The lucky winner of SOFTSWISS’ Prime Network Jackpot has scooped up a prize of €244,742.34 ($263.717,21) in a game designed by BGaming.

Casino operators part of the Prime Network Jackpot campaign collectively set up shared prize pools driven by players. This means the winnings are paid from these shared prize pools and not by individual operators. 

As a result, operators can boost player loyalty and engagement by showcasing more potentially lucrative rewards. At the same time, they can streamline their costs more effectively.

€1 Minimum Bet with Zero Added Fees

During the campaign that took place between October 2023 and February 2024, players were able to join the online jackpot with an advantageous minimal bet set at €1, with no extra fees. 

In total, they wagered around €1 billion in bets in the mouth-watering prize pool. The very first draw of the Prime Network Jackpot was hosted by Fastpay Casino and helped a lucky gamer strike the big prize announced by SOFTSWISS. 

Fastpay Casino representatives called it “an honor and a stroke of fortune” to be able to host the inaugural draw of SOFTSWISS’ Prime Network Jackpot campaign, adding their casino was “privileged to be the first to celebrate a winner in this exciting campaign.”

The representative also mentioned the symbolism behind the win that occurred in Fastpay Bonanza, a game that has been exclusively created for them by BGaming. 

Typically, regular, non-network progressive jackpot winnings do go over the €30,000-€50,000 mark. 

“Gratifying” to See Players Embrace Fresh Initiatives

BGaming’s chief executive officer, Marina Ostrovtsova, also took the opportunity to comment on the news, calling it “gratifying to see players enthusiastically embracing fresh industry initiatives,” referring to the SOFTSWISS Prime Network Jackpot campaign in particular. 

Ostrovtsova also expressed their joy to mark the pioneer winner in BGaming’s game that was specifically made for Fastpay Casino while thanking all involved partners and eagerly anticipating more similar campaigns from SOFTSWISS.

SOFTSWISS Preparing New Campaign 

As a result of the success of the first draw, the SOFTSWISS Jackpot Aggregator announced it was getting ready to launch a new Prime Network Jackpot campaign. 

SOFTSWISS Jackpot Aggregator’s head, Aliaksei Douhin, stated they were “thrilled” that the highly-anticipated win occurred during the ICE event, which is the perfect time to reunite community members and let them share their insights. 

Douhin added that, following the success of their initial online campaign featuring a starting prize pool of €100,000, they would “immediately” launch a brand new campaign with a prize pool that will start at €300,000.

The Prime Network Jackpot campaign helped participating operators grow their key performance indicators compared to periods when non-network jackpot campaigns were running. Namely, they recorded a 7.76% rise in turnover, a 2.43% increase in total bets, and a 3.87% growth in deposits. 

These numbers prove the positive impact of the Prime Jackpot campaign on participating casinos, turning into a strategic tool that allows them to boost their business metrics and player engagement.

SOFTSWISS was recently named Platform Provider of the Year at the Global Gaming Awards EMEA, further strengthening its leading position in the region.

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The Swedish state-owned gambling operator, Svenska Spel, announced Wednesday the possibility to close two of its land-based venues. The potential closure is related to Casino Cosmopol in Gothenburg and Malmö.

Previously, Svenska Spel implemented an action plan that sought to revitalize Casino Cosmopol. This plan included a significant restructuring of the organization, along with a reduction of the number of employees, a restaurant with a simplified concept, as well as reducing the working hours and days.

Despite the operator’s efforts, the share of online gambling continues to grow, resulting in further negative development for Casino Cosmopol. As a result, Svenska Spel confirmed it intends to close the two venues while seeking to “limit losses.”

Still, the operator explained that the closure of Casino Cosmopol in Gothenburg and Malmö is subject to negotiations with the union. Provided that Svenska Spel discontinues its operations in Gothenburg, some 120 employees would be affected. On the other hand, shutting the doors of Casino Cosmopol in Malmö may impact 80 more workers. In case the aforementioned casinos close their doors, the operator would be left with Casino Cosmopol in Stockholm, its largest venue and the last remaining brick-and-mortar casino in Sweden.

According to Svenska Spel, its intention to close two casinos comes amid a decreasing share of the land-based sector within the gaming vertical in the country. The state-owned operator explained that a major shift toward the online gambling sector was observed in 2019 with the reregulation of the industry. Then, it said, the pandemic further impacted its land-based operations considering the closure of Casino Cosmopol.

The Difficult Decision Affects Many of the Operator’s Employees

Patrik Hofbauer, Svenska Spel’s president and CEO, spoke about the ongoing trend that sees more people shifting toward the online gambling sector. He added that for a decade, online casinos grew exponentially. “Despite significant measures, we see challenges to reach profitability for Casino Cosmopol,” said Hofbauer. Finally, he explained that due to the increasing losses, a difficult decision was taken.

“This is an emotionally tough step to take as it affects many of our employees. We have taken a number of measures in an effort to increase revenue and reduce costs.“

Ola Enquist, CEO at Casino Cosmopol

Ola Enquist, Casino Cosmopol’s CEO, also highlighted the efforts of the operator to reduce costs and at the same time increase revenue. Yet, with the effect of the measures deemed insufficient, she said that Svenska Spel had to take the tough decision that affects a number of its employees. “Therefore, we now intend to wind down two of our casinos,” said Enquist in conclusion.

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After operating for 80 years, Northville Downs, Michigan’s last horse racing track, will discontinue its operations at its current location as of early next month. Details released by the gambling regulator in the state, the Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB), reveal that the final race for Northville Downs at its current location at 301 S. Center St. in Northville is scheduled for Saturday, February 3, 2024.

The closure is related to a $250 million redevelopment of the racecourse. Previously, Northville Downs bought some 128 acres of land to use for building its new harness racing facility. The aforementioned piece of land is located on the corner of Five Mile and Ridge roads in Plymouth Township. According to the MGCB, the building of the new facility is subject to approval from the township board.

Considering the upcoming closure, bettors are no longer going to be able to place simulcast wagers in person at the current Northville Downs location starting from Monday, February 5, 2024. Still, the racetrack confirmed that it plans to reintroduce simulcast wagering at its new location. On the other hand, February 10, 2024, marks the last day patrons will be able to cash out winning wagers at Northville Downs. After this date, horse racing patrons can mail their winning tickets to Northville Downs, 47526 Clipper St., PO Box 701220, Plymouth, MI 48170, according to the MGCB.

“Northville Downs, the last horse racing track in Michigan, will soon cease operations at its current location at 301 S. Center St. in Northville after 80 years of providing excitement and entertainment to avid horse racing enthusiasts. The final race is scheduled to take place on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024,“

reads a statement released by the MGCB

Michigan to Witness the Next Chapter of Horse Racing

Henry Williams, MGCB’s executive director, thanked all patrons at Northville Downs who enjoyed race days and visited the venue frequently. “We appreciate the support of those who have kept Northville Downs going for 80 years and look forward to the next chapter of horse racing in Michigan at a new location,” he added.

“The Michigan Gaming Control Board expresses our deepest gratitude to all of the Northville Downs patrons who have made each race day memorable and thrilling.“

Henry Williams, executive director at the MGCB

While Northville Downs will cease to operate at its current location in preparation for its new racetrack, fans of horse racing will be able to continue placing wagers via their mobile devices without interruptions. Patrons across Michigan can access licensed providers in the state, including FanDuel Racing, Xpressbet, NYRA Bets or Churchill Downs/Twin Spires to place wagers on popular events such as the Kentucky Derby, among others.

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Tim Miller, the executive director of the United Kingdom’s Gambling Commission (UKGC), spoke during the recent G2E conference in Las Vegas, saying that his team is close to sealing several Memoranda of Understanding with a number of US regulators.

In line with Miller’s call for unity, the move would improve the relationship between the British regulator and its US counterparts, setting them up for further collaboration.

In his speech, Miller said that operators should work together to prevent unruly operators from causing harm. He explained that operators that abide by the rules in one market, may not be as cooperative in other markets, which is why regulators should share information and work together.

Such joint action would allow regulators to cover a glaring blind spot and create a healthier international gambling market. Miller noted that no regulator is an island and no single regulator can police the industry on its own.

The MOUs May Signify a New Age of Regulation

In his speech, Miller noted that many of Europe and the United Kingdom’s top operators have been increasingly interested in exploring the opportunities offered by the lucrative North American markets. The Memoranda of Understanding with US regulators will help the UKGC establish a very important relationship with the governing bodies of these key jurisdictions.

By working together and committing to collaboration, we can make sure we each achieve the safer, fairer and crime-free gambling that we want for our jurisdictions and for our consumers.

Tim Miller, executive director, UKGC

Miller also explained that the joint work with US regulators would put more pressure on third parties that facilitate black market gambling.

The Memoranda of Understanding with US regulators may very well signify a new age of gambling regulation, in line with the ongoing reforms in the United Kingdom. The UK is still consulting the white paper proposals that seek to revolutionize the gambling sector and modernize its rules.

Miller’s call is also reflected in the efforts of Australia’s ACMA to join forces with the Curaçao government and weed out unlicensed Curaçao-based operators.

However, not all regulators might be equally cooperative. Earlier this year, Malta passed Bill 55, restricting regulators’ ability to impose judgment on Malta-licensed companies. Needless to say, the move was extensively scrutinized by multiple European regulators.

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Irish gambling company Paddy Power is set to close several shops in the country, local media outlets announced. According to the reports, the operator will be shutting down a total of 21 of its retail locations across Ireland.

The company plans to close the venues in question because of their failure to perform well enough. This move would leave the company with 230 shops in the country.

The reports say that Paddy Power would offer redeployment to many of the workers who will be affected by the closures. However, the company also confirmed that it will have to lay off some employees.

In a statement, Flutter Entertainment, Paddy Power’s ownership group, confirmed the move and said that it will try to redeploy as many of its employees as possible and offer them jobs in close proximity to their existing employment.

Despite that, the company is unlikely to be able to redeploy everyone and will instead offer support to employees it has to part ways with.

However, the closures will unfortunately lead to a small number of job losses. We are consulting closely with colleagues and providing support to those affected by these changes.

Flutter statement

Paddy Power Promised to Support the Affected People

Paddy Power’s chief commercial officer, David Newton, also commented on the matter. He attributed the closures to a recent review of Paddy Power’s estate and the company’s desire to operate efficiently and meet the evolving needs of its customers.

The latest review pointed out some redundancies Paddy Power will now proceed to eliminate. According to Newton, the 21 shops the company is closing are underperforming and don’t benefit the company’s business.

Indeed, a well-invested retail estate remains a key component of our omnichannel strategy. Whilst the majority of our estate continues to perform well and is growing market share, we have decided to close a number of underperforming shops.

David Newton, CCO, Paddy Power

Newton concluded that the decision to close these shops is in no way related to the work of Paddy Power’s employees there. He thanked his “hard-working shop colleagues” for their professionalism and promised that the company would provide the needed support to anyone who is affected by the changes.

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Pennsylvania casinos could be smoke-free in the near future, as the state legislature is set to revisit a loophole in its Clean Indoor Air Act.

State Rep. Dan Frankel (D-Allegheny County) has promised to make another push for the complete ban of indoor smoking in casinos this year. Frankel proposed the bill last year, but it met a standstill.

In 2008, the state of Pennsylvania passed the Clean Indoor Air Act, which placed a complete ban on indoor smoking in public places. However, it made an exemption for casino facilities, clubs, and cigar lounges. The law also permitted authorized operators to designate about 50 percent of their gaming floor for smoking.

This measure has led to much outcry from casino employees about how much tobacco smoke they inhale every day. The Frankel bill is aimed at revoking this exemption.

The Pennsylvania casino industry is sweating on the proposed smoking ban, as it could have a major impact on gaming revenue due to a potential drop in patronage. Gambling operators now face a tug-of-war with government officials and casino employees, who are pushing for a complete ban on indoor smoking for reasons of health.

READ: Best US casino sites in 2023

Frankel added that the fear of casino owners is irrational, as he stated that research has revealed that a smoke-free environment will only entice more customers rather than discourage them. He made a reference to the period where smoking was temporarily banned in casinos due to COVID-19. Frankel said despite the restrictions, their revenue numbers still did well.

“While the number of smokers has sunk, we’ve also concentrated the health risks of secondhand smoke to a few remaining, unprotected workplaces,” Frankel wrote.

“Casinos, private clubs, and some drinking establishments expose their workers to untenable health risks by taking advantage of loopholes in our Clean Indoor Air Act. Pennsylvanians should not have to choose between their jobs and their health.

“That’s why I’ll soon be reintroducing my legislation to close the loopholes that threaten the health of Pennsylvania workers.”

Frankel also disclosed that his bill will focus on conceptual clarity; he will be addressing the definition of electronic cigarettes and vapes and ensuring that all of it is banned.

Other casino industries that are facing total smoking bans are New Jersey, Rhode Island, and Virginia.

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