Launches and sign-ups 30 May 2012
Launches and sign-ups from the egaming industry in the last seven days (24 May to 30 May 2012).
Betfair fixed odds sportsbook launches in UK
Customers will be able to bet on exchange or fixed odds using ‘price switch’ tab “ described as latest step in development of ‘next generation sports site’ by group operations director.
After announcing that a fixed odds sportsbook would be added to its core exchange betting product earlier this week, Betfair has now launched the service for UK customers.
The fixed odds solution, developed using OpenBet software, has been integrated onto the exchange platform, allowing bettors to switch between the two different prices using a ‘price switch’ tab above the market screen. Betgenius will supply a sportsbook management solution for the product, while platform provider Amelco provides a mobile trading platform.
In a blog posted on the Betfair site group operations director Ian Chuter (pictured) discussed the development of the sportsbook, reiterating sports operations director Nick Hagen’s comments made earlier this week about the addition of fixed odds allowing the operator to gain a larger share of customer wallets:
“Estimates tell us that we currently lose about 30% of our customers’ sports betting wallets to competitors’ products”¦ For us as a business it clearly makes sense to start getting this 30% back by becoming a ‘one stop shop’ “ plugging the gaps and creating a more flexible product. So from today, Betfair customers can now bet whatever way they choose,” Chuter explained.
Seven days in launches and sign-ups
Virgin signs Playtech slots agreement
Virgin Games has signed a partnership agreement with Playtech giving its customers access to the software supplier’s online slot games.
The first game to be launched will be Rocky, a five-reel, 25-payline slot, based on the MGM film of the same title with a number of other titles released in the coming months, the operator said in an announcement this morning.
Simon Burridge, CEO of Virgin Games, said the company’s goal is to provide its customers with the widest range of top tier entertainment through online casino games. “We believe that it is key to offer both variety and choice so it is crucial to us that we offer a range of games from a number of the best of breed software providers.”
Betfair to launch Euro 2012 Facebook app
Betfair is to launch launched a second Euro 2012-focused product in the coming days, with the operator’s ‘Team Selector’ app going live on its Facebook page.
Created by the operator’s digital agency Essence, the product follows the launch of Betfair’s Euro 2012 mobile app on Monday, and will be rolled out in the coming days, giving players the chance to win prizes for correctly predicting team line-ups for the football championships in Poland and Ukraine.
Speaking to Marketing Week, Betfair’s global head of online marketing Ben Carter described the launch as a move to recruit players and build customer loyalty through the platform: “This is about bringing in the right customer that will be valuable for the long term.
Bodog dropped as West Brom shirt sponsor
English Premier League football club West Bromwich Albion has dropped Bodog Europe as its shirt sponsor after one season.
The operator had cited the presence of Albion manager Roy Hodgson as one of the reasons for signing the deal last summer, and eGaming Review understands that Hodgson’s decision to leave the club to coach the England national team was among the factors in Bodog Europe failing to reach a new agreement with the club.
The team’s new sponsor, online property search company Zoopla, is also known to have lodged a higher bid, with local newspaper the Express and Star suggesting the deal with Zoopla is worth £3m over its two-year duration.
RocketFrog brings in Myspace founder for social casino launch
RocketFrog, a new social casino founded by veterans of UltimateBet and the Ultimate Blackjack Tour, has gone live on Facebook, with Myspace co-founder Tom Anderson as a special advisor to the brand, aiming to build a presence in the market ahead of potential US egaming legislation.
The newly launched site offers slots, roulette, blackjack and several variants of poker, aiming to drive revenues through brand engagement rather than virtual currency transactions in order to build its profile.
PKR launches Facebook fantasy poker app
Poker operator PKR has launched a fantasy poker app on Facebook in anticipation of this summer’s World Series of Poker in Las Vegas.
A fusion of poker, fantasy sports and social media, the app allows players to select a team of eight professionals from a list of 180 competing in the series, which begins on Sunday and runs until July before recommencing in October with the main event final table.
PokerStars launches outdoor ad campaign
PokerStars has launched an outdoor advertising campaign targeting commuters as it looks to publicise the release of its mobile app to UK customers.
Fremantle in Hasbro agreement
The gaming division of FremantleMedia Enterprises (FME) is set to begin developing online and mobile slots based on Hasbro board games following an agreement with the toy company.
Boylesports launches Facebook app
Irish operator Boylesports has become the latest operator to move to boost its presence on Facebook, launching its WSOP Fantasy League app on the social network ahead of this summer’s World Series of Poker in Las Vegas.
Partouche signs Worldlink MoU
Mobile data provider Worldlink has signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Groupe Partouche’s egaming subsidiary Partouche Interactive Gibraltar, which will see the French operator become Worldlink’s official gaming partner.
Football betting magazine Citibet has expanded its distribution to 100,000 copies for the European Football Championships, a level at which it hopes to stay for the foreseeable future. The title has also signed up Wall Street Journal columnist Gabriele Marcotti as a guest writer for the issue and as a panellist at tomorrow’s maiden Citibet Live event in London.
Mobile poker site SwitchPoker has improved multi-tabling functionality on its iPad app with its new multi-table display. Players will now be able to have four tables open on screen at once, rather than having to move between open tables with only one appearing on screen at any one time.