Unlike many countries where gambling is regulated at a national level, gambling regulation in the United States is governed by individual states and varies from state to state. That creates loopholes, such as inconsistent advertising standards and protections for individuals with a potential risk of problem gambling.

According to Maynard, the unregulated expansion raises significant concerns about potential harms to vulnerable individuals and the general public.

In an interview with The Guardian, he points out that topics such as national advertising regulations and self-exclusion programs are “ripe for a federal conversation.”

Prioritizing Public Health and Safety Above Industry Profits

Reflecting on the US online gambling industry, Maynard told the Guardian:

“When I think about the industry right now, I see a highway without speed limits, cars without seatbelt dingers,”

“Regulators are who put the seatbelt dingers in. I don’t think the car manufacturers just woke up one day and decided to annoy whoever’s driving the car until they put their seatbelt on.”

That’s where Maynard says, regulators come in. Gambling regulators, such as the MGC, have two primary goals: to protect the legal market from illegal threats and to safeguard the general public. The MGC chair says his primary focus is on the latter:

“A lot of people try to figure me out as a regulator. It’s really, really simple,”

“I’m not thinking about big business … I’m thinking about: how does this affect the patrons and the citizens of Massachusetts?”

Maynard joined the MGC in 2022. In spring 2024, he became the interim chair, and in the fall, he took on the permanent position. However, his regulatory approach has not always been welcomed by operators.

For instance, last year, he called a roundtable for discussions with the 10 sports betting operators in the state. However, none of them showed up, as they didn’t want to hold public talks.

Advertising Regulations: Does Maynard Have a Point?

Advertising rules vary vastly across states with regulated online gambling, highlighting the regulatory picture Maynard criticizes.

Some states have strict controls. For example, New York requires gambling ads to have compulsive play assistance messaging. Also, the state bans ads that could target children and minors or portray gambling as a means of financial success.

Tennessee, meanwhile, requires operators to submit all marketing material to the state’s regulator before publication. The state also prohibits celebrity endorsements, a provision that is lacking in many states, such as Florida and Pennsylvania.

In contrast, Indiana has fewer restrictions. It allows the use of celebrity athletes and promotions that highlight winning potential, which could entice players with potential gambling risks.

One lawmaker who shares Maynard’s views on national advertising standards is New York Representative Paul Tonko. Earlier this year, Tonko initiated his third attempt to pass the Supporting Affordability and Fairness with Every Bet (SAFE Bet) Act.

Tonko’s SAFE Bet Act would regulate gambling advertising at the federal level and restrict particular language. The proposed legislation would also specify when and where gambling operators are permitted to advertise.

Disparities in the Availability of Responsible Gambling Tools

While there are nationwide responsible gambling tools, such as the 1-800-GAMBLER hotline, operated by the National Council on Problem Gambling, the availability and effectiveness of responsible gambling tools vary widely across states.

New Jersey, one of the most mature gambling markets in the US, has taken a proactive approach. The Garden State has a self-exclusion program, which covers all operators. The state also mandates deposit limits and provides access to player activity data in real-time. It also requires operators to monitor potential red flags and report them to the relevant state authorities.

In Connecticut, operators must implement “cool-off” periods and display clear and accessible data on available problem gambling tools and resources.

In contrast, Arkansas does not have mandatory self-exclusion programs. The state also has lenient requirements on operator transparency on player losses or activity.

Education and training requirements also vary. For example, Pennsylvania requires employees in the gambling industry to attend annual responsible gambling training. Many other states, such as Illinois and West Virginia, either only recommend such training or lack a mandate entirely.

The post Massachusetts Regulator Warns of “Highway Without Speed Limits” in Growing US Gambling Market appeared first on CasinoBeats.

The hearing was announced on 17 April and held as planned, lasting for nearly two hours. 

Fanatics Going Through the Massachusetts Suitability Process

The regulator decided that Fanatics Betting and Gaming is suitable to progress to a full license, joining the six other licensed operators in the state. 

Fanatics is currently operating in the state under a one-year category 3 sports betting license. All seven operators are in a similar position and will have to undergo a suitability process to receive a full five-year sports betting license.

During the hearing, Fanatics founder and CEO Michael Rubin said, “Thank you for the time and energy all of you are putting into this throughout the review. We appreciate the partnership, we care about you a lot, and you’re an incredibly important state to us.”

The Massachusetts Gaming Commission Investigations and Enforcement Bureau’s (IEB) counsel, Kathleen Kramer, said the bureau’s ultimate recommendation was to award durable suitability to Fanatics for a full license.

Kramer said that the IEB’s investigation has concluded that the applicant and each qualifier has established their qualifications for durable suitability. “The IEB recommends the commission find the applicant and all of the qualifiers suitable, subject to conditions,” Kramer added.

The conditions include, but are not limited to, updating or improving MGC’s understanding of Fanatics’ platform’s cybersecurity policy, and continuing to update IEB on the status of its gaming compliance committee.

Kramer noted that the suitability process is ongoing and that IEB will continue to monitor the situation. 

Other Operators All Must Go Through the Same

DraftKings was the first operator to undergo the MGC’s process. This happened in December during a nearly five-hour meeting. 

All other operators working under temporary licenses will have to undergo the same process. In addition to DraftKings and Fanatics, other candidates currently operational in the state are Bally Bet, BetMGM, Caesars Sportsbook, ESPN BET, and FanDuel.

The post Fanatics Advances Toward Full Five-Year License in Massachusetts appeared first on CasinoBeats.

The bills, HD 4084 and SD 2240, present a framework to regulate iGaming and propose that the Commonwealth establish an Internet Gaming Fund to collect and distribute funds from MA’s online casino proceeds.

What could MA online casino look like? 

Representative Daniel Cahill and Senator Paul R. Feeney introduced the proposed Massachusetts iGaming legislation, which offers a dual licensing system: Category 1 licenses tied to existing casino operators and Category 2 licenses for independent entities.

The bills allow for six Category 1 licenses. Each existing land-based casino operator will be permitted to partner with two online platforms. In addition, there will be four untethered Category 2 licenses. 

Under the proposed rules, each operator would be required to pay a $5 million licensing fee for a five-year term, and gross revenue generated from MA online casino would be subject to a 20% tax rate. This is broadly in line with other states that have legalized iGaming. 

As aforementioned, the tax revenue generated would go to the Internet Gaming Fund, which would then distribute proceeds as follows:

• 45% to the General Fund;
• 27.5% to the Gaming Local Aid Fund;
• 17.5% to the Workforce Investment Trust Fund;
• 9% to the Public Health Trust Fund;
• 1% to the Youth Development and Achievement Fund.

No revenue projections for casino operations are available, although the Massachusetts Gaming Commission is studying the potential impact of expanded gambling legalization.  

One notable provision is the authorization of a second brand exclusively for online poker. Per Section 6(b)(1) of SD 2240: “Each internet gaming platform shall be offered under a single distinct brand, except that each internet gaming platform may use a second distinct brand to offer poker.” 

The legislation also includes mechanisms to encourage interstate collaboration. Section 24 of SD 2240 permits the MGC to establish “internet gaming reciprocal agreements” with other jurisdictions, enabling Massachusetts to join multi-state player pools for games like online poker.

It could pave the way for Massachusetts to join the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement, which already exists to increase player liquidity in online poker. Nevada, Delaware, Michigan, New Jersey, and West Virginia are the states currently signed up. Pennsylvania is expected to join the agreement shortly. 

Massachusetts Lawmakers Busy with Gambling

The Bay State joins Maryland, New York, Wyoming, Indiana, and New Jersey as states with online casino adjacent legislature filed. 

In addition to online casino legislation, Sen. John Keenan has filed SD 1657, calling for vast changes to sports betting legislation. This legislation would include a blanket ban on in-play wagering and prop-style bets and mandatory affordability checks for anyone wagering over $1,000 a week. Keenan also proposes a tax hike on online sports betting to 51%, matching that of states such as New York and Rhode Island. He proposed a similar amendment in 2024, which the Senate quickly dismissed. 

The post Massachusetts Lawmakers Move to Legalize Online Casino Gaming appeared first on CasinoBeats.

Moderated by James Kilsby, Chief Analyst at VIXIO, the panel entitled ‘Regulation 2030: Anticipating Future Compliance Challenges’ emphasised the importance of collaboration as the framework around social responsibility evolves and the potential for federal intervention increases.

Painting a picture of her ideal outcome for the industry Cathy Judd-Stein, the Former Chair of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, emphasised her optimism that regulators will embrace further collaboration with operators as ambitions to eradicate the threat of the black and grey market are realised. 

Louis Rogacki, Assistant Attorney General, New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement, echoed this sentiment as he urged operators to be more forthcoming with solutions when it comes to RG and tackling the black market. 

He said: “Regulators shouldn’t always have to go to the industry to provide them best practices, they should be coming to regulators. If the industry doesn’t heed the warnings it will lead to federal intervention, which is not a good scenario for the regulated industry.”  

Judd-Stein added that the base built is a strong one as solid connections have already been formed, while specifically referencing Massachusetts for praise as a region that has taken a strong lead in terms of advertising regulations. Building on this, she told the audience that they have regulation pending to provide broader prohibitions when it comes to gambling advertising. 

That being said, she detailed that federal intervention may well play a vital role in terms of the detection and tackling of unlicensed operators, stating that the industry shouldn’t be hesitant to ask for support when it comes to this eradication of the black market.

Cole Wogoman, Senior Manager, Government Relations and League Partnerships, National Council on Problem Gambling, stated his belief that federal intervention is highly likely and downplayed the sentiment that it would definitely be a bad outcome. 

A national standard in terms of RG is an avenue that Wogoman believes could be fruitful in improving the approach of RG. However, he highlighted that it wouldn’t have to be federal or come from congress. 

Providing further analysis of the market, he emphasised that ‘culture matters’, and the type of stringent affordability checks being implemented in the UK simply wouldn’t translate successfully to a US audience. 

Rogacki also agreed that attempts to bring UK-style affordability checks to the US markets would be futile in the bid to build the most impactful regulatory framework. 

Nonetheless, the scrutiny being placed under many new entrants to the market is too significant of an obstacle according to Behnam Dayanim, Partner, Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP, who revealed that some of the most talented people are being discouraged from entering the igaming space. 

He told the panel that ‘regulators should step back and take a look at what they don’t need to regulate’, as he urged the need for evolution when it comes to the regulatory strategy being undertaken in the market.

The post SBC Gaming Regulation and Compliance Forum: A vital role for Federal intervention? appeared first on CasinoBeats.

Entain

Entain has appointed Benedict McDonagh as Director of In-House Studios.

McDonagh joins Entain from Wizard Games, where he was Managing Director from April 2023. He was also the CEO of Green Jade Games from May 2018 until April 2023 and the Head of Gaming Portfolio from September 2017 to May 2018.

His gaming career spans almost 20 years, beginning in 2005 with Betfair before moving on to Rational Group.

“I’m delighted to share that tomorrow a new adventure begins for me, as I join Entain in the role of Director of In-House Studios,” said McDonagh in a LinkedIn post.

“I’ve had a wonderful time with Wizard Games over the last year but when an opportunity like this arises, I had to grab it with both hands. I leave behind a team that I am immensely proud of, who I know will go on to create massive titles as the studio continues to gain market share and the attention of players. 

“Entain is a powerhouse with an incredible heritage and legacy and I cannot wait to be a small part of their bright future working with Ciara Nic Liam and the wider team I’m very much looking forward to meeting.”

Inspired Entertainment

Inspired Entertainment appointed Simona Camilleri as General Counsel, effective July 1, 2024.

Camilleri will succeed Carys Damon, who will continue her role as Corporate Secretary. 

She brings nearly two decades of experience to the company, with a background in igaming, payments regulation, fintech, blockchain, negotiation, privacy law, mergers & acquisitions and licensing, as well as legal and compliance.

Camilleri has held leadership roles at the likes of Sportingtech, Casumo, Payhound, Booming Games and the Betclic Everest Group. She has also served on the Board of Gaming Malta and as Chair for the Remote Gaming Business Section at the Malta Chamber of Commerce.

Brooks Pierce, CEO of Inspired, stated: “We are thrilled to welcome Simona as Inspired’s General Counsel. I have had the pleasure of working with her at Scientific Games UK Group and know firsthand the value she will bring to our organisation. Simona’s expertise in both the commercial, legal, and regulatory side of gaming will be invaluable for Inspired as we continue to build our business globally. 

“Additionally, we are grateful that Carys, after twelve years of devoted service with Inspired, will continue service as Corporate Secretary. Her guidance has been instrumental in our success, and we look forward to her continued contributions.”

DraftKings

DraftKings has made several leadership changes, naming current CFO Jason Park as Chief Transformation Officer, who will be replaced as CFO by current Senior Vice President of Finance and Analytics Alan Ellingson.

“I have asked Jason Park to take on a new role at DraftKings to address and capture large efficiency opportunities that I expect will generate significant incremental profitability over the coming years,” noted DraftKings CEO and Co-Founder Jason Robins. 

“Jason’s unique skill set will allow us to further improve how we operate. In addition, I’m confident he will unlock the benefits of our proposed acquisition of Jackpocket following its closing to strengthen DraftKings’ position in US online gaming.”

As CTO, Park will be responsible for leading initiatives to “deploy cutting edge technologies” to aid operating efficiencies as well as oversee the acquisition of Jackpocket. He has been with DraftKings since 2019, overseeing the company’s move to the public market.

“I am thrilled to take on this new role which tackles several significant opportunities to improve how we operate and taps into my passion for building great and highly efficient companies,” said Park.

Ellingson has been with the company since 2020, working closely with Park on the financial and accounting side. Both Park and Ellingson will step into their new roles on May 1, 2024.

Robins added: “I am very excited to elevate Alan Ellingson to Chief Financial Officer and have him continue to lead the Company on the very clear path that we have laid out. 

“Alan has been with DraftKings for more than four years, has extensive experience across our finance and analytics teams, and most importantly, deeply understands our core value drivers and focus on maximising shareholder value.”

SkyCity Entertainment

SkyCity Entertainment has named Andrew McPherson as its next Chief Information Officer.

McPherson initially joined SkyCity in November 2023, stepping into the role of interim Chief Information Officer. 

Before joining the operator, he held senior leadership roles across New Zealand technology firms, including as Chief Technology Officer at Stuff Limited and as Head of National Design at Spark.

Massachusetts Gaming Commission

The Massachusetts Gaming Commission has appointed Jordan Maynard as its new interim Chair while it searches for a permanent replacement for the retiring Cathy Judd-Stein.

Maynard was appointed to the role by Governor Maura Healey and will be replacing Judd-Stein, who is retiring after occupying the role of Chair since 2019.

“I am honoured that Governor Healey and Lieutenant Governor [Kim] Driscoll have entrusted me with this responsibility and thank my fellow commissioners, who are essential to the continued success of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, for their partnership and support,” said Maynard.

“Since beginning as a commissioner, I have been consistently impressed with the level of professionalism and expertise displayed by the Commission staff. Without this committed team, commissioners would not be able to execute our responsibilities. We will lean on their experience and judgement as we continue addressing the issues facing the Massachusetts gaming, horse racing, and sports wagering industries.

“I look forward to working with our licensees and stakeholders to continue prioritizing consumer protections and responsible gaming.”

Svenska Spel

Svenska Spel has handed new roles to current IT Director Mikael Franzén and Head of Corporate IT Lovisa Ekman, who will become Head of Responsible Gaming & Data-Driven Transformation and Head of IT respectively from April 1.

Franzén has been with Svenska Spel since 2019, while Ekman has been with the Swedish operator since 2018.

“I am very pleased to welcome Mikael Franzén and Lovisa Ekman in their new roles,” commented Erik Strand, President and CEO of Svenska Spel.

“They are responsible for key areas in our work to ensure that Svenska Spel enters the future as a continued strong and competitive group. Mikael and Lovisa are also experienced leaders who are appreciated by both employees and group management.”

Spelinspektionen

The Swedish Government has appointed Claes Norgren and Therese Mattsson as members of the Spelinspektionen board.

Norgren, who previously served as Auditor General, Head of the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority and Deputy Governor of the Riksbank, has been named as the new Chair of the Swedish gambling authority. 

Meanwhile, Mattsson, former Director-General of the Swedish Coast Guard, has joined as a Spelinspektionen board member. Both Norgren and Mattsson’s terms will last from April 1, 2024, until March 31, 2026.

The post Entain, DraftKings, Svenska Spel: on the move appeared first on CasinoBeats.

This saw financial penalties issued to each of Encore Boston Harbor, Plainridge Park Casino and MGM Springfield, after it was previously found that DraftKings accepted 860 wagers on prohibited tennis matches across a period of 12 days.

The first violation of state law, which brought a $10,000 fine, saw the former of these gaming establishments accept a sole sports bet on a Boston College versus Notre Dame women’s regular season basketball game on February 2, 2023.

Encore self notified the state regulator that wagering was open for approximately five hours, with one money line bet included in a five-team parlay, which was permitted due to a system error. This was due to the team being known by two names, only one of which was included on a blacklist.

“The wager was placed at a kiosk inside EBH, and because the patron did not utilise a player card when making the wager, EBH was unable to inform the patron of the ineligible wager until they returned to settle their ticket,” the MGC said.

WynnBet, Encore’s vendor, is now conducting audits twice per day to ensure Massachusetts college sports teams regular season games are not available, with collaboration with the state regulator ongoing to ensure blacklists are up to date.

Elsewhere, Plainridge Park Casino accepted 33 wagers across 27 tickets on a February 2, 2023, Merrimack College versus Long Island University men’s regular season basketball game

This event was available for a period of seven hours due to a backend data entry error where the location of Merrimack College was listed as being in Florida.

After receiving a $20,000 fine, Kambi has notified the MGC that it will to ensure that Massachusetts college sports teams regular season games have not been and are not available to be wagered on.

Finally, MGM Springfield was also fined $20,000 related to a Harvard and Yale men’s basketball game on February 3, 2023, and a Harvard versus Brown match-up one day later.

After each was available for a period of 21 hours and 20 hours, respectively, the venue notified its sports wagering vendor BetMGM that a review of all sports bets placed at the casino since the launch of sports wagering must be conducted,

“Wagering was allowed on the unauthorised events because BetMGM had previously incorrectly designated Harvard as being in Connecticut,” the MGC noted. 

“This error has been corrected and BetMGM confirms that the location of all Massachusetts collegiate teams is correctly designated.”

The post Massachusetts fines casinos $50,000 for accepting collegiate wagers appeared first on CasinoBeats.

Kindred

Kindred Group has announced that Patrick Kortman will assume the role of Interim CFO, as the business continues to restructure its executive management team following key departures. 

Kortman, who previously served as Director of Corporate Development and Investor Relations, assumed the role immediately in replacing Johan Wilsby, who will depart the online gambling group at the end of the year.

His  appointment to the executive management team follows Nils Andén being appointed Interim CEO. He succeeded Henrik Tjärnström after he ended his 14-year tenure as Kindred CEO last month.

“I am very pleased that Patrick has agreed to take on the role as Interim CFO at Kindred,” Andén noted.

“Patrick knows Kindred very well and has vast experience in the financial sector, and he will continue to bring great value to Kindred’s financial operations, to the wider Executive Team, and to the board as we continue to focus on the strategic review.”

Codere

Michal Elimelech has been named as a board member of Codere Online in an appointment that was rubber stamped at the online gaming operator’s recent AGM.

Elimelech, who will be replacing Oscar Iglesias as the group’s newest board member, will aim to build upon a more than 15 year stint at 888.

During her time at the operator, she held positions such as Head of US Marketing, Head of Bingo, and Head of Developed Markets EMEA, where she had full P&L responsibility across Europe, including Germany, the UK and Scandinavian markets. She most recently served as COO of Passiflora and CMO of Space Ape Games.

Patrick Ramsey, Chairman of the Board of Directors, said: “we are thrilled to have Michal join our Board. Her experience in digital marketing and expanding businesses into new markets is a perfect fit for Codere Online as it continues to pursue its growth plans in Spain and Latin America.”

Massachusetts Gaming Commission

After successfully launching a new gambling vertical within the state, Karen Wells has signalled an intention to step down as Executive Director of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission on July 14.

The plans for how the Commonwealth will search for Wells’s replacement will be discussed at a future MGC meeting, with it previously mooted that a Deputy Director could also be put in place given the growth of sports betting in the state.

“On behalf of my fellow commissioners I want to thank Karen for her contributions to the MGC over her ten years of service and for the leadership she has provided as executive director,” commented MGC Chair Cathy Judd-Stein. 

““Karen is the model of a leader, and her influence can be seen in everything the MGC does. The MGC’s effectiveness as a regulator is a direct reflection of Karen’s efforts and her ability to build, motivate and direct the MGC team. 

“Her strategic abilities and steady presence enabled the MGC to stand up a sports wagering industry committed to consumer protections in a timely fashion. We wish her the very best in the future.”

Aposta Ganha

Hugo Baungartner has been named as the VP of Global Markets for Brazilian sports betting and casino site Aposta Ganha, where he will be charged with spearheading an international charge.

Alongside an ambition of becoming “a leading global operator, the brand noted that it has earmarked several new territories across regions. These, it is added, will be officially revealed in early July.

Prior to this appointment, Baungartner enjoyed a more than 26 year stint at RCT Gaming, where he rose through the ranks from Technician and Machine Data Collector in February 1997 to COO.

“Bringing on board Hugo as our VP for Global Markets is a huge win for us,” said Elvis Lourenço, Aposta Ganha Head of Product.

“His extensive experience and deep understanding of international markets, particularly within LatAm, make him the perfect addition to our team. 

“Hugo’s expertise will play a pivotal role in accelerating our business growth and propelling us closer to our ambitious vision.”

The post Aposta Ganha, Codere and Kindred: on the move appeared first on CasinoBeats.

70

SOFTSWISS added more than 70 igaming brands to the Game Aggregator solution in Q1 2023, bringing the number of clients on the SOFTSWISS casino platform to over 770.

The firm believes that growth is due to the recognition of the platform within the industry, as the number of game providers and studios included in the solution improved year-over-year as well to 195.

Tatyana Kaminskaya, Head of SOFTSWISS Game Aggregator, commented: “The growing number of game providers integrating their content into our aggregation platform and the rising number of games being played signifies the value and quality of our offer. 

“The SOFTSWISS Game Aggregator’s portfolio contains top-notch and exclusive games from various operators. This ensures that our clients discover unique opportunities for their business that will help them achieve their goals.”

490,000

The UK Gambling Commission has issued a £490,000 financial penalty to Paddy Power Betfair operator PPB Counterparty Services Limited after customers that had registered with GAMSTOP or directly self-excluded had received promotional material.

On November 21, 2021, excluded customers received promotions for enhanced odds on a Premier League match by the company, breaching UKGC regulatory requirements where operators must take “all reasonable steps” to stop marketing material being sent to self-excluded customers.

Within two days of receiving a completed self-exclusion notification, a self-excluded customer’s details are supposed to be removed from marketing databases to make sure they don’t receive such promotions.

Kay Roberts, UKGC Executive Director of Operations, said: “Although there is no evidence the marketing was intentional, nor that all the people with apps saw the notification or that self-excluded customers were allowed to gamble, we take such breaches seriously.

“We would advise all operators to learn from the operator’s failures and ensure their systems are robust enough to always prevent self-excluded customers from being sent promotional material.”

6

The UKGC has unveiled the Evidence Gaps and Priorities programme, a three-year research and evidence collection project for the UK gambling industry spanning over six areas to help achieve a “safer, fairer and crime-free” industry.

The commission will seek evidence on the following areas: early gambling experiences and gateway products; the range and variability of gambling experiences; gambling-related harms and vulnerability; the impact of operator practices; product characteristics and risk; and illegal gambling and crime.

“Evidence matters. We all make decisions based on how we understand the world around us, what the evidence is telling us,” noted Tim Miller, UKGC Executive Director of Research and Policy.

“The bigger the decision and the wider its impact, the more likely we all are to want more information before we act. Before the big choices, we all want to fill in the gaps in our understanding. What’s true for us all in our daily lives is just as true for our understanding of gambling.”

95

LeoVegas’ 2022 difficulties carried over into Q1 2023, with the operator reporting a 4 per cent decline in group-wide revenue to €95m (Q1 2022: €98.5m).

EBITDA for the MGM Resorts-owned casino operator fell as well by 3 per cent to a loss of €3m (2022: €1m loss) with decreases in gross and operating profit too, down by 7.5 per cent to €61.5m (2022: €66.5m) and 186 per cent to an €8.2m loss (2022: €9.6m gain) respectively.

Net gaming revenue in LeoVegas’ Rest of Europe segment improved by 17 per cent year-over-year with growth in the UK and Spain but setbacks in Germany.

Further issues occurred in the Nordics with NGR dropping by 3 per cent YoY, although a record-high customer base was achieved in Sweden during the quarter. 

4

Playtech has declared a strong start to operations through the first four months of the year, with “good progress” being made across B2B and B2C strategic objectives.

The company noted that “strong growth” from Snaitech and Caliente is anticipated to produce an adjusted EBITDA ahead of current consensus expectations.

Snaitech progress is being maintained, while Caliente expansion in Latin America is continuing alongside growth in the US.

“The strategically important live casino business continues to capitalise on the market’s rapid expansion, delivering good growth in the period,” the group said.

“Momentum also continued within the higher-margin SaaS business with very strong revenue growth, further launches and new customer signings.”

338.5

Super Group’s global growth slowed down in Q1 due to North America problems, but losses fell compared to the previous year.

Revenue from the Betway and Spin operator improved by one per cent to €338.5m (2022: €334.5m) thanks to progress in Europe, Africa and the Middle East, while the group is confident in US footprint growth despite setbacks in the region.

Operational EBITDA was €34.7m (2022: €63m) following losses of €16.6m stateside, but net losses fell by 98 per cent to €1.9m (2022: €163.3m) and active customers rose by 34 per cent to 2.6 million.

Neal Menashe, CEO of Super Group, said: “Super Group has delivered another solid quarter and we remain focused on growing revenue and profits. 

“During the month of March, net gaming revenue was a record high, along with the Operational EBITDA margin of over 20 per cent and this is a strong reminder of the value of operating leverage in our business. 

“We are confident that we will continue to build on another strong quarter across igaming and sports betting across the world.”

151

Rivalry reported Q1 2023 as the “most impressive” quarterly results yet with revenue up 151 per cent year-over-year with sequential quarterly improvements of 27 per cent as well.

The operator of the Casino.exe platform and a sportsbook and esportsbook product noted that losses were cut by 50 per cent YoY during the quarter while gross profit improved by 89 per cent.

During Q1, Rivalry also launched the Casino.exe platform in the Canadian province of Ontario, bringing eight casino games and exclusive titles to the market.

Steven Salz, Rivalry Co-Founder and CEO, said: “Building innovative products, which add to an overall unique and interactive betting experience on Rivalry, will remain a strategic focus in 2023.

“The competitive advantage of engaging and fun products is increased user activity and satisfaction, and when combined with a profitable acquisition strategy, creates a flywheel effect in the business generating consistent organic momentum and enhancing our operational efficiency.”

45,000

The Investigations and Enforcement Bureau of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission issued a $45,000 fine to MGM Springfield for underage gambling violations.

Between June 2022 and December 2022, multiple incidents occurred at MGM Springfield where people under the age of 21 years old had gaming and gaming floor access.

Several of these incidents were self-reported by the casino, which has also agreed to the penalty issued and has taken steps to prevent those underage from entering the gaming floor in the future including additional railings and a security station.

“We appreciate that MGM Springfield self-reported many of these instances and their ongoing cooperation to put enhanced practices into place to prevent similar incidents in the future,” noted Kathleen Kramer, Senior Enforcement Counsel at the MGC.

Kramer added that MGM Springfield’s compliance and remedial steps will continue to be monitored by the IEB moving forward.

The post SOFTSWISS, UKGC and Super Group: <br> the week in numbers appeared first on CasinoBeats.

According to MassLive, between June 2022 and December 2022, multiple incidents occurred at MGM Springfield where people under the age of 21 years old had gaming and gaming floor access.

The MGC stated that the casino self-reported many of the instances and has agreed to the penalty.

“We appreciate that MGM Springfield self-reported many of these instances and their ongoing cooperation to put enhanced practices into place to prevent similar incidents in the future,” noted Kathleen Kramer, Senior Enforcement Counsel at the MGC.

Kramer added that MGM Springfield’s compliance and remedial steps will continue to be monitored by the IEB moving forward. 

To keep anyone underage from entering the gaming floor in the future, MGM Springfield is installing more railings and a security station near their South End Market food court.

Changes could also be made to the casino’s wide open layout, but fire safety and access complications are still being analysed.

The post MGM Springfield handed $45,000 fine for underage gambling violations appeared first on CasinoBeats.

Cathy Judd-Stein, MGC Chair, noted that the fiscal year largely “represented adaptation and preparation” as Massachusetts looked to legalise its own sports wagering ecosystem.

Much of the 12 month period, said Judd-Stein, comprised monitoring legislation and preparing for the possibility of a widened net of responsibilities, with expertise and further learnings coming via collaborative discussions with legalised jurisdictions and a slew of events across the nation.

Massachusetts subsequently launched retail sports betting on January 31, 2023, with its mobile counterpart following suit a little over one month later on March 10, 2023.

“Advanced preparation paid off,” she said. “As the first quarter of FY23 came to realise, the MGC immediately launched into the new industry, developing a regulatory framework, promulgating related regulations, addressing staffing and resource needs, and setting critical deadlines.”

The state regulator revealed that gross gaming revenue across the region’s three commercial gaming establishments reached $1.1bn through the aforementioned time frame, which generated $311.5m in tax revenue for the Commonwealth.  

“For the casino properties, FY22 brought ongoing increased customer demand, and stabilising workforce needs”

Encore Boston Harbor reported $710.15M in gross gaming revenue, comprising $384.25m and $325.88m from slots and tables, and generated $177.54m.

Fellow category one licensee MGM Springfield saw slots and table GGR close the time frame at $203.3m and $54.53m, respectively, for a total of $257.84. A total of $64.46m was generated in taxes.

In its seventh year of operation, the category two Plainridge Park Casino, reported $141.78M in gross gaming revenues, of which slots made up the entire amount.

This generated $56.71m in tax dollars to local aid and $12.76m in assessments to the Race Horse Development Fund for a total of $69.47m in taxes. 

“For the casino properties, FY22 brought ongoing increased customer demand, and stabilising workforce needs, job fairs and applicable employee exemption requests,” commented Judd-Stein. 

“The MGC continued reviewing reporting for vendor and supplier spends as purchases of goods and services returned to usual volumes, which also brought the return of vendor advisory team meetings between the licensees and community partners, guided by Commission staff. 

“My fellow commissioners and I are proud of what we have accomplished over the last fiscal year”

“All efforts were effective. Where cumulative GGR had reached $2.4bn during FY21, the GGR across the industry for FY22 alone amounted to $1.1bn, with tax revenues up more than $78m over the previous fiscal year.”

In addition, the MGC has hailed the promotion of responsible gaming and the provision of tools for patrons to manage their play in the form of programs.

During FY22, 1,150 individuals were enrolled in the voluntary self-exclusion scheme, which permits individuals to withdraw from casino gambling, and now sports wagering, for a predetermined amount of time.

In addition, in excess of 31,000 are signed-up to PlayMyWay, a free budgeting tool that lets players track their play and receive automatic notifications as they get closer to their pre-set budget amount. 

The offering, which is now available at all three Massachusetts casinos, launched at MGM Springfield at the end of March in FY22. 

“My fellow commissioners and I are proud of what we have accomplished over the last fiscal year on behalf of the residents of the Commonwealth and invite the public to continue to review those efforts,” concluded Judd-Stein. 

“This annual report details the hard work of the entire team at the MGC, and I want to commend them all for their consistent, thorough, and transformative efforts and their genuine commitment to public service during this fiscal year and in the busy period to come.”

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