Launches and sign-ups 4 April 2012
Launches and sign-ups from the egaming industry in the last seven days (29 March to 4 April 2012).
bwin.party Rush Poker variant “in development”
Operator also working on developing new social gaming division after co-CEO admits to “underestimating” sector.
bwin.party has a fast-paced poker product “in development” following similar products from PokerStars and Relax Gaming in recent weeks, co-CEO Jim Ryan has admitted.
No date has been set for a launch and it is currently unclear whether it will go live before or after the migration of bwin’s players onto the PartyPoker platform.
Dot.com players are due to migrate in the third quarter of this year, with dot.fr and dot.it migrations set to follow in Q4, Ryan said during an analyst call following its annual results this morning.
Meanwhile the operator is making progress on the development of a new social gaming division distinct from its real-money offering, with co-CEO Norbert Teufelberger admitting on the same callthat he “Never believed [social] was something that’s going to materialise and I underestimated how powerful it would be.”
OpenBet signs multi-million software deal with Ladbrokes
OpenBet has renewed its long-standing relationship with Ladbrokes signing a multi-million pound deal to supply the UK operator with its sportsbook and casino software.
The costs and terms of the deal remain undisclosed, however a large part of the contract is thought to be based on revenue share performance. The financial amount involved in the contract is equally unclear, with an OpenBet statement suggesting the contract is multi-year and worth several million pounds a year. As well as initial costs Ladbrokes will also have to pay licence, support and ongoing developments costs.
After announcing in February last year that he would seek to re-negotiate all of the company’s third party supplier contracts, Richard Glynn (pictured), CEO of Ladbrokes said that he was pleased to extend its long-standing relationship with OpenBet through a “more flexible agreement which offers revenue opportunities to both parties and increases the range of games we offer”.
Exclusive: Winamax to launch US-facing poker offering
French poker operator Winamax will launch a free-play poker site targeting the US market ahead of potential regulation, and will also go live with a Facebook application this week, CEO Canel Frichet (pictured) has told eGaming Review.
Frichet said that the company, which overtook PokerStars to become the leading poker operator in the French market in January this year, is well-placed to become a leading operator in a regulated US market having been able to successfully negotiate the difficult conditions in its current jurisdiction.
“The fiscal and regulatory structure is so complex in France that we feel that we would know how to navigate any American model, either interstate or federal,” she said.
Seven days in launches and sign-ups:
Rank ends Gala casinos negotiations
Rank Group has ended talks with Gala Coral over the potential acquisition its land-based casino estate after three months of due diligence.
The two operators entered into discussions at the end of January with a view to Rank paying up to £250m for the 24 UK venues, however today the Mecca Bingo operator explained that “It became clear that the proposed terms of the acquisition would not serve the best interests of Rank’s shareholders”.
Stars mobile app adds iPad 3 support
PokerStars’ mobile app is now compatible with iPad 3 devices following the operator’s latest update to the product.
Other new features to be added include the ability to request hand histories from within the mobile client and what the operator describes as “Improved filters for micro-stakes games”. Relevant elements of the update are available to users of Apple and Android devices in the UK and Italy.
GTECH G2 launches Mac poker client
GTECH G2 has gone live with a Mac poker client for the International Poker Network.
The new client, known as Poker 8.0, includes all game types both for tournaments and for cash games.
Jaxx to change name mybet
German operator Jaxx intends to change its name to mybet, reflecting the company’s best-performing brand.
Poker Nordica shuts down
Merge Network skin Poker Nordica has closed its doors with immediate effect, according to an email seen by eGaming Review.
Tote Ireland named Punchestown Gold Cup sponsor
Tote Ireland is the new sponsor of the Punchestown Gold Cup, one of the country’s top staying chases, it has announced.
William Hill has launched its live casino offering in Italy. It currently features roulette, while players will also soon be able to play blackjack. The operator’s Italian country manager Roby Salvadori said: “It’s fun and easy to use and we believe it will be a big hit with Italian players”.
Intralot‘s Dutch subsidiary Intralot Nederland B.V. has launched its new Eurojackpot lotto game for its Dutch subsidiary De Lotto, the company has announced. De Lotto CEO Harrie Linders commented: “We are proud to introduce this exciting new game in the Netherlands. The international character of the game offers incredible Jackpots that are attractive to all consumers. History shows us that expanding our game portfolio has always led to increasing revenues for our good causes.”