The firm’s TournEvent platform is being integrated into Gate City Casino, a large casino in New Hampshire. The platform has been expanded into historical horse racing markets via the installation, a development which Everi asserts is bringing ‘cutting-edge slot tournament capabilities’ to Gate City Casino players.

Delaware North-operated Gate City Casino has over 500 HHR machines while TournEvent has been integrated with over 5,000 electronic gaming machines at over 400 casinos across North America.

Michael Carruthers, Vice President of Gaming Operations for Delaware North, said: “This launch provides players at Gate City Casino with an enhanced gaming experience, powered by Everi’s leading tournament platform. 

“Our players remain eager for competitive play, and based on Everi’s nationwide success with TournEvent, we know players will enjoy the incredible atmosphere during these tournaments.”

Headquartered in Las Vegas, Everi is active across multiple markets, but the rapid growth of regulated betting and gaming in the US has proven to be a particularly attractive market for the company.

The firm has signed deals with the likes of Great Canadian Entertainment. 2024 has proven to be a significant year for the company in other ways, as back in July it was acquired by Apollo Global, a major multinational investment firm. 

Jesse DeBruin, Everi Senior Vice President and Gaming Leader, said: “We are excited to launch the award-winning TournEvent platform with Gate City Casino, the perfect venue to introduce our dynamic tournament experience to players in the HHR market. 

“These efforts are indicative of Everi’s dedication to supporting the growth and success of new gaming markets with state-of-the-art solutions while expanding TournEvent’s reach to meet the evolving demands of the gaming industry.”

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The Corona Resort and Casino Phu Quoc, located on the island of Phu Quoc off the country’s southwest coast, first opened its doors in 2019 under the terms of a government-mandated pilot programme.

This pilot ends today, as of 1 January the casino will effectively close until the government in Hanoi reaches a decision regarding the future of regulated gambling in Vietnam. Corona Resort’s management is confident that it will return to full business. 

Company leadership stated: “Corona Resort & Casino Phu Quoc firmly believes that, with proper adjustments, we will soon resume operations to serve our valued Customers and Partners comprehensively, continuing to build meaningful values in the future.

“Once again, we sincerely thank you for your understanding and valuable support during this transitional phase. We wish you health, happiness, and continued success.”

Gambling in Vietnam was illegal for many years with the exception of the state-owned lottery. However, the government began to ponder regulating and legalising the industry in a ‘phased approach’, largely to counter an extensive network of  illegal gambling operations, often run by organised crime syndicates.

This has seen not just the opening of the Phu Quoc facility in 2019 but also planned openings of other casino venues. A notable development is underway in the Van Don district of Quang Ninh Province, for example, with plans to open a casino in 2032.

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The Malta-based company revealed on LinkedIn that it has been granted a licence by the Danish Gambling Authority, Spillemyndigheden. There are 44 active licensed gaming firms in Denmark, including prominent players like Betsson, 888 and Betfair.

“Wazdan will now be able to deliver its full suite of games to licensed gaming operators active in the Danish market,” the firm’s statement on LinkedIn read.

“Wazdan puts great emphasis on cooperating with the largest casino licensors to provide secure, transparent and rewarding partnerships with operators from all over the world.

“We’re proud to announce that our games are now fully licensed by Spillemyndigheden, bringing the true value of Online gaining to Denmark.

“What a way to finish off this rewarding year.”

The licence builds on an active year for Wazdan. Just before Christms, the company’s CEO, Michał Imiołek, highlighted how it had released 26 new titles while securing 700 integrations throughout the year in an interview with CasinoBeats.

“Wazdan has continued to gain ground throughout 2024, solidifying our market position in already established territories as well as the commencing of new ventures,” he said.

“We are proud to have entered four new markets, including Croatia, via one of the nation’s leading operators, PSK, while also debuting in the Philippines with SG8. 

“September also marked our successful entry into the Pennsylvania market, enhancing our presence in North America with our offerings that players across New Jersey, Michigan, and West Virginia already enjoy.”

With the Spillemyndigheden licence, Wazdan enters the Nordics’ most competitive market as  Spillemyndigheden reported overall gambling spend of DKK 553m (€74.2m) in September 2024, for example, though this did mark a slight year-over-year decline.

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Both Republicans and Democrats supported the legislation, despite some reservations coming from US President Joe Biden. The legislation passed with 208 republicans and 71 Democrats supporting for a total of 279 votes, with 136 opposed, divided between three Republicans and 133 Democrats.

What is FIT21?

The Financial Innovation and Technology for the 21st Century Act, abbreviated as FIT21, introduced to the House of Representatives by Glenn Thompson, a Republican representative from Pennsylvania and a member of the House Financial Services Committee.

FIT21 has three core objectives – protecting customers by strengthening transparency and accountability with market participants, strengthening the market by protecting digital asset projects and protecting digital asset customer-serving institutions.

Should it pass through Congress, the bill will give the Commodity Futures Trading Commission jurisdiction over digital commodities. It also seeks to clarify the Security and Exchange Commission’s jurisdiction over digital assets as part of an investment contract.

On consumer protection, FIT21 seeks to provide accurate information relating to digital asset operations, ownership and structure to developers. Requirements will also come in for digital asset customer-serving institutions, such as to provide disclosures to customers, segregate customer funds from their own and reduce conflicts of interest through registration.

Patrick McHenry, Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, said: “Today, the House took a historic step by passing FIT21 with broad, bipartisan support. FIT21 provides the regulatory clarity and robust consumer protections necessary for the digital asset ecosystem to thrive in the United States. 

“The bill also ensures America leads the financial system of the future and remains a hub for technological innovation. I appreciate the partnership of Chairman Thompson, as well as Congressman French Hill and Dusty Johnson. 

“This landmark initiative would not be possible without their steadfast leadership. The overwhelming support for FIT21 in the House should serve as a wakeup call to the Senate and this Administration. They must come to the table to ensure the Americans who engage with digital assets can do so safely.”

Why should gambling pay attention?

The legislation comes at a time of not only heightened value for cryptocurrency but also consistency in the crypto gambling sector. Although in many cases a regulatory grey area, crypto remains a popular method of payment for many players.

For example, a recent report from SOFTSWISS outlined that crypto bet sums grew by 20% year-over-year and 2.4% quarter-over-quarter during Q1 2024. Bitcoin accounted for 58.4% of wagers and Ethereum accounted for 17.2%.

Without naming any particular companies, SOFTSWISS asserted that 25% of online igaming operators now provide crypto betting. Of all the total bet sum, the firm found that 24% of wagers were made in crypto, with the remaining 75.6% in fiat.

Gambling firms operate in a time of accelerating developments in payments – Open Banking, instant payments, digital wallets, biometric and AI-based ID, for example, are all payments innovations affecting the gambling space.

As operators seek to differentiate products from the competition, offering as broad a range of payment methods as possible could prove valuable in setting up USPs. Operators with interests in crypto should pay close attention to the more mainstream legislative and regulatory adoption of crypto, seen this week in the US.

This is not to say that all US policymakers are onboard, however. As noted above, Joe Biden has some reservations about cryptocurrency and about FIT24 in particular, and Gary Gensler, Chair of the SEC, has openly criticised the legislation.

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The omnichannel bookmaker and online casino operator secured a partnership with the ‘Ring of Fire’ undisputed heavyweight world championship boxing match between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury.

Taking place on 18 May, the bout was held in Saudi Arabian capital Riyadh and saw Usyk beat Fury to become undisputed heavyweight champion, holding all four world championship belts.

William Hill’s partnership with the fight saw its branding displayed across Sky Sports Box Office, TNT Sports and DAZN coverage of the event. The bookmaker also secured the rights to use the fight’s billing name, ‘Ring of FIre’, in branding across its online channels and retail estate.

Daryl West, Head of Sponsorship and Media at William Hill, said ahead of the fight: “With the fight set to be broadcast across Sky Sports Box Office, DAZN and TNT Sports, this is a landmark deal for William Hill and we’re delighted to be a part of such a historic night for boxing.

“There’s nothing quite like a world title fight between two of the world’s best prize fighters, and with this the first heavyweight unification bout in 25 years, this is an event we’re very proud to be associated with.”

William Hill is chiefly recognised in the UK for its retail and online sports betting. The company owns a suite of betting shops numbering in the thousands, although these shops do also offer casino and slot products via FOBT terminals.

In addition, like many other UK bookmakers, the company operates an online casino featuring classic table games and slots. The firm is one of the UK’s oldest bookmakers, but was acquired by prominent international igaming group 888 holdings – now trading as Evoke – in 2022.

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The betting and gaming software developer will utilise Acopay’s all-in-one payments solution. This includes multi-channel and multi-currency payment options, designed to cater for high transaction volumes and scalability.

Netherlands-based NuxGame states that the partnership is indicative of its objective to offer its operator clients stable, secure and localised payment options. The firm recently secured the GLI-19 Certification standard in recognition of its technical and responsible gaming capabilities.

Denis Kosinsky, Chief Operating Officer at NuxGame, said: “Apcopay’s fully integrated solution presents us with a huge range of additional payment options worldwide, significantly improving the offering we present to our operator partners.

“We are committed to giving our clients the widest range of scalable and stable payment services, as we continue to operate at the forefront of platform technology.”

The partnership is the latest move NuxGame has undertaken to strengthen its payments and KYC capabilities. The firm recently partnered with Jumio, leveraging the firm’s digital ID verification technology.

This in turn has built on the integration of CoinPayments in May last year. This enabled the company to build up its standing as a crypto payments facilitator, making deposits and withdrawals in over 100 cryptocurrencies.

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The KSA has issued the firm a fine of €900,000 for offering games of chance without a licence after finding that customers could create an account using address details, log in and participate in games of chance despite no licence being held.

Its investigation found that there were ‘no technical measures’ to prevent Dutch customers from betting on the site apart from an IP blockade. 

René Jansen, Chairman of the KSA, said: “At MKC Limited, players could enter an age themselves without clear identification. This means that their website is also accessible to very vulnerable, underage players. 

“This is a seriously culpable offence, which we have also included as an increasing factor for the fine. It shows once again that in many cases little attention seems to be paid to the safety of players on the illegal market.”

The Dutch gambling market has been regulated by the KOA Act since 1 October 2021, and upholding the terms of this has become one of the KSA’s key objectives over the past two years.

Over the 24 months since launch in October 2021, the Dutch betting market has grown from 10 licence holders to 27, whilst the latest figures from the KSA estimates that the sector has matured following 24 months of rapid growth.

In the midst of this growth, the KSA has had to make countering unlicensed operators a key priority, having been conducting an investigation into eight unnamed illegal operators this year whilst issuing five penalties totaling €26m in March 2023.

Recent developments in the KSA’s activities against unlicensed operators have seen penalties against Blue High House and LCS Limited, the former being handed a maximum fine €129,000 whilst the latter was handed a €2m charge.

In addition to enforcement actions against unlicensed firms, the KSA has also had to make upholding marketing requirements a priority following the ban on untargeted advertising that was introduced in July this year.

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In a statement following Dzanatos’ attendance at the 27th Economist Conference on “Online Gaming: Prospects, Challenges and Responsibility”, the EEEP President asserted that ‘very large sums are played’ with illegal operators in Greece.

This has caused ‘great financial loss and unfair competition with legal providers’ in the country, which is currently two years into regulation of the market under a new framework adopted in 2021.

As with other European gaming markets, Greece is continuing to evaluate its gambling regulations. Notably, in August the EEEP announced a consultation with market stakeholders into possible reforms to casino regulations.

Regarding the black market, the regulator added that called for a more ‘organised and methodical response’ to the black market and the risks it poses to the regulated sector during his speech at the Economist Conference.

He continued: “Government, independent authorities and providers must support collaborative actions for safe play and dealing with problems and social impacts.”

Greece, like many other European gambling markets, has been embarking on a new era of regulation, having adopted its latest framework for the industry back in 2021, and now has 15 active licence holders.

Noting the growth of the market himself, Dzanatos remarked: “The online gambling market more than doubled in the five years 2019-2023, reaching €889m from €437m.”

Two years into the adoption of the 2021 framework, Greece is already looking at ushering in reforms to its gambling regulation, specifically relating to casino operations. 

As with other European markets though, this appears to be against the backdrop of black market concerns, as has been seen in countries such as the UK, particularly during the two-year-long Gambling Act review.

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The group informed its NYSE investors that revenue fell slightly by 3 per cent during Q2 from $35m to £33.8m, whilst adjusted EBITDA dropped significantly from $1.3m to a loss of $2m, attributed primarily to the performance of its B2B segment.

This business division – which encompasses a range of services such as a real money casino platform, responsible gambling solutions and a sportsbook – recorded a decline of 30 per cent  to $9.9m ($14.2m). This was due to a drop in contractual revenue rates regarding an exclusivity period with an unnamed B2B client.

On the other hand, B2C revenue grew to $23.9m, an increase of 13 per cent on corresponding Q2 2022 results of $20.8m and driven by growth for both its European and Latin American operations across betting and casino products.

GAN’s B2C operations primarily revolve around the Coolbet online betting and gaming brand, which is active in the Nordic markets in Europe as well as Mexico, Peru, Chile and Ecuador in Latin America.

This uptick in B2C revenue was achieved despite the group’s withdrawal from Ontario, Canada’s only open gaming market. This to active customer numbers decrease ‘modestly’ from 260,000 to 257,000.

The performance of its B2C operation provided a solid bulwark against the difficulties faced by its B2B division, meaning that despite a decline in group-wide revenue GAN was still able to reduce its net loss. This fell by 52 per cent from $38.3m to $28.4m, coupled with a reduction in marketing expenses by 47 per cent from $62.3m to $32.8m.

Dermot Smurfit, CEO of GAN, said: “Our second quarter saw solid execution and progression of our business plan. We continued to see strength in international markets for B2C, expanded our roll-out of GAN Sports, and made significant progress on the new GameSTACK 2.0 version of our technology platform. 

“With GAN Sports now live in nine US states and the encouraging momentum we are seeing in our international markets, we would expect our top-line performance to improve over the coming quarters and into 2024.”

As referenced by Smurfit, GAN’s B2B sports betting tech has now gone live in nine states, with the addition of six – Indiana, Tennessee, Arizona, Louisiana, Virginia, and Colorado – occurring after Q2 via a rollout with WynnBET.

In the midst of this, however, Smurfit did provide investors with a key update on the future of the business, stating the possibility of a change in ownership. 

He explained: “As an update on our strategic initiatives, we have received indications of interest from prospective bidders interested in acquiring all or part of our business. A special committee of our Board of Directors, comprised of Non-Executive Directors, is evaluating those alternatives. 

“The indications of interest are non-binding; no definitive agreements for a strategic transaction have been reached at this time. There is no assurance that a transaction will take place, and no timetable for completion of any transaction.”

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The firm, which operates the Grosvenor land-based and online casino brand as well as some online sportsbook holdings, will leverage Kambi’s AI-backed trading, as well as  bet builder and horse racing products.

Kambi first took Rank live on its betting platform in 2016, and so far three of the London-listed operator’s betting brands have been launched on it, starting with Grosvenor Sport and Enracha and the most recent being Spain-focused YoSports.

Tom Orton, Director of Sports at Rank Interactive, said: “With Kambi’s support, we have driven 80 per cent growth in our Grosvenor sportsbook revenues over the past 12 months and are excited about what this extended partnership has the capacity to deliver.

“We aspire to be the sportsbook of choice, not only for our digital customers but also those who visit our venues, and Kambi will help us to realise our ambitious goals at Grosvenor Sport.”

The renewal comes as the casino operator looks to up the ante on its sports betting and entertainment operations, announcing its new deal with Kambi shortly after the launch of a new fantasy football product ahead of the Premier League season starting this weekend.

For Kambi, on the other hand, the extension marks the latest in a series of deals signed by the firm. This includes renewals with Rush Street Interactive in the US, its longest-running client Paf in Finland and the Baltics, Sun International in South Africa and BetPlay in Colombia, as well as supporting LeoVegas’s new focus on sportsbook operations.

Kristian Nylén, Kambi CEO and Co-Founder, said: “We are very proud to have strengthened our relationship with Rank Group through this latest partnership extension, and delighted to continue supporting its excellent stable of sports betting brands.

“One of the gaming industry’s leading operators, Rank has long been a valued Kambi partner and we look forward to empowering their sports betting ambitions in the years to come with our complete sportsbook.”

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