Monday 20th August 2018: Blueprint Gaming, which is a leading game studio company that is based in the United Kingdom, launched a new portfolio of gaming slots with Mansion. It did so in a deal which has subsequently diversified the catalogs of games it has on offer.

This launch followed a successful incorporation of the Playtech Open Platform (POP). It now enables the players of Mansion to gain access to a vast array of Blueprint games. These include the new-released hot games like the Diamond Mine Megaways™, not to mention the classic titles like the TED, Paws of Fury, King Kong Cash, and Wish Upon a Jackpot.

As part of this merger, the operator will also take over the supplier, Jackpot King’s, progressive games. This shall take effect in the coming months. They are anticipated to offer greater varieties of game options to the player bases of the members. This arrangement also comes with the likelihood of awarding a life-changing reward to the members.

The Mansion Group is a firmly-established and leading provider of online entertainment and gambling products. It was established in 2003 and possesses a broad range of online casinos. These cater to the unique tastes and markets that epitomize the field of online gambling. Its flagship brand is the Casino.com. It was awarded the prestigious ‘Online Casino Operator of the Year’. This took place at the International Gaming Awards 2018.

Blueprint Gaming, on the other hand, is a subsidiary of the German Gauselmann Group. It doubles up as a leading game studio in the United Kingdom. The studio creates exciting gaming slots which it disburses to the global online and mobile platforms. Other than this, it also channels its games across 100,000 or more land-based gaming terminals throughout the United Kingdom, Germany and Italy.

From the foregoing, the merger of these two online gaming studios is anticipated to revolutionize the United Kingdom casino and gaming industry. This is further expected to enrich the content options besides driving down the prices of access to the games altogether.

While signing the deal to affect the merger, Matt Cole, the Managing Director of Blueprint Gaming had these to say: “This launch is a pretty exciting deal indeed. It has the potential to greatly expand our scope within the gaming industry.” He further went on to add: “We are truly passionate about the games we generate. We subsequently look forward to bring in even more brand new and exciting contents in not so a distant future. We are very certain that the players of the various operators shall find our innovative and top-notch quality games a big hit.”

Mr. Shelly Suter-Hadad, who doubles up as the chief operating officer and the managing director of the Mansion Gaming, on the other hand, had these to state: “Given that Blueprint Gaming produces many exciting and popular casino games, incorporating its live contents in our marketing strategy has proved to be pretty easy and rewarding.”

He further stated: “It is well within our mission to furnish our players with a huge range of premium quality contents. This is to guarantee a fantastic experience on site. Our partnership with the Blueprint Gaming aligns perfectly with this noble goal.’

Authentic Gaming Receives a Nod to Enter the UK Casino Market

Posted on September 5, 2018

Rachelle Riley

The United Kingdom Casino market is set to become more competitive after Authentic Gaming was given a license to operate in the market. The United Kingdom Gambling Commission has now allowed Authentic Gaming to operate in the UK market following an intense application and scrutiny process. Authentic Gaming was found to fulfill the set standards for casino games in the country and is hoped to bring a unique and enjoyable experience to casino players.

Authentic gaming, a live casino provider, has been granted a UK operating license. The firm is viewing it as a breakthrough as it is the first step in its expansion plan to other favorable markets across the world. The license will make it possible for Athletic Gaming’s gaming and product suites to be available to operators and plays across the United Kingdom for the first time.

According to Jonas Delin, the chief executive officer at Authentic Gaming, the United Kingdom casino industry is the largest lice casino market in Europe. Authentic Gaming, therefore, sees the approval of its license as a major milestone in its business as it will have a larger market size.

Authentic Gaming is focusing on regulated markets in the world with an aim of showing its commitment to eradicating problem gambling. With the UK license already issues, the company is not targeting to expand to other regulated markets in the world.

The UK market is not completely new to Authentic Gaming. For some time now, the firm has been had partnerships with UK-licensed operators such as LeoVegas, Mr. Green, and Kindred Group. Its entry into the market will see it cement its relationship with the already existing customers and grow its market size in the country.

While commenting on the issuance of the license, Delin argued that the UK has a strong culture for visiting casinos. Its expansion to the country is an effort to tap into the culture and build a sustainable business. Following the granting of the license, Authentic Gaming will supply its games and products in the UK market. Notable in its products is the ‘Authentic Roulette’ which is known for streaming tables from leading casinos across the world. The product allows punters to place bets on roulette tables that are located in resorts in various locations across the world such as Italy, Denmark, Georgia, Romania, and Malta.

The license by UKGC came only weeks after Authentic Gaming opened a new studio in Malta in an effort to improve its service offerings. The studio which has been dubbed Arena contains for varied game formats and six live auto roulette tables.

The firm is optimistic that its strategies in the UK market will be successful. Delin said, “With nearly half of our client base holding a UKGC license, we are eager to bring our games to market – we know they will be a huge hit with UK players.” “We believe our Authentic Roulette stream from luxury casinos around the world will be a great proposition for UK players,” he added.

Expressing the firm’s commitment to succeeding in the market, Delin said, “We are dedicated to taking the live casino experience to the next level, and making it as thrilling and authentic as possible. Out tables located in prestigious casinos all around the world are a real USP for us.”

Casino Players Set to Enjoy More Virtual Games Following 1X2 Network Deal With Groove Gaming

Posted on September 4, 2018

Rachelle Riley

Casino players in the United Kingdom will have a wider variety of games to choose from after 1X2 Network and Groove gaming signed a business cooperation deal. In a press release, 1×2 Network announced that it had signed a deal with Groove Gaming as an effort to have its innovative products; tables, slots, and virtual games available to more casino players not only in the UK but across the world and more so in regulated markets.

The business deal that both firms signed is to allow 1×2 Network, a gaming content supplier, offer its variety of games from Iron Dog Studio and 1×2 gaming brands as well as its strategic partner Leap Gaming to casino players through the Groove Gaming platform. Both firms are leveraging the increasing markets and by making the games more available, they will maintain customer loyalty and increase revenue.

Through the deal signed between the two firms, operators who are powered by Groove Gaming will also access popular titles from 1×2 Networks such as Blood Queen and Rainbow Wilds.

Groove Gaming and 1×2 Network are seeking to grow their market share in the Casino industry. They also are venturing into the regulated markets with a view that it is the future of the betting industry. Considering the challenges facing the gambling where problem betting is on the rise, there is a need that markets move towards regulated markets. Groove and 1×2 Network are viewing their deal as a way of positioning themselves for the future by remaining relevant to a wider customer base.

Recently, Groove Gaming was granted an operating license from the United Kingdom Gaming Commission (UKGC) that will see it offer multiple gaming options to casino players across the country. On the other hand, 1X2 Network has been on a growth and advancement plan that has seen it focus on building a reputation for designing enjoyable, sophisticated, and bold games.

Over time, 1X2 Network has dedicated its efforts to applying intelligent mathematics and sophisticated mechanics to deliver casino games that are worthwhile. The firm focuses on offering an unrivaled experience to its players.

As an established and licensed supplier in the UK, 1X2 Network targets to become the leading content provider and platform in the market. With Groove Gaming receiving its operating license in the UK market recently, 1X2 Network moves to sign a deal with them is a move of ensuring it maintains its position of being the leading gaming content provider.

1X2 Network is optimistic that the deal will strengthen its position in the market. Commenting on the deal between the two firms, Kevin Reid, the chief commercial officer at 1X2 Network said that the move was a major accomplishment and would stamp its authority in the industry as “one of the leading game developers and suppliers in regulated markets around the world.”

“Our titles will now sit in the Groove Gaming portfolio alongside those from some of the largest and most established studios, which is a testament to the quality and popularity of our games among players and operators,” he continued.

On the part of Groove Gaming, it is hopeful that the deal will attract more customers. Commenting on the issue, Yahale Meltzer who is the operation manager at the firm argued that considering that they were recently licensed for the UK market, his firm was looking for a UK supplier who would add more games to their portfolio and 1X2 Network was the right fit.

“Their slots, table games, and virtuals look great, have crisp sound and feature some of the most compelling gameplay we have seen for a long time. We believe they will be a huge hit with our operators and their players,” he said.

United Kingdom Gambling Commission Rolls out Tougher Restrictions

Posted on August 22, 2018

Demar Aldrich

The United Kingdom Gambling Commission has announced brand tough measures on betting for betting firms. These new rules have been necessitated by concerns over misleading advertisements that pertain to bonuses and promotions.

These new rules and regulations assure gamblers of better protection. They also empower the Gambling Commission to levy unlimited fines and fees for any breach of these rules or the associated consumer laws. Some of these possible breaches include but are not limited to misleading advertisements, those that tend to target small children, or those that make gambling appear great and normal.

Other than these, the gambling firms that send out spam marketing contents such as text messages and e-mails will also be in for trouble under the new rules. They will also be required to follow all the laid down United Kingdom advertising codes whilst putting in place a more robust conflict resolution mechanism for the gamblers.

The rules shall come into force on October 31st, 2018. The commission shall, after coming into effect of the rules, impose an eight-week window for the casino operators to resolve any complaints with their clients and customers.

These rules are expected to facilitate the process of resolving any breaches of the consumer laws. These include such aspects as unrealistic restrictions on the withdrawal process, misleading promotions, and impractical bonuses.

To help the consumers make the right purchasing decisions, websites like www.smartphonecasinos.co.uk have sprouted. It reviews the various online casino operators on a regular basis and provides independent assessments of their competence from time to time.

While commenting on these developments, Neil McArthur, the Gambling Commission’s Chief Executive, had these to say:“The Gambling Commission is intent on cracking down on the firms that tend to treat consumers unfairly. This is because consumer protection is a topmost priority for us. It subsequently has to be a priority for the gambling operators as well. The changes we have instituted will surely protect consumers from unscrupulous and misleading advertisements and promotions. They will also see to it that the consumers can withdraw their earnings faster and easier. This is not to mention that the rules shall facilitate the resolution of consumer complaints.”

The founder of Justice for Punters, Brian Chappell, on the other hand, had these to say: “It is great to note that the Gambling Commission has finally acknowledged that gambling operators have to be subjected to stricter regulatory regimes. Only time will tell whether these new powers shall be used accordingly and if the gamblers shall be able to derive their rights promptly after a mistreatment. Even though the announcements incomprehensive, it is nonetheless highly welcome.”

Way back in 2016, while in partnership with the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), the United Kingdom Gambling Commission established formal investigations to find out whether the online gambling companies were indeed mistreating their customers.

The findings of the investigations led the authority to launch enforcement actions against several gambling operators the following year. This was after the companies were accused of breaking the consumer laws with regards to the promotions.

From the foregoing, it is clear that the United Kingdom Gambling Commission greatly benefits casino operating sites. It does so mainly by instilling confidence in the potential gamblers and encourage them to gamble more. This certainly leads to an increase in the profit margins of the said firms.

A Leading Provider of Live Casino Services Receives UK Licensure

Posted on August 20, 2018

Rachelle Riley

Authentic Gaming, a leading provider of live casino services, has been granted entry into the United Kingdom online gaming market. This licensure allows the company to roll out its full suite of gaming and associated products. This is a first for the company and the United Kingdom society at large.

This company is a famed world over for supplying a diverse portfolio of cutting-edge and highly-engaging live roulette games. It also accommodates a number of streaming sources. This is not to mention that it has a huge consumer base that comprises tables that are located on the floors of various casino resorts world over.

While hailing this move, Jonas Delin, the Chief Executive Officer of Authentic Gaming, had these to say: “The United Kingdom is a leading market for us. It is crucial to our expansion as we launch our invasions into the heavily-regulated jurisdiction world over. With almost half of our client base possessing a license of the United Kingdom Gambling Commission, we are more than eager to bring in our complete suite of gaming collections to the United Kingdom market.

These clients understand that this move will bring on board a huge hit.“We are also devoted to elevating the live casino experience to greater heights. We also hope to make it as thrilling as possible. To achieve this noble aim, we have placed our tables strategically in the most prestigious casino’s world over. They are real Unique Selling Propositions for us and our clientele.”

“Lastly, we look forward to servicing our first set of gamblers from the United Kingdom soon. We are also eager to demonstrate to them just how spectacular and special live casino gaming can turn out to be by leveraging our services.”

The company is to distribute its products and services through a variety of middlemen and intermediaries. These include the LeoVegas, Mr. Green, and the various Kindred Group brands like Unibet. It intends to use the latter’s state-of-the-art cut-the-ribbon live studio facilities in Malta.

All these intermediaries are holders of the United Kingdom Gambling Commission licensure. They are therefore safer and more reliable to work with. This guarantees all the gamblers the safety of their investments at all times.

Its services are entitled, ‘Arena.’ They are generally designed to deliver the most authentic live roulette experiences to the users. They feature six tables that comprise four different roulette game formats. These include the classic, VIP, speed, and the “never-seen-before” Blaze variety.

The games are set against a background of the blaze and are complete with a table that is lit with LED light and accompanied by a giant video screen on a wall that completes the theme. It waits to be seen how the company shall fair on in the United Kingdom market especially in light of the new regulations that have been put in place by the United Kingdom Gambling Commission.

A Thudding Slap to Belgium’s most Popular Online Casino Company

Posted on August 20, 2018

Demar Aldrich

The popular Ladbrokes company is yet to face a 24- hour license suspension. On 3rd September 2018 Belgians, gaming commission issued a sanction to Ladbrokes over their blunt mistake of offering virtual chances games.

Virtual chances games are those lark games where customers put into hefty amounts of their finances to predict outcomes of some non-existent imaginary events. This kind of chance game was only entertained by law between 2012 to June of 2017. Afterward, it was banned and declared illegal by the countries law. In giving a blind eye to the ban, Ladbrokes further progressed to avail this kind of illegal services to their esteemed customers until the 14th of March, 2018.

The reports of the 24-hour license suspension were made on Wednesday by De Morgen dailies, Het Laatste Nieuws and La Derniere Heure. In effect to this sanction, the esteemed customers of Ladbrokes are compelled from making any online bet on that very day. In addition, its 300 agencies together with their vaguely projected 100 bookstores that are related to it and its digital operation will also face a 24-hour suspension on that same day.

As if this is not enough, its daughter companies, that is Derby SA and Tierce Ladbroke SA will also be immensely affected by this prevailing sanction.

In regard to the above, the gaming commision saw it wise to come up with a stringent sanction that will necessitate a 24-hour suspension of Ladbrokes online casino activities. This sanction is meant to punish Ladbrokes after realizing that they acted ignorantly to the law as they continued to carry out their virtual chance gaming activities despite them knowing that there was an existing ban compelling the activity from taking place in the country. Ignorance is paid with ignorance.

The I gambling business site, in addition, adds that the company had enjoyed a monopoly on virtual chance gaming activities in Belgium until the last day of June 2017. Throughout their time of monopoly, no other online casino site was granted the authority to offer the same virtual chance gaming services. The likes of Rocolus had possessed a number of challenges concerning this.

In addition, the company was found guilty by the commision over not having contested for facts of materiality on the same. iGamblingBusiness.com request for publication clarification was not responded to by Ladbrokes betting company.

The gambling insider site has a lot to share concerning the 24-hour license suspension of Ladbrokes. It adds that the 24- hour sanction not only applies to Ladbrokes online casino company but also any other high profile street shop that is located in Belgium. Shifting our focus from this thud slap to Ladbrokes company, there is some recent better news for their branches located in Australia. Ladbrokes as a general has another reason to smile as their Australian branches are set to launch a brand new betting accumulator product. This will be as a result of them working hand in hand with suppliers Sportscast.

Paddy Power Betfair Proves to be the Giants Online Casino Gambling Company

Posted on August 20, 2018

Rachelle Riley

Chief executive Producer of the giant Paddy Power Betfair betting firm Peter Jackson claims that the firm’s winning streak is back after a well-done performance of the world cup despite facing harsh challenges in the U.S and Australia markets.

Most of their investors got disappointed after they missed to meet their 9.9% expectations on their returns growth. The half-year returns on revenues reached 5% of which it cuts down the full year earnings to approximately £470m from the expected value of £482.5m. Despite the lagging in returns growth, the company had gross profits of 4pc higher at £106m for the past six months before the world cup. The CEO defended the firm against the negative performance indicated in the stock share markets arguing that the changes were as a result of a change in tax regime imposed by the Australian government to sport gambling firms as well as mixed reactions about whether U.S Supreme courts will legitimize sports gambling casinos.

The company management, therefore, decided to beef up on their marketing strategies to ensure they boost their market share prices. They agreed on a World Cup campaign that was meant to pledge donations of £10,000 for each goal scored by the Russian team in the entire tournament which was to go to an LGBT charity. Thanks to their world cup strategy it worked perfectly well and boosted their profit margin to give back glory to the company’s reputation. During the world cup, the company netted more than £22m as revenues that comes with a £8m in profit.

It was in 2009 when Betfair owned TVG, the largest U.S. horse racing firm with members in more than thirty-five states as well as broadcasting TV channel viewed in more than 45 million homes. Paddy Power which later merged terms with Betfair owns an online gambling casino, and they are still they are the biggest horse racing bookmakers in New Jersey. In 2017 they also owned a daily fantasy sports (DFS) company. Recently in June they also took over FanDuel (a U.S fantasy game site) after paying the firm $770m.

Despite deploying the key strategies in sports gambling, with all these sister companies to Paddy Power Betfair earns about $2 billion annually from the U.S casino gambling markets. According to revenues earned from other countries, this value seems that Paddy Power Betfair is not maximizing on these U.S markets. It is an undeniable fact that the U.S has a higher population of people interested in sports. After its merger with FanDuel and a contractual agreement with Boyd Gaming(another major online sports gambling casino company), the betting company is promising it’s investors to expect positive growth in the emerging U.S sports wagering market.

As of now, there are high hopes emerged after the U.S Supreme Court in May declared the legalization of sports betting and casino operations and should still pose reasonable taxes for the sports betting sites. The U.S CEO Kip Levin urges that they are already doing markets for all U.S. sports because it’s growing in popularity, especially in Australia. At the same time, they are ensuring their betting offers are more tailored to the U.S market. He also added that if more taxes are imposed on them, there may not be any probability of having promising rewards as well as it will remain a big challenge to eradicate illegal markets. Additionally, he suggested it could be better if all states in the U.S will have a constant rate so as to enable them to offer the same bets countrywide. Ed Monk who is an associate director at Fidelity personal Investing said “before the World Cup the bookmaker share value was up at almost 9% and therefore Paddy Power Betfair stands to gain from the opening up of US betting markets, confirmed earlier this year, and has moved quickly to expand its FanDuel site to capitalise. That benefit, though, now appears to be priced into the shares and investors will want to see the improved operational performance and a return to growing market share from here.”

The company has an optimistic approach to their strategies in increasing market share in the U.S markets. The management is focusing on brand recognition, market accessibility and operational capabilities and substantial investments to increase their customer base across the U.S wagering market. A strong coverage by their very own racing channel TVG will be their key advantage in increasing their customer base and brand recognition.

Wazdan Ventures into the UK Online Gaming Platform

Posted on August 10, 2018

Demar Aldrich

The international gaming producer, Wazdan, has established a base in the United Kingdom. It has brought along two online casinos, namely the SlotsMillion and LadyLucks. It has subsequently availed these two games to the UK audience via the desktop and the mobile platforms.

SlotsMillion is a global leader in 3D virtual reality online games. It has a collection of around 2,000 games and is thus very comprehensive in scope. From the time the game went online until now, the online casino has gained recognition as a ‘Best Casino’ and ‘Innovation Operator.’

This recognition has originated mainly from reputable gambling affiliates worldwide. Most of the new games that Wazdan offers derive their power from an innovative suite of value-added tools. Perhaps the most outstanding of these tools are the revolutionary volatility levels. Other than this the double screen and energy-saving modes, as well as the unique gambling features, are some of the other topnotch features to watch.

They are designed and intended to provide operators with the capability of enhancing the experiences of customers. These brand new features also enhance the engagement of the users, bolster their retention, encourage the extensions of plays, as well as generating higher yields.

Other than the Ladyluck and the SlotsMillion, the company also provides several new and exciting alternative games. These include but not limited to Fruit Mania Deluxe, Highway to Hell Deluxe, Corrida Romance Deluxe, Spectrum Fruits Go Bananas, and Magic Stars 3.

Going forward, Wazdan also intends to provide the thrilling Mayan Ritual game. The game basically entails a walk through the glorious past of the Mayan civilization. Through the game, players are able to relive Maya’s past as if it were happening at the moment.
While commissioning the launch, the co-founder of SlotsMillion, one Mr. Alexandre Tomic, had these to say:
“By acquiring Ladylucks, we have managed to grow the number of game suppliers by a whopping four-fold. We have subsequently made it possible for gaming enthusiasts to play and enjoy these games via mobile and desktops. This is not to mention the free spins which we entitle our first-time players too. We are indeed glad to provide both the Ladylucks and the SlotsMillion.”

With these latest developments in mind, Wazdan has grown to be a leading gaming library. It is now home to well over 100 HTML 5.0 slots. The company has also signed several hot deals with the leading online casinos in the gaming industry such as the VideoSlots. This is set to avail the latest gaming options to most casino operators throughout the United Kingdom.

Also commenting on these great moves, Andrzej Hyla, the Head of Sales at Wazdan, had these to say:
“The field of online gambling is constantly changing and reinventing itself. More and more operators are moving to the online platform as the basis on which to target gaming enthusiasts. Those marketing trends seem to play to our advantage. We are also seeking to work in the UK market with other forward-thinking partners. These also happen to be the most innovative and resourceful in the gaming industry.”

NCIF: Made a Statement Regarding IEA Discovery

Posted on August 7, 2018

Rachelle Riley

The National Casino Industry Forum (NCIF) is on the spot for allegedly influencing the findings of the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA). This forum confirmed having donated a whopping £8,000 to the said institution. This move has been hailed by many as having been done to skew its research findings.

As per the conclusions of the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), there is no longer need for the current restrictions on the number of casinos to be in force. This report has further urged the various authorities and municipalities to allow the mid-sized cities and towns to allow more casinos to be opened within their jurisdictions.

These allegations were brought to the fore by the Guardian newspaper. This newspaper unearthed a more or less similar incident earlier on. This particular incident concerned pitted a group of US investors who had farming interests.

It is stated that the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) organized a meeting between these investors and the then Brexit Minister Steve Baker. This meeting lasted an hour and supposedly resulted in the said investors having their way.

The members of the public and the various stakeholders in the gambling industry did not take these revelations kindly. They questioned the validity of the research findings and even went ahead to demand that appropriate investigatory measures be taken.

These calls have indeed yielded fruit. Two agencies have stepped in to unearth the scandals. The Charity Commission and the government’s lobbying watchdog have particularly stepped in. The former is currently investigating whether the said institution breached any charity’s codes of conduct whereas the latter wants to know whether the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) overstepped its mandate as an educational charity.

Even with these stern measures, the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) remains undeterred. It insists that its activities have been above board. It further states that many people did indeed have access to its research and that no such access had any bearing on the final draft. It delivered these responses via its director, Mark Littlewood.

Several institutions and leading figures have voiced their concerns in response to these developments. The local Labour Party has accused the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) of engaging in underhand deals. In particular, the party has revealed that the body had been engaged in extensive lobbying and other political campaigns activities. These, the party started, overstepped its mandate as ‘educational charity.’

UK’s leading multinational, BP, reiterated its commitments to quality research work. It defended its engagements with the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA). It further stated that it is merely interested in furthering its viewpoints of various issues at hand. It denied any culpability in the report’s findings.

Lastly, the National Casino Industry Forum (NCIF) has also denied any attempt to skew the final outcomes of the just-released research findings. It also defended its opposition to the planned extensions of the areas that are eligible for increasing the numbers of their casinos from 53 to 56. It also expressed concerns that the exchequer could be losing around £30 million a year in the form of gaming duty due to unused or underutilized licenses.