Latest News
A Swell of Support Helps Expand the Online Betting Industry
The sports betting market continues to gain popularity among people of all generations, especially as online betting is gradually becoming more mainstream. To illustrate the importance of this segment, data provided by a Zion Market Research report indicates that sports betting holds about 70% of the global gambling revenue, which is more than any other sectors, including those of lotteries, casinos, and poker, among other forms of gambling. As for which sports are the most popular, various games around the world are common among the sport betters, but European football attracts the greatest betting revenue, and is then closely followed by baseball. Of course, it has to be noted that numerous technological developments have helped propel the market to new highs. The stronger presence of online betting has completely transformed the process of sports betting, making it easier, faster and more convenient to place bets. On the other hand, the strict regulations by various governments are still an obstacle for the online market. Nevertheless, according to the report, the global sports betting market was valued at around USD 104.31 Billion in 2017 and is expected to reach approximately USD 155.49 Billion by 2024 while growing at a healthy CAGR of 8.83% between 2018 to 2024. FansUnite Entertainment Inc. (CSE: FANS), GAN Limited (NASDAQ: GAN), Boyd Gaming Corporation (NYSE: BYD), International Game Technology PLC (NYSE: IGT), Scientific Games Corporation (NASDAQ: SGMS)
Despite legal restrictions, regionally and country wise, in 2018 the market had already produced more than USD 48.9 Billion in worldwide revenue and is projected to expand past USD 134.5 Billion by 2027, according to data provided by Transparency Market Research. After the landmark Supreme Court ruling in 2018, in which the court struck down the ban on sports betting, all states got the option to pursue legalization. The state of New Jersey was the first to make sports betting legal. Other states followed, but California remains a legal battle ground for this gambling segment. However, a change might be possible this November. State Senator Bill Dodd (D-Napa) and Assembly Member Adam Gray (D-Merced) have been working on an amendment to the state’s constitution that will go on the ballot in November, if it can get through both houses. “I think the leagues themselves are really the experts when it comes to keeping integrity of the games,” Assembly Member Gray explained in a report by NBC Sports Bay Area. “Obviously, in our proposal we’ve banned any high school sports betting and as we put the finishing details on this over the next few weeks it’s going to be important that those leagues engage with us on those final details to make sure that we have the highest quality product with the highest quality standards. And although they have been a little timid, I know that many out there in the sports world know that the future of the sports economy could be integrally tied to the success of sports wagering, fantasy sports and other activities.
FansUnite Entertainment Inc. (CSE: FANS) and Askott Entertainment Inc. just announced breaking news that two companies, “have entered into a definitive amalgamation agreement (the “Agreement”) to create one of Canada’s leading online gaming companies, focused on sports betting, esports wagering and casino games. Under the terms of the Agreement, FansUnite will acquire all of the outstanding securities of Askott by way of a three-cornered amalgamation (the “Transaction”) pursuant to which Askott and a newly incorporated subsidiary of FansUnite will amalgamate under the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia) and continue as one corporation.
Combined Company Highlights
Expanded Consumer Base. The combined FansUnite and Askott will have four live business-to-consumer (“B2C”) platforms that have generated over CDN$350 million in wagers since inception and will have over 300,000 registered members;
Expanded Business Base. FansUnite and Askott will have four executed business-to-business (“B2B”) contracts, two of which are currently live and generating revenue with leading esports companies;
Expanded Betting Offerings. Two esports themed casino games which will be released on multiple casino games aggregators platforms this year with more games currently in development;
Increased Gaming Licenses: Applications have been completed for gaming licenses for B2C and B2B;
Established History of Operations: Askott has been in business since 2013, working closely with tier 1 partners around the world; and
Highly Accomplished and Experienced Team: The completion of the Transaction will add a team with decades of experience in esports, sports betting, casino, poker, licensing, government relationships and transactions to develop shareholder value.
According to a recent report by Grandview Research1, the global online gambling market size was valued at USD 53.7 billion in 2019 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.5% from 2020 to 2027.
‘As the online gambling market continues to grow, the amalgamation with Askott is a significant milestone and transforms us into one of Canada’s premier iGaming companies,’ said Darius Eghdami, CEO of FansUnite Entertainment. ‘Combining with Askott provides us with a fully integrated gaming asset that offers multiple B2C platforms for users in a variety of betting offerings, B2B technology that can be licensed to all types of sportsbooks, and a seasoned team of executives that have led and grown multiple organizations on a global scale. This combination creates a leading online igaming company, and positions us strongly for significant growth with new offerings and market opportunities.’
‘We are recognized globally as a leader and pioneer in esports betting technology,’ said Scott Burton, CEO of Askott Entertainment. ‘As an early entrant in the sector we have already had a number of milestones, including, the launch of the first ever daily fantasy site dedicated to esports, the first esports betting site to receive an Isle of Man license gaming license in 2017 and more recently being shortlisted by EGR Magazine for the Esports Betting Supplier of the Year Award. This year, part of our growth strategy was to round out our offering with traditional sports and casinos to make us a complete iGaming solution. Merging with FansUnite accelerates our growth strategy and will bring us the scale and offerings to make our combined group the leading iGaming entity in the Canadian public markets.’…
GAN Limited (NASDAQ: GAN) is a business-to-business supplier of internet gambling software-as-a-service solutions to the U.S. land-based casino industry. The Company has developed a proprietary internet gambling enterprise software system, GameSTACK Boyd Gaming Corporation (NYSE: BYD) and FanDuel Group recently announced the debut of FanDuel Sportsbooks at four Boyd Gaming properties: Blue Chip Casino Hotel and Spa in Michigan City, Indiana; Diamond Jo Casino in Dubuque, Iowa; Diamond Jo Casino in Northwood, Iowa; and Belterra Casino Resort in Florence, Indiana. “Together, Boyd Gaming and FanDuel Group continue to successfully capitalize on the historic opportunity afforded by the legalization and expansion of sports betting in new states across the country,” said Keith Smith, President and Chief Executive Officer of Boyd Gaming. “The FanDuel Sportsbook is off to a great start in Pennsylvania, contributing to solid growth in visitation and profitability at our Valley Forge Casino Resort near Philadelphia. We are confident our partners at FanDuel will deliver excellent results in Iowa and Indiana as well, further expanding Boyd Gaming’s customer base and enhancing our long-term competitive appeal.”
International Game Technology PLC (NYSE: IGT) announced earlier this month that its PlaySports platform will power retail and mobile sports betting at Wild Card Saloon and Sasquatch Casino in Black Hawk, Colo. Owned and operated by privately held gaming company, Ed & Shirley’s Inc., both casinos will leverage IGT PlaySports kiosks, platform and mobile technologies to give their patrons choice and convenience for how, when and where they place sports bets. “Offering omni-channel sports betting via the IGT PlaySports solution will introduce an exciting new dimension of gaming to Wild Card Saloon and Sasquatch Casino that sports fans throughout Colorado are ready to embrace,” said Ed Smith, Ed & Shirley’s Inc. President.
“We’ve leveraged IGT’s expertise and trusted technology to create a sports betting program that gives players choice and convenience for wagering on their favorite teams.”
Scientific Games Corporation (NASDAQ: SGMS) announced earlier in March that it had partnered with Vaix.ai to offer sports bettors personalized recommendations and tailored betting choices through the OpenMarket product suite. Vaix.ai will offer an Artificial Intelligence (AI) model through OpenSports that enhances the sports betting experience. By providing sports, league, team, event, and market recommendations to bettors in real-time, the companies aim to further personalize sports betting through Scientific Games’ OpenMarket solution. OpenMarket is the industry’s first one-stop content marketplace, giving Scientific Games’ partners access to top-tier sports betting intelligence, data feeds and tools without the need for complex integrations and financial agreements. About FinancialBuzz.com
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Evoplay, the award-winning game development studio, is expanding in the Baltics thanks to its latest tie-up with Betsafe in Lithuania.
The deal sees over 90 of the supplier’s leading titles live on the Betsson Group’s Lithuanian brand Betsafe, a leading operator in the market.
Included in the agreement are Evoplay’s top-performing titles such as Elven Princesses, Hot Triple Sevens and The Greatest Catch Bonus Buy which are now available for Betsafe players.
The latest integration follows a string of similar deals for Evoplay who has continued its expansion across regulated markets in Europe and beyond.
Ihor Zarechnyi, CBDO at Evoplay, said: “Integrating our products to Betsafe, a leading brand in Lithuania, is another important step in our commercial trajectory as our titles continue to grow in popularity and develop a stellar reputation among gaming enthusiasts worldwide.
“Lithuania is a vibrant and dynamic market, and we are thrilled to bring our award-winning content to even more players in the region.”
Aurimas Šilys, Head of Lithuania at Betsson Group, said: “Boosting our offering with a diverse array of titles is of utmost importance for Betsafe as we strive to deliver an unmatched gaming experience to players in Lithuania.
“We are delighted to integrate Evoplay’s dynamic portfolio into our offerings, and we anticipate it will resonate exceptionally well with our audience.”
The post Evoplay bolsters presence in Lithuania with Betsafe deal appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Compliance Updates
EGBA Welcomes European Parliament’s Approval Of New EU Anti-Money Laundering Framework
The EU’s new anti-money laundering package aims to create a more consistent regulatory framework and will benefit online gambling operators by standardising AML rules and reporting requirements across member states.
Brussels, 24 April 2024 – The European Parliament has approved the EU’s new anti-money laundering (AML) package at its plenary sitting today, marking a significant milestone towards a new EU framework for combatting financial crime. The European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA), representing Europe’s leading online gambling operators, welcomes the Parliament’s approval of the new AML package and believes the incoming rule changes will strengthen the EU’s approach to tackling money laundering.
The new package will contain:
- A single rulebook regulation – with provisions on conducting due diligence on customers, transparency of beneficial owners and the use of crypto-assets.
- The 6th Anti-Money Laundering Directive – containing national provisions on supervision and national AML authorities, as well as on the access of authorities to necessary and reliable information, e.g. beneficial ownership registers.
- The establishment of the European Anti-Money Laundering Authority (AMLA) – which have supervisory and investigative powers to ensure compliance with AML requirements, operating in conjunction with national AML authorities.
EGBA believes the new rules will benefit Europe’s online gambling operators by ensuring a consistent regulatory approach across EU member states. Another important feature, under the competence of AMLA, will be the creation of a harmonised reporting format for Suspicious Transaction Reports (STRs). This will ensure that Europe’s online gambling operators encounter the same STR requirements across all EU member states, thereby setting clear and consistent expectations that will reduce administrative burdens and costs.
To assist online gambling operators in complying with the EU’s new AML rules, EGBA has developed industry-specific guidelines on anti-money laundering which apply a risk-based approach and include practical measures that operators can take – on customer and business risk assessments, customer due diligence processes, suspicious transaction reporting, and record keeping. EGBA members already apply the guidelines and submit annual reports to EGBA that summarise their progress in implementing its measures. The guidelines are also open to all operators based in the EU and EGBA encourages operators to sign up to them.
The AML package now awaits formal adoption by the Council of the EU, expected in May, before being published in the EU’s Official Journal.
“We welcome the European Parliament’s approval of the new anti-money laundering package. The new framework will set high standards and ensure greater consistency in the application of AML rules across the EU. Online gambling operators, especially those operating in multiple countries, will benefit from a single rulebook and harmonised reporting requirements that will unravel national complexities. We will look to review our industry guidelines on AML to ensure their alignment with the new EU rules. By signing up to the guidelines, operators can already prepare themselves for the incoming changes in the EU rules and join our members in their efforts to proactively and positively contribute to the EU’s fight against money laundering.” – Dr. Ekaterina Hartmann, Director of Legal and Regulatory Affairs, EGBA.
Source: EGBA
The post EGBA Welcomes European Parliament’s Approval Of New EU Anti-Money Laundering Framework appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
IAGA
The International Association of Gaming Advisors (IAGA) Announces 2024 International Gaming Summit in Washington, D.C.
The International Association of Gaming Advisors (IAGA) will hold its 41st International Gaming Summit Monday, May 27 through Thursday, May 30, 2024 at The Ritz-Carlton Washington, D.C.
As a premier event that brings together leaders from all global gaming sectors, the Summit will provide operators, suppliers, attorneys, investors, bankers, regulators and other advisor delegates with an unparalleled opportunity to meet and discuss the most important issues facing gaming.
“We are looking forward to holding this year’s 41st Annual International Gaming Summit in Washington, D.C., and are pleased to announce an agenda that includes a specific focus on some of the key sports betting issues the rapidly expanding US market is facing. As part of this focus, we will bring together representatives from global sports betting operators, regulatory agencies, professional sports leagues and other experts to discuss how the industry’s sports betting stakeholders can better work together to ensure a sustainable, responsible sports betting environment that is built on best practices lessons learned from other markets,” John Stawyskyj, President of IAGA, said.
“Beyond our sports betting focus, our diverse agenda includes discussions on other issues of importance including the growing impact of fraud and cyber breaches on regulated operators, a look into the federal and state lobbying process, an update on what’s happening in other gaming markets outside North America, a deep dive into new technologies and how they might impact gaming and more. I look forward to welcoming our delegates to Washington and participating with them in lively discussions about these critical issues and more,” Stawyskyj added.
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