Interesting Numbers by Kontagent

Posted on May 16, 2012 by JenC

In the Internet gambling world, numbers and statistics tend to be tracked. Not only do they generate huge win for players, but they also found only casinos to track their progress and growth in comparison with their competitors. This week, Venture Beat was able to come up with some quite interesting numbers related to social casino gaming, generated in cooperation with Kontagent, a San Francisco-based user analytics platform.

According to the report, online casino style games are popping up all over on social networking websites, and growing in popularity with each day. Above and beyond, the clear leader are those games hosted by Facebook, which was up 60% over 2011. Of all the users on Facebook, a very solid 13% of them frequent Internet gaming options; that number showed an increase as well, up from 6% in 2010.

The second most popular game frequented by players on all of Facebook is that of Zynga Poker. The title has been a clear leader in social gaming options for some time, but this week, it was reported that a new competitor on the scene could give Zynga Poker a run for its money. The new brand to watch for is called Double Down Casino, which offers not only the game of poker, but also the wider variety of online casino games. The service was launched in 2010, and by the end of 2011, had grown to the fourth biggest game on all of Facebook.

A statement was released by the chief executive officer for Kontagent, Jeff Tseng during the Global iGaming Summit & Expo recently, set for the record that of the 780 million social gaming participants around the world, 98 million of them are frequenting online casino options, and are doing so actively and regularly. David Gutierrez from Kontagent said social casino games generate seven times higher revenues than the casual game category.

Kontagent also analyzed other social gaming companies such as Blitzoo (Slotspot), PopCap, Viaden, Plumbee, Peak Games, Playtika and Buzz All Stars. On the aggregate, the firm manages to track the popularity and frequency of use for more than 1000 applications, and keeps an eye on one 50 million monthly active users all over the Internet.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Denson to Attempt World Record

Posted on May 16, 2012 by JenC

The online gambling community should be on its toes in the coming weeks, as the British poker organizer Barry Denson has reminded the industry once again it will be soon be mounting an attack on the world record for the longest continuous poker playing session. Though the date has yet to be set, Denson has announced through twitter that he will be completing his attempt at breaking the world record sometime this year. The latest announcement serves as a reminder, as he first mentioned his goal in January of 2012.

It might new units will be easy task, as even Denson acknowledges. In 2009, a world record was set by a player by the name of Paul Zimbler. He sent the heads up poker world record by playing straight for 78 hours, 25 min., and 45 seconds. In order to do so, it took 183 opponents rotating in and out of the game. There was a silver lining to the world record as well, as they managed to generate $35,000 for the Make-A-Wish foundation in the process.

However difficult that record might have been to set, it did not last long, as just one year later, the online gambling player, Phil Laak managed to break Zimbler’s record by playing 115 hours straight. He did so at the Bellagio poker room, located in the casino resort in Las Vegas. It was this location that set the current world record, tracked by Guinness. When all was said and done, in addition to the world record, Laak walked away with $6766 in profits as well, all of which went to the charity Camp Sunshine.

Denson believes that he has the wherewithal to break the record, and reaffirmed this week that he will attempt to do so before the year is out. He has chosen the charity Help for Heroes, an organization close to his heart, as he served once as a soldier. His attempt has been scheduled to take place G Casino in Manchester.

The charity in question is a well-known one within the, designed to help provide better facilities for British servicemen and women wounded since September 11, 2001. Denson has said that he is very excited to be able to raise money for such a worthy cause. Online gambling fans who would like to contribute to the charity can do so at Denson’s page at www.justgiving.com/poker-marathon or by sending a text to UKKT95 to 70070.

According to the rules, Denson will only be allowed one 5 min. break every hour in his record attempt, to be spent taking care of personal physical needs, primarily bathroom breaks and eating. “One of the biggest challenges will be finding enough players to play me,” says Denson. “Guinness World Records will only allow other players to play for up to four hours at a time so we need as many players as possible to come along and take part, especially in the early hours or in the mornings!”

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Bwin.Party Strong as Ever – 2

Posted on May 16, 2012 by JenC

The highlights from the report ran the gamut, from the fact that the internet gambling conglomerate was able to generate revenue slightly ahead of their year end goals with €816 million, to the fact that their clean EBITDA rating was up 3 percent at €199.3 million. Stocks were looking good as well, with their EPS at €18.5 cents and the DPS was reported to be steady at 3.12p.

Partnership achievements in the last year were not lacking either, as alliances had been secured with well known land based entities such as MGM and Boyd Gaming, as well as a contract drawn up with monopoly group Danske Licens Spil. The group did decide to let go of some of their assets as well, with the sale of OnGame logged in as successfully concluded to the tune of upwards of €29.5 million. Other successes included the fact that the company was able to stay way ahead of schedule in meeting their synergies goals, with €23.3 million set aside in 2011, and the firms on track to deliver another €40 million this year, as well as the ability to deliver €65 million in 2013 as planned.

Bwin.Party has a fiscal counters lately different from that of the traditional calendar, with the from having just concluded their fourth quarter. The report has also been published for that time period, with more good news be included in the statistics. Sportsbetting is already up 4% compared with the previous year, generating €933,000. Their online casino and Internet gambling services were also up 2%, having generated during the fourth quarter €924,000. Their poker division is holding strong, making nearly exactly the same amount as it did last year, at €747,000. And finally, the only poker division saw an increase of 2% to €324,000.

“We made excellent progress in 2011″, the two chief executives said. “The swift execution of a number of integration plans for our technology, people, products and brands has been rewarded with financial synergies coming through more quickly than expected, offsetting increased gaming duties payable as markets regulate. We remain on-track to deliver approximately Euro 40 million of synergies this year and Euro 65 million in 2013.”

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Bwin.Party Strong as Ever – 1

Posted on May 16, 2012 by JenC

Last year, when two of the world’s largest and strongest competing online gambling groups decided to merge, the industry as we knew it changed forever. With the contract signed, the Internet casino groups Bwin and Party Gaming had a huge challenge ahead of them in having to come by the forces of both in equal measure, to benefit all. Despite the fact that those challenges were both difficult and complicated, the final year end financial report has become available for Europe’s biggest online gambling group, now known as Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment.

In spite of the difficulty over the last year, Bwin.Party still managed to beat nearly all of their financial targets, reporting on the whole a modest financial performance for the year 2011. In addition to their own merge, they were able to do so in a tough and dynamic business and economic the world over, but especially in Europe, with the majority of their business takes place. The financial report was accompanied this week by statements by the joint Chief executive officers, Norbert Teufelberger and Jim Ryan, who understandably were pleased with the final outcome.

According to the CEOs statements, the final operating performance for the 2011 year should serve as confirmation of steady progress, as well as a strong European market, despite economic difficulties facing many nations’ governments. Their total revenue generated from continuing operations came to a solid €816 million, just slightly above the €814 million that was generated in 2010 between the two companies. Their EBITDA was also up, from last year’s €193 million to €199 billion in 2011.

In addition to being able to keep their financial records together, and strong, the company was also able to make progress in the regulatory compliance., Opening more doors for expansion in the coming years as Bwin.Party formulates themselves to be able to meet the requirements by most new online gambling markets. “Real money and social gaming together with other forms of digital entertainment are converging,” the duo report. “At the same time mobile platforms are increasingly important channels of distribution – each of these developments is being driven by advances in technology, new regulations and changes in consumer demand.”

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

MGM Numbers Not Up to Snuff

Posted on May 16, 2012 by JenC

It seems like it is very popular nowadays for land-based casino conglomerates based out of the US to want to get in on the action within the online gambling industry. That being said, one of the more recent additions to the trend has been MGM Resorts International, which released this week some rather optimistic statements in regards to their future in the world of internet gambling.

The company had the unfortunate responsibility to report their more than slightly disappointing numbers for the first quarter of 2012, admitting to losses of some $217.3 million. Nonetheless, their optimism is abounding, with the company feeling positively positive about the new online venture in the social gaming field that will be launched sometime this quarter. Additionally, MGM has been very public about their future within the US market, as soon as the federal government legalize us online casinos.

Many of the positive statement came directly from the horses mouth, as chief executive officer Jim Murren spoke up to journalists and industry analysts during a public relations conference call following the unveiling of their first quarter results. During this conversation, Murren discussed the new social gaming site, stating for the public their intention to “re-create the Las Vegas strip experience and exclusively feature our brands.”

This is not the first time that the CEO has spoken out about the venture, as he first started making, as in early February of this year. Now, it seems that progress toward the goal is clearly being made, as Murren exuded confidence on not only the future success of MGM within the online gambling industry, but also on the prospect of the federal legalization for online poker within the US. He has stated that his company has been aggressively pursuing as well as lobbying the government toward that end.

MGM and Boyds have a partnership agreement in place with European online gambling giant Bwin.Party digital, although this is obviously contingent on the legalization of the pastime.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

German State Hands Out First Licenses

Posted on May 15, 2012 by JenC

When it was announced to the online gambling world that a single state within the European nation of Germany would be breaking away from the pack and liberalizing their internet casino market to include offshore operators, celebratory cries could nearly be heard round the world. This week, those cries echoed once again as the first of the sports betting operational licenses were awarded in Schleswig-Holstein, the only German district to make such a progressive change.

Schleswig-Holstein sits in the north of the European nation, and this week, stood above the other 15 states in handing out the first three of new online gambling licenses, allowing permission for sports betting to be offered in their newly liberalized online gambling market. The licenses are good for six years, giving the recipient companies a great opportunity to expand in the new market.

According to the press release this week, the recipient internet gambling groups lucky enough to have been chosen for the licenses were as follows: myBet.de (JAXX), Betfair.de and NordWest Lotto (State Lottery). All of the corportations are expected to jump into action soon, as their names will likely be joined by others in the coming weeks, not only for sports betting but also for traditional online casino games and even poker licenses. The progress of the other permissions was positively reviewed by the Interior Minister of the State, Klaus Schlie.

While the online gambling community rejoices, the other 15 states within Germany are far less enthusiastic that Schleswig-Holstein has moved forward with their liberalization. So much so, that the other states have banded together in order to file a complaint with the European Commission. Given the fact that the EU in general is very supportive of all nations willing to open up their Internet gambling services in accordance with the free trade laws, the complaint will likely go nowhere.

Those operators on the receiving end of licenses will be able to offer their Internet gambling services within the state, limited by state lines. In exchange for the permission, they are required to pay gross profit taxes of 20%. The sports betting market within Germany is estimated by some to be worth as much as €5 billion, with plenty of room to grow in the future.

“Of course we are very proud to hold one of the first Schleswig-Holstein sports betting licenses in our hands, the approval for mybet has already become a historical document, because it is for a future-oriented regulation of the gaming system,” said Mathias Dahms, chief executive officer, JAXX SE. “The regulatory authority in Kiel has achieved a particularly complex and demanding process, which in some cases significantly exceed the requirements in other European countries. It was a tough job.”

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Enforcement in Australia?

Posted on May 15, 2012 by JenC

Despite the fact that technically speaking, most forms of online gambling are actually illegal in Australia, the past time has grown in popularity and success over the last few years, with the authorities content to look the other way and relax on enforcement in every manner. This week, however, news arose that indicates that could change in the next few months, as the Australian Federal Government of Julia Gillard has dedicated themselves to the task of cracking down on the enforcement laws down under.

According to the reports coming out of the region this week, as the government will be working diligently to tackle several different issues during their winter session of Parliament. The Brisbane Times reported this week that one of the primary goals is the passage of a proposal that will empower the Australian Communications and Media Authority to allow them to effectively enforce the new rules as they apply to online sports betting, including a new prohibition clause on the promotion of live odds during live coverage.

That is certainly not the only measure coming under consideration, however, as other initiatives relate directly to ‘pokie’ gambling machines, very common as well as popular within bars and other establishments across the nation. There are three bills under consideration, all of which the government would like to pass at the end of June. According to a public statement, authorities state that these proposals have been designed to reduce the harm caused by access to gaming machines for problem gamblers, underage gamblers, as well as their families and communities.

Fortunately, the change may be in the air and enforcement on its way, the new legislation will allow for a trial in the Australian Capital Territory of pre-commitment technology and its expansion to other states and territories if the trial proves successful. As for the poker machines, all of the new installation machines – manufactured from 2013 on – must include the ability to support pre-commitment features by the end of 2016. At that time, all the poker machines in Australia will need to be part of the state linked, pre-commitment system.

Despite the push but the majority holders of the government for these proposals to pass, the ruling Labor Party is still in power, albeit with only a slight majority on the rest. Given the tenuous grip, there is a high probability that some strong opposition could come up against the passage of the bills, making the task at hand more difficult than perhaps they are counting on.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Charges Dismissed Against Bacchus

Posted on May 15, 2012 by JenC

While it might be a bit disappointing for some in the online gambling community, this week, one of the sworn enemies to the legalization movements for internet casinos in the US was cleared of any wrongdoing, as Representative Spencer Bacchus was dismissed of charges by the Congressional Ethics office. The Representative, hailing out of the good state of Alabama, had been under suspicion for abusing insider political knowledge for personal gain; those accusations have now been dismissed following a formal inquiry by the Ethics office.

The accusations against Representative Bacchus stemmed from an expose on a popular news television show, that claimed that he – among others – used information gained through their roles as politicians for their personal financial gain, making literally millions of dollars based off of leads that they were privy to. The claims made by the television show led to an in depth investigation to be launched by the Office of Congressional Ethics, which this week announced that Bacchus had done nothing wrong.

Bacchus has long since made himself an enemy of the online gambling industry, working hard to make sure that legalization does not come to pass. He has been in the news before, many times speaking from his position as the chairman of the powerful House Financial Services Committee. As such, it is not wholly unlikely that he was informed of circumstances that even other politicians were not. According to the television exposé, he beat millions of these details, especially during the tumultuous 2008 economic meltdown. At that time he was on the receiving end of briefings directly from the Treasury Department, as well as constant conversations with economic experts in regards to the banking crisis.

The accusations have been boiling in the crowd for some time, probably since the economic meltdown itself in 2008. The voices became a little louder eight 2010, but really hit the fan last year, when the corruption was highlighted by the CBS network program, 60 Minutes, who directly named Bacchus as well as other politicians such as Speaker John Boehner, as well as the House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi in using their positions to make millions in their personal bank accounts. The piece even went so far as to ask them direct questions, and include the video in the program: none of the representatives looked well in the circumstances, dodging the questions at best.

Bacchus has consistently denied all of the allegations against him, and this week, it seems that his claims of innocence were backed by the Office of Congressional Ethics as they unanimously voted to dismiss all charges against him. It was not all a waste of time, however, is partly due to the uproar, Congress recently passed a law that will forbid explicitly any insider trading by members of Congress in the future.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Amaya Continues to Court CryptoLogic

Posted on May 15, 2012 by JenC

As one of the indisputable leaders in the online gambling world, CryptoLogic is undoubtedly besieged daily by companies looking to make deals. For instance, it has been reported that passed that the relatively new to the scene, Amaya Gaming has been courting the larger Internet gambling software development company for some time. This week, following the announcement of a further extension, Amaya Gaming seems to be going after the shareholders of cryptologic themselves, encouraging them to sell their stock.

The shareholders, however, did not seem to be especially interested in the offer extended by Amaya Gaming. The latest extension of their offer takes the date to mid-May of this year. As of this report, Amaya Gaming is currently in possession of approximately 12,180,000 883 Cryptologic shares. On the whole, that means that Amaya Gaming easily holds the majority shares, approximately 80.5% of the total issued share capital for the online gambling group.

The goal, it seems, is for Amaya Gaming to acquire all of CryptoLogic the hard way, buying out the stock individual by individual, share and share, following the failure of negotiations that would’ve allowed them to buy the company straight up. The beginning of February of this year, the boards of directors for both the client and cryptologic had announced the terms of the recommended cash offer to be made in order to acquire the entire issued share capital with the online gambling.

That offer was negotiated with the extension of the final date made to the end of March. Then it was pushed back to mid-April. Once again, the extension was announced pushing it to the first week of May. No, the latest expansion has been announced, extending the offer one more time. Some online gambling analysts believe that this continual offer extension may actually be working against Amaya gaming by weakening their position in the demonstration of the desperation.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Svenska Spel Commits to Goal

Posted on May 15, 2012 by JenC

One of the better known government operated monopolies the European market at the online gambling industry set a fiscal target for the first time in history this week. According to reports, the Swedish gaming monopoly Svenska Spel has committed themselves to a financial goal set to achieve an operating margin of at least 22% over its fiscal business cycle.

While it is all well and good for my gambling companies to set goals for themselves, this marks the first time that a state run monopoly has done so with in Sweden. There are a number of questions related to the announcement, such as exactly what Svenska Spel intends to do in the coming months to ensure that they meet their target goal. Additionally, it is unclear what the consequences could possibly be if they fail. Within the traditional business world, competition serves as motivation enough, but has a monopoly, Svenska Spel already enjoys the perks of being a number one operation with in Sweden, as well as the only legal one.

“I think it is encouraging that we now have a financial goal to steer the company towards. Operating margin is a good measure of efficiency that gives a freedom to work with both revenues and costs over time, depending on market conditions and other external factors”, said Svenska Spel chief executive officer Lennart Käll.

Svenska Spel was also mentioned in these the online gambling news, with the appointment of two new members to their Board of Directors. According to the firm, Cecilia Marlow and Frank Akerman – an economist and a pastor respectively, have accepted the proffered positions. While having an economist on the board is an obvious choice, one might wonder exactly why they might be interested in bringing a pastor on.

Question was answered by Anitra Steen, chairman of Svenska Spel shortly following the announcement, as he was quoted to say, “The motivation is to supplement the Board with two members with experience in retail and consumer sector and addiction issues. There will be a board together with relevant and extensive experience and high level of financial expertise.”

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment