Daily fantasy and sports betting brand FanDuel announced today its partnership with The Ringer has expanded to include the creation of exclusive sports video content for FanDuel TV.

Strengthening Ties with The Ringer

The new multi-year agreement between Flutter Entertainment’s FanDuel and Spotify’s The Ringer will see the partners collaborate to create new sports shows and adapt select video podcasts for FanDuel TV.

Excited to strengthen FanDuel’s partnership with The Ringer, FanDuel’s chief commercial officer, Mike Raffensperger, hailed The Ringer as “home to one of the strongest podcast networks in the world,” for which “FanDuel TV can help define a new medium for distributing its content.”

FanDuel TV is the perfect platform to showcase The Ringer’s top personalities, broaden their audiences and become flagship programming for the network.

Mike Raffensperger, CCO, Fanduel

FanDuel signed a strategic partnership deal with The Ringer in 2020 under which the sports betting brand was designated as the exclusive fantasy and sportsbook partner of the sports culture website that was recently acquired by the world’s most popular streaming audio platform, Spotify. The agreement also sought to promote an array of daily sports and sports betting contests across the media network, such as “The Ultimate Ringer”.

New Shows and Adapted Podcasts

Launching today, April 4, The Ringer on FanDuel TV will focus on the biggest moments in the world of sports while seeking to provide the audience with information, analysis and insight that may help those willing to place a bet.

Broadly distributed on linear television through cable and satellite distributors, including Comcast Xfinity, Spectrum, Verizon FIOS, DirectTV, DISH, Cox Communications, YouTubeTV, and Hulu, FanDuel TV will provide the perfect environment for The Ringer’s shows and podcasts to reach sports audiences.

“We’re thrilled to expand our long-standing partnership to include creating content for FanDuel TV,” said Geoff Chow, managing director of The Ringer, excited “to bring The Ringer’s signature blend of enthusiasm and expertise to this new audience.”

The Ringer on FanDuel TV will feature new shows such as the NBA-focused show with Kevin O’Connor, Beyond the Arc, and Through The Ringer, in which Tate Frazier and The Ringer’s experts will offer a broader look at the biggest stories in sports gambling.

The Ringer’s programming block will also feature the popular golf show adapted for the TV format, Fairway Rollin’, while under the expanded partnership The Ringer will license select video podcasts and a slate of new shows adapted for FanDuel TV.

A man from Davenport won the first Lotto America jackpot in Iowa in the spring of 2018. Now, five years later, it was time for the second Lotto America jackpot to reach the Hawkeye State. 

On April 1st, a very fortunate player who purchased a ticket in Dubuque managed to set a new record in the history of the lottery that started in 1985, matching all six numbers and giving them the choice to either grand a $40.03 million annuity or scoop up $21.28 million in instant cash.

The Winning Ticket Was Purchased at Eichman’s 

The lucky ticket was bought at Eichman’s, a restaurant and convenience store located in Dubuque. Stacy Eichman, who has been managing the venue since 1931, spoke about the great news, explaining that she was “still processing” the news that was difficult to comprehend, given the known odds of such a win ever happening. 

The winning ticket also brought Eichman’s a $5,000 bonus on behalf of the Iowa Lottery for selling the fortunate ticket.

Iowa Lottery chief executive officer Matt Strawn who is also vice chair of the Lotto America game group also expressed similar excitement regarding the news of the great win. 

Strawn explained that ever since July 2021 when the jackpot went on a growing streak, they kept explaining that the odds of someone winning the jackpot again in the state were equal to a player from a different state winning it. 

Now that the grand event has finally happened, Strawn said it was time to “celebrate for our winner, our retailer, and the Iowa Lottery.”

The Previous Lotto America Jackpot Record Was $22.82 Million 

In May 2018, a family from Minnesota bought a ticket that brought them $22.82 million, establishing Lotto America’s last record. 

The lottery that is considered Powerball’s smaller cousin sells $1 tickets and holds its drawings three times a week, on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday. The two lottery games have very similar playstyles, asking players to choose numbers from two separate pools. 

However, there are a few differences between the two. For example, Lotto America has jackpots that begin at a smaller level. At the same time, the same game features easier odds of winning compared to Powerball. The odds to win the Lotto America jackpot are approximately 1 in 26 million while the odds to win the Powerball jackpot are approximately 1 in 292.2 million. 

While players can purchase Lotto America tickets from 13 different lotteries, Powerball tickets are sold by 48 lotteries.

All Lotto America jackpots need to be claimed at the Iowa Lottery headquarters located in Clive. Winners are encouraged to make appointments to make a claim.

Since the Iowa Lottery started in 1985, it has brought its lucky players over $5.4 billion in prizes, while attracting over $2.3 billion for the benefit of state programs helping veterans and their families via the Iowa Veterans Trust Fund. 

The lottery also raises money to help the families of peace officers, firefighters, and corrections employees who have lost their lives in the line of duty. 

The Ohio Casino Control Commission has recently reported a significant decrease in revenue and sports betting handle for February.

The Czech operator started the year on a high note, scoring win after win. The company won the auction to take over the UK lottery, closed out the acquisition of the Camelot Lottery Solutions Group, and set itself up for further expansion. Recent news suggests Allwyn plans to compete for control over the Irish national lottery, solidifying its hold over the region.

The Operator Enjoys Substantial Momentum

As the newest official operator of Britain’s National Lottery, Allwyn gains access to a substantial market well worth the initial investments. The company plans to modernize the country’s lottery offerings, prioritizing customer safety and superior player experiences powered by cutting-edge tech. To that end, Allwyn announced a partnership with Vodafone to facilitate a mobile-first approach and revitalize the lottery’s aging infrastructure.

The Czech group’s other recent victory came after acquiring its primary regional rival Camelot. The move hastened Allwyn’s entry into the UK market, giving the company a substantial head start in its revitalization efforts. Since Camelot LS Group is based in Chicago, the deal significantly simplifies a potential Allwyn foray into the US market.

Entering Ireland Would Be Another Significant Milestone

Despite the potential for overseas expansion, Allwyn’s eyes remain set on the Old Continent. According to a recent report by the Financial Times, the operator seeks to further grow its influence across the British Isles by purchasing a majority stake in the Irish national lottery. However, the process is shaping up to be anything but straightforward. 

The Irish lottery is owned by The Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan (OTPP), the same entity which previously held Camelot. The OTPP has opted for an auction, hoping the promise of untapped value and over a decade of lottery license left would attract sufficient investor attention.

High-profile operators like The Lottery Corporation, Française des Jeux, International Game Technology, and Scientific Games have already expressed interest, meaning Allwyn has an uphill battle ahead if it wants to compete. However, the company’s substantial experience, solid financials, and industry-leading solutions may be sufficient to give it an edge over the competition.

Allwyn Has All It Takes to Compete with Industry Heavyweights

The operator is well-prepared for a rigorous bidding process, relying on substantial revenue growth to fuel such expansion efforts. Allwyn’s preliminary 2022 financial results revealed a 23.8% year-on-year revenue growth, reaching €3.22 billion ($3.51 billion). With EBITDA also rising 20.8% to €1.17 billion (1.27 billion), Allwyn is more than capable of competing with other industry heavyweights.

The group can pursue plenty of other avenues besides Irish expansion. Allwyn’s substantial experience in countries like Austria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Greece, and Italy has given the company insight into what it takes to succeed in diverse and challenging markets. With the Camelot acquisition complete, Allwyn can grasp the first available opportunity to expand its reach, whether in Ireland or overseas.

Franc Weerwind, the Dutch minister for legal protection, believes self-regulatory measures only have a limited effect on gambling advertising. The minister reasserted that further regulations are needed, saying that the government is still on track with its untargeted advertising ban.

From July 1, 2023, all untargeted ads will be in breach of local regulations. Within a few years, the Netherlands hopes to ban sponsorships in sports as well.

Unfortunately, gambling operators’ efforts to regulate their own ads have had limited effects. In addition, only members of certain trade associations commit to following these rules in the first place, Weerwind pointed out.

As a result, some companies continue to advertise without following any limits. Because of that, Weerwind thinks that self-regulation might not be sufficient. He provided the soccer World Cup as an example, noting that companies spent record amounts on advertising, despite being asked to advertise in moderation.

Weerwind believes that banning untargeted advertisements is a perfect solution. Italy, which adopted a full ban, accidentally channeled many players toward the black market. By contrast, the Netherlands hopes to shield only those who are vulnerable.

The minister said that certain advertising is necessary for people who wish to enjoy gambling in a safe and well-regulated manner. Because of that, banning untargeted ads seems like a good compromise.

The Netherlands Seeks to Get Advertising Under Control

The ban on untargeted gambling ads was originally expected to come into power on January 1 this year. However, public conversations regarding the law eventually pushed back the measure by a few months.

The Netherlands plans to gradually ban more forms of what is considered to be dangerous advertising, such as TV sponsorships and sports sponsorships. A ban on TV sponsorships is expected to come a year after the ban on untargeted ads has been implemented. Then, a year later, sports sponsorships will also be banned.

This arrangement will provide TV channels and sports teams with ample time to prepare for the eventual measure.

The Netherlands is a region known for its strict approach to gambling regulation. As a result, some people proposed a two-strikes-you-are-out model whereby an operator’s license will be suspended upon two violations. However, Weerwind opposed this model, saying that disproportionate punishments will not make licensees any less unruly.

According to Weerwind, overregulation can do more harm than good as it can undermine the relationship between regulators and operators and can channel players toward the black market.

NeoPollard Interactive (NPi), the joint venture of Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX)-listed Pollard Banknote Limited and Nasdaq-listed NeoGames S.A., announced that its operator partner, the Virginia Lottery, has become the first US lottery to operate an iLottery program completely based in the cloud.

The Cloud Solution Allows Better Service

The milestone industry achievement reached by the Virginia Lottery serves as a display of NeoPollard’s continuous commitment to enhancing its technology capabilities and meeting the evolving demands of its lottery partners and their players. NeoPollard is the first vendor in the iLottery space to operate its solution in the cloud.

Doug Pollard, co-chief executive officer of NPi, outlined the trust placed in NPi by the Virginia Lottery that allowed the completely cloud-based iLottery solution to be delivered, mindful of the business need “to continually refine” its offerings concurrent with emerging new trends in technology.

Delivering our iLottery solution through the cloud will enable us to better serve the Virginia Lottery and other iLottery programs that are powered by NPi.

Doug Pollard, co-CEO, NPi

Moti Malul, co-chief executive officer of NPi, pointed to the growth in traffic online due to “record-breaking jackpots over the last few years” as the main driver for iLottery programs to start looking for solutions that will enable them “to effectively respond to player purchase demand,” including solutions operating in the cloud.

By harnessing the enhanced capabilities that only cloud hosting provides, we can better support the growth of our lottery clients as they strive to meet and exceed player expectations.

Moti Malul, co-CEO, NPi

NPi’s cloud-based solutions include NeoDraw, the Central Gaming System (CGS) for draw games, NeoSphere, the player account management (PAM) and marketing system, and NeoPlay, the eInstant Remote Gaming Server (RGS) and the games hosted on it.

Migration to the Cloud Offers Scalability

Kelly T. Gee, executive director of the Virginia Lottery, outlined the lottery’s commitment “to providing a best-in-class experience” to its players, convinced of the benefits the cloud-based solution offered by NPi would bring to the lottery.

“Enhancing the scalability of our iLottery platform through the use of cloud technology demonstrates to our players that we place a priority on a seamless and reliable iLottery experience, all of which ultimately supports our mission to raise revenue for our public schools,” Gee commented.

The migration to cloud hosting will bring efficiencies related to the operation and maintenance of the Virginia Lottery’s iLottery program, allowing the lottery to instantly scale and accommodate large jackpot runs and volumes of promotions and campaigns.

With profits allocated solely for K-12 public education in the commonwealth since 1999, the Virginia Lottery has contributed more than $11 billion, as part of its commitment to giving back.

Earlier in the year, the parent companies behind the NPi joint venture signed a new operating agreement and amended the previous one to allow both partners to pursue future North American digital lottery opportunities in partnership, or independently.

The Swedish gambling regulator, the Spelinspektionen, announced that its board will continue to be comprised of seven members. The authority’s decision was greenlit by the current government, led by the Centre-Right Alliance coalition.

The Spelinspektionen provided a peek into its new board, showing that it will remain more or less the same as it has been until now. As announced by the regulator, from April 1, 2023, to March 31, 2024, its board will encompass the following members:

• Per Håkansson – senior advisor
• Håkan Wall – psychologist
• Madelaine Tunudd – councilor
• Andreas Prochazka – lawyer
• Fredrik Holmberg – advisor
• Doris Högne Rydheim – advisor and ex-chancellor
• Camilla Rosenberg – general director of the Swedish Gaming Authority

Wall will continue serving as the board’s lead psychologist. Meanwhile, Tunudd will be the Spelinspektionen’s councilor. Prochazka will continue serving as the authority’s lawyer, while Holmberg and Rydheim help the regulator as advisors.

The Spelinspektionen also noted that Håkansson will be chairing the board. This is notably the only change to the regulator’s board.

The authority also noted that Rosenberg will maintain her seat and will continue to lead the body for another year. She has headed the Spelinspektionen since 2017 when gambling was still illegal and the regulatory body was known as Lotteriinspektionen.

The seven members will report to Niklas Wykman, Sweden’s minister of financial markets.

The Legal Swedish Market Grows

Sweden continues to be an attractive market for gambling providers. A few days ago, two new B2B companies secured licenses in the Nordic country. First, Relax Gaming secured a business-to-business license, making a foray into the Northern country. As a result, the company can now legally offer its products in the local market.

A few days later, Play’n GO managed to successfully renew its supplier license in the country. The company has been operating in the local market for a while and will be able to continue doing business there. This was furthermore a very important development for Play’n GO, which was originally founded in Sweden.

Last year, the Spelinspektionen announced that only a few gamblers prefer to play with offshore companies. According to a study, only 8% of Swedes pick unlicensed companies. Six percent, the Spelinspektionen said, did so voluntarily while two percent failed to identify an illegal operator as such. Meanwhile, 55% of respondents said that they would always prefer playing with legal companies because of the safer gambling tools they provide to players.

Surging economic growth appears to be the theme across many popular Asian gambling destinations, as Macau also recorded a sharp rise in revenue. Its slow recovery after the COVID pandemic allowed other gambling hubs like Korea to flourish, challenging the Chinese territory’s previously undisputed regional monopoly.

The Region Suffered Tremendously during the Pandemic

Korea and Macau’s casino industries closely paralleled each other during the early pandemic, suffering tremendously from the border closings and lack of overseas visitors. Since 17 out of Korea’s 18 casinos only accepted foreigners, travel restrictions nearly destroyed them overnight. Macau fared slightly better, relying on a slow but steady flow of local bettors.

As the world started to recover, the tables began to turn. China’s Zero COVID policy significantly hindered recovery efforts, allowing other gambling destinations across Asia to pick up the slack and attract the influx of foreign bettors seeking to spend their money. Korean casinos happily obliged, fueling the ongoing stellar growth.

Asian Gambling Is on Its Way to a Full Recovery

Paradise Co, South Korea’s premier foreigner-only casino operator, reported triple-digit growth as revenue rose 130% over March 2022 to KRW42.7 billion ($32.5 million). These results continue the positive trend from the start of the year. The first three months of 2023 saw Paradise Co’s revenue soar 152% year-on-year, reaching KRW135.2 billion ($103 million). Table game profits performed even better, growing 252% to KRW1.26 trillion ($960 million).

The positive trend appears to hold across Asia, as Macau also enjoyed a meteoric rise in revenue. March GGR smashed projections soaring nearly 250% above the March 2022 results. Revenue for the first three months of the year hit MOP$34.6 billion ($4.29 billion), representing a 95% year-on-year increase. Packaged tours from China played a substantial role in the recovery, helping the region return to normal business operations.

The Resurgence Offers New Opportunities

Despite the similar resurgence in gaming revenue, South Korea and Macau’s gambling industries have little in common. Korean casinos maintain their focus on attracting foreign visitors and rely heavily on integration with the country’s thriving tourism sector. Meanwhile, over 90% of Macau’s tourists traditionally come from mainland China and Hong Kong, with foreigners viewed as a welcome addition.

While each approach is suited to the country’s strengths, the pandemic showed the value of diversification. Macau is trying to diversify its offerings beyond gambling to become a more family-friendly international destination. However, with other developed markets like Korea offering arguably better tourism experiences, the Chinese territory has to carefully consider where to invest its resources to keep up with the competition.

Parsec Capital Acquisitions, a special purpose acquisition company, has acquired a majority interest in Enteractive Media, a gaming affiliate company. Parsec Capital said that it plans to acquire the remaining Enteractive shares in the future, turning the company into a wholly-owned subsidiary.

The current deal follows a previous merger announcement and overrides the actual merger between Parsec and Enteractive. Following the current acquisition, Parsec is expected to change its name to GameChangerz Media.

The rebranded firm will apply for a Nasdaq listing in the near future. As announced by the two companies, the newly-formed entity will be “the parent company to a variety of innovative, industry-leading businesses and platforms supporting the gaming, gambling, and entertainment industries.”

Parsec Capital Changes Team Following the Acquisition

Parsec Capital reshuffled its team following the acquisition. A few directors, namely Alec Burger, Daniel Elwell, Edmund Moy, Patricia Trompeter and William Readdy, resigned from their positions. The company then welcomed Kelly Kellner and Terry Debono as directors. Paul Haber, meanwhile, will continue serving as the company’s chief financial officer and director.

In addition to his role as a director, Kellner was named as Parsec’s new chief executive officer. He addressed the completion of the recent acquisition, saying that his team is now prepared to proceed with its plans to create a disruptive new gaming company.

The completion of the acquisition means we are now ready to move forward with our vision of creating a game-changing media and gaming company that will create shareholder value through organic growth and strategic acquisitions.

Kelly Kellner, CEO, Parsec Capital Acquisitions

Parsec promised to provide further updates when it forms its international corporate strategy, management team and plans. The company will also release an announcement when it has more news about the timeline of its planned Nasdaq market listing.

Enteractive is a media company that focuses on the iGaming and sports betting sectors. The company leverages multiple platforms to engage countless viewers, which helps it monetize its super affiliate business model.

GameChangerz Media has existing agreements with some of the biggest and most influential suppliers within the industry. These include major companies, such as 888 Poker, Sportradar, Americas Cardroom, Active International, Boom Gaming, Betcris and Chaos Integrated, among others.