Launches and sign-ups 4 November 2015
Launches and sign-ups from the egaming industry in the last seven days (29 October 2015 to 4 November 2015)
PokerStars announces ecology overhaul
Amaya Gaming-owned operator unveils plans aimed at making games more appealing to casual players
PokerStars has announced a raft of changes to its rewards programme designed to attract more recreational customers, as the firm pledged to scale its marketing to reach new audiences and lapsed players.
In a blog post on Sunday, Amaya Gaming’s vice president of corporate communications Eric Hollreiser said the changes would “improve the playing experience for all PokerStars players” and “drive increased play and more players to the ecosystem”.
At the heart of the changes are plans to rework Stars’ VIP programme in a move which will reduce rewards for high volume and high stakes players, with the operator’s previous rewards system of rebates, milestones and frequent player points to be unified into a single ‘StarsCoin’ measure.
The firm said the new system would result in improved rewards for “the vast majority of players” but that around 2% of the highest volume and highest stakes players would see their rewards “significantly reduced”.
Mr Green eyes UK push with new website
Mr Green has begun the roll out of a new website and product suite as the operator looks to fend off gaming rivals in core markets and fight back against other entertainment providers.
Plans for a major product overhaul were first revealed by eGaming Review in July, and the new website went live in the UK yesterday accompanied by a new responsive mobile website as well as Android and iOS apps.
Bo Wänghammar, CEO at Mr Green Online Casino, said the overhaul was a “total refactoring” of the firm’s technology and product range, adding that the operator accepts it now has to compete against general entertainment providers as well as other operators.
“What you are seeing now is the decision we made to improve our customer experience and product across the board,” Wänghammar said.
Matchbook gets personal with Apple Watch app
Matchbook has rolled out a new Apple Watch sports betting exchange app which it says is the first to take a predictive and personalised approach to smartwatch sports betting.
The product is powered by a personalised algorithm which the firm said would create a “highly personalised experience”, including recommended markets unique to each user.
Early releases from operators on the Watch have struggled with the question of how much content should be migrated to Watch apps.
William Hill extends Scottish Cup sponsorship deal
William Hill has expanded its partnership with the Scottish Football Association after securing a four-year extension to its Scottish Cup title sponsorship deal.
The original deal, announced in 2012, was due to expire next year and the new agreement will see William Hill’s investment in Scottish football surpass the eight-figure mark.
Under the terms of the deal the London-listed operator will also remain as an official partner of the Scottish national football team and become the new sponsor of the South Stand at Hampden Park stadium.
Mecca Bingo launches Playtech-powered omni-channel solution
Mecca Bingo has joined the industry omni-channel rush after launching Playtech ONE software and games across its entire product portfolio.
The Rank Group-owned brand recently integrated Playtech’s omni-channel solution across Mecca Bingo’s land-based, online and mobile businesses, including the launch of the Mecca Max tablet devices in its bingo halls.
The deal is the first time the London-listed supplier has launched a combined bingo software and content strategy, and follows the recent launch of Playtech’s retail server-based software across Mecca Bingo’s entire retail estate.