In a decision that echoes through the Australian business landscape, Crown Resorts has finally secured approval to operate its Sydney casino. This long-awaited green light, granted on April 23rd, 2024, by the New South Wales Independent Casino Commission (NICC), signifies a turning point for the company.

However, the path to this point has been controversial, forcing Crown to undergo intense scrutiny and implement significant reforms. The approval will have significant implications, not only for the company but also for the broader Australian gambling industry and the local economy.

A Look Back at Crown’s Tumultuous Journey

Crown’s Sydney aspirations were initially met with enthusiasm. In 2013, the development of a $1.5 billion luxury resort with an integrated casino at Barangaroo, a prime location in Sydney Harbour, was approved.

However, the path to opening wasn’t smooth. In 2021, a devastating inquiry led by former judge Patricia Bergin, SC, exposed a series of concerning practices within Crown Resorts. The issue unearthed evidence of money laundering, irresponsible gambling practices, and connections to organized crime syndicates through the company’s dealings with high-roller junket operators.

These revelations sent shockwaves through the Australian public and regulatory bodies. Crown’s license for the Sydney casino was suspended, and its suitability to operate in New South Wales was called into question.

Regaining Trust

Faced with the potential loss of its Sydney venture, Crown embarked on a comprehensive reform program. The company underwent a leadership overhaul, with a complete restructuring of its board and senior management.

Furthermore, the organization focused on cultural change. It puts a high priority on responsible gambling, anti-money laundering, and strong governance. Crown also implemented stricter compliance protocols and risk management strategies.

This commitment to reform was further strengthened by a change in ownership. In June 2022, US private equity giant Blackstone acquired Crown Resorts for $8.9 billion. Blackstone, known for its focus on responsible investment, pledged to uphold the highest standards of governance and compliance. This commitment resonated well with regulators, demonstrating Crown’s dedication to reform.

What’s more, this shift brought in new leadership and significant investment. It includes $200 million specifically allocated to support responsible gambling initiatives and anti-financial crime initiatives.

Notably, Crown Sydney adopted cashless gaming for all electronic table games, a first for casinos in New South Wales. This demonstrated its commitment to addressing money laundering concerns.

A New Dawn for Crown

The NICC’s decision to grant Crown Sydney its license reflects confidence in the company’s reform efforts. However, the approval comes with a set of stringent conditions. The NICC will maintain close oversight, and Crown will be obligated to demonstrate ongoing adherence to new regulations and compliance protocols.

This period of conditional operation serves as a probationary phase. During this time, Crown must consistently prove its suitability as a responsible casino operator.

For the Australian gambling industry, Crown’s Sydney approval signifies a potential turning point. The industry has faced increased scrutiny in recent years, with calls for stricter regulations to curb problem gambling and enhance anti-money laundering measures.

Crown’s experience serves as a cautionary tale. It highlights the severe consequences of non-compliance and the importance of responsible practices. The industry will likely see a ripple effect with other gambling operators, including the online casino in Australia. They will re-evaluate their own internal controls and compliance measures to avoid a similar situation.

The economic impact of Crown Sydney’s opening is expected to be substantial. The casino complex is projected to create thousands of jobs and generate significant tax revenue for the New South Wales government. It should also contribute to the revival of Sydney’s tourism industry.

However, concerns remain regarding potential social costs associated with increased gambling activity. Measures to mitigate problem gambling addiction and ensure responsible practices will be crucial in the long run.

The Public’s Verdict: A Jury Still Out

While the green light for Crown Sydney signifies a step towards regulatory reconciliation, the court of public opinion remains in session. The controversies that engulfed Crown have left a deep scar on the company’s image. Regaining the public’s trust won’t be a quick fix; it will be a long and arduous process demanding sustained commitment from Crown.

Regaining trust requires more than just regulatory compliance. Crown needs to demonstrate a genuine commitment to responsible gambling practices. As part of this effort, it is important to implement effective player identification and monitoring systems as well as provide support services for problem gamblers. It should also encourage a culture that prioritizes player well-being over maximizing profits.

Transparency will be a key factor in this process. Open communication with the public about Crown’s reform efforts, including detailed information on implemented changes and their effectiveness, is crucial.

Crown should be proactive in engaging with stakeholders. This includes community groups, problem gambling organizations, and the media. Regularly publishing independent audits and reports on its compliance efforts would also demonstrate a commitment to transparency.

A Second Chance, a Continued Watch

The story of Crown Sydney goes beyond the fate of a single casino. It represents a critical moment for the Australian gambling industry. As Crown Sydney prepares to open its doors, the industry as a whole face a period of heightened scrutiny and potential reform.

Whether Crown can capitalize on this second chance and the industry can navigate a more responsible path remains to be seen. Only time will tell if the lessons learned from Crown’s tumultuous journey will lead to a more sustainable and responsible future for Australian gambling.

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A new long-term partnership has been established between Light & Wonder and B2B supplier Jelly Entertainment, focusing on the distribution of a variety of slot games via L&W platforms.

This collaboration is poised to enhance Jelly’s brand recognition and broaden its customer base by distributing popular slot titles such as Elixir of Wealth, Muertos Fortune, and Wicked Riches of Oz into significant regulated markets.

Jelly’s iGaming products will now be accessible through Light & Wonder’s distribution platforms across the UK, Spain, and Italy. Additionally, Jelly is targeting growth in the Latin American markets, specifically Colombia and Peru, as part of this strategic deal.

In November, Jelly achieved regulatory approvals from both The Gambling Commission and the Malta Gaming Authority. Reflecting on the new partnership, CEO David Newstead remarked: “We have challenged ourselves to grow the Jelly brand and reach more players than ever this year and our new deal with Light & Wonder will certainly help us achieve that.”

Light & Wonder anticipates that this collaboration will further enrich its offerings to customers, complementing its already positive performance reported in the first quarter of 2024.

Steve Mayes, Senior Director of Digital Partnerships at Light & Wonder, expressed: “We are delighted to be working with Jelly Entertainment and are looking forward to offering their high-quality content across our network. Elevating emerging and upcoming game developers is a top priority for us and we are particularly excited to showcase Jelly and their great gaming experiences now available on the Light & Wonder platform.”

Source: “Light & Wonder enters into partnership with Jelly Entertainment”. Gambling Insider. May 22, 2024.

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Relax Gaming, one of the world’s most prominent suppliers of games for online casinos, has announced it secured a deal with Light & Wonder, the gigantic American gaming conglomerate, to distribute its content in key regulated markets across the world.

The agreement between the two sides is focused on the United States, Canada, and some European markets. The deal will take several popular online casino games from Relax Gaming to a wider audience, including top titles such as Bill & Coin, Cowabunga Dream Drop and Bill & Coin.

Moreover, older but still very successful titles such as Money Train, Snake Arena and Temple Tumble are also the object of this landmark deal with Light & Wonder. The online ecosystem set up by the company can deliver over 4,500 games to online casino operators from all over the world. The offering includes in-house releases alongside top titles from third-party game developers.

Two Major Players in the iGaming Industry

Relax Gaming is one of the most popular content providers in the iGaming industry, with partnerships in place with high-profile online casino operators from various markets. The developer has become a well-known brand in the industry after having released the Money Train game, which later developed into a series of games with five different titles.

The game provider has also received several awards recently, including the Global Gaming Award for Product Launch of the Year in February 2023 for Dream Drop Jackpots and Slot of the Year at the 2023 CasinoBeats Game Developer Awards for Money Train 3.

Relax is also an aggregator, currently offering its online casino partners more than 4,000 games, ranging from proprietary titles to various games offered by third-party developers which have signed distribution deals with the brand.

On the other hand, Light & Wonder, previously known as Scientific Games, is one of the most powerful cross-platform gaming companies in the entire world. The global gaming conglomerate has three complementary businesses and over 6,000 employees working for the brand.

The company is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada, and it was founded all the way back in 1973. The group owns several brands, including Authentic Gaming, the supplier of live dealer games, which it acquired in 2021.

Source:

“Relax Gaming content now available via Light & Wonder“, relax-gaming.com, March 4, 2024.

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Light & Wonder, a prominent player in cutting-edge gaming solutions, has been selected to manage the Michael J Gaughan Airport Slot Concession slot floors at Harry Reid International Airport. The company’s innovative systems offering will replace the existing solution for over 1,100 slot machines across multiple terminals, ushering in a new era of enhanced gaming experiences.

Travelers Will Enjoy a World-Leading Gaming Experience

The comprehensive solution provided by Light & Wonder will not only cover the replacement of the current system but also extend to managed services, offering robust support for the Concession’s IT operations. This agreement includes powerful infrastructure management, access to state-of-the-art technology tools, and round-the-clock support to minimize downtime.

Patricia Ross, general manager of Michael Gaughan’s Airport Slot Concession, Inc., noted that choosing Light & Wonder as a systems provider was rooted in their dedication to next-level customer support. Harry Reid International Airport presents a unique challenge, but Light & Wonder’s substantial expertise should enable it to bolster engagement and provide lasting value.

Their commitment to excellence extends beyond leading-edge technology and supports our goal of delivering an exceptional player experience.

Patricia Ross, Michael Gaughan’s Airport Slot Concession, Inc. general manager

This agreement marks a significant milestone for Light & Wonder as its technology is poised to power the slot floor at the seventh busiest airport in the nation. It underscores the company’s ongoing commitment to constant innovation and providing solutions that exceed expectations. Light & Wonder’s exclusive content will be vital to drawing in the diverse audience present at this location.

Light & Wonder Aims for New Heights

This development extends Light & Wonder’s impressive 2023 momentum, heralding a successful start to the new year. The company recorded stellar Q3 results, celebrating revenue growth for the tenth consecutive quarter. While iGaming remains the cornerstone of Light & Wonder’s offerings, traditional offerings remained a robust vertical, bolstered by rising machine sales in North America and Australia.

Expanding to Harry Reid International Airport should further bolster Light & Wonder’s physical presence in the USA, proving that the supplier can fulfill even the most demanding orders and paving the way for new partnerships. President of Global Systems and Service at Light & Wonder, Jon Wolfe, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to redefining the gaming experience.

Our systems solution is designed to elevate casino hospitality and improve customer service to deliver an unparalleled level of player satisfaction.

Jon Wolfe, Light & Wonder president of Global Systems and Service

Light & Wonder’s new solution should go live in terminals throughout Harry Reid International Airport in Q2 of 2024. Passengers can anticipate an upgraded and seamless gaming experience, setting a new standard for airport entertainment. Success here can have significant long-term benefits for the company, leading to similar deals with other high-profile airports.

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Leading gambling content and services provider Light & Wonder has signed a deal to aggregate content from Crucible Gaming. The latter company is a fast-growing gaming studio that has rolled out a number of very successful titles since its founding.

Under the agreement, five of Crucible Gaming’s best games will go live on Light & Wonder’s aggregation platform. The games are a mix of traditional concepts and innovative features, resulting in familiar, yet exciting experiences.

Crucible Gaming is led by a seasoned team of industry professionals with years of experience in the iGaming and land-based gaming sectors. The success of the studio’s products is further underpinned by its profound understanding of what players want and the close relationships it forms with operators.

For Light & Wonder, this partnership represents an opportunity to expand its content portfolio, while forming an important relationship with a promising studio.

Light & Wonder Is Bullish on Enhancing Its Portfolio

Light & Wonder’s excitement about the deal was reflected in a comment by Steve Mayes, its senior director of digital partnerships. According to Mayes, the deal attests to Light & Wonder’s “relentless pursuit of bringing high-quality and unique experiences to the market.”

Mayes also praised Crucible Gaming for its huge strides in the industry since its founding. The director said that Light & Wonder is excited to further elevate the studio’s content via its global gaming ecosystem.

With titles that have already been received with overwhelming success worldwide, we are delighted to be able to share its vision to our operator network.

Steve Mayes, senior director of digital partnerships, Light & Wonder

Ed Byard, Crucible Gaming’s founder and chief executive officer, also commented on the agreement saying that his team is very excited to team up with Light & Wonder.

We are probably the most experienced newcomers in the industry with a great history of products under our belts and are fully intent on pushing the boundaries of iGaming in the coming years.

Ed Byard, founder & CEO, Crucible Gaming

Byard promised that his team will continue to leverage its cutting-edge ANVIL framework to build more innovative and high-earning products. He also thanked Light & Wonder’s team for their trust in what Crucible Gaming has to offer.

Light & Wonder currently offers a vast library of more than 3,500 games, including both in-house and aggregated content. The company continues to expand its portfolio and recently formed agreements with studios such as RubyPlay and 1X2 Network.

Committed to innovation, Light & Wonder also made a significant investment in the no-code automation platform Flows.

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Light & Wonder Incorporated and Everi Digital expand their long-term partnership and take it to the next level through a new deal. The partnership with Everi Digital, Everi Holdings Incorporated’s online gaming business, will allow Light & Wonder to expand across new markets in the UK, Europe, and Latin America.

Global expansion

Light & Wonder’s fans in the UK will be happy to hear that new games from Everi Digital’s impressive portfolio will be available to them through an advanced Light & Wonder online ecosystem.

When it comes to European expansion, the Italian players will get a chance to try some of Everi Digital’s games in the summer of 2024, while other countries will follow the lead and get access by the end of 2024.

Besides the European market, the companies will expand to South America, where the players will be able to enjoy thrilling Everi Digital’s titles from the first quarter of 2024.

Everi Holdings Incorporated became a leader in the industry when it came to providing both land-based and online casinos with fantastic content and advanced products such as financial technology services, player loyalty solutions, and bingo. The company is famous for following the newest trends, including launching fantastic video instant-win style games and perceived skill games that are about to be launched soon.

The partnership between Everi and Light & Wonder was established four years ago, and since then the companies have strengthened their positions in the North American market, offering a range of captivating content to the players in the continent.

Thanks to the success of the previous deals, they decided to expand it further. It means a lot to Light & Wonder since the deal is the latest phase of its long-term iGaming strategy, which includes establishing new partnerships with successful game developers and strengthening its position as one of the leading content providers in the world.

Light & Wonder’s portfolio currently consists of more than 3.500 games developed in-house and obtained from third-party studios. All of them provide a safe and secure gaming experience since they’re enriched with various responsible gaming tools.

Mutually beneficial partnership

Jordan Brent, the Digital Commercialization Vice-President at Everi, said: “This exciting collaboration with Light & Wonder allows Everi Digital to deliver our award-winning engaging gaming entertainment experiences to new players and markets. We are looking forward to providing our innovative content to a new segment of online players, driving the continued growth trajectory of our collective iGaming business.”

Steve Mayes, the Digital Partnerships Senior Director at Light & Wonder added: “Everi Digital’s content has proven hugely popular with players in North America and we look forward to sharing its games across more of our global network. We are always looking to expand the scope of our online content and stepper and skill games on Everi’s product roadmap will help achieve that goal.”

Source: Campbell, Alan, “Light & Wonder Signs Expanded Deal Allowing Everi Digital to Further Global Reach”. European Gaming. 2/6/2023.

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Light & Wonder has unveiled a strategic investment in Flows, a revolutionary no-code automation platform. The deal will empower Flows, allowing it to scale up its operations and conquer new markets.

Light & Wonder is no stranger to Flows’ impressive no-code automation platform and recognizes its potential to benefit the industry. The former company has already leveraged the latter’s solutions to deliver a new operator-funded marketing jackpots feature and improve value for its partners.

The leading supplier is interested in making the most out of Flows’ technology and is planning further releases along the line.

For reference, Flows leverages advanced automation software to speed up development for gaming businesses, simplify integrations and bolster operational efficiency. Its groundbreaking no-code platform removes the complexities of traditional coding, allowing it to quickly bolster its partners’ product pipelines.

Flows continues to innovate and recently launched an innovative voice control tool that harnesses advanced AI models, cutting-edge technology and superior automation capabilities and allows clients to build complex omnichannel jackpots using vocal or text input.

The Investment Was a Logical Step, L&W Says

Light & Wonder’s chief executive of iGaming, Dylan Slaney, praised Flows for its world-class technology and said that the current investment was a “logical next step.”

Flows’ platform is an essential resource for businesses across all sectors of the iGaming industry and beyond and we are delighted to offer the company our support and backing.

Dylan Slaney, CEO of iGaming, Light & Wonder

Flows’ chief executive officer, James King, also commented on the matter, thanking Light & Wonder for its backing. He pointed out that this would enable his team to expedite Flows’ path to becoming a worldwide leader in codeless automation solutions.

King described Light & Wonder’s investment as a “catalyst” that would supercharge Flows’ growth and innovation across the board. He reaffirmed his team’s commitment to making technology accessible and transformative to businesses all over the world.

King concluded that he was very excited about the investment and the opportunities it would unlock for his team.

I’m incredibly excited for the journey ahead and the unparalleled opportunities this will unlock for Flows and our customers. Kudos to our team who have worked so hard over the last two and a half years to build Flows up to the business it is today.

James King, CEO, Flows

In other news, Light & Wonder just teamed up with RubyPlay and expanded its long-term deal with Everi Digital.

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Light & Wonder has unveiled a new partnership with RubyPlay that would provide it with access to the latter company’s content.

As a result of the deal, Light & Wonder will secure a variety of cutting-edge games, such as the Immortal Ways series and its signature Immortal Ways mechanic. For reference, the mechanic gives players 10,000 ways to win and includes two Immortal Arrays across the four middle reels to heighten excitement. Thanks to bonus wheels, players can earn even bigger prizes.

In total, RubyPlay offers more than 100 engaging slots, allowing it to further enhance the strength of Light & Wonder’s aggregation platform. The deal will also benefit RubyPlay by providing its content with an efficient route into new markets.

The deal was welcomed by RubyPlay’s chief product officer, Dr Eyal Loz, who lauded Light & Wonder’s vast presence in North America.

We’re thrilled to be integrating our next-level content onto Light & Wonder’s platform, allowing significantly more players around the world to enjoy our cutting-edge slots.

Dr Eyal Loz, CPO, RubyPlay

Light & Wonder’s senior director of digital partnerships, Steve Mayes, praised RubyPlay’s content and reputation and celebrated the addition of its content to Light & Wonder’s aggregation platform.

Elevating emerging studios is a top priority for us and we are particularly excited to be RubyPlay’s exclusive aggregator in the U.S. where we anticipate a great response to its dynamic content.
Steve Mayes, senior director of digital partnerships, Light & Wonder

Light & Wonder to Offer Everi’s Content in More Markets

In the meantime, Light & Wonder also expanded its long-term deal with Everi Digital, Everi Holdings’ online gaming business. According to the announcement, Light & Wonder will power its clients in the UK and Italy with a range of Everi Digital’s catalog of over 70 games.

This deal will notably mark the foray of Everi’s content into Italy, making Light & Wonder’s partners there the first to offer Everi Digital’s titles.

In addition to that, the expanded agreement will see Light & Wonder roll out Everi Holdings’ games in South America as well.

Everi’s digital commercialization vice president, Jordan Brent, called this an “exciting collaboration,” saying that his team is looking forward to reaching new players through Light & Wonder.

We are looking forward to providing our innovative content to a new segment of online players, driving the continued growth trajectory of our collective iGaming business.

Jordan Brent, digital commercialization VP, Everi Holdings

Light & Wonder’s Mayes also commented on this deal, noting that Everi Digital’s content has already proven hugely popular among North American audiences. Because of that, his team is looking forward to offering them in other markets too.

Mayes concluded: “We are always looking to expand the scope of our online content and stepper and skill games on Everi’s product roadmap will help achieve that goal.”

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Light & Wonder, one of the world’s most important suppliers of software and content for online casinos, has announced it reached an agreement with 1X2 Network, a supplier of online casino games, to distribute its content in the United States.

The first state to witness the aggregation of content from 1X2 Network into the Light & Wonder platform is going to be Michigan, but the near future could see the deal expand to more American states.

The aggregation platform developed by Light & Wonder is one of the most powerful iGaming distribution tools in the United States and the global gaming giant has signed several agreements with game studios to distribute their content. In October 2023 Light & Wonder announced the launch of live casino content from Authentic Gaming, a company which it had acquired in 2021, in the state of Michigan.

Light & Wonder, previously known as Scientific Games, is one of the most powerful cross-platform gaming companies. The conglomerate has three complementary businesses and a team which comprises over 6,000 people.

1X2 Network offers a wide range of online casino gaming content, including slot games, virtual sports games, instant win titles and crash games. The company has four separate studios: 1X2gaming, Iron Dog Studio, Prospect Gaming and Ad Lunam. The company already had a partnership with Light & Wonder in Europe and now the collaboration has expanded to North America.

Exciting Partnership

Speaking about the collaboration with Light & Wonder, Kevin Reid, the Chief Executive Officer of 1X2 Network, declared himself “excited” to have such an aggregation partner and said that this represents an extension of an already “fruitful relationship.”

The 1X2 Network Chief Executive Officer also mentioned that Michigan is just the start of the two companies’ collaboration in the United States, saying that “work is already well underway in other states.”

Steve Mayes, Digital Partnerships Director at Light & Wonder, described 1X2 Network as a supplier with a history of over 20 years of “producing slick, innovative content that is very popular with players.” The Light & Wonder executive added that he was confident that players in the United States would be “every bit as receptive” to the supplier’s gaming content “as players have been in the European markets.”

Source: “Light & Wonder to Premiere 1X2 Network Content in U.S. Through Exclusive Aggregation Deal“. Light & Wonder. February 2, 2024.

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NASDAQ and ASX-listed Light & Wonder, Inc. has announced an important exclusive aggregation deal with 1X2 Network to help the latter roll its content for the US public. 

According to the terms of the agreement, 1X2 Network’s games will debut for gamers in Michigan. 

The deal also signals an important entry for 1X2 Network into the vibrant market in the US while leveraging Light & Wonder’s premium aggregation platform.

The newly inked agreement is just one of the freshest on a long list of similar studio deals signed by Light & Wonder, further proving the strength of its leading platform and distribution network on the American market where it continues to deliver content that is both dynamic and immersive to the greatest names in the industry.

1X2 Network, Ready for Launch in the US

1X2 Network, which is well-known for its versatile content featuring crash games, slots, instant win games, and virtual sports, is getting ready to launch on the gaming scene in the US in the near future. 

Its content is a result of the hard work of its four internal studios, 1X2gaming, Iron Dog Studio, Prospect Gaming, and Ad Lunam.

The decision to enter the US market will build on a successful European alliance, proving the strength and potential of the collaboration.

1X2 Network’s chief executive officer, Kevin Reid, commented on the content expansion decision, expressing excitement for having Light & Wonder as their exclusive aggregation partner which is expected to help them extend their lucrative ties and leverage their strong platform for wider distribution.

Reid explained that while their work will be initiated in The Great Lake State, work was already “well underway in other states.”

Light & Wonder Expects to Repeat Success in Europe

Also commenting on the new exclusive aggregation agreement, Light & Wonder’s digital partnerships director, Steve Mayes, praised 1X2 Network’s long history spanning across two decades “of producing slick, innovative content that is very popular with players.”

Mayes also called it “great” to be able to start introducing 1×2 Network’s games to players in the US who are expected to be “every bit as receptive as players have been in the European markets.”

Light & Wonder focuses on creating content, hardware, and systems that bring together iconic titles across all places and channels while turning games into expansive entertainment and thrilling players with “characters and stories they can’t get enough of.”

In January, the company appointed Michael Marchetti to the board of directors. Last October, ReelPlay and Light & Wonder announced a four-year expansion of their current deal.

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