Atlantic City casino workers continue their fight for a smoke-free work environment. Their last battlefield was, unexpectedly, a senator’s office.

Representatives of Casino Employees Against Smoking Effects (CEASE) and United Casino Workers (UAW) were staging a protest against Senator Vince Polistina’s recent change of heart. Polistina, who previously supported the smoke-free movements, recently agreed to allow casinos to seek compromise solutions.

As the temperatures outside plummeted, the activists were invited to discuss the matter inside.

CEASE Says Workers Will Be Forced to “Volunteer”

Under New Jersey’s Smoke-Free Air Act, casinos can dedicate up to a quarter of their indoor gaming space as a smoking area. Opponents of this exemption say that it jeopardizes the health of casino workers who have to bear the smoke for hours at a time. However, casino operators believe that a ban would hurt their business.

While proponents of the ban have pointed out that casinos in other states have banned smoking with little to no effect on their business, AC operators remain adamant that they do not want smoking to go.

As a result, some have proposed compromise measures, such as enclosed smoking spaces. Under this solution, only volunteering workers would be dealing in these spaces. However, CEASE argues that operators would simply force workers to volunteer.

According to CEASE, casinos have previously put a pregnant woman and a person battling cancer at smoking tables.

Polistina Would Still Vote in Favor of Banning Smoking

Polistina told the activists that he agreed with them and that New Jersey should move on from indoor smoking. However, he had to change his stance because of politics, noting that the South Jersey Democratic delegation lost seats recently, making the fight for a smoking ban an uphill battle.

In addition, Polistina pointed out that Unite Here Local 54, another union representing casino staff, opposes the ban as it also believes that it would cause patrons to go elsewhere. Local 54 represents hospitality sector workers and has many more members than UAW, giving it a lot of leverage when it comes to such matters.

Despite that, Senator Polistina promised to vote in favor of a casino smoking ban if such a measure comes up for a vote in the Senate.

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The innovative sportsbook supplier, BETBY, expanded its global footprint by opening a new office located in Barcelona, Spain. The new office location comes at a time when the company anticipates increasing its workforce exponentially and growing further on a global scale. On Thursday, BETBY confirmed that opened its new Barcelona office, complementing its European footprint.

The new office marks a milestone moment in the company’s ambitious expansion strategy. So far, BETBY has seen a successful year, expanding its presence and increasing its headcount. By now, the company has more than 100 employees and it will continue increasing its headcount throughout 2023 and beyond.

Leonid Pertsovskiy, BETBY’s CEO, highlighted the importance of the new Barcelona office. He said that the company is delighted to expand further its global footprint and explained that the new office location is a part of its growth plan.

Moreover, Pertsovskiy praised Barcelona, saying that the beautiful city is home to passionate sports fans and bettors. Finally, BETBY’s CEO pointed out: “The site will strongly focus on artificial intelligence, machine learning, and innovative technologies in sports technology and betting, and we are excited for our latest location to become our brand’s research and development hub.”

“The new office is the latest step in our ambitious growth plans, and we couldn’t be happier to have a hub in such a beautiful city that is full of passionate sports betting fans.“

Leonid Pertsovskiy, CEO at BETBY

The Company Continues to Expand

The news about BETBY’s new office comes on the heels of an important partnership announced by the company. Early last month, the company confirmed it joined forces with NuxGame, the leading gambling platform provider that offers a plethora of casino-style games.

Under the terms of the partnership, BETBY agreed to provide NuxGame with its leading proprietary solutions. While this partnership helped strengthen NuxGame’s operations, it also helped expand the reach of the innovative sportsbook supplier.

Barcelona has established itself as a leading hub for the gaming sector, thanks to the SBC Summit Barcelona, one of the most-anticipated events for the sector. This year’s SBC Summit Barcelona is scheduled to take place between September 19 and September 21, 2023, attracting some of the most recognized gaming, sports and entertainment providers, as well as industry stakeholders.

It’s no surprise that BETBY won’t miss the prestigious event for the gambling industry. The company confirmed that it will showcase its products at stand SB712.

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Booming Games, a developer of online real money gambling games, has revealed that it has moved its Maltese office from Enn Glad, Msida, to the Quad in Mriehel, resulting in the company boosting its presence in a prime and prestigious location, in one strategic move.

Office Upgrade

Having experienced tremendous growth in its operations in Malta, meaning it was able to recruit highly trained professionals, the company needed an updated office space that was necessary to keep pace with the developer’s accomplishments and future goals. Furthermore, when deciding on a location for an upgraded office, an office in the Quad was a suitable solution as it is nicely furnished and provides a number of benefits that involve a gym, restaurants, childcare facilities, and shops among many others. However, that’s not all; because the office space is truly the best with a huge commercial area of 44,000 square meters and more than 7,000 square meters of open space.

Commenting on the new office, Max Niehusen, Chief Executive Officer of Booming Games, said: “I couldn’t be more elated about our recent move to the Quad office, a true embodiment of our success story. Choosing the Quad as our new office location was a natural choice as it aligns perfectly with the vision we have for our future. And for us, it’s more than just an office. It’s a symbol of our relentless pursuit of excellence and our commitment to providing an exceptional work environment for our incredible team.”

In this regard, Frederik Niehusen, the Chief Commercial Officer at Booming, added: “I am thrilled with our move to the Quad office; a dynamic location that perfectly aligns with our commercial aspirations. Its sophisticated design and top-notch amenities, including excellent restaurants, elevate our client meetings, fostering stronger connections, fueling creativity, and propelling our commercial success to greater heights.”

About

The company started operations in 2014 and is now located in Malta. More importantly, it operates under a license issued by the Malta Gaming Authority. In addition, the company also has certificates from other official regulatory bodies such as Agenzia Dogane Monopoli, Spillemyndigheden, and Alderney Gambling Control Commission. Its main focus is on producing high-end games, and so far they’ve been quite successful at that, despite the fact that titles are released in very quick succession. Still, none of their products feel rushed, and their portfolio is massive and consists of a huge variety of different game types.

Games created by the developer are regularly checked by official regulatory bodies such as Spel Inspektionen and Quinel Limited. 

Source: “Booming Games Levels Up: Maltese Office Now Located at the Prestigious Quad In Mriehel”, European Gaming, August 1, 2023

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Gov. Kathy Hochul of New York has stressed yet again her detachment from the ongoing negotiations between her office and the Seneca Nation concerning a potential casino in the Rochester area. However, she emphasized that she is not directly participating in the negotiations, the timing decisions, or engaging in discussions with external individuals regarding this matter at the moment.

Local Leaders Surprised by Casino Deal Talks Involving Gov. Hochul’s Office

Speaking during the grand reopening ceremony at The Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester, Gov. Hochul clarified that she had recused herself from the negotiations and would be informed of the details alongside the public, reported 13WHAM ABC.

The negotiations have sparked controversy and raised eyebrows among local leaders and lawmakers, who were surprised to learn about the talks involving a casino deal. The governor’s office has been handling the compact talks on behalf of Gov. Hochul due to her recusal from matters related to Delaware North, the company where her husband is employed as the senior vice president and general counsel.

The previous announcement of a new tribal gaming agreement between the governor’s office and the Seneca Nation, which potentially included a Las Vegas-style resort casino in Rochester, sparked criticism for not involving relevant state lawmakers and local officials in the negotiations.

Governor Hochul Allegedly Stalling Compact Renewal for Corporate Benefit

Following the refusal of the New York Assembly to pass a statute authorizing Gov. Hochul to sign the Seneca contract, the Seneca Nation’s President, Rickey Armstrong Sr., accused the governor of deliberately stalling the compact renewal, which could benefit Delaware North.

Despite the setback, Gov. Hochul assured that discussions with the Seneca Nation are still ongoing. She emphasized her commitment to seeking a good outcome for all parties involved and working with an outstanding team on the matter.

As negotiations continue, lawmakers from Rochester have expressed their concerns regarding the potential impact of a casino project in the area. The Greater Rochester Majority Delegation has been engaging with all relevant parties, including the Governor’s office, local stakeholders, and the Mayor’s office, to ensure that any agreement between the Seneca Nation and New York State is transparent and well-informed.

In May, the Seneca Nation sought public support for a fair gaming compact as their current agreement with New York State is set to expire in December. They organized community support events throughout May, encouraging people to sign letters to state leaders, urging them to expedite the negotiation process and sign a new deal before the end of the State Legislature session on June 8. The Nation emphasizes its positive economic impact in the region, with three casino properties employing around 3,000 people and providing significant indirect support to the local economy.

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The German Sports Betting Association (DSWV) published a press release on its website, criticizing the market figures, sources and methodology used by the German Head Office for Addiction (DHS) in its article, Yearbook Addiction 2023.

Incorrect Market Size Calculation

The DSWV states that the DHS uses incorrect figures as per the sports betting market size in Germany in 2021, putting up total sales at €18.3 billion ($19.9 million), translating to an increase of 409.6% year-over-year, while the market totaled €9.4 billion ($10.2 billion) in wagers, or an increase of 21%.

The DSWV was provoked to inform the public that Yearbook Addiction 2023 was based on incorrect figures after informing the DHS about the correct method of calculation did not change the figures the DHS used to calculate the 2021 market size in the revised version of its article.

Prof. Dr. Gerhard Meyer from the Health & Society Department of the Institute for Public Health and Nursing Research at the University of Bremen used gross gaming revenue (GGR) of €1.3 billion ($1.4 billion), as well as a payout rate of 93%, using the incorrect sales figures and comparisons drawn from questionable sources, fussballwetten.com, sportwettentest.net and wettProvider.de.

Elaborating on its claims about the dubious nature of the websites used by the DHS, the DSWV points to the anonymity behind these websites and the incomplete nature of the data they provide.

Furthermore, fussballwetten.com advertises gambling, which is illegal in Germany, and ranks only illegal operators in its top ten betting providers list. The website even suggests that a Curaçao license is enough for legally accepting bets in Germany, working against the legal market.

As for the payout percentage, the DSWV claims that data used by the DHS that was derived by sportwettentest.net and wettProvider.de is incomplete as payouts generally vary based on numerous factors, including the level of competition, taxes, provider’s cost structure and willingness to take risks, and the behavior of players on the market.

Online vs Retail, Combined vs Single Bets

To prove its point, the betting association points to the difference between the payout rates online and in retail, with the latter usually being well below those in betting shops, as well as the different payouts based on the type of dominating bets for each bookmaker since customers placing combined wagers tend to lose more than those wagering on a single event.

Adding the high tax burden of 5.3% on each bet in Germany, the association concludes that the payout rate of 93% used by the DHS in the calculations is not realistic, and expresses its concerns that the University of Bremen reverts to using data from such unreliable sources for its scientific work.

As a staunch defender of the legal market, the DSWV demands again that the DHS and Prof. Dr. Meyer correct their article and calculate the market size according to data published by the Federal Ministry of Finance based on the 5.3% tax on stakes and where 95% of the payments come from regulated providers.

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Zitro, a world leader in entertainment that supplies operators with engaging bingo and slot games, has announced that it has opened a new office in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The new hub will bolster the company’s presence in Latin America and will set it up for further expansion in the region.

The opening of the new office comes amid the company’s rapid expansion in LATAM. The hub, which covers a 1,254.67-square-meter area, will allow the company to better serve the region. The convenient location, Zitro said, will allow it to quickly and efficiently respond to the growing needs of its local clients.

The office itself houses multiple Zitro departments and multifunctional spaces. These, according to Zitro’s announcement, include sales, logistics operations, order management and tech support areas. In addition, the new office sports a laboratory and additional warehouse space. Finally, there is a showroom where Zitro clients can see the company’s new products.

The New Office Was a Natural Step for the Company

The office will serve as a base of operations for Zitro’s experienced LATAM team. The team is led by Alejandra Burato and fields the tech specialist Dario Snaidero. According to the company, its Latin American team leverages years of industry experience and expertise that is second to none.

Burato further elaborated on that, saying that each team member brings something special to the company.

Each member of our team brings their unique background, skills and knowledge to the table, and together, we work collaboratively to help casino operators optimize their businesses.

Alejandra Burato, regional director for LATAM, Zitro

Sebastian Salat, Zitro’s international president, also commented on the matter, praising the company’s growth over the past years. He said that the opening of a new office is a natural step in Zitro’s growth.

Salat noted that the new location will help the company keep up with the demand for its content, without sacrificing the quality of its products and service. He said that he is glad by the opportunity to grow Zitro in the LATAM region.

This new location will allow us to meet the rising demands of our customers in the region, while maintaining the highest standards of service. We are excited for this new chapter in our growth and expansion in Latin America, and we look forward to receiving new and existing customers in our new office.

Sebastian Salat, president, Zitro

In other news, Zitro just hit the Swedish market thanks to a new deal with Casino Cosmopol. As agreed, the supplier will provide the operator with best-in-class gaming cabinets.

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