Launches and sign-ups 14 January 2015
Launches and sign-ups from the egaming industry in the last seven days (8 January to 14 January 2015)
InterCasino reveals “personalised” casino in major brand relaunch
NYX Gaming-powered website undergoes complete redesign including new navigation tools, customisation features and return of the original InterCasino logo
Intertain Group’s InterCasino brand has undergone a major rebrand this week with the online casino unveiling a new “state of the art” website ahead of a new TV marketing campaign later this year.
The design of the site is based on feedback from more than 6,000 affiliates and customers through surveys and focus groups and includes revamped navigation tools, new graphics design and the return of the InterCasino crown logo.
The new InterCasino.com website was launched yesterday and also features a ‘Customise Your Casino’ tool enabling players to choose exactly what games they see on the page.
“What we’ve tried to develop is a modern day front for a casino which includes everything on one page and is only one click away, something the top ecommerce companies do very well,” Intertain’s chief marketing officer Peter Marcus said.
Betspin given Nordic test launch
US-backed start-up Betspin has soft-launched its casino to a select group of customers in the Nordic market ahead of a full release next month.
Betspin, whose holding company Candid Gaming is owned by Oslo-listed US corporation Nio Inc, is powered by iGamingCloud, a new platform developed by Gaming Innovation Group.
Speaking to eGR, Betspin managing director Mikko Hirvonen said the launch was for a “select very small group” of customers ahead of a full launch on 2 February, although this group will be gradually increased over the coming weeks.
Seven days in launches and sign-ups:
NextGen pens Universal licensing deal
NextGen Gaming has signed a licensing deal with Universal Partnerships & Licensing to create a slot game based on Alfred Hitchcock’s classic thriller Psycho.
The online slot is due to be released in the first quarter of 2015.
“We’re very excited to be launching the Psycho online Slot, NextGen’s latest premium IP title and a true thriller slot. Psycho’s infamous scenes married with NextGen’s proven premium, repeat play slots expertise will make for a chilling winter blockbuster title,” David Johnson, commercial director at NYX Gaming Group said.
“Psycho will initially be available to our NYX OGS partners and ultimately to the wider industry through our global network.”
Amaya looks to sale of entire B2B business
Amaya Gaming said it is considering the sale its entire B2B business in a bid to maximise shareholder value and repay debt.
The Toronto-based firm’s B2B operations include Cadillac Jack, Diamond Game Enterprises, and its online gaming platform Amaya Online.
The firm recently sold its Ongame poker network to NYX Gaming in a statement to the market and previously outlined its intention to sell off its land-based subsidiary Cadillac Jack, but Amaya said it would also “explore various strategic opportunities” to “divest its other B2B assets”.
Paf enters Italian market with Winga acquisition
Paf has become the latest egaming firm to enter the Italian online gaming market after the à land-based firm struck a deal to acquire Milan-based gaming operator Winga.
Winga owns and operates the winga.it domain which offers casino, poker and bingo products and the Italian television channel Winga TV, which broadcasts daily live roulette games across Italy’s digital television networks.
Paf intends to operate Winga as a wholly owned subsidiary of the Paf group and will expand the product range under the brand to include additional casino games, while also hinting at a possible sportsbook launch “in the next few years”.
Start-up bookie brand set for Australian launch
The Australian online sports betting market is about to welcome another new brand with start-up venture Mad Bookie set to go live later this week.
The Norfolk Island-licensed operator is set for a soft-launch in the next few days and will offer all major racing products along with a limited number of sports markets with further sports markets to be added to the site in the coming months.
Its founder, Melbourne-based entrepreneur Brett Luntz, told eGaming Review Mad Bookie is not planning to compete “like for like” with Australia’s corporate bookmaking giants.
Ladbrokes secures £3m Rugby League sponsorship deal
Ladbrokes will sponsor Rugby League’s Challenge Cup for the next three seasons in a deal reported to be worth around £1m a year.
The Ladbrokes Challenge Cup kicks-off at the end of this month and culminates in the Grand Final scheduled to take place at Wembley Stadium on 29 August.
Challenge Cup fixtures are broadcast across the BBC and Sky Sports and last year’s final reached a cumulative audience of over 7.2 million, with the sport’s governing body the Rugby Football League (RFL) estimating Ladbrokes to benefit from more than 1,000 hours of dedicated global TV coverage over the course of the contract.
32Red makes Italy push with TV ad campaign
32Red has launched its first major Italian marketing push with a TV advertising campaign aimed at kick-starting its Italy-facing casino business.
The operator has teamed-up with Italian media agency Fosbury ADV to devise a series of adverts, which all feature Italian comedian Mago Forest – or Mr Forest, as he is more commonly known.
The 15 and 30-second adverts, which hit Italy’s television screens earlier this month, show Mr Forest in a number of mundane situations suggesting 32Red can be used to “add a bit of fun” and “shake-up” an otherwise boring day.
Belgian operator set to be acquired by Dutch PE fund
Belgium-licensed egaming firm Napoleon Gaming is to be acquired by Netherlands-based private equity fund Waterland ahead of a possible launch into the Netherlands, according to a leading Dutch newspaper.
De Telegraaf reported a deal was nearing completion however Waterland has not commented publicly, and the PE fund said it did not comment publicly on its activities when contacted by eGaming Review.
Napoleon Gaming owns the napoleongames.be domain which is licensed to operate in the Belgian market and has an online sportsbook and casino operation, as well as the bricks-and-mortar Casino Knokke in Belgium’s West Flanders province.