Launches and sign-ups 12 November 2014
Launches and sign-ups from the egaming industry in the last seven days (6 November to 12 November 2014)
Gala Coral merges online sportsbook and gaming teams
Coral Interactive MD John O’Reilly stands down as Gala Coral Group COO Andy Hornby takes reins of combined Gala and Coral Interactive divisions
Gala Coral has announced a major restructuring of its online business after deciding to merge the management teams of its Gala Interactive and Coral Interactive Gibraltar-based businesses.
The move will see Coral Interactive managing director John O’Reilly stand down from his role with Gala Coral Group chief operating officer Andy Hornby set to take charge of the combined division alongside his responsibility for Coral’s retail estate.
The decision comes after Gala Interactive managing director Per Widerstrom in September announced he was to leave the firm before the year’s end in order to take up the positions of chairman and chief executive at Central European operator Fortuna Entertainment. The restructuring is not expected to hasten Widerstrom’s departure.
According to Gala Coral, the changes mark a “new phase of development for the business” with the combined interactive division to work more closely with retail in order to perfect its multi-channel offer.
Pala Interactive partners with the Borgata in New Jersey
A Californian online gaming operator led by former Party Gaming boss Jim Ryan is set to enter the New Jersey egaming market after its partnership with the Borgata casino was approved by the state’s regulator.
Pala Interactive, owned by one of California’s most influential Native American tribes, will initially launch its real-money casino site to players in the state under the Borgata’s licence, with poker likely to follow soon after.
The firm boasts an in-house-built proprietary gaming platform and has been seeking a land-based casino partner to launch in New Jersey for some time, while also preparing for online poker regulation in California.
Seven days in launches and sign-ups:
Boylesports’ Gibraltar move inches closer
Boylesports has confirmed it plans to set up an operational hub in Gibraltar and will meet with authorities from the peninsula later this week in order to finalise details of the move.
Last month, eGR revealed the Irish operator was considering relocating and consolidating its respective Isle of Man and Alderney-licensed sportsbook and gaming teams to Gibraltar following a review of its current setup.
And the move is expected to inch closer today (Wednesday) with the firm due to hold further talks with Gibraltarian authorities to finalise details of the transfer and secure a Gibraltar Gambling Commissioner licence.
BetBright launches first gaming products
Dublin-based operator BetBright has launched a range of online casino products, marking the operator’s first expansion outside of its core sports betting vertical.
The operator’s desktop site now includes a new casino tab featuring card games and a number of Microgaming slots such as Jurassic Park, a games tab and a new live casino.
Registered BetBright account holders yesterday received an email from the company to inform customers of the launch of BetBright Casino which operates under the marketing slogan ‘Play the Moment’.
888sport signs “record-breaking” sponsorship deal
888sport has tied-up a “recording-breaking” horseracing deal to become the headline sponsor of next month’s Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown Park as part of a wider marketing push from the rapidly growing sportsbook brand.
The operator has signed a one-year deal to sponsor the £150,000 Grade 1 race, which is to be called the 888Sport Tingle Creek Chase, while it has also agreed to sponsor the previous race on the 6 December card, the 888sport London National.
The agreement sees 888sport take the reins from last year’s Tingle Creek sponsor BetVictor.
Betit Group signs Playtech casino deal
Betit Group, the owner of Nordic-focussed brands Thrills.com and SuperLenny.com, has signed a deal to join software giant Playtech’s Open Platform.
The Malta-licensed operator has rolled out an initial package of 29 casino games consisting largely of titles developed in-house by Playtech and its Ash Gaming subsidiary.
Betit will also gain access to games developed by more than 30 third-party suppliers and Henric Andersson, COO at Betit, said the deal would enable the firm to be “among the first to offer new and exciting games to our fast growing community”.
Betway to introduce cash out functionality
UK-licensed operator Betway is preparing to launch a new cash out feature to its flagship sports betting product in the coming weeks.
A customer services spokesperson for Betway said the functionality was undergoing “final testing” to ensure it operates smoothly and said the firm expected to roll-out the feature “shortly”.
Cash out will be available on singles, multiples of up to six selections and system bets on both selected pre-match and in-play markets via a new green cash out icon.
Senet Group selects creative agency for debut ad campaign
The Senet Group has selected London-based creative agency The Corner to lead its responsible gambling advertising campaign next year and revealed it expects its membership to swell in the coming months.
Speaking to eGR, Ron Finlay, spokesperson for the recently formed UK self-regulatory group, said The Corner had won a “closely fought” pitch and had “nailed it best of all” with their take on a campaign designed to inform the public of operators’ responsible gambling efforts.
The agency will now work closely with the Senet Group and its founding members Ladbrokes, Coral, William Hill and Paddy Power, to launch the campaign which will be targeted at a younger demographic.
GTECH secures $2.6bn IGT acquisition financing
GTECH has secured US$2.6bn (£1.6m) in financing and announced its shareholders have approved its proposed acquisition of International Game Technology (IGT), clearing the way for it to form a New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) listed gaming giant.
GTECH first announced it was eyeing up the potential acquisition of IGT in June this year and confirmed it was in “preliminary and exploratory talks”before a $6.4bn deal was provisionally agreed a month later.
The acquisition received approval after just 3% of shareholders voted against the move at a meeting held in Rome.