Launches and sign-ups 18 July 2012
Launches and sign-ups from the egaming industry in the last seven days (12 July to 18 July 2012).
Ladbrokes launches live betting on ITV.com
Bookmaker to integrate betting widget onto TV network’s sport website.
Ladbrokes has entered into a partnership with ITV, which will see the bookmaker’s odds integrated onto the TV network’s sports website.
The agreement will see Lads provide the site with what it describes as a “unique betting widget”, designed in partnership with ITV, marketing agency Walker Media and software developer Fresh 8 Gaming, allowing punters to view live odds and place bets without leaving the ITV Sport website or mobile app. The deal will also see a ‘bet now’ tab integrated onto the ITV Sport navigation panel, providing customers with additional links and content provided by Ladbrokes.
Commenting on the launch a spokesman for the operator explained that the agreement “is a great example of how we are working with clients to explore and harness new possibilities presented by developing technologies.”
It is the latest deal signed by Ladbrokes to enhance its customer engagement strategies and develop significant media partnerships, after recruiting SkyIQ as its customer intelligence partner to work on CRM, customer analytics and campaign effectiveness in March this year, and signing a deal to launch AtTheRaces’ mobile streaming service in November 2011.
Ongame enters casino market
Paf becomes first operator on network to offer casino side games within poker client.
Operators on the Ongame network will now be able to offer their customers the chance to play casino side games without leaving the poker client
The poker network has teamed up with WMS-owned developer and publisher Jadestone to offer the products, and has signed up Finnish monopoly Paf as the first customer with a poker offering on the network to implement casino games, including blackjack and roulette.
Bwin.party-owned Ongame briefly offered a variety of in-house developed casino games to its clients in 2005. A spokesperson for Ongame said that at the time the company decided to focus on poker, in conjunction with the development of the next generation poker software P5, which required all of its development resources.
A statement from Ongame said the implementation of casino side games “ of which there are currently 10 to choose from “ is designed to “increase total operator revenues without cannibalising on poker”.
Side games also enable the promotion of other gaming products to poker players, which increases long-term player loyalty for the operator brand, it said.
Seven days in launches and sign-ups
APAT acquires Poker.co.uk
The Amateur Poker Association & Tour (APAT) has announced it will enter the online poker market after it acquired the assets of online poker room Poker.co.uk.
Following the deal, worth an unspecified sum, APAT will take control of the player database, online poker software and customer support contracts of the website, which sits on GTECH G2’s International Poker Network.
The Poker.co.uk online poker room will be rebranded APAT later in the year. It will host satellites and direct entry to APAT’s Live and Online Championship tournaments, the National Online League and the inaugural National Online Cup.
Bet Butler agrees partnership with InplayMatrix
Betting concierge service Bet Butler has chosen sportsbook platform provider InplayMatrix to launch its first offering to the Asian market.
Bet Butler, which launched in August last year, allows customers to access bets from more than 60 bookmakers from a single account.
InplayMatrix was shortlisted for Innovation in Sports Betting Software at this year’s eGR B2B Awards.
Bet Butler spokesman Chris Bell said: “There’s an insatiable hunger for sports betting in Asia, which made it an obvious target for Bet Butler. Our customers in the UK can access the best odds from over 60 bookmakers round the world, and the 20,000 in-play games offered by InplayMatrix only makes our Asian offering even stronger.”
Virgin Games launches new slot with Quickfire
Virgin Games has launched Necker Island on Microgaming’s Quickfire platform, a new online slot based on Virgin founder and owner Sir Richard Branson’s private Caribbean retreat of the same name.
The company, which also has a slots agreement with Playtech, opted to use Quickfire for the new release, which has been developed by Genesis Gaming. It has already worked with the Microgaming-powered platform on its mobile casino, launched last December.
Quickfire has signed a number of new deals in recent months, announcing agreements with Betclic and Mr Green for casino games content.
Bally releases mobile app for Washington casino
Bally Technologies has released a new mobile app for the 7 Cedars Casino in Washington, which includes a free slot game for users.
The free app, available on Apple and Android devices, allow users to view 7 Cedars’ casino promotions, get table games and slot information, check its tournament results, view its rewards club point balances and access other information such as GPS maps, photo tours and dining menus.
Bally’s vice president of regional sales, Mike Walsh, said: “We are so pleased to partner with 7 Cedars Casino and provide them with this custom mobile solution. The 7 Cedars apps will be an incredible customer-service tool and a powerful new way to interact with and entertain their patrons.”
EA Mobile and Caesars Interactive launch WSOP app
Caesars Interactive Entertainment (CIE) has teamed up with Electronic Arts’ mobile division EA Mobile to launch a World Series of Poker (WSOP) free play poker app, allowing players to compete in tournaments to collect virtual WSOP rings and bracelets.
The game will be available on iPad, iPhone and iPod devices and will offer multiple game modes including two different styles of poker – Texas Hold’em and Omaha Poker. The app is also available on Facebook, allowing players to challenge friends, send virtual in-game gifts to other players and purchase additional virtual chips.
Lottomatica Group announced that its subsidiary GTECH Corporation has signed a 10-year contract as the supplier of lottery technology and support services to Grupo Slots, the new license-holder to be the private operator of the lottery in the province of San Luis, Argentina.