Sportradar Integrates Ad:s into Snapchat

Sportradar Integrates Ad:s into Snapchat


Sports data specialist Sportradar, has unveiled the integration of its proprietary ad:s technology into the instant messaging app Snapchat. This move will see the creation of a new channel where sportsbooks can leverage Sportradar’s paid social media advertising service to acquire customers.

The integration of ad:s into Snapchat will allow Sportradar to connect operators with the app’s user base. Snapchat has 375 million daily users and more than 750 million monthly active users. The app sports robust age-targeting functions that will ensure that sports betting content is promoted only to appropriate audiences.

Snapchat’s popularity in the USA and Western Europe – two mature sports betting territories – makes it a valuable addition to the ad:s portfolio.

Ad:s is a paid social media advertising service that leverages AI to help iGaming and sports betting operators understand their audiences. It is equipped with all the measurement tools needed to optimize marketing performance in real-time. Most importantly, the solution allows for the creation of personalized marketing materials that leverage the latest sports fixtures and odds.

Ad:s is committed to only advertising to adult audiences and ensuring that only people of legal age see the ads. In addition, Sportradar also urges all of its clients to avoid targeting high-risk players.

The Integration Will Help Operators Connect with Fans

Ross Hartnett, the manager of real money gaming at Snapchat’s parent company, Snap Inc, said that his team is delighted to integrate Sportradar’s ad:s service into Snapchat. Hartnett noted that the current agreement will provide betting operators with the opportunity to “dynamically reach millions of sports fans of legal gambling age” and provide them with real-time game stats, odds and more.

By combining Sportradar’s industry expertise with Snapchat’s advertising products, we look forward to continuing to innovate unique user experiences for operators and Snapchatters.

Ross Hartnett, manager of real money gaming, Snap Inc

Spotradar’s global director of advertising sales, Florian Geheeb, also released a statement on the new partnership. He praised Snapchat’s popularity, noting that social media as a whole is a great tool for sportsbooks to find and engage new customers.

By integrating our industry-specific advertising solution into Snapchat, one of the world’s most consumed and strategically important social media platforms, Sportradar is unlocking a new channel to optimize the marketing performance of sportsbook operators.

Florian Geheeb, global director of advertising sales, Sportradar

In other news, Sportradar recently published the results of its Betting, Corruption and Match-fixing in 2022 survey. The company’s Sportradar Integrity Services unit reported that the number of suspicious matches has increased by 34%.



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Shaun Deeb Wins First WSOP Circuit Ring in Turning Stone Main Event ($275,916)

Shaun Deeb Wins First WSOP Circuit Ring in Turning Stone Main Event ($275,916)



Shaun Deeb has five World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelets to his name, and he can now add a WSOP Circuit ring to his list of poker accomplishments. Deeb took down the WSOPC Turning Stone $1,700 Main Event for $275,916 and his first Circuit ring after defeating heads-up opponent Giyeon Han, who took home $170,528.

The WSOPC Turning Stone ran March 16-27 and consisted of 16 No-Limit Hold’em and Pot-Limit Omaha events, including the Main Event that drew 1,070 runners for a prize pool of $1,621,050.

A New York native, Deeb no doubt felt comfortable throughout his path to victory. He entered the final table second in chips and at one point called out his opponent’s exact holding, according to WSOP live updates.

“I would hope I was the best player in the field,” Deeb told WSOP. “My ego says I’m the best, but it was actually tougher competition than I was expecting deep. People put me in some tough spots, I was three-betting a ton at this final table, way more than I thought I should have, but I think some of them caged me a little bit.”

WSOPC Turning Stone $1,700 Main Event Final Table Results

  RANK PLAYER HOMETOWN PRIZE
  1 Shaun Deeb Las Vegas, NV $275,916
  2 Glyeon Han Webster, NY $170,528
  3 Cindy Spier Newton, MA $126,097
  4 Kyle Grupp Clarence, NY $94,274
  5 Paul Ross Latham, NY $71,272
  6 Gilberto Taveras Utica, NY $54,492
  7 Raymond Ezzie Westlake, OH $42,139
  8 Matthew Wantman Stoneham, MA $32,964
  9 Patrick White Pearl River, NY $26,089

Hometown Hero

The victory at Turning Stone was a sentimental one for Deeb, who got his poker start playing in the very same New York casino.

“I’ve been coming to Turning Stone for 20 years,” Deeb told Turning Stone. “My grandmother and all my uncles and great-uncles used to come here all the time. My grandma was one of the most famous poker players in the $4/$8 Limit Hold’em game here. The staff were always amazing to her, this was always her favorite casino to go to.”

While Deeb has crushed both WSOP and WSOP Europe events, he has been somewhat quiet on the WSOP Circuit. In March 2022, Deeb finished third in the WSOPC Turning Stone Event #10: $400 No-Limit Hold’em for $11,455, coming up a few spots short of winning his first Circuit ring.

Now a year later, Deeb got that ring by getting through a field that included defending champion Joseph Rice (52nd – $4,479), David Kuder (47th – $4,479), Matthew Wantman (8th – $32,964) and Paul Ross (5th – $71,272).

Deeb is on a serious hot streak after winning the opening $10,000 H.O.R.S.E. event at last month’s PokerGo Tour Mixed Games festival for $208,800 and earlier finishing fourth in a PokerStars Caribbean Adventure $25,000 PLO High Roller for $121,500.

The Circuit victory sets Deeb up nicely for the upcoming WSOP festival in Las Vegas. Deeb won his fifth and most recent bracelet in 2021 in the WSOP Event #53: $25,000 PLO, which also brought him $1.3 million.

Shaun Deeb
Shaun Deeb

Perrone Wins Third Circuit Ring

Deeb was not the only big winner at the WSOPC Turning Stone stop. Earlier in the series, Chicago’s Michael Perrone took down Event #8: $400 No-Limit Hold’em Monster Stack to win his third Circuit ring and $77,407.

Perrone also has a bracelet after taking down Event #10: Super Turbo Bounty No-Limit Hold’em (Freezeout) at the 2021 WSOP for a career-best $152,173.

Michael Perrone
Michael Perrone

Other notable winners at WSOPC Turning Stone included Rochester’s Timothy Russ, who took down Event #2: $400 No-Limit Hold’em for his first ring and a career-best $116,971, as well as Jeffrey Kurtz, who won his second ring by taking down Event #5: $600 NLH Black Chip Bounty for $37,653.

A full list of Circuit ring winners at the WSOPC Turning Stone stop is available in the table below.

WSOPC Turning Stone Ring Winners

  EVENT ENTRANTS PRIZE POOL WINNER HOMETOWN PRIZE (IN USD)
  Event #1: $400 No-Limit Hold’em Double Stack 647 $213,510 Steven Goodemote Canadaigua, NY $39,688
  Event #2: $400 No-Limit Hold’em 2,616 $863,280 Timothy Russ Latham, NY $116,971
  Event #3: $400 No-Limit Hold’em 573 $189,090 Alden Palmer Stafford Springs, CT $35,250
  Event #4: $300 Seniors 871 $209,040 John Bieber Trumansburg, NY $36,024
  Event #5: $600 NLH Black Chip Bounty 461 $237,415 Jeffrey Kurtz Camillus, NY $37,653
  Event #6: $400 No-Limited Hold’em 6-Max 526 $173,580 Tyler Dietz Lewiston, NY $34,085
  Event #7: $600 Pot-Limit Omaha 227 $116,905 Ryan Dell Rochester, NY $27,025
  Event #8: $400 No-Limit Hold’em Monster Stack 1,551 $406,242 Michael Perrone Chicago, IL $77,407
  Event #9: $1,700 Main Event 1,070 $1,621,050 Shaun Deeb Las Vegas, NV $275,916
  Event #10: $400 No-Limit Hold’em 450 $148,500 Patrick White Pearl River, NY $29,461
  Event #11: $200 Ladies 285 $45,600 Katelin Koper Elmont, NY $9,951
  Event #12: $400 No-Limit Hold’em 447 $147,510 Xulong Zhang Fairport, NY $29,278
  Event #13: $400 No-Limit Hold’em 493 $162,690 Gregory Himmelbrand Oakland Gardens, NY $31,559
  Event #14: $300 Seniors 622 149280 Dennis Mckelvey Gales Ferry, CT $28,037
  Event #15: $1,100 No-Limit Hold’em TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD
  Event #16: $400 No-Limit Hold’em – Last Chance 338 111540 Nathan Rosenkranz East Longmeadow, MA $23,919

Check out Shaun Deeb’s recent in-depth interview with PokerNews

Photo courtesy WSOP





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Adesso Plans North American Expansion with Lottery Products

Adesso Plans North American Expansion with Lottery Products


The leading IT service provider with a presence in strategic European markets, adesso, confirmed its plans to tap into the lottery industry in North America. Ultimately, the company confirmed its wants to engage in partnerships with all lotteries within Canada and the US. The ambitious growth plan represents an important milestone for adesso as it would mark the debut of the company in North America, a lottery market identified for its significant potential.

Coinciding with its plans for growth in Canada and the US, adesso confirmed that it became a member of the North American lottery Association, the North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries (NASLP). The company explained that this membership marked the “starting point for the rollout of the technology and consulting portfolio to the US and Canadian markets.”

With the aforementioned markets, adesso will primarily focus on expanding two of its solutions. Those are adessoDraws and LotteryForce. The former is described by the company as an electronic, blockchain-based draw system that represents the first completely transparent auditable and repeatable solution for a secure drawing of winning numbers for lotteries within the digital vertical. The latter adesso described as a “technologically leading, cloud-based iLottery platform of the future for all channels.”

The Company Strengthens Its Gaming Advisors Team

Dr Rudiger Striemer, adesso’s senior vice president of lottery, explained that the company’s products are ready to meet the challenges of the fast-growing digital lottery market in North America. Moreover, he pointed out that the company remains committed to establishing itself within the Canadian and US markets. Finally, Dr Striemer predicted that adesso’s solutions and products will help “enrich the state and provincial lottery companies.”

adesso is ideally equipped to meet the challenges of digitalization in the global lottery market.

Dr Rudiger Striemer, senior vice president of lottery at adesso

In addition to the NASPL membership, adesso announced a strategic appointment that is expected to help fuel the company’s growth in North America. The company confirmed it hired the services of the industry insider and expert, Bishop Woosley, of Woosley Gaming Advisors.

He joined adesso’s team as Gaming Advisor and delivers extensive experience within the lottery market in America. Thanks to Woosley’s leadership and skills, the company plans to easily deploy its innovative solutions and engage with operators within the sector.

adesso’s plans to expand in North America come as no surprise, considering the high potential of the market. At the same time, the company is also a perfect fit for the ever-growing lottery market in the region, considering its extensive experience in strategic jurisdictions around Europe and North Africa, as well as the Middle East.



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Alpha8 Returns as WPT Partners With One Drop Foundation For 2023 Wynn Summer Classic

Alpha8 Returns as WPT Partners With One Drop Foundation For 2023 Wynn Summer Classic



Having previously announced a partnership with the One Drop Foundation, the World Poker Tour (WPT) has unveiled two charity tournaments set to take place at this year’s Wynn Summer Classic.

See the 2023 Wynn Summer Classic schedule here!

Last year, ex-pro-gamer Jinho Hong took down the Wynn Summer Classic Championship, and many will be looking to follow in his footsteps.

Today’s announcement is no surprise, with the WPT having a long history of partnering with non-profit organizations, including the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and the Tiger Woods Foundation

However, today’s announcement adds extra excitement to the Wynn festival, with WPT CEO Adam Pliska praising the speed it took to add the events to the festival’s schedule.

Wynn Poker

“We are proud to once again pair up with Wynn Las Vegas as the host venue for our maiden WPT EveryOne for One Drop event, and the return of Alpha8, during the Wynn Summer Classic,” said Pliska. “It is remarkable how quickly these events came together, but not surprising given One Drop’s worthy charitable cause of ensuring sustainable access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene to communities around the world.”

“We are excited to put on our first-ever One Drop Foundation events in partnership with WPT and the WPT Foundation,” said One Drop Foundation Chief Marketing and Events Officer Alexandre Meunier. “It is a pleasure to be hosted at the beautiful Wynn Las Vegas. We thank them for their hospitality and support in advancing our global mission.”

World Poker Tour, One Drop Foundation Partner for Charity Poker Initiatives

The One Drop Foundation

The One Drop Foundation is a non-profit organization founded in 2007 by Guy Laliberté, the co-founder of Cirque du Soleil. The organization is dedicated to providing sustainable access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene education for communities around the world.

One Drop aims to address the global water crisis, which affects over 840 million people worldwide who do not have access to safe drinking water. The organization works with local communities to implement water access solutions, such as digging wells and constructing water systems, as well as providing education and training on water management and sanitation practices.

WPT EveryOne for One Drop

The first charity event announced is the WPT EveryOne for One Drop which comes with a buy-in of $10,500 and a guarantee of $10 million.

There will be three Day 1s, starting on July 9, 2023, and will conclude with a live-streamed final table on July 14.

WPT EveryOne for One Drop Schedule

Day Event Buy-in Guarantee
Sunday, July 9 WPT EveryOne for One Drop Day 1a $10,500 $10,000,000
Monday, July 10 WPT EveryOne for One DropDay 1b $10,500 $10,000,000
Tuesday, July 11 WPT EveryOne for One DropDay 1c $10,500 $10,000,000
Wednesday, July 12 WPT EveryOne for One DropDay 2 $10,000,000
Thursday, July 13 WPT EveryOne for One DropDay 3 $10,000,000
Friday, July 14 WPT EveryOne for One DropFinal Table* $10,000,000

*denotes live-streamed coverage

One Drop

WPT Alpha8 for One Drop

The second charity event announced is the return of a WPT classic with the WPT Alpha8 for One Drop. This three-day $111,000 High Roller tournament is the first Alpha8 tournament to take place since December 2015. It starts on July 14, with live-streamed coverage on both Day 2 and for the final table on July 16.

WPT Alpha8 for One Drop Schedule

Day Event Buy-in
Friday, July 14 WPT Alpha8 for One Drop Day 1 $111,000
Saturday, July 15 WPT Alpha8 for One Drop Day 2*
Sunday, July 16 WPT Alpha8 for One Drop Final Table*

*denotes live-streamed coverage

Alpha8 History

The World Poker Tour first announced Alpha8 in July 2013, unveiling a global series of super high-roller poker tournaments that were to be broadcast on FOX Sports 1.

The first season saw four events, two of which were won sensationally won by Philipp Gruissem (pictured), who picked up titles in London and St. Kitts for over $2.4 million in combined winnings.

Philipp Gruissem WPT Alpha8

The first two seasons of Alpha8 were chockful of early-2010 high-roller tournament crushers, such as Dan Colman, Jason Mercier and Noah Schwartz, who won the last event of Season II in January 2015.

The final Alpha8 event, until now, came in December 2015 with a stop at the Five Diamond World Poker Classic. The last Alpha8 champion crowned? Fedor Holz, in what was the first seven-figure score of his career and perhaps precipitating his 2016 “Sun Run”


Fedor Holz Wins WPT Alpha8 Las Vegas for $1,589,219; Daniel Negreanu Takes Third


Former WPT Alpha8 Champions

With a new Alpha8 tournament announced, who will add themselves to the list of winners on the World Poker Tour’s most high-stakes tournament series?

Season Event Date Buy-in Entries Winner Payout
I Alpha8 Florida Aug-13 $100,000 21 Steven Silverman $891,660
I Alpha8 London Oct-13 £100,000 20 Philipp Gruissem $1,379,840
I Alpha8 St. Kitts Nov-13 $100,000 28 Philipp Gruissem $1,086,400
I Alpha8 Johannesburg Feb-14 $100,000 10 Dan Cates $500,000
II Alpha8 London Oct-14 £60,000 23 Dan Colman $957,390
II Alpha8 St. Kitts Dec-14 $100,000 15 Jason Mercier $727,500
II Alpha8 Las Vegas Dec-14 $100,000 55 Andrew Lichtenberger $2,104,245
II Alpha8 Florida Jan-15 $100,000 6 Noah Schwartz $585,000
III Alpha8 Las Vegas Dec-15 $100,000 45 Fedor Holz $1,589,219

Did You Know the World Poker Tour is Online?

WPT

The launch of WPT Global means that poker players around the world now have the chance to win their way to WPT events, win prizes and enjoy exciting games such as Poker Flips. As one of the world’s largest cash game poker networks, WPT Global is available in over 50 countries and territories around the world.

WPT Global offers a large deposit match bonus: 100% on deposits up to $1,200 (using any payment method). New players depositing a minimum of $20 automatically receive this match bonus which is unlocked in $5 increments (credited straight to the cashier) for every $20 of rake contribution.

Both tournaments and cash games count towards bonus unlocking; new players have 90 days from the date of the first deposit to unlock and claim their full bonus amount.

Sharelines

  • The $10,500 buy-in EveryOne for One Drop and $111,111 Alpha8 for One Drop form part of this year’s Wynn Summer Classic festival

Name Surname
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. He also holds an NCTJ Diploma in Sports Journalism.





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NeoPollard Expands NC Lottery’s Online Offering with New Games

NeoPollard Expands NC Lottery’s Online Offering with New Games


NeoGames and Pollard Banknote’s jointly owned company NeoPollard Interactive, announced it delivered new games for the North Carolina Education Lottery. On Monday, the company confirmed it expanded the Lottery’s Online Play offerings by introducing Pick 3 and Pick 4, two new online draw games. The addition of the games complemented the existing online game offerings that include Carolina Cash 5, Powerball, Mega Millions and Lucky for Life.

The expansion of the online draw game offering comes at a time when the Lottery has recently reported the success of its Online Play program. In fact, the sales within the program have seen 224% since its launch. Moreover, 22% of the draw games sold online and via retail in North Carolina were a part of the Lottery’s Online Play program.

At the same time, the Lottery said that Pick 3 and Pick 4 were responsible for 60% of the retail draw games sales in FY 2022. Those results reaffirm the potential of the games and their appeal to lottery fans in North Carolina. By expanding the Online Play program with Pick 3 and Pick 4 online games, the Lottery is also expected to help increase the revenues raised for good causes.

The Addition of Games Brings Excitement

Moti Malul, NeoPollard Interactive’s co-CEO, explained that the strong results reported by the Online Play program of the Lottery reaffirm the demand of the players to access lottery games in a convenient way. He added that more than 75% of the online sales in North Carolina are completed via mobile devices. Finally, Malul said: “We look forward to continued innovation and growth in the Online Play program through our partnership with the Lottery.”

The year-over-year growth experienced by the Lottery’s Online Play program is a testament to players’ demand for access to lottery games through their preferred channels.

Moti Malul, co-CEO at NeoPollard Interactive

Pick 3 and Pick 4 are powered by NeoPollard Interactive’s NeoDraw Interactive Central Gaming System. Players that want to participate in the games can either pick a random selection of numbers via the Quick Pick feature, use their own saved favorite numbers or pick new numbers. The add more combinations, the lottery players can also use the Fireball feature.

We are excited to now give players the opportunity to purchase Pick 3 and Pick 4 games on web and mobile channels.

Mark Michalko, executive director of the North Carolina Education Lottery

Mark Michalko, the Lottery’s executive director, explained that delivering unique experiences and games to players in North Carolina is a main priority for the Lottery. He pointed out that the Online Play program helps deliver entertaining experiences for the lottery players in the state and at the same time supports the Lottery’s commitment to helping good causes. Finally, Michalko said that the Lottery is excited to expand its online offering.



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£500,000 Guaranteed WPT500 UK Heads to Dusk Till Dawn From May 26

£500,000 Guaranteed WPT500 UK Heads to Dusk Till Dawn From May 26



Dusk Till Dawn poker club in Nottingham, United Kingdom, is set to host the latest edition of the exciting WPT 500 event. May 26-29 are the dates you need to keep free in your diaries if you plan on becoming a WPT500 UK champion and reeling in the largest slice of a prize pool guaranteed to weigh in at £500,000.

The £560 buy-in £500,000 guaranteed WPT500 UK features five Day 1s running from May 26-28, including a turbo-structured Day 1E. Day 2 commences on May 28, with the worthy champion crowned on May 29.

Dusk Till Dawn is hosting five live satellites, each costing £65, with a total of 60x £560 seats guaranteed. They take place before the festival on May 20, 21, 24, and 25, and between Day 1B and 1C on May 26.

Dusk Till Dawn Excited to Host WPT500 UK

Live Poker Director at Dusk Till Dawn, Simon Trumper, is delighted to see the Nottingham venue, regarded as the home of British poker, host the WPT500 UK again after a seven-year hiatus.

We’re very excited to be hosting the WPT500 UK at the club. It is an event we expect to highly resonate with our customers, and we hope the timing of the event over a UK bank holiday gives players an even better opportunity to take part.”

Previous WPT500 Results

Dusk Till Dawn hosted the inaugural WPT500 UK in November 2014, and saw 2,133 players take to the tables. Eleanor Gudger emerged triumphantly from that event, turning her £500 investment into £140,000. Gudger went on to become a sponsored pro of the now-defunct online poker site PKR.

WPT500 UK returned the following year and saw Welshman Richard Harris walk away with the title, the trophy, and £150,000 in prize money after outlasting 1,615 opponents. The last time Dusk Till Dawn played host to the WPT500 UK was in October 2016, when Benjamin Winsor helped himself to the £182,700 top prize, leaving 1,834 opponents in his wake.

The 2023 WPT500 UK is the first such tournament in a live setting since December 2019 thanks, in part, to the COVID-19 pandemic. The last three editions have all taken place online at PartyPoker, making Pedro Cavalieri of Brazil, champion in August 2021, the reigning champion.

There was a WPT500 held online in June 2021 that David Afework won, but he was subsequently disqualified for a breach of the PartyPoker terms and conditions.

Date Location Buy-in Entrants Prize Pool Champion Prize
July 2014 Aria, Las Vegas $565 3,599 $1,561,000 Sean Yu $260,000
November 2014 Dusk Till Dawn, UK £500 2,133 £1,066,500 Eleanor Gudger £140,000
July 2015 Aria, Las Vegas $565 5,113 $2,556,500 Craig Varnell $185,800
October 2015 Dusk Till Dawn, UK £550 1,616 £1,000,000 Richard Harris £150,000
July 2016 Aria, Las Vegas $565 3,956 $1,978,000 Andreas Olympios $260,000
October 2016 Dusk Till Dawn, UK £550 1,835 £1,000,000 Benjamin Winsor £182,700
May 2017 Gardens Casino, Los Angeles $565 3,266 $1,633,000 Dong Lee $224,500
July 2017 Aria, Las Vegas $565 3,541 $1,770,500 Jonathan Borenstein $230,000
March 2018 Aspers, London £420 1,810 £626,550 Gary Miller £114,000
July 2018 Aria, Las Vegas $565 2,983 $1,259,200 Kyriakos Papdopoulos $184,900
August 2018 Gardens Casino, Los Angeles $570 2,509 $1,254,500 Michael Copeland $170,125
November 2018 Playground Poker Club, Canada C$550 2,536 C$1,229,960 Miguel Goncalo C$173,030
March 2019 Casino Barcelona, Spain €550 2,763 €1,340,055 Lukasz Fraczek €215,000
June 2019 Aria, Las Vegas $565 1,932 $966,000 Ben Farrell $155,000
December 2019 Gardens Casino, Los Angeles $570 2,310 $1,155,000 Griffin Paul $174,850
May 2020 PartyPoker, Online $530 4,828 $2,414,000 Fabio Sperling $281,126
March 2021 PartyPoker, Online $530 2,420 $1,211,000 Dylan Rowe $181,544
August 2021 PartyPoker, Online $530 2,295 $1,147,500 Pedro Cavalieri $153,504

Did You Know the World Poker Tour is Online?

WPT

The launch of WPT Global means that poker players around the world now have the chance to win their way to WPT events, win prizes and enjoy exciting games such as Poker Flips. As one of the world’s largest cash game poker networks, WPT Global is available in over 50 countries and territories around the world.

WPT Global offers a large deposit match bonus: 100% on deposits up to $1,200 (using any payment method). New players depositing a minimum of $20 automatically receive this match bonus which is unlocked in $5 increments (credited straight to the cashier) for every $20 of rake contribution.

Both tournaments and cash games count towards bonus unlocking; new players have 90 days from the date of first deposit to unlock and claim their full bonus amount.





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888 Is Prepared to Pay the $24M William Hill Fine

888 Is Prepared to Pay the $24M William Hill Fine


888, William Hill’s ownership company, released a statement regarding the fine imposed by the United Kingdom’s Gambling Commission. As the group had previously announced, it is prepared to take responsibility for its subsidiary’s past failures.

Earlier today, the UKGC slammed the British operator with a £19.2 million ($23.67 million), the largest penalty it has ever handed to an operator in the UK.

The fine stems from William Hill’s past failings. Between 2020 and 2021, the British gambling company breached many social responsibility and anti-money laundering regulations. The investigation found William Hill guilty of not providing customers with sufficient safeguards, allowing new players to lose thousands of pounds in a single sitting and failing to check the source of funds of its customers, among other breaches.

The regulator said that had even considered suspending William Hill’s license but decided not to because of the operator’s cooperation and willingness to improve its practices.

888 Will Make Sure William Hill Does Better

Despite its recent struggles, 888, which acquired William Hill last year, said that it is prepared to pay the regulatory settlement and has set enough money aside in its accounts.

A spokesperson from the 888 emphasized that William Hill will do better under the new management and will follow a strict plan to address its past failings:

The settlement relates to the period when William Hill was under the previous ownership and management. After William Hill was acquired, the company quickly addressed the identified issues with the implementation of a rigorous action plan.

888 statement

The spokesperson added that the entire 888 shares the UKGC’s commitment to improving compliance standards across Britain’s gaming industry. As a result, 888 vowed to continue working closely with the regulator and other stakeholders to prevent future violations.

A Brief History of 888’s Acquisition of William Hill

888 acquired William Hill from Caesars Entertainment for approximately $2.5 billion. The deal, approved by almost all of 888’s stakeholders, had to be amended because of changes to the macroeconomic and regulatory landscape before closing. Soon after the acquisition, 888 introduced major changes to William Hill’s team, appointing new executives to oversee the business.

888 was always prepared to cover the fine. Despite that, the regulatory settlement comes at a somewhat inconvenient time for the company, which has been experiencing various hurdles over the past few months. The company’s latest financial reports highlighted the continuous declines in certain metrics. At the same time, the company faces regulatory problems in Austria and Gibraltar.



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AGA Releases Updated Sports Betting Advertising Standards

Closeup of sports fan holding remote control


The American Gaming Association (AGA) has updated its code of ethics for sports betting advertising, restricting certain language and adding protection for college students.

Changes were made to the Responsible Marketing Code for Sports Wagering, also known as the “Code,” to further protect against many of the issues that have plagued Americans since sports betting and general gambling took off.

our intention to protect consumers and evolve our standards as this nascent market matures”

“Established in 2019, AGA’s Responsible Marketing Code reflects the commitment of our members to set and adhere to a high bar for responsible advertising,” said AGA President and CEO, Bill Miller in Tuesday’s press release. “Today’s updates advance that commitment and represent our intention to protect consumers and evolve our standards as this nascent market matures.”

The refinements to the Code are considered the most impactful since it was first written. This follows regulators in New York cracking down on online sports betting ads and others in Connecticut and Pennsylvania moving to limit how sports betting operators can market themselves.

As per the updates to the Code, colleges can no longer sign partnerships that promote or endorse sports betting in any way outside of alumni groups, unless the content pertains to the promotion and education of responsible gambling.

Individuals featured in sports betting ads must also be 21 or older, and references to “legal age” must say 21-plus. In addition, companies can no longer use the term “risk-free” during promotions. Annual conferences will be held to review and update the Code as necessary. 

The updates will go into immediate effect. Existing entities have a grace period until July 1 to comply with the new standards.

The post AGA Releases Updated Sports Betting Advertising Standards appeared first on VegasSlotsOnline News.

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Why won’t the Gambling Commission suspend licences of firms that break rules? | Rob Davies


What would a big gambling company have to do in order for its operating licence to be suspended?

It’s a question that has been tested to its limits by the behaviour of the £11bn industry over the past decade, culminating in the record £19.2m fine handed down to William Hill this week over a rap sheet that beggars belief.

Putting the context aside for a moment, some of the lowlights of this latest chapter in the history of the British gambling industry are mind-boggling enough.

William Hill and its sister brand Mr Green allowed punters to squander thousands of pounds within minutes, without bothering to perform the required checks to ensure customers weren’t losing the shirts off their backs.

More than 300 people were allowed to bet despite having signed up to a company-wide system meant to block them from doing so. Volunteering for such “self-exclusion” schemes is usually a sign that a customer is in financial distress, or wrestling with addiction.

But it’s only when you factor in the backdrop to these transgressions that the jaw really hits the floor.

The litany of misdeeds began in May 2020 and continued through to October 2021, including several nationwide and regional Covid-19 lockdowns.

The Gambling Commission had explicitly warned the industry to be extra careful not to exploit punters who were trapped at home – bored depressed and vulnerable – with little but the spin of a digital casino wheel to entertain them.

Yet the failures continued.

In December 2020, the government launched a once-in-a-generation review of gambling laws, prompting the industry – mindful of the threat of draconian restrictions – to make solemn promises that behaviour would improve.

Yet the failures continued.

William Hill, Mr Green and 888 had previously been hit with sizeable fines for similar breaches of their licence conditions.

In the case of Mr Green, it had taken a £3m fine in February 2020 for “systemic failings” just three months before the period covered by this latest sanction from the Gambling Commission.

All of this suggests that fines – usually deemed “settlements in lieu of penalties” but let’s call them what they are – are no deterrent. Take the record £19.2m penalty meted out to 888, for instance. The company will make that back in less than four days of trading. Some might call it a cost of doing business.

The Gambling Commission has the power to go further, in theory. It can suspend the licence of a bookmaker or casino to operate in Great Britain (its jurisdiction does not cover Northern Ireland).

The regulator said it had considered doing so this time but decided against it because William Hill had taken steps to improve.

Given the extraordinary circumstances – the lockdowns, the explicit warnings, the repeat offences, the government review – why wasn’t the licence suspended?

According to the regulator, an operator would have to have “failed to cooperate with a review or [be deemed] unsuitable to hold a licence issued by the commission.”

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Industry sources think the threat of legal action could be just as pertinent.

The commission is understood to have threatened big operators with licence suspension before, only to be hit with 500 pages of legal blood-and-thunder, warning that not only would operators challenge such a decision, they would challenge the commission’s very right to make it.

The commission, it seems, has neither the stomach nor the budget to take such a fight.

That’s not to say that operators haven’t had their licences suspended or revoked before. Those on the receiving end include such bet-at-home.com, Triplebet and Goldchip. Not exactly household names. The underpowered regulator chooses the battles it can win.

In a matter of weeks, the government will publish a white paper setting out proposals for overhauling outdated gambling laws that were drawn up by Tony Blair’s government in 2005, before the invention of the smartphone put a casino in every pocket.

Reforms could include affordability checks designed to prevent the very behaviour exhibited by William Hill, 888, Mr Green and countless other operators over the years.

Industry lobbyists have fought hard against such measures, issuing sombre warnings about the black market and nanny statism, in an effort to play on libertarian heartstrings of the Conservative right.

The timing of this latest fine, which could easily have been announced sooner, feels like the Gambling Commission’s way of fighting back shrewdly.

In the absence of greater firepower, it can at least show ministers the industry’s true face at the most opportune moment.

The rest is up to culture minister Lucy Frazer and Rishi Sunak.

Jackpot by Rob Davies (Guardian Faber, £14.99). To order a copy for £8.79 go to guardianbookshop.com. Delivery charges may apply.



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April 2023 New Games Release

April 2023 New Games Release Age of the Gods Helios Playtech Slot Games Online casino gaming Gambling


Spring has sprung and Casino.com has got some bloomin’ good games coming out this month! The Greek sun Helios is beaming brightly for a new slot adventure, and nostalgia is out to play in the form of Monopoly marvel!

Explore the escapades of our new online gaming slots as we take a closer look at what will be added the new lobby this season. All of the upcoming varieties have wide bet ranges, varying special in-game features and exciting themes and display layouts.

Here are a few of the new games that are being released in April 2023. 

Age of the Gods: Helios

Shine bright like a diamond! From game provider Playtech comes Age of the Gods: Helios, the newest instalment in the ever-popular Age of the Gods slot series. Scorch across the skies and see if you can win big in this mythic adventure game that contains 40 paylines, an RTP of 94.98%, and a 4-reel x 5-row game grid.

This sunny game offers in-game free spins, multiple winning icons and bets starting from as low as €0.10. Not only is the Greek theme seen through the design layout and soundtrack, but this exciting slot game also caters its winning symbols to fit the ancient theme too.

Look out for these icons for a big win potential: 

  • Sun Symbol These offer cash prizes and will trigger the Mystery Prize feature.
  • Solar Spins – These offer multipliers up to 5x.
  • Collect Symbols – This symbol can collect prizes on all Sun Symbols in view and will also trigger the Solar Spins feature.
  • Mystery Prize – If you land one of the above symbols with a diamond anywhere on it, the reels will trigger this feature. Between 1 and 4 diamonds can multiply your bet from 10x all the way up to 2,500x!

If that wasn’t enough, there are still amazing Jackpot possibilities to be played for. Helios’ jackpots are a multi-level mystery progressive version compared to the rest of the other slots in the series. If you are entered into the Jackpot games, you can win 1 of the 4 which are: Power Jackpot, Extra Power Jackpot, Super Power Jackpot and Ultimate Power Jackpot.

A detailed breakdown of all win potentials and symbols can be found in the paytable if you click on the ‘i’, which is accessible at any point, before or after each spin.

Grab your shades and explore the Titan!

Gerard’s Gambit



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