The hubs – located in Armenia, Serbia and Turkey – will mean that Connective Games is now active in four countries, with its HQ located in Malta.

The online poker software developer explained that the three additional hubs are a “logical step in the company’s global development strategy”. 

By opening offices in Belgrade, Fethiye and Yerevan, Connective Games also hopes that it can diversify its workforce. This “fresh talent”, it said, will ultimately strengthen its wider development talent.

As well as traditional poker formats, Connective Games offers a portfolio of ‘social gaming’ poker games which it believes provides a more engaging gameplay experience for bettors.

Back in 2020, the company launched a feature that enables operators to live stream tournaments to players around the world. 

The Poker Tournament Live Stream sits on the Connective Games platform, which powers sites such as Spartan Poker. It allows users to remain engaged with a poker brand even when they are not playing themselves, by watching professional players go head to head.

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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.

The post Vietnam’s Phu Quoc casino closes its doors pending judgement of pilot appeared first on CasinoBeats.

60m

The Betting & Gaming Council (BGC) has announced that Safer Gambling Week 2024 achieved more than 60 million impressions across social media platforms.

This year’s campaign, which took place between 18 and 24 November, had a 21% increase in impressions compared to the previous year, with engagement raising awareness of safer gambling taking place across X, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.

Several cross-party UK MPs, peers and shadow ministers also backed Safer Gambling Week, including Gambling Minister Baroness Fiona Twycross and Shadow DCMS Secretary Stuart Andrew MP.

The campaign was also supported by the UK Gambling Commission and its CEO Andrew Rhodes, in addition to several football clubs including Aston Villa, Tottenham Hotspur and Southampton of the Premier League.

The BGC added that the Safer Gambling Week website also received more than half a million visits during the campaign, helping to provide advice on safer gambling tools such as deposit limits and time-outs and directing those who need help to the right resources.

“These outstanding and record-breaking results prove once more that our industry is serious about promoting the safer gambling tools available to customers and signposting the help and support available to those who need it,” commented Grainne Hurst, CEO of the BGC.

€8.05bn

Italy’s Customs and Monopolies Agency (ADM) has reported a drop in tax revenues from Italian gambling operations in 2024, stating that it collected €8.05bn in gambling taxes as of 30 September 2024. 

This figure marks a 6% decline from the €8.2bn collected during the same period in 2023. For the entirety of 2023, ADM gathered €11.62bn in gambling taxes. If the trend continues, 2024 will be the first year ADM sees a drop in tax revenues, excluding the pandemic-hit year of 2020.

The bulletin detailed a sharp decline in Q3 2024. Gambling tax revenues fell by 16% to €2.22bn, compared to €3.3bn in Q3 2023. ADM linked this drop to a 26% year-on-year decrease in net gambling expenditure, which declined from €5.9bn in Q3 2023 to €4.35bn in Q3 2024.

While gambling revenues fell, the tobacco sector performed strongly, generating €4.18bn in Q3 2024—an increase of 5.77% compared to the previous year.

In the gambling sector, gaming machines remained the largest revenue source, contributing €910m (41%) from net expenditure of €1.26bn. Lotteries and number games followed, adding €870m (39.08%), while betting brought in €180m (8.17%), and other games accounted for €260m (11.64%).

$2.3bn

Analysts in Macau believe that the region will witness an improved December after GGR for last month stood at MOP$18.4bn ($2.30bn).

Despite November finishing relatively strong compared to a slow start, Macau’s Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau declared daily GGR of MOP$615m (US$77m) – a figure on the lower end of monthly GGR for 2024. 

According to Vitaly Umansky, a Senior Analyst at Seaport Research Partners, November is typically a weak month and December should see GGR rise by around 5.2% year-on-year and 5.9% month-on-month to around MOP$19.5bn (US$2.43bn).

Carlo Santarelli, a Stock Analyst from Deutsche Bank, expects a weaker December than Umanskey, predicting a smaller 3% YoY increase in GGR to around MOP$191bn (US$2.39 billion).

He wrote: “Our December forecast represents a monthly sequential per day improvement of 0.4%, which, we note, compares to the 0.7% average sequential per day improvement in December, relative to November, over the period from 2013 through 2019.”

However, this growth could be hindered by the expected visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping for the inauguration of incoming Macau Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai on 20 December, as presidential events often lead to declines in visitation from mainland China. 

1

HungryBear Gaming has celebrated a ‘game-changing’ milestone as the studio announced that SlotMasters has become the first multiplayer slot to be certified for real money gaming.

Initially launched as a free-to-play product in 2020, SlotMasters has been approved to be available to players in a real-money fashion, and will become available via the studio’s partner Yggdrasil Gaming.  

HungryBear’s CEO and Founder Justin Chamberlain took to LinkedIn to make the “historic” announcement, stating that: “SlotMasters has officially become the first-ever multiplayer slot game certified for real money gaming.

“This achievement is the culmination of tireless dedication from our incredible team and the invaluable guidance and support of our friends and partners across the industry. It’s a testament to what’s possible when passion meets perseverance.

“We’ve always believed in pushing the boundaries of what slot games can be, and this certification marks a new chapter – not just for SlotMasters, but, dare I say it, for the evolution of slots.”

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Despite November finishing relatively strong compared to a slow start, Macau’s Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau declared daily GGR of MOP$615m (US$77m) – a figure on the lower end of monthly GGR for 2024. 

According to Vitaly Umansky, a Senior Analyst at Seaport Research Partners, November is typically a weak month and December should see GGR rise by around 5.2% year-on-year and 5.9% month-on-month to around MOP$19.5bn (US$2.43bn).

Carlo Santarelli, a Stock Analyst from Deutsche Bank, expects a weaker December than Umanskey, predicting a smaller 3% YoY increase in GGR to around MOP$191bn (US$2.39 billion).

He wrote: “Our December forecast represents a monthly sequential per day improvement of 0.4%, which, we note, compares to the 0.7% average sequential per day improvement in December, relative to November, over the period from 2013 through 2019.”

However, this growth could be hindered by the expected visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping for the inauguration of incoming Macau Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai on 20 December, as presidential events often lead to declines in visitation from mainland China. 

The incoming CEO also had an impact on September’s GGR figures when his appointment was announced for 12 October, slowing the momentum for the region’s gaming sector as it fell by 12.7% from August.  

The Chief Executive is the Head of Government in Macau, a special administrative region of China. Prior to becoming Chief Executive, Hou Fai had been critical of the gaming industry, particularly its dominant role in Macau’s economy.

Although Hou Fai may have had a negative impact on the gaming sector’s revenues in recent months, he recently underpinned the sector as Macau’s primary industry. 

The incoming CEO stated at a press conference: “The gaming industry is Macau’s primary industry, and if it does not develop healthily, it will have far-reaching consequences. The new government will strictly enforce the new gaming law to protect and supervise the healthy and orderly development of the six concessionaires.

“The new government will require and supervise the concessionaires to monitor their non-gaming investments of MOP$130bn in accordance with the contractual requirements, so as to promote the diversified development of the Macau economy.”

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It comes after the group had stated the complaint was “baseless and totally without merit”. 

Now, in a filing with the Malaysian Bourse, Genting has cited that the case should be dismissed as it is a shareholder dispute. 

The original claims were levelled against Genting over allegations of shifting group liabilities into its Bahamas subsidiaries. 

It prompted Genting Group to inform investors that ‘it will make further announcements as and when there are material developments on the above matter’.

Accusations coming from the Capo family in Florida take aim at what it has described as a ‘massive and co-ordinated fraud’.

The lawsuit stated: “Through its stranglehold over BB Entertainment and its finances, Genting Americas has used BB Entertainment to conceal a medley of fraudulent activities. To date, BB Entertainment has not distributed any profits to RAV from this venture because Genting Americas, who controls BB Entertainment’s finances, has used BB Entertainment as its financial wasteland. What is clear is that Genting Americas’ fraudulent accounting practices have drowned BB Entertainment in hundreds of millions of dollars in illegitimate debt.

“Only a massive and coordinated fraud could dump nearly a billion dollars of debt on a small island resort where RAV had already developed most of the significant infrastructure. Genting Americas buried the nearly-billion-dollar liabilities in consolidated statements using vague categories of expenses to conceal the fraud from RAV.”

It continued: “Genting Americas, at every turn, has deliberately kneecapped RAV’s efforts to obtain clarity into the financials, including denying RAV full access to BB Entertainment’s financial records and denying its requests for an independent audit.”

The lawsuit continued by accusing Genting of depriving RAV of its entire value of its 20-acre contribution, as it seeks $600m from its partner group.

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This follows claims from the Cape Verde Government that Macau Legend Development had fallen short of its project deadlines, prompting them to cancel the license for the proposed development.

It means that the group will also assume control of the assets previously assigned to the subsidiaries. 

Responding to the decision, Macau Legend Development stated: “The Cape Verde Government is allegedly entitled to exercise the right to terminate the Convention and the Concessions, and to assume control of all assets previously assigned to the subsidiaries, as well as the assets already constructed by the subsidiaries, under the Investment Project. 

“The company is currently actively seeking legal advice in Cape Verde on the appropriate course of action and intends to vigorously contest these allegations to safeguard the interest of the company and its shareholders.”

Prime Minister Ulisses Correia e Silva, the Council of Ministers also signed a statement, which said: “Given that MLD flagrantly and repeatedly violated its obligations, the State of Cape Verde has no choice but to proceed with the termination of the contracts. 

“The State of Cape Verde gave MLD companies every opportunity to resume construction works, negotiate the sale of shares, or transfer their contractual position to a potential interested party to continue the project. Contractual violations committed by MLD occurred on several levels.”

One of the reasons cited for the delays was the hold up due to the COVID pandemic, with it having been signed originally in 2015, however, this was dismissed by the government of Cape Verde. 

It follows a period of growth for the Macau gaming sector and wider economy, nonetheless, the decision of the Cape Verde government will be viewed as something of a setback for the region.

The post Macau to “vigorously contest” Cape Verde government claims  appeared first on CasinoBeats.

The prosperity of the region can be significantly boosted by stabilising China consumer sentiment and normalised competition from regional travel destinations in 2025

As reported by InsideAsiaGaming, the investment update said: “With 70% of its annual visitors from mainland China, the state of the economic environment is most important.

“Due to weaker than expected macro trend, investors in general felt that there was downside risk with limited visibility until the end of September. With stimulus policies announced in late September 2024 to support the economy, we expect no further deterioration on consumer sentiment.”

In terms of growth of visitors, there is also expected to be progress for the region normalisation can bring in gaming and non-gaming tourists according to the group. 

“We expect 5% visitor growth in 2025 and mainlanders to account for 71% of the total tourist arrivals in 2025“, the note stated. 

The region has recently come under new leadership after Sam Hou Fai, ran uncontested to become the Chief Executive of Macau. 

Having once sought to focus on diversifying the region’s economy away from gaming, he has since underpinned his support for the sector.

The incoming CEO stated at a press conference: “The gaming industry is Macau’s primary industry, and if it does not develop healthily, it will have far-reaching consequences. The new government will strictly enforce the new gaming law to protect and supervise the healthy and orderly development of the six concessionaires.

“The new government will require and supervise the concessionaires to monitor their non-gaming investments of MOP$130bn in accordance with the contractual requirements, so as to promote the diversified development of the Macau economy.”

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Central to the charges are allegations of Pan committing four violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA).

Meanwhile, BIT Mining will pay a total of $14m as a result of the charges, entering itself into a deferred prosecution agreement. 

However, a federal grand jury in the District of New Jersey returned an indictment against Pan, who has been charged with one count of conspiracy to violate the anti-bribery and books and records provisions of the FCPA, one count of violating the anti-bribery provisions of the FCPA, and two counts of violating the books and records provisions of the FCPA.

Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M Argentieri, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, stated: “BIT Mining, under the alleged direction of then-CEO Zhengming Pan, agreed to pay nearly $2m in bribes to Japanese government officials to win a contract to open a lucrative resort and casino in Japan.

“Pan has been indicted for his alleged role in directing company consultants to pay the bribes and to conceal the illicit payments through sham consulting contracts. Today’s resolution and the charges against Pan demonstrate the department’s continued commitment to holding both corporate and individual wrongdoers accountable for their crimes.”

The court documents claimed that between 2017 and 2019, BIT Mining, then known as 500.com, admitted that its then-CEO Pan, employees and agents agreed to pay approximately $1.9m in bribes and payments to intermediaries, knowing the money would be used to make bribe payments to Japanese government officials. 

The motive was allegedly to help 500.com win a bid to open an integrated resort (a large resort that includes hotels, casinos, retail, dining, convention facilities and entertainment venues) in Japan. 

“Paying bribes to foreign government officials is a serious crime. The top leadership of BIT Mining, then known as 500.com, directed consultants to pay bribes to Japanese government officials to win a bid to open a large resort in Japan,” said US Attorney Philip R Sellinger for the District of New Jersey. 

“The illegal scheme started at the top, with the company’s CEO allegedly fully involved in directing the illicit payments and the subsequent efforts to conceal them. The company has admitted its crimes and agreed to pay a $10m penalty, and its then-CEO has been charged for his role in the scheme. This agreement and indictment hold both the corporation as an entity and its top leadership accountable.”

Assistant Director Chad Yarbrough of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division, said: “Today’s indictment against the former CEO of BIT Mining for bribing Japanese officials highlights the FBI’s commitment to holding individuals accountable for illegal conduct.  

“This type of criminal activity undermines the integrity of business practices. The FBI will relentlessly pursue those involved in illegal schemes creating unfair advantages and ensure they face the full consequences of the law.”

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The operator’s new international division, to be run by current International CEO Dan Taylor, will include five regions: UKI, Asia-Pacific (APAC), Southern Europe & Africa (SEA), Central & Eastern Europe (CEE), and Brazil.

The International division will sit alongside Flutter’s business in the US, FanDuel, which is run by Amy Howe.

Due to these changes, PokerStars CEO Kevin Harrington has been announced as the new CEO of Flutter UKI, taking charge of its Sky Betting & Gaming, Paddy Power, Betfair, tombola and PokerStars brands.

“I’m incredibly proud to be given the chance to take over and run a business I first joined more than a decade ago,” commented Harrington.

“I want to continue the work that has made Flutter the clear market leader across the UK and Ireland and maintain the high standards we have set – with responsible gambling at the core of all our work.”

After joining Betfair in 2012, Harrington has been with PokerStars since September 2020, initially as Chief Commercial Officer before becoming CEO in August 2023.

He will now replace the current Flutter UKI CEO, Ian Brown, who is leaving the operator after two years to pursue his own career ambitions.

“The transformation over the last two years has been tremendously exciting,” stated Brown

“I am particularly proud that we have taken a share in a challenging market, investing in customer innovation and our people. Kevin has a deep knowledge of our business, and I am confident he will build on the strong momentum to take Flutter UKI to new heights.

“I would like to say a sincere thank you to Peter and the whole Flutter team for what has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career.”

Peter Jackson, CEO of Flutter, added: “Ian’s time at Flutter has been enormously successful. He has transformed the UK & Ireland business on almost every metric and he will be a hard act to follow. 

“Kevin’s promotion is very well-deserved and the business will be in safe hands as we embark on the next phase of our growth plan.”

Earlier this month, Flutter posted its Q3 financial results, reporting an uptick in revenue and adjusted EBITDA. The group’s 2024 guidance was also raised by 1% across revenue and adjusted EBITDA, reflecting a strong Q3 group ex-US performance.

The post Flutter appoints new UKI CEO and expands International segment appeared first on CasinoBeats.

Should current plans and forecasts be met, initial integrated resorts could be opened as early as the end of 2025, with the bill being touted for the middle of the year. 

Updating Bloomberg News, Secretary-General Prommin Lertsuridej revealed that the law should be passed six months from now at the earliest.

He added that this means that next year should see the start of market developments, with a myriad of steps still being required.

Key to the new bill is allowing just 5% of integrated resort floorspace to be allocated to gaming, enabling the rest of the real estate to be dedicated to entertainment and subsequently seen as versatile venues that can benefit tourism rather than just gambling outlets. 

Further cementing the plans and accelerating the progress, there was also recent support from new Prime Minister, Paetongtarn Shinawatra for plans on seven projects, according to local media reports in the region.

The industry was buoyed by Shinawatra’s policies from the outset as she laid out her policy statement, where she pinpointed a key focus on the growth of the region’s entertainment and tourism industries. 

Her backing of the sector should come as little surprise, given her father, ex-Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, also recently vocalised his support for the growth of the sector and its potential impact on the country’s economy.

The Nation news outlet detailed that the entertainment venues will be able to grant 10% of their floor space to gaming.

Furthermore, reports also suggest there will be a total of three venues in Bangkok, further tapping into the city’s economic opportunities.

It comes after Japan laid bare its ambitions for the growth of its casino sector yesterday, when MGM confirmed the decision to waiver its right to withdraw from the Japanese casino sector, meaning plans for a casino launch in the region by 2030 are set to be formalised. 

The debut casino project in the region is set to launch in Osaka and predicted to be worth around $10bn.

Thailand and Japan have been engaged in something of a race for the opening of the sector, as both are being touted as two of the most exciting emerging markets of the future.

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