Sports betting and fantasy sports operator DraftKings opened a new technology hub in Las Vegas, ceremonially cutting the ribbon of the new 90,000-square-foot facility located in the UnCommons district on the southwest valley.
Modern Working Environment
The new office, DraftKings’ second-largest in the US, features more than 130 dedicated sports trading desks placed in a stadium seating environment and surrounded by multimedia walls. A fully stocked cafeteria, event space, a custom casino training pit, an interactive putt-view putting green, and amenity spaces are also part of the facility aimed to employ 1,000 new DraftKings team members.
Graham Walters, DraftKings’ chief people’s officer, outlined in a statement the joint effort of the company with the UnCommons district that led to the creation of “a world-class workplace environment.”
Speaking to the local news channel KTNV after the ceremony, Walters noted that the company had been working on its new office for a while as part of its plans to expand its presence in Las Vegas where DraftKings is the primary sponsor of the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV)’s Center for Gaming Innovation.
“I feel like it’s been a long time coming,” Walters told reporters, adding that it was for years that DraftKings has been planning for this, knowing the high level of commitment of their employees in Las Vegas, and “looking for opportunities to continue to invest.”
Expanding Presence and Workforce
Boston-based DraftKings marked its presence in Las Vegas in January 2020 when it opened its first office there, employing around 300 employees across customer experience, fraud, casino, sportsbook traders, HR and IT in a customized environment featuring collaborative workspaces, workstations, enclosed offices, conference rooms, private lounge areas, and other amenities.
The new facility opening is coming just in time for one of the biggest sporting events in the US calendar, the NCAA March Madness, the college basketball tournament taking place this week.
Our employees have been really looking forward to the opportunity again to come in, and when we have kind of these tent-pole moments like March Madness, it’s really a great opportunity to get people together to celebrate.
Graham Walters, chief people’s officer, DraftKings
Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman, who was also present at the opening ceremony of the new facility, was happy to see DraftKings expand its presence in Las Vegas, convinced that everyone recognizes the brand and its product.
“DraftKings means something to everybody. It’s sports betting, It’s fantasy betting, It’s everything exciting and it’s what the heartbeat of Las Vegas has always been about,” Goodman said.
And while she is right that DraftKings symbolizes all this, Nevada is a state in which the company is not licensed to operate a sportsbook.
On the latest PokerNews Podcast episode, Chad Holloway, Jesse Fullen, and Connor Richards delves into the latest Hustler Casino Live (HCL) and Garrett Adelstein developments, discuss Ethan “Rampage” Yau and “Nik Airball”, and highlight Lautaro Guerra Cabrerizo‘s impressive performance in the PGT PLO Championship.
Jesse also sits down with the legendary Eli Elezra at the Mixed Game Festival IV for an in-depth chat about his life, poker career, High Stakes Poker, the Poker Hall of Fame, and much more. Don’t miss your chance to hear from one of the greatest to ever play the game.
Other stories discussed include early winners from the PokerStars USA SCOOP schedule in New Jersey, Michigan, and Pennsylvania; upcoming Charity Series of Poker (CSOP) and RGPS bestbet Jacksonville stops; and getting ready for the official ribbon-cutting ceremony at Horseshoe Las Vegas that’ll be attended by Doyle Brunson, Jack Binion, and more poker luminaries!
Listen to those stories and more on the latest episode of the PokerNews Podcast!
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Gambling.com Group, a provider of iGaming digital marketing services, has posted its unaudited financial results for the fourth quarter of 2022. The company’s revenue skyrocketed and so did its net income.
Gambling.com reported $21.3 million for the period, representing a stellar 107% year-on-year increase from Q4 2021’s $10.3 million. Net income increased to $4.4 million, or $0.12 per share.
Adjusted EBITDA sat at $6.85 million, a 202% increase from the $2.2 million recorded in Q4, 2021. The cash flow generated by operating activities was $6.18 billion with a free cash flow of $364,000.
The company also published data about its overall performance in 2022, reporting annual revenue of $76.5 billion. Annual adjusted EBITDA exceeded $24 million with Gambling.com reporting an adjusted EBITDA margin of 31%. Free cash flow for 2022 was $9.46 million, the company noted.
In 2022, Gambling.com saw its NA revenues skyrocket to $10 million, which represents a whopping 364% increase. The year saw the company launch in several new markets and deliver more than 82,000 new depositing customers. Gambling.com was also able to repurchase 38,708 of its ordinary shares for $8.98 per share.
The iGaming provider also published its 2023 guidance, saying that it expects annual revenue of $93-97 million and adjusted EBITDA of $32-36 million.
Executives Praised the Results
The results were addressed by Charles Gillespie, co-founder and chief executive officer of Gambling.com Group, who praised the strong and organic growth. He attributed some of the company’s successes to Gambling.com’s investments in expanding its team, technology and portfolio of performance marketing websites. In addition, 2022 saw the company make forays into five new North American markets
Gambling.com Group’s 364% year-over-year increase in fourth quarter North American revenue to $10.0 million reflects the continued benefit from strong performance in our newest markets, including solid results from our November launch in Maryland.
Charles Gillespie, CEO, Gambling.com
Gillespie added that the company’s great metrics have been further complemented by the strong performance of its Ohio launch this year, as well as from its launch in Massachusetts in early March. Outside of North America, Gambling.com continues to focus on the UK and Ireland, where it has operated for almost a decade.
Gillespie concluded that Gambling.com is poised to grow even further in 2023.
Elias Mark, Gambling.com’s chief financial officer, also commented on the matter. He praised the team for driving an increase of over 133% in new depositing customers and improving the company’s financial metrics.
With our strong operating cash flow and balance sheet, we have the financial flexibility to continue making return-focused investments in our business to deliver increased scale and attractive top-line and cash flow growth – all while maintaining strong profitability.
Elias Mark, CFO, Gambling.com
Gambling.com continues to grow as attested by the EGR Sports Affiliate of the Year award it received in 2022.
The French National Assembly’s Economics Committee agreed to a new amendment curtailing influencers from advertising dangerous products. The proposed legislation received strong support and has a good chance of making it through the Assembly and Senate. If the amendment is passed into law, it will severely impact influencers promoting crypto assets.
Crypto Assets Will Be Equated to Gambling
Unregulated promotions of potentially harmful products like crypto assets have become a matter of contention among many European nations. France now plans to join countries like the UK and Belgium as it tightens down on crypto promotions. The movement received support from both sides of the political spectrum as a new amendment received the approval of a legislative committee this Wednesday.
Amendment n°CE48 aims to combat scams and restrict the advertising of pharmaceutical products, gambling, and crypto asset promotions on social media. The text treats digital assets identically to other speculative financial products. Lawmakers seek to limit the proliferation of advertisements posing risks to consumers, such as investments in various digital assets.
The text explicitly bans individuals from using social media to promote crypto assets not licensed by financial regulators. Currently, these are exactly zero. While changing regulations may open ways to circumvent the restrictions, the amendment would effectively ban French influencers from endorsing digital assets. With penalties of up to two years in prison and a €30,000 ($32,000) fine, few would risk the regulator’s ire.
Upcoming Regulatory Changes May Ease Restrictions
French lawmakers appear intent on dealing with the proliferation of scams on social networks and protecting consumers from risks. The proposed legislation coincides with a new wave of crypto promotion controversy as the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) charged eight celebrities with illegal advertisements on social media.
Despite turbulent French politics, the amendment enjoys support from the ruling party and the opposition. Socialist Arthur Delaporte noted that the crypto industry had remained under the radar for most politicians and urged reforms. Strong support from lawmakers means that the proposed legislation has every chance to soon pass into law.
Not all is doom and gloom for crypto influencers, though. France plans to overhaul its crypto firm registration requirements, adhering to the EU’s upcoming Markets in Crypto-Assets regulations. Under the new guidelines, European companies can extend their services through the bloc, once again opening the doors for crypto ads.
Our guest this week is Mickey Crimm. Mickey is a slots pro. We talk about how slot hustling has changed over the years, and his life on the road.
We welcome your questions – send them to us at [email protected], or you can find me at @RWM21 on Twitter or https://www.facebook.com/GamblingWithAnEdge.
Pariplay has penned a new content agreement with Urgent Games, a provider of innovative iGaming titles. As a result, the latter company’s content will become the latest to be integrated into the Pariplay Fusion aggregation platform.
Under the agreement with Urgent Games, the Fusion platform will be enriched with more than a hundred HTML5 games. Some of the new additions include Urgent Games hits such as Wild Cupid, Goddess of Harvest and Gang of Pirates.
Urgent Games is known for its innovative games for mobile and PC devices. In addition to a myriad of slots and fresh crash games, the company also offers a rich selection of traditional casino games, such as baccarat, bingo, craps and roulette, among others.
By joining Pariplay Fusion, Urgent Games will become the latest company to add its content to the aggregation platform. It will, therefore, join an expansive family of iGaming suppliers, including top industry names.
Pariplay is working with some of the most popular games in iGaming and is constantly expanding the richness of its Fusion platform by onboarding new titles from industry-leading suppliers. Some of its latest content deals include agreements with ELYSIUM Studios and Mancala Gaming.
Urgent Games Is Proud to Join the Fusion Platform
Adam Petroli, Urgent Games’ chief executive officer, said that his team is very proud of its portfolio and is excited to integrate its diverse and engaging games into the Fusion platform. He said that this agreement will significantly expand his company’s reach in many key markets, allowing its content to reach many new operators and players.
Meanwhile, Enrico Bradamante, Pariplay’s chief commercial officer, said that his team is always looking for new games to add to the Fusion offering. He added that Urgent games are a “perfect match” for his team’s ambitions.
Our aggregation platform has enjoyed incredible success since its launch, and by adding progressive, successful providers, we’re able to sustain it as a market-leading solution.
Enrico Bradamante, CCO, Pariplay
Pariplay’s Fusion platform currently encompasses a whopping 14,000+ games from over 80 suppliers. In addition to the vast variety of content, the company also offers a comprehensive range of back-office conversion and retention tools.
The supplier leverages the Fusion platform to supply many top-tier operators with iGaming content. Some of Pariplay’s latest agreements with operators include deals with companies such as Betsson and DraftKings.
A few days ago, Pariplay forged a new partnership with Caesars Ontario, agreeing to supply Caesars Entertainment’s Canadian arm with content from the Wizard Games studio.
I was talking to a cash game regular the other day. He said something I loved.
“You know, I’ve always noticed something,” said Chris Scott. “Nits beat stations. Stations beat maniacs. Maniacs beat nits. You can see it every time you sit down at the table.”
This is why you have to meet up-and-coming grinders. Sometimes they will say something that makes you wonder, “Why have I never thought of it that way?”
Now, I’m sure someone before Chris said some version of this, but regardless of that, this concept does not come up enough. It’s absolutely true. Nits beat stations. Stations beat maniacs. Maniacs beat nits.
Why Does this Occur?
Nits only play the best starting hands. When the flop comes out, they usually got the best of it. Stations are in the game for another reason. They’re there for rest and relaxation. They call down because it’s exciting. They’re trying to win as many pots as possible because that’s what makes poker fun for them. They’re not thinking about their opponents and their ranges. They are playing to see flops. They are playing to see showdowns.
Stations get obliterated when they play against nits. However, they clobber maniacs. Maniacs are playing poker for the dopamine high of blasting huge bets into the pot. They love the action. They don’t consider the other player. They are more aware of how fun it is to ram and jam post-flop.
“Maniacs are constantly defeated by stations, but they do destroy one type of player: nits, who are under the impression that you need a huge hand to play a huge pot.”
This strategy works poorly against calling stations. Stations don’t even know what they’re doing, but they’re playing so well versus the maniac. If someone just blasts away on every flop then your best bet is to pick a halfway decent hand, put your helmet on, and call down. Calling stations don’t know what a minimum defense frequency is, but they’re much closer to an optimal one versus someone who jacks up their bluffing frequencies.
Maniacs are constantly defeated by stations, but they do destroy one type of player: nits, who are under the impression that you need a huge hand to play a huge pot. If they’re calling three bets post-flop then they’re going to need more than a pair. The maniac takes advantage of this bias beautifully. They fire constantly knowing the vast majority of the time their opponent is going to flop a pair they’re not in love with. That’s if they even hit the flop. They also pick up the money every time the nit misses. The maniac wins so many pots versus the nit that they’re freerolling when they gamble with a draw later versus the nit.
There have been times in poker history when the vast majority of the poker-playing population plays one style. In these eras, specific outlier players have conquered. Early in no-limit hold’em, for example, players liked to play it safe. They folded so much that they all became nits. This opened the door for maniacs to win plenty of money.
There have been other eras, especially in no-limit hold’em tournaments, when pissing for distance wars became all the rage. Nittier players in these skirmishes could make out with more than their fair share of the loot.
The game is about always paying attention to the trends and asking how you can exploit them.
Playing Against a Nit
In today’s day and age, poker players are more experienced. When the boom first happened, many players were playing a basic nittier style they learned from a book. In those days, a maniac style prevailed. Now, players are more nuanced. Many of them have been playing for decades. They’ve settled into their own styles. They’re not all reading from the same book.
When you sit down at the table, your first job is to determine what style each player is playing. Are they a nit, station, or maniac? You can play a more tight aggressive style until you gather this intelligence.
Nits are easy to pick up on. They fold early and they fold often. If you are playing live, you’ll notice they have no problem folding automatically and quickly. They do not sweat decisions. They have been playing this game for a long time. They know what hands they like, thank you very much. They’re going to play them and play them hard. You’ll also notice these players always have the best hand at showdowns.
If you’re playing against the nit, then you’re going to stay the hell out of their way for the most part. You will raise more when they’re to your left because you know they will rarely three-bet you or cold call you. But the second they get involved you’re going to cool your jets.
If the nit is in the big blind, however, this does present an opportunity. The nit will know they’re supposed to call out of the big blind with a wide range, but they will be uncomfortable defending this wide. You’re going to shell them with multiple bets. The nit at some point will decide, “Okay I’m done with this. I hate these hands.” You’ll collect a number of orphan pots nicely.
Alex Fitzgerald
Playing Against a Station
If you see a player constantly limping in preflop or calling preflop raises that is far more likely to be a station. This is someone who is playing poker to relax. When the flop comes out there are infinite possibilities for them. They’re not going to fold anything halfway decent.
You will also know who is a station based on how much they hem and haw post-flop. Stations hate folding and they will not hide that fact. They will constantly be hanging around on later streets. When they turn over their hand on the river you’ll constantly wonder, “How the hell did he get so far with that hand?”
With these players, you are going to play good hands and you are going to play them hard. You will take the bluffs out of your game. You are not going to get creative. You won’t need a huge hand to bust the stations, but you’ll need something. Second pair with a top kicker, top pair, something along those lines. Play those hands hard and play them directly. Everyone else at the table will know what you’re doing but it doesn’t matter.
Playing Against a Maniac
How do you spot a maniac? Lucky for you many maniacs want attention. They will announce their presence early and often. The fastest way to identify a maniac is to see who is reraising the most preflop. Nits don’t reraise much preflop because they’re waiting for huge hands. Stations don’t reraise much preflop because they like to see flops. Maniacs will constantly spam reraises in preflop. They have no problem annoying the other players.
“If you see them constantly putting people to the test on later streets or having to table bluffs, then you’ll know you’re playing against someone who isn’t afraid to move chips around.”
Some maniacs like to see a ton of flops and won’t reraise as much preflop. You’ll know that these post-flop maniacs are in the game because you’ll constantly see them firing multiple shells post-flop. If you see them constantly putting people to the test on later streets or having to table bluffs, then you’ll know you’re playing against someone who isn’t afraid to move chips around.
Versus these players, you’re going to have to pick a halfway decent hand and call down. Don’t raise them off the pot. Let them bluff with all their garbage. You don’t want to discourage them from executing their greatest leak.
What you don’t want to do the next time you sit at the table is play a game that doesn’t morph based on the players you’re playing against. You don’t want people at the table knowing you are a nit, maniac, or station. You don’t want these simple counterstrategies to be available to them.
About Alex Fitzgerald
Alex Fitzgerald is a professional poker player and best-selling author who currently lives in Denver, Colorado. He is a WPT and EPT final tablist. He has WCOOP and SCOOP wins online. His most recent win was for $250,000 online. He currently enjoys blasting bums away in online tournaments while he listens to death metal.
Alex can be reached for private coaching at [email protected]
Learn how to three bet everybody here!
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In his new strategy column, best-selling author Alex Fitzgerald talks about nits, stations & maniacs.
The gambling industry giant, 888 Holdings, announced a new collaboration with the global media agency Wavemaker. The company joined forces with the media agency in what was lauded as a strategic partnership.
Per the terms of the new deal, 888 Holdings selected Wavemaker as the agency which will be in charge of its multi-million media planning for its UK brands Mr Green, as well as William Hill.
The new collaboration comes after an extensive and competitive selection process. Overall, it has taken seven months for 888 Holdings to select Wavemaker and approve it as the company that will lead the brands’ media strategy in the UK.
The New Collaboration Brings Excitement to Wavemaker
Wavemaker explained in a statement that thanks to the new strategic deal, the company will continue to support the media strategy of the brands. Ultimately, those efforts are expected to help by bringing transformational growth opportunities and keeping 888’s brands at the helm of the market in the UK.
“We are thrilled to have retained William Hill and Mr Green, and won 888holdings as a client, following a seven-month competitive pitch process. A big shout out to the team behind this huge win – it wouldn’t be possible without your hard work, dedication and expertise,“
reads a statement released by Wavemaker
The media company acknowledged the efforts of its team members that contributed to the process. Finally, Wavemaker thanked its members for the hard work, dedication and expertise that resulted in this strategic collaboration with 888.
Previously, Wavemaker and 72andSynny collaborated with William Hill back in 2019. Now, the new deal builds further that positive momentum and at the same time is expected to boost 888’s operations following the acquisition of William Hill.
The announcement about the strategic deal with 888 comes after only recently, Wavemaker announced the launch of its Media Essentials Certificate. Earlier this week, the company unveiled a brand-new training program that is exclusive for its clients and free. The initiative offers a 12-week course that teaches the participants to better understand how media and marketing works.
Playtika, an Israel-based digital entertainment company that develops and publishes mobile games and gambling titles, has wrapped up the negotiations for the acquisition of Rovio. While the latter company, best known for its Angry Birds franchise, will not go through with the deal, it will continue the negotiations with other parties.
This news comes in the wake of Playtika’s bid on the Finnish game developer. In January, the Israeli company increased the proposed price of the deal, offering to acquire Rovio for $9.84 per share for a total of around $742 million.
Several weeks following this proposal, Rovio ended a strategic review and commenced preliminary non-binding discussions with potential buyers. At the end of the day, Rovio turned down Playtika’s deal, although it will continue to negotiate a potential sale with other companies, the Finnish developer announced. According to the company, talks still continue.
Rovio to Continue Negotiations with Other Parties
Rovio released a statement on the matter, saying that it is continuing its strategic review, which includes discussions with other potential buyers. The company emphasized that it is seeking to reach the best possible outcome for the company and its shareholders. Rovio did not specify why the talks with Playtika have failed.
The Angry Birds developer noted that the discussions are still non-binding and that it cannot say with certainty whether they will end with a definitive sale offer. It promised to release more details about buyers, offers and potential agreements “at an appropriate time.”
Rovio’s Angry Birds continues to be one of the most influential mobile gaming franchises to this day. The original game was released in 2009 and has grown into a global phenomenon with a variety of sequels, spin-offs and even movies.
Playtika Introduced Changes to Its Team
In other news, Playtika recently expanded its leadership with two new members. The company was joined by Gili Brudno and Darlan Monterisi who will be serving as its new chief human resources officer and global head of communications respectively.
Both new members are experienced in their respective fields and will help Playtika in its ambitious growth plans. They were welcomed by Shlomi Aizenberg, Playtika’s COO, who praised them for their strengths.
The new additions followed a wave of layoffs, which saw the company reduce its headcount by 12-15% in December. This was not the only time in 2022 the company reduced its team either as in June it bid goodbye to around 6% of its workforce.
Three consent agreements featuring $60,000 of fines to online casino operators were approved by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) at its latest public meeting. The watchdog also punished two punters for leaving their kids unattended at a casino while gambling.
Presented by PGCB’s Office of Enforcement Counsel (OEC), the consent agreements imposed fines to Mountainview Thoroughbred Racing Association, LLC, Downs Racing, L.P. and its partner Unibet Interactive, Inc. and Evolution US, LLC, for different breaches of the gambling rules.
The operator of Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course, Mountainview Thoroughbred Racing Association, agreed to pay $45,000 for allowing five individuals enrolled in the iGaming Self-Exclusion program run by the PGCB to participate in online gaming activities with Barstool Sportsbook. The regulator noted that “an interactive gaming certificate must refuse wagers from and deny gaming privileges and benefits to an individual who has placed themselves on the iGaming Self-Exclusion List.”
The operator of Mohegan Pennsylvania casino, Downs Racing, L.P. and its iGaming partner, Unibet Interactive, were jointly fined $7,500 for failing to suspend the gaming account of an individual, who requested a 90-day “cool off” period but the request went unnoticed and substantial gaming activity was continued for 21 more days.
Holder of an iGaming Manufacturer License, Evolution US, was sanctioned with $7,500 for allowing an unlicensed employee to deal several games of blackjack in the operator’s gaming studio for live dealer interactive gaming.
Leaving Children Unattended to Gamble
Acting on OEC petitions, the PGCB banned two individuals, a male and a female, from all casinos in the Commonwealth for leaving their children unattended while engaging in gaming activities. The patrons left their kids, a 12-year-old and a 14-month-old, in running vehicles while placing wagers at the sportsbooks at the Presque Isle Downs & Casino and Valley Forge Casino and Resort, respectively.
In January, the watchdog sanctioned four individuals for similar offenses. On one of the occasions, a man left unattended five children, one of which an infant, for an hour and 12 min while he was playing slots at the Valley Forge Casino and Resort.
The two latest occasions brought the total number of incidents since the start of 2022 in which adults leave their children unattended to gamble at Pennsylvania casinos to 331, involving 522 minors.
The PGCB used the occasion to remind all adults that leaving minors unattended at a Pennsylvania casino is also a criminal offense as it creates a potentially unsafe and dangerous environment for the children.
