Launches and sign-ups 15 May 2013
Launches and sign-ups from the egaming industry in the last seven days (9 May to 15 May 2013)
Betfair ends CVC discussions
Operator rejects “final” offer of 950p a share
Betfair has ended takeover talks with private equity group CVC Partners at the eleventh hour after rejecting an improved offer for the business.
The operator revealed late last night it had turned down a “revised” bid of 920p a share following the initial 880p bid rejected last month and a subsequent “full and final” bid of 950p a share.
Despite “detailed discussions”, Betfair chairman Gerald Corbett (pictured) said “none of the proposals represented adequate value or acceptable execution risk”. CVC said in a statement this morning that having “been unable to agree financial terms” it “has no intention of making a [further] offer for Betfair”.
Following the commencement of early stage talks between the parties last month, CVC was given until yesterday to return with a firm offer. However this deadline was later extended by 24 hours before talks were terminated on Monday night.
Seven days in launches and sign-ups
Ultimate Poker ends Iovation agreement
Ultimate Poker has terminated an agreement with player verification service provider Iovation after players expressed concern at its ties with Black Friday-indicted operator Ultimate Bet.
Iovation is a partner of CAMS, the service provider supplying geolcation, payment processing and age verification services to Fertitta Interactive’s Ultimate Poker, which last month became the first operator to accept a real-money bet in Nevada.
However, Iovation’s links to the now defunct Ultimate Bet, have caused concerns among US players. The founder and CEO of Iovation, Greg Pierson, was the CEO of software firm ieLogic that supplied the original software for Ultimate Bet prior to its sale to Excapsa in 2004.
William Hill signs New Jersey sports betting partnership
William Hill has finalised a deal with New Jersey racecourse Monmouth Park to become the track’s official sports betting provider.
As a result of the partnership Hills will become the sponsor of the Haskell Invitational, one of America’s biggest horse races. The event is to be renamed the William Hill Haskell Invitational, and will take place on 28 July.
The deal also includes provisions for federal sports betting legislation, with the operator to supply a full Las Vegas-style sportsbook, with William Hill US CEO Joe Asher pledging that “one day sports betting will be legal in New Jersey”.
Full Tilt beta launches Rush Poker for iOS
Full Tilt Poker has beta launched its first mobile app since being acquired by Rational Group in July last year.
The app is currently available on Apple’s iOS operating system only, and features the Isle of Man and Malta licensee’s fast-fold offering Rush. Tournament play is not available, however ring game stakes range from $0.02/0.05 to $2/4 across No Limit Hold’em, Fixed Limit Hold’em, Pot Limit Omaha and Omaha Hi/Lo.
Under its previous ownership, Full Tilt was the first egaming operator to launch a real-money mobile poker app when its Rush Poker Android app went live in 2010 , while a non-download iOS version was released in June 2011, just weeks before the operator saw its Alderney operating licences suspended.
Paddy Power signs Realistic mobile deal
Paddy Power has selected Realistic Games to provide it with a selection of mobile gaming content as part of a multi-year deal.
The 14 games included in the deal have all been specifically designed for iPhones and iPads as well Android and other tablet devices, and include roulette, blackjack, and 5-reel and 3-reel slots. They will be delivered on Realistic Games’ own in-house ReGaL server, via an Openbet RGI integration.
Muchos “advised to leave” iPoker
eGaming Review Power Affiliate Muchos Poker has been advised to leave iPoker at the request of network operator Playtech.
The affiliate, which allows players to access a range of poker sites through a single wallet, is allowing all players to withdraw their funds from the William Hill, DafaBet, Poker770 and Winner Poker skins on the network.
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Mybet extends Amaya relationship with Ongame move
Schleswig-Holstein-based operator mybet has moved its poker offering from iPoker to Amaya Gaming’s Ongame network.
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Topjack Games inks PlanetWin365 deal
Topjack Games has signed a deal with PlanetWin365 to supply the Austrian operator with insured jackpot games.
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Living Sports launches of Roulette Darts
Games developer Living Sports has annoucned the launch of Roulette Darts in partnership with the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC), and data provider SportStat.
The interactive darts game will launch later this year and allows users to predict which will be the next winning double as they watch the match on TV or live at a venue.
Players simply tap the screen dartboard where they think the next double will be scored and they can place their predictions using a smartphone, tablet or PC. They will also be able to download the game as an app or from specific bookmaker websites.
Full Tilt Poker has taken over sponsorship of the Galway poker festival from fellow Rational Group brand PokerStars. The festival will take place over two weeks, beginning 29 July, with the UKIPT Main Event, featuring a guaranteed 1m prize, running from 8-12 August. The operator’s head of marketing Sarne Lightman said that as the brand’s first live poker festival since its relaunch, Full Tilt planned to make it one players will always remember. “In the coming weeks we’re going to have lots more exciting details to announce, plus some special news about a unique online feature for the UKIPT Galway main event,” Lightman added.
Sheriff Gaming has signed a deal with SkillOnNet to integrate its portfolio of 3D slots onto the white-label gaming software provider’s platform. SkillOnNet’s acquisition head Andy Andrew said the deal was in-keeping with his firm’s strategy to provide its customers with high quality games that will “engage players and encourage loyalty”. “Sheriff Gaming’s feature rich 3D content will be added to our own hugely successful 3D Slots games catalogue providing a great tool for increasing conversion. We will be working with all our leading casinos to create exciting promotional opportunities,” he added.
Inspired Gaming has added a virtual cricket game to its portfolio of virtual sports, and announced an agreement with ONEworks. The cricket game allows punters to place pre-match and in-play bets, and features a condensed version of a standard cricket match consisting of one over for each team in a four-minute cycle. The company’s managing director of virtual sports Steve Rogers said the constant development of new virtual sports content demonstrated its desire to be “constantly innovating and to address demand from customers who offer their online and in-shop sportsbook internationally”.
Gibraltar-licensed online gambling operator bgo.com has announced the launch of bgobuddies, its first affiliate programme. The programme features a multi-tracking product to ensure affiliates are paid fairly and can track user behaviour from a simple-to-use dashboard.
Fantasy football game TotelFootball has gone live on the Tote’s Totepool website. Totepool chief Eddie Bennett commented that the fantasy football solution was a “logical fit” for the firm’s Fantasy Pools product. TotelFootball signed a deal with the brand’s owner Betfred in January this year.