amorous” theme that players are prone to instantly fall in love with as soon as they start playing it. 

Reel Life Games’ chief executive officer Andy Kniaz has also expressed their excitement to introduce a new game as part of the YG Masters program. Kniaz also spoke about their long-term partnership with Yggdrasil which has already enabled them to “create fantastic gaming experiences” while expressing confidence that the new game would turn into another high-performance title. 

Power of Love Is Packed with Features 

The slot keeps players engaged with a series of valuable features, including Love is in the Air, Love is Popping, and Love Grows. While playing the base game, the Power of Love symbol represents the Wild that increases players’ chances to create winning paylines. 

When two halves of a heart are seen landing on consecutive reels, the Love Meter fills up. Once it reaches its full height, the special features become active on the selection screen.

The three features mentioned earlier can also be used in stacks and work together to generate massive win opportunities.

The Love is Popping feature will trigger between two and 20 Wild symbols to land on the reels while all the heart symbols will be turned into Wilds.

Love is in the Air is a symbol improvement feature that turns all selected symbols into matching symbols that are more valuable. The same feature also triggers two Wild symbols to land on the reels.

Love Grows is an expanding reel feature that will change the height of the reels and enable the grid to reach 5×8 in size while doubling the number of active paylines. 

When three bonus symbols are seen landing during a spin, players receive seven Free Spins that can stack all three features for the remainder of the bonus round.

Last September, Yggdrasil and Reel Life Games teamed up to launch Midway Money, a festive slot with a huge payout potential. 

This decision comes despite concerns raised by some individuals about the advertisements potentially violating the advertising code, which prohibits gambling operators from linking themselves with individuals who could attract minors, the ASA conducted a thorough investigation and ultimately determined that there was no violation of the code.

ASA Deems Crouch Does Not Appeal to Young Audiences

The BCAP Code requires gambling ads to not be attractive to children or young people and to avoid using people or characters with strong appeal to those under 18. 

The ad in question featured Peter Crouch and promoted Paddy Power’s Bet Builder for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The ASA evaluated whether Peter Crouch had a strong appeal to young audiences.

Although Peter Crouch was widely known earlier in his career, he retired in 2019 and played for less popular clubs after 2011, so he is not considered to have strong appeal to minors based on his soccer career. He also does not have a strong social media presence and is associated with TV programs and podcasts aimed at adult audiences. 

He recently appeared on “The Masked Dancer,” a family entertainment show with 8.5 million views from children. However, since he appeared as one of four panelists and the show was of broad demographic appeal, there was no evidence of strong appeal to under-18s, according to the BCAP Guidance.

Considering all of these facts, ASA deemed that the Paddy Power ad featuring Peter Crouch did not violate the rules.

Similar Decision on the Sky Bet Ad with Micah Richards

On basically the same grounds, ASA deemed that the Sky Bet ad featuring Micah Richards did not violate the advertisement code rules around gambling ads.

Micah Richards, a former professional soccer player, is well-known on TV as a pundit and has adult-oriented media profiles, but he has limited appeal to minors. His TV profile, social media presence, and other endorsements are predominantly adult-focused, with nothing in the ad likely to attract minors. 

As a result, it was concluded that the ad was not of strong appeal to children or young persons, and was compliant with the CAP Code.

Ads with Ex-Soccer Players Caused Controversy

The two ads, however, sparked a lot of debate and criticism. Charities combatting the consequences of problem gambling spoke out against the endorsement of celebrities in sports betting advertising.

Tom Fleming of Gambling with Lives pointed out that the use of celebrities to promote sports betting during the World Cup was a violation of the regulations introduced by the Advertising Standards Authority. He also highlighted that he finds it unacceptable for current or former soccer players or managers to endorse highly addictive products. 

The UK government is working towards revising its gambling laws, which have been postponed due to the political turmoil in the UK. However, these changes are expected to be implemented soon and will likely significantly restrict gambling advertisements.

On Wednesday, the company revealed it has secured the license for the La Marocaine des Jeux et des Sports (MDJS) following a competitive tender process. Ultimately, Sisal was selected as the victor of the tender process and signed an eight-year agreement for the MDJS in Morocco. With that in mind, the deal itself can be extended for a further term of 2 years. The operational launch, according to Sisal, is expected to be completed on January 1, 2024.

“We are extremely pleased to announce the consolidation of our offering in Morocco.“

Marco Caccavale, international managing director at Sisal and the CEO of Sisal Jeux Maroc

Marco Caccavale, Sisal’s international managing director and the CEO of Sisal Jeux Maroc, the local subsidiary that will be in charge of the exclusive distribution in Morocco, explained that the company is delighted to further expand its presence and enter a new market. He explained that the license is a testament to the quality of Sisal’s offering and complements its growth from the last few years.

“This is our fourth successful international tender, all of which have been highly competitive, recognizing the commitment, investment and know-how that make us unique in the market,“

added Caccavale

At the same time, Caccavale said that the entry into the market in Morocco holds significant potential for further growth. Caccavale pointed out that the latest license marks the fourth competitive international tender for Sisal. This, according to him reaffirms the company’s commitment to growth and ambition to capture emerging new opportunities. Finally, Caccavale said that Sisal benefits from being a part of the entertainment giant Flutter and this delivers unique experiences by developing joint products for different markets.

The Company Continues to Expand Its Presence in North Africa

Sisal’s latest tender in Morocco represents a major achievement for the company, considering that it will be the sole retail and online sports betting operator in the country. As noted, the company will offer exclusive services via a local entity called Sisal Jeux Maroc. Sisal Jeux Maroc will leverage a growing network of online and retail outlets to deliver Sisal’s leading services.

Elsewhere in North Africa, Sisal secured another major contract. Last year, the leading gaming, betting and lottery company, was awarded a concession contract for gaming services by the Tunisian gambling regulator, Promosport. In Tunisia, Sisal was awarded an exclusive 10-year license for the delivery of online games, instant lotteries, number games and sports betting.

The 2005-founded gaming entertainment provider of online slots invites players to join Roman soldiers in their endeavor to find golden coins and march their way to victory in their freshest slot release. 

Legion Gold Metrics Overview

• Reels: 5
• Rows: 3
• Paylines: 25
• RTP: 96.23% | 94.23% | 91.20% | 87.24% | 84.27%
• Hit Freq: –
• Max Win: 2000x 
• Volatility: Medium
• Min/Max Bet: 0.5-100
• Release date: February 9, 2023

There’s No Place Like Rome 

Fans of Ancient Rome-themed games will get a fresh taste of the fallen glory of the empire which used to be the center of the world. The action is set in a sumptuous Ancient Roman arena with large and sturdy columns, fierce lions, and valuable coins hidden around every corner, ready to be grabbed. 

The grid counts five reels, three rows, and 25 paylines and it is set up into Legion Gold to nicely alight with the winning combinations. To land a win, players must match between three and five identical symbols along a line, starting with reel number one. 

The game counts eight regular paying symbols that are spread into four low-paying symbols and four high-paying symbols, joined by a wild symbol, a scatter, and the mouth-watering Gold Coins. 

Players who land a line of five regular J-A royal symbols receive twice the amount of the bet. Landing five dog, horses, eagle, or bear symbols brings players 8x to 20x the stake. 

Legionnaire armored Bearer wild symbols are found on all reels and they can land in stacks, filling up the entire reel. These symbols replace all non-special pay symbols and they carry the same value as the growling bear symbol when making a winning line on their own.

The multiplying Wild symbols in the game are represented by the Gold Coins while the untamed Lions are the Scatters. 

Don’t Mess with the Roman Troops!

The Roman troops are not only beyond number, but they are also determined to hunt all golden coins in the new game with cool dynamics and straightforward action on the reels. 

Players who land a minimum of three Lion scatter symbols trigger the Mega Free Spins round.  When engaged in it, they can land a Mega symbol on any location on the reels. Landing six Coin symbols or a single Mega Coin symbol anywhere on the reels will activate the Gold Re-Spins. 

Play’n GO has also included an innovative progress feature where players’ lives are counted. New players receive three lives to get started during the Gold Re-Spins. Provided no coins land during any of the re-spins, players lose a life.

Speaking about the new release, the company’s head of game retention George Olekszy has emphasized the fusion between the game’s narrative and its spectacular features meant to send players straight into a Roman soldiers’ march.

Play’n GO started the year by inking an agreement with Kindred-owned brand 32Red for the UK market, right before launching Pilgrim of Dead, an Egyptian-themed game part of the popular Dead series.