Now in its sixth year and recognising the achievements of operators, suppliers and affiliates from across all the major disciplines. This latest entrant in the CasinoBeats contenders series delves into operator categories as we look at those vying for the ‘Innovation in Casino Entertainment’ gong.

LeoVegas

If last year’s success of casino streaming, extra chilli exclusivity and live casino expansion is anything to go by, then this year has been a feast far superior. Simple but smart innovations to the product, a swathe of new exclusives – including our very own LeoVegas Megaways slot – and new markets have certainly made this a year to remember.

Mansion

Putting our customer’s needs and expectations is at the forefront of what we do across all of our brands at Mansion. We focus on delivering exceptional products and service. This year, to maximise player’s enjoyment and casino experience, our flagship brand Casino.com launched the exciting innovative gaming experience, CasinoClub.

CasinoClub, by Captain Up is a brand-new gamification feature adding another dimension to regular casino play. It creates an exciting sense of achievement for players as they complete challenges, level-up and get rewarded for their casino play, as well as introducing them to a wider variety of games.

Videoslots

Videoslots.com is an industry-leading online casino with a comprehensive portfolio of content. It offers more than 3,800 slots and table games from the igaming industry’s leading suppliers, giving them more content than any other online operator. Our aim is to deliver the best possible user experience to players on our proprietary platform, complemented by diverse gamification and social tools. It’s for that reason we offer the personal touch, allowing players to tailor their content to suit their preferences.

Wildz

Wildz in a nutshell: Working with machine learning, giving real-time awards to the games that player actually likes with their average bets, having developed Spinback features which allows us to give extra excitement without competing with the actual games, we can say that our focus is in providing the best possible casino experience by the use of an automated, data driven casino and we use gamification to boost the casino experience by creating features that integrate with the games.

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Entain voiced optimism of realising the “significant opportunities” offered by the Dutch market after finalising the purchase of BetEnt, which trades as BetCity.

The initial consideration for the transaction is €300m (£266m), paid on completion, with a further contingent payment to be paid in early 2024 that will be based on 10x BetCity’s EBITDA for the current financial year.

Based on current expectations, Entain is anticipating the total payment to come in at €450m (£399m), however, depending on the performance of the online sports betting and igaming brand the maximum consideration is capped at €850m (approximately £753m). 

Furthermore, a final contingent payment of €50m (£44m) will be paid on delivery of synergies and successful migration to the Entain platform.

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Mansion Group signalled that a full exit of operations from the UK market had taken place, with the operator closing all casino operations in the region.

The company disclosed an intention to withdraw its casino brands, namely Casino.com, MansionCasino and SlotsHeaven, from the UK market. Mansion has exercised its right to surrender its UK operating licence with from Friday, 13th January 2023.

This follows the company’s decision to close its sportsbook in the UK from March of last year, in a move that was made in order to focus directly on its casino brands. This also brought an end to a collaboration with Bristol City FC, with Mansion also stepping down as the club’s principal partner.

Mansion noted that the primary reason behind this decision was refocus efforts on improving online casino offerings on other licensed markets, with Spain and Ontario cited.

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The Malta Gaming Authority stressed confidence in the future of the Maltese gaming landscape, despite the economic slowdown and a number of uncertainties, in an interim performance report that covered January to June 2022.

This came as the regulator noted that the industry “sustained its contribution towards the growth of the economy” during the aforementioned period, with €573m in gross value added reported. This represented approximately eight per cent of the economy’s total GVA.

With indirect effects factored in, it is reported that this figure swells to around ten per cent, with the gaming industry estimated to have registered a 12.2 per cent growth in value added during H1 2022 when contrasted to the same period one year earlier.

Within the report, the MGA confidently declared that “the sector appears to have emerged in a stronger position” when faced with instability that the group said “posed a threat to the stability of Malta’s robust gaming industry”. The Ukraine-Russia war and Financial Action Task Force greylisting were both cited.

19

Ties between UK politicians and the gaming industry, both professional and otherwise, were revealed in a new ‘Westminister Accounts’ portal added to the Sky News website over the weekend.

Produced in collaboration with Tortoise Media, Sky News’ portal allows users to search through current MPs and find out what financial interests they have declared in a range of sectors since December 19, 2019. 

These financial interests include ‘donations’, which Sky suggested are ‘often – but not always – cash’, earnings from other employment areas and ‘gifts and other benefits’ such as event tickets. 

5.3

Kindred Group is taking immediate actions to improve profitability in the short and medium terms after the fourth quarter of the past year failed to live up to internal expectations.

Despite labelling its performance at demonstrating “solid year-on-year growth,” the “weaker than expected performance” was aligned to “a few one-off events”. 

These include headwinds being encountered in Norway and Belgium, as well as a much publicised bumper payout of £5.3m to Mattress Mack in the US.

Actions being taken include restricting marketing spend in the US in a bid to reduce losses, re-prioritising investment projects to free up capacity for key strategic initiatives and lower short-term costs and optimising operating expenses to reduce cost growth and improve scalability.

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IG Acquisition Corp disclosed that it is terminating a previously announced business combination with PlayUp, in what becomes the latest set-back for the Australian firm.

The former announced that it was pulling out of the deal in a Form 8-K filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, with the deal initially slated for completion during the current quarter.

The projected merger was first detailed in September 2021, in a transaction that valued PlayUp at $350m and would have seen the group list on the NASDAQ.

10

Las Vegas Sands officially declared its entry into the race to secure one of up to three downstate New York gaming licences via a multi-billion dollar project on Long Island.

As a result, the company declared that agreements had been entered into regarding a purchase of the long-term lease of the site currently home to the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. 

These transactions, which still require certain approvals, would grant the company control of up to 80 acres in Nassau County, New York.

The development of what is billed as “a multi-billion-dollar flagship hospitality, entertainment and casino project,” would include a casino gaming area that would represent less than ten per cent of total footage. 

16

Caesars’ push for a Times Square casino development in New York, which is being undertaken alongside SL Green and Roc Nation, gained the support of a local coalition. 

The Coalition for a Better Times Square, a collective of local businesses and unions, threw its support behind the bid, which it has labelled as the “opportunity of a lifetime”.

Following a request for applications getting underway last week, the Coalition has cited an influx of closing Broadway shows, of which it is said there’s 16 that will impact 39 per cent of theatres, in emphasising the need for added investment to revitalise and rejuvenate the area.

49.9

Vici Properties finalised the purchase of the remaining 49.9 per cent of a joint venture that owns MGM Grand Las Vegas and Mandalay Bay Resort.

The pair of real estate investment trust’s detailed that the acquisition of Blackstone’s share of the JV was for $1.27bn and Vici’s assumption of the pro-rata share of the existing property-level debt. 

This debt has a principal balance of $3bn, matures in 2032, and bears interest at a fixed rate of 3.558 per cent per annum through March 2030.

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DoubleDown Interactive disclosed a share purchase agreement that will see the company acquire Malta-based operator group SuprNation for approximately $35m.

The igaming group is hailed as boasting a “strong presence in certain European markets,” with gaming licences possessed in jurisdictions such as the UK, Sweden, Malta and the Isle of Man.

DoubleDown expects to realise “significant synergy opportunities” upon completion by leveraging marketing, technology and gaming content, back office in-sourcing and potential native Apple/Android app development.

40

Lion Gaming Group lauded an acquisition that is “perfectly aligned to support our go-public initiatives” after announcing the finalised purchase of 1Click Games.

Through the transaction, the igaming tech provider has added more than 40 online casino brands to its portfolio, as well as further strengthening its talent pool.

“As Lion Gaming Group continues to explore the ways we can enhance our product offering, we’re very excited to add 1Click Games to our portfolio of companies,” said Duncan McIntyre, President & CEO of Lion Gaming Group.

The product line of 1Click Games, which was founded in 2014, comprises white label and turnkey online casino and sportsbook software, land-based casino solutions, lottery software and game aggregator solutions.

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The company has disclosed an intention to withdraw its casino brands, namely Casino.com, MansionCasino and SlotsHeaven, from the UK market. Mansion has exercised its right to surrender its UK operating licence with effect from today (Friday, 13th January 2023).

This follows the company’s decision to close its sportsbook in the UK from March of last year, in a move that was made in order to focus directly on its casino brands. This also brought an end to a collaboration with Bristol City FC, with Mansion also stepping down as the club’s principal partner.

Mansion noted that the primary reason behind this decision is to refocus efforts on improving online casino offerings on other licensed markets, with Spain and Ontario cited.

In the latter, the group made its entry in November 2022, backed by Playtech, which saw Mansion go live via with the Casino.com and MansionCasino brands in a partnership that included the provision of the IMS platform.

Neil Gallacher, Mansion Group’s Chief Marketing Officer, commented: “Mansion’s focus in 2023 and beyond is to continue to double down on the most profitable markets where we currently operate, whilst always seeking to explore emerging markets. 

“The UK was for many years our core market and we look forward to sharing 20 years of wonderful customer experiences with all our non-UK clients for many years to come.”

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In a move that the online sports betting and casino operator lauds as solidifying a bond between the two brands, the extension comes after approvals were secured from the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario and iGaming Ontario.

“At Playtech, we are on a constant journey to expand into new markets and make our products available to new players,” commented Shimon Akad, COO at Playtech. 

“We are delighted to have launched with Mansion in Ontario, a key market for the gambling community and us. But, more importantly, this announcement demonstrates the strength of our partnership with Mansion, which we’re excited to evolve and further strengthen our partnership in the future.”

Under the terms of the expanded agreement, Mansion has gone live via the Casino.com and Mansioncasino.com brands, with the partnership now including the provision of Playtech’s IMS platform within the region.

Chris Block, Group President and Chair at Mansion, added: Mansion are extremely proud to be approved by AGCO and iGO to operate in Ontario. 

“Ontario reinforces our focus on expanding our regulated footprint across global markets. Mansion is confident that our casino.com and Mansioncasino.com brands will be successful in Ontario and will positively contribute to the regulated igaming market and promote a safe and responsible gaming experience to Ontarians.”

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The swift turnaround, says the igaming content provider, is testament to its single API integrational and dedication to “creating immersive, engaging experiences for its customers globally”.

Yossi Barzely, chief business development officer at Pragmatic Play, told CasinoBeats: “We make no secret of our desire to offer premium products to our customer base and it’s fantastic to see the popularity of the dedicated studio offering.

“Creating bespoke content for our partners will allow us to reach new heights, while strengthening bonds along the way.”

Adding: “Signing this deal was a real statement of intent for us, and we’re delighted that we’ve been able to bring our products live so quickly with M88.

“The launch of this dedicated studio marks a proud moment for Pragmatic Play in its journey to become the leading igaming content provider, and we look forward to growing further with M88.”

Broadcast from a specially designed, tailored studio to suit M88’s needs, the operator’s customers can now access Pragmatic Play’s Baccarat, Speed Baccarat, and Roulette products, optimised for performance on any device, be it desktop, tablet or mobile.

Carlos Lopez, creative director at Mansion Asia, added: “Our players are already as enthusiastic as us about Pragmatic Play’s live casino offering being delivered from a dedicated studio, and we’re thrilled at the swift turnaround.

“It’s always very fulfilling working with companies with similar goals to ours, and we’re excited about what the future holds for our partnership.”

In recent weeks, Pragmatic Play has entered a similar commercial partnership with Kindred Group’s Unibet brand, as it looks to grow its footprint significantly in the live casino space.

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The Arizona-based firm, which has also become the latest to align itself with the upcoming CasinoBeats Summit as a premium sponsor, is very much going against the grain by seeking to expand beyond its US base, as numerous entities chase the American gold rush.

Troy Zurawski, DWG’s founder and CEO, who will be flying in from its Scottsdale headquarters to participate as a speaker, commented on the firm’s current approach: “We are new to the online real money gaming market and are currently waiting for our GBGC licence to launch our slots into this space for the first time.

“DWG has a long and successful background in land-based and social gaming, and we’re now looking to use that expertise to help RMG operators in the UK and elsewhere in the world.

Adding on it’s ongoing aspirations: “We’ve produced successful land-based titles for the likes of IGT, Novomatic, Aristocrat and Konami since we started in 2005. But we also operate four social casinos that are highly popular. 

“Our content has already been validated by millions of users as a result. As we produce a lot of content – over 100 titles last year – we are in a position to offer exclusive content to operators of all sizes, including many that might not get that opportunity from other suppliers because of their size. 

“As we produce a lot of content … we are in a position to offer exclusive content”

“We’re also looking forward to introducing our marketing tools to RMG, such as our wheel spin bonus, piggy bank and prize drop mini games. These tools deliver customisable and flexible promotions and incentives that reward play across all games on the casino – not just ours. They’re not limited to the one vertical either, being available across casino, bingo, sportsbook, etc. 

“There is always an element of uncertainty when entering a new business vertical, but we are eager to see how DWG’s slots and promotional tools are received in the RMG market.”

At the Summit, which is to bring together 1,000 delegates, 75 speakers and 30 exhibitors at Olympia London between September 17-20, Zurawski’s participation is to be on a panel entitled: ‘Player focused game design – Leading slots developers share insights into the ways studios use data to inform product design’. 

Emphasising the relevance due to DWG’s new approach Zurawski stated: “As a result of our operations in land-based and social gaming, we have an abundance of data and insight that we constantly analyse and refine so that it can be utilised to inform the development of our future products. 

“We also use our data to ensure that we turn only our most successful titles into RMG games. And we can share with our partners what games perform best in each of a number of key territories around the world, meaning our offering is tailored and focused for each operator’s requirements. This bespoke validation of the games in strongly related channels is a massive benefit that operators don’t get from most other suppliers.”

“We have an abundance of data and insight that we constantly analyse and refine”

Summit delegates will gain access to Betting on Sports, which takes place at Olympia at the same time, alongside the PaymentExpert Forum and the Digital Marketing Forum, delivered in conjunction with AffiliateINSIDER.

Representatives from some of the industry’s largest operators will also be present, including Betsson, Hard Rock, Caesars, Videoslots, Jackpotjoy, Ladbrokes Coral, LeoVegas, Lottoland, Mansion, Olympic, Paf, Pinnacle, Rank, and William Hill, with leading suppliers represented too. 

Detailing the decision to align with September’s event it was stated: “The CasinoBeats Summit brings together key industry stakeholders and will be host to a series of informative panels focused on all the hottest industry topics, so it makes sense for us to be involved. As a sponsor, we’re hoping we can introduce ourselves to a whole new audience and bring a little bit of Las Vegas to operators’ casinos.”

Before Zurawski closed by addressing what DWG will bring to the show, and what the company is most looking forward to: “We are looking forward to meeting up with as many delegates as possible, to introduce DWG to them, and explain how our products can help operators stand out in a crowded marketplace. 

“We are also excited about attending and participating in the panels to find out more about what challenges the industry is currently facing – as well as what opportunities there are for a fresh take on areas that are currently pertinent to the industry such as regulation, innovation, responsible gambling and player marketing.”

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The second staging of the CasinoBeats Summit – the premier online casino conference and exhibition – taking place on 17-20 September, will also attract around 30 exhibitors to Olympia London, at the heart of the world’s largest regulated online gaming market.

Visitors will enjoy four tracks of content featuring some of the industry’s biggest names, alongside unbeatable networking opportunities and excellent hospitality, all combining to offer industry leaders and senior executives an unmissable few days.

Speakers and delegates from some of the industry’s largest operators will be present, including Betsson, EnergyCasino, Hard Rock, Jackpotjoy, Ladbrokes Coral, LeoVegas, Lottoland, Mansion, Olympic, Paf, Pinnacle, Rank, Royal Panda, William Hill and Wishmaker, while leading suppliers are also well represented – as speakers, sponsors and exhibitors.

The CasinoBeats Summit takes place alongside the fourth edition of SBC’s flagship event, Betting on Sports, which has seen significant growth in both the conference and exhibition elements. Together the two events will feature more than 300 expert industry speakers across 13 specialist tracks, welcoming an expected 3,500 delegates from around the world – a 30 per cent increase from 2018.

Summit delegates gain access to Betting on Sports, as well as the PaymentExpert Forum and the Digital Marketing Forum, delivered in conjunction with AffiliateINSIDER.

The CasinoBeats Summit agenda is comprised of four main tracks, entitled: The Future of Gaming; Market Forces; Responsibility & Sustainability; and Customer Journey & Marketing. Each will explore the threats and opportunities facing the online casino sector, and will hear from some of the industry’s most influential speakers.

David Flynn, who attended the 2018 Summit as CEO of operations at Jackpotjoy, said: “Having so many industry leaders and decision makers at the CasinoBeats Summit helped make it a great event.

“The content of the panel sessions was informative and inspirational for many of the attendees,” said Flynn, now CEO at Swintt.

Commenting on the 2018 Summit, Tobias Svensen, managing director of leading slots streaming network CasinoGrounds, said: “Hats off for CasinoBeats for gathering a crowd of highly relevant, interesting and knowledgeable speakers for their first event.” Helen Walton, CCO of Gamevy/Gluck, said the event had “thoroughly earned its place in the i-gaming calendar”.

Gavin Walters, director at Gambling.com, added: “CasinoBeats gives the chance to talk openly on topics happening right now in the casino space. The Gambling.com group were happy to feature on a panel to share some of our experiences in a fast-paced market.”

Stewart Darkin, managing director of CasinoBeats, commented: “With the 2019 CasinoBeats Summit now just three months away, the excitement and momentum is really starting to build. Once again we are looking to raise the bar in terms of both content and networking, with operators and leading suppliers at the heart of the event.”

Rasmus Sojmark, CEO and founder of SBC, added: “The CasinoBeats Summit has quickly become a key part of the SBC Events portfolio and we’re excited to once again welcome senior executives from leading companies in the online casino sector to London, to what is a significantly bigger Summit than in 2018.

“Our events have become the place to network and meet the key decision makers, thinkers and influencers from the gambling sector. The CasinoBeats Summit will be no different.”

The CasinoBeats Summit takes place at Olympia London on September 17-20, alongside Betting on Sports Week – learn more and buy tickets for the Summit here

To find out more about sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities at the Summit, please contact sales@sbcgaming.com

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This will be the first time the company has been able to offer sports betting to the Irish market under a recognised brand.

Since its launch, the sportsbook has focused on boosting brand awareness of Mansion through sponsorship, including in boxing, horse racing and football – as pictured on the shirts of Premier League club AFC Bournemouth.

As Ireland prepares to play Gibraltar FC, also sponsored by Mansion, at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin on Monday, June 10, the operator sees the licence award as coming at a “perfect time” for MansionBet to be available to Irish bettors.

Karel Manasco, CEO of Mansion, said: It’s exciting to have Mansion licensed within Ireland. We recognise the size of the competition, but with over 15 years’ experience in the industry and strong brand recognition, I believe we have the knowledge, paired with an impressive product to succeed.”

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The Isle of Man based firm has seen a number of titles go live with all Mansion brands, including Casino.com, MansionCasino, Slots Heaven and MansionBet, providing players with “the most entertaining and successful online slots”.

Andrew Manduca, director of gaming at Mansion, commented: “Microgaming brings an exciting and innovative suite of online games. Their engaging casino content will provide more choice to our growing portfolio and we are delighted to have them on board.”

Under the terms of the deal a number of titles, “from branded blockbusters to home-grown titles,” are available to Mansion consumers, including Immortal Romance, Thunderstruck II, Jurassic World, Fortunium and Book of Oz.

Andrew Clucas, chief operating officer at Microgaming, added: “We are delighted to welcome Mansion to our growing customer base. Mansion aim to provide their customers with products of superior quality resulting in the best gaming experiences, and our new partnership will help them to achieve that.”

Microgaming recently celebrated a year since its PlayItForward initiative launched a dedicated space for employees to nominate and vote for worthy causes.

Resulting in excess of £50,000 being raised in charitable donations, the organisation’s corporate social responsibility programme, which is in its fifth year, continues to support communities in areas such as health, charity, education and sport.

In April last year the firm unveiled its employee-driven charitable voting scheme, aimed at driving engagement with the programme, which has attracted over 4,000 votes to date.

Some of the charities that have so far directly benefited through PlayItForward include Isle of Man-based organisations The Family Library, Douglas Coal Fund, Cruse Bereavement Care, Naseem’s Manx Brain Tumour Charity, Craig’s Heartstrong Foundation, Isle of Play, The Arts Hub, Aid Rescue, Live At Home, and Traa dy Liooar.

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The Mansion.com logo will appear on the left shirt sleeve of Bournemouth’s home, away and third shirts throughout the 2019/20 season. The operator is already the club’s main shirt sponsor, having backed the Cherries since the club was promoted to the English top flight four years ago.

Bournemouth currently sit 14th in the Premier League, having recently secured Premier League status for another year. This weekend they face Tottenham Hotspur in the Cherries’ last home game of the season, before ending the campaign away at Crystal Palace.

The club’s commercial director, Rob Mitchell, said: “On behalf of everyone at AFC Bournemouth, I would like to thank Mansion for their continued support.

“As we enter our fifth season of working together, we look forward to delivering more match and club experiences for our supporters.”

Karel Manasco, CEO of Mansion, added: “Our long-standing partnership with the club is testament to the strong relationship we’ve built together.

“We look forward to the opportunities this year will bring and another season of cheering on the Cherries.”

In line with both parties’ commitment to promoting responsible gambling, the Mansion logo does not appear on youth kits.

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