Bwin.party to shut down GetMinted casino brand
Operator says closure of site will increase operational efficiencies and user experience and is not linked to imminent PoC tax
Bwin.party has confirmed plans to shut down its GetMinted.com online casino site by the end of the month in a move it says will increase “operational efficiencies”.
Players of the Alderney and Gibraltar-licensed brand have received an email informing them of the closure and offering incentives to sign up to bwin.party’s main casino site PartyCasino.com.
A company spokesman said as well as increasing operational efficiencies, PartyCasino provided players with a “better user experience and game offering”.
The spokesman was also keen to play down speculation that the decision to close GetMinted.com was linked to the imminent introduction of a UK Point of Consumption tax (PoC) saying it had “nothing to do with the PoC”.
Bwin.party acquired GetMinted back in July 2009 when it purchased parent company Cashcade for an initial payment of £71.9m in cash with up to a further £24m based on future performance.
In its latest financial update bwin.party posted poor performance from its online casino business, which was partially offset by growth in its sportsbook.
The PoC tax is set to take effect in December and will see online gaming operators hit with a 15% levy on their UK-derived profits.