PokerStars’ merger with its New Jersey and Michigan online poker sites is already creating a huge growth in revenue, and it’s just the beginning of things to come.
As of January 1, PokerStars, the world’s largest online poker site, became the first to begin shared liquidity between the two states. Merging player pools between two states with a combined population of nearly 20 million is significant for the online poker industry in the United States.
“Michigan and New Jersey joining forces is great news for our players in these two states, and poker, more generally,” said PokerStars US Managing Director, Severin Rasset at the time. “As it promises a better experience and even more value, all with the confidence provided by a trusted, licensed operator.”
Early Impacts of Shared Liquidity
Rasset’s comments have already been proven accurate as the player pool merger is bringing about increased revenue for PokerStars US and online poker in the US in general. Last month, PokerStars generated $1.1 million in Michigan, tops in the state and a clear early sign the merger has been beneficial.
New Jersey
Live Poker is allowed
Live Poker is legal since 1977
New Jersey Casino Control Act
Here are the Best New Jersey Poker Apps!
New Jersey is where the biggest gains have come from the shared liquidity. As we reported recently, the state’s seven online poker sites generated a combined $2.1 million in revenue during the month of December. In January, however, that spiked up to $2.7 million, according to the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement, a positive sign for those who support shared liquidity between multiple states.
PokerStars has already taken over the top spot in Michigan, overtaking BetMGM, in terms of revenue generated in January. BetMGM had another strong month with over $817,000 in revenue, but still quite a bit behind the $1.1 million of PokerStars.
There are currently five states with legal poker sites in operation — Delaware, Michigan, New Jersey, Nevada, and Pennsylvania. PokerStars is available in Michigan, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, and has a shared liquidity deal now between MI and NJ. Pennsylvania’s PokerStars site, partnered through Mount Airy Casino Resort, as the Keystone State doesn’t yet have a multi-state agreement in place for online poker.
As the company behind blockbuster slot games including Book of Dead, Play’n GO titles are enjoyed by online casino players in more than 25 regulated markets around the world, including the UK. Chief executive and co-founder Johan Törnqvist explains why sensible regulation is the only way to ensure a sustainable and safe future.
Q: Why has Play’n GO been so focused on regulated markets?
When we founded Play’n GO back in 2005, we weren’t imagining a multinational company with a team of more than 700 people. We were a group of online casino fans who just wanted to build great games. That was important because growth for growth’s sake was never the priority. We wanted to create entertaining games people could enjoy, and we understood that things like player safety, and taking the sustainable path, were non-negotiable if we were to achieve our goal.
The important thing for us is that the rest of the world has begun to catch up to this way of thinking, particularly over the last five to 10 years. When we started out, much of the industry viewed us as naive. They thought we were leaving value on the table, but there was always a bigger picture to consider here. We designed games to entertain, while others designed them to increase customer spending. Players, regulators and the public in markets across the globe have now made it noticeably clear which approach is acceptable.
Q: In your view, what does good iGaming regulation look like?
There’s no single answer to that. We’re active in more than 25 jurisdictions worldwide, and these are a disparate collection of places including the UK, Italy, Colombia and the state of New Jersey. You’ve got to take a local view on these things; mature markets such as the UK are going to require different things from its regulatory framework than an emerging market.
That said, there are certainly some guiding principles. Player safety needs to be at the forefront of everything. We’ve always considered that we have a duty of care to our players, and this should inform not just how an operator presents and markets itself, but also how we build our games.
Take one example, bonus buy games. These became popular in recent years, allowing people to buy directly into a bonus round. However, we didn’t see this as aligning with a sustainable and entertainment-first way to play, so we’ve never added the feature to our titles. Regulators in both the UK and the Netherlands have agreed with us and banned the features. Others will likely follow, but for us it’s about setting an example and doing the right thing regardless.
Q: Which regulated markets are you most excited about for 2023?
Everyone’s talking about North America right now, and for good reason. As more US states and Canadian provinces regulate, it will gradually shift the epicentre of the global online gaming industry. Last year, we entered both the US and Canada for the first time, and it is a priority to expand into more regulated markets across the region this year.
What’s also exciting now is that regulated markets are no longer the preserve of Europe. The entire world is waking up to the importance of introducing sensible iGaming legislation. Latin America is another important region, and we are already live in Colombia and Argentina. We’ll be watching other markets, particularly Brazil, in hope that they follow the lead. We want to help bring safe online casino entertainment to more people, wherever they may be living.
Other stories covered include 1999 WSOP champ Noel Furlong leaving behind a literal fortune, Connor Richards’ Top 5 Casino Movies you must watch, and Rafi Azam winning the RGPS Jamul Main Event for $52,820.
Finally, Jesse has a conversation for his fellow Global Poker Award nominee Caitlin Comeskey to talk about her come-up in poker, content production, and much more!
Listen to those stories and more on the latest episode of the PokerNews Podcast!
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Time Stamps
Tell us who you want to hear from. Let us know what you think of the show — tweet about the podcast using #PNPod, and be sure to follow Chad Holloway, Jesse Fullen, and Connor Richards on Twitter.
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Online casino operator Videoslots announced Wednesday that it would challenge the mammoth €9.9 million ($10.5 million) fine it was issued by the Dutch gambling regulator, Kansspelautoriteit (KSA).
Regulator vs Operator
The KSA slapped Videoslots with the record financial sanction for violation of the Dutch Gambling Act but the Malta-based iGaming operator stated that there was no violation of the gambling law, and accused the regulator of abusing the mystery shopping regime.
“Videoslots does not target but restrict the Netherlands, so the Dutch Gaming Act does not apply to its services,” commented Ulle Skottling, deputy chief executive officer of Videoslots, outlining that since not a single Dutch player was able to access the company’s website during the disputed period, there was no violation.
Videoslots was penalized after in April 2022 the KSA managed to gain unauthorized access to its website by pretending to be a German customer, then made a deposit and wagered a single bet worth €0.20 ($0.21).
“It is absurd that the KSA should fine us after gaining unauthorized access,” continued Skottling, highlighting that “it is simply not possible to protect fully against unauthorized access, and the KSA has no guidelines on what measures are sufficient.”
Unauthorized vs Illegal
The KSA attempted to register as a Dutch customer after becoming aware that its logo had been displayed on the operator’s website while it was preparing its application for a license in the Netherlands.
Videoslots claims that the KSA logo was mistakenly displayed for a short period of time and as soon as the company became aware of the mistake, it was immediately taken down from its website but the mistake has already attracted the regulator’s interest.
As it could not sign up as a Dutch consumer due to the effective measures Videoslots has put in place to prevent residents of countries in which the company was not licensed to operate from signing up such as the Netherlands, the KSA switched tactics, applied as a German customer and finally succeeded to gain access.
Objecting to the allegation and the record fine, Skottling pointed out that “there was no demonstrable damage and the interests of Dutch consumers were never compromised at any point,” claiming that the KSA has “calculated the fine based on several guesstimates” with “no basis” and “sense of proportionality.”
Videoslots acted as soon as they became aware of the unauthorized sign-up by implementing further measures that would prevent similar sign-ups in the future but the KSA decided to stick to its sanction-based practice and slap the record fine.
“Videoslots takes its legal and regulatory obligations extremely seriously, but we dispute the KSA’s actions and conclusions, which we believe are unlawful,” Skottling added, confident that the company would achieve “a positive outcome in this case.”
Back in January, PokerNews told you why you should be praying for bad beats at TigerGaming. Well, we’re now excited to let you know that there have been some player-friendly changes to the Bad Beat Jackpot that make it even bigger and better than before.
From March 1, all of the No Limit Hold’em cash tables on TigerGaming will have their own jackpot by stake level, which looks to increase the frequency of payouts across the site. Whether you’re a novice to the online felt or have long paid your dues, anyone can reap the rewards.
There are even more opportunities for jackpots to be hit as the requirement has been lowered to Aces Full of Twos.
And one of the best things about the new Bad Beat Jackpot is that you don’t even need to be involved in the hand to get a slice of the prize. Every single player at that stake level will be rewarded with some cash as long as they’re sitting at the tables when the jackpot triggers:
20% player with Bad Beat
10% winner of the hand
10% players at the table
20% players at other BBJ tables
35% reseed
5% fee
And what’s even better, as the jackpot size continues to increase, TigerGaming will periodically make the bad beat jackpot qualifying hand easier. This gives you a better chance of triggering the epic payout!
The poker software banners will display the most current qualifying hand. Check these banners to confirm the most current requirements.
2022 TigerGaming Bad Beat Jackpot Hall of Fame
DATE
WINNER
CASH PRIZE
January 20, 2022
TYGALAXY
$37,027
January 22, 2022
ninjabro
$14,784
January 29, 2022
lURll_I
$17,083
May 26, 2022
AlaskaWilly
$30,563
July 2, 2022
thisisnotchess
$56,876
July 18, 2022
wadrube67
$41,761
July 25, 2022
Shlyapik
$22,950
August 23, 2022
jb1981$$
$43,439
August 23, 2022
howtofold?
$15,916
September 2, 2022
ded_perdun
$17,879
September 18, 2022
Capt Clap
$28,783
October 2, 2022
bigrun5
$28,194
October 19, 2022
Novichok
$32,776
November 30, 2022
SIadkiSlivki
$30,999
December 2, 2022
Calcetines
$12,980
December 2, 2022
NICKW87
$4,676
December 12, 2022
GoshaR
$16,979
December 25, 2022
DonYagon
$24,039
December 27, 2022
pr0d1gy
$11,988
December 30, 2022
Lilium
$8,413
Pad Your Bankroll With $1,000 in Bonus Money
TigerGaming is waiting for you with open arms and is offering all PokerNews readers the chance to bag themselves a 100% up to $1,000 welcome bonus to kickstart their careers at this long-running online poker site. Download TigerGaming via PokerNews, create your free account, and make a deposit of at least $50, and TigerGaming will match your initial deposit 100% up to a maximum of $1,000.
You need to email TigerGaming’s excellent support team, who will activate your welcome bonus. Send an email to [email protected], stating your account number, deposit amount, plus the date and time of your deposit, along with a mention of the bonus code “NEWTG” within 24 hours of depositing, and your bonus will be activated within 24 hours.
Once activated, you have 30 days to release as much of the bonus into your playable balance as possible. The bonus releases in $5 increments each time you contribute $50 to the cash game rake or pay in tournament fees.
List of Restricted Countries
Please be aware that residents of the following countries cannot play at TigerGaming. The list is updated regularly, so it pays to frequent the terms and conditions page on the TigerGaming website.
The cross-platform global game company released its official Q4 and end-of-the-year financial results, showing growth across all significant verticals. Light & Wonder’s impressive performance is already bearing dividends for its shareholders, who can expect strong momentum going into 2023. The management team expressed confidence that the company’s strategic transformation would continue to bring sustainable value and uncover new business opportunities.
Solid Financials Open Up New Growth Avenues
Light & Wonder made substantial profits in the final quarter, recording gaming revenues of $438 million for an 18% year-on-year growth. Gaming machine sales continued to be a leading contributing factor, growing by 41% amidst ongoing momentum. Gaming operations, systems, and tables also performed well, indicating a strong and sustainable business model.
SciPlay’s Q4 revenue reached $182 million, rising 18% compared to 2021. iGaming revenue also soared by 15% thanks to strong momentum in the US market. Light & Wonder’s combined Q4 profits are $682 million, bringing end-of-the-year revenues to $2.51 billion. The impressive financial performance lays the groundwork for future expansion as the company wasted no time pursuing new business opportunities in 2023.
Streamlining Measures Played a Pivotal Role
The Light & Wonder had good reason to describe 2022 as pivotal for the company. The last quarter concluded a period of dynamic restructuring as the gaming products giant reorganized its operations by selling off its lottery and sports betting businesses. Light & Wonder president and CEO Matt Wilson proudly announced that the initiative was successful and would be instrumental for the company’s efforts going into 2023.
We delivered on an ambitious and transformative plan while driving operational success and double-digit growth in our business.
Matt Wilson, Light & Wonder president and CEO
In March, the company officially changed its name from Scientific Games to better reflect its services and place in the market. Shortly after, a successful refinancing plan reduced the global game giant’s debt by 50%, announcing a renewed focus on long-term investment opportunities. Company CFO Connie James noted that the strong balance sheet and clear roadmap significantly elevated Light & Wonder’s value proposition.
We delivered quality earnings, setting the foundation for sustainable growth going forward as we continue to focus on delivering shareholder value.
Connie James, Light & Wonder CFO
Light & Wonder has wasted no time in the first few months of the year and secured several high-profile strategic partnerships. The company’s pioneering Wonder 500 solution is already gaining popularity with operators, while a recent agreement with the Oregon Lottery may bear significant future dividends. Overall, the company enters 2023 leaner, more focused, and determined to maintain its leading market position.
In the poker industry, there is no secret signal when a scandal strikes. There is no bat symbol illuminating the Las Vegas skyline when a cheater surfaces. No siren sounds when a particular ruling is botched.
If there was, it’s easy to imagine it being patched through to the desk of Shaun Deeb. If anyone has a weather eye on the horizon for controversy — it’s him.
Deeb’s Poker Career
First and foremost, Deeb has amassed a formidable poker resume. In addition to five WSOP bracelet victories — including two seven-figure scores in Pot-Limit Omaha High Rollers — Deeb has a staggering thirty top-10 finishes in WSOP bracelet events in both Las Vegas and at King’s Resort, Rozvadov for the WSOP Europe.
Shaun Deeb: I’m Going to Break Hellmuth’s Record
His over $11,000,000 in career earnings was boosted most recently by yet another mixed-game win, coming in the PokerGo Tour Mixed Games $10,300 H.O.R.S.E.
“I think that, because of my history and my expertise, people should blindly listen to me”
Deeb does not immediately strike you as a caped crusader; a vigilante against poker injustice. However, he believes the longevity of his career — and perhaps the success he has achieved during it — should earn him a modicum of respect from others in the industry.
“I’ve been in the poker scene for almost 20 years now,” Deeb told PokerNews. “I’ve seen most situations, so usually I’m a pretty good judge when it comes to the rules and what should be done.
“I interject my opinion because I think that, because of my history and my expertise, people should blindly listen to me — almost always.”
A Controversy Magnet?
Despite a reputation as a family man — he once missed the birth of his son to play in the World Championship of Online Poker — Deeb has publically feuded with numerous poker stars such as Daniel Negreanu and Bryn Kenney. A cognoscente of sorts, Deeb is not afraid of taking opinionated stances on tournament rules, and what he perceives to be the correct application of them.
The Muck: Daniel Negreanu and Shaun Deeb Twitter Feud Gets Personal
But how do these situations come about in the first place? Is the person involved inexperienced, interpreting the rules incorrectly of just plain negligent?
“Some of the most difficult arguments that I’ve had with staff members are with those who think they’re more experienced.”
“Thinking back, there have been so many controversies that fit into every one of those categories. What I will say is that some of the most difficult arguments that I’ve had with staff members — at different properties — are with those who think they’re more experienced.
“They’re quick to say they’ve been doing something for twenty years. And I’m like: consistency doesn’t make it correct.”
While Deeb may be quick to fire up Twitter to voice his opinion, he says that others come directly to him. According to him, they recognize his vast understanding of the poker industry and actively seek out his thoughts and input.
“Someone once came to me saying they liked my ideas and basically asked me to tell them everything that was wrong with what they were doing, and how I thought I would change it. I don’t expect to be the only person listening to people like that in the industry, but I do want to be one of the voices.
“A lot of times I end up arguing with players in a certain situation saying ‘Why isn’t XYZ happening?’, and I’m like ‘Don’t you understand how difficult that would be to implement?’ I think the decision-makers in the industry know who the passionate players are, ones who are also knowledgeable and understand where operators are coming from.”
How to Play Online Poker with Friends
Deeb and Robbi Lew
The most recent scandal Deeb inserted himself into was arguably the biggest of 2022. The scandal surrounding the “Call Heard Round the Poker World” would go on to spawn several spin-off scandals — most of which Deeb was heavily involved in.
From appearing on podcasts to accusing Robbi Jade Lew directly, Deeb’s presence was felt and opinions heard not just on the original hand, but the ensuing fallout, accusations, and alleged malfeasance by anyone and everyone evolved in the debacle.
Even now, months on from the scandal and after a subsequent investigation found “no evidence of wrongdoing” Deeb says that his instincts immediately told him something was up.
“When I saw that hand, my instinct said something’s weird. And I just got involved right away and things kept getting bigger and bigger.
Cheating? Brain Fart? Poker Community At Odds Over Insane HCL Hand
“I’ve played on live streams before, and was always afraid of people assuming I was cheating, because a lot of my plays seem bad on the surface. And the GTO guys are like ‘Oh, this is terrible.’ But there are usually some dynamics going on, and my image plays into some of those hands. But I’ve always been afraid that at some point I’ll be watching something, and my instinct will go ‘This ain’t right’.
“I’ve lived on my instincts; that’s how I made money in poker and succeeded in life is by trusting my instincts.”
Preparing for the 2023 WSOP
Having missed out on a sixth bracelet in 2022 — he managed five top-five finishes in bracelet events last year — Deeb will no doubt be back in action at the 2023 WSOP. The former WSOP Player of the Year said that he is often in contact with WSOP Vice President Jack Effel, and is involved with amendments to the WSOP schedule alongside the likes of Negreanu, Brian Rast and David “ODB” Baker.
2023 World Series of Poker Hub
Bookmark this page! All you need to know about the 2023 WSOP is here.
“Jack [Effel] is always creative with some of his ideas, and he’s wanting to try stuff. Every year getting to work alongside Negreanu, Rast, and ODB as advisors […] sometimes Jack takes our opinion and mostly he doesn’t — but that’s fine.”
Interview: Vice President Jack Effel Looks Ahead to 2023 WSOP
Deeb’s first bracelet came in 2015 when just 68 bracelets were awarded in Las Vegas. Now the 2023 WSOP schedule features 90 bracelet events, what does the five-time winner have to say to accusations that the achievement of winning a WSOP bracelet has become diluted in the intervening years?
“You have 90 events playing 25 different forms of poker, with buy-ins are from $300 to $250,000. Every year you get this chat about the dilution of bracelet events, but there is no dilution! There’s inclusion.
“To win a $1,000 No-Limit [Hold’em] bracelet, yeah, it’s a little different to winning a $10,000 mixed event — but it’s such different player pools. The WSOP is there to appeal to all players in poker.”
The 2023 schedule features the smallest Las Vegas WSOP bracelet event buy-in in history — just $300 to enter the Gladiators of Poker. Deeb says he remembers asking Effel about the introduction of the $365 buy-in Giant in 2017.
“I remember asking Jack ‘What’s with this small event?’ and he said ‘I’m going to appeal to everyone; if we have the staff, there’s no reason not to.’
“Obviously operationally if they took out a few smaller buy-ins they could work with a smaller staff and maybe improve the player experience in other areas when those massive fields are going on. Lines can be long, tables aren’t available or there’s a wait for the bathroom — it kinda sucks — but the high roller guys have accepted that.
“We know that 1 out of 20,000 players in that event might end up in our event eventually, so long term it’s better for us.”
What Are the Best Poker Sites for US Players?
Working to Make Poker Better
So what does Deeb think needs to happen to improve the poker experience? His first priority is the introduction of going round for round on the bubble, something that he says he’s been trying to implement for a number of years.
“It’s absurd — and people think they can get away with it!”
“It solves so many things, while also allowing people to take their time while they’re making decisions for a lot of equity.So I wouldn’t be shocked if in the next five years of poker that’s one of the big changes that I’ve pushed for that actually ends up happening.”
Deeb isn’t shy about things he’s passionate about. Another bugbear of his? Players dodging the big blind.
“It’s absurd — and people think they can get away with it! I think I got four people in the World Series this year, I get someone once a year at the World Series [of Poker] Europe. And it’s so obvious — they go over to their table and come back.
Top Stories of 2022, #3: Poker Cheating Scandals Everywhere
“It’s just unfortunate that these people want to push those small edges and they’re just stealing equity from the other players at that table for no good reason. It’s like they’re seeing like an old guy drop $20 out of his pocket, and they’re seeing an opportunity to pick it up — knowing full well whose money it is.”
Whether it’s his thoughts on scandals, his calling out of cheaters or his passionate ideas for how to improve the tournament experience, Deeb says that he doesn’t really care what people think. He says he’s as authentic as he can be.
“I don’t think anyone ever thinks I’m fake. I try to be consistent. And I think by doing that, people can see that I really care a lot about this industry.”
Will Shillibier
European Executive Editor
Will Shillibier is based in the United Kingdom. He started working for PokerNews as a freelance live reporter in 2015 and joined the full-time staff in 2019.
He graduated from the University of Kent in 2017 with a B.A. in German, and then studied for a NCTJ Diploma in Sports Journalism at Sportsbeat in Manchester.
Swintt slots are in high demand and it’s no wonder considering the quality and quantity of games released by the Glitnor Group subsidiary based in Malta. The company’s newest release is Takutiki and follows on the heels of recent hits Path of Dragons and Secret Spellbook Respin.
The new game is played on a traditional 5×3 reel layout and invites players to sojourn into the ages-old heart of the Americas and explore the iconic culture of the indigenous peoples there. The game is part of the Swintt Premium series – one of the company’s two catalogs of games with easily distinguished features.
Iconic Indigenous Symbols
Look for wins across the 30 set paylines comprising classic but highly stylized playing card symbols for the lower paying icons and a host of thematic First Nations imagery including the great bison, bald eagle, male and female tribal members, and stacks of vibrant wild symbols in addition to diamonds and bonus symbol in the form of tipis.
The backdrop is an atmospheric view with more light than detail and most likely represents a foggy morning sunset in the Pacific Northwest. The second and fourth reels are backlit by the heat waves and smoke of a campfire at night.
Land five of a kind to ring the bells and see the payout stack up. It’s not rare at all to see winning lines displayed because in addition to stacked wilds the other symbols can fill the reels too. The stacked reels belie the game’s lower volatility meaning you will most likely have a lot of wins but only the occasional big win in the base game.
While the frequent payouts are satisfying, you’ll also want to be on the lookout for dazzling diamonds. These collectibles come in three different colors and are vital to the game’s bonus features.
Fill Totem Pole with Diamonds to Trigger Modifier Respins
To the left of the reel set is a totem pole with three symbols. Each symbol has a placeholder for three matching diamonds – one totem each for red, blue, and green. Whenever one of the diamonds appears on the screen it will migrate to its proper place on the totem pole. Once three same-colored diamonds have completed a totem’s power, that re-spin modifier is awarded.
Reading the pole from the top down, collecting all three red diamonds will add 45 additional paylines to the game giving players the chance to score any or all of 75 lines on the respin.
In the middle sits the blue symbol and when it fills with blue diamonds from the reels, any wild symbols that appear in a paying combination will double the prize for the line.
Finally, when the green totem on the bottom is completed with three green diamonds players can expect to see anywhere from five to ten extra wild symbols added to reels to increase the odds of a payout.
The diamonds will only appear on reels two and four. However, each reel can release multiple diamonds on a single spin.
Land three teepees to trigger the free spin bonus game – this is where the real money is hiding out.
All Three Modifiers Possible in Free Spins Bonus
You’ll start out with 8 free games and in the bonus game, each totem only has one placeholder for its diamonds so a single diamond will trigger a respin with that totem’s modifier and a new spin will be awarded. This is where it can really pay to land two or even three diamonds on the same spin as all three modifiers will come into play to supercharge the chances of a big win.
All of the Swintt “Premium” games include an after-win risk feature wherein you can gamble your win as many as eight times. Being a low variance game the top win on a spin is set 450x your bet size and that is also the limit when your gamble-game will be over even if you have not risked your current spin’s winning 8 times yet.
Chief Executive Officer at Swintt, David Mann said: “Swintt Premium games have proved popular with old-school fans of classic slot machines and modern casino players alike and our studio always strives to combine iconic design elements with innovative features to ensure all users are catered for.
“Our new Takutiki release remains true to this practice by taking the simple gameplay of a land-based slot machine and cranking up the excitement factor with its Free Spins and three unlockable modifiers. With this helping to reduce the game’s variance and make big wins far easier to come by, we’re sure the game will prove a big hit with players when it debuts at all of online casino partners this month.”
Source: Swintt stack up a totem pole of wild wins in Takutiki, Swintt News, March 1, 2023
The post Takutiki is a New Online Slot from Swintt with Powerful Totems and Stacked Wilds appeared first on Casino News Daily.
Multi-channel provider of 24/7 live betting services, Sports Information Services (SIS), announced a new deal with the operator Go+bet. The new deal marks the entry of SIS to the regulated market in Poland and brings for the first time the company’s leading greyhound and horse racing content for customers in the country.
Per the terms of the new deal, Go+bet customers in Poland will benefit from premium horse racing content provided by SIS. Such content will include events from Ireland and the UK, as well as international events from Germany, Hungary, Spain, Saudi Arabia, Canada and Dubai. Additionally, the clients will benefit from horse racing content from Latin America, Mexico and the United States. What’s more, the deal will see the delivery of greyhound racing content from Mexican, Irish and UK events.
The new collaboration reaffirms the growing interest in live racing content observed in Eastern Europe. Bettors like the option of having regular short-term wagering opportunities. This caused a spike in interest which helped increase the popularity of horse and greyhound racing, resulting in operators delivering attractive proposals.
“We are delighted to have signed this deal with SIS as part of our continued aim to bring unique, high-quality content to our customers in Poland from all over the world, setting us apart from our competitors.“
Mateusz Banaś, chief operating officer at Go+bet
Mateusz Banaś, Go+bet’s chief operating officer, said that the company is delighted to deliver the leading content from SIS. According to him, this collaboration complements the operator’s goal to deliver unique and engaging content for its customers in Poland. “With races at any time of day to choose from, our position in the market in Poland is set to be significantly enhanced, and we’re confident our bettors will be excited at the betting opportunities that will be available to them,” said Banaś in conclusion.
SIS Continues to Expand Reach
Currently, SIS delivers content for more than 73,000 events every year via its 24/7 live betting channels. This data is delivered as an end-to-end solution and includes information such as graphics, markets, as well as live streamed data and pictures. Many operators find such an offering appealing as it creates a unique and engaging betting experience for their customers. Keeping in mind the recent agreement, SIS continues to expand its presence to new markets and audiences.
“Partnering with Go+bet is another important step forward in our efforts to expand across this emerging market and once again illustrates the ability of SIS to deliver cutting-edge and revenue-driving content to operators.“
Bartlomiej Michalek, commercial manager, UK and Europe at SIS
Bartlomiej Michalek, SIS’ commercial manager, UK and Europe, deemed the company’s collaboration in Poland a “landmark deal.” According to him, the Go+bet partnership helps the company expand its footprint in Eastern Europe and at the same time delivers unique frequent betting opportunities to new audiences. Finally, Michalek said that SIS is looking forward to the success the new collaboration will bring.
For years, offshore online sports betting companies have offered their services to gamblers in Brazil. Now, lawmakers want to ensure that the country benefits from that business by introducing a regulated and taxable market.
Speaking with news portal UOL on Wednesday, Brazil Finance Minister Fernando Haddad said that lawmakers will propose a measure to regulate the sector and plan to begin taxing sports betting before the end of March. Explaining why he backs the measure, he said:
They don’t pay any taxes and take a fortune of money from the country.”
His comments suggest that Brazil will soon action a federal law that authorizes fixed-odds sports betting. Despite lawmakers passing the legislation four years ago, the country has still failed to implement the new rules that would allow bookmakers to legally offer odds to Brazilians.
Haddad confirmed that President Lula da Silva is also in favor of regulating the betting sector. He will have the final say on a regulatory proposal after Haddad consults with other government ministries on the details.
Filling government coffers
According to UOL, an anonymous Finance Ministry source claimed that current predictions suggest the Brazil government could make 2bn reais ($390m) to 6bn reais ($1.16bn) each year from the taxation of online sports betting.
Haddad has confirmed that legislators do not yet have accurate figures to make such estimations. He does believe, however, that taxing sports betting operators would help mitigate the impact of a planned increase in the national income threshold. This is expected to cost the government about 3.2bn reais ($616m).
Several online sports betting companies have already began boosting their presence in Brazil in advance of the market’s regulation. Sites such as Bet365, Betano, and Betfair all have deals in place with major soccer teams in the country.
Last chance saloon
Brazil has been attempting to regulate online betting since 2018. When it passed sports betting Federal Law No. 13,756/2018 four years ago, the government was given two years to create and sign off on regulations, plus the option of an extension for a further two years. That deadline has now passed.
then-President Jair Bolsonaro failed to sign the regulations
Last year, the process had to revert back to square one after then-President Jair Bolsonaro failed to sign regulations before the deadline on December 12. As a result, operations continued as usual for offshore platforms while plans for a regulated market had to be shelved until the new President could come into power.
Now, President Lula da Silva has the chance to make history by regulating online betting early on in his presidency. If he fails, time could be up for the 2018 federal law to come into effect.
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