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PointsBet and Genius Sports Expand Sports Betting Partnership

PointsBet and Genius Sports have extended their partnership to include Genius’ full range of official sportsbook data, content, and fan engagement solutions.

The deal, which builds on PointsBet and Genius Sports’ existing content and streaming partnership, will cover data, pre-game, and in-play content and engagement solutions for major US sports properties such as the National Football League (NFL) and Nascar.

PointsBet was in August selected as one of the NFL’s approved sportsbook operators and Genius Sports is now set to provide PointsBet access to the NFL’s official play-by-play statistics, proprietary Next Gen Stats (NGS) data and official sports betting data feed. The agreement will also include data, content and engagement solutions for international competitions like soccer’s English Premier League and soccer from Argentina, Colombia and Mexico.

“PointsBet is committed to providing the fastest and most comprehensive in-play betting experience, and we look forward to enhancing those capabilities by expanding our partnership with Genius Sports,” PointsBet US chief executive Johnny Aitken said.

Genius Sports chief executive Mark Locke added: “This partnership demonstrates the inherent value of official data and its ability to revolutionize the sports betting experience around the world. We are thrilled to expand our long-standing relationship as we continue to keep PointsBet powered with the fastest, most accurate sports data available.”

While most operators outsource core functions to third parties, PointsBet claims to be “an anomaly in the sports betting space” in truly owning its roadmap, avoiding any third-party technical or risk management dependencies. This also includes bet types that cannot be found anywhere else, to a suite of exclusive product features like “PointsBetting” and the Name-A-Bet platform, to deep Spanish language functionality, and much more.

AGCO Opens iGaming Registration System to Operators & Suppliers

iGaming operators and suppliers that are interested in participating in Ontario’s upcoming regulated, open, and competitive iGaming market can now register under the Gaming Control Act, 1992 (GCA) with the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO).

All applications for registration must be made through the iAGCO web-based portal. Prospective operators and gaming-related suppliers can now create their iAGCO account and begin preparing their applications for registration.

Applying for registration is one of the key steps to participation in Ontario’s open and competitive iGaming market, as set out in the roadmap published by the AGCO.

Who needs to apply?

Operators:

  • Registration is required for operators of a gaming site: i.e. those who have continual responsibility for the gaming site as a whole, including key decision-making activities, responsibility for compliance matters for the gaming site, and the authority to retain suppliers in relation to the gaming site.
  • Registration is required for each distinct gaming site. Whether a prospective operator with multiple proposed offerings/websites is operating a single gaming site or multiple gaming sites will depend on factors such as whether there are uniform account credentials, a common e-wallet, common branding, and a common operator across various websites and products.

Suppliers:

  • The requirements for gaming-related suppliers similar to those of the existing land-based regime in Ontario and focus on whether a prospective supplier’s goods or services are connected to, or directly relate to, the playing of a lottery scheme or the operation of a gaming site.
  • General examples of suppliers that may be required to hold a registration as a gaming-related supplier include platform providers; suppliers who manufacture, develop, provide, and/or run games and game systems; customer electronic wallet providers; odds makers; and sports integrity monitoring organizations.
  • The AGCO has stated that suppliers that would fall into the existing registration category of non-gaming-related suppliers will not need to register to be part of the iGaming market.

Applicants are encouraged to provide as complete an application as possible to ensure timely processing.

Registering over a one- or two-year term, operators will pay an annual regulatory fee of $100,000 per gaming site, and may also be required to pay investigatory and/or regulatory costs. Manufacturers of gaming equipment must pay $15,000 annually and suppliers of gaming-related equipment and services will pay $3,000 annually.

Application guides

On August 18, the AGCO published its iGaming operator application guide and on September 2, its iGaming supplier application guide. These guides have been provided to assist prospective applicants. They include a detailed list of the information and supporting documentation applicants must submit for the AGCO to process their applications.

Operators will also be required to enter into a commercial contract with iGaming Ontario, details of which can be found on the iGaming Ontario engagement portal.

iGaming Ontario anticipates providing the final commercial contract to interested operators (upon signing a non-disclosure agreement) in the very near future.

Final Registrar’s Standards

The AGCO also recently released its final Registrar’s Standards on iGaming in the province, incorporating the feedback it received on sport and event wagering standards.

The sport and event betting standards were developed to address the expanded menu of sport and event betting options and to minimize the potential compromising of betting markets through activities such as insider betting or game manipulation including:

  • Requiring operators to actively monitor the betting markets for suspicious betting activity
  • Prohibiting insiders, including coaches, athletes and referees, from betting on certain events
  • Ensuring that sport and event offerings meet acceptable betting criteria and are not objectionable

The Canadian Gaming Association invites anyone with questions to contact [email protected].

Gaming Leaders Confident of Continued Rebound

The American Gaming Association’s (AGA) first Gaming CEO Outlook shows that gaming executives and industry leaders are optimistic of a strong recovery in the remainder of 2021 and into 2022, but do have lingering concerns about supply and employment issues.
The Outlook, prepared for the AGA by Oxford Economics, provides a snapshot of the current and future economic health of the industry based on executive sentiment, employment, casino visitation plans, gaming revenue, and other key economic indicators. The results are informed by a survey of AGA member CEOs and executives representing equipment suppliers, casinos operators, and sportsbooks.
Almost half (48 per cent) of AGA-member CEOs expect improved business conditions in 2022. 54.1 per cent of the panel expected continued growth over the next six months, while 9.7 per cent expected a decrease in revenue.
In particular, 71 per cent anticipate increases in new hiring, 63 per cent expect to see wage growth, 39 per cent predict heightened capital investment.
Among gaming operators, half plan to increase hotel and food and beverage amenities and 43 per cent plan to increase capital investments in gaming machines.
Gaming suppliers are also optimistic: over the next six months, 75 per cent expect sales of gaming units for replacement use to increase and 63 per cent expect sales of new units to improve.
“AGA’s inaugural Gaming CEO Outlook reflects the strength of our recovery and consumer demand for our world-class entertainment offerings,” said Bill Miller, AGA president and CEO, in a summary of the Outlook. “The promising outlook is built on our innovation, but like many industries, supply chain and worker shortages continue to slow our full recovery.”
However, while the overall forecast is positive, significant challenges remain.
More than two-thirds (71 per cent) of CEO respondents cited supply chain issues as a factor limiting operations, while 63 per cent expressed concerns about labour shortages impeding short-term growth and nearly half (46 per cent) cited consumer health concerns.
“We are a more resilient industry because of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Aristocrat Technologies CEO and AGA Chairman Trevor Croker. “As the gaming industry looks to 2022 and beyond, our impressive recovery will continue to create jobs, support communities, and generate needed taxes.”
Among the Outlook’s other key conclusions was that there has been exceptionally strong growth in gaming revenue, employment, and employee wages and salaries over the past quarter, representing one of the fastest periods of growth in the industry over the past 20 years.
“The industry has never been more united. We’ve never been more determined or, really, better positioned for success,” Miller said in a keynote address before the opening of the trade-floor exhibition at the Global Gaming Expo, as reported by CDC Gaming Reports. “Gaming has never been more popular with the public.”
Miller stressed that revenue is above the record pace of 2019, suppliers’ sales are increasing, and the commitment to promoting responsible gaming and social awareness is strong. However, he noted the industry must live up to the increased responsibilities that come with success and expansion, especially amid the rapid growth of legal sports betting in North America.
“As sports betting grows, so does our responsibility. Scrutiny from state regulators and the media is increasing around advertising saturation and aggressive promotions. And we have to get this right. Because we’ve seen what happens when it goes wrong. Our commitment to responsibility is real. We need to ensure that our actions reflect those commitments.
“But the gaming industry can’t and shouldn’t be doing this alone. Every stakeholder, especially our partners who are new to the gaming business – sports leagues, teams, media companies – need to understand their role and they need to do their part.”

AGEM Index Raises Benchmark Again in September 2021

The AGEM Index‘s climb continued in September 2021 as it reached another all-time high mark, building upon its previous record set last month.

The Index grew by 33.86 points to a new high of 1,046.74 last month.

That means that over the past year, it has nearly doubled from 525.44 points in September 2020.

The latest monthly rise in the index was driven by gains from five companies, which overcame negative index contributions by the other seven companies in the AGEM Index.

The top contributor to the monthly index was International Game Technology (IGT), whose 22.5 per cent increase in stock price led to a 23.20-point gain for the index. Scientific Games was also a significant contributor to the overall growth in the index, adding 22.67 points as the result of a 14.8 per cent rise in stock price. The largest negative contributor to the index was Konami, whose 7.1 per cent drop in stock price led to a 12.14-point decrease in the AGEM Index.

All three major U.S. stock indices decreased over the month, with the NASDAQ and the S&P 500 experiencing declines of 5.7 percent and 5.0 percent, respectively. The Dow Jones Industrial Average experienced a 4.3 percent decline.

The Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers (AGEM) produces the monthly AGEM Index that comprises 13 global gaming suppliers throughout the world. A total of nine suppliers are based in the United States and are listed on the NYSE, Nasdaq, or OTC market, while two trade on the Australian exchange, one on the Tokyo exchange, and another trades on the Taiwan OTC exchange. The index is computed based on the month-end stock price (adjusted for dividends and splits) of each company and weighted based on approximation of market capitalization.

Betting Companies, Leagues Eyeing Further Canadian Sports Sponsorship

Canada’s regulated sports betting market may be in its comparative infancy, but already major betting companies and major sports leagues are looking to further collaboration.

Deals have already been struck. The National Hockey League, among the other major sports leagues, has jumped at the chance to take advantage of the legalization of single-event betting in both Canada and the U.S via corporate partnerships with industry giants such as DraftKings, FanDuel, William Hill, MGM Resorts, and Bally’s.

Meanwhile, other recent examples include BetRegal’s exclusive sponsorship partnership with the Canadian Football League and PGA Canada and theScore’s link-up with Golf Canada.

That visibility is only set to increase in the weeks and months to come.

The NHL’s board of governors gave the green light in August for teams to offer sponsor patches on their jerseys for the 2022-23 season, reports the Toronto Star. There is already a precedent for Canada to follow when it comes to offering that space to betting companies.

The Washington Capitals announced last month a new, multi-year partnership with Caesars Entertainment that will include the Caesars Sportsbook logo being featured on the team’s home and third jerseys.

“The genie is out of the bottle,” Brian Cooper, the chair of MKTG Canada and a long-time sports and entertainment sponsorship executive, told the Star. “Leagues in North America have held out for so long, but now they’re looking for any kind of new inventory (to sell). Those new industries of gaming and crypto(currency) are the ones they’re going after because they have a lot of money and they don’t have exclusive deals.”

Keith Wachtel, the NHL’s chief business officer and executive vice-president of global partnerships, says the league and teams will be prudent with moving towards the introduction of jersey patches, noting that the league is only permitting sports betting brands to advertise on the home jerseys of teams that are operating in jurisdictions where betting is legal.

In Ontario, the province’s alcohol and gaming commission (AGCO) is expected to receive applications for licences from big names in sports betting. The Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators are already attracting interest from gaming companies. Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment already has jersey branding deals for its teams including the Leafs (advertising Ford on their practice jerseys), the Raptors (Sun Life on game jerseys and OVO on practice jerseys), and Toronto FC (BMO on the front of the kit and GE Appliances on the sleeve).

The likelihood seems to be that that will be expanded to include betting companies sooner rather than later.

“Whether it’s a naming rights deal or the naming of a bowl game, (these sponsorships) are happening throughout North American sports,” Wachtel said. “This is a significant revenue opportunity and it’s being played out there in the market that way with the deals we see taking place.”

Aristocrat Wins Biggest at 2021 Global Gaming Awards Las Vegas

The winners of this year’s Global Gaming Awards Las Vegas were revealed at a ceremony at Sands Expo on October 4, featuring some of the biggest names in gaming.
Of all the nominees, Aristocrat enjoyed the most success this year, earning three wins including Land-based Industry Supplier. The company’s systems and games teams were also honoured, taking the Land-based Product of the Year award for its IN THE CLEAR™ solution while Buffalo Link™ won best slot.
“At Aristocrat, we have the best people making the best products for the best customers in the world. We are honored and humbled to be recognized for our efforts, and we are extremely proud of our systems and games developers who continue to lead the industry with ground-breaking innovations,” said Hector Fernandez, Aristocrat president of the Americas and EMEA.
Meanwhile, IGT also won big as its Resort Wallet with IGTPay earned the Product Innovation of the Year award.
“IGT winning ‘Product Innovation of the Year’ in the Global Gaming Awards is an excellent start to our G2E 2021 and a reflection of the market relevance and vast potential of our Resort Wallet and IGTPay cashless gaming technologies,” said Renato Ascoli, IGT CEO Global Gaming. “The Global Gaming Awards Las Vegas is among the most lauded gaming industry awards programs and we’re pleased that our transformative Resort Wallet and IGTPay solutions stood apart for their innovation and the many benefits that they deliver to our customers and their players.”
Previous winner Evolution landed top spot in the Digital Industry Supplier category, followed by Scientific Games and Kambi.
Meanwhile, MGM Resorts International also impressed, with its jointly owned sportsbook BetMGM earning the Digital Operator of the Year award, while finishing as runners-up in both the Responsible Business of the Year and Customer Loyalty Program, to The San Manuel Band of Mission Indians and Caesars Rewards, respectively.
GeoComply’s IDComply won Digital Product of the Year, and the full list of winners and runners-up can be found at https://www.globalgamingawards.com/vegas/
Industry figures from across the gaming world led the voting process, before they were adjudicated by KPMG.
The Global Gaming Awards Las Vegas recognize and reward the gaming industry’s strongest performers across the previous 12 months, with a strong focus on the Americas.

Scientific Games Recruits Former Aristocrat SVP to Lead Game Design

Scientific Games has announced in a press release that it has named Ted Hase as senior vice president of game design, where he will lead the group’s game design studios located in the group’s Las Vegas creative centre.

Hase’s previous experience includes working at Microsoft Corporation, where he played a role in the design of the Xbox and was inducted into the International Video Game Hall of Fame in 2009 for his work on the console. Most recently, he served as senior vice president of research and development at Aristocrat Technologies, where led a game design studio for more than 10 years, and is praised as being the creative force behind titles such as Tarzan, Buffalo Grand and The Walking Dead.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Ted to our team and can’t wait to get to work creating new games,” Matt Wilson, CEO of gaming at Scientific Games, commented on the group’s latest hire. “Ted’s expertise in creating innovative slot content is the perfect complement to our talented design teams. Pairing Ted’s vision and leadership with our existing team of talented game designers in our Las Vegas creative center is a winning combination.”

At Scientific Games, Hase will work with Wilson, chief product officer Rich Schneider and the R&D team to capitalise on strategic market opportunities by leveraging the strengths of the company’s game design studios.

“I’m really energised to join Scientific Games at such an exciting point in the company’s history,” Hase added on joining the firm. “I’ve admired the work of SG’s studios for a long time, and I look forward to collaborating with the team to bring awesome new games to our players, and to the industry as part of our quest to become the leading cross-platform global game company.”

Meanwhile, Scientific Games has also announced it has agreed to acquire the PlayOn cashless gaming solution from ACS in a deal that will see the ACS PlayOn product line join its portfolio and be renamed AToM – Access To On Demand Money.

Spring 2021

Bally’s Corporation Completes Gamesys Group Acquisition

Bally’s Corporation has announced that it has completed its previously announced merger with Gamesys Group, a UK-based leading global online gaming operator, following the receipt of all necessary regulatory requirements and shareholder approvals.

A press release says the transaction “transforms Bally’s into a premier, global, data-driven omni-channel gaming company.”

The combination will see Gamesys’ proven technology platform augment Bally’s continued buildout of its interactive offerings in North America, including real-money gaming options in online sports betting and iGaming.

Additionally, unifying Bally’s and Gamesys’ player databases and technologies provides Bally’s with one of the largest portfolios of omni-channel cross-sell opportunities, consisting of land-based gaming, online sports betting, iCasino, poker, bingo, daily fantasy sports, and free-to-play games, notes the release.

Soo Kim, Chairman of Bally’s Board of Directors, said, “Bally’s acquisition of Gamesys transforms our company into the premier omni-channel gaming company. We welcome the 1,800 members of the Gamesys team to the Bally’s family, and we welcome your strong technology capabilities and your proven international business acumen. We cannot wait to see what we are able to accomplish together in the US and beyond.”

Former Gamesys CEO Lee Fenton will now become Bally’s CEO. Additionally, former Bally’s CEO George Papanier will assume the role of President, Retail, for Bally’s land-based casino business, and former Gamesys COO Robeson Reeves will assume the role of President, Interactive. Further, Fenton, Reeves, and Jim Ryan, former Gamesys Non-Executive Director, have been appointed to serve on Bally’s Board of Directors.

Fenton, the newly-appointed CEO of Bally’s, added: “I am honored to have the opportunity to lead Bally’s in the next phase of our evolution. Our business is transforming from being a regional casino operator into an industry leader in retail, sports, media, and igaming, which will see us bringing together a set of assets that gives us a formidable platform for growth as a digital-first leader in global gaming entertainment. With Gamesys now part of the Bally’s family, I look forward to delivering on the exciting opportunities ahead and continuing to create value for our shareholders, employees, and customers in the years to come.”

AGEM Names New Executive Director

The Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers (AGEM) has announced it has appointed gaming industry veteran Daron Dorsey as its new Executive Director, effective March 1, 2022.

A press release confirmed Dorsey will begin his new position next year after previously serving as Senior Vice President, General Counsel & Group Compliance Officer at Ainsworth Game Technology in Las Vegas. Dorsey has also been an Officer and General Counsel of AGEM since 2016.

Dorsey will be replacing Marcus Prater, who has served as AGEM Executive Director since 2008.

In addition to his prior roles with AGEM and Ainsworth, Dorsey served as General Counsel for William Hill US after several years of service at two established law firms – Snell & Wilmer L.L.P. and Jolley Urga Wirth & Woodbury. Dorsey has been a member of the State Bar of Nevada since 2001 and is admitted to practice before state and federal courts in Nevada, along with the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

“Daron’s broad knowledge base, diverse skill set, and experience will be tremendous assets as he assumes this new role,” AGEM President David Lucchese said. “While we’re sad to see Marcus step away, Daron’s manufacturer background and familiarity with AGEM make him a perfect fit to step in.”

“Marcus devoted over a decade of service to AGEM, overseeing a period of exponential growth in membership, and our industry appreciates all that Marcus has done for us,” Dorsey said. “My hope is AGEM can further build on what it has already accomplished and continue to foster a business environment where its members prosper.”

That news comes as the AGEM Index reached another record high mark in September 2021, building upon its previous record set last month.

The Index grew by 33.86 points to a new high of 1,046.74 last month. That means that over the past year, it has nearly doubled from 525.44 points in September 2020.

The latest monthly rise in the index was driven by gains from five companies, which overcame negative index contributions by the other seven companies in the AGEM Index. The top contributor in September was International Game Technology (IGT), whose 22.5 per cent increase in stock price led to a 23.20-point gain for the index. Scientific Games was also a significant contributor to the overall growth in the index, adding 22.67 points as the result of a 14.8 per cent rise in stock price.

AGEM is a non-profit international technology trade association representing manufacturers and suppliers of electronic gaming devices, lotteries, systems, iGaming / online, game content, table games, sports betting, key components and support products and services for the gaming industry. AGEM works to further the interests of gaming equipment suppliers throughout the world. Through political action, regulatory influence, trade show partnerships, educational alliances, information dissemination and good corporate citizenship, the members of AGEM work together to create benefits for every company within the organization.

The current AGEM membership roster consists of 167 companies based in 22 countries.