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.

Source link

A long-awaited moment

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.

The post Brazil Ready to Regulate Online Sports Betting This Month, Finance Minister Confirms appeared first on VegasSlotsOnline News.

Source link

On Tuesday, February 28^th, 2023 one of the sports betting industry’s leading providers of the next – generation gambling content as well as online gaming solutions, BETER, has now just recently extended their partnership agreement with the Fortuna Entertainment Group (FEG), which is presently the main omni – channel operator throughout the countries of Central and Eastern Europe. BETER will continue to be supplying the Fortuna Entertainment Group with an eSports odds feed as well as complete coverage of most of the major eSports tournaments and events.

The Contributions from BETER

BETER is responsible for covering over approximately 25,000 live eSports events each and every year, and thanks to their wide array of coverage, Fortuna is now enabled to provide their customer base with a very large range of eSports tournaments in more market places and with the most possible uptime too.

The superior quality of BETER’s eSports provisions is due to the fact that their official eSports and sports betting data and information that they now will continue to have complete access to. That will result in the organization’s professional traders, all of which have compiled a large amount of years of eSports knowledge.

BETER has been closely working in coordination with the Fortuna Entertainment Group ever since the year of 2020. That allows FEG to offer the operator with a compilation of 24 / 7 in – house proprietary tournaments such as E – SportsBattle, across the four disciplines consisting of e-football, e-basketball, e-hockey as well as CS: GO.

Media Statements

The eSports General Manager at BETER, Evgeniy Bekker, had this to say, “We are delighted that FEG has chosen us as its e – sports odds supplier. Working with leading operators gives us an excellent opportunity to continue driving the i – Gaming industry with the best possible e – sports betting product. I am confident that our product will help FEG to enhance its position as a market leader whilst providing a significant boost to the quality of the services it brings to its customers.”

The Head of Trading Operations at the Fortuna Entertainment Group, Polinský Tomáš, stated,“Throughout our time working together, BETER has proven to be a reliable and highly effective partner. We are very pleased with the results we have already achieved together and we’re excited to be taking our collaboration to the next level, to ensure we are offering our customers the very best solutions available. We expect plenty more achievements and successes on the market with the professionals at BETER by our side.”

Knowing what casino Christchurch in NZ offers is useful because you will manage to make a game plan. Don’t think you will be able to try every game in just a few hours because the operator has prepared lots of surprises. The table below shows the main sections of this blog post, which information will be useful for your visit. Read on, and don’t miss reading the answers to essential questions at the end.

Overview of Casino Christchurch in New Zealand

If you are in Christchurch and need some interesting entertainment, you can always visit the casino named after the city. The Christchurch Casino Hotel in New Zealand is one of the recommended gambling locations with great restaurants and an opportunity for comfortable accommodations.

You need to know many important things about this Kiwi gambling venue, and we intend to share them with you. We will start with the essential information, and later, we will go into detail about the food, fun, and more extras. Check the table below for Christchurch Casino opening hours, address, casino games, and more:

As you can see, the operator has thought about everything and in the work process embeds sustainability and the kaitiakitanga spirit can be sensed everywhere in the casino and hotel business. Small examples are the Christchurch Casino parking, and the Wi-Fi which are both free. Those are some of the few small perks New Zealand players and visitors can take advantage of.

Considering all listed above and the casino details in this blog post, the only excuse not to visit is because you are too far. Then, we recommend trying the second-best gambling experience besides visiting a great land-based casino – playing at the best online casinos in New Zealand for 2023.

Rules at Casino Christchurch in NZ

The casino is established according to the gambling laws in New Zealand, and all games are regularly tested for fairness. When it comes to players, Christchurch Casino is committed to responsible gambling. Alongside this, the operator has strict anti-money laundering and player privacy policies. Security is constant and monitors even the car parks for unusual activities.

The operator has only two rules for Kiwi players and visitors, and the first one is following the Christchurch Casino age restriction. Only people over 20+ years old can enter and play the available games. Upon entry, they need to provide valid proof of age like ID, passport, driver’s licence, firearms licence, Kiwi Access card or HANZ 18+ Card.

The second rule is about the Christchurch Casino dress code and the casino etiquette. When it comes to appropriate appearance, you can wear neat and clean casual clothes or something more elegant (if you like). Regarding manners, it is important to keep a good and friendly tone. In case of trouble, contact the employees instead of solving the issue yourself.

The Christchurch Casino Games

When you enter the casino Christchurch in New Zealand, you will see a vast number of gambling games available to all players of legal age. This is the perfect place to learn what pokies are and how to play slots, table games, and wager on sports. Here are the types of casino games you can try:

Considering all of the above, it is clear that here you can find more than enough fun as a pro player joining the casino Christchurch poker tournaments or casual player sharing gambling and card jokes around the tables. We recommend beginner players bravely try as many games as possible on small agers before rising the states.

Promotions, Players Club & App

Christchurch Casino is a great place not only because a visitor can learn interesting card facts from other gamblers and the dealers, but also because it has amazing promotions available to all players. Since this is a real money-play venue, New Zealanders can make fast transactions, and the tourists have zero fees when making major foreign currency transfers.

After entering through the door, one of the best decisions is registering at the Christchurch Casino Players Club. This way, you can get a Players Club Card and climb up the Standard Players Club Card tiers (Bronze, Silver, and Gold) or the invitation-only VIP Players tires (Platinum and Black). Players can get different birthday month presents, discounts, extras, bonus points, and more depending on the level.

Once you gain points from playing at the casino and restaurant meals, you can use them to get more casino points, complimentary stuff, discounts at the restaurant, celebration rewards, and more rewards.

Fine Dining & Drinks

The casino Christchurch is not just a place for gambling. You can also have a great time at the Christchurch Casino restaurant – The Café. Open the menu and see stellar food from around the world, but the most popular dishes are Kiwi classics. There are also many vegan and gluten-free dishes.

We already mentioned that the Christchurch Casino dress code is casual, which goes for the restaurant, bar, and the Monza Sports Bar. You can eat pizza and snacks at the sports bar, get a craft beer while watching sports and stand-up comedy shows or join the quiz night. This is also the place where you can enjoy the best casino drinks.

After the good meal from the Christchurch Casino menu, visit the Valley Bar, where during the weekends you can see live stage performances and find the correlation between gambling and music.

Rydges Latimer Christchurch Hotel

Anyone who intends to play at casino Christchurch in NZ and is not a resident will need a place to stay. The Christchurch Casino hotel is the closest and most logical option. We checked the level of the Christchurch Casino accommodation, and the hotel meets the requirements of top-rated brands. Here is what will improve your stay at the Rydges Latimer Christchurch hotel:

The hotel entertainment can be enjoyed during and outside the Christchurch Casino opening hours. If you choose this place for a company event, wedding, or a family reunion, you will have a chance to choose the decoration and organise everything with the help of a professional team. There is even a chance for the pastry chefs to prepare a special gambling cake or menu up to your liking.

More Fun in Christchurch, New Zealand

Since the Christchurch Casino has opening and closing times, we recommend you enjoy local Christchurch attractions. Since the town is on Pegasus Bay, the first thing in mind is to have some fun at the beaches of the Pacific Ocean. Besides the beach and sun, the city has an abundance of places to visit and things to do beyond the picks below:

Every visitor and tourist has a different reason for visiting the city. That is why staying at the Rydges may not be the perfect option for you. Explore the hotels near Christchurch Casino and choose the one that allows you quick access to as much entertainment as possible and provides the best accommodations. This way, your stay will be comfortable, and you will be close to high-grade gambling establishments.

Christchurch Casino Essential Questions & Answers

You don’t need a special reason to visit Christchurch Casino, just drop by and join the action. The brick-and-mortar gaming venue is open to all locals and visitors from near and far. We hand-picked a few questions players often wonder about before playing at a casino. Check the answers and follow the links for more details.

PointsBet advertisements target young Colorado audience

As the sports betting companies’ advertisements continue to stir controversy, practices used by PointsBet Sportsbook at the University of Colorado are under the microscope.

signage displayed during university events such as commencement and new student orientation

Denver-based PointsBet is the corporate sponsor of CU Boulder’s athletics program and is also partnered with Buffalo Sports Properties, which represents CU. As such, it has signage displayed during university events such as commencement and new student orientation, as well as engagement programs like football camps where underage youths are present. 

PointsBet maintains that, despite the growing skepticism, it is only marketing to Colorado alums and of-age persons. 

Extra sets of eyes

Until January, PointsBet had a deal in place with Colorado that allowed it to receive $30 for every person that created an account using the school’s affiliate code, regardless of whether or not they were a student or faculty member. 

75-85% of college students gambled in some form

Last fall, 7,106 first-year students enrolled in Colorado. Research conducted from 2007 to 2014—before sports betting was expanded and before Colorado adopted legislation—found that 75-85% of college students gambled in some form. The opportunity to do so has only increased with the availability of in-person and online sportsbooks.

A CU spokesperson said the school and PointsBet reached a “mutual decision to discontinue that portion [the $30 kickback] of the agreement.”

Regardless of the lost affiliate code, PointsBet will still receive massive marketing opportunities through its partnership with the school, especially thanks to Deion Sanders and the new-look football staff.

Sanders, known as “Prime Time” during his playing days and “Coach Prime” in the present, is a media darling. CU product sales were up 700% year-to-year during December 2022, Sanders’ first month as the Buffaloes’ coach, and Brian Howell of the Boulder Daily Camera says they have already sold over 30,000 tickets to their spring football game. Only 1,950 tickets were sold to the 2022 spring game.

General opposition

A majority of the opposition to PointsBet’s partnership with Colorado is due to the operator being unable to control who sees its branding. Eastern Michigan University law professor Richard Karcher, who teaches classes on sports and ethics, is one of those who have taken issue with both PointsBet and CU.

“Who cares whether the university intends for its advertising to reach their students?” Karcher wrote in an email. “It is, and the university knows it.”

the operator receive several promotions during live broadcasts of football games

Part of PointsBet’s agreement with Colorado mandates that the operator receive several promotions during live broadcasts of football games, including a sponsored pregame piece, a ten-second “live mention” and three 30-second commercials.

PointsBet’s logo is also visible on message boards at the 53,613-seat football stadium. The PA announcer also gives at least one mention to the company during the game.  

An Ohio University professor of sports administration, B. David Ridpath, said gambling is just like alcohol and cigarettes and is being coupled with “predatory marketing.”

“Students, like anybody else, are going to [gamble on sports],” said Ridpath. “That’s why it’s become much more mainstream.”

Connecticut Senator Richard Blumenthal previously urged Caesars to stop the “disgraceful practice” of marketing sports betting at colleges. Executives at sports betting companies, such as FanDuel executive vice president of marketing Andrew Sneyd, agree that there should be regulations on marketing at colleges.

The post PointsBet Advertisements at the University of Colorado Draw Heavy Criticism appeared first on VegasSlotsOnline News.

Source link

Originating from Valencia and the Balearic Islands, Truco has travelled far to become one of the most popular card games in South America. It is particularly popular in both Brazil and Argentina where different versions of the game can be found.

The format of the game will vary greatly depending on your location. For example, Truco Argentino differs greatly from the versions found in Brazil. Even within Brazil there are different formats that vary significantly depending on which region you are in. Minas Gerais’ Truco Mineiro differs greatly from Sao Paulo’s Truco Paulista, while Rio Grande do Sul’s Truco Gaucho has more in common with its Argentinian cousin than its Brazilian brothers.

Here, we examine how to play Truco’s most popular variations (Truco Mineiro, Truco Paulista and Truco Argentino) and the secret sign language involved!

How to Play Truco Mineiro

To play Truco you will need two teams of two people sat around a table. The partners should sit directly opposite each other so they can see each other clearly – this is important for communicating silently! Each player will be dealt three cards and the aim of the game is to have a higher ranking card than your opponent. Each game has three tricks (rodadas), and each person will play one card per each of these tricks/rounds.

The game is played anti clockwise from the person who plays the first card, and the team which wins two out of the three rodadas wins a point, or tento. The first team to win twelve tentos wins the match. Simple? Well, not quite! As a beginner there are more than a few things that you will need to be aware of.

Before deciding to play, you should try to familiarise yourself with Spanish playing cards. This is because the game is intended to be played with the 40-card Spanish deck. Do not worry if you do not have a Spanish-style deck to hand, you can also play with the standard 52-card deck by removing the 8’s, 9’s and 10’s. Both of these types of decks are referred to as a dirty deck, or baralho sujo.

For those of you who may be used to the standard 52-card deck, this next part may take some getting used to. The ranking of the cards does not run in ascending order from the 2’s, rather it has a unique format outlined below (from high to low):

• Four of Clubs (zap)
• Seven of Hearts (escopeta)
• Ace of Spades (espadilha)
• Seven of Diamonds (pica-funo)
• Threes
• Twos
• Aces (excluding Ace of Spades)
• Kings
• Jacks
• Queens
• Seven of Spades and Clubs
• Sixes
• Fives
• Fours (excluding Four of Clubs)

The most powerful cards are the first four, referred to as the manilhas. These power cards are fixed for every game and they represent that only occasion where the suit of the card is relevant. For example, the five of clubs, hearts, spades, and diamonds will all have equal value. This opens up the possibility of there being a tie (empatar), which is unique to this version of Truco.

Where Truco Mineiro gets even more competitive is when the teams raise the stakes. At any time a player can call “truco” and raise the value of the current round from 1 to 3 tentos. The person making this call is called the trucador. Should “truco” get called, the opponent can do one of three things:

1. Run away (corro) – Refuse the raise and lose the round. The team that called truco are awarded one point.
2. Accept (aceito) – The raise is accepted, and the current round will be worth three tentos.
3. Raise (retruco) – Raise the bet to 6 tentos. At this point, the tables are turned and the team who originally raised the bet will have the option to run away, accept or raise the bet again to 9 or 12 tentos. This is risky territory though, as 12 tentos will be enough to win the entire game!

The “truco” call can be a bluff, similar to poker. Even if the opponent chooses corro, they may never know whether the opponent was bluffing or not. Usually, the trucador’s cards are folded into the deck very quickly to conceal their strategy.

How to Play Truco Paulista

Truco Paulista, commonly enjoyed in Sao Paulo, shares many of the same characteristics as Truco Mineiro, but there are also significant differences. Firstly, the cards will be dealt clockwise from the dealer, not anti-clockwise.  The biggest departure, however, comes in the manilhas, or power cards. In Truco Mineiro, the manilhas are fixed meaning that they remain the same for each game. However, in Truco Paulista they will change from game to game. The manilhas are determined after the players have been dealt their cards. Once this is done, the top card of the deck, called the vira, is flipped over. The card ranked immediately above the vira – and the corresponding card in the other suits – will be the manilhas.

However, don’t forget that the order of cards in Truco is different to that in other card games. In a game of Truco the order, from highest to lowest, is: 3-2-Ace-Jack-King-Queen-7-6-5-4. This means that if the vira card is a King, then all of the Jacks are the manilhas. The strength of each suit is also different, with Clubs being the strongest, followed by Hearts, Spades and lastly Diamonds. In the example where the Jacks are the manilhas, the Jack of Clubs would be the strongest, while the Jack of Diamonds is the weakest of the four. This also allows for another significant difference to the Mineiro version of the game – there can be no ties. This is because each suit has a relative strength against another meaning a stalemate is impossible.

Another key difference between the two Brazilian games is the introduction of mão de ferro – the iron hand! An iron hand is only played when both teams have eleven points. When playing the mão de ferro, the cards are dealt to the players as they normally would be. However, neither team is allowed to look at their cards. The players will  play out the three tricks by simply turning over their top card. Whoever wins that round wins the game.

A final difference that is important for new players to know is that when one or both teams have eleven points, it is illegal to even utter the word “truco”. If you make a truco call, then your opponent will win the entire match! Even just saying the word “truco” in passing will cost you the match under Paulista rules. This a sneaky rule that has caught out many players in the past, so always keep an eye on the score!

How to Play Truco Argentino

The Argentine version of the game is also usually played by two teams of two, similar to the Brazilian variants. However, for the most part, this is where the similarities end! The first major difference to highlight when it comes to Truco Argentino is that it can only be played with the Spanish 40-card deck. For those of you unfamiliar with this style, it differs significantly from the standard 52 card deck.

Firstly, the four suits are completely different. They are coins (oros), cups (copas), swords (espadas) and batons (bastos). In addition to this, the numbered cards only run from Ace to 7, rather than Ace to 10. Also, gone are the Queens and Jacks, replaced by the Valet (sota) andHorse (caballo) on cards 10 and 11. Meanwhile the King remains, although his number has changed to 12. The Spanish-deck also contains four special cards (cartas bravas) which are the most powerful in the deck. The strongest of these is the Ace of Swords, followed by the Ace of Batons, the Seven of Swords, then the Seven of Coins.

The method of awarding points in the Argentine format also differs from the Brazilians thanks to the introduction of the flor and enviado. A flor is having all three of your cards in the same suit and it must be announced to the group if you have it. If another player also announces they have a flor then the person with the better cards will win the points, but usually a player will call truco to raise the stakes on their way to victory (or not!). Meanwhile, an enviado is having two cards of the same suit. If more than one player has enviado then they can again call truco and bet on which person has the higher value enviado. Similar to Truco Mineiro, members can choose to give up, accept the bet, raise the bet, and re-raise the bet.

Communication Is Key!

As with any team sport, communication between teammates is essential. In all forms of Truco, players can talk, sing, shout or whisper about whatever they wish. You can tell your partner exactly what cards you have, but…actually saying the words aloud would let the other team know too! In order to keep things confidential, players have developed a code of signals to let their teammates know what cards they have:

• Closed eyes means you have terrible cards.
• Raised eyebrows indicates that you hold the coveted Ace of Swords.
• A sly wink will let your teammate know that you have the Ace of Batons.
• Move your mouth to the right to convey you have the seven of swords, move it to the left if you have the seven of coins.
• Have you got any threes? Bite your bottom lip!
• Got a two? Make a kiss!

Of course, this is not an exhaustive list, and the signals can always be changed. Indeed, partners who have played together for a long time could develop their own code to make sure their messages don’t get intercepted and interpreted by their rivals!

You can find different varieties of Truco across South America. You can also discover even more card games the world’s favourite casino, Casino.com. Don’t forget to sign-up and receive our very generous Welcome Bonus!

The post How To Play South America’s Favourite Game, Truco! appeared first on Casino.com Blog.

Source link

Out of the blocks

The total sports betting handle in Ohio’s first month of operations reached $1.1bn.

The Ohio Casino Control Commission (OCCC) released the January figures on Tuesday. Sportsbooks generated revenue of almost $209m from the $1.1bn handle.

most of the bets were placed through online sportsbooks

The OCCC noted how most of the bets were placed through online sportsbooks, with 16 platforms up and running in January. The 14 retail sportsbooks in the state generated revenue of just $3.2m. Gaming revenue for the four casinos in Ohio reached $86m for the month.

Exceeding expectation

While many expected a strong start to legal sports betting in Ohio, the actual figures are even better than originally anticipated. Ohio was the state with the second-largest betting handle in January. Predictably, New York remained the leader with a $1.8bn betting handle.

FanDuel’s online sportsbook took in the most bets in January, with $494m worth of wagers accepted. It was followed by DraftKings with $343m in betting handle and BetMGM with $82m. Tax revenue generated from sports betting was almost $21m.

sportsbook operators spent almost $320m on promotional gaming credits

Sportsbook operators are known to spend big money when a new market launches to try to gain as many customers as possible, often offering enticing new signup offers. For January, Ohio sportsbook operators spent almost $320m on promotional gaming credits.

A bright future

It took a long time for legal sports betting to come to Ohio. While the federal ban on betting came to an end in May 2018, it wasn’t until December 2021 that a bill legalizing sports betting gained sufficient support in the state. Neighboring states of West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Michigan already had legal betting by then. Sportsbooks in the Buckeye State were finally able to launch on January 1.

It appears Ohio is well-positioned to develop a strong sports betting sector. Only a select few states, including New York and New Jersey, regularly record monthly betting handles of over $1bn. Ohio is helped by being the seventh most-populated US state and the fourth most-populated state with legal sports betting.

The post Ohio Sports Betting Surpasses $1bn Handle Mark in First Month appeared first on VegasSlotsOnline News.

Source link

In most areas, online gambling in India falls into a grey sector that is neither legal nor illegal. Of course, that creates much confusion for players as no precise rules are defined, except for states like Sikkim, where online casinos are allowed. Finally, at the beginning of 2023, the government started working towards establishing a well-regulated market.

The iGaming sector in India covers casino sites, betting platforms, and DFS. All these categories enjoy a large fan base, but the absence of regulations is an obstacle. Offshore operators are often subject to sanctions, and Indian players are unsure which sites to trust. As a result, the establishment of self-regulatory bodies is foreseen. Before we dive into details, let’s do a quick overview of the legal online gambling in India.

The Current Online Gambling Laws in India

The popularity of online gambling in India is not to underestimate. Recent research shows that around 40% of Internet users in the country gamble regularly or have gambled at least once. Playing card games at online gambling sites in India is the most popular activity, followed by sports betting.

In India, the Public Gaming Act of 1867 is still in force. According to the current laws, each state has the power to decide whether to legalise or forbid online gambling. As a result, Sikkim authorised online casinos and sports betting in 2010. Other regions like Telangana and Andhra Pradesh have outlawed playing at betting sites. Below, you can check the complete overview of India’s current online gambling laws.

Goa and Daman have an unclear position regarding online casinos – they neither ban nor legalise casino sites. Meanwhile, the government has defined online poker as a skill-based game and gives the authority to all states to decide whether to allow it. Today, Indian poker players can legally participate in tournaments from West Bengal, Karnataka, and Nagaland. Others, such as Assam and Odisha, have banned the game for their residents.

Daily fantasy sports are also considered legal online gambling in India. In 2021, the Supreme Court stated that playing DFS requires skills and is, therefore, allowed. Operators that organise tournaments must be approved by the Federation of Indian Fantasy Sports (FIFS). Furthermore, eSports in India is also available, and you can legally participate in contests authorised by the Electronic Sports Federation of India (ESFI).

Draft Amendments to the Information Technology Act

In 2021, the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY) introduced a draft amendment to the Information Technology Act 2000. The actions came as a response to ministry representatives and iGaming stakeholders’ concern about the potential harm to players. The government finally decided to put some order into the overall chaotic online gaming regulations in India. The draft amendment of the IT rules is a step in the right direction.

According to the revision of the online gambling laws in India, new terminology has been introduced. An ”online game” is an Internet game that players access through computer devices and on which they deposit real money with the expectation of earning winnings. Other modifications concerning online gaming operators, also called intermediaries, will help create a regulated online gaming market. Here are the most important of them:

To succeed in safeguarding players while betting online, the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology will register self-regulatory bodies that meet certain conditions. As stated in the draft amendment, the authorities must include a professional from the iGaming or sports betting sector, a representative of online players, an individual from the psychology field or a consumer education specialist. An information technology expert and a public administrator are also needed to form an organisation.

To ensure legal gambling sites in India comply with the latest regulations, all self-regulatory bodies should complete the verifications and testing of games. They should also require operators to publish these certificates on their web-based and mobile gambling platforms. Protecting minors and spreading awareness of gambling addiction are other priorities for those that wish to be certified as online gaming intermediaries.

India’s Ban on Betting Apps in February 2023

The absence of an effective regulatory body, of course, has had negative consequences for both players and operators. On 5 February 2023, MeitY banned 138 betting apps following an order from the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs. According to the report, the reason is a misuse of players’ data. The operators were violating Section 69 of the IT Act, meaning they were containing material threatening the integrity of India.

Multiple popular mobile betting platforms were banned, in addition to 98 loan apps. Resources say the mentioned applications have links to China, complicating the situation. The problem comes from Chinese connections taking advantage of sensitive data and not respecting the online gambling regulations in India. In some cases, lending apps took control of players’ smartphones, sharing their personal information and images and blackmailing them during debt collection.

Another reason for the sanctions was misleading terms and conditions published on betting sites. Operators promised high return-to-player rates, trapping players into a circle of placing more bets and never winning. Sadly, the abuse of gamblers’ and debtors’ data resulted in more than one suicide. Furthermore, the apps were not complying with the online gambling laws in India and were indeed operated from overseas.

Restrictions on Online Gambling in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu

Legal online gambling in India is possible in very few of its states. Until now, Sikkim is the only region that has entirely legalised online casinos and sports betting platforms. Following the unfortunate events related to gambling addiction and debts, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu decided to address the High Court with their concern, asking to pass a law prohibiting real money online gaming sites.

In November 2022, Tamil Nadu passed a bill to the High Court that has been pending. The governors were concerned about the increasing number of suicides caused by gambling debts. Players had access to online rummy operators and other gaming platforms which didn’t follow responsible gambling practices. The reason Karnataka is applying for a modification of online gaming regulations in India is the same.

Legal Online Gambling in India – A Positive Change Is Coming

It’s clear that online gambling laws in India urgently need revision. With the problematic overseas betting apps offering players misleading terms, the situation must change. We hope to see the Indian government move forward with the draft amendments to the IT act, which will authorise the registration of self-regulatory bodies and will contribute to creating a safe iGaming market.

Responsible gambling is a priority in the Information Technology Amendment Rules. Warning messages regarding the duration of a gaming session, self-exclusion programmes, and time and deposit limits shall be easily accessible to guarantee players’ security. The new online gambling regulations in IN envision minimising the risk of harm and preventing minors from betting. However, once the Central Government approves the bill, you should still be cautious about the gaming platforms you visit.

Frequently Asked Questions

We hope our article helped you better understand the complicated online gambling laws in India. We tried to cover all the latest regulations and news from the iGaming sector, including new legislation and sanctions for operators. Below, you can find more info on the topic, so don’t miss our FAQ section.

Sportsbook advertising regulations

Recent regulations on sportsbook advertisements may have doused the flaming rivalry for control of the market—at least for the moment.

New York became the latest state to act in an area that has troubled many nationwide and worldwide, enacting regulations on Monday that prohibit marketing to underage individuals. Many other states, both with and without legal sports betting, have discussed advertising regulations ad nauseam for the same reasons playing out in the Big Apple.

restricting advertisements may be a necessary evil

As sports betting continues to explode worldwide, so does the push for greater control over its pervasiveness. Restricting advertisements may be a necessary evil for the prosperity of the industry.

A growing issue

In 2021, American Gaming Association (AGA) President Bill Miller called the growth of sports betting ads and competition for marketplace dominance “an unsustainable arms race.” 

DraftKings, for example, spent $345m on sales and marketing in the fourth quarter of 2022. It also projected adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) of negative $475m-$575m for 2023. 

Part of the massive company spend came on advertising through mediums such as television, social media, and partnerships, usually with popular figures in the sports world. In 2022, since-shuttered gambling company MaximBet made history by becoming the first betting company to partner with an active MLB player, Charlie Blackmon. 

While the extra visibility may help drive companies’ growth, it has also created problems. Underage people and college students have been exposed to the world of gambling and see it as a way to get rich overnight without having the financial literacy to know the risks that often come with gambling.

roughly one in five adults had bet on sports in the past year

A 2022 Pew Research poll found that roughly one in five adults had bet on sports in the past year. More data from as far back as 2018 revealed that around 75% of students had gambled in some form, including casual wagers with friends.

At-risk persons, especially those who have been treated for gambling and addiction problems, are also being presented with an easy relapse. That has been another key issue for lawmakers in states with and without gambling markets in their debates over legalizing sports betting.

Big money, big changes

The Federal Trade Commission mandates that “claims in advertisements must be truthful, cannot be deceptive or unfair, and must be evidence-based.” That has been the basis for sportsbooks being forced to abandon terms such as “free bets” and “risk-free bets” for replacements like “bonus bets” and “bet credits.” 

Regardless of the advertisements’ packaging, over $60bn was bet on sports in America in 2022, per the AGA. That represents a higher GDP than 62.6% of the countries in the world. 

called for a permanent ban on all online and electronic sportsbook advertising

One of the main figures attempting to quell the sports betting explosion is New York Congressman Paul D. Tonko. Three days before Super Bowl LVII on February 12, he introduced the Betting on our Future Act, modeled after the Federal Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act, calling for a permanent ban on all online and electronic sportsbook advertising. 

It is unlikely that something as drastic as a blackout for sports betting companies will happen, but it does show the disapproval with the way sports betting advertising is playing out.

Despite how Tonko’s plan makes it seem, sportsbooks do not have total free reign in many markets. Barstool, for example, was fined in December 2022 for advertising its sportsbook on a college campus. At the same time, schools like LSU and Michigan State are sponsored by sportsbooks.

Across the pond, UK legislators are grappling with how to enforce sportsbook advertising regulations. Part of their plan seems to be to ban front-of-shirt gambling sponsors for teams in the English Premier League, although teams in other sports could still have gambling sponsors. The topic will be further discussed during an upcoming white paper on gambling reform. 

The post Will New York’s Sportsbook Advertising Regulations End the Marketing War? appeared first on VegasSlotsOnline News.

Source link

by Joshua O’Connell

One of the biggest draws for casino players is casino offers, and one major component is free play. Free play gives players the chance to win some money on the casino before they’ve even had to invest their casino budget.

In this article we’ll go over various aspects of free play and how it benefits players.

What is Free Play and Why Do They Give it to You?

Free play is effectively a wagerable offer from the casino. The value of the free play is the amount of wagers you can make with it before exhausting it. Whatever you win off those wagers is cash and can be used as you wish, whether to play more or to cash out for real cash.

Casinos most frequently give free play as part of offers designed to entice a player to return to the casino. The amount given is based on your previous play history and your expected losses. This calculation tends to be based on your wager size, how long you play and the house advantage of the game you’re playing. 

Often it doesn’t matter if you win or lose; the casino is expecting over time for players to lose to the casino, given every game in the casino has a house advantage. Slots tend to have a higher house advantage than most other games in the casino, so slot players tend to get rewarded more for their play with free play accordingly.

At one point the casinos would give cash or offer cash back offers, but players could show up, collect the cash and leave. The switch to free play requires some amount of play, and once players get going it’s not unusual for them to keep going. Modern systems also make it easier to calculate a precise amount of free play based on the play level.

How Do You Get Free Play?

There are a variety of ways you can get free play, although not all casinos offer all the types – many select certain types only.

Casino Offers

Most frequently, casino offers are the core way you get free play. This is as described in the previous section – the casino incorporates free play into their marketing offers as a way to encourage you to make a return trip. The amount offered is decided based on your previous casino play when visiting their casino. 

Offers typically lag your visit by 1-3 months; occasionally casinos can be faster than that but it really depends on the offer cycles and when they draw fresh data into their calculations.

Sometimes if you’re playing with a larger casino company like MGM Rewards or Caesars Rewards, you may receive offers for markets you’ve never played before based on your play in markets you have visited. For instance if you play in Atlantic City you might get an offer to visit Las Vegas casinos. They will use the data from your casino play they have on you to decide what makes sense to entice you to visit somewhere else they have casinos.

Bounceback Offers

Some local markets, and more competitive markets like Atlantic City, might deliver a bounceback offer. It tends to be a time-limited free play offer based on your most recent visit. The goal is to get you to come back within a month or two, vs. standard marketing offers which may be delivered for 6, 12 or 24 months from the time of your last visit.

Bounceback offers can sometimes be in addition to the standard marketing offers; since the goal is to drive another visit in quick succession they may be trying to get you to become a more frequent visitor than you are today.

Converting Comp Dollars

Some casinos will allow you to convert comp dollars to either cash or free play. In the latter case, you are effectively opting to use your comp dollars to gamble instead of food, hotel stays or shopping. It can sometimes be converted at a worse ratio than other comp spending, but if you aren’t going to be visiting for awhile can be one way to ensure you use all your comps and avoid them expiring.

Slot Dollars Comp Bucket

In a few cases, players clubs can even include a slot dollars comp bucket all on its own, that lets you earn free play in real time like you would other comp dollars. MGM Rewards is the most prominent example of this, with a separate slot dollars bucket from the comp dollars bucket, but I’ve seen it in action at Four Queens and Binions in Las Vegas, and at Ocean Casino Resort in Atlantic City, just to name a few.

Table Games Players Generally Don’t Get It

In most cases casinos don’t issue free slot play to table games players. Instead, they will often get either casino chips offers or just flat comp dollars offers for spending on property.

What Are the Best Ways to Use Free Play?

I often get asked the best way to use free play. Is it worth going into the high limit room and taking a swing at a big hit? Or is it better to bet more carefully with the goal of converting it to cash? Here’s my thoughts.

Treat It Like Any Other Part of the Bankroll

I’m not a fan to taking it into high limit and doing some small number (10, 20, etc.) spins on a high denomination game. While I have said in the past (as have Matt and Steve in their videos on American Casino Guide book’s YouTube channel) that higher denomination slots can pay better over time than lower denomination ones, that happens over many, many spins. In a few spins it can go great or it can go bust.

If you wouldn’t bet your casino bankroll on a bet like that, I would advise against doing that with free play. While it’s “free money” provided by the casino, they’re going to know they gave that to you and factor that into what they expect you to wager on your visit, and if you burn through that fast you’re going to have less to work with.

Video Poker Overall is the Best Bet

Video Poker, when allowed, is going to be the best option, especially lower volatility games like Jacks or Better or Deuces Wild. Even if the pay table isn’t “full pay,” where the payout is going to be close to or even a bit over 100% overall, the house advantage will be lower than slot machines, especially lower denomination ones.

Some casinos know this and will restrict free play from being used on video poker, but that tends to be the minority of situations. Most casinos will let you play free play on video poker. Of course, it is important that you know how to play with correct strategy to attempt this option; if you don’t know how to play it, it could be more costly than even a slot.

Play a Lower Volatility Slot Machine

A lower volatility slot machine is best described as a game designed to pay more often, in smaller amounts. Examples of this is many of the Quick Hit series of slots machine by Light & Wonder (formerly Bally and Scientific Games), as well as the Quick Spin series of slot machines by Ainsworth.

Lower volatility slot machines are better for free play conversion as you don’t have to pray for a big win on a high volatility slot machine to deliver the value – the continued smaller pays gives you more reasonable expectation of some cash at the end of a session.

Why is cash important? Because presuming you keep playing with cash, the casino now rewards you with that play in the form of comp dollars, tier credits and so on. Free play does not traditionally count towards your tier, earn you comp dollars, or help you earn future comps, so getting to a cash conversion that lets you keep going is helpful for your future casino visits.

Big Progressive Machines Are Often Not Accepted

One other note is that many casinos will not let you play on games that have what are known as a Wide Area Progressive jackpot. This is one that breaks out of the casino’s walls and is shared by a variety of casinos. 

There are some logistical and practical reasons for this, but ultimately many casinos will require you to play on machines that don’t have these over the top jackpots. Often these jackpots will be the six and seven figure ones, or games like Megabucks that go even bigger. But playing link games with $10,000 jackpots will often be OK, as those are contained to the casino itself.

Payback Will Be the Same as a Cash Wager

Regardless of your choice, in today’s casino environment your payback will be the same as if you inserted cash into that same machine. Slot machine payouts are not programmed to have different payout percentages between cash or free play when talking the same machine on the casino floor.

In a previous era, casinos like Bob Stupak’s Vegas World would have a specific bank of slot machines for your free play opportunities, and those would certainly be set up differently than cash slots on the floor. But players would be playing a different bank of machines, whereas today players do it on the same slots that accept cash.

How Do You Keep Getting It?

Keep playing at a similar level every visit, and your offers should stay the same, more or less. Play more, and the others will generally over time increase. Play less, and they can go down.

If you go to the casino with the intention of taking the free play and not playing, you’ll likely be dinged for what’s called a “no play” day. Some casino companies are more strict about this than others; Caesars casinos tend to be among the most strict, shutting down offers if you don’t play even to your normal level at times.

Also be sure to take a look at how long your free play lasts. Sometimes you can bank it for another visit later in the month for places that let you keep it on account for up to 30 days, but be sure to use it before it expires, or else you’ll lose out on that opportunity.

Other Free Play Considerations

If you pick up other offers on a casino visit, the same rules around play requirements could apply, so picking up gifts and not playing could also hurt your free play. Casinos calculate the value of whatever gift, comps, free play, etc. they give you into their calculation so a gift pick-up still counts.

Redeeming free play works one of two ways. In one format, you put the free play into the machine and play it like cash. In another, you are rebated your wager after each spin, meaning you need to put a bit of cash into the machine and activate your free play to rebate your wagers. Both ultimately yield the same result, just handle the process differently.

And finally, it’s important to always play with your players card to ensure your play will be recorded and the casino can give you those earned casino comps and other offers. The only exception to this would be if you know you’re going to play much lower than your normal play – in that case the casino would record that as a below average day and likely lower your comps. If that is going to be a one-off, it may be best not to use your card on property that day.

Conclusion

Free play is a key aspect of benefits for slot machine players, earned based on their volume of wagers and visits to the casino. I hope this guide to free play helps you have a better understanding of how you get it and what it can do for you on your casino visits!

Joshua O’Connell is the author of Know Your Slots, a casino website that talks about slot machines and how they work,
comps, travel, cruises and other casino-related topics. New and updated content is posted daily.