James Ross, Author at CasinoBeats https://casinobeats.com/author/james-ross/ The pulse of the global gaming industry Tue, 19 Dec 2023 18:19:57 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.1 https://casinobeats.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/cropped-favicon-32x32.png James Ross, Author at CasinoBeats https://casinobeats.com/author/james-ross/ 32 32 The festive sporting congestion and operator challenges https://casinobeats.com/2023/12/19/the-festive-sporting-congestion-and-operator-challenges/ Tue, 19 Dec 2023 18:19:51 +0000 https://casinobeats.com/?p=90426 The sporting calendar sets a unique tone during the Christmas period, with an influx of festive football combined with a plethora of other sporting fixtures that take centre stage for the holiday season.  This presents a challenge for operators though, whether this be trading around the Christmas period or engaging new bettors.  For today’s episode […]

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The sporting calendar sets a unique tone during the Christmas period, with an influx of festive football combined with a plethora of other sporting fixtures that take centre stage for the holiday season. 

This presents a challenge for operators though, whether this be trading around the Christmas period or engaging new bettors. 

For today’s episode of the iGamingDaily, Conor Porter is joined by Ted Orme-Claye and Danny Lee to discuss the calendar at this time of year and what it means for sports betting and online casino operators.

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CB100 pathways through gaming and beyond, with Alan Petrilli https://casinobeats.com/2023/05/26/cb100-pathways-through-gaming-and-beyond-with-alan-petrilli/ Fri, 26 May 2023 15:15:00 +0000 https://casinobeats.com/?p=82669 The necessity of building and maintaining a strong network is a familiar construct among numerous industries, and is certainly one that is not lost in the gaming community. However, among the multitude of strategies and expert tutorials on how best to achieve such a goal, is there question of: how much do you know about […]

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The necessity of building and maintaining a strong network is a familiar construct among numerous industries, and is certainly one that is not lost in the gaming community.

However, among the multitude of strategies and expert tutorials on how best to achieve such a goal, is there question of: how much do you know about your network? With this in mind, CasinoBeats is aiming to take a look under the hood, if you will, and has tasked the 100 Club to help out.

Allan Petrilli, VP of Sales & Growth at Intelitics, is the latest person to join the CasinoBeats Pathways hot seat as he reminisces on his journey in the gambling sector with CasinoBeats Senior Journalist Conor Porter.

CasinoBeats: Could you begin by talking us through any past experiences that have been gained outside of the gambling industry? Could your career have taken any different paths?

Allan Petrilli: So non-ironically I actually started my career in sports. I graduated University in 2009 prior to that I worked in the Canadian football league for the Montreal Alouettes who actually won a handful of championships while I worked there as an intern as an events coordinator. So I started my career there and really loved it, thinking that I’d  probably work in sports for my entire life. 

When I graduated in 2009 I took a job at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics which was incredible. I worked at the curling venue with a handful of old colleagues from the Montreal Alouettes. I got to be in the building when Canada won the gold for curling which was amazing. I got to be on the streets of Vancouver when Canada beat the US in the gold medal hockey game so really from that point just thought sports was where it was going to be.

What was it that eventually led you into this industry?

I was looking for a job in marketing in Montreal. In Montreal you know you either work for a French organisation or an organisation that requires you to be able to communicate and write in French and although I’m born here my communication skills in French were not great.

I started looking for jobs and marketing I was to be fair a little bit limited in in what opportunities I had so I I started mass applying at companies just trying to figure out where I’d be able to get my next role and at the time I applied at a company which was publicly called Econ Access, which is now known as Income Access, not even knowing that they were involved in the gambling industry at all. 

I applied for a marketing coordinator position in their affiliate marketing team. Even in my first interview it was a little bit cagey that they service igaming operators, no fault of their own. In 2011 in North America igaming was quite taboo as it was not regulated. We had just come off the heels of everything that happened kind of in the mid-2000s with the wire act. 

So I went through a few interviews then you know slowly started to realise that they served as the odd gaming industry and ended up uh kind of falling face first into it and never looking back.

How would you assess your progress through the industry to date? Are there any interesting anecdotes that would interest our readers, or any standout experiences that may not have been possible without the current, or a past, role?

I think the beauty of this industry is it’s so global. A lot of other industries are focused on wherever you’re based. Obviously I’d be remiss to not talk about the amount of travel I’ve got to do since I’ve joined the industry in various roles.

I’ve obviously travelled most of Europe for the conference series that I’ve been to. I’ve travelled across the US in my role at Mundo Media, ended up in Bangkok for an

Affiliate World Conference so really got to kind of see the world on the back of some of the jobs that I’ve had over time and as someone who loves travelling I don’t know that there’s any bigger benefit than that. 

What would you say have been the major changes during your time working in the industry? Both for the better and worse.

I think we’re growing up and I don’t mean that in a bad way but I think with regulation comes the need for the industry to become a little bit more serious. I’m obviously focused on user acquisition affiliate marketing tracking, which has seen incredible overhauls over the last 10 to 15 years.

When I joined the industry there were basically no ad platforms that anyone was really allowed to buy on or did they exist at the time. Affiliates were primarily SEO companies either run out of their houses or small units. Looking back to 2011, Catena Media didn’t exist. Better Collective was a running betting expert and that was what they were and if you look now they’re huge publicly traded companies driving incredible volumes of traffic globally.

I think it’s been interesting, the kind of the path that the industry has taken to scale and I think just in general we’ve become a much more serious industry to the rest of the world.

If you could ask the 100 Club any questions, or task them with tackling any issue, what would that be?

I really think collaboration in coming together as an industry to try to solve the issues that we’re facing is incredibly important. I don’t think we don’t do it but I think because we’re scaling so quickly and regulation is moving so fast everyone at the end of the day is looking out for themselves a little bit. 

I think as a group we need to look at speaking more, whether that’s directly with our competitors or groups that we’re working with and trying to push the industry forward from an innovation standpoint.

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Jamie Hummingbird: tribal regulations are broader than most realise https://casinobeats.com/2023/05/04/jamie-hummingbird-tribal-regulations/ Thu, 04 May 2023 08:30:00 +0000 https://casinobeats.com/?p=81033 Tribal gaming has long been a pillar of the US industry, but what are some of the key regulatory and technological challenges that the sector faces in 2023? Las Vegas, Reno and Atlantic City have long been hubs for land-based gaming across North America, with US bettors flocking to these cities for an occasional flutter. […]

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Tribal gaming has long been a pillar of the US industry, but what are some of the key regulatory and technological challenges that the sector faces in 2023?

Las Vegas, Reno and Atlantic City have long been hubs for land-based gaming across North America, with US bettors flocking to these cities for an occasional flutter.

However, in the late 70s and early 80s, we saw a shift in strategy from tribes as many began to offer bingo games at their properties. Arguably, this marked a pivotal moment for the future of gambling in the US.

The success of tribal bingo games soon caught the attention of local and state governments who were beginning to authorise gaming as a means of generating new revenue streams, something that the tribes had already done successfully.

As you can probably guess, this caused significant friction between tribal governments and state legislatures – one such example is the landmark 1987 legal battle between the Cabazon Band of Mission Indians and the California State government, which resulted in a US Supreme Court decision.

Very soon thereafter, the US Congress enacted the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988 that set forth the framework under which tribal gaming has operated ever since.

“…tribes have taken this framework and grew their local bingo parlours into world-class casinos and resorts”

Jamie Hummingbird, Chair for the National Tribal Gaming Commissioners & Regulators, ahead of his appearance at SBC Summit North America, explained: “The Act effectively split the authority to offer, conduct, and regulate gaming between the tribes and states.

“Class II gaming – bingo, pull-tabs, and, in some cases, poker – were within the exclusive jurisdiction of tribes while class III gaming. Slot machines, card and table games required the tribes and states to enter into compacts, which allowed the state a portion of the revenues and a degree of oversight of tribal operations.

“In the 35 years since the passage of IGRA, tribes have taken this framework and grew their local bingo parlours into world-class casinos and resorts.”

It should therefore come as no surprise that tribal gaming has played a significant role in the development of the US betting scene.

For Hummingbird, the growth of the tribal gaming sector has largely been driven by the NTGCR and the education that it provides. He explained that this organisation has helped spearhead the creation of new gaming regulations – something he believes are “more broad than most people realise”.

Hummingbird continued: “In 2018, the organisation began offering its regulatory certification academy as a way to introduce new and growing tribal gaming regulators to the many facets of the positions they hold.

“Tribal gaming regulation is more broad than most people realise and, as such, our training is equally diverse”

“Tribal gaming regulation is more broad than most people realise and, as such, our training is equally diverse. We provide training not only on electronic gaming machines, card and table games, auditing, background investigations and licensing. This is in addition to cybersecurity, money laundering, responsible gaming as well as active shooter prevention and response.  

“The nature of the business we’re in is constantly evolving and the NTGCR does its best to make sure tribal gaming regulators receive the most up-to-date training possible.”

So how does this differ from non-tribal gaming? In short, the differences are hard to come by.

According to Hummingbird, many of the procedures for reviewing games are “very similar” to those used by commercial gaming operators. Tribal organisations, he added, also carry out similar background checks when it comes to licensing.

“Gaming licence applications are comparable to those of any non-Indian jurisdiction,” he said. “Similarly, the technical standards used to evaluate electronic games and equipment are on par with state and federal, and to some extent, international standards.

“The main thing to remember when it comes to working with tribes is that, unlike receiving a licence from a state or country where you are free to offer your products or services to anyone within that jurisdiction, you must seek authorisation from each individual tribe.”  

“Oftentimes tribes have been the innovators in regulation”

To improve the licensing process going forward, Hummingbird suggested that the gaming sector must “learn from those that came before us” – a mantra he believes the vast majority of tribes subscribe to.

“Oftentimes tribes have been the innovators in regulation, but when we are not, we tend to pay attention to what has happened in other jurisdictions,” he continued.

“We look at all levels of regulation and ask ourselves ‘would that work here?’, ‘is there anything we need to modify to fit our laws?’, ‘what else can we / do we need to learn?’.  

“I like to say that I’m not above stealing my best ideas – if someone has a workable solution to an issue I’m facing, I’m thankful that I can learn from the example they’ve set. I think most regulators, tribal or otherwise, can appreciate that.”

The biggest challenge that the Indian gaming sector faces is the question of cyber security and the roll out of sports betting legislation.

He explained: “Using ransomware, digital criminals have crippled a number of tribal operations, some for extensive amounts of time, and have demanded large sums for the return of casino data and control of their systems.  

“Tribal gaming management and regulators are each responsible for integrity of the gaming environment and have recognised the growing need for new technology, new practices, and additional personnel to combat this threat.”

“There have been tribes that have seen significant declines in their revenues immediately following the introduction of sports wagering”

Under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, sports wagering is currently considered to be a class III game, which requires a compact between a tribe and the state to be authorised at a tribal property.

Within certain states, however, tribes have the exclusive right to gambling activities – some of which include sports wagering. Hummingbird noted that this does not mean that there have not been attempts by commercial gaming operators to get in on the sports betting action.

“There have been tribes that have seen significant declines in their revenues immediately following the introduction of sports wagering in states where tribes did not have exclusivity,” stated the NTGCR’s Chair. 

“In these areas, tribal gaming revenue is often the main, if not the only, means of income for tribal governments, which means tribal communities could be devastated as a result.

“This is why the discussion around the legalisation of sports wagering is so critical to tribes. The realities of sports wagering are still becoming clear and only time will show the true impacts of the nationwide legalisation of sports wagering.”

Something that Hummingbird underlined in his discussion with SBC Leaders is the commercial benefits that gaming can bring for tribal communities. He explained that gaming revenues are the largest contributor towards the funding of tribal governmental service programmes.

“…the facts strongly support a decision to uphold the rulings of the lower courts and reinforce tribal sovereignty and tribal self-determination”

He commented: “For others, tribal gaming revenues are the lifeblood of the tribe and essential to meet the needs of tribal citizens. Health clinics, food service programs, housing, and education services are among the many resources available to tribal citizens that would be negatively impacted with the loss of gaming revenues.”

The future of tribal gaming could be set to face another pivotal moment in its history with two ongoing cases involving the tribal sector, one relating to Seminole and the State of California and the second being the Maverick Gaming case in Washington State, which was dismissed but an appeal to the US Supreme Court is expected. 

Both cases revolve around the state’s right to negotiate a compact, which some say would create tribal monopolies. Hummingbird concluded:

“Should the Supreme Court decide to hear the case, the facts strongly support a decision to uphold the rulings of the lower courts and reinforce tribal sovereignty and tribal self-determination.”

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CB100 pathways through gaming and beyond, with Sarah Blackburn https://casinobeats.com/2023/03/20/cb100-pathways-sarah-blackburn/ Mon, 20 Mar 2023 09:30:00 +0000 https://casinobeats.com/?p=80301 The necessity of building and maintaining a strong network is a familiar construct among numerous industries, and is certainly one that is not lost in the gaming community. However, among the multitude of strategies and expert tutorials on how best to achieve such a goal, is there question of: how much do you know about […]

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The necessity of building and maintaining a strong network is a familiar construct among numerous industries, and is certainly one that is not lost in the gaming community.

However, among the multitude of strategies and expert tutorials on how best to achieve such a goal, is there question of: how much do you know about your network? With this in mind, CasinoBeats is aiming to take a look under the hood, if you will, and has tasked the 100 Club to help out.

The latest person to jump into the Pathways hotseat was Sarah Blackburn, Director at GameOn, who took us back to her cabin crew days, “blagging” her way into a job and believing one giant igaming firm was “going nowhere”.

CasinoBeats: Could you begin by talking us through any past experiences that have been gained outside of the gambling industry? Could your career have taken any different paths?

Sarah Blackburn: When I left school, I didn’t want to go to university because I just didn’t know what I wanted to do. I started an office job, but then quickly decided that wasn’t for me and a job application to be cabin crew for the local airline came up. So I went for that. And at the time it was a very prestigious job.

I secured that job and became the youngest cabin crew member that they hired and did that for three years, which I absolutely loved.

I wanted to get into marketing and I thought it was going to be very Mad Men style. Going back to the Isle of Man, the marketing jobs were very much in insurance, life insurance and banking. I applied for so many jobs, but because I’d gone straight from school to cabin crew, I think there might have been an assumption with many that why would they take me on.

I just needed them to give me a break. Somebody did, and then I then quickly realised it was nothing like Mad Men and it was dead boring.

CasinoBeats: What was it that eventually led you into this industry?

Luckily for me a PR agency that was very established on the Isle of Man was looking for a junior. I blagged my way into the job, promising them that I knew even what a press release was, which I didn’t know at the time, really.

I then got the guy who was training me and my previous job to quickly give me a four week lesson on how to write content and then joined the PR agency, which I did for five years, and I absolutely loved it. 

Then the gaming industry arrived with quite a big bang on the island. There was a marketing role going for a big company that was headquartered there and it just offered a whole new world for someone from the Isle of Man to travel, to see the world, to meet really new, exciting people, very as we know, very entrepreneurial, very innovative people.

That’s kind of how I then launched myself into gaming.

CasinoBeats: How would you assess your progress through the industry to date? Are there any interesting anecdotes that would interest our readers, or any standout experiences that may not have been possible without the current, or a past, role?

I moved to London and I started working for a company called Evolution Gaming. At the time, they were working out of the broom cupboard on Wigmore Street in London. There were about four or five of us and it was at such early stages. I was going out to Riga to show the live game studios to operators who couldn’t quite get their head around this live casino but thought there was something in it

I was helping with marketing, but I was also helping with licence applications and there was no guarantee that they were even going to be able to pay us each month because it was early days. 

So I quickly decided that this company was going nowhere and decided to get out of it, which now, in hindsight, I might bitterly regret because I could have worked for shares. 

I left and I put my CV out and Rob Dowling and Bruce Gamble approached me and asked me if I’d be interested in setting up a PR agency because they saw a gap in the market. So I put a business plan together and through multiple conversations GameOn was born.

CasinoBeats: What would you say have been the major changes during your time working in the industry? Both for the better and worse.

I feel like I’ve grown up with the industry. I started young when it was young and we’ve matured together. Going back to the heavy days when I first joined, you know, it was brilliant funand the parties were wild and it was awesome.

It just seemed to be a bit more carefree and a bit more relaxed, but that’s what it was at the time. The industry has matured and it has become more serious and more professional and that’s all fantastic and as it should. 

You couldn’t pay me enough money to air some of the stories from 20 years ago.

CasinoBeats: If you could ask the 100 Club any questions, or task them with tackling any issue, what would that be?

What are they doing with their businesses to make sure that they are offsetting their carbon emissions for when the law comes in and in seven years time and then again in nine, 10 years time when they’ve got to be 100 per cent carbon neutral. That’s quite a big talking point for us at the minute.

So that’s what I would ask: what are you doing, and also, are you doing it or is it just something that you say you’re doing because it’s great PR?

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Kambi strengthens New York offering via del Lago sportsbook integration https://casinobeats.com/2023/02/21/kambi-del-lago-sportsbook/ Tue, 21 Feb 2023 15:00:00 +0000 https://casinobeats.com/?p=79166 Kambi has joined forces with Churchill Downs in a multi-year partnership that will see the del Lago Resort & Casino provide its on-property sportsbook solution.  Based in Waterloo, New York, the Del Lago Resort & Casino will gain access to Kambi’s sports betting products and services in its retail sportsbook. Kristian Nylén, Kambi’s Chief Executive […]

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Kambi has joined forces with Churchill Downs in a multi-year partnership that will see the del Lago Resort & Casino provide its on-property sportsbook solution. 

Based in Waterloo, New York, the Del Lago Resort & Casino will gain access to Kambi’s sports betting products and services in its retail sportsbook.

Kristian Nylén, Kambi’s Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder, said: “We are very excited to sign del Lago Resort & Casino as our newest on-property partner in the state of New York.

“New York is a state known for its passionate sports fans and we are committed to bringing our high-quality sports betting service to the customers of one of the premier properties in the state.”

Kambi’s sportsbook will complement the property’s gaming floor, which features more than 1,000 square feet of modern LED video screens.

Lance Young, General Manager of del Lago Resort & Casino, added: “We are very pleased to partner with Kambi and leverage their award-winning sports betting technology as we strive to continue delivering the best casino experiences possible to our customers.

“The addition of Kambi’s products and services to our retail sportsbook and modern casino floor will create an even more exciting viewing and betting experience on game days.”

This partnership comes off the back of a similar deal from Kambi last month that witnessed the firm get recruited by Miami Valley Gaming and Racing in a multi-year retail sportsbook collaboration. 

A joint venture between Churchill Downs and Delaware North, this development by the Ohio-based gaming venue comes after the Buckeye State officially debuted its legalised sports betting ecosystem at the turn of the new year, with a number of operators having hailed the move.

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Gaming Realms inks Taito deal for Space Invaders IP https://casinobeats.com/2023/02/21/gaming-realms-inks-taito-deal/ Tue, 21 Feb 2023 14:00:00 +0000 https://casinobeats.com/?p=79163 Mobile-focused slot supplier Gaming Realms has inked a licensing agreement with Japanese video games and arcade firm Taito Corporation.  Under the terms of the alliance agreement, the duo will work together to create a Slingo Space Invaders title, with Gaming Realms utilising Taito’s IP of the 1978 titles, considered to be “one of the most […]

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Mobile-focused slot supplier Gaming Realms has inked a licensing agreement with Japanese video games and arcade firm Taito Corporation

Under the terms of the alliance agreement, the duo will work together to create a Slingo Space Invaders title, with Gaming Realms utilising Taito’s IP of the 1978 titles, considered to be “one of the most influential video games of all time”. 

Craig Falciglia, Director, Business Development of Gaming Realms, commented: “We are thrilled to be working with Taito on this exciting new project, combining the timeless appeal of Space Invaders with the unique gameplay of Slingo to create an immersive and engaging gaming experience for all players.”

Gaming Realms’ will launch Slingo Space Invaders through its international operating partners, as well as across its social publishing business.

This latest agreement coincides with numerous other titles that harness the popularity of blockbuster IPs that have received a Slingo interpretation. These include Slingo Deadliest Catch, Slingo Shark Week and Slingo Deal Or No Deal.

Tsuyoshi Nishiwaki, Executive Officer of Taito Corporation, commented: “With Space Invaders celebrating its 45th anniversary this year, we are overjoyed that it still brings fresh experiences to new audiences and gaming formats. 

“We feel that Slingo and Space Invaders will make a great partnership, and we are excited to see our iconic pixelated Invader characters manifest in this established platform.”

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Caesars and SL Green expand New York casino push https://casinobeats.com/2023/02/17/caesars-launch-rewards-scheme/ Fri, 17 Feb 2023 13:40:00 +0000 https://casinobeats.com/?p=79053 As part of Caesars Entertainment’s pursuit of a gaming licence in Time Square, the firm has linked with SL Green Realty to launch a new Caesars Rewards partnership.  Aimed at local merchants in greater New York City, when Caesars Palace Times Square opens in Manhattan, Caesars Rewards members will be able to use their Reward […]

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As part of Caesars Entertainment’s pursuit of a gaming licence in Time Square, the firm has linked with SL Green Realty to launch a new Caesars Rewards partnership. 

Aimed at local merchants in greater New York City, when Caesars Palace Times Square opens in Manhattan, Caesars Rewards members will be able to use their Reward Credits by converting them to gift cards, valid across the Caesars Rewards Gift Card Network.

“Caesars Rewards is the largest and most successful gaming loyalty program in the world, and it is a natural fit to bring it to a city like New York,” said Tom Reeg, CEO of Caesars Entertainment.  

“We know from experience that investing in cities and neighbourhoods benefits everyone involved. By expanding our powerful Rewards program in New York, we can better ensure that our work in Times Square creates good jobs and allows small businesses to grow and thrive.”

As part of Caesars and SL Green’s joint bid with Roc Nation to bring a gaming and entertainment destination to Times Square, the companies noted a commitment to supporting local businesses. The pair have begun signing up new merchants in Times Square and greater New York to join the Coalition for A Better Times Square. 

Participating merchants’ involvement in Caesars Rewards would be effective upon SL Green and Caesars’ procurement of a New York State gaming licence.

“Our vision is to build a gaming and entertainment destination that fits into the fabric of New York. Guests at Caesars Palace Times Square might game at our tables, but they are going to eat at area restaurants, stay in neighbourhood hotels, see Broadway shows and shop at stores in Times Square and across the city,” added Marc Holliday, CEO of SL Green.  

“By expanding the Caesars Rewards program in New York City, we can formalise that relationship with local businesses and demonstrate our deep commitment to New York’s economic future.”

This update from Caesars comes in the same week as Senator Joseph Addabbo’s fresh efforts to legalise igaming in New York, who introduced S4856 in a bid to finally get the ball rolling towards legalisation for the activity. 

Earlier this month, Addabbo expressed his disappointment that no provision for igaming was included in the New York state executive budget for FY24 and also raised concerns that players are either fleeting to the black market or over state lines to play online casino games. 

“In addition, in the first year of operation, New York would receive approximately $150m in one time licence fees from casinos, operators and independent contractors seeking to conduct online interactive casino gaming.”

The bill would permit the introduction of slots, online poker, table games and live dealer offerings, with the studios of the latter having to be located within state boundaries.

Offering justification for such an introduction, Addabbo’s fresh effort noted: “Currently, seven States have authorised online interactive casino gaming, including the neighbouring States of New Jersey, Connecticut and Pennsylvania. 

“In 2021, online casino gaming revenue exceeded $1bn in both New Jersey and Pennsylvania, generating approximately $120m in tax revenue for each of those states.

“This year, in its first month of operation, New York quickly became the leading mobile sports betting market in the nation, generating nearly $70m in tax revenue in a single month. 

“Similarly, if authorised, New York would quickly become the national leader in online casino gaming, generating hundreds of millions of dollars in tax revenue annually for the state as it continues to recover from the economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.”

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G Games debuts in Spain through Luckia partnership https://casinobeats.com/2023/02/17/g-games-debuts-in-spain-through-luckia/ Fri, 17 Feb 2023 13:00:00 +0000 https://casinobeats.com/?p=79046 G Games has expanded its European presence after the igaming supplier linked-up with Luckia to launch its products in Spain.  Under the terms of the deal, G Games’ catalogue, which includes the supplier’s Deluxe range of titles and its latest slot El Diablo, will become accessible to Luckia’s players over the next month.  “This is […]

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G Games has expanded its European presence after the igaming supplier linked-up with Luckia to launch its products in Spain. 

Under the terms of the deal, G Games’ catalogue, which includes the supplier’s Deluxe range of titles and its latest slot El Diablo, will become accessible to Luckia’s players over the next month. 

“This is a very exciting launch,” confirmed Helen Walton, Chief Commercial Officer at G Games. “We have deep roots in Spain and to see our games go live on such a well-known and well-respected site is a very proud day for us.”

Adding to the thoughts of Walton, Ibai Goikoetxea, Luckia’s Casino Manager, noted: “We loved the fun and light-hearted nature of G’s slot games. Although it’s obvious they care deeply about the quality of their games, which always look fantastic, they are also always keen to experiment and try new things. 

“We love innovation as well and so we’re delighted to introduce this content to our players.” 

Furthermore, the deal will see the rollout process be orchestrated via Light & Wonder’s Opengaming aggregation platform to the rest of Spain in the second quarter of this year. 

The partnership means that G will roll out its existing portfolio of casino content and a roadmap for 2023. 

Magdalena Podhorska-Okolow, VP Commercial – MD Europe at Light & Wonder, added: “We are delighted to see G Games launch in Spain with Luckia as they continue to roll out a wide range of innovative, engaging content to multiple markets through the Light & Wonder OpenGaming platform”

All games available through OpenGaming are supported with a comprehensive range of responsible gambling tools, helping to deliver a safe and enjoyable gaming experience for players.

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Dreamscape completes $850m capital raise to launch two platforms https://casinobeats.com/2023/02/17/dreamscape-completes-850m-capital-raise/ Fri, 17 Feb 2023 11:40:00 +0000 https://casinobeats.com/?p=79028 New York-based real estate development and investment firm, Dreamscape Companies, has completed an $850m capital raise.  The capital raised by Dreamscape, founded by Eric Birnbaum, will be used to launch two independent platforms – Dreamscape Entertainment Properties and Dreamscape Entertainment Integrated Resorts.  “As Dreamscape continues to evolve and expand, we knew the gaming and entertainment […]

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New York-based real estate development and investment firm, Dreamscape Companies, has completed an $850m capital raise. 

The capital raised by Dreamscape, founded by Eric Birnbaum, will be used to launch two independent platforms – Dreamscape Entertainment Properties and Dreamscape Entertainment Integrated Resorts

“As Dreamscape continues to evolve and expand, we knew the gaming and entertainment sector would be a natural fit and become a central part of our business,” said Birnbaum, CEO and Founder of Dreamscape. 

“We are passionate about creating dynamic lifestyle experiences. I strongly believe that with our team’s unique development capabilities, investment acumen and deep operating expertise, we are poised to become a differentiated player within this space.”

Dreamscape Entertainment Properties will be an experiential real estate investment trust that will own gaming, hospitality and entertainment assets while its integrated resorts venture will be an operator of gaming, hospitality and entertainment assets. 

These new, independent Dreamscape platforms will focus on investing and operating in strategically located, high-barrier-to-entry markets with asymmetric growth potential. 

The funding was managed by financial institutions Wells Fargo, which led the debt syndicate, and Raymond James, which led the equity private placement.

Duane Bouligny, Managing Director in Wells Fargo’s Corporate & Investment Bank, stated: “The previous year introduced unexpected and incredibly challenging financial market conditions for gaming and real estate development issuers. 

“Amidst this challenging economic environment, we are pleased to have successfully led the debt capital raise for Dreamscape as the company launches its new gaming and entertainment platforms, renovates its first gaming property, and continues to diversify and scale.”

The capital raise will also finance a multi-phase renovation of Dreamscape’s first gaming property, the Rio Hotel & Casino Las Vegas. The company acquired the property in late 2019 from Caesars Entertainment, entering into a sale lease-back with Caesars to operate the property. 

Dreamscape will use the financing to reimagine the two-tower structure, restoring it into a premiere resort and casino experience with modernised amenities. The property will remain open throughout the renovation, with the company slated to officially take over and manage operations at the resort in 2023.

“Through Eric’s leadership and the unwavering dedication of his talented, best-in-class team, Dreamscape is perfectly positioned to continue its current trajectory and achieve its expansion goals,” added Steven Loffman, Managing Director at Raymond James. 

“Dreamscape has a unique ability to thoughtfully acquire and then execute with a style that consistently speaks to its targeted customer. The company has significantly increased its already robust portfolio and will continue to do so with this latest round of funding.”

Dreamscape already has a broad presence and geographically diverse portfolio, owning and operating assets in Nashville, Miami, New York City, Los Angeles, Phoenix, New Orleans, Charleston and Philadelphia.

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Aristocrat forms BetMGM strategic link-up to offer Anaxi products https://casinobeats.com/2023/02/17/aristocrat-forms-betmgm-deal/ Fri, 17 Feb 2023 10:30:00 +0000 https://casinobeats.com/?p=79023 Aristocrat’s online real money gaming business Anaxi has formed a strategic alliance with BetMGM.  As part of the deal, gaming content from Aristocrat will become available via initial exclusivity, on BetMGM’s online casino.  Cath Burns, Executive Vice President of Anaxi, said: “We are thrilled to be collaborating with BetMGM as Anaxi reimagines the world’s greatest […]

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Aristocrat’s online real money gaming business Anaxi has formed a strategic alliance with BetMGM

As part of the deal, gaming content from Aristocrat will become available via initial exclusivity, on BetMGM’s online casino. 

Cath Burns, Executive Vice President of Anaxi, said: “We are thrilled to be collaborating with BetMGM as Anaxi reimagines the world’s greatest gaming content online. This is the first content release for Anaxi, and we look forward to continuing to innovate and create online gaming experiences that are entertaining for our partners and players.”

In February 2022, Aristocrat announced that it would be establishing a combined online real money gaming and customer experience solutions business, and in October, announced Anaxi as the new name and brand for this emerging business.

As part of Aristocrat, Anaxi brings a portfolio of content and technology to the igaming industry. The talents of its global content studios and Customer Experience Solutions team powers Anaxi’s connected experience.

“We are honoured to be the first operator in North America to offer Anaxi’s world-class content,” commented Matt Prevost, Chief Revenue Officer, BetMGM. “Partnering with Anaxi to provide some of Aristocrat’s most iconic games supports our goal of making BetMGM online casino the best destination for players.”

BetMGM Online Casino is available for download via iOS and Android, and accessible via desktop.

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