TransUnion, a company that is global information and insights provider, confirmed the launch of a new leading solution catering to the gaming sector. The company said Thursday it introduced Open Banking for Gaming, a solution that leverages its market-leading categorization engine that was built with more than a billion transactions.

Thanks to the new solution, gaming operators will be able to benefit from 330 different categories and sub-categories. Those options will enable gambling operators to make informed decisions about their growing customer base and at the same time promote safer gambling.

“TransUnion’s Open Banking for Gaming dashboard enables operators to gain insights into a player’s affordability, with transaction categories and filtering options, to make considered player risk decisions using consented data,“

explains a statement released by TransUnion

Using TransUnion’s Open Banking for Gaming tool, gaming companies will be able to gain unique insights into a player’s affordability. This is achieved via leveraging consented data which helps filter and categorize players’ affordability.

Such information can include employment data, bank statements, warning flags and other data that can help gaming operators determine the affordability of their players. At the same time, this solution helps with compliance as it also may deliver information regarding the source of funds. The whole process, according to TransUnion, is completed “in a matter of minutes.”

The Solution Helps Operators Make Informed Decisions

The latest announcement comes on the heels of a strategic investment made by TransUnion announced late in January. The company invested in the leading Open Banking and data intelligence firm Bud Financial Limited, in an effort to strengthen its Open Banking offering and boost the growth of its solutions.

“We’ve created this new bespoke solution for the gaming sector by drawing on our expertise in affordability assessments.“

Adam Hancox, director of gaming at TransUnion in the UK

Adam Hancox, TransUnion’s director of gaming in the UK, shared his excitement saying that the company leveraged its extensive experience to create this new solution that will help companies within the gaming vertical. According to him, the new solution will help operators make responsible and informed decisions for their customers. Finally, Hancox said that besides strengthening the trust in operators, the new solution helps by bringing an enhanced digital experience for the players.

Details emerged as a part of a trading update released on Thursday which saw the company report fourth quarter revenue of $576.7 million. This result, when compared to the Q4 2021 result of $547.7 million, marked a strong increase of more than 5%.

Adjusted EBITDA for the three months ended December 31, 2022, hit $145.8 million. When compared to the $118.7 million result from the corresponding period in 2021, the latest result marked an increase.

A breakdown of the total revenue of $576.7 million for Q4 2022 reveals Bally’s reported growth within its two main operating segments. For the period, the company’s gaming revenue increased to $461.6 million, while the non-gaming segment increased to $115.1 million, up from $458.9 million and $88.7 million respectively.

Focusing on the bigger picture, Bally’s recent report revealed data regarding the company’s overall performance in 2022. Last year, the company’s revenue soared to $2.3 billion. This result, when compared to the 2021 figure of $1.32 billion, marked a significant increase of more than 70% in revenue. Adjusted EBITDA in 2022 increased as well. Back in 2021, adjusted EBITDA halted at $329.9 million, while last year, it increased to $548.5 million.

The Results Bring Excitement to Bally’s

Earlier this month, Bally’s confirmed a planned C-level change. The company revealed that its current chief executive officer, Lee Fenton, would be stepping down from his role and will be replaced by Robeson Reeves. Although the leadership-level change was announced earlier this month, it will be in effect as of March 31, 2023, Bally’s explained.

“We remain committed to taking a deep dive approach in North America to ensure that investments we make in sports have a near-term path to profitability.“

Robeson Reeves, currently president of Bally’s and incoming CEO

Reeves commented in light of the recent financial update explaining that the company is excited to have “achieved record results in both our Casinos & Resorts and International Interactive segments.” Moreover, he pointed out that Bally’s continues to see strong cash flow generated by its core businesses.

According to Reeves, growing further into North America will be a key priority for the company. In conclusion, he pointed out that Bally’s online gambling operators have increased their share in Ontario, as well as New Jersey.

Twenty-one rounds of the 2022-23 German Bundesliga have passed, and the top three teams are on level points. Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, and Union Berlin each have 43 points right now. Thirteen more rounds are left, but all of these teams have no room for complacency.

In fact, Sunday’s game between Bayern Munich vs Union Berlin could prove crucial for them later on. This is why we expect both teams to give their utmost, which, in turn, will lead to 90+ minutes of absolute joy for soccer fans.

Bayern Munich vs Union Berlin Odds

*Odds taken from bet365 on Friday, February 24, 2023.

When, Where, and How to Watch?

• Place: Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany
• Date: Sunday, February 26, 2023
• Time: 11:30 AM ET
• How to Watch: ESPN+

Bayern Munich Missing Several Key Men

The reason why Bayern Munich are sitting top of the Bundesliga table despite having the same number of points as Borussia Dortmund and Union Berlin is that the reigning champions have a superior score differential.  

Julien Nagelsmann’s men are the highest-scoring bunch in the league, with 61 goals scored in 21 games. They also have the best defense in the Bundesliga, with only 21 goals conceded thus far. What needs to worry them is that one-third of the goals they allowed this season happened in their last five games. A possible explanation for this is that they’ve been having some injury problems at the back.

The donation was forwarded to the Turkey-Syria Earthquake Appeal by the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC). Pragmatic hopes that the money can be used to undo some of the damage done by a 7.8-magnitude earthquake that hit the city of Gaziantep in Türkiye, leading to the collapse of roads, hospitals, residential buildings and more.

Pragmatic Play Stresses the Importance of Helping Those Impacted

The number of people still trapped under the rubble is unknown and many people are categorized as missing in what is expected to be a growing death toll from the calamity. Across the border with Syria, and was felt across Aleppo, Latakia, and Hama.

Efforts have been also backed by the Turkish Red Crescent with the operations stretching across the border in Syria and relief funds underway. Food, medicine, and manpower have been dispatched. Volunteers from the entire world have flocked in to help with governments sending teams at the beginning of the disaster.

Meanwhile, the Syrian Arab Red Crescent has cautioned that five million people in the country have been impacted by the earthquake. Pragmatic hopes that its contributions will help caution against some of the damage and help with the provision of shelter, food, warm blankets, winter kits, and emergency medical treatment for those impacted.

More People Should Step Up and Back the Countries in The Hard Times

Pragmatic Play CEO Julian Jarvis spoke of the event and the need for everyone to act and do so quickly:

What has happened in Turkey and Syria is truly devastating. Pragmatic Play stands in solidarity with all those affected, and we are proud to support the British Red Cross and their contribution to humanitarian efforts in the region. We urge everyone to donate what they can to ensure that urgent aid continues to be delivered at this time of exceptional need.

Pragmatic Play CEO Julian Jarvis

British Red Cros Gibraltar Branch Cdr Edward L Davies RN thanked Pragmatic Play for the contribution and said that it will help with the continuous efforts to support the people who have been affected by the earthquake.

 “With our vital work still ongoing, we welcome any other donations which can be made through the DEC Turkey-Syria Earthquake Appeal website,” Davies concluded.

Mojabet will be a betting partner in the period between 2022-2028 and help Olympique de Marseille further establish its footprint across the African region. The operator is one of the most prominent betting and gaming companies in the market and has amassed a significant presence.

Boosting Fan Experiences and Engagements

The tie-up with Olympique de Marseille will further help strengthen the operator’s online offering with African sports fans, the companies say. The partnership allows the two partners to drive fan-friendly engagement that is placed within the responsible gaming culture, as well as expand on an international scale.

Mojabet and Olympique de Marseille’s fans will be able to benefit from excellent synergies between the two powerful networks and reap the benefits of this tier-one collaboration which is set with the future in mind.

To celebrate this new opportunity, Mojabet has launched the OM8 competition which will see sports fans answer eight questions once a week for a chance to win a cash prize and a range of authentic OM memorabilia. This game is going to launch on Sunday and coincides with the game that Olympique Marseille will play against Paris Saint-Germain.

The partnership will also see Mojabet brand assets and signage across LED screens and across social media channels. Commenting on this opportunity, MOJA Group CEO Paris Anatolitis said that Olympique de Marseille is one of the world’s best-known clubs:

Mojabet has established a dominant position across the continent but also has ambitious growth plans.

MOJA Group CEO Paris Anatolitis

According to Anatolitis, this partnership will help nurture even stronger fan connections and life experiences that are designed to provide consumers with the best betting options, but also with the most rewarding game days.

Reaping the Benefits of Localized Partnerships

The OM8 competition is just a preview of what is to follow as part of the collaborative efforts put in by Marseille de Olympique and Mojabet. Olympique de Marseille strategy & development general manager Pedro Iriondo was similarly pleased with the opportunity presented by the partnership.

“We are delighted to welcome Mojabet as a regional betting partner in Africa,” Iriondo explained. He confirmed that the opportunity with Mojabet will significantly allow the brand to expand its player base in the continent, and the club is now looking forward to working together with the operator.

The company is reportedly not ready to launch by the previously set date of March 10 which means that it will not be launching at all. MGC executive director Karen Wells said that the company is effectively withdrawing from Massachusetts because of missing that date.

PointsBet Bows Out of Massachusetts Online Betting Race

This means that there are a total of 10 sports betting mobile apps that are readying to launch before long, although not all will be coming on time for March madness this year. Betway, for example, is confirmed for a launch in 2024, and Bally Bet and Fanatics Sportsbook are expected to arrive in May this year.

DraftKings, FanDuel, Betr, Barstool Sportsbook, WynnBET, Caesars Sportsbook, and BetMGM should go online with the official launch date on March 10, when the Bay State is giving the go-ahead to its online betting industry. PointsBet will miss out on this launch, and not launch in what could have been a 14^th state for the company.

PointsBet’s most recent entry was in Ohio this January, and in Maryland before that in November. The company’s decision to bow out of the race in the Bay State is definitely a surprise as PointsBet has been very much determined to grow its footprint and go head-to-head with some of the biggest companies from the sector.

PointsBet could have made the decision to not compete in Massachusetts, acknowledging that the retail competition is too concentrated and that certain companies that run the land-based properties would be able to offer better and stronger incentives to customers to try their retail options, through loyalty and other marketing stratagems. Whatever the decision is, we won’t be seeing PointsBet come live on time for the online betting launch.

Addiction Switzerland, an organization tasked with monitoring gambling and addiction levels, has been running annual surveys to help establish changes in the nation’s gambling behavior. In 2018, an estimated 25% of 1,395 people interviewed said that they would gamble online weekly. This number has since increased to 30% as of 2021, the organization said, with the data collated with the help of a regional addiction association from the Western part of the country.

Switzerland Sees an Increase Number of Gambling Addicts Grow

The numbers, revealed on Thursday, have confirmed a worry that Addiction Switzerland has had for a while, specifically that the availability of gambling products would lead to more cases of pathological gambling. The data argue that 5.2% of the people who gamble can be classified as such, up from 2.3% in 2018. In other words, even though online gambling activity has increased by 5%, the rate of problem gambling has increased by more than 50%.

Addiction Switzerland has more data to offer on who is the most impacted and why. People between 18 and 29 seem to be the most impacted by this problem. Around 19% of people in that group already show signs of gambling addiction or risky behavior. The average person in that age group spends around $175 (CHF162), which is ahead of $112 (CHF105).

The link in gambling activity is linked to two factors, according to the survey. One is the fact that online gambling in Switzerland has simply become more available over the past years, with land-based companies swiftly entering the online space. The country held a referendum and barred foreign operators from entering the regulated gambling market in Switzerland.

However, there have been many new suppliers offering their products locally to incentivize players into trying online gambling. Another contributing factor to the increase in online gambling is the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns which left people with fewer entertainment options. Addiction Switzerland now insists that there should be a better information campaign among the most vulnerable age groups to help stem the tide and tackle the increase in overall rates of addiction.