Launches and sign-ups 8 February 2017
Launches and sign-ups from the egaming industry in the last seven days (2 February 2017 to 8 February 2017)
Playtech acquires games developer Eyecon for £50m
Supplier continues with its acquisition strategy snapping up software firm to boost its UK position
Playtech has acquired Australian software company Eyecon in a deal worth £50m in a move which bolsters its bingo business.
The deal sees the supplier make an initial payment of £25m, representing a multiple of 8x Eyecon’s current run-rate EBITDA.
An additional payment of up to £25m is payable on an earn-out basis of six times Eyecon’s EBITDA in the period to June 2019 less the initial payment.
Eyecon, founded in 1997, specialises on producing slots for bingo audiences and currently distributes its games to Playtech’s bingo network.
Kindred Group makes daily fantasy sports play
Kindred Group is planning to enter the daily fantasy sports (DFS) market with the launch of a new Europe-facing product, EGR Intel has learned.
The operator’s DFS product was made available to a limited number of Swedish customers last week on an invite-only basis, with plans to launch in beta mode in the coming weeks.
The product was developed in collaboration with long-term partner Relax Gaming – which also powers Kindred Group’s poker and bingo products – and will initially be integrated into the Unibet sportsbook.
Seven days in launches and sign-ups:
OPAP selects new Betgenius sportsbook platform in digital overhaul
OPAP will overhaul its digital product after securing a major partnership deal with Betgenius, an agreement which will see the Greek giant migrate its entire online sportsbook business to the sports betting supplier’s brand new platform.
The long-term deal will give the operator access to Betgenius’ entire back-office suite of sports betting solutions; including outsourced trading, CRM and marketing tools, and UX development across all digital channels.
Furthermore, OPAP has signed an additional deal for Betgenius’ in-play data feeds across both its digital and vast retail channels, which will enable the operator to offer real-time prices on more than 140,000 events per year.
Mr Green acquires Danish online casino for €9m
Mr Green has moved into the Danish market after acquiring online casino business Dansk Underholdning in a cash deal worth €9m (£7.8m).
As part of the deal, the Stockholm-listed operator will take control of Dansk Underholdning brands Bingosjov, Bingoslottet och and Balletbingo.
Mr Green said it would launch its own casino site alongside Dansk Underholdning’s brands later this year.
Lottoland agree stadium naming rights deal with Manly Sea Eagles
Lottoland is closing in on a major “seven-figure” sponsorship deal with leading Australian NRL side Manly Sea Eagles, an agreement which will include the naming rights for the rugby league team’s iconic stadium.
The deal, which has been approved by the local council that owns the ground and could be sealed tomorrow, will see what is currently called the ‘Brookvale Oval’ become ‘Lottoland’ ahead of the club’s first home game of the new season on 5 March.
According to Lottoland Australia MD Luke Brill the three-year agreement underlines the operator’s intent to shake-up the country’s lottery market.
GVC chooses new affiliate provider for Foxy brands
GVC Holdings has chosen ActiveWin Media to provide digital marketing services for its Foxy Bingo and Foxy Casino brands.
The deal, announced this morning, will see the Foxy brands given access to ActiveWin’s network of more than 30,000 affiliate partners.
“As online bingo and gaming continues to grow in popularity, we need to ensure players are getting an enjoyable experience,” Adele Lawton, group head of bingo at GVC, said.
Centrebet launches Australia-wide $1,000 racing bet limit guarantee
William Hill Australia’s Centrebet brand has expanded its AU$1,000 (£601) minimum bet limit guarantee to cover thoroughbred horseracing held in all Australian states.
The newly relaunched brand’s pledge to lay bets to win at least $1,000 now covers country and provincial meetings across all states, having previously limited the guarantee to Queensland bush racing.
The voluntary minimum bet guarantee will start from tomorrow and apply from 9am on the day of each meeting thereon.
SBTech signs platform and sportsbook deal with state lottery
SBTech has signed a deal to become the platform and sportsbook supplier to Azerbaijan’s state lottery operator Azerinteltek, an agreement which adds to the firm’s growing list of lottery clients.
Azerinteltek, which holds a monopoly position in the Azerbaijan market, will migrate its online sports betting business, eTopaz, onto to SBTech’s Chameleon360 platform and away from its current Intralot technology.
The operator will have access to SBTech’s full suite of player management services, including bonusing, payment processing and CRM, while eTopaz can also leverage the supplier’s big data analytics.
Playtech bolsters live casino business with “world’s largest” studio
Playtech has opened what it claims is the “world’s largest” live casino studio in Latvia to help the egaming supplier meet increased operator demand in the vertical.
The London-listed firm’s “next generation” studio is based in the Latvian capital of Riga, adding to studios in the Philippines, Spain, Belgium and its recently opened operation in Bucharest, Romania.
According to the supplier, the Riga-based facility has an 8,500 square metre capacity and will cater for the majority of Playtech’s live casino footprint throughout Europe.
SBTech strikes omni-channel agreements in Romania and Germany
SBTech has strengthened its position in the German and Romanian markets after striking deals with two localised operators to provide its omni-channel solution.
Romanian sports betting retail operator Get’s Bet will integrate the supplier’s omni-channel Infinity Account, which will enable players to place bets by either a cashier or self-service betting terminals via a single wallet.
SBTech’s cashier interface, which will be used across the operator’s 500-strong retail network, will support integrated cash and voucher processing for the transfer of funds between over-the-counter transactions and self-service betting terminals.
Mr Green targets sportsbook boost with Forza Football deal
Mr Green has struck a deal with live score app and gambling affiliate Forza Football in a move to bolster its sportsbook appeal.
Forza Football, which launched in 2012, provides score updates from across approximately 560 leagues and competitions around the world.
Mr Green will be able publish its live odds alongside football scores within the app, enabling customers to click through to the operator’s Kambi-powered sportsbook to place a bet.
Coral launches “first of its kind” omni-channel slot
Coral has launched a “first of its kind” omni-channel slot game which gives players rewards for playing online, in shops and on mobile.
Tiki Paradise, provided by Playtech, has been rolled out in more than 300 Coral shops this week and will be available in all 1,800 UK shops later this month.
Customers playing the game in-shop get access to extra features if they use Coral’s Connect card, and then get free spins and bonuses if they play online or on mobile in the following 14 days.
GVC makes instant win play with IWG deal
GVC Holdings has sealed a deal with Instant Win Gaming (IWG) to offer a range of the supplier’s instant win games across its portfolio of brands.
The supplier, which provides games to a number of operators and lotteries throughout Europe and North America, will offer GVC its entire library of games via its remote gaming server.
According to GVC, the deal underlines the operator’s commitment to deliver an as broader choice of games to its customers as possible.