Launches and sign-ups 3 December 2014
Launches and sign-ups from the egaming industry in the last seven days (27 November to 3 December 2014)
Intertain in talks to acquire a major part of the Gamesys Group
Toronto-based firm believed to be plotting move to acquire assets of the UK-based gaming giant
Toronto-based Intertain is in talks to acquire a major part of the Gamesys Group.
According to sources, the Toronto-based firm is hopeful of securing a deal which, if successful, would eclipse its earlier acquisitions of Mandalay Media and Vera&John.
The acquisition is not believed to be for the entire Gamesys Group, but what is understood to be key assets, with the two firms also thought to be in talks over a long-term partnership following the completion of the deal.
Gamesys refused to be drawn on speculation, with COO Lee Fenton telling eGR the firm “does not comment on rumours”, and Intertain did not reply to requests for comment.
Sportingbet unveils social betting app
Sportingbet has made its first push into social gaming with the launch of a new free-to-play sports betting app on Facebook in partnership with social platform provider Wikibetting.
Sportingbet Play is a peer-to-peer betting product which enables players to place virtual currency bets and create the odds of a particular event.
The app was launched in partnership with Wikibetting, a social betting provider founded in 2012, and incorporates social gaming elements such as friend invites, leaderboards, a news feed and free gifts.
Seven days in launches and sign-ups:
BetVictor replaces Victor Chandler with ex-England boss for new ad campaign
BetVictor has launched a new TV advertising campaign with former England football manager Sven-Goran Eriksson and football pundit Mark Lawrenson replacing outgoing chairman Victor Chandler alongside regular star Paul Kaye.
The new campaign is comprised of two adverts said by the bookmaker to be “slightly mischievous and tongue-in-cheek” and features Kaye disturbing Eriksson and Lawrenson for betting tips.
The campaign started last weekend with a series of spots aired during Sky Sports’ coverage of Sunday’s Premier League fixture between Tottenham Hotspur and Everton, with the ads highlighting BetVictor’s recognition as offering the best prices on football markets most often by Oddschecker.
Bet365 adds new The Games Company slots
Bet365 has added to its slots portfolio after snapping up the latest two releases from games developer The Games Company.
KGB Bears and Light Racers, which were both released via the Odobo Marketplace, went live with bet365 earlier this week and marks The Games Company’s fourth and fifth releases.
Both games were built in HTML5 for mobile, tablet and desktop as part of Odobo’s developer program, while Flash versions of the games have also been developed.
Skrill strikes deal to acquire Ukash
Online payment processor Skrill has reached an agreement to acquire prepaid voucher provider Ukash for an undisclosed sum, in a move the firm says will transform the firm into a “global force”.
The acquisition, which is subject to regulatory approvals, will be the second made by Skrill in the prepaid voucher sector, having scooped up paysafecard last year for up to 140m.
Skrill CEO-elect David Sear, who will commence his role in January, said the acquisition would “significantly extend” its footprint in the prepayment market.
Tatts Group unveils new UBET brand
Australian operator Tatts Group plans to unify its regional betting brands into a single nation-wide brand in 2015, with the launch to be backed by a major marketing campaign.
UBET will launch in Q1 next year and will bring together TAB Queensland, tabonline, unitab and TattsBet, as well as Tasmania’s The Tote and Tatts.com under one wagering banner.
The launch of UBET will be accompanied with a new brand logo, website and mobile product, while the Melbourne-based firm’s approximate 1,400 retail outlets will also be rebranded.
Ukash seals WHSmith supply deal
Ukash is teaming-up with leading UK retailer WHSmith in a partnership which will see the high-street brand sell Ukash’s pre-payment vouchers nationwide.
Customers will be able to buy Ukash vouchers across the counter at any of WHSmith’s 470 UK stores in a move which will boost the availability of and awareness of Ukash as an online payment option.
“WHSmith is a leading UK brand, with an extensive network of stores, making it the ideal partner for Ukash, as we continue to help more consumers use cash to pay online,” James Allum, Ukash chief commercial officer, said.
Vera&John signs Leander Games deal
Vera&John has signed a deal with games supplier Leander Games to integrate its LeGa platform, handing it access to Leander’s portfolio of casino games as well as additional third-party content on the platform.
The deal comes just over a month after Leander Games signed a similar partnership with Irish operator Paddy Power and the supplier said further deals are due to be announced in the coming months.
“We’re delighted to reach an agreement with Vera&John whose growth and ongoing success places them as a leading online casino,” Steven Matsell, CEO at Leander Games, said.