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The Online Gaming Summit kicks of this weekend. The two-day conference brings together key industry leaders to develop, innovate and adapt the US entry strategy for profitable and sustainable online operation in the rapidly evolving igaming market. Prestigious Speaker List Reiner is slated to speak on the "Technology, Platforms, and Providers" panel, joining a prestigious groups of speakers on the panel that already includes Stephen Patton, Senior Director of iGaming Development at US B2B leader Bally Technologies, with Casino Offer Network CEO Andy Choy moderating. Reiner brings 9 years of B2B gaming technology expertise to the panel, according to Bullet Business Event Director Keir Hutton Ferris, as "a pioneer in the Live Dealer simulcast industry." States Are Legalizing Online Gaming - Fast The appeal of online gaming as a revenue stream has spurred the first three states in the US to legalize online gaming. With many more soon to follow, the competitive marketplace for online gaming is about to for all intents and purposes explode. From the array of technologies and platforms available at the Online Gaming Summit, attending online gaming operators will strategically determine how to launch their respective US brand promotions. New Gaming Technology Leverages Brands Reiner cited Vivo Interactive's Live Dealer Technology as a state of the art simulcast technology which broadcasts live real-money games "directly from the casino floor." The effective bridging of land-based table gaming (physical) and online table gambling (virtual) is a key component of branding leverage. For online gaming providers, the hypercompetitiveness of the US market is sure to spur unseen levels of growth. The Online Gaming Summit represents the first opportunity for brand positioning in that market, and is sure to launch a new wave of competitive innovation. About the Organizers Vivo Interactive is the leading Live Dealer software vendor in the US. Bullet Business is a worldwide industry leader in online gaming conferences, events and business intelligence.
The greatest week in U.S. Golf is upon us. The preliminary FedEx St. Jude Classic was won by Ben Crane for his 5th PGA title. The FedEx Cup rankings are in as well as the Official World Golf Rankings and here is a look at the top 5 to watch in the U.S. Open. Top Five Golfers One of the few lefty's on the tour Bubba Watson is ranked 1st going into the U.S. Open today. Bubba has already won twice this year and doesn't look like he is satisfied there. Jimmy Walker has already won 3 times in 2014 and is showing his true winning colors every time he steps on the course. He has already made 16 of the 18 cuts this season and is currently ranked 1st according to the FedEx. In 3rd position according to the rankings is Adam Scott who has the ability to win on any given day as he is always phenomenal. Watch out for Scott from long distances as his accuracy is close to perfect. Matt Kuchar comes in just out of the top 3. He has made 13 out of the 15 cuts and has made the top 10 an astonishing 9 times this year. Arguably the favorite for the U.S. Open, Rory McIlroy is always on his game and should finish in the top 5 if not winning it all. He won the 2011 U.S. Open and is always a threat on the course. Bet365 is the UK sportsbook that is following all the U.S. Open action and has posted lines for the Golf tournament for interested punters. They will be airing much of the open so if you need to watch you can check it out on your smartphone at bet365 sportsbook.
The eyes of the world will be glued to the action in Sao Paulo as hosts Brazil take on Croatia in the opening World Cup fixture. The Brazilians will be huge favourites going into the match, but will the pressure get to them? Do Croatia have the quality to cause a surprise? Brazilian Powerhouse On the face of things, Luis Felipe Scolari's side have this game sewn up. Not only do they have superstar Neymar to torment the Croatian defence, but impressive midfielder Oscar will be pulling the strings. Unlike Brazilian teams of World Cups gone by, Scolari's side boasts not only flair going forward, but also solidity at the back. So much so that Scolari will need to leave one of David Luiz, Thiago Silva or Dante out of his starting line-up. Odds for Croatia The odds are certainly stacked against Croatia. However, do not discount Niko Kovac's side. In fact, at the moment, you can get incredible 9/1 odds on a Croatia victory at WilliamHill, which is well worth a flutter. The generous odds might have something to do with the suspension for this game of star striker Mario Mandzukic, who has been so influential for Bayern Munich. Nonetheless, even without their talisman, Croatia still pose a threat with the likes of Eduardo and Nikita Jelavic in attack and Real Madrid's Luka Modric patrolling the midfield. If Brazil fail to score early on, expect the pressure to build. If that happens, an upset could be on the cards.
Allegations of Match-Fixing have arisen and resulted in two Turkish clubs being banned. The allegations stem from the play of the two clubs in games against Fenerbahçe during the 2010-11 season of the Turkish league, when the two clubs were found to have intentionally lost their games against the eventual league champion. Regulations Violated The final decision of the Appeals Body cited Articles 2(07)g, 2(08) and 2(09) of the Regulations of the UEFA Europa League 2014-15 competition, declaring that Eskisehirspor and Sivasspor did not meet the admission criteria for participation in UEFA competition. The violated eligibility clause calls for any and all participant clubs "not have been directly and/or indirectly involved, since the entry into force of Article 50(3) of the UEFA Statutes, in any activity aimed at arranging or influencing the outcome of a match at national or international level and must confirm this to the UEFA administration in writing." One More Appeal Possible Within the next ten days, the clubs do have the opportunity for one more appeal - to the higher sporting authority of the court of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). Disturbing Trend This is the latest in string of Turkish club controversies, as last year UEFA had banned Fenerbahce from European competition for three seasons, and Turkish club Besiktas was from last year's Europa League. It remains to be seen if the zero tolerance policy for match fixing has discouraged all further match-fixing attempts.
In Malcolm Gladwell's book The Tipping Point, he describes an unexpected juncture at which something begins to take on energy and movement of its own - far in excess of that which was originally intended. IGT's management has blinked, possibly fearing a negative 'tipping point.' IGT For Sale International Game Technology is one of the largest slot manufacturers, but the potential growth of the business has not been realised. As a result of disappointing results and performance, the company has turned to buyout specialist advisors Morgan Stanley to determine the company's best way forward. Rumours have circulated for several months that the company was looking for a buyer, believing that consolidation would help fight declining revenues. Strong Competition IGT bought company Double Down casino from Williams Interactive in January 2012, as part of an attempted expansion into social media gaming - however, the net result has not been as productive as the management would have wished. IGT has some big hitting clients, such as; Stations Casinos, MGM Resorts International, and the Bellagio Resort and Casino - but strong competition from its rivals has seen its revenue streams increasingly squeezed. Who Will Buy? A possible touted buyer for IGT is gaming industry giant, Novomatic. With a 2013 turnover of more than €3.5billion and with affiliated companies in 45 countries it would certainly have the immediate liquidity with which to make a serious offer. One of the benefits of the purchase is that it would enable Novmatic to gain a stronger foothold in the Australian and US markets. One of the results of all the sales talk is that the share price rose 14.4% to $14.31, giving the company a market value of around $3.5billion.
In the USA, political parties seek the opinions of voters in 'Primaries', where the future direction of each party is guided by what the people want. Under this system, voters get their say on non-binding questions and the ones deemed most important can become policy. Just Say Casino South Carolina Democrats are this month to ask local voters their opinions on a number of subjects, and on this occasion, both the legalization of Marijuana and the relaxation of gambling laws are to be raised. It's long been recognised that drugs and gambling make a terrible mix, as irresponsible decisions are made by the affected players, so this is one of those rare occasions that the two subjects can be grouped together. A major reason for wanting to change the laws is to raise tax revenues for the state, and it has been estimated that 2 or 3 casinos on Myrtle Beach along the Atlantic coast could bring in hundreds of millions of Dollars each year. It has been suggested that the extra money be put towards fixing the highways across the state. The question says ''The S.C. Department of Transportation estimates more than $20 billion is required to fix South Carolina's crumbling roads and bridges. Should gaming laws be modernized to fund the repairs instead of a tax increase?'' Online gambling is also being looked at, with Democrats asking whether individual states or Congress should decide what can be allowed, while the Marijuana connection comes from the question of whether it can be permitted on medical grounds. Local Laws The results of the primary ballot will not change the local laws, but will certainly be watched closely by lawmakers, who will have a clear idea of the subjects that are important to the citizens of South Carolina. Todd Rutherford, House Minority Leader" has said of the vote ''Those people that oppose it on moral grounds, don't have to gamble. I don't gamble. But if you don't like it, don't do it. But also, if you don't like it, come out and vote no. That's what a referendum is about; it's about telling politicians what we think as citizens, rather than having the politicians tell us what to do,"
A new nationwide poll was released on June 10, 2014, which shows that American voters across the vast political spectrum view casino gaming more favorably than ever before, recognizing that the casino industry generates jobs and strengthens local businesses and communities. The poll wasa bipartisan effort, conducted by Democratic pollster Mark Mellman, CEO of the Mellman Group, and Republican pollster Glen Bolger, founder and partner of Public Opinion Strategies. The results of the poll have been released at an opportune time, when state policymakers are poised to reconsider punitive gaming taxes, inefficient regulations and other threats to casinos. Main Findings The main findings of the poll are: American voters view casino gaming favorably in a 2:1 ratio More than 70% of voters recognize that casinos generate jobs Almost 60% of voters recognize that casinos boost economies A majority of voters polled say that casinos should NOT pay more taxes than any other businesses Mellman commented on the findings, "Across partisan, ideological and geographic divisions, the vast majority agree that gaming is acceptable." Geoff Freeman, president and CEO of the AGA, also commented, "Voters recognize that casinos are a mainstream form of entertainment and an economic driver that supports jobs and boosts growth in communities across the nation." The Typical Casino Visitor The poll also depicted what the typical casino visitor looks like - and some of the findings are surprising. The results show that the typical visitor is: A homeowner Aged 21-59 Middle class (earning $60-$99k/year) A college graduate Religious "Casino visitors are a portrait of the American electorate, and voters are giving policy-makers permission to treat casinos like any other business," Freeman elaborated. "The AGA will aggressively pave the way for policies that reflect voters' favorable view of gaming, protects jobs and promotes innovation."
Salvador's Arena Fonte Nova hosts a replay of the 2010 World Cup final today as Netherlands faces Spain for the Group B opening match (8pm UK time). Spain will be eager to prove their glory days are not behind them while the Oranje will try to extract their revenge for 2010. Spain Reigning world champion, Spain was the victor in that deciding final four years ago, winning 1-0 from Andres Iniesta's goal four minutes before extra time came to a conclusion. Spain's got one of the best midfields in the tournament with names like Xavi, Fabregas, Iniesta, Silva and Alonso among many others; the big question is who will they support in the front: will it be Torres, Costa, Rodriguez or Villa? All worthy players, the Spaniards are packing a punch for today's match. Netherlands The Dutch will be looking for sweet revenge after they lost a chance at the World Cup in 2010 four minutes before the finishing whistle. It was a game riddled with missed chances including a cringe-worthy wasted golden opportunity by Arjen Robben in a one-on-one situation against goalkeeper Iker Casillas. The Dutch will have to do without two precious injured midfielders Strootman and van der Vaart, relying on players like Robin van Persie, Robben and Wesley Sneijder. Oranje will try to counter the Spanish "tiki-taka" with their speedy counter-attacks. Player to Watch: Diego Costa The main goal of the Dutch defense will be dealing with Spanish striker Diego Costa if he starts. The most interesting player for this match, Costa comes off a great season with Spanish champion Atletico Madrid where he scored 36 goals, also earning himself a transfer to Chelsea. The 25 year old is eager to transform his top performance to Spain where still hasn't left his mark.
The Group B opener of the 2014 World Cup gets underway tonight at midnight live from Cuiaba and Chile is looking to make a statement against Australia. One of the key players for Chile, depending on his inflamed knee, Vidal the star from Juventus could be out for the opener and even more games as well. Chile doesn't seem like they are too worried for the game against Australia as they have many other dangerous midfielders like Aranguiz, Diaz, and Gutierrez. Jedinak, the captain of the Australian national men's team and Crystal Palace in the Premier League has nothing but respect for the Chilean side and understands that they will have a tough time to overcome and succeed in tonight's match. "They're very strong. We have to prepare for whether he's (Vidal) playing or not, we have to prepare for both scenarios," said Jedinak. Australia went into their training on Monday with a more relaxed feel to it. The team will need to give it their all if they are to hit the back of the net tonight. These teams don't have a lot of history between them and have only met 4 times in which Chile has won 3 and they had 1 draw. In total Chile leads in goals for and against 6-1. Live In-Play To watch all of the world cup action this year, interested punters can check everything out at bet365 online sportsbook. The UK-based operator has a large selection of World Cup lines in a variety of categories including live in-play bets that can be played during the game. They have posted the lines which drastically favor Chile (1.45) over Australia (9.00) but there are other bets too.
Arland is an 18-year-old company which established its gaming industry niche as a software developer for the sports betting industry. The Bookmaker gaming platform has turned into a gaming industry standard, offering one stop in-play and sports betting. They also offer casino games, live dealers, and virtual games. Quickfire Diversifies Arland The Quickfire agreement will substantially increase the lineup of online casino offerings currently available on the Arland's Bookmaker platform technology. Keeping in mind that Microgaming offered the world's first online casino in 1994, the three keys to Arland's choice of Quickfire were the experienced team support of Microgaming's simple integration; the efficiency of the software that Microgaming provides to support customisation and scalability; and the comprehensivity and innovation of Microgaming's product portfolio. Arland Impressed Arland Marketing Head Felipe Andrade, Head of Marketing at Arland, lauded the Quickfire technology, expressing his and Arland's excitement, saying that the expectations of Arland have not only been met, but exceeded, "...from signing the contract, to the test phase, to the first player registration." Andrade also proudly trumpeted that "we can now offer our operators the very best online slots in the industry!" Clients Embrace the New Integration Instantly Sportsbook provider Action24, which utilisies the Arland Bookmaker gaming platform, went live with the games by Quickfire when the new platform was integrated, and can now offer new progressive jackpot games with popular titles such as Major Millions and Mega Moolah, as well as branded content slots The Dark Knight, Dark Knight Rises, and Playboy. About Quickfire Microgaming describes Quickfire as "a supremely versatile, hassle free and unique gaming experience for both operator and player, offering fast and seamless integration into any existing system and covering all gaming platforms. There are 400 optimized games available on the Quickfire platform, developed according to popularity of test use, with more being added every month.
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