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Germany is tied with France as favorite to win the Euro 2016 and nobody doubts their ability to win the group. Poland the Northern Ireland will be fighting for the second chance, with Ukraine also in the mix and head to head games will be of critical importance. Poland has the best offensive and will try to prove it in the opening match, when they take on one of the best defensive teams. All Eyes on Lewandowski The Polish striker is a threat for any defensive and everyone is waiting to see how he will perform against Germany. Lewandowski will warm up for that confrontation with a match against Northern Ireland and its backline made of five players. They were on the verge of extending their invincible run, but lost the last friendly game against the Netherlands on June 1. Northern Ireland is not to be underestimated offensively, but Poland has skilled goalkeepers that should be able to protect the net. All three goaltenders are playing in the Premier League and have a lot of experience at the highest level. A little support from the backline will go a long way and would improve Poland’s chances of keeping a clean sheet. Tremendous Pressure on the Northern Ireland Team Qualifying for your 2016 is a performance in itself, but surviving the group stage with be nothing short of spectacular for Northern Ireland. They came a long way to play at the most important European championship and will be trying to scrape points from each match. The odds on Poland to prevail are constantly dropping, with bet365 Sports currently offering 4/5 on the favorites to emerge victorious. Punters tend to back the favorites in the opening matches of major tournaments, so these odds will probably sink even further in anticipation of the first whistle.
A brewing online gambling controversy has raised divisions within the Dutch government. Whose Problem Is It? The question of Dutch jurisdiction in Curacao has arisen as a result of suspicions harbored by some Dutch government officials of links between online operators in the island nation and organized crime. Plasterk Says Not Ours In a formal response to Parliamentary questions from Dutch MPs Ronald van Raak of the Socialist Party (SP) and Andre Bosman of the ruling party VVD, Dutch Minister of Kingdom Relations Ronald Plasterk disavowed responsibility for jurisdiction over illegal activities in Curacao. Technically Speaking Technically, only online casinos in Curacao serving the Dutch market are administered to by the Netherlands Parliament, through the Dutch Ministry of Security and Justice in the Hague. Since online casinos are global operations that serve beyond the Dutch market, Plasterk asserts that these Curacao casinos are not within the supervision of his Ministry. Some Suspect UTS Widespread reports are surfacing that Van Raak and Bosman concerns are focused on potential connections to organized crime from Curacao´s publicly owned national telecom provider UTS. UTS Responds UTS expressed their resentment in a press statement, saying: “The good name of the company is unfairly affected. The management of UTS suspects the Dutch MPs to have a double agenda.” UTS further urged local MPs to unite in one voice to preserve the reputation of the island from the public relations threat posed by the publicly expressed suspicions of the members of the imperial Dutch government, of whose kingdom Curacao remains a constituent. Accountant Rejects Dutch Authority UTS´ accounting firm KPMG has refused to share UTS financial statements with the Dutch government. KMPG cites client loyalty over obligations to the Dutch government, saying refusing to share does not constitute evidence of any wrongdoing. The firm asserts that neither it nor UTS is beholden by law to submit financial statements to the Netherlands Chamber of Commerce. Outlook Questions of the extent of UTS involvement in online gambling in Curacao, the extent to which the supported activity is illegal, and the extent of Dutch jurisdiction in the online arena of the Curacao market still within their antiquated imperial jurisdiction all constitute issues still to be resolved.
International Game Technology (IGT) is on a jackpot frenzy with a staggering £14.5 million awarded since February 2015. The latest huge jackpot winner was a Gala Coral player who scored a huge £1,215,480 payday on IGT’s MegaJackpots Cleopatra Slot game. A Whopping 19 Jackpots, Six This Year Alone Of the 19 jackpots awarded this year, six have been awarded between April 11 and May 24 totaling an impressive £4.2 million with each of the six jackpots coming in at well over £500,000. All jackpots were awarded on IGT’s MegaJackpots series which includes fresh releases like MegaJackpots Cleopatra, MegaJackpots Siberian Storm and MegaJackpots Isle O’Plenty. Besides the whopping £1,215,480 prize awarded in April 11, 2016, another Gala Coral player managed to win a £681,494 on MegaJackpots Cleopatra on April 27, 2016. Of the remaining winners one Sky Vegas user won £513,166 jackpot on the Cleopatra game on the 28th of April while a Betfair player won a £594,978 jackpot on the same game on May 6th, 2016. The final two winners include a NetBet player who hit a £506,382 jackpot on his mobile device while playing MegaJackpots Siberian Storm on the 7th of May, 2016 as well as a Grosvenor Casino player who hit an impressive £691,866 jackpot by playing MegaJackpots Cleopatra on his mobile device on the 25th of May, 2016. IGT Team “Delighted” with Winning Streak Gianluca Ballocci, IGT’s VP of Commercial Interactive Sales declared that both himself and the entire team at IGT is “delighted” to see the MegaJackpots series award 6 new players with some impressive cash prizes. He also added that the company strives to supply both players and operators the most impressive payouts “in the iGaming sector”. Of the three games mentioned from the MegaJackpots series, Isle O’Plenty was added just this February, 2016. IGT is recognized as one of the leading names in gaming development in the global online gambling industry. IGT is present in over 100 countries all over the globe boasting 12,000 employees.
The Italian online gambling industry made forward strides in May 2016 after posting strong financial results. For May, the industry benefitted from a 30.3% revenue increase to €34.7 million. That positivity contributed to a larger trend in which revenue during the 2016’s first five months were €175 million, which represented a 35.6% increase on the first five months of 2015. Leading Operators in Italy Within the industry, there are five online gambling operators accounting for more than 40% of all revenue. Lottomatica is the undisputed leader with a 12.2% share, coming in ahead of Sisal on 9.2%. The shares are closer among the next three operators, with William Hill on 6.9%, Eurobet on 6.1%, and PokerStars on 5.8%. Online Poker Growth Online poker was a promising sector within the financial results, as there was 7.7% growth to reach €4.4 million for May 2016. However, this was offset slightly by an 18.6% increase in tournament earnings to €38.4 million compared to May 2015. But this did result in a 9.6% decline in cash game revenues, which were valued ay €5.9 million. PokerStars Dominating Sector PokerStars is the clear leader in online poker, considering the operator held a 72.8% revenue share as of May 2016. For cash game earnings, PokerStars was credited with a smaller 47.6% share. Another key development was PokerStars’ launch of casino games, which contributed to the brand placing as the fifth largest online gambling operator in Italy. Closed Poker Market A curious aspect of the Italian online gambling industry is that poker is run as a closed market, making it possible for an operator of PokerStars’ scale to rise to such a dominant position. Basically, this restriction means that Italian sites are not permitted share their player pools with other countries, such as the UK. This is similar to the markets in France and Spain.
Since being appointed as the new CEO of Microsoft, Satya Nadella made a few bold moves and acquisitions. All of them are about to be dwarfed by this purchase, estimated at more than $26 billion. The company has announced its plans to acquire LinkedIn for this huge amount and the acquisition is expected to conclude at the end of 2016. The boards of directors unanimously approved the deal and are optimistic about its impact on both companies. LinkedIn to Retain Brand and Independence Satya Nadella was impressed by LinkedIn’s ability to connect professionals from all over the world. More than 400 million people rely on LinkedIn to find jobs, stay in touch with old friends and colleagues and some of them pay for the premium services. Microsoft might be the new owner, but its representatives have agreed that for LinkedIn to grow at the same accelerated pace, it would be better if the company would retain its independence and brand. This is the most important acquisition made by the new CEO, although Microsoft has invested massively in other companies. In the wake of this announcement, the shares of LinkedIn increased by nearly 50% while Microsoft’s stock moved into the opposite direction albeit by only 3%. LinkedIn shareholders still need to approve the acquisition, but the wheels are set in motion and it looks like it’s only a matter of time What Happens Next with LinkedIn Employees? CEO Jeff Weiner was quick to dismiss any rumors about major changes and emphasized the fact that for the employees it will be business as usual. He will remain in charge and report directly to the Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, with the vast majority of workers also retaining their positions. The odd exception will be those who used to focus on maintaining the company’s status as a publicly traded venture.
World Match is on online software provider that offers online gaming operators two options when it comes to integrating player account management systems. These options are Seamless and Wallet, two systems that have their advantages and disadvantages when it comes to how they integrate into the operator’s system. The difference between Seamless and Wallet is in the way they communicate with the operating system. Seamless communicates in real time, making integration constant and continuous. Wallet integration takes place at two points - at the beginning of the game session and the end. On the player’s end, there is no practical difference between either of these methods; it’s up to operators to decide which one works best for them. Advantages and Disadvantages Seamless updates players’ accounts in real time, which means that the operator has control over all transactions at all times. On the other hand, because there is a constant flow of data, operations can be slowed down or affected by faults in communication.World Match has worked on this issue and, according to Riccardo Golia, Lead Software Architect of World Match, they have successfully created a Seamless system that is not subject to these malfunctions. On the other hand, their Wallet integration system also operates successfully. Wallet allows players to use the credit they’ve purchased beforehand throughout their whole gaming session. When the credit expires, the player’s account is updated. World Match recommends this option for operators who work within regulated markets, since these locations include a third party: the Regulator. In Italy, for example, the Regulator requires a player to buy a session ticket in order to access the game; this entails not only communication between the player and operator, but also between the Regulator. Wallet is also less likely to suffer from temporary network defaults and delays because there is not a continuous flow of data. Either Way, Operators Can Customize Whether operators decide to go with Seamless or Wallet, World Match offers a flexible approach that includes room for maneuvering within integration guidelines and room for customization. Essentially, World Match creates a unique integration system for each operator based on their specs and needs. According to Golia, that’s what makes World Match stand out from the competition. About World Match World Match was launched in 2003 as a pioneering online gaming company, and to this day provides quality gaming solutions to online casino operators all over the world.
Arguably, the best match in the group stage will get underway tonight between the Belgium and Italian teams. This Group E highlight will undoubtedly draw much attention from viewers and punters from around the world, as top online sportsbooks have posted competitive odds and betting opportunities for this big match. The last time that Belgium and Italy met was last winter in which Belgium bested Italy 3-1. In all truth that game should’ve been won by the Italians who were relentless in their attacking, getting numerous attempts at goals, but unable to score. Belgium had two late winners from Kevin De Bruyne and Michy Batshuayi, but the Italians were without Marco Verratti and other key players. What we should take away from that game is what will be tonight. As Belgium arte favorites to win, with sportsbooks like bet365 Sports posting odds in favor of Belgium at 2.60 for an outright victory, while Italy is listed at 3.10. This is an optimal time to make an underdog wager with Italy, as something tells me they will walk away with a 2-1 win after 90 minutes. Both Italy and Belgium will be looking to win Group E and tonight should be the most action-packed match of the night, but there are also matches between Spain and the Czech Republic and Ireland vs Sweden, which will also be incredible to watch. Key Betting Opportunities Bet365 is your home for the Euro 2016. The famed UK sportsbook is offering pre-game props bets, as well as live in-play betting opportunities throughout all 90 minutes of action. Double Chance, Correct Score and Over/Under are all great options, and bet365 is running its Euro Money Back Bore Offer, which returns wagers on all first, last goal scorer lines if the match ends in a 0-0 draw. The Euro features thousands of wagering opportunities and it would be a shame to miss out on the chance for lucrative cash.
A bill that would legalize online gambling and poker in Michigan made it past the first round of approval last week, with the Senate Regulatory Reform Committee voting in favor of it during a hearing last Wednesday. The bill was approved in an 8-1 vote, and will now head to the Senate floor. However, while the initial vote was a landslide, it is not certain that the bill will make the cut-off for this year’s legislative session. Michigan’s legislature will adjourn at the end of the month, and lawmakers are still working on a final version of the state’s budget. This means that there might not be enough time to consider the online gambling bill. If not, it will get pushed off until next year. Michigan's Fast Work Unlike other states (such as California) that have been struggling with the online gambling issue for years, Michigan’s iGaming bill was introduced only in April of this year by State Senator Mike Kowall. An informational hearing was immediately held in May, during which Kowall revealed that he had all the state’s casino stakeholders on board. He expressed confidence that the bill has the potential to be passed, providing that Michigan approves its state budget in time. Also working in Kowall’s favor is the recent selling of online lottery tickets to the Michigan Lottery, which began in 2014. So far, online sales have boosted the state’s revenue, and online gambling has the potential to do the same. At a time when Michigan is suffering from the water crisis in Flint and continued criticism of its public schools, additional revenue is sorely needed. Other States Vying For Fourth Place At the same time that online gambling is being propelled forward in Michigan, other states such as New York, Pennsylvania and California have also been fighting to pass legislation. But in all states, the legislative sessions are soon coming to an end, which means that if any of these states want to legalize online gambling this year, they need to act fast.
One of the most intriguing pieces of news to emerge from Russian Gaming Week 2016 was the revelation that the country’s Ministry of Finance had already written a draft order to oversee the taxation of online gambling operators. The two-day event was hosted 2-3 June 2016, and brought together Russian gambling companies and their counterparts from international markets. After the 10th iteration of the exhibition, it has emerged that the intention of the draft order is to provide new responsibilities to entrepreneurs rather than restrict their business activities. TSUPIS Introduced for Online Payments At the Moscow-based event, Bingo Boom president Konstantin Makarov made a presentation in which he outlined the purpose of self-regulatory bodies within the context of the gambling industry. This was particularly helpful given a major change made by the Russian Government. Moving forward, the government will use a centralised payment processing system that has been named TSUPIS. Fundamentally, it has been designed to be capable of processing all online gambling payments within the Russian market. During his talk, Makarov also devoted time to explaining legislative changes currently being made to online gambling. Scope of Russian Gaming Week Russian Gaming Week is an expo that operates with a wide embrace of online gambling and igaming sectors. From a broad perspective, those to feature were casino sites, sports betting, online poker, lotteries, and online bingo. More recent niches of focus have been on social gaming and mobile gambling sites. In addition to Bingo Boom, there were numerous other companies present for the exhibition. Those in attendance for the 2016 event included names like Tom Horn Gaming, Bet Construct, Pari Match, Join Games, Rub60, Sport+, Sensis, and Digitain, alongside plenty of others. US Fantasy Sports Insight The speakers in attendance were able to provide information across all manner of topics, including the areas outlined above. However, some speakers were able to share insights on more recent innovations, with the rise of US fantasy sports proving especially popular. In what is still an unregulated market, on the whole, US companies currently challenge their players to engage in fantasy sports competitions for friends. The ultimate prize is to try and win prize money at the expense of their opponents.
With this summer’s major sporting event, the UEFA Euro 2016 taking place these days, the online gambling market was certainly going to take advantage and release some related titles. XIN Gaming, one of the biggest developers of games and systems in the Asian market has released its newest slot game themed after the upcoming event. It is called Euro Football Champ and will allow players that are looking forward to this year’s French hosted tournament to get even more football related entertainment. A Fun Game Filled with Football Themed Entertainment The game boasts 5 reels, 3 rows and 20 lines and includes numerous special features that have a football theme such as the random wilds or penalty-shooting random wilds. Players will certainly enjoy the free spin feature that will allow them to choose the country they play for. XIN Gaming’s CEO Mathias Larsson declared that the release of Euro Football Champ won’t just solidify the company’s spot as the biggest Asian developer but will also showcase its flexibility and ingenuity by delivering a fun, beautifully designed game that also caters to a special event such as the Euro 2016. XIN Gaming is Becoming a Major International Developer XIN Gaming is one of the biggest games and casino operating system developers in the Asian gambling industry and a growing presence in the world scene. While most releases are oriented towards the Asian market, the company gained a solid international reputation thanks to its highly ingenious and flexible creative process which allows them to adapt to a truly worldwide audience. The company has released numerous other titles, both slot games as well as a series of table games. Among its latest slot releases we can mention titles such as Monkey King, Sky Guardians, Candy Quest, Ice Crush, Fantasies as well as Year of the Monkey or Moon Festival.
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