Rank, Asian Logic slide to bottom of Power 50

RANK GROUP has fallen 16 places in this year’s Power 50 ranking of the egaming industry’s 50 leading operators, EGRmagazine.com can reveal.

Rank fell to 40^th place, from 26^th in last year’s list, after revenues from its online sports division Blue Square revenues dropped 8% in the first half of this financial year, and turnover from its Blue Square sportsbook nearly halved. Also poor performance in Rank’s Mecca Bingo arm in the wake of the smoking ban, the loss of Section 21 gaming machines and damaging tax hikes saw Mecca boss Simon Wykes ousted.

Also having experienced a sharp fall in this year’s Power 50 is Asian Logic, which fell 12 places to 41^st place this year, from 34^th in 2008, after delisting from London’s Alternative Index Market (AIM) in May less than two years after joining the bourse at the end of 2007.

New to the list are online bingo operator Crown Bingo, which has entered the Power 50 in 50^th place on the strength of chief executive Joe Saumarez Smith at the helm; and French operator Chili Gaming, which has entered the list in 47^th place due to its ambitious plans for a major push in France once that market is liberalised next year, and due to its role providing the poker platform for France’s second biggest internet service provider, Free.

Also new is Bonnier Gaming, the egaming arm of Sweden’s biggest publisher, Bonnier Publishing, which is one of three new media entrants to the Power 50 2009 and was ranked at number 44 after launching a bingo brand in Spain and its own Bingolotto brand to leverage the reach provided by its magazines across Europe.

The Power 50, positions 50-40

■ 50 Crown Bingo (N/A). Small online bingo operator with smart egaming chief executive Joe Saumarez Smith at the helm.

■ 49 Leisure and Gaming (50). Italian-focused operator looking to expand product and regional focus and hoping to settle with the US authorities soon.

■ 48 King.com (44). The site set up by Toby Rowland and Ricardo Zacconi is probably the biggest skill gaming site in the world with revenues of around US$30m.

■ 47 Chili Gaming (N/A). Small online poker operator with plans for a major push in France once regulation is up and running next year.

■ 46 Gaming Media Group (N/A). Parent company to the Poker Channel Europe and Poker Heaven, has managed to leverage TV and web effectively.

■ 45 Webis (45). Isle of Man-baed pari-mutuel operator that has enjoyed a 35% rise in turnover and has been marketed heavily in the UK and for football.

■ 44 Bonnier Gaming (N/A). Gaming arm of major Swedish publisher with big plans for consumer- and business-facing push across Europe.

■ 43 IG Index (44). Major financial betting company with revenues up 40% and pre-tax profits up 29% to £125m.

■ 42 Sporting Index (42). Leading sports spread betting-operator looking to expand its business-to-business client base.

■ 41 Asian Logic (34). The company delisted from Aim this year and is hoping for a change of fortune with Asian Poker Tour push.

■ 40 Rank (24. Online sports division Blue Square revenues dropped 8%, although online revenues for Mecca Bingo were up 12%.

To read the 2009 Power 50 top 10, click here, or to read the Power 50 positions 11-50, click here,

For more on the this year’s ranking, see the eGaming Review Power 50 main feature and the Power 50 letter from acting editor Jake Pollard.