Industry News
Companies pivotal to the growth of the iGaming industry in 2020
Evolution Gaming’s unprecedented $2 billion offer to purchase NetEnt sent shockwaves through the iGaming world in June. The merging of the two international powerhouses would dramatically change the landscape of the industry for decades to come.
The fact that Evolution’s offer represents a premium of 43% on NetEnt’s closing share price on Nasdaq’s Stockholm Exchange the day leading up to the offer speaks volumes about the absolutely incredible potential of the deal.
It’s not just this pair that are making big moves in terms of mergers and acquisitions in 2020, Flutter Entertainment and The Stars Group, DraftKings and SB Tech have all made the headlines in recent months as they look to monopolise their respective sectors.
There’s an intense spotlight shining on this thriving industry right now, potential investors are no doubt circling development studios like hungry sharks, looking to get their own slice of the action, particularly those studios that are looking to break into the highly lucrative American market in the not so distant future.
In various States across the US lawmakers are beginning to legalise both sports betting and iGaming, meaning those that have managed to work their way into this fledgling market are set to benefit almost instantaneously from an influx of new players who all have an incredibly strong appetite for what they have to offer.
How one key acquisition likely revitalised NetEnt
Despite their dominance in the iGaming sphere NetEnt had suffered year-on-year declines as their share price plummeted from an all time high of 91.25 SEK (Swedish Krona) per share (Around $10.94) in May 2016 to a mere 17 SEK ($1.83) in March of this year. Strangely, despite the gradual decline, NetEnt are not a company in crisis.
The global powerhouse finds themselves in a comfortable financial position and have seen significant market growth since the prominent acquisition of Red Tiger Gaming, a rising star in the iGaming market that was speculated to have been growing at a rate of 50% at the time of purchase. This, coupled with the iGaming industry’s overall growth in 2020 has led to an astonishing rise in their share price which at the time of this article sits at 83.70 SEK ($9.00).
It does pose the question, was NetEnt’s acquisition of Red Tiger Gaming the catalyst for their significant growth in share price and Evolution’s interest? Or was NetEnt always the end goal for the fellow industry-giants? One thing is for sure, NetEnt, alongside many other iGaming companies have fared well as a result of COVID-19 pandemic, driving punters that would traditionally bet in physical betting shops and casinos to their online counterparts.
There’s no doubt that it’s a fantastic time to be involved with the veteran developer. Their proposed merger with Evolution Gaming will arm the industry leaders with the tools they need to continue releasing industry defining titles such as branded hit Street Fighter ll: The World Warrior slot and the upcoming Gordon Ramsay’s Hell’s Kitchen inspired online slot.
Even before the proposed merger it was clear that both companies would play key roles in the growth of the iGaming industry with their innovative games, but once the pair become one single entity it’s expected that they’ll elevate the landscape beyond what was thought possible.
Evolution’s live casino revolution
Like NetEnt, Evolution Gaming are market leaders in their speciality area, live casino games. There are very few companies that can come close to what the veteran developers have achieved over the years, owning a number of fully operational live casino studios in nine different countries across Europe, Canada and the United States.
The award winning studio is renowned for creating a line of innovative game-show style games that are not only fun to play, but are highly exciting to watch on their own, which was always the vision of Chief Product Officer Todd Haushalter.
In the five years that the Evolution Gaming Chief has been in post he has managed to bring both the glitz and glamour of Las Vegas and the excitement of a live television game show to millions of computer screens around the world with standout releases such as Dreamcatcher, Monopoly Live, Mega Ball and most recently Crazy Time.
Their unique stable of hybrid live casino games utilise charismatic live presenters, 3D graphics, augmented reality and new and exciting mechanics not seen anywhere else.
Not satisfied with just one facet of the iGaming industry, Evolution’s future acquisition of NetEnt will see them completely dominate almost every aspect of the iGaming landscape. Utilising NetEnt’s expansive IP will allow them to further build on an already impressive portfolio.
We don’t expect any more big releases from Evolution in the coming months as they turn their attention to fine tuning titles they already offer ahead of US expansion. The company is laser focused on reaching new customers in states that legalise gambling, and with a merger in tow we expect them to be the most influential and important iGaming company of the new decade.
The best of the rest – iGaming development studios to keep an eye on
It would be unfair to look solely towards NetEnt and Evolution Gaming as the companies that will drive the iGaming industry forward as the year progresses, because there are a number of other talented studios out there that are breaking boundaries and have a big part to play.
Australian developer Big Time Gaming certainly deserves the plaudits this year for creating what will undoubtedly be the next big thing in online slots, Megaclusters. Why are we so sure about that? Because Big Time Gaming are the company behind what’s arguably the most licensed online slot mechanic of all time, Megaways.
We’re genuinely surprised how simple the Megaclusters concept is, rather than traditional slot reels the game is played in a 4×4 grid with 16 symbols. When matching symbols land they split into smaller pieces, bringing more winning combinations into the game which then split again and again with up to 64 symbols in play at any time.
Just like with Megaways, Big Time Gaming have once again taken something simple and transformed it into a game changing mechanic that elevates a title to new heights in terms of engagement and excitement. Chief Exec Nik Robinson has already announced that Megaclusters will be licensed out, so expect to see a number of new games utilising it in the not-so-distant future.
Elsewhere, Play’n GO continues to release a string of incredibly popular online slot games each and every month, even expanding the universe of their hugely popular Rich Wilde series by introducing a brand new hero (and daughter of the talismanic mascot), Cat Wilde.
Interestingly, the veteran developers have also decided to roll back the years by developing a branded slot based on a famous skateboarder. Long gone are the days since Tony Hawk titles were all the rage, so for the developer to feature 6-time World Skateboarding Champion Nyjah Huston in his own game is quite a unique throwback that could well pay off.
The move isn’t quite as big as Ganapati’s capture of Usain Bolt, which led to the belief that 2020 would be a huge year for the fairly inconspicuous Japanese iGaming company.
The athlete is set to star in his own online slot which was highly publicised at iGB Affiliate conference in London at the start of the year, however questions have arisen as to whether it will materialise after the company were forced to surrender their Malta gaming licence amid rumours of an alleged investment scam and debts earlier this Summer.
The game was originally due to release in tandem with the start of the 2020 Olympic Games in July, however the release date has been quietly moved to August 21st by way of a cover photo update on Facebook and Twitter. If the company’s troubles are behind them then they could well still be on for a good year as they look to really break into a European market with this game.
Who are the big brands expecting further growth in 2020?
888 Holdings looks to be one of the big winners in what has been a troubling year so far. The veteran company announced last month that they expect their full year earnings to be significantly ahead of expectations as revenue rolled in, despite a distinct lack of sports betting.
The natural shift to online betting as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic has undoubtedly benefited the world-renowned company who offer casino, poker, bingo and lottery games in Europe and the United States.
The recent news that 888 Holdings has extended its technology contract with Delaware’s online casino and poker monopoly in the United States has also come as welcome news to investors as the company no doubt sets itself up nicely to grow as new states legalise gambling.
Boston-based daily fantasy sports contest and sports betting provider Draftkings are another company worth keeping an eye on, despite seeing a slight fall in the value of their shares recently. Up until last month the company’s share price had surged after becoming a publicly traded company.
Chief Financial Officer Jason Park recently told investors that even with their recent dip Draftkings’ revenue was up 30%, and would have been up 60% if it were not for the pandemic. Unique players have risen to 720,000 per month, which is up 16% from 619,000 at the same time a year prior. With sports returning around the world in some form or another further growth is very much expected.
The merger between Flutter Entertainment and the Stars Group in May also represents one of the biggest moves in the industry and we thoroughly expect them to continue to dominate the sports betting scene with Paddy Power Betfair, Sky Betting and Gaming and Fox Bet at their disposal. If they can somehow capitalise on the renewed interest in online poker then 2020 could prove a good year for their leading poker brand, PokerStars as well.
Will the industry come out of the COVID-19 pandemic stronger?
The COVID-19 pandemic has thrown almost every worldwide industry into chaos, however iGaming hasn’t faltered, having enjoyed an increase in revenue worldwide thanks to the massive migration of players from land-based casinos onto the internet.
This migration should act as a catalyst for land-based operators to look at how they can innovate, integrate and adopt online gaming as part of their revenue stream especially in the states such as New Jersey where online gambing is already prominent.
Over in the United Kingdom, the world’s iGaming hotspot, the return of sports betting has boosted revenue for many operators following a reported fall in gambling participation in the month of May.
However, the cash injection wasn’t particularly needed as online slots revenue had jumped by a generous 29.4% with monthly revenue sitting at £184.3m.
Despite the positive financial outlook for operators in the United Kingdom there are clouds on the horizon as lawmakers push for tighter regulation of online gambling. However whether anything game-changing materialises from these calls remains to be seen.
Ultimately, the growth of the iGaming industry rests on the shoulders of lawmakers in key countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom, as well Germany, Sweden and Australia, where online gambling has the potential to be a huge money-spinner. If a safe and sensible approach can be taken there’s no doubt that the only way for all involved is upwards.
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Welcome to our weekly roundup of American gambling news again! Here, we are going through the weekly highlights of the American gambling industry which include the latest news and new partnerships. Read on and get updated.
Latest News
AU10TIX announced the launch of a free Child Safety Age Assurance Risk and Readiness Assessment and Age Assurance Readiness Guide designed to help businesses better understand their risk and tailor their strategy to meet regulatory obligations. They support AU10TIX’s Selfie-based Age Estimation service, which delivers the industry’s most precise and unbiased age assessment in just two seconds. In the US, federal legislation such as the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) requires parental consent for users under 13, while the California Consumer Privacy Act mandates age verification for websites accessed by users under 16. Additionally, 19 U.S. states now enforce mandatory age checks for adult content and gambling platforms. Similar regulations are impacting social media and online services in the UK, EU and Australia.
Caesars Entertainment has launched its third fully in-house developed proprietary online casino title: Signature American Roulette. Now live in New Jersey, the game is available across Caesars Palace Online Casino, Caesars Sportsbook & Casino and Horseshoe Online Casino, bringing another standout addition to the Company’s Signature table game series. Developed by Empire Creative, Signature American Roulette reflects Caesars’ growing investment in building its own proprietary content, a cornerstone of its online casino strategy aimed at delivering a best-in-class player experience. Signature American Roulette follows the recent launches of fan-favourite Signature titles, Caesars Palace Signature Multihand Blackjack Surrender in May and Signature Blackjack Surrender in June, both also developed by Empire Creative.
Novig announced the successful close of an $18 million Series A funding round. The round was led by Forerunner, with participation from existing investors Y Combinator, NFX, Perceptive Ventures and Gaingels. Founded by Jacob Fortinsky and Kelechi Ukah, Novig is reimagining sports predictions as a transparent and fair marketplace. Unlike traditional sportsbooks, Novig allows users to trade directly with one another, rather than against the house, eliminating hidden fees, biased odds and the risk of being penalised for winning.
Partnerships
IGT announced that it has secured a multi-year sports betting technology and services agreement with Hipodromo de Agua Caliente SA de CV and Distribuidora Internacional de Equipos de Juego, S. De R.L. De C.V. that will significantly extend IGT PlaySports’ footprint to Mexico and Latin America via Corporación Caliente. Per the agreement, 42 Caliente sportsbooks in Mexico will leverage the IGT PlaySports platform and services from the Company’s Trading Advisory Services Team. Through a phased rollout, Caliente will also be able to provide select sportsbooks operators throughout Latin America access to IGT PlaySports’ technology, extending the technology’s reach to more than 100 additional venues across eight countries.
CT Interactive has announced a strategic partnership with Ondiss. Through this collaboration, CT Interactive’s top-performing titles are now integrated into the Ondiss platform, significantly expanding the company’s reach within the region’s regulated iGaming market. This integration adds value to the broad Argentine audience of Casino & Hotel Casino Magic S.A., which successfully uses the Ondiss platform. With CT Interactive’s certified and player-favourite content now available, operators on the platform are empowered to diversify their offerings and meet the increasing demand for engaging, high-quality games.
The post Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – August 11-17 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
PAGCOR, the Philippine gaming regulator, has opposed a proposed ban on online gambling, despite mounting nationwide calls to criminalise it over soaring numbers of addiction, debt and mental health cases.
The online gambling sector in the Philippines has been growing exponentially, with gross revenues jumping from $140M in 2022 to $2.4B in 2024, according to Senate Committee on Games and Amusement data.
The committee held a hearing last week, highlighting the human cost of the industry, with its members demanding to outlaw it, saying the country was facing a full-blown public health and social crisis.
Sen. Erwin Tulfo, who led the hearing on online gambling, warned that “as long as online gambling exists, we are breeding the next generation of addicts, debtors, and broken families.”
He called for a ban and to “prosecute not only the operators, but also the enablers — in the government and in the private sector — who profit from this misery.”
PAGCOR, which is both an operator and regulator, said it “is not in favor of a total ban and instead advocates for stricter regulation.”
The regulator said that illegal operators are the real problem.
“Unfortunately, many of these unregulated online operators are based overseas who target Filipinos, most of whom do not realize that the sites they are playing on are not licensed by PAGCOR. This is where problems arise, especially regarding age restrictions.”
But a survey cited by senators indicates that age was not the main issue. It indicated that 66% of Filipinos aged 18 to 40, and 57% of those aged 41 to 55 were engaged in online gambling. Nearly a third bet multiple times a week, some wagering up to $53 per session.
Majority Leader Joel Villanueva warned online gambling is a “growing national crisis” in the Philippines.
“People are not just risking their hard-earned money. They are putting their futures, families, and lives on the line. The lure of instant wealth has already led many down a path of addiction, debt, and despair,” he said.
“Online gambling is not just a matter of financial loss. It is strongly associated with serious mental and physical health issues, broken relationships, family conflict, increased cases of domestic violence and suicide, crime against persons and property, and ultimately, the erosion of opportunities and dignity in the lives of many Filipinos.”
The post PAGCOR Opposes Online Gambling Ban Amid Pressure to Criminalise the Industry appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
The UNLV International Gaming Institute has launched a new AI Research Hub (AiR Hub) to tackle some of the most pressing challenges facing the gaming industry’s digital transformation.
Co-founder Kasra Ghaharian, the institute’s director of research, said the AiR Hub will address critical questions reshaping the sector: How is artificial intelligence transforming gaming operations? What governance frameworks should guide AI implementation in this traditionally regulated industry? Which emerging technologies must operators master to stay competitive? And how can the sector effectively integrate responsible AI practices with cutting-edge academic research?
“So all of these things that you might expect a research institution to do,” Ghaharian said, “we wanted to do specifically for this intersection of AI with gambling.”
While scattered research around AI in gaming has existed, Ghaharian said there hasn’t previously been a central hub for it. He and AiR Hub co-founder Simo Dragicevic, an International Gaming Institute (IGI) adjunct fellow, saw the opportunity to generate evidence, research and insight that could help the industry better understand and navigate AI technology.
“I think IGI has always had this place to be a thought leader in terms of knowledge, insights for the breadth of stakeholders across the gambling industry. And with the growth and expansion of this new technology, which is artificial intelligence, I think it’s important for us to continue that reputation,” Ghaharian said.
AI is and will continue to have a fundamental impact on all aspects of society, said Dragicevic, who is an industry veteran with experience in gaming software, regulation and AI.
As the gaming industry naturally focuses on product innovation and growth, it’s important someone is also looking at the potential safety aspects that may arise from AI — and AiR Hub is prepared to take on this critical role, Dragicevic said.
“Given the arguably controversial nature of the gambling industry and the gambling product, when it intersects with this technology — which, in and of itself, is controversial — I think that highlights the need for scrutiny; for some research to help guide the ship,” Ghaharian said.
The AiR Hub has received financial support from a variety of industry stakeholders, Ghaharian said. Founding industry members will also serve on an industry advisory panel to ensure that what the hub is doing is practical and relevant.
“It’s kind of that analogy of the ivory tower, right?” he said. “We don’t want to be just in a silo, not speaking to the industry, doing research that we think is relevant, that might not be applicable.”
There’s a reason the new entity is called a “hub” and not a “lab,” Dragicevic said, and that’s to emphasize its collaborative nature.
AiR Hub will build a framework and tools for regulators to help them ask the right questions before making any decisions on whether regulations need to adapt to change, he said, by inviting them to work with academics and partner universities in the early stages of projects.
It will also be important to engage the industry to ensure framework and tools are practical and factor in the complexities and nuances of the industry, Dragicevic said.
The post UNLV International Gaming Institute Launches New AI Research Hub appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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