West
Virginia Lottery Upgrades Underway with IGT
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (April 19, 2018)
Now through June 15th, new and improved lottery equipment will be
installed at West Virginia Lottery retail locations across the State. Lottery
players will start seeing new terminals, new ticket checkers, and new
self-service machines at retail stores.
This transition is
happening to better serve our players, said Alan Larrick, Director of
the West Virginia Lottery. We are excited about the new technologies
and the additional value this transition will bring to our players and our
retailers.
The new equipment being installed at
retail locations includes IGTs Altura Flex draw-based lottery
terminals, Aurora MultiMedia in-store signage, and Gemini Touch vending
machines.
IGT Global Solutions
Corporation was awarded the contract for the Lotterys online
gaming system and services last year.
The contract commences on June 28,
2018 and has a seven year term, with three one-year renewal options.
The agreement includes new lottery
retail and self-service terminals, a redundant, multi-technology communications
network, development and support for the Lotterys new mobile convenience
app that will be launched in the Fall of 2018, and ongoing field services.
Since 1986, the West Virginia
Lottery has generated more than $9.5 billion in proceeds for the State of West
Virginia. Lottery proceeds benefit Education, Seniors, and Tourism in the
Mountain State.
SOURCE: West Virginia Lottery (www.WVLottery.com).
Michael Kogeler Appointed Group Chief Operating Officer at
INTRALOT
MAROUSSI, Greece (April 25, 2018) --
INTRALOT announces the appointment of Mr Michael Kogeler, as Group Chief
Operating Officer, effective May 2nd 2018, following an extensive international
search process. Mr Kogeler will be responsible for the Groups business
orchestration of its operations around the world, the relationships with
partners and customers as well as the trading operations.
INTRALOT Group CEO Mr. Antonios
Kerastaris stated: I would like to extend a warm welcome to Mr.
Kogeler and wish him success in his new role as part of our senior management
and member of the Executive Committee. Michael brings to our company enormous
experience and expertise from international markets and a broader understanding
of modern technological trends in the era of digital transformation. His
knowledge will help us tremendously upgrade the way we integrate best practices
in our model to fully serve our clients and make our operations around the
world more profitable and efficient.
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Mr. Kogeler comes to INTRALOT from
Microsoft, where he last held the position of the General Manager, Central and
Eastern Europe, with full accountability of 15 countries. In his 14 years with
Microsoft, Mr. Kogeler also held positions like COO and CMO of Middle East and
Africa, General Manager for Consumer and On Line in Belgium and Netherlands, as
well as Business Strategy roles. His 26 years of overall professional
experience also include work in companies like Mc Kinsey & Company and IBM
consulting.
He holds a Bachelor of Business
Administration from Rotterdam School of Management, of the Erasmus University
Rotterdam.
About INTRALOT
INTRALOT, a public listed company
established in 1992, is a leading gaming solutions supplier and operator active
in 52 regulated jurisdictions around the globe. With 1.1 billion turnover
and a global workforce of approximately 5,100 employees (3,100 of which in
subsidiaries and 2,000 in associates) in 2017, INTRALOT is an innovation
driven corporation focusing its product development on the customer experience.
The company is uniquely positioned to offer to lottery and gaming organizations
across geographies market-tested solutions and retail operational expertise.
Through the use of a dynamic and omni-channel approach, INTRALOT offers an
integrated portfolio of best-in-class gaming systems and product solutions
& services addressing all gaming verticals (Lottery, Betting, Interactive,
VLT). Players can enjoy a seamless and personalized experience through exciting
games and premium content across multiple delivery channels, both retail and
interactive. INTRALOT has been awarded with the prestigious WLA Responsible
Gaming Framework Certification by the World Lottery Association (WLA) for its
global lottery operations.
For more info: Mr. Chris Sfatos,
Group Corporate Affairs Director, Phone: +30-210 6156000, Fax: +30-210 6106800,
email: sfatos@intralot.com.
SOURCE: INTRALOT (www.intralot.com).
Nederlandse loterij in Motion Award Rewards Initiatives that
Contribute to a Happier and Healthier Netherlands
RIJSWIJK, Netherlands (April 20,
2018) --The Dutch Lottery in Motion Award rewards initiatives that contribute
to a happier and healthier Netherlands. From the many submissions, a jury has
selected four initiatives and nominated for the main prize. The jury consists
of Pieter van den Hoogenband, Hugo Borst, Bibian Mentel, Ap Dijksterhuis, Guido
Weijers, Marjan Olfers and Niels Onkenhout.
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They nominated Moving Learning, the
Kids Moving Route, Happy Monday and the eventual winner Old Scholar Young Done.
All nominations can be found on:
https://over.nederlandseloterij.nl/in-beweging-prijs/nominaties
About the winner
The winning initiative is aimed at
bringing together the elderly and students. Foundation Old Learned Young Done
allows students interactive lectures on interesting topics to seniors in
nursing homes, community centers and libraries. Ilse Nieuwland very happily
received the prize. "Together with Enny van Arkel, I started the Foundation
Old Learned Young Done four years ago.In our own time we have worked extremely
hard to bring old and young together and thus increase the level of well-being
of seniors.With this amount we can make many more seniors happy. "
Pieter van de Hoogenband, chairman
of the jury and ambassador of the Dutch Lottery, presented the prize. "I
think it's wonderful to see how students share their knowledge with the elderly
and offer them a cognitive challenge.
The initiative fits
perfectly with the Dutch Lottery's ambition to make the Netherlands happier and
healthier.
By bringing old and young
together, the project actively contributes to the well-being of seniors and
students gain experience with presenting. Different generations continue to
develop in this way. There are few activities that respond to the intellectual
ability of seniors, but you are never too old to learn!", Says van den
Hoogenband.

Dutch Lottery invests in the
Netherlands
During the event, not only the Dutch
Lottery in Motion Award was presented, but also the amount invested in the
Netherlands. Niels Onkenhout, CEO of the Dutch Lottery, unveiled the total
amount of 165,000,000: "We are proud that this year we are again
investing a great amount of money in Dutch sports through NOC * NSF, 18 Dutch
charities and in Dutch society. In this way we make a substantial contribution
to our goal to make the Netherlands happier and healthier. "
The amount is distributed as
follows: 17,000,000 goes to the charities, almost 45,000,000 is
invested in Dutch sports and the State of the Netherlands receives
104,000,000 euros.
SOURCE: Nederlandse loterij (Dutch
National Lottery).
Iowa
Lottery CEO Terry Rich Announces He Intends To Retire Late This Year Or In
Early 2019
CLIVE, Iowa (April 19, 2018)
-- Iowa Lottery CEO Terry Rich announced today that he intends to retire in
late 2018 or early 2019. Rich has led the Iowa Lottery since February 2009 and
is just the second person to serve as its CEO since the lotterys start in
1985.
Rich, 65, released this statement
regarding his retirement:
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Iowa Lottery CEO Terry Rich |
Over the past years,
Ive had the privilege of serving three Iowa governors while achieving
some significant milestones at the lottery, helping with projects to address
some of the states biggest challenges, and driving meaningful increases
in the vital state proceeds generated by the lottery. Ive done everything
Id hoped to accomplish at the Iowa Lottery. With that success, its
time to move on.
Besides spending more time
with family and friends, there are professional opportunities that excite me as
I head into this management transition: to help one more organization grow
success as a member of its Board of Directors or management staff; or to
produce one more national TV show while continuing to present keynote speeches
at local and international conferences.
Ive thoroughly
enjoyed providing Iowans with entertainment as CEO of the Iowa Lottery. It has
been our pleasure to help design successful games with the highest degree of
integrity and accountability. Ive been lucky enough to lead the most
prominent national lottery organizations, and my signature has appeared on
hundreds of millions of lottery tickets and checks for Iowas
biggest lottery prizes. Im announcing my retirement now so that
transition plans can be made at the lottery.
The Iowa Lottery has achieved a
number of milestones under Richs leadership:
- Annual Lottery sales have increased $100 million,
from the $240 million range to over $350 million range today.
- Annual lottery proceeds to state causes have
increased from the $60 million range in 2009 to the $80 million range today,
driven in large part by repeated record sales of instant-scratch tickets.
- The Iowa Lottery received a clean audit from the
state Auditors Office each year that Rich was CEO.
- Fiscal year 2016 went into the books as the
lotterys best year to date, with record sales, proceeds to state causes,
prizes to players and retailer commissions. The lottery generated a record $88
million in proceeds that year. Annual sales were a record $366.9 million.
During his years heading the Iowa
Lottery, Rich also was selected by his peers to lead the North American
Association of State and Provincial Lotteries as its president for
2014-2015.
But perhaps what will be remembered
most from Richs time as lottery CEO is the long-running lottery jackpot
investigation that uncovered fraud against U.S. lotteries and resulted in
guilty pleas from three men who admitted they illegally claimed prizes by
rigging lottery drawings in five states.
This case will remain an
important reminder to organizations everywhere to keep monitoring and making
improvements to stay ahead of those who would try to beat the system,
he said. Im absolutely proud of the unwavering focus our lottery
kept on security and integrity to ensure that our games are fair.
The Iowa Lottery was named the 2018
winner for an International Gaming-Compliance Award for its work in the case,
which spanned seven years.
Prior to Rich becoming the
lotterys CEO in 2009, Dr. Ed Stanek led the organization from its start
in 1985 until his retirement in October 2007.
In addition to his career at the
lottery, Rich was CEO of Iowa's Blank Park Zoo in Des Moines; President and CEO
of Rich Heritage Inc., a national marketing and television production company
based in Des Moines; and Vice President of Marketing for Heritage
Communications Inc. in Des Moines.
Rich has won numerous
entrepreneurial awards in television production and marketing, has a bachelor's
degree from Iowa State University and is an ISU Foundation Governor
Emeritus.
For additional information, CONTACT:
Iowa Lottery External Relations, Kim Vore at T: (515) 725-7890, E:
kvore@ialottery.com or Mary Neubauer
at, T: (515) 725-7906, E: mneubauer@ialottery.com.
SOURCE: Iowa Lottery.
Pollard Banknote Revs Up Its Licensed Portfolio with the
Legendary Chevrolet® Silverado®
WINNIPEG, Manitoba, Canada (April
23, 2018) -- Pollard Banknote Limited (TSX: PBL) (Pollard
Banknote), a leading lottery partner that provides instant tickets,
interactive solutions, and full marketing support, is excited to announce the
addition of Chevrolet® Silverado® -- one of the most dependable,
longest lasting full-size trucks on the road -- to its licensed brands
portfolio.
Silverado® joins the
Corvette® Stingray in Pollard Banknotes array of licensed
games, for a pair of Chevrolet flagship brands that appeal to large segments of
Chevy enthusiasts. Silverado® aficionados and lottery players alike
will want to pick up instant tickets featuring this legendary
truck.
2018 represents 100 years of Chevy
Trucks and the brand has ramped up marketing and promotions to celebrate this
milestone making the Silverado® centre stage. Lotteries launching a
Chevrolet Silverado® instant game can leverage the momentum Chevrolet is
building with extensive centennial advertising and special events, as well as a
broad range of celebratory promotional merchandise.
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Chevrolet Silverado®
comes with strong market awareness and a loyal, passionate fan base, including
Chevrolets more than 25 million social media followers across Facebook,
Instagram, Twitter and YouTube, notes Sina Aiello, Pollard
Banknotes Vice President, Marketing. The vehicle category is
solidly entrenched in the lottery market, and we are excited to rev it up by
adding Chevrolet Silverado® to our line-up. Our initial ticket designs
incorporate Scratch FX®one of Pollard Banknotes most successful
print innovations that adds sparkle and shine to a ticketfurther
elevating the brand and garnering the attention of this built-in fan base at
retail.
Pollard Banknotes Licensed
Products team offers a full turnkey program that includes the design,
programming, and printing of themed tickets, as well as various options such as
second chance draws, a POS program, and broadcast and digital marketing.
About Chevrolet
Founded in 1911 in Detroit,
Chevrolet is one of the world's largest car brands, doing business in more than
100 countries and selling more than 4.0 million cars and trucks a year.
Chevrolet provides customers with fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging
performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety
features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on
Chevrolet models can be found at
www.chevrolet.com.
About Pollard Banknote
Pollard Banknote is a leading
lottery partner to more than 60 lotteries worldwide, providing high quality
instant ticket products, licensed games, and a full suite of digital offerings
ranging from game apps to comprehensive player engagement and iLottery
solutions, including strategic marketing and management services. The company
is a proven innovator and has decades of experience helping lotteries to
maximize player engagement, sales, and proceeds for good causes. Pollard
Banknote also plays a major role in providing pull-tab tickets, bingo paper and
its Diamond Game and Oasis-branded electronic ticket machines to charitable and
other gaming markets in North America. Established in 1907, Pollard Banknote is
owned approximately 67.6% by the Pollard family and 32.4% by public
shareholders, and is publicly traded on the TSX (PBL). For more information,
please visit our website at
www.pollardbanknote.com.
For more information CONTACT: Sina
Aiello, Vice President, Marketing, Telephone: (204) 474-2323, E-mail:
saiello@pbl.ca.
SOURCE: Pollard Banknote.
Iowa
Lottery Wins International Gaming-Compliance Award For Work In
Investigation
Long-Running Case
Culminated In 2017 Guilty Pleas From Three Men
CLIVE, Iowa (April 19, 2018)
The Iowa Lottery has won an international gaming-compliance award for
its work in the long-running lottery jackpot investigation that uncovered fraud
against U.S. lotteries and resulted in guilty pleas from three men.
GamblingCompliance on Wednesday
named the Iowa Lottery its 2018 recipient for outstanding achievement in
compliance. The organizations annual awards that recognize excellence in
11 categories focused on regulatory compliance and responsible gaming were
presented in London. The lottery was one of five finalists worldwide for the
gaming-compliance award.
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international gaming-compliance award |
Im enormously proud
of the work we put in and the perseverance investigators showed through the
years in bringing this long-running case to a successful conclusion,
Iowa Lottery CEO Terry Rich said. This was a crucial opportunity for
us to pinpoint security enhancements and new technologies that we could bring
to our operations. Im confident in the integrity of our games and know we
will continue to aggressively monitor and make improvements to protect against
vulnerabilities identified.
GamblingCompliance, with
headquarters in London and its U.S. hub in Washington, D.C., provides
independent legal, regulatory, and business intelligence to the global gambling
industry.
The jackpot investigation case began
with a lottery ticket purchased in Des Moines in December 2010 and culminated
in 2017 with guilty pleas from three men who admitted they illegally claimed
prizes by rigging lottery drawings in five states. Eddie Tipton, the man at the
center of the investigation, installed malicious computer code that allowed him
to predict winning numbers in some lottery drawings.
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Tipton pleaded guilty to three
felony charges in Iowa and Wisconsin and was sentenced in August 2017 to up to
25 years in prison. He had conspired with friends and family to claim lottery
prizes in Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma and Wisconsin and attempt to claim a
lottery jackpot in Iowa, which ultimately was not paid.
Tiptons younger brother, Tommy
Tipton, also pleaded guilty in the case, as did Tiptons long-time friend,
Robert Rhodes.
Its appalling that
the person at the center of the case once worked at a lottery-industry vendor
organization and willingly committed crimes, Rich said. He
was brought to justice and we have moved forward with an even greater
understanding that we must trust but verify in all areas of our operations.
Were pleased that this international award recognizes the team for that
effort.
For additional information
CONTACT: Iowa Lottery External
Relations, Kim Vore at T: (515) 725-7890, E:
kvore@ialottery.com.
SOURCE: Iowa Lottery.
MAGNUMs New Game Offers Winners RM1,000 a Day for 20
Years
Celebrating its golden
anniversary, Magnum launched a new and innovative lifestyle game with
sustainable winning experiences, offering winners to live life a thousand times
better!
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (April 23,
2018) -- How would you change your lifestyle, if you were given an extra
RM1,000 every single day, for the next 20 years?
Magnum Corporation (Magnum) today
launched Magnum LIFE, a new game that offers a grand prize of RM1,000 every day
for 20 years. CEO Dato Lawrence Lim Swee Lin explained that Magnum
introduced this innovative game to serve the younger generation of players.
This game offers life enhancing opportunities with worry-free money
management, he said. Our market is young office workers who
dream about travelling, the freedom to start their own businesses and to pursue
their passions in life.
With RM1,000 prize money credited
daily into the winners bank account, the winner can plan and manage their
winnings better, without fear of blowing their money all at once. Dato
Lim expressed confidence that the winners will use the prize money to realize
their dreams in a sustainable manner. Encouraging customers to play
responsibly has always been one of Magnums core values, he
adds. By teaching them to also win responsibly, we are taking our
corporate social responsibility to the next level.
Magnum LIFE is simple to play:
- Choose 8 numbers from 1 to 36.
- The results comprise of 8 Winning Numbers, and 2
additional Bonus Numbers.
- If all 8 numbers played match the 8 Winning
Numbers, the player will win the Grand Prize of RM1,000 EVERY DAY for 20
YEARS.
- There is a 2nd Prize of RM1,000 EVERY DAY for 100
DAYS, which is won by matching 7 Winning Numbers, and either one of the Bonus
Numbers.
Each play costs RM1 and players can
buy up to 10 sets of numbers per ticket. Players can also choose to improve
their odds of winning by playing 9 or more numbers using an option called
System Play. The results of the 8 Winning Numbers and 2 Bonus Numbers are
derived from the Magnum 4D Classic game.
Similar games have been available in
developed markets such as USA, Australia and Canada to attract younger
players.
With Magnum LIFE, Magnum has
achieved another significant milestone in Malaysias gaming industry as
the first mover to offer an innovative game to the market. This year, Magnum is
set to embark on a round of nationwide outlet renovations as part of its
journey to rebrand towards a new generation of players and remain competitive
in an increasingly challenging market.
About Magnum
Since its inception in 1968, Magnum
has been setting the benchmark for the gaming industry on both the local and
international front. In 1988, it was the first company in Malaysia to modernize
the gaming operation through the computerization of 4D ticket sales, resulting
in greater efficiency and guaranteed fairness and sustainability.
In 2009, it continued to innovate
the industry by introducing the worlds first 4D game with a Jackpot
element with the launch of Magnum 4D Jackpot. In Malaysia,
this swiftly became the second most popular game after the 4D
Classic and the most popular Jackpot game by far.
Following the success of Magnum 4D
Jackpot, Magnum subsequently launched Magnum 4D Jackpot Gold and Magnum 4D
Powerball in 2014 and 2016 respectively.
On 8 January 2018, Magnum celebrated
its golden anniversary with renewed commitment to strengthen its brands
positioning through new corporate identity and outlet uplifting exercise
nationwide. The refreshed identity and outlet is modern, friendly and livelier.
The rollout of outlet refurbishments has commenced in stages this year.
In his opening speech, CEO of
Magnum, Dato Lawrence Lim Swee Lin noted that it was important to
celebrate the significant milestones over the past 50 years, and it is also
equally important to chart the path forward to carry on Magnums legacy of
Inspiring HOPE in a relevant and sustainable way.
For more information, please visit:
www.magnum.my.
For editorial enquiries or further
information, please contact Eliza Chang at: eliza@magnum.my.
SOURCE: Magnum Corporation.
NANAs Position on Lottolands Offer to
Newsagents
SILVERWATER, NSW, Australia (April
18, 2018) -- From tomorrow (19 April), you are likely to receive a letter from
Lottoland. NANA understands the letter
will refer to an offer Lottoland has made to NANA on behalf of its Members and
other interested Newsagents across Australia.
NANA is considering that
offer. It is substantially higher than previous offers made to ALNA and
to Newsagents in the media. The offer is based on a percentage of sales
value, not profit.
The percentage rate is higher than
the percentages Newsagents and other lotteries outlets receive in commissions
from Tatts Group Lotteries for their lotteries products.
Firstly, NANA is not in
anyones pocket.
Secondly, Newsagents have asked NANA
to negotiate with Lottoland and other alternate lotteries/wagering products
providers to deliver a benefit to them.
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Lottoland is not the only player in
this space.
NANA says that Lottolands
approach to the industry in the past been ham-fisted. At the end of the
day, it is about income and income that Newsagents and other lotteries outlets
are already losing to online lotteries and wagering product sales, irrespective
of who the product owner is.
NANA has not finalised an
agreement. NANA is duty bound to consider any alternative that gives
Newsagents a fair share.
NANA has written to the Deputy Prime
Minister and Senator Fifield about the proposed amendments to the Interactive
Gambling legislation. If the identified issues concerning taxation, State
government revenue, consumer education and income for Newsagents and other
lotteries outlets are resolved, why shouldnt Newsagents get an additional
income stream, which balances what they are losing to alternate wagering
products and to Tatts Group Lotteries own online sales activities.
From day one of the campaign funded
and conducted by Tatts Group Lotteries against alternate lotteries/wagering
products, NANA has stressed that there will be enormous consequences for
Newsagents if Tatts Group Lotteries has no effective competition.
Already, Tatts Group Lotteries has
an almost monopoly position in every State and Territory except Western
Australia. If this position is reinforced by a legislated ban on
alternate/wagering products, there will be nothing to prevent Tatts Group
Lotteries building on their thrust into online sales. Already their
online sales represent a significant proportion of the overall sales of
lotteries products.
Monopolies are not good for small
businesses.
Monopolies are not good for
consumers.
Tatts Group Lotteries do not object
to online sales of lotteries products. They do it all the time.
They do it through their app and online. They also have a substantial
beneficial stake in the online lotteries sales company Jumbo Interactive.
This company is licensed by Tatts Group Lotteries and competes online against
Newsagents and other lotteries outlets.
Throughout the campaign orchestrated
and funded by Tatts Group Lotteries, a campaign on which they have spent more
than $5 MILLION, they portrayed the resistance they have created as being
initiated and managed on a grass roots level by Newsagents and other lotteries
outlets. Make no mistake, the campaign was and is funded and orchestrated
by Tatts Group Lotteries. Some Newsagent and Lotteries associations have
tied themselves to the campaign and appear to act as mouthpieces for Tatts
Group Lotteries.
One must ask the questions
How do they afford their extensive media and public relations campaign
when they could be technically insolvent. Who is picking up the tab for
their media and PR agency and keeping them afloat?
NANA has been approached to
represent the interests of significant blocks of Newsagents outside of NSW and
ACT. Why? Because Newsagents are sick and tired of being used as
cannon fodder by the likes of Tatts Group Lotteries and associations that act
as their mouthpiece. NANA is working with those Newsagents to work out
what will be best for them.
There is a long way to go in this
saga. NANA has existed for more than 125 years and is here for the long
haul. NANA is committed to continuing to work in the best interests of
its Members. Dismissing any genuine offer from any organisation to work
with Newsagents closes the gate and will potentially cost Newsagents
income.
NANA will continue to negotiate with
Lottoland and other organisations for the benefit of its Members.
If an agreement cannot be reached
that is good for Newsagents, then nothing will change.
We will keep you updated as things
develop.
CONTACT:
NANA on 1300 113 044 or by
email tonana@nana.com.au.
SOURCE: The Newsagents Association
of NSW and ACT (NANA).
Attitudes to Gambling Latest Victorian
Data
MELBOURNE, Victoria, Australia
(April 17, 2018) -- Stigma remains a significant issue for people experiencing
gambling harm, with more than 50 per cent of adults who participated in the
Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundations 2017 community attitudes
survey declaring most people would think less of a person who struggles with
their gambling.
Further, almost 60 per cent said
most people would consider someone with a gambling problem to be unreliable and
without self-control, and 45 per cent agreed many people would avoid a person
in this situation.
The annual survey findings were
published today on the Foundations revamped website, which features a new
section Gambling in Victoria (responsiblegambling.vic.gov.au/stats)
comprising the latest statistics, information and analysis about
gambling, including gambling participation, community perceptions, harm and
stigma.
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Chief executive Louise Glanville
said insights gained through the survey continued to inform the
Foundations work to reduce and prevent gambling harm, overcome barriers
to help seeking such as stigma, and provide effective support services.
Men are more likely than
women at 8.3 and 4.9 per cent respectively to report harm from
gambling, and to believe that most people would think less of a person having
difficulty keeping their gambling under control, Ms Glanville
said.
One in 10 people
acknowledge having experienced harm in the previous year because of someone
elses gambling, which they say is most commonly felt as sadness, anxiety,
stress or anger, relationship difficulties, a negative impact on their social
life, financial hardship, and a reduced ability to work or study.
This compares with the most
common types of harm identified by individuals who describe the negative
effects of their gambling as reduced spending money, reduced savings, feelings
of regret or shame, less money for recreational activities, and feeling like a
failure.
Ms Glanville said sports betting,
the fastest growing form of gambling in the state, disturbed many people in the
community.
The survey found:
- 63 per cent of Victorians believe young people
think betting on sport is normal
- 61.9 per cent think gambling should not be a part
of experiencing sport
- 70.9 per cent think adolescents see and hear too
much gambling advertising.
The potential impact on
children of normalising sports betting is a particular concern, and is one of
the reasons all 10 Victorian AFL teams are on board this year with the
Foundations Love the Game initiative to reduce the exposure of fans to
gambling advertising, she said.
In 2017, 1208 Victorians
participated in the community attitudes survey, the results of which were
weighted to Australian Bureau of Statistics figures for age, gender and
location to reflect the Victorian population.
The new, interactive Gambling in
Victoria section of the Foundations website offers highly visual
information about what Victorians think about gambling, who gambles and on
what, what Victorians spend on gambling, pokies data by local government area,
gambling advertising, and harm from gambling.
CONTACT: Fiona Skivington, Manager,
Media & Communication on +61428248931 or
fiona.skivington@responsiblegambling.vic.gov.au.
SOURCE:
The Victorian
Responsible Gambling Foundation.
Betsson Appoints Former Svenska Spel Executive Chief Strategy
Officer and Responsible for the Swedish Market
STOCKHOLM, Sweden (April 19, 2018)
-- Peter Zäll joins Betsson Group on May 1st 2018 and will be based at
Betssons operational headquarters in Malta. He was previously VP Product
& Marketing at Svenska Spel and has also held a number of management
positions in retail businesses and consumer marketing.
I am delighted that Peter has
decided to be part of the Betsson team as Chief Strategy Officer, his
experience and personality fit the team perfectly. Also, as Betsson Group is
gearing up for the opening of the Swedish gambling market there should be no
better person to develop our position in the Swedish market, comments
Jesper Svensson, CEO Betssons operational subsidiaries.
I am excited to join Betsson
at these interesting times. I see many opportunities in the brand portfolio and
look forward to working with the team to refine the strategy for the
future, says Peter Zäll.
SOURCE: Betsson press release.
Net
Gaming Signs Letter of Intent to Acquire Assets in the DACH
Region
MALTA (April 19, 2018) -- Net Gaming
has signed a letter of intent to acquire affiliate assets, primarily in the
DACH region (Germany, Austria and Switzerland).
The operations show strong growth
and are currently expected to generate quarterly sales of approximately EUR
200,000, with an operating margin of approximately 75%. About 75% of the
revenues are generated via revenue sharing.
REGISTRATION NOW OPEN |
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I am very pleased that we have
the opportunity to strengthen our position in the DACH region. This is an
exciting market which we consider to have good growth opportunities ahead. In
addition, completion of this transaction will give us further opportunities to
grow our existing operations in the region, and expand these assets to other
markets, comments Marcus Teilman, CEO of Net Gaming.
The acquisition of the operations is
expected to take place after completion of a due diligence process. The initial
purchase consideration of EUR 2.29 million will be settled with existing cash
resources. Payment of a maximum additional consideration of EUR 1.25 million
may also be required. The additional consideration is based on the outcome of
the acquired assets EBITA for the 12 months following completion of the
transaction. For the full additional consideration of EUR 1.25 million to
apply, the outcome of the acquired assets EBITA is required to be at
least EUR 1.0 million over the next 12 months.
About Net Gaming
Net Gaming owns, operates and
develops high-quality online comparison sites for the purpose of channelling
user traffic to the Companys customers primarily iGaming
operators. Within the Group, approximately 130 comparison sites are operated in
30 countries. Net Gaming generates valuable user traffic through the sites,
mainly to global iGaming operators. The Company was founded in 2005, has over
80 employees and is headquartered in Malta. The share (NETG) is listed on
AktieTorget.
SOURCE: Net Gaming press
release.
Malta
Gaming Authority Appoints New Chief Executive Officer
MALTA (April 23, 2018) -- The MGA
Board (in accordance with Article 14 of the Lotteries and other Games Act and
after consultation with the Parliamentary Secretary for Financial Services,
Digital Economy & Innovation, Hon. Silvio Schembri) has appointed
Heathcliff Farrugia as the new Chief Executive Officer of the MGA with effect
from 24 April 2018. Heathcliff Farrugia succeeds Joseph Cuschieri who earlier
this month was appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Malta Financial
Services Authority (MFSA).
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Mr Farrugia holds a Masters Degree
in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Leicester, UK, and is
specialised in business management, operational efficiencies, strategic
planning, and regulation. Throughout his professional career, he held various
senior executive positions both within the private and the public sector.
In 2014, Mr Farrugia joined the Gaming Authority in the role of Chief
Operations Officer (COO), and was pivotal in the transformation process which
the Authority underwent. He held this position for two years until his
appointment as Chief Regulatory Officer in 2016. In this role he was
responsible for all the regulatory activities of the Authority with specific
focus on Regulatory Supervision, Authorisations, Compliance and Player
Support.
At the same time, he was also a
member of the Supervisory Council, and co-chaired the Fit & Proper
Committee, entrusted with the assessment of the fit and properness of
individuals and companies applying for a MGA licence. Mr Farrugia was a board
member of the Gaming Regulators European Forum (GREF), where he is now a member
and is also a member of the International Association of Gaming Regulators
(IAGR) and the International Association of Gaming Advisors (IAGA).
Prior to joining the MGA, Mr
Farrugia spent the largest part of his career in the telecoms industry,
specifically with Vodafone Malta, where he occupied various managerial
positions. In 2013, he was appointed Customer Value Management (CVM) Manager
for Vodafone Italy in Milan where he was responsible for the overall planning
and strategy within the Consumer Department.
SOURCE: Malta Gaming Authority.
Lahcene Merzoug Appointed President of Cherry Subsidiary
ComeOn
STOCKHOLM, Sweden (April 15, 2018)
-- The Board of Directors of gaming operator ComeOn Malta Ltd, a subsidiary of
Cherry AB (publ) STO: CHER-B.ST, has appointed Lahcene Merzoug as
Managing Director. By mid-July 2018, at the latest, Lahcene will succeed Tomas
Johansson, who has been the acting Managing Director since October 2017.
The Board of Directors of gaming
operator ComeOn Malta Ltd, a subsidiary of Cherry AB (publ) STO:
CHER-B.ST, has appointed Lahcene Merzoug as Managing Director. By mid-July
2018, at the latest, Lahcene will succeed Tomas Johansson, who has been the
acting Managing Director since October 2017.
Lahcene Merzoug joins the company
from Mr Green, where he was Chief Marketing Officer (CMO). Before that, he
worked at Evoke Gaming Ltd, now a part of Mr Green, where he was CMO and Chief
Business Development Officer. Lahcene has an extensive background as an
entrepreneur and solid experience from the iGaming industry.
ComeOn is a leading player
with a number of well-known brands that inspire our industry, and I am honoured
to take over as Managing Director after Tomas Johansson, says Lahcene
Merzoug.
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I look forward to
continuing to develop the operations to give the company a clear market-leading
position and to strengthen our position as the first choice for customers and
employees.
Im pleased with what
we have achieved within ComeOn in a short period of time, and its very
gratifying to see ComeOn return as a nimble player, focused on growth with good
profitability. Since October, we have worked hard within ComeOn to identify and
remedy a number of different areas, allowing us to regain our position as a
leading player in the industry. The joint effort allowed ComeOn to report good
growth and improved earnings already in the first quarter, as Cherry reported
in the preliminary financial accounts communicated on 13 April 2018,
says Tomas Johansson, acting Managing Director of ComeOn.
Together with the rest of
ComeOns company management, Tomas has done a fantastic job of quickly
reversing the trend within ComeOn, and the company now has more profitable and
sustainable operations, commented Anders Holmgren, Chairman of
ComeOn. Lahcene is the right person to take the company forward. His
experience of building growth in organizations and his well-documented
marketing skills will give us a smooth transition and take ComeOn several steps
ahead, Anders Holmgren continues.
As an adviser within the Cherry
Group, Tomas Johansson will, in part, assist Lahcene and others in
ComeOns management team during a transitional period and, in part, he
will help strengthen and broaden Cherrys market position in gaming, media
and entertainment.
CHERRY IN BRIEF
Cherry is a Swedish innovating and
fast-growing company with operations in gaming, entertainment and media. The
company was established in 1963 and today operates through five diversified
business areas: Online Gaming, Game Development, Online Marketing, Gaming
Technology, and Restaurant Casino. The objective is to grow organically in
combination with strategic acquisitions of fast-growing companies. Cherry
employs some 1,400 people and has about 6,700 shareholders. The companys
class B share is listed on the Nasdaq Stockholm exchange, Mid Cap segment. More
information is available at: www.cherry.se.
SOURCE: Cherry.
Inspired Announces Content Deal with
Novomatic
NEW YORK, N.Y. (April 25, 2018) --
Inspired Entertainment, Inc. (Inspired) (NASDAQ: INSE) today
announces that it has signed an agreement to supply its games content to
Novomatics Italian gaming platform.
In an agreement which extends to
2022, Inspired will supply VLT games content to Novomatics platform
across its Italian retail estate, which totals over 30,000 terminals. Inspired
will initially deploy two games which will be accessible from the main menu,
with the potential for further titles and exclusives in the future.
Inspired is delighted to be
partnering with Novomatic in this exciting and strategic deal, said
Luke Alvarez, President and CEO, Inspired. Novomatic is one of
the largest gaming technology companies in the world, and the combination of
our award-winning content with Novomatics platform will no doubt deliver
a unique and compelling customer experience. Italy is an important market
for Inspired, and its exciting to be offering our content to more
customers in partnership with Novomatic, he added.
About Inspired Entertainment,
Inc.
Inspired is a global games
technology company, supplying Virtual Sports, Mobile Gaming and Server Based
Gaming systems with associated terminals and digital content to regulated
lottery, betting and gaming operators around the world. Inspired currently
operates approximately 30,000 digital gaming terminals and supplies its Virtual
Sports products through more than 40,000 retail channels and over 300 websites,
in approximately 35 gaming jurisdictions worldwide. Inspired employs
approximately 800 employees in the UK and elsewhere, developing and operating
digital games and networks.
SOURCE: Inspired press release.
Stride
Enhances Aspers Casino Online Offering with Greentube
Content
VIENNA, Austria (April 23, 2018) --
Stride Together, the B2B partnership division of leading online gaming operator
Stride Gaming, is pleased to announce that it has integrated Greentubes
world-class casino content onto its platform to provide additional casino games
to Aspers Casino Online.
Stride Together licenses its
proprietary platform to gaming operators to enable them to create an online
presence for their customer base. Stride Together established its first joint
venture with Aspers Group Limited in October 2017, giving the established UK
casino brand an online presence for the first time.
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Alongside existing content developed
by Stride, the additional games from Greentube, NOVOMATICs interactive
division, are now readily available to Aspers Casino Online players via
Strides platform. The portfolio of Greentube games gives players a wide
variety of fresh content to enjoy in an entertaining environment. This is a
further enhancement of Strides joint venture with Aspers Casino Online
and demonstrates that Strides platform can easily integrate third-party
content to broaden its customer offering.
In addition to NOVOMATIC blue-chip
slots such as Book of RaTM deluxe, Lucky Lady´s CharmTM deluxe and
Sizzling HotTM deluxe, titles like Cops and RobbersTM Millionaires Row, Power
StarsTM as well as dozens of others, are available on the popular online casino
site.
Eitan Boyd, CEO of Stride Gaming,
said:
The successful integration
of third party content to our proprietary platform further proves that we have
flexible, cutting-edge technology to meet the needs of gaming operators. The
addition of Greentubes casino content onto our platform enables Aspers
Online to provide its customers with even more engaging content to enjoy. The
partnership has been very successful and we look forward to further developing
our service offering to Aspers and its customers in future.
David Bolas, Greentube UK Commercial
Director, commented:
We are delighted to expand
our UK reach with Stride Gaming and Aspers Casino Online. We look forward to
delivering additional value to the Stride/Aspers proposition, with our iconic
content offering now available across both retail and digital
channels.
SOURCE: Greentube press release.
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