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Deportivo had an extremely busy schedule, with four games over the last two weeks and they failed to win any of them. Winning on the road at Real Sociedad would mean a great deal for the visitors, but their priority right now is to simply end the slide. The hosts have higher expectations and hope to win back-to-back victories for the first time in two months, but they need to push for victory without key players. Tough Games in 2016 for Both Teams Deportivo and Real Sociedad were rather unsuccessful this January, but there is an explanation for their recent struggles. Both of them played against Villarreal and Real Madrid and were defeated, yet La Coruna was unlucky to drop points against the Yellow Submarine. Poor defensive effort cost them 2 points in the final seconds of overtime, so manager Sanchez will reinforce the backline for this fixture. He has plenty of reasons to improve the defensive performance of his team, after getting hammered by Real Madrid over the weekend. Deportivo allowed five unanswered goals despite having superior ball possession and sending more shots at the opposing goal. Real Sociedad Roster Stretched to the Limit Jonathas scored both goals against Valencia within three minutes, leading his team to victory, but overall Real Sociedad was not the better side. The hosts can’t rely on luck once again against Deportivo and will need to put more pressure upfront, if they hope the visitors’ backline will crack. The problem for the home side is that it lacks some of its best players, including top goalscorer Agirretxe, who is still on the injury list. Jonathas is guaranteed to play the entire 90 minutes after his convincing performance against Valencia and is likely to be joined by Vela. The latter is coming back after a lengthy break caused by an injury, so he is unlikely to play at 100%. Punters will find the even odds offered by bet365 Sports quite tempting, for the double chance wager on Deportivo.
The trading dispute between the US government and Antigua dates from 2004 and until recently, there was little hope for a settlement. 2016 brings good news though, because it seems like a resolution of the trade argument is just around the corner. The officials of both Antigua and the United States finally agreed to resolve the WTA dispute by the end of the month, with US authorities being the initiators. A Mutually Beneficial Resolution Both parties held firm for 12 years and the occasional offers made by either of them were swiftly dismissed over this long period of time. Apparently, the United States’ latest offer brings something new to the table, but the details are yet to be disclosed to the broad audience. Charles Fernandez, Antigua’s Foreign Affairs Minister indicated that his country is leaning towards accepting this offer. Few remember that the scandal began almost 13 years ago, when Antigua filed the original complaint to the World Trade Organization. They were upset by the fact that the United States showed discriminatory treatment to nations that were licensing online gambling sites serving the US market. The Americans countered with the argument of trying to regulate all gambling operators, without being unfair to any nation in particular. Antigua Hopes for Financial Compensations The World Trade Organization initially ruled in the favor of Antigua, stating that the United States allowed bookmakers to place bets on online horse races. These were accepted within the US borders, while other international operators were denied access or blocked each step of the way. Antigua was supposed to collect $21 million on a yearly basis from the United States, as a compensation for the ban enforced by the American authorities. Unfortunately for the tiny nation, it is yet to see a dime and this only amplified the trade dispute. Now that the resolution finally seems possible, they might receive the financial compensations, despite the lack of success of the previous negotiations.
Lithuania is hardening its stance towards online gamblers, which means a new regulation model. Offshore Companies Targeted Recent gambling reforms implemented by the government have yielded broad powers to the country's ministry of finance to target offshore companies that offer illegal unregulated gambling to the citizens of Lithuania citizens. The Lithuanian gambling regulator GCA has taken "severe action" against unlicensed websites. The new regulations include a mandate as of January 1st compelling all financial institutions from banks to payment providers to refuse transactions stemming from illegal online gambling. The new sweeping powers include the issuance of legally binding orders to network service providers that will block all users from accessing offshore gambling sites, under legal threat of significant fines. GCA has gone so far as to compile a blacklist of websites non grata, which will continue to expand to all "gambling operators who organize remote gambling illegally and target the Republic of Lithuania.” Mending the Fence This regulation comes at the impetus of being chastised by the European Commission along with five other states for failing to regulate online gambling. The new regime is modeled after the Belgian model carrying a prerequisite of all operators to be incorporated as a company in Lithuania and show an issued share capital of at least $1.1 million ($1.18 million), along with a prerequisite of remote gaming licensees to be partners with an existing land-based casino in the country in order to get an online license. Too Restrictive? The measures may still be considered a bit too restrictive for EU policy, due to the EU's preference for free movement of services across inter-EU borders. In the first week of the new requirements, the GCA reported receiving one license. Whether this is due to the relative strictness or the smaller size of the economy is up for debate, since Lithuania is not a prominent EU economy, whether online gambling is regulated or not. Outlook Lithuania may have to promote its domestic economic appeal for foreign entry in order to stimulate the economy and enjoy the economic benefits that an effective system of online gambling regulation can offer.
Now Betfair is getting into virtual sports, continuing a trend of bet providers integrating newly emerging virtual sports. New Partnership Terms A new partnership with virtual game provider Inspired will see the top gambling provider roll out desktop and mobile offerings. Betfair's move is in response to the “stellar global success” of Inspired's virtual content and seeks to meet the resulting spike in demand from players for Inspired's seven popular titles Rush Football, Rush Horses, Rush Greyhounds, Rush Motor Racing, Rush Speedway and Rush Tennis. Betfair will integrate Inspired's offerings into a its massive channel, consisting of ongoing streams of virtual sports 24/7, providing players with up to 3,360 events to bet on each day via desktop. Betfair will also launch separate streams for the UK and global feeds via the iOS and Android platforms as part of the deal. Inspired Reaction Inspired chief commercial officer Steve Rogers welcomed Betfair to “the action” of “the increasingly popular category” of sports betting in Virtual Sports., adding that “the immediacy and excitement” of Virtual Sports betting “are already going down a storm with Betfair players.” Inspired, the London virtual game supplier, offers innovative Verticals, Casino, Slots and Video Lottery games and technology across 35 countries. With clients that already include William Hill, Gala Bingo, Bet365, Ladbrokes, Paddy Power and others, it is clear that an integration of virtual gaming into gambling sites is taking place. Blind Betting? While virtual games have been popular with Betfair players on first impact, the question remains whether the discriminating punter will in the long run embrace virtual games as much as live events and entertainment, with the understanding that betting on technologically-generated outcomes still stands categorically apart and distinct from betting on human behavior and the human reactions of real sports situations. User metrics can go a long way towards determining if players just want to bet on anything, in a compulsive manner, or if players are thinking critically and selectively about the types of bets they want to make, and the types of activities they want to bet on.
DrückGlück Casino (aka DrueckGlueck Casino) is a well-known casino within the German borders, but it is not dwelling on its popularity and strives to expand its customer base. This is the purpose of the new TV campaign that was launched in 2016 and brought together more than a couple of local celebrities. The casino has a sizable budget and doesn’t hesitate to spend it on both off-line and online initiatives that include sponsorship deals. A Barrage of Daily TV Ads DruckGluck Casino means business and in order to make sure that prospective customers get the message, it will intensify its campaign of TV adverts. Their games are produced by the popular SkillOnNet software developer, so they virtually sell themselves, making them an easy pitch for the online casino. Luck is at the cornerstone of this new campaign and a key concept that acts as a straight line throughout all their recent promotions. Reiner "Calli" Calmund is the protagonist of some of the new advertisements which highlight the impact of good and bad luck in all our choices. The attention paid to off-line activities is impressive and DruckGluck representatives suggest that these campaigns are just the tip of the iceberg. The Ultimate Mobile Gambling Experience SkillOnNet has always paid attention to mobile gambling and all the recent games developed by them can be played on smartphones and tablets. In its new campaign, DruckGluck Casino highlights the fact that the graphics are better than ever before and some great new features were added. The TV advertisements are expected to appeal particularly to those who use smartphones and tablets to gamble online. Mobile gambling is the fastest-growing division in the entire gaming industry and SkillOnNet produces top-quality software for mobile gadgets. DruckGluck Casino plans to spend just as much money on offline and online campaigns and in 2016 will also sponsor Schleswig Holstein based handball club TH Keil.
Next month, the London Affiliate Conference is set to reach new highs in attendance and corresponding networking opportunities. Loaded Schedule Overview With over 4000 delegates attending the 2016 London Affiliate Conference 2016 from the 4th February - 7th February, the tenth edition of the conference will be chock full of four days of conferences, themed exhibitions and specialized networking events. The schedule is loaded and the pace will be fast, kicking off with a welcome and pre-registration reception on Thursday the 4th of February at the official event hotel Hilton London Olympia's Society Bar. The iGB Affiliate Awards will follow, celebrating growth, innovation and achievements within the affiliate sector of the gaming industry. Day 2 will follow with an Expo & Conference featuring over one hundred exhibitors and three conference tracks. Day 3 will provide the opportunity to close new deals and forge new network alliances, then hearing from industry experts at the conference, and finishing off the day with drinks at the hotel before the final night closing party set take place at the top floor of the opulent Kensington Roof Gardens. The Day 4 Sunday session will provide one last unwind session on the afternoon from 1-4 PM. Speakers Three leading speakers include Adam Gent, the Senior Search Strategist for Branded3 who will share insights on the advanced technical SEO Strategies to massive UK’s big brands including Ladbrokes, Bathstore, and Moss Brothers; Aferdita Pacrami, the CEO of 90 Digital, who will share her expertise in setting up teams and implementing innovative digital strategies; and Alexandra Tachalova, a leading Independent Digital Marketing Consultant who will share strategies for implementing brand presence in European markets. Networking LAC has already established an app available now through which the over 4000 expected attendees can access all delegates and start networking as soon as they pre-register. Innovative Opportunity The LAC prides itself on the relaxed atmosphere of the events that encourages an open exchange of ideas and experiences among all affiliates, affiliate managers, operators and speakers, and this unique ambience represents an opportunity that should not be missed.
Leading UK gaming charity Responsible Gambling Trust (RGT) has confirmed significant participation at the February ICE exhibition in London's Excel Center. Harm Minimisation One of the leading UK charities in the fight to minimise gambling-related harm will use ICE as the venue to release its Annual Report, introduce its GambleAware brand on a large scale and showcase the world-leading research, harm prevention and treatment work underway which is being funded by voluntary donations from the gambling industry. RGT Chief Exec Marc Etches characterised the ICE exhibition as “an invaluable opportunity” to raise RGT's profile with an ambitious programme over the next three years which will utilize this forum as an industry reminder of the importance of contributions to support their work. Standardized Rate RGT has established an ideal rate of 0.1% for contributions from the Gross Gambling Yield. If each operator can honor those guidelines, this amount should top out at around £9 million per annum according to Gambling Commission statistics. For the current year, RGT currently expects to receive roughly £6.3 million in donations in for this fiscal year, excluding the National Lottery. ICE Marketing Director Jo Mayer asserted her certainty that "ICE shows the gambling industry at its very best.” She further pointed out that the iGaming industry is actually the first to embrace and deploy advances in technology which can play a “pivotal role” in the development of many national and regional economies while maintaining “a strong commitment to social responsibility.” About ICE The B2B ICE Totally Gaming is particularly important to the industry because it brings together the online and offline gaming sectors, and emphasizes the specialized innovations in casino, betting, bingo, lottery, mobile, online and street sectors. ICE Totally Gaming also reveals the hottest area of hottest growth in land-based, online and mobile gaming courtesy and is an opportunity for all iGaming professionals not to be missed.
Royal Panda is a staunch supporter of live dealer games and players get to choose between different types of roulette, blackjack and baccarat. Live roulette is one of the most popular games and one of the best paying ones, with tens of thousands of dollars up for grabs. A lucky player from the United Kingdom defeated the proverbial house edge and won a combined sum of $49,770 during a single gaming session. A Weekend to Remember Action never stops at the Royal Panda Live Roulette, but most of the players gather around the roulette wheel during the weekends. Matthew from the United Kingdom decided to put his luck and skill to the test on Sunday and a couple of hours later, he was $50,000 richer. A savvy Roulette player, he chose to use a variety of bets and the ball landed on the cluster of numbers he predicted more than once. The gaming session started better than expected, with the lucky player winning increments of $10,000 over a short period of time. Matthew decided against cashing out these profits early and his perseverance paid off, as he retired a few hours later with $50,000 more than he started. Professional and Friendly Croupiers The friendly demeanor and the sheer professionalism of the croupiers is what make Royal Panda’s Live Roulette great. Many fans of this game decided to shift from the random number generator roulette and play against real dealers. The game has the same house edge as the RNG version, but players enjoy a gaming experience comparable to land-based casinos. The player from United Kingdom is so far the biggest winner in 2016, but thousands of players are enjoying live roulette on a daily basis. It delivers a Vegas style roulette experience, while allowing players to wager less than one dollar or double digit sums.
Las Palmas was regarded as the most likely team to relegate at the end of the season, but so far the newly promoted side is defying the critics. It recently left the relegation area and has also advanced to the next stage of Copa del Rey, while scoring plenty of goals both at home and on the road. The toughest test for them is to score and win against Atletico Madrid, the team with the best defensive in La Liga. Narrow Margin Victories Propel Atletico Madrid the Top Barcelona and Real Madrid are within striking distance, but at the time of writing it is Atletico Madrid that tops the La Liga tables. The reigning champions have one game in hand, so there is no room for error when they travel to Las Palmas. Recent results, suggest that the leaders have what it takes to secure narrow margin victories even against the stringiest teams. Over the last two weeks, Atletico Madrid won three games and only allowed one goal in the Copa del Rey against Rayo Vallecano. They will have the chance to make amendments in the second leg, but the top priority is to extend their lead in the domestic championship. Goal Scoring Spree for Las Palmas Las Palmas scored a combined 10 goals in the last four games, winning twice and splitting points on two occasions. It will take a lot of confidence for the home side to stick to this offensive strategy, but they’ve got no option against such a clinical team as Atletico Madrid. Five players are injured, but the hosts have been playing with several of them for most of the season, so their absence should go unnoticed. Since there is no value in the odds offered by bookmakers for Atletico Madrid to win, punters should look the other way. bet365 Sports gives odds of 4/5 on the home side not to lose, while returning the stakes if the visitors win once again by the odd goal.
Lightning can apparently strike twice at LeoVegas Casino, where a Swedish player won two flagship competitions within just a few weeks. The fortunate player began by winning a Hollywood vacation in the Jackpot Party competition, which was then followed by them winning a £25,000 cash sum in the Christmas Million event. The Nameless Winner LeoVegas Casino has been unable to release many details about the winner, who wishes to remain anonymous, but what is known is that they are male and that that they hail from a Swedish town named Västra Götaland. The thrilled winner told LeoVegas that they wanted to spend a portion of winnings on making their family happy. Many different players chose to enter the Christmas Million event. And they did so by depositing £10 or more in December to play for an array of smaller cash prizes. LeoVegas drew attention to the event by giving away £100,000 to players, with £25,000 going to the nameless winner. Winner Was Lost for Words In the absence of any comments from the Swedish winner, LeoVegas country manager Shenaly Amin was able to provide a couple of insights to the industry. Amin described the winner as being “almost lost for words” during their phone conversation to discuss the unprecedented luck for the Swedish man. Amin also touched upon the fact that they had recently spoken to the winner about their Hollywood vacation prize. The winner was described as one of the site’s “luckiest customers” and that their winning streak was “unprecedented”, with Amin joking that they should “put him on speed dial”. Amin was also able to explain that LeoVegas will continue to arrange large-scale events that give away appealing prizes. This strategy has become common in an industry where players have an abundance of choices and their attention has to be drawn by the leading online casinos.
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