iGaming and sports betting solutions supplier FSB continues consolidating its market position just in time for the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup. The company bolstered its presence in the African market with Nairabet and successfully concluded several other high-profile partnerships. FSB also expanded its management team with several seasoned industry veterans, who will aid in its reorganization efforts.

FSB Focuses on Global Growth

The partnership with Nairabet marks another milestone for FSB as it grants the B2B technology improved access to the rapidly growing African market at a critical time. Nairabet is Nigeria’s first regulated online bookmaker and enjoys a sizable market presence. The cooperation will hopefully lay the groundwork for future expansion in the region.

An injection of £23 million ($27.4 million) in working capital from private equity firm Clairvest Group significantly boosted FSB’s rapid growth. The investment company was pleased to observe significant progress over 2022 and expressed confidence in FSB’s success.

“We… very much look forward to continuing to work with the (FSB) management team to scale the business.”

Mohit Kansal, managing director at Clairvest

Outside Africa, FSB continued to consolidate its European presence thanks to the recent strategic deals with gaming operator Olympic Entertainment Group and Abelson Info, a sports data and odds supplier. The timing of these partnerships is crucial, as FSB seeks to secure the largest possible market share in preparation for the World Cup. To that end, the B2B developer launched its newest Companion App. It aims to boost partner performance and drive up player engagement.

Two New Hires Will Assist with Scaling Efforts

Due to its growing global presence, FSB had to reinforce its leadership team. Adam Smith and Ian Gray join the company’s management roster. They will help the company capitalize on its improved market reach.

Smith has substantial experience with high-profile manufacturing and IT service companies, where he assisted with the technical aspects of their business scaling efforts. He will ensure that FSB can properly leverage its partnerships and continue delivering industry-leading solutions on time and within budget.

Ian Gray will initially head FSB’s HR department as the company completes its transformation into a B2B-exclusive technology service provider. The company’s rapid expansion has undoubtedly created many new challenges. However, Gray reaffirmed his dedication to the FSB team and noted that the company was in a superb position to secure global success.

2022 has so far proven to be a truly transformative year for FSB. The company won EGR’s Multi-Channel Supplier of the Year award, consistently made headlines with new partnerships, and is in a prime position to become a market leader. The newly expanded management team has done its best to ensure that the company is in the best place possible and now needs to maintain that momentum heading into 2023.

Allwyn Entertainment announced that it had entered into a new €1.6 billion senior facilities agreement with a syndicated group of international banks.

The €1.6 Billion Credit Facility Will Be Split

Lenders under the aforementioned arrangement agreed to provide an aggregate €1.6 billion ($1.65 billion) facility to Allwyn International AS (“Allwyn International”, formerly known as SAZKA Group AS). According to the terms of the agreement, the €1.6 billion ($1.65 billion) credit facility will be transferred into three separate debt tranches, namely €441 million ($456.4 million) of amortizing term loans due 2027, €441 million ($456.4 million) of bullet term loans due 2028, and €300 million ($310.5 million) revolving credit facility due 2027.

In addition, the leading global lottery operator will have access to a £380 million ($452.4 million) multipurpose facility, which will be available to be drawn as guarantees or term loans maturing in 2027.

Allwyn International will use the proceeds in the first place for refinancing existing indebtedness including its €623 million ($644.7 million) loan (including the €243 million revolving credit facility), its £380 million ($452.4 million) bank guarantee facility, and other debts amounting to €300 million ($310.5 million).

In the second place, the proceeds will be used to cover upfront expenditures for Allwyn Entertainment’s takeover of the UK’s Fourth National Lottery contract, which is scheduled to launch in February 2024, and for general corporate aims as well.

Allwyn CFO Pleased with the Interest in the Transaction

Kenneth Morton, chief financial officer of Allwyn Entertainment, commented that he was delighted with the interest that the transaction obtained regardless of the tough capital market environment. All existing banks have expanded their commitments and the lottery operator is pleased to have several new lenders in the banking group.

“This financing significantly extends our maturity profile, provides us with a flexible financing solution for the up-front costs of the UK National Lottery license, and generates additional liquidity to support our further growth and resilience.”

Kenneth Morton, chief financial officer, Allwyn Entertainment

Morton also added that after the successful issuance of €600 million ($621.3 million) of bonds earlier in 2022, the continued strong financial performance of Allwyn Entertainment and this deal proves its strength credit as well as its consistent delivery in relation to their organic and inorganic growth strategies.

UniCredit served as the global coordinator. Clifford Chance acted as Allwyn Entertainment’s legal advisor and Allen & Overy as lenders’ counsel.

Allwyn Obtained the Fourth License for the UK National Lottery

In September 2022, the UK Gambling Commission formally awarded the fourth National Lottery License to Allwyn Entertainment and entered into an Enabling Agreement with the multinational lottery operator. Meetings between Allwyn Entertainment, the Gambling Commission, and Camelot, the prior licensee, have begun. The Enabling Agreement will help all parties go through the transition between licenses and will set the framework for implementation.

Digital gaming and sports entertainment company that offers regulated gaming, daily fantasy, and digital media products DraftKings has announced the upcoming launch of its online sportsbook app in Maryland. The launch will come ahead of the National Football League action on Thanksgiving and it will be preceded by an early access test period. 

The New Sportsbook App Is Pending Approval

The app is pending regulatory approval on November 23, the following day after the mandatory testing period between November 21-22 will come to an end. The sportsbook app will go live for eligible customers in Maryland just in time for the NFL action on Thanksgiving. State customers can expect to enjoy a top-tier sports wagering experience as they will be allowed to place a number of versatile legal and regulated bets across professional sports leagues and collegiate sporting events. The list will include the National Hockey League, the National Football League, the National Baseball Association, and others. The list of bets that will be available to sports fans in Maryland will include player props, special odds boost selections, and same-game parlays, to mention a few of the announced alternatives.

The company’s president and co-founder Matt Kalish for North America expressed their thrill about launching the app in the context of the currently active sports season. Kalish also spoke about their products that are expected to deliver sports aficionados “an exciting sports betting experience”. He also thanked the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency, the General Assembly, governor Hogan, and the Sports Wagering Application Review Commission for allowing online sports betting in Maryland.

In 2021, DraftKings signed a sponsorship agreement with the professional American football team the Baltimore Ravens, turning into their Official Sports Betting Sponsor, this enables them to increase their engagement with fans of the team with the help of exclusive game day experiences, signed merchandise with players’ autographs, and the chance to take part in VIP-based events during the NFL season.

At the beginning of the month, DraftKings and Bay Mills Resort & Casino opened their new retail sportsbook with a series of amenities and entertainment solutions for sports fans. New rumors about a potential historical deal underway between Walt Disney Co.’s ESPN and DraftKings generated a new buzz in October.

DraftKings’ special advisor to the board of directors Cal Ripken spoke about the sports gaming industry and its ongoing growth in the country, emphasizing the need to enter this space while partnering with a company known to focus on responsible gaming. Ripken has been selected to lead the DraftKings team in Maryland ahead of the big launch.

The leading independent harm minimization consultancy, Epic Risk Management, announced a new collaboration with the official charity affiliated to and supported by Chelsea FC, the Chelsea FC Foundation.

Epic Facilitators Join Chelsea Champions Initiative

Thanks to the recent collaboration, five Epic facilitators join an initiative called “Chelsea Champions.” The facilitators will participate in well-being workshops on mental health for secondary schools in the southeast, joining Chelsea FC Academy Players, as well as Chelsea FC Foundation coaches. Ultimately, the new collaboration seeks to raise awareness, improve the well-being of students and help them overcome future difficulties.

According to Epic, Scott Davies, Patrick Foster and Andy Margett have already regularly visited schools that are supported by the foundation such as Fulham Boys’ School, Fulham Cross Academy and Chelsea Academy. On the other hand, Marc Williams traveled to Merstham Park School in Redhill, while Paul Findlay visited Thomas Bennett Community College in Crawley.

Upon visiting the locations Epic’s five facilitators, who have lived experience of gambling harm, collaborated with the foundation’s coaches and shared details about challenges they encountered during school days, how they engaged with sports and more. In addition, the Chelsea FC Foundation coaches along with the Academy players organized fun activities for the teenagers.

“It’s massively admirable; I never did it when I was younger. I think media training like this, ahead of going and doing interviews when you’re older in your career, is massively important.“

Scott Davies, facilitator for Epic

Scott Davies, Epic’s program facilitator, pointed out that the discussions, interviews and collaborations with the pupils are incredibly important. At the same time, he acknowledged that those activities hold a great deal of responsibility but pointed out that “talking in front of students at schools will only benefit them in the long run.”

Davies revealed that young people can benefit from the workshops that prepare them for difficulties they may face later in life and how they can actively cope with those difficulties. Finally, he deemed the initiative by the Academy and the Chelsea FC Foundation a great idea and said that Epic is excited to be involved.

“It’s great to be able to utilize and work alongside Epic, using their real-life experiences, which I think has really touched and brought a lot home to the students.“

Jonny Drabble, senior project officer for the Chelsea Champions project

Jonny Drabble, the Chelsea Champions project’s senior project officer, revealed that the workshops delivered unique information for the students. He explained that the facilitators that participated added extra value to the discussions by engaging passionately and discussing various issues with the students. Finally, Drabble said: “We have an officer that works full-time in the school, so hopefully Epic’s message can encourage those positive conversations to keep going in the schools.”

You can think of the Senegal vs Netherlands game as the one that may decide the winner of the 2022 World Cup Group A. Both teams are expected to do well against the other two teams from the group – Qatar and Ecuador – meaning that Monday’s game is probably going to be the decisive one.

So, who’s going to win? Oddsmakers say the Dutch, and we can only agree. Netherlands winning is our top pick, but we do have a few other suggestions for World Cup props, which you will learn about by reading this game preview.

Senegal vs Netherlands Odds

Match-Winner

Goals Over/Under

*Odds taken from bet365 on Friday, November 18.

When, Where, and How to Watch?

• Place: Al Thumama Stadium in Doha, Qatar
• Date: Monday, November 21, 2022
• Time: 11:00 AM ET
• How to Watch: FOX/Telemundo

Senegal’s Offense to Struggle Without Mane

Although Senegal fans were praying their best player Sadio Mane was going to be able to play in Qatar, he was left out of the World Cup squad. Without him, Aliou Cisse’s boys are bound to struggle in the final third.

The World Cup is fast approaching or, scratch that – it’s right upon us. Low6, a global leader in building powerful gamification solutions for the sports betting industry, has launched a new game app with Sportsbet, one of the leading sportsbooks in Australia. The new Super Fantasy Soccer app was built as a F2P option for sports betting fans in the country and it has already topped the charts in the App Store.

Low6 and Superbet Debut New Hit Fantasy Betting App

The app has been out for 36 hours before achieving this milestone, and it’s just the first of Low6 and Sportsbet’s future collaborations centered around the gamification of the sports betting industry. Super Fantasy Soccer is predicated on making sports betting fun, familiar, engaging, and safe. Low6 CEO Jamie Mitchell welcomed the opportunity:

We’re very proud to be working with Sportsbet and excited to help them continue to grow their market-leading position in Australia with innovative gamification. Given the success of UltimateFan, we’re confident that our leading sports products will acquire new Sportsbet users in mass as well as increase daily active users throughout the World Cup and beyond.

Low6 CEO Jamie Mitchell

The free-to-play sports game is also designed to appeal to existing customer bases in new ways. Players get “packdrops” which contain players and team cards which are then used by fans to create and build their own fantasy teams for the World Cup. Points are then earned based on players’ real-world performance.

There is a weekly $50,000 prize pool on the line which is motivating players to really give it a go and try to build the best-performing fantasy team as the World Cup is practically here. There will also be Invitational Leagues and be able to compete against friends and colleagues, with Low6 clearly understanding the audiences that are interested in fantasy leagues and the camaraderie that exists between them.

Low6 has a number of successful projects completed to this date as well. UltimateFan, for example, has been a true hit for Low6 and has recorded more than 200,000 game installs to date. The game was debuted for Euro 2020 at first, but it quickly became a go-to option for many fantasy Premier League fans. Low6 already has a great track record of building compelling and engaging products that simply strike home with soccer fans.

October marked another stellar month for licensed operators in Pennsylvania, judging by details released by the gambling regulator in the state.

Gambling Revenue Hits $450.2M in October

The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB), tasked with the regulation of sports betting and gambling in the state, revealed Thursday that the total revenue from all forms of gambling as well as fantasy contests last month hit $450.2 million. When the result from this October is compared to the $425.9 million from October 2021, a growth of 5.71% is observed. Besides surpassing the result from October 2021, the revenue last month increased when compared to the result from September 2022 as well. What’s more, the result in October marked the eighth consecutive month with revenues surpassing $400 million.

The tax revenue collected from all forms of gambling and fantasy contests last month hit $183.7 million. This result, when compared to the $182.1 million reported a month earlier, in September, marked a slight increase. However, a year-over-year comparison shows that tax revenue last month increased by 6.6% when compared to the $172.3 million reported for the corresponding period in 2021.

iGaming and Sports Betting Revenue Soars

A breakdown released by the regulator reveals that the growth in gaming revenue was primarily driven by sports betting. Last year in October, sports betting revenue halted at $23.5 million. In contrast, for October this year, the sports wagering revenue skyrocketed by 72.16% to $40.5 million.

Another strong growth was reported by iGaming slot revenue which hit $86.3 million. When compared to the $70.7 million in iGaming slot revenue reported for the same period last year, an increase of 22.05% is observed. Similarly, iGaming tables revenue increased by 21.77% hitting $35.7 million. Video gaming terminals (VGTs) revenue increased somewhat last month. In total VGTs revenue hit $3.5 million, up 5.16% when compared to the result reported in October 2021.

Retail Revenue Decreases in October

In contrast to the increases, retail slots revenue dipped by 2.11% to $199 million last month. A further decrease was observed in retail tables revenue which halted at $79.8 million. When compared to the $89.1 million reported in October last year, this year, the retail tables revenue decreased by 10.36%.

But the biggest dip in revenue was reported by fantasy contests. In October, fantasy contests revenue decreased by 24.99% to $2.8 million, when compared to the $3.7 million reported in October last year. iGaming poker revenue last month decreased to $2.5 million, down 12.72% when compared to the corresponding period in 2021.

Sportsbet, an Australian betting giant, has said that it will support any move to prohibit the use of credit cards for gambling. The operator said that this type of payment method promoted a “play now, pay later” culture which was detrimental to the well-being of players and consumers.

Sportsbet Says Credit Cards in Gambling Must Go

Sportsbet argued that the position put forward by Responsible Wagering Australia was the right one. A credit card ban for gambling should be passed with urgency, the operator said, aligning itself with other companies that have urged state governments to make sure that consumers are protected by not having access to gambling credit that could have serious financial consequences.

Sportsbet called the high-risk nature of gambling with credit cards the reason why it insisted that governments to act. The Australian Banking Association has raised similar concerns over the years and has said that any new interactive gambling legislation should block operators from offering credit cards as viable payment methods.

Anna Bligh, ABA’s CEO, said that it was in customers’ best interest to cut access to lines of credit for gambling activities. However, there are some challenges in having financial institutions place blocks on credit cards. According to Bligh, were that measure to be implemented, it would also affect lottery tickets, which would not be purchasable through credit cards anymore.

There may be enough reason to act this way, though, as Sportsbet notes. Australians already lose $1,276 per person annually, and online gambling has reached 3.9% in the country. The general population problem gambling rates are closer to 1.23%.

Meanwhile, Sportsbet is working on other solutions to address the problem of gambling in Australia. The operator said that it is building a “real-time intervention” solution that will allow it to leverage the power of AI to quickly predict customers’ daily deposits and send alerts when the depositing amounts begin to climb up too rapidly.

Sportsbet Is Not Eye-to-Eye on All Reforms

The company also suggests that it will be restricting depositing amounts if it believes that a player is exceeding the amounts that they can afford and conduct reviews to ensure that nobody is playing beyond their means. There has been also a lot of chatter about restricting gambling advertisements during sports events, but interestingly, Sportsbet is not as keen on this particular issue.

Sportsbet and Ladbrokes recently sent a letter to a parliamentary inquiry group due to take place next week, explaining the reason why the companies had the number of gambling advertisements displayed they did. However, it’s very likely that sports events will begin to see gambling ads twinkle out.

The Cyprus subsidiary of Melco Resorts & Entertainment, Melco Cyprus, has launched a new table games dealer school in the country, as the company is preparing to roll the red carpet for the City of Dreams Mediterranean integrated resort project. The upcoming development costs €550 million and is one of the most ambitious projects by the company to date.

Melco Cyprus to Train its Live Dealers for City of Dreams

It will also need a lot of trained professionals, and the best way to get the is by training them from the ground up. Candidates will have the opportunity to undertake a three-month training course and become a part of the new resort once City of Dreams Mediterranean goes live. Melco puts great store by its dealers as well, the company detailed in a press release:

As colleagues who interact most with our clientele, dealers are the face of the establishment. They must possess qualities such as adaptability, dexterity, perfectionism, and knowledge. Dealing is an artform, and we want to ensure Melco’s dealers master the art through a paid three-month training program – learning from the best in the industry.

Melco Cyprus

The course is going to start on December 5 and will help candidates get themselves acquainted and then well-versed in the highest industry standards as table games professionals. Another session is already scheduled for January 9, 2023, with Melco planning to train as many professionals as it can, as the company is in high demand for live dealers.

Melco Is Committed to Bringing Fresh Employment Opportunities

There are several games that dealers will have to learn, as well as table etiquette that goes hand-in-hand with that. Those who enrol will find out more about poker, baccarat, blackjack, Texas Hold’em, roulette, and others. Commenting on this new opportunity, Melco said that the school was in line with its global ambition to bring economic benefits as well as employment opportunities to every market the company touches.

Even now, Melco Cyprus is hosting bi-monthly career days for its City of Dreams Mediterranean resort, as it seeks to fill 1,000 positions.

Online casino and sports betting company Affinity Interactive announced it has promoted Andrei Scrivens to the role of Chief Executive Officer. Scrivens, who has been serving as Chief Financial Officer since 2019, will step into his new role on January 1, 2023.

Climbing to the Top of the Ladder

Scrivens is set to succeed Mary Beth Higgins who is calling an end to an illustrious 25-year career in gaming and is retiring but will remain in an advisory role for another six months to ensure a smooth transition of the responsibilities.

Scrivens has more than a decade of experience in the gaming and hospitality sector and was a key figure in the formation of Affinity Interactive through the merger of Affinity Gaming and Sports Information Group in 2021.

Commenting on the new appointment, James Zenni Jr., chairman of Affinity Interactive, outlined the instrumental role Scrivens has played in helping the company establish itself as an industry-leading platform, confident that his vision will continue to lead the business to even greater success.

He then switched his focus on Scrivens’ gaming industry experience, seeing it as an invaluable asset as Affinity Interactive is looking to “capitalize on the growing demand for omni-channel casino and online gaming products.”

“I look forward to continuing to partner together as we further enhance our best-in-class gaming offerings and products for customers and guests,” Zenni Jr. added before expressing his thanks to Higgins for her “leadership, dedication and countless contributions” to the success of the company, and wishing her well in her retirement.

Newly-promoted Scrivens hailed the incredible opportunity to take the wheel of the business during an exciting phase of its growth, paying tribute to the exceptional talent across the organization, as well as the commitment to the business objectives.

‘I am excited to work closely with ZCG and lead a world-class team as we expand our footprint across physical casino locations, online gaming platforms and digital media,” he said, expressing his gratitude to Higgins for her “leadership over the past few years,” and “looking forward to building on the strong foundation” that is already in place.

Scrivens, who also served as a Managing Director at Z Capital Partners (ZCG) for seven years before joining Affinity Interactive, was a Director at middle market private equity firm and boutique bank Chilmark Partners prior to joining ZCG.

“Leading AI has been a privilege and an incredible journey,” said Higgins, proud of all the achievements of the business and convinced that the time is right for the company “to transition to its next generation of leadership,” and confident that Scrivens is more than capable of answering to the demands of the role and executing “on the exciting developments” ahead.