Launches and sign-ups 13 March 2013
Launches and sign-ups from the egaming industry in the last seven days (7 March to 13 March 2013).
Playtech and PTTS agree ‘landmark’ Ladbrokes deal
Agreement comes less than two weeks after price being agreed for sale of software provider’s stake in William Hill Online.
Playtech has announced a long-term licensing deal with Ladbrokes which will see the operator given access to Playtech’s full technology and software suite.
The agreement “ set to last a minimum of five years – will also see Lads take on advisory services from PT Turnkey Services (PTTS), the holding company for affiliate business Europartners which Playtech acquired from majority shareholder Teddy Sagi in 2011 for a nine-figure sum.
As part of the deal, Ladbrokes has also confirmed the acquisition of privately owned online and offline CRM business The Nation Traffic for £850,000, with the company being renamed Ladbrokes Israel.
The news comes less than two weeks after William Hill agreed to pay £424m for Playtech’s 29% stake in William Hill Online, an agreement which allowed the software provider to enter into agreements with the operator’s rivals, such as Ladbrokes.
Exclusive: Betfair closes in on Blue Square Bet buy
Betfair is understood to be close to acquiring rival Blue Square Bet for a sum that could amount to £35m if the loss-making Rank Group-owned sportsbook achieves certain future targets, eGaming Review can exclusively reveal.
According to a source close to the matter Betfair would initially pay a small upfront fee followed by a structured earn out with further cash dependent on future profits.
The source added that two senior members of Blue Square team have agreed to take redundancy rather than move to Betfair, however it is understood the majority of the existing team of 60 will join their new employers in the coming months. It is not known whether or not managing director Mark A Jones will remain in his position.
Seven days in launches and sign-ups:
888 reveals US gaming joint venture
888 has entered into a joint venture agreement with investment firm Avenue Capital Group to offer a US-facing B2C gaming offering when regulation allows, while also officially confirming its deal with Las Vegas casino Treasure Island to offer poker in Nevada.
The newly formed, Delaware-incorporated company, called All American Poker Network (AAPN), will be used to launch 888’s gaming platform and brands into the US market, beginning in Nevada via a deal with Treasure Island which eGaming Review exclusively revealed last week.
888 already has an existing B2B agreement with Caesars Interactive Entertainment to supply software for a World Series of Poker-branded website in Nevada, and according to CEO Brian Mattingley, the JV with Avenue Capital now gives it the financial clout to push its B2C product as the rest of the US market opens up.
Ongame rolls out ‘Strobe’ fast-fold offering
Ongame has announced the launch of its fast-fold poker offering, Strobe, which is being rolled out across its dot.com network following a period of beta testing.
The variant is optimised for mobile devices and allows for five-handed play with lower rake than the network’s usual dot.com offering in an attempt to boost ecology.
It is currently available for NL10 and NL30 cash games, with head of poker Fredrik Kjell (pictured) telling eGaming Review: “We feel five-handed is positive both in terms of game speed and player adaptation but also ensuring we can have lots of limits available.”
Microgame launches Amaya slots in Italy
Amaya Gaming has launched a range of its online slots games in the dot.it market with People’s Network operator Microgame.
The deal will see Microgame host products including Serengeti Diamonds, Samurai Princess and Lost Temple. Online slots were authorised for the first time in Italy last December after the Italian regulatory authority AAMS issued licences to several operators.
Williams Interactive inks Rank Group slots deal
Williams Interactive, the online arm of WMS Industries, has agreed a multi-year deal to license its slot games to London-listed Rank Group as the supplier continues to expand its European offering.
Rank Group’s Meccabingo.com and Grosvenorcasinos.com sites will have access to all of WMS’ online slots games, including The Wizard of Oz, by the second half of the year, with the products to be implemented using OpenBet’s RGI.
Intralot Italia announces virtual sports launch
Intralot Italia has rolled out a virtual sports offering across its retail and online operations, becoming one of the first companies to launch the newly-regulated vertical.
The offering is comprised of products supplied by Inspired Gaming Group and Johannesburg-based virtual sports specialist Kiron Interactive, with the management, operation and delivery of the solution has been outsourced to Vermantia Media Group.
Social sports betting site Follwr has been listed on public investor site Crowdcube in a bid to sell 40% equity to investors and raise £75,000 to fund the project.
The eGaming Consulting-backed Follwr would aim to provide a sports information network for users to earn money for the tips they post and reputation they build on the site.
As stated in the business plan on Crowdcube, “Follwr is a sports information and tipping network in the form of a personal blog that brings together all those related with sports betting and tipping, whether existing experts or aspiring tipsters, into one massive democratic portal where they will be judged by their peers and punters and earn “cash back” according to their status.
“The concept has been described as eBay for sports betting. It has been developed over the last 12 months, tested and is ready for launch. It is a unique platform where existing publishers, affiliates and amateurs can post their own content without the need for expensive SEO campaigns and be seen by the wider sports betting community,” it adds.
Mobile social operator Glu Mobile has announced the launch of its first real-money gambling title, with a slot based on its Samurai Vs. Zombies Defence title now available.
The game is the first to be launched through its partnership with mobile gambling operator Probability, established in October last year. The deal will see a number of Glu’s games be reconfigured as casino titles for the egaming sector, with the titles added to Probability’s portfolio and offered to its B2B partners including William Hill and Paddy Power.
iPoker network skin WinPoker has become the first operator on the network to allow Bitcoin as a method of payment. There are other Bitcoin-only sites in operation, such as US-facing SealsWithClubs, however this represents the first time a site on a prominent dot.com network has begun working with the crypto-currency.
Full Tilt Poker has added three new poker formats to its offering. The operator now offers five-card stud and Irish poker, as well as the new “escalator” tournament format where blind levels increase in length as the tournament progresses.
SkyBet has launched its ‘Super 6’ prediction game, powered by Income Access, with the game being offered via the operator’s affiliate hub.
Affiliate manager Dean Leyland said: “Super 6 is a long-established and well-loved game that gets great airtime in the UK on Sky Sports News’ iconic Soccer Saturday show. This fact, coupled with the free to play aspect of the game, means it’s a unique product that affiliates won’t find with any other major operator.”
SkyBet has also launched an HTML5 Rainbow Riches slot with SG Gaming. The title will be available via the Sky Vegas Mobile Portal as well as the operator’s IOS App. Head of casino and games Samuel Downey said: Being able to present our players with a truly authentic version of the original title is very exciting “ SG Gaming has done a fantastic job in converting the title to mobile.
Rank Interactive brand MeccaBingo.com has become the first to launch the ‘Crazy Money’ slot via an agreement with GameAccount Network. The slot, developed by Incredible Technologies, has been described by GameAccount Network CEO Dermot Smurfit as “Fresh, unique with proven land-based heritage and new to the online market, all of which are desirable qualities for operators and customers alike.”