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Well-known for its slick animations and its sense of humour, NetEnt has worked hard to increase user engagement, and this Swedish developer has demonstrated with its latest quality results that its efforts are really paying off. Customer Engagement Yields Provider Popularity NetEnt has been fine-tuning the animation on its slots for some time, combining the presentation with a cheekiness of in-game play which has been well-received by players, as the latest quarterly results indicate. The January-June interim report for 2015 reveals that in the second quarter of 2015, revenues for the company increased by 32.3% to SEK 271.2 (205.0) million, yielding an operating profit of SEK 92.7 (56.7) million, totaling a 63.3% increase, and yielding an operating margin of 34.2 (27.7)%. Significant profits after tax were also revealed, jumping 64.9% to SEK 86.5 (52.5) million. The earnings per share were equally bullish, reaching SEK 2.17 (1.33) before dilution and SEK 2.16 (1.32) after dilution. Expansion Plan Working The software and solutions provider continued to expand its client base at a healthy pace, reaching licensing agreements with nine new customers, for whom eight new casinos have been launched to date. The second quarter also saw the launch of services and sites for online heavyweights that included bwin.party, Gamesys, PokerStars and Danske Spil. NetEnt expanded significantly as well, entering North America with a cross-license agreement with IGT, entering Spain with local gaming licenses in Spain and entering the state of New Jersey via two customer agreements signed with bwin/Borgata and Caesars Interactive Entertainment. The company further fortified its position in iGaming-popular UK with the launch of an in-house game for William Hill betting shops. These developments into large, but regulated markets forecasts a much wider distribution of NetEnt games at an international level. NetEnt President and CEO Per Eriksson affirmed that the company is fulfilling a strategic model of growth through expansion on regulated markets. NetEnt's quarterly figures indicate that the plan is meeting if not surpassing expectations.
A press release has broken the news of a July 2015 reseller agreement between Big Wave Gaming and XIN Gaming, an igaming developer with a focus on creating Asian-themed slot content for online casinos. XIN Gaming is the larger of the two software developers and intends to integrate Big Wave’s remote gaming server with that of its own content to create an even larger portfolio. Alone, Big Wave has a relatively small portfolio that is entirely focused on slot games, so this distribution deal could prove vital in the developer’s expansion. Combining for a Slots Larger Portfolio Only a few slots are currently listed on Big Wave’s corporate website. Examples are comprised of Ninja’s Path, Monkey King, and Journey to the West. Asia features prominently as a theme in the slots, and the same can be said for XIN Gaming’s slots. In maintaining a consistent Asian theme alongside other themes, XIN develops with a font that makes you think of the region. Slots like Gold Fish, Bling Bling, Chinese New Year, Dragon’s Pearl, and Phoenix & Dragon all have the same familiar font associated with XIN slots. XIN’s content is currently available for either social gaming or real-money wagering at online casinos. Benefits for Each Side XIN chief executive Mathias Larsson delivered high praise when commenting on the deal with Big Wave, describing the developer’s gaming content as “diverse and engaging.” Larsson also revealed the extent of the distribution deal’s exclusivity, explaining that no other developers will have access to Big Wave’s content. However, no specific timeframe was given to outline the deal’s duration. Big Wave chief executive Ivan Rungkat was equally positive about being able to conclude a deal. Rungkat explained that XIN would be distributing his company’s games and that they would have access to an expanding selection of Asian igaming operators.
Betsoft Gaming, the leading casino software provider in true cinematic 3D graphics, has released a new slot machine to its already impressive Slots3 series. Weekend in Vegas comes with the same high attention to detail players have come to expect from Betsoft and is also rocking several bonus elements that will make sure to make the experience in Sin City a very enjoyable one. Weekend in Vegas Slot The new game follows the story of three friends who go to Las Vegas and get into all kinds of trouble. There are awesome 3D animations that make the cartoon characters come to life, both on the five reels and next to them. As for the features, the slot comes with bonus elements that can increase the winnings; such as wild symbols, scatters that pay regardless of their position and also trigger the free spins mode, a bonus game and more. According to the statement made by Betsoft, the game will go live on both desktop and mobile platforms and it is a highly anticipated slot machine. More About Slots3 The games in the Slots3 series are quick to stand out with their true 3D graphics, perfect soundtrack and innovative features. The story is said through various details and the gameplay can evolve with every spin in order to better present the characters on their adventures. Short clips are used to give the players some background information and the result can be very entertaining. In addition to the collection of games in the Slots3 category, Betsoft has more than 150 titles in its portfolio and offers much more than just slot machines, covering table games, specialty options and even the pioneering full 3D Poker3. The focus on mobile gaming began in 2012 and Betsoft Gaming now has a specialized line of video slots for mobile devices on its ToGo platform, optimized for iOS, and have proven to be extremely popular with players at larger, Europe oriented casinos such as Mr. Green.
Thursday marks the beginning of the 144th British Open Championship at the iconic St. Andrews golf course in Fife, Scotland. The British Open is the oldest of professional golf's four major championships, and the only major tourney that takes place outside of the United States. Jordan Spieth Aiming High This British Open, most of the buzz is around the young American Jordan Spieth. The young Spieth is a meteor in the skies of professional golf, having won both major championships played this year, Masters Tournament and the US Open. Spieth is intent on taking the British Open as well, and if he does so he could achieve a Grand Slam. Online sportsbook bet365 Sports had Spieth as a top favorite to win the championship with 13/2 in odds. No Rory McIlroy The absence of world no. 1 Rory McIlroy due to an injury is sure to spice things up this major. Apart from Jordan Spieth's run for another major to try and take the no.1 title from McIlroy, there are quite a few strong competitors, Dustin Johnson (12/1), Rickie Fowler (18/1), Henrik Stenson (22/1) and Sergio Garcia (33/1) being just a few. And What of Tiger? Another competitor who's looking for his 15th major is former world number one Tiger Woods, who hasn't won any major since the 2008 US Open. Speaking to the BBC, Woods said that he "absolutely believes" he could win this major. Odds at bet365 Sports had Tiger at 35/1, which is somewhere in the top lines but not an indication that he is a top favorite. Special Offer at bet365 Sports bet365 Sports has a special offer for new punters. Opening an account and making an initial deposit of £10 entitles punters with a 100% bonus on their qualifying deposit which can go up to £200. bet365 will run many pre-match and in-play markets in the frame of a full in-depth coverage of the 2015 British Open, so prep yourself for this weekend's huge golfing event.
The three-match One-day International (ODI) series between Bangladesh and South Africa is coming to a close today at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong (10:00 UK time). With the sides tied at 1-1, today's match will be deciding and dramatic. Will Bangladesh Deliver a Shock? The hosts have a lot of incentive to give their best today after beating the South Africans in the prior game with an 88 from Soumya Sarkar in Sunday's game. The Tigers will rely on the likes of Sarkar as well as Nasir Hossain and Mustafizur Rahman who proved essential to beating the guests on Sunday. But the team can't rely on three alone, and the likes of Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim and Tamim Iqbal should all be at top form. Bangladesh have beaten India and Pakistan lately and an historic ODI over South Africa would be huge for them; the victory on Sunday was a first since 2007. Danger for South Africa Missing a few of their fast bowlers like Vernon Philander and Dale Steyn as well as top batsman A.B. de Villiers, South Africa is not at its top form. Their ego is hurt from Sunday's defeat and they will want to come back at the Bangladeshis. Losing today would mean an historic failure so much is at stake for South Africa. Much will rest on the shoulders of Hashim Amla who is ranked as the world's no. 3 batsman in Test and ODIS. The return of Morne Morkel might bring some relief to the South Africans, but they must get a great team game in action in order not to lose this one. Live Betting Online bookie bet365 Sports has full coverage of today's cricket action with rich in-play markets and pre-match markets such as Top Batsman, Next Man Out and Next Over Runs; South Africa were favorite to win with 1/3 against Bangladesh's 9/4. New punters who open an account bet365 Sports can enjoy a 100% bonus up to £200 on their qualifying deposit.
A complaint by the Gibraltar Betting and Gaming Association regarding its treatment by UK tax laws will be heard by the European Union Court of Justice. Disproportionate Taxation? In a significant step forward for protection of private providers against exorbitant national taxing measures, international TMT law firm and GBGA legal representative Olswang secured a reference to the Court of Justice of the European Union for the GBGA appeal on the legality of a UK tax imposed on overseas gambling operators. Justice Charles of the High European Court ruled that the UK tax on online gambling brought into effect by Britain's Finance Act of 2014 could potentially conflict with EU law, and saw fit to refer to the matter to the Court of Justice of the European Union. The reforms in question altered the UK taxation system so that offshore operators would be liable for taxation payable to the UK government, above and beyond the taxes they pay in their respective jurisdictions of origin. Purpose Goes Astray The tax was expected to raise some £300 million per year from overseas operators for the UK government, but that figure would in its current form come out of the pockets of all taxpaying foreign operators from gambling transactions on their ledgers whom the British government would deem “UK persons.” This potentially doubles the taxation burden on operators. The case itself dates back to October 2014, when the GBGA enlisted Olswang to file a request for a judicial review by the High Court. The GBGA claimed discrimination and restriction of free movement of services within the EU, in conflict the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. EU Precedent Coming Up The EU is listening, and the results of the case will set a clear precedent for the parameters of taxation which individual EU governments are at this point imposing arbitrarily on independent and offshore iGaming operators.
NYX Gaming Group has announced the launch of the new Open Gaming System in collaboration with Full Tilt. The agreement will allow the Amaya owned online casino to feature hundreds of titles from different suppliers right away, with options for both desktop and mobile gaming. Players at Full Tilt will now have a lot more casino games to choose from and the deal also allows NYX Gaming to become even bigger. Some of the casinos that use the major software provider include Tivoli and Casino Cruise. NextGen Gaming Coming To Full Tilt NextGen Gaming is owned by NYX Gaming Group and is its main software developer for new casino games in the same house. The portfolio will go live at Full Tilt immediately and will also be joined by an entire collection of titles from third party developers as part of the NYX OGS platform. Overall, hundreds of new games will make Full Tilt an even bigger name in the online gaming industry after the brand was originally created for online poker only. The move to include casino games was made last year and the list of options from different software developers continues to grow. NYX Gaming Group and Full Tilt have a great working relationship and the launch of the new OGS offers evidence that the demand for the casino supplier is high among online players. The company is also celebrating its recent award for innovation granted at the EGR B2B Awards this year. More About NYX Gaming Group With its headquarters in Las Vegas and development studios in Sydney and Stockholm, NYX Gaming Group aims to provide high quality gaming solutions around the world and this of course includes leading online casinos, poker rooms, large lotteries and more. NextGen Gaming offers a wide variety of themes across its slots collection for all to enjoy.
The online casino software supplier EveryMatrix has the largest collection of games on its CasinoEngine platform with more than two thousand titles available. The list will now be getting even bigger as the Malta-licensed company made a deal that will add Quickspin games. Various leading online casinos on the EveryMatrix network will benefit from this agreement and the names include one of the most popular choice among Scandinavian players, Thrills Casino. More High Quality Games EveryMatrix welcomes games from well-established software developers in order to create a full online gaming experience to players from different markets and at a series of online casinos. Quickspin is now the latest name to join the platform and it follows other recent agreements that expanded the list, like Merkur Interactive and World Match. The partnership will provide Quickspin with easy ways of reaching a large player pool, thus allowing the game developer to focus more on creating high quality options with innovative features, according to the chief executive of the Swedish game studio. Quickspin New Releases Quickspin has been very active recently with new additions being released and presenting various special features. Some of the new titles include Illuminous, Hidden Valley and Jewel Blast. The developer has also announced that a magical and colorful slot machine by the name of Crystal Queen will soon be released. The theme of this game is based on the story of the Snow Queen and has Swooping Reels, win multiplier of up to 5x and the chance to win both ways. Getting a winning combination will not just increase the multiplier but will also unlock an additional row of symbols from above to provide more ways to win. Free spins are played with all rows unlocked and the fun theme will certainly be enjoyed by players on the network once the slot goes live and the features will “let it go”.
All seats are taken at the Lord's Cricket Ground ahead of today's first game of The Ashes' second test between Australia and England (10:00 UK time). After the Brits emerged victorious winning by 169 runs in the first test at Cardiff, Australia has now got to deliver to stand up and make sure they don't get dragged into the losing game. England Going Strong Following their convincing win over the Aussies in the first test, the Brits will arrive at the Lord's today with enough confidence to pass around. The first test win wasn't expected at all on the English side, and the end result shocked many. Captain Alastair Cook will be needed to keep close watch on his men not to be complacent. The home team is well aware that the Australians are keen on turning things around. Talking to the BBC, England's Adam Lyth said: "Australia are number one in the world for a reason so they will come back stronger". One big worry for England is the condition of Moeen Ali who was a key figure in the first test, after the batsman felt soreness in his side. Comeback for Aussies? The first test defeat marks a major letdown for Australia after arriving at the Ashes as a favorite. There weren't many good excuses for the performance at Cardiff for the Aussies, besides the fact that they just didn't play well. It will be interesting to see how the wounded beast performs today. In-play Betting Today's match will be live at bet365 Sports where punters can take part in the action as it unfolds. Odds were quite even at 7/4 for England, 11/8 for Australia and 11/4 for The Draw. Newly-signed punters can enjoy bet365's 100% deposit bonus of up to £200 on their qualifying deposit. Immerse yourself with a wager for this intriguing cricket clash today.
The rift between Germany and the EU in online sports betting continues to widen. Monopoly Frowned Upon Germany, a country with a sports betting monopoly, maintains a blanket ban on online casino and poker, to the dismay of the European Commission. However, a so-called “EU pilot” approach is the commission's first step towards resolving the matter once and for all. Unless Germany cannot immediately indicate an intentional strategy to end the current sports-betting monopoly under the state-owned Oddset, the process could lead to litigation against Germany in the European Court of Justice for infringement. Black Market Proliferates The commission also suggests German reconsiders the ban on online casino and poker due to what the commission calls the “rapidly growing” and at this point uncontrollable black market in Germany, with illegal online gambling figures reaching an estimated €17bn (£12.1bn) in wagering stakes. Germany has devised a regulation model of state treaty and licensure, but the model has yet to be implemented due to court challenges at the federal level in the country. The concern of the EU is that the delay is unreasonable, with neither “appropriateness” nor “proportionality” visible in the iGaming ban, as other countries in the EU are generating effective regulation models which incorporate reduction in gambling addiction, match-fixing and money laundering into their strategies and policies. Pilot Disagreement The pilot document concludes that in Germany, the blanket monopoly cannot be considered a preventative measure when fraudulent activity and crime is growing in the illegal online gambling sector in Germany. The commission also calls for removal of the cap on sports-betting licenses issued in German that now limits the number of operators in the market to 20. The commission also points out seeming inequities in the lottery system which restrict private players under a monopoly even while the most addicting product, gaming machines, continue to be run by private commercial operators. Unless the German government revises its State Treaty soon, Germany could become the EU first country disciplined for an unsatisfactory form of iGaming regulation.
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