Spillemyndigheden, the regulator of the gambling market in Denmark, has announced that in the month of February 2024 the industry recorded an 18.3 percent increase in gambling spend compared to the same month last year.

Moreover, all sectors of the industry registered such increases: sports betting, online casinos, gaming machines and land-based casinos. The total gambling spend registered in February 2024 amounted to 587 million Danish Krone or around 83.6 million U.S. dollars.

The most impressive revenue increases were registered by sports betting and online casinos. According to Spillemyndigheden, the revenue increases for these two segments were most likely due to lower return to player (RTP) rates in February 2024 compared to the same month of last year.

The figures included in the report are based on the data submitted by sports betting and casino operators to the Danish Tax Agency. The report also used data related to responsible gambling, taken from the Register of Self-Excluded Gamblers and StopSpillet, the problem gambling helpline that is available to residents of Denmark.

Online Casinos Dominate the Market

Most of the overall gross gaming revenue for the industry came from online casino operators, which accounted for 47.3 percent of the total. Sports betting managed to cover 30.2 percent of the market in terms of gross gaming revenue, while gaming machines accounted for 16.9 percent. The lowest market share in terms of gross gaming revenue was that of land-based casinos, which only managed to take up 5.4 percent of the market.

In terms of increases of gross gaming revenue in February 2024, sports betting registered the largest percentage: 32.5 percent compared to the same month of last year for a total of 134 million Danish Krone. Within the sports betting vertical, mobile betting was the most popular channel, attracting 65.6 percent of all bets in February 2024.

Online casino operators also registered a major increase of 18.53 percent when it comes to gross gaming revenue, with a total amount of 278 million Danish Krone generated in February 2024. Mobile gambling is also preferred by customers in this vertical, with 61.1 percent of bets being placed through this channel.

Gaming machines recorded a less significant increase in gross gaming revenue, just 1.85 percent year-on-year for a total of 100 million Danish Krone. Land-based casinos also registered a modest gross gaming revenue increase of 7 percent over the same month of last year for a total of 32 million Danish Krone.

Source: “Danes’ gambling spend increased in February 2024“. Spillemyndigheden. April 16, 2024.

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The Spanish gambling industry has recorded an increase of 23.6 percent year-on-year in gross gambling revenue during the third quarter of 2023 to a total amount of 304.3 euros.

However, that amount was slightly lower (2.7 percent) than what the industry managed to generate in the second quarter of 2023. Nevertheless, the figure recorded in the third quarter of this year represented a drastic increase from the 240.8 million euros that were recorded in the same quarter of 2022.

The casino segment was the main source of gross gambling revenue during the third quarter, with a total of 160.3 million euros generated. That figure represents an increase of 25.3 percent compared to last year and 52.7 percent of the whole gambling market in the country.

The live roulette sector managed to generate the highest amount of growth, with gross gambling revenue going up by 27.8 percent. The slots vertical also registered healthy growth, with gross gambling revenue increasing by 25.9 percent.

Blackjack also registered a good performance in the third quarter, growing by 11.5 percent compared to the previous quarter. Slots registered an 8.1 percent increase quarter-on-quarter, while live roulette grew by 5.4 percent. Conventional roulette did not manage to get a similar performance, though, its gross gaming revenue decreased by 2.2 percent compared to the second quarter of 2023.

Sports Betting Revenue on The Rise

Sports betting revenue also registered an increase of 22.7 percent year-on-year to 113.5 million euros and a share of 37.3 percent of the whole market. However, gross gaming revenue from pre-match bets fell 31.7 percent compared to the previous quarter and even in-play bets registered a 0.3 percent decrease. The product that registered enormous growth was fixed-odds betting, whose revenue went up by 46.1 percent compared to the second quarter.

The poker segment also managed to grow in the third quarter, its gross gaming revenue amounted to 26.8 million euros, an increase of 22 percent compared to the same quarter of last year and of 4.1 percent compared to the second quarter of 2023.

Bingo was the only vertical that registered a gross gambling revenue decrease, it slipped by 1 percent year-on-year to a total amount of 3.6 million euros. However, that figure still had a positive vibe as it was 2.9 percent higher than what was generated in the second quarter of 2023.

Spain had 78 licensed operators in the market during the third quarter, with 50 of them offering casino services, 42 active in sports betting, 9 in poker, three in bingo and two offering contests.

Source: “Spain gambling revenue jumps 23.6% to €304.2m in Q3“. iGaming Business. December 15, 2023.

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As part of a new deal negotiated between the tribal gaming operator and the company, Anaxi has introduced the Mobile on-Premise solution which will allow casino guests who are playing on trust lands to enjoy Aristocrat Class II gaming machines via mobile devices.

New Mobile Solution Enables Class II Gambling on Trust Lands

This is a prelude to online casino gambling, although in a rather limited capacity that requires more tailored geofencing to be successful.

Anaxi, which operates under the Aristocrat roof, has been an established provider of digital products and has been working on both expanding the group’s iGaming presence but also on driving synergies with existing physical businesses that already work with Aristocrat.

Commenting on the latest opportunity, Anaxi SVP of iGaming Product & Technology Josh Morris said that the partnership was groundbreaking, and it was an arrangement of that type that would drive the company and the industry forward. The Mobile on-Premise solution is a forward-thinking experience that is designed to elevate the gambling experience at tribal gaming operators and beyond.

“We also thank our integration partners that have been part of this journey, helping to deliver this innovation solution,” Morris added.

The partnership sees the WinStar World Casino and Resort in Oklahoma, the biggest casino resort property in the world, benefit through the introduction of Class II games. Anaxi and WinStar also want to make sure that this collaboration is ongoing and that Anaxi’s platform continues to inject fresh content that allows players to get even more value with each visit.

The arrangement was welcomed by Chickasaw Nation Secretary of Commerce Dan Boren who was equally excited about the opportunity.

“The approval last year by the National Indian Gaming for alternate technical standards for the Chickasaw Nation Office of the Gaming Commissioners applicable to Class II mobile gaming provides us with the flexibility to take advantage of modern technology,” Boren explained.

Mobile Is the Future of Gambling, Land-Based and Otherwise

He also said that mobile gaming is one of the technologies that will continue to shape the future of gaming. The opportunity to introduce it to the WinStar casino and guests is just a first step in what Boren hopes will be a long and successful partnership with the innovative gaming operator.

Anaxi has been actively expanding its portfolio of partners over the past weeks, with the company teaming up with PENN Interactive and strengthening its iGaming brands. The company has similarly teamed up with Caesars and FanDuel, establishing its foothold in the North American market and the United States in particular.

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Wyoming, the American state that is widely known as the “Equality State”, has registered new records in the month of October 2023 when it comes to its regulated online sports betting market.

Bettors in the state wagered 21.2 million dollars in October using licensed online bookmakers, an amount which is an all-time high since the state opened its legal online betting market.

The previous record set in the American state was 19.2 million dollars, and it was set in September 2023. Moreover, the figure registered in October 2023 represents an increase of 23.4 percent compared to the same month of 2022.

Gross gaming revenue also registered an all-time high of 2.3 million dollars, an increase of 15 percent year-on-year and 53.3 percent compared to the 1.5 million that were generated in September 2023.

Taxable gaming revenue also set a new record in October, amounting to 1.4 million dollars. That figure represents an increase of 21.7 percent from October 2022 and no less than 172.6 percent when compared to September 2023, when the total taxable gaming revenue in Wyoming amounted to just over half a million dollars.

DraftKings On Top of The Market

The most successful online bookmaker in Wyoming in October was DraftKings, with revenue of 1.4 million dollars and a handle of 12.5 million dollars. FanDuel ended the month in second place with revenue of 402,961 dollars and a handle of 4.9 million dollars.

BetMGM grabbed the final podium place with revenue of 387,344 dollars from a handle of 3.5 million dollars, while Caesars was in fourth place with revenue of just 73,028 dollars from a handle of 378,622 dollars.

The Wyoming onlines sports betting market is set to become more competitive as Fanatics Betting and Gaming will join the fray after having taken control of PointsBet Wyoming LLC.

Fanatics Betting and Gaming is a division of Fanatics, the global sports retail giant, and it has struck a deal to acquire the United States operations of PointsBet earlier this year. The purchase price was 225 million dollars and it was approved by the PointsBet shareholders.

However, the effective transfer of the operations to Fanatics Betting and Gaming will only happen when the operator will receive all necessary approvals in each state. Fanatics Betting and Gaming has so far rolled out its online sportsbook in Virginia following the acquisition of PointsBet U.S.

Source: “Wyoming smashes online sports betting records in October“. iGaming Business. November 23, 2023.

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The first appointment comes in the face of Don Westcott who will now step in as SVP, global chief compliance officer. Westcott is a compliance veteran who has more than 25 years of relevant experience.

Bringing the Right People for the Job

He has worked in both the gaming and financial industries and knows his way around pressing and important aspects of regulation. He has worked with Fiserv, First Data, and Nuvei, and other companies, being keenly involved in their financial and compliance operations.

Cutting his teeth in the gambling industry, Westcott’s portfolio is actually far more impressive, and it includes stints and positions at Isle of Capri Casinos, Caesars Entertainment, Osage Casinos, and more.

The other prominent hire for Bally’s is Tammi Barlow who will serve as inaugural VP of global responsibility and social impact, as the company’s doubling down its efforts to ensure that it meets a higher level of responsibility in the sector.

Much like Westcott, Barlow is a well-seasoned veteran with a solid standing in the industry. She used to work at Rush Street Interactive where she was in charge of corporate social responsibility strategy. Her efforts focused on the company’s inclusion, diversity, and equity programs.

She also served on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee for Global Gaming Women and is currently the chairwoman of the Responsible Gaming Committee. Both hires have been hailed by the company, which is determined to strengthen its commitment to various causes and operations.

Strengthening Equality and Diversity at the Heart of Bally’s

Bally’s chief legal officer and EVP, Kim M. Barker, was among the company’s high-ranking officials to welcome the appointment of the two new specialists and said:

On behalf of the entire leadership team, I am pleased to welcome Don and Tammi to Bally’s. Their deep expertise enables Bally’s to continue our progress toward building industry-leading compliance, responsible gaming and social impact functions as the Company continues to grow and expand.

Bally’s chief legal officer and EVP, Kim M. Barker

Apart from leading the world’s most formidable land-based gambling brand, Bally’s has also been investing heavily in strengthening its presence in interactive markets. The company has teamed up with Pragmatic Play and White Hat to strengthen its online gaming presence over the past months.

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Amid the Bell probe into The Star’s operations, the operator temporarily stopped serving free alcohol at the Star Sydney. The government inquiry uncovered that some gamblers received alcohol as an inducement which was only one of the issues flagged by the probe. Ultimately, the Bell Inquiry, which was published last year, found that the operator was not suitable for a casino license. Still, The Star was given a chance to remedy the situation and implement changes to its operations, seeking to ensure compliance and discontinuing bad practices.

Now, a new report suggests that the Star Sydney resumed serving free alcohol to high rollers. As announced by The Australian, the venue discussed the matter with the NSW Independent Casino Commission (NICC). The Commission revealed that the Star Sydney voluntarily stopped serving free alcohol to visitors in light of the release of the government inquiry. Yet, The Star asked the NICC on multiple occasions to resume serving alcohol and according to the latest report, the Commission didn’t object to that return but only under certain conditions.

While the Star Sydney resumed serving free alcohol for VIP patrons, the same practice won’t be allowed for the main gaming area. This is in fact in line with NICC’s view on the matter. “The Star voluntarily ceased the service of free liquor to patrons following the release of the Bell Report, but following numerous requests from The Star, the NICC has since not objected to the service of free liquor in certain circumstances,” explained the Commission.

Still, the NICC said that in the upcoming months, it will continue to monitor the matter closely. Finally, it reminded gambling operators to ensure compliance with the established rules.

The announcement comes after late last month, The Star released its FY23 financial results, posting a statutory net loss of AU$2.44 billion ($1.57 billion). At the time, the operator confirmed that it remains committed to strengthening its anti-money laundering and safer gambling policies. Further efforts toward ensuring compliance with the rules included the replacement of Board members as well.

Robbie Cooke, The Star’s group CEO and managing director, outlined that the last year was incredibly challenging for the company. Still, he highlighted the important changes to The Star’s policies that ultimately seek to protect the jobs of thousands of workers.

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The Louisiana Gaming Control Board, the regulator in charge of overseeing sports betting and gambling in the state, has announced the sector’s financial results for the month of July 2023 and the numbers show a healthy increase in sports wagers.

Going Mobile

Sports wagers in Louisiana amounted to 134.8 million dollars in July, a figure which represents an increase of 14 percent compared to the same month of the previous year.

The best-performing sector was mobile sports betting, which attracted 122.5 million dollars in wagers during the month of July. That total represents an increase of 18.6 percent year-on-year. Baseball was the most popular sport for mobile bettors in Louisiana in July, it managed to attract wagers amounting to a total of 2.7 million dollars.

Retail sportsbooks in the state did not perform so well, in fact, they recorded a significant decline in July. The total wagers at retail locations was 19.4 percent lower compared to the financial results of July 2022, amounting to just 12.2 million dollars. In the case of retail sportsbooks most punters chose to play parlay bets, which attracted over 1.2 million dollars in wagers.

Casinos Register Downward Trend

Casino revenue in the state of Louisiana was not that great in the month of July, it registered a decrease both when compared to July 2022 and with June 2023. Harrah’s New Orleans Casino, the land-based venue which is owned and operated by Caesars Entertainment, reported gross gaming revenue of 17.5 million dollars in July 2023, 11.9 percent lower than the previous month and 22.8 less than what it recorded in July 2022.

Riverboat casinos in the state managed to bring in a total of 146.6 million dollars in adjusted gross revenue during the month of July. That was a good result considering that two riverboat casinos, one in Lake Charles and another in Bossier City, are currently closed.

Slot games located at the state’s racetracks reported slight increases in activity during July compared last month and last year. The Evangeline Downs racetrack registered the largest increase, with adjusted gross revenue going up by 7.3 percent to almost 6.5 million dollars.

Delta Downs was the best-performing racetrack in July when it comes to adjusted gross revenue, with a total amount of over 14.2 million dollars. Overall, total revenue from slot machines in Louisiana amounted to 27.6 million dollars, while the four racetracks in the state paid a total of 4.2 million in state tax.

Source: “Louisiana mobile sports betting wagers rise 18.6% year-over-year for July“. Gaming America. August 22, 2023.

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The fast-growing provider of innovative casino games and promotional tools, Kalamba Games, unveiled details regarding its latest spooky slot game called Wilds From The Crypt. On Thursday, the iGaming developer confirmed that the new 6×4 reel game tells the story of a supernatural family, while at the same time boosting engagement with thrilling features such as wilds and multipliers.

The release of Wilds From The Crypt comes after Kalamba Games introduced its first crash game last month. At the time, the iGaming supplier released Deep Rush, its first game within the crash genre that has been enjoying strong popularity within the online gambling sector for some time now.

Wilds From The Crypt Metrics Overview

• Reels: 6
• Rows: 4
• Paylines: 40
• RTP: TBA
• Max Win: TBA
• Volatility: High
• Min/Max Bet: TBA
• Release date: August 3, 2023

Another Strong Addition to Kalimba Games’ Growing Portfolio

Alex Cohen, Kalamba Games’ COO and co-founder, commented on the latest release. He predicted that Wilds From The Crypt will be favored by clients that have experienced the company’s quality games, but also attract new customers.

Cohen spoke about the unique theme of the new game that is complemented by engaging features that provide an enhanced experience for the players. “The inclusion of HyperBet allows players to personalize their session, aligning with their play preferences in a frightfully fun slot filled with thrills,” he explained in conclusion.

“Wilds From The Crypt will appeal to both new and existing fans of our high-quality content offering.“

Alex Cohen, COO and co-founder at Kalamba Games

Back in June, Kalamba Games announced the release of Blazing Bull Remastered, a sequel to its popular 6×4 game series that brings progressive free spins bonus and wild multipliers via three HyperBet levels.

The 6×4 Reel Slot Brings Scatters, HyperBet

In the iGaming developer’s latest release, Wilds From The Crypt, wild symbols can substitute all base game symbols on the reels. Additionally, the high volatility slot game offers a Lucky Loops feature that grants players a chance to summon a special Purple Ghost Wild on every 10th spin via the collection of potions. “Split into three sections, every third potion grants a wild reel, adding it to the game board and resetting after the tenth spin,” explains Kalamba Games.

Players that land three scatters can tap into a bonus round that features sticky wilds throughout all further spins. This functionality grants players a chance for big payouts considering that multipliers are attached to the sticky wilds, elevating the experience further.

What’s more, the new spooky slot delivers the iGaming developer’s fan-favorite HyperBet feature that grants players personalization options and allows them to control whether the reels within the base game have a multiplier. The feature also provides options for customization within the free spins round.

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Crown Gaming México has selected Enrique Manjarrez who will be stepping into the new position. He is an important addition to the company’s team of experts, as the man is a seasoned veteran with more than 20 years of relevant experience in the industry.

An Industry Specialist With Excellent Track Record

He first started at Scientific Games back in 2006 and worked as a field service engineer and QA. He was promoted to commercial manager a year after and moved to American Gaming Systems in 2012.

There, he spent another two years as a marketing manager and then shifted to marketing director for Sunny Group of Companies. His most recent professional path took him to Aurify where he worked as brand director and product director from 2019-2022, and then shifted to sales and product director in Mexico in 2022-2023.

He is now stepping into his new role as part of Novomatic’s sprawling network of highly-localized companies and arms. Commenting on his appointment as part of Crown Gaming Mexico, Manjarrez said:

I am excited to be part of one of the largest gaming technology companies in the world. Novomatic is known for its quality products and innovations.

Crown Gaming México commercial director Enrique Manjarrez

The executive offered his thanks to be able to work in his home country and as a part of a global company. Novomatic VP global sales and product management Thomas Schmalzer said that his company was similarly excited to bring someone of Manjarrez’s caliber.

Schmalzer said that thanks to Manjarrez, Novomatic feels confident about growing its local footprint in the country. So far, the company has been present locally for 20 years, and the executive is determined to see this continue. Manjarrez plays an important role in this.

Meanwhile, the company has been pushing out globally. A recent deal saw Novomatic strengthen its Asia-Pacific ties in a bid to further bolster its regional presence and expand into yet more geographies.

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The appointments include those of Kiran Ranu, who will now serve as the company’s business development manager, and Martin White, who is stepping in as business development director.

Freemarket Strengthens Team of Experts

Both additions have significant experience working in the gaming and gambling industries. Their appointments come shortly after the selection of Annie Osborne, a former Xace chief executive, who joined the company as business development director last week.

White himself has more than 30 years of relevant work experience, with 23 years of working in the payments vertical. He will now move forward with helping Freemarket strengthen its positions in the gaming and gambling industry which are fast becoming important points of interest for Freemarket.

Ranu has worked with TrueLayer, Trustpilot, and AAT, and she has a lot to offer as well, bringing a diverse set of skills that has to do with coaching, leadership, recruitment, account management, and more.

Freemarket VP of sales Richard Harrison has welcomed the additions of Kiran and Martin and said that the duo added to the talent momentum the company has been enjoying recently, pointing out Osborne’s hiring. Harrison added:

Both bring fantastic energy to the business, as well as the drive and tenacity that is very much central to our company. Their experience and network bolster the gambling team and I am very excited to see the huge impact that they will undoubtedly have.

Freemarket VP of sales Richard Harrison

Company Ready to Offer Gaming Sector What It Needs

Meanwhile, both White and Ranu welcomed their appointments. Ranu said that she was confident that she will be able to build the company’s presence in the gambling industry and take it to the next level.

As to White, he is similarly thrilled to be joining the company and bringing his know-how and expertise. He argued that the gambling industry needed cross-border payments and currency exchange solutions that Freemarket is now fully capable of bringing.

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