The leading provider of technology, powering lotteries across the globe, International Game Technology (IGT), announced an important partnership extension. On Wednesday, the company confirmed it agreed to extend its contract for the provision of its lottery system for the UK National Lottery.

The announcement comes ahead of the switch of the Lottery license from Camelot to Allwyn, scheduled for the start of next month. As a result, IGT will continue to power the National Lottery with its leading technology and solutions, paving the way for the successful transformation under the management of Allwyn.

Camelot was the operator of the Lottery for the last three decades since its first draw in 1994. However, ahead of the expiry of Camelot’s license, the UK gambling regulator, the Gambling Commission, selected Allwyn as a holder of the fourth Lottery license. This prompted IGT to launch a lawsuit against the regulator, pursuing damages. In an unexpected turn of events, last week, IGT discontinued its National Lottery-related appeal, effectively abandoning the damages it previously pursued from the regulator.

The extended collaboration with the Lottery isn’t a surprise, considering that IGT has a growing portfolio of lottery partners across the globe. In fact, the company currently serves as the main provider of technology for 25 lotteries across the United States and eight out of the top 10 largest lotteries around the world.

The Partnership Extension Brings Excitement for IGT

Jay Gendron, IGT’s COO of global lottery, revealed that the company is excited to extend its support for the National Lottery in the UK. Moreover, he spoke about the importance of collaborating with Allwyn, as well as other suppliers in the sector.

“We are pleased to continue to support the operation of The National Lottery, working alongside a range of other suppliers and Allwyn.“

Jay Gendron, COO of global lottery at IGT

This week, John Tanner, the executive director for the 4th National Lottery Competition, predicted that the transfer of the Lottery license is expected to boost the funding toward Good Causes. For more than three decades, the Lottery has been actively raising money for Good Causes with the sum now surpassing £47 billion ($59.4 billion).

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The Royal Caribbean Group, which is the parent company of the Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises companies, has been tinkering with the idea of merging its operations under the same loyalty program.

Blue Chip Club Earning Period Extended, But Why?

As things stand, Royal Caribbean Cruises allows customers to participate in its signature Club Royale rewards program but hop over to Celebrity Cruises and you will be rolled into Blue Chip Club.

This means opportunity lost for consumers who have been otherwise very happy with the experience they receive on both cruises, including onboard casinos featuring slot and table games, as well as smoke-free areas.

The extension of the Blue Chip Club program could signal an early decision by the parent group to heed the call of its customers and indeed advance with a decision to merge the two loyalty programs, or at least connect them so consumers can benefit freely jumping from one cruise to the next.

Royal Caribbean has already announced that it will be extending and developing its casinos, seeing them as an important part of the overall experience, and a good hook to attract new customers, reactivate dormant ones, and generally continue to be a good entertainment option.

Some of the major updates have been an expansion of the existing square footage of gaming floors, but also the addition of progressive jackpots which have become a hit with players who seem to be tempted by the prospect of escaping on a cruise where they can try their hand at a progressive jackpot.

The Time for a Loyalty Program Merge May Finally Be Here

It’s not just that though as rewards programs have become very important in light of this heightened interest in the group’s cruises, and merging the two would be a smart business decision, even if on the face of it, the two brands want to maintain their relevant autonomy and independence.

Their internal competition is not likely to hurt either party, though, as consumers would just be able to use their loyalty points freely, nurturing even stronger brand loyalty, and driving attention to the growing segment of on-site casino gaming.

Although speculation at the present moment, expanding the Blue Chip Club earning period could be a way to carry over the points into a merged program moving forward, which would boost brand loyalty

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Gambling compacts have been at the core of gambling operations in some jurisdictions around the United States, with New York not any different, and the Empire State also running revenue-sharing agreements with tribal gaming establishments.

Seneca Nation to Continue Running Gambling Business Operations

The Seneca Nation in Western New York has a compact with New York through December 9, 2023, which will now be temporarily renewed as confirmed by Gov. Kathy Hochul, with the revenue-sharing agreement extended through March 31, 2024. 

This agreement allows the Seneca Nation to continue running all of its three venues in the state, to wit Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino, Seneca Allegany Resort & Casino, and Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino.

The compact negotiation is important, because under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, federally-recognized tribes may operate Class I and Class I gaming, but Class III gaming, which features table games and gives casinos their fully-fleshed look, is subject to additional red tape.

Commpacts have proven to be a very successful negotiation tactic in many places already. Florida, for example, has been able to launch sports gambling, effectively going around the need to amend its State Constitution by establishing an agreement with the Seminole Tribe of Florida to run sports betting out of tribal land to wield the entire online gambling industry in the state.

This was interestingly interpreted to also include online betting platforms that can be hosted on sovereign tribal land, and that have faced severe legal challenges. Yet, most of these have been dismissed with the Seminole Tribe now looking as a shoo-in.

Yet, Seneca Nation has not won a definite extension, but just bought time to continue negotiating with the state, as the governor and tribal leaders are butting heads over the tax payable by the tribe. New York has been known as one of the keenest jurisdictions to collect tax revenue from local gambling companies and business owners.

Negotiating Exclusivity in Times of Fast Market Liberalization

The compact is an important win for the tribe nevertheless, as the Seneca Nation wants to retain its exclusivity of table and slot games west of State Route 14, which guarantees it a good influx of revenue and no real competition at least in its chosen geography.

New York is also benefiting as the state claws 25% of the tribe’s gross gaming revenue, which generates a windfall of roughly $100 million for the state every year.

This rate, though, is now the subject to debate, as the Seneca Nation has cited the changing realities of new commercial casinos that are being built closer to its territories and effectively drawing business away from the tribal properties. Seneca hopes to pay a little less than its current 25% rate to remain competitive.

This is a tough sell in a state that already charges sports betting businesses with 51% on their gross gaming revenue.

Gov Hochul was also the subject of some criticism as her husband, William Hochul, was until recently working for Delaware North, a competitor to Seneca Nation’s gambling businesses, which made the governor reluctant to weigh in, recusing herself at first.

Her husband has since quit his position at Delaware North, allowing the governor to weigh in without any speculation about the fairness of her opinion.

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The Pamunkey Indian Tribe has decided to exercise its option to delay the purchase of land adjacent to Harbor Park for their proposed HeadWaters Resort and Casino until January 2025. 

Norfolk Casino Project Receives Extension for Meticulous Planning

City spokesperson Chris Jones confirmed the extension, emphasizing that it does not indicate a definite delay in the project but rather allows additional time for meticulous planning and approval processes, reported The Virginian Pilot. The Pamunkey Tribe, in partnership with Golden Eagle Consulting II, aims to construct the HeadWaters Resort and Casino between the baseball stadium and the Amtrak station near downtown Norfolk, Virginia.

Originally securing a three-year option in January 2020, the tribe utilized its first extension last year, setting the final contracted deadline for land purchase at nearly $10 million. There are specific benchmarks outlined in the contract related to licensing and contracting that the tribe must fulfill before the city approves the sale.

Jay Smith, a spokesperson for HeadWaters, stated that they anticipated offering additional updates in the coming weeks. He mentioned that these updates would highlight the tribe’s steadfast dedication to initiating the project’s construction promptly. The aim is to generate employment opportunities and tax revenue, meeting the expectations of both the City of Norfolk and the Commonwealth of Virginia, from their proposed destination resort and casino.

City Leaders Challenge Two-Phase Plan, Insist on Original Agreements for Norfolk Casino

The casino project has faced hurdles, including disagreements over the construction approach. Initially proposing a temporary casino while the permanent structure was built, developers later opted for a two-phase plan. 

However, city leaders expressed their opposition to this approach, insisting on a single-phase project to align with the original agreements and voter expectations. Accusations have been made by both sides, with the tribe and developers claiming mixed messages from city officials regarding project expectations.

Meanwhile, city leaders have demanded clarity and adherence to the promises made to voters during the 2020 referendum, where Norfolk residents overwhelmingly supported casino development.

The city has been keen on ensuring that the proposed resort and casino meet the standards outlined in the initial agreements, emphasizing the importance of delivering the development as envisioned during the public vote.

Virginia experienced a significant surge in tax revenue from sports betting and casinos, surpassing earlier projections. In fiscal year 2023, Virginia’s casino sector exceeded expectations, with the temporary Hard Rock Casino in Bristol generating $157 million in net gambling revenue, Rivers Casino Portsmouth reporting $120 million, and Caesars casino in Danville recording $31 million in just two months. Virginia’s gambling sector is rapidly expanding, with the casino in Norfolk and an upcoming referendum for a casino venture in Richmond.

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QTech Games has picked Turbo Games to help it strengthen its content offering in Asia by bringing innovative and out-of-the-box titles, which include instant-win titles as well as crash games.

Turbo Games “Crashes” QTech Games with Outstanding Releases

Turbo Games is focused on utilizing a provably fair algorithm to empower the players and allow them to better understand how games work while instilling an industry standard for fair play and transparency, which players ultimately appreciate. QTech Games has been growing steadily over the past months with the addition of Vivo Gaming and Ad Lunam.

The supplier is known for a number of original releases, with one of its most notable achievements being the CrashX flagship game which debuted in 2020 and has been a player-favorite option ever since.

There are other titles, though, that will now be arriving to QTech Games’ partners as well. One of those includes the Rocket X release, which is a high-volatility game which features sound gameplay and immersive graphics, continuing Turbo Games’ tradition of building unique solutions.

Cash games have been indeed very popular with audiences globally, and Turbo Games has launched itself fully in this segment, creating experiences that are worthwhile and that allow players to have control over what happens on their screens.

The addition of provably fair games by Turbo Games reinforces the feeling that players are in full control and they are the focal point of everything that the two partners do. Meanwhile, QTech Games offers a thriving platform of titles that does not just boil down to innovative games by Turbo Games but also features more “traditional” but equally ambitious suppliers with Yggdrasil and Evolution also delivering outstanding games to QTech Games’ partners.

Commenting on this opportunity, QTech Games CCO Daniel Long hailed the opportunity to work with an established partner such as Turbo Games and added that this tie-up further reinforced the company’s ambitious pipeline for the year.

He praised Rocket X and the game portfolio provided by Turbo Games as innovative, cutting-edge, and just the type of product that QTech Games has grown accustomed to.

Meanwhile, Turbo Games Head of Sales Vadim Potapenko was equally excited with the partnership, arguing that QTech Games is a “natural habitat „for what he described as superior online casino games and player-engagement tools provided by Turbo Games.

Turbo Games is similarly getting the chance to bolster its distribution capabilities and reach new audiences as it goes along.

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The leading company that supports organizations, fans and media outlets by delivering reliable live data, as well as in-depth statistics and analysis, STATSCORE, has announced it extended its agreement with the second tier of football in Poland, Fortuna 1 Liga. Under the terms of the extended agreement, Fortuna 1 Liga designated STATSCORE as its official Statistics Partner. Per the extended agreement, the provider of live data will remain in the aforementioned role through the end of the 2024 season.

Under the freshly extended deal, STATSCORE will continue to provide extensive and verified sports data from Fortuna 1 Liga’s games. Additionally, the company will deliver statistical insights and continue to support the pay-per-view (PPV) model for different matches.

The initial agreement between the duo dates back to 2020. Since then, representatives of STATSCORE, called scouts, have been collecting and delivering live match statistics and data. Such collected information would then undergo verification and deliver unique insights regarding different aspects of the game to football fans.

The Two Organizations Are Delighted to Continue to Collaborate

Dariusz Łęczyński, STATSCORE’s CEO, said that the company is delighted to be selected as the official Statistics Partner of Fortuna 1 Liga. He explained that the extended collaboration reaffirms the trust of the league in STATSCORE’s data.

Additionally, Łęczyński pointed out that STATSCORE is excited to have the opportunity to further improve the experiences for football fans by delivering valuable data and insights. “The collaboration with Fortuna 1 Liga reinforces our commitment to advancing the sport and ensuring fans have the best possible experience,” said STATSCORE’s CEO in conclusion.

“We are proud to be named the Fortuna 1 Liga’s Statistics Partner.“

Dariusz Łęczyński, CEO of STATSCORE

Marcin Janicki, the president of Pierwsza Liga Piłkarska, the association of clubs playing in Fortuna 1 Liga, shared the excitement of STATSCORE’s boss. He explained that in the last few years, the league developed a strong relationship with STATSCORE.

Moreover, Janicki said that the league is delighted to extend its collaboration with STATSCORE through the 2023-2024 season. According to him, the provision of data live data from the company is an important part of the league’s fan engagement strategy. Finally, Janicki spoke about the importance of STATSCORE’s technical support for the development of PPV solutions, catering to football fans.

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However, the approved legislation has left both industry insiders and Atlantic City casinos puzzled due to unexpected changes made earlier in the week.

New Jersey’s Internet Gambling Extension Cut Short, Causing Concern Among Stakeholders

The original plan was to grant a ten-year extension to Internet gambling, which has been in operation for a decade now. But, surprisingly, an Assembly panel secretly shortened the extension to just two years, causing confusion and concern among stakeholders. Shortly after, the extension was amended again to a five-year term without any official explanation.

The state Assembly and Senate approved the bill with little resistance, and now it awaits the decision of Gov. Phil Murphy, a Democrat, who has the final say on its implementation.

The Atlantic City casino industry, through its trade association, has voiced strong support for a full ten-year extension, citing its critical importance for the casinos’ sustained success. Daniel Heneghan, a gambling industry consultant, expressed his reservations about the shortened extension, saying it could send the wrong message to potential companies interested in entering the online gaming market, reported the Associated Press.

Since the introduction of Internet gambling in November 2013, the casinos in Atlantic City, along with their online partners, have generated an impressive $6.29 billion in revenue from online gamblers. This growth has been widely attributed to the survival of Atlantic City casinos during the challenging months of the pandemic, where online gambling proved to be a lifeline for the struggling industry.

New Jersey Legislature’s Move Spurs Debate on Gambling Tax Rates and Market Uncertainty

Despite the state’s thriving online gambling market, there are concerns that the Legislature’s decision to cut the extension may have already had adverse effects. Experts fear that uncertainty surrounding the industry’s future could deter potential investors, hindering further growth in the nation-leading internet gambling market.

There is also speculation that the Legislature’s move might be a strategic attempt to gain leverage over Atlantic City in terms of increasing future gambling tax rates. Presently, the state taxes in-person winnings at casinos at a rate of 8%, while online sports betting and internet gambling are taxed at 13% and 15%, respectively.

The fate of internet gambling in New Jersey now lies in the hands of Gov. Murphy. If he signs the bill, online gambling will be authorized to continue for another five years. However, should he reject or veto the bill, online gambling will be limited to Atlantic City casinos only. 

During the month of May, New Jersey lawmakers also put forward additional legislation to tackle the increasing issue of gambling addiction among college students. The proposed bill mandates educational institutions to prominently display a hotline number for gambling addiction. In May, another bill was introduced in New Jersey, signaling a change in the state’s approach to dealing with underage gambling. The legislation aims to offer assistance and support to young individuals facing gambling addiction, rather than focusing on punitive measures.

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However, the law may not allow for such massive license extensions. Online casinos in New Jersey, which are the most lucrative interactive gambling operations in the United States, would like to see their licenses extended for another ten years, but the best the state can do as of right now is offer them two years.

Taking License Extensions Two Years at a Time

This makes license holders uneasy as the travails of constantly looking out for their license are not something a business needs operating in the region’s most competitive market. The lack of extension is not for want of trying. An Assembly committee did vote on the measure on Tuesday, but it introduced changes that changed the licensure period to just two years instead – not least to keep stakeholders on their toes and make them more focused on running their businesses by the book.

However, it’s not all bad news. According to Mark Giannantonio, president of Resorts Casino Hotel and of the Casino Association of New Jersey, who was cited by the Associated Press, the reaffirmation of the online gambling bill is an important step forward for the state. Of course, nobody really expected online casinos to just disappear, as they are a vital source of tax revenue, job opportunities, and not least – a buoy that saved the casinos from floundering during the COVID-19 pandemic.

All in all, the casinos did not object to the reduction in the applicable period of their online licenses as the state is unlikely to undertake any abrupt changes that could lead to disruption of the industry.

Online Gaming Revenue Does Not Tell the Full Story

In the meantime, industry insiders used the occasion of the license extension to comment not so much on licensure as much on the fact that oftentimes the revenue that comes from iGaming is not necessarily proportionate to how much money the operators make.

Atlantic City’s casinos collaborate with any third parties and pay developers and platform suppliers to run games and operations. In fact, 70% of all revenue goes to partners in the online gambling sector in New Jersey. In the meantime, Rhode Island became the latest state to legalize online casino gambling, joining Garden State, Michigan, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Nevada, and West Virginia.

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Providence, Rhode Island-based International Game Technology (IGT) has announced that it has extended its contract with the Rhode Island Lottery (RIL) to provide sports betting technology to the state for another three years.

IGT was formerly based in Las Vegas Nevada, but a successful acquisition by GTECH, formed in West Greenwich, Rhode Island, and later merged with Italian lottery giant and online game supplier Lottomatica/Spielo/GTECH saw the company assume its base of operations in the parent company’s home state and relinquish the legendary brand name along with all other acquired assets.

IGT Playsports Tech with William Hill Operations are a Good Match for Rhode Island

The extended contract with RIL will see IGT continue to seamlessly power sports betting in the state through the lottery with its IGT PlaySports solution along with its commercial partner William Hill US.

Bettors inside the state’s borders can continue to use the RIL Sportsbook Rhode Island app as well as access the sportsbooks at Bally’s Tiverton Casino & Hotel and Bally’s Twin River Lincoln Casino Resort.

Bally’s recently introduced a model to the state legislature there to create legislation that would allow the company to offer online casino games statewide via servers located at the two casinos. Online casino games and execution would be managed through the RIL, according to the plan.

Rhode Island Lottery director, Mark Furcolo talked about the extended contract and mentioned how happy the agency has been with the non-lapsed agreement over the last half-decade. He made particular note of William Hill’s operational experience working in concert with the world-class IGT technology.

“IGT recently invested significant resources to enhance our sports betting platform and mobile app […]

,” said the director.

Joe Asher, IGT’s president of Sports Betting commented that Rhode Island was “one of the early adopters [of newly legalized state-level sports betting]

He noted that the state was a pioneer in adapting to it in 2018. Asher said that IGT is happy “to continue driving Rhode Island’s sports betting growth.”

“Rhode Island is home to very loyal sports fans who love following their New England-based teams.” He added inter alia: “Enhancements IGT has made to the Lottery’s sports betting platform and app [will help]

.”

IGT is the exclusive supplier of lottery solutions such as traditional lottery, instant win tickets, video lottery terminals (casino “slots”), and internet lottery games in the state. That contract was recently extended until 2043 guaranteeing IGT exclusive rights to provide those games and services for another 20 years.

IGT Cut Through the Fog of Four Administrations to Clear other Ground

On an unrelated note, IGT recently sued the Department of Justice in US District Court in Rhode Island seeking a final answer one way or another (Declaratory Judgement) on whether the Wire Act of 1961 applied to interstate lottery business or anything else other than sportsbetting. The court declared that it applies only to sportsbetting, which would seem to have opened the door to cross-border online casino games in every state, but the ruling came with a cryptic caveat.

In the Motion for Summary Judgment the court held that “as to the parties now before it, the Wire Act applies only to ‘bets or wagers on any sporting event or contest,’ leaving an unhealed wound on the gaming industry that has been open since the last Bush administration.

For background:

The Bush DOJ said all state-to-state and offshore online gambling not specifically carved out, such as horse race betting in the US, was illegal.

The Obama administration’s Office of Legal Counsel (DoJ) issued an opinion stating that the law only affected sports betting “over the wires”.

The Sessions DOJ under former President Trump reversed that opinion and proceeded with threats of prosecution against lottery operators who sold online products within their own state but whose traffic flowed through servers in other states.

Finally, the Biden administration made its position clear by not defending or prosecuting lawsuits originating in the previous administration. However, the Garland DOJ did attempt to have the recent IGT suit dismissed stating in its filing: “ [The] threat of future prosecutions [is]

”

Earlier IGT Legal Action Could Become Catalyst

Further off the beaten path, it may be of interest that the decision could have facilitated a radical change in the business direction of the world’s biggest lottery company based on total combined wagers. IGT has annual revenue of circa $4.2 billion. As an “end to end” game company it manages about $30 billion in global lottery business each year

Interestingly, the former CEO of IGT’s International Interactive division announced last year that his new firm Games Global Ltd had acquired most of the assets of Microgaming Systems – one of the biggest online gambling companies in the world and players in the game since the 1990s.

A negative outcome in the Rhode Island lawsuit could have given IGT the direction in regulatory compliance they needed to protect existing assets in US internet markets. The positive decision could have given Microgaming (Games Global) and other international and offshore operators an opening to re-enter the US market that they abandoned following the passage of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) of 2016. That law focused on making payment processing a crime to “illegal online casinos” which were never “illegal” in the first place.

However, the law and its “guidance” impedes and punish US financial institutions rather than addressing the legality of online gambling itself. Without cooperation from US payment processors, interstate and offshore online gambling on the operator’s end can only be accomplished in violation of other laws, specifically “money laundering”. This “catch-22” is most likely what has stopped any current offshore operators from promoting their games and casinos in the US market after the ruling by the United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island. Said “Guidance” can be found on the Federal Trade Commission website as well as the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation’s (FDIC) online portal (.PDF).

There is currently no known legal reason why US-based operators have not taken the leap to launch nationwide online casinos, save that single cryptic caveat: “…as to the parties now before it”.

Source: IGT Extends Sports Betting Contract with the Rhode Island Lottery, iGaming News, April 10, 2023

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R&F Korea, local subsidiary of Hong Kong-listed Guangzhou R&F Properties Co Ltd, has confirmed plans to extend the construction deadline of its Midan City Resort Complex in the Incheon Free Economic Zone by 12 months due to its intentions to scale down the project.

The current deadline, approved by the Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, is March 17 this year. 

The company disclose that since last year the company has been looking to sell off some of its land to fund its casino scheme. It has already succeeded in selling its third phase – 89,385 square metres (962,132 sq. feet).

R&F has also confirmed plans to sell off its second phase, measuring 50,805 square metres. If the company finds a buyer, it will forego intentions of having a second scheme. 

If it gets approved, this extension would be the fourth modification in five years to the approved launch schedule.

A representative of the company told GGRAsia the firm intends to outline to the ministry what progress it had made to meet the conditions for a further timetable extension.

The last time it asked for an extension, the conditions stated included finding a new gaming-operator partner after buying off Caesars Entertainment; resuming construction of the then-paused first phase; and clarifying the financing plan.



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