Mobile Betting

Online payments provider PayPal has announced its first acquisition since its split from eBay, revealing that it has acquired mobile payment start-up Modest.

Modest’s technology will allow consumers to make purchases in apps by giving merchants the ability to provide buy buttons for their products, similar to Pinterest’s Buyable Pins (which actually uses PayPal’s Braintree platform.)

A senior PayPal spokesman said that the deal represents what PayPal calls contextual commerce, and the company is confident that this is becoming the new frontier for commerce.

“For consumers it will mean seamless, simpler and safer ways to buy the things they want, anywhere they discover them,” Bill Ready said in a statement.

Modest was founded in 2012 by Harper Reed, who served as chief technology officer for President Barack Obama’s re-election campaign in 2012, and Dylan Richard, who was lead engineer for the campaign.

US operator Tropicana Entertainment has launched its social casino app titled “TropWorld” developed by Ruby Seven Studios.

The free-to-play casino app offers mobile players a range of slots, video poker, and bingo games which include Multi-Strike Poker™ and Gems Wild Tiles™.

TropWorld also provides sign-in bonus coins, in-app purchases, progressive tournaments, social chat and leader boards.

“We wanted to offer free, non-gambling games that a wide audience can enjoy,” commented Tony Rodio, president and chief executive officer of Tropicana Entertainment Inc. “Players around the world will have fun with our TropWorld Casino app.”

Fantasy iTeam, a fantasy football mobile app, is providing football information site Goal.com with a mobile fantasy product that includes a new, unique European Super League format.

Goal.com reaches millions of global soccer fans every month, and in addition to the European Super League, it will also host English Premier League and Champions League fantasy competitions.

The European Super League is the first fantasy football format where users can pick players from five major European leagues – the Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, Ligue 1 and Bundesliga – in the same team.

The app is free to download and mobile users can challenge their friends and win prizes. It includes a live and interactive newsfeed and instant scores and squad news.

Phil Shaw, commercial director, Fantasy iTeam, said: “The European Super League is a completely new, unique concept in fantasy football and we’ve designed it to open the app up to a global audience rather than just a UK-centric one.

“Goal.com is the perfect partner for this as it has one of the biggest football audiences in the world.”

Ben Warn, CEO for New Ventures, Perform Group, added: “We’re looking forward to putting the app into the hands of fantasy gamers new and old amongst our millions of fans right around the globe.”

The app is available as a free download on iPhone, Android, iPad and Facebook.

On the go horse racing punters can download a new, and free, app from At the Races this week following the launch of the product on both Android and iOS platforms.

The app gives users access to horse racing news, race cards, video form, tipsters, Timeform analysis and betting services from the UK’s largest racing TV channel and website, and allows the mobile punter to watch race replays, access 12,000 archived races, obtain in-depth and career histories, compare odds and place bets.

All ATR races are available to view on the app within just minutes of the finish, whilst  ATR television programmes including Racing News and Racing Live are also available to watch in an on demand catch up service.

Matthew Imi, chief executive for At The Races, said: “With more people watching At The Races on television and increasing numbers coming to our website – around 2.5 million monthly TV viewers and more than that reported by Google Analytics on the site each month – the new app will only extend our reach. It will help us to not only continue to popularise the sport, making it as accessible as possible, but also to position us long term to deliver sustained growth and increasing commercial returns for our racecourse partners.”

Internet gambling company Stride Gaming has agreed a $39.2 million deal to acquire mobile social gaming developer InfiApps, the consideration to be paid in a mix of $21.2 million in cash and an earn-out payment of a further $18 million in cash contingent on InfiApps meeting certain performance targets over the next two years.

InfiApps attracted attention earlier this year when its flagship casino game, Slot Bonanza passed the 5.2 million downloads benchmark in continued global player interest.

The developer reported net profit before tax of $2.3 million in the first five months of 2015 and is on-track to beat a FY 2014 profit of $3.4 million.

CEO Ronen Kalmanson said that the combination of the InfiApps social gaming platform and the operational expertise of Stride will create an improved player experience and help grow both companies.

Eitan Boyd, chief executive of Stride Gaming, said:

“The addition of InfiApps widens our current portfolio of products and brands and will significantly enhance and diversify our player offering internationally, as well as provide access to new users and new geographies generating significant operational leverage.

“The acquisition is in line with our strategic objective of expansion through acquisitions, and also affords Stride Gaming a platform in which to take our online bingo product, over time, into the social gaming space.”

Fuga Gaming Technologies’ hit slot game “Bat Family” is now available for the first time on mobile via Odobo.

Built in HTML5, the game is a 3D graphic-rich, 5-reel, 30-payline video slot, styled as a humorous homage to the old naïve vampire movies and Addams family franchise.

Features include any free spins won via the joker symbol and random multipliers can be retriggered up to 99 times.

An interactive Elixir bonus game allows the player to open chests and caskets in the three levels of the castle vault and the player can continue to win until three bonus-ending garlics are gathered or the Super Prize is won.

The Mystery Bonus (up to 4X multiplier) can randomly trigger and at any time during the base game to increase the value of any payout.

“The Odobo Developer Program offers the right mix of support, modern tools, technology and cross compatibility,” said Konstantin Mikhaylov, commercial director at Fuga Gaming Technologies.  Joining with Odobo was an obvious choice for widening the distribution of the virtual version of the game and opening it up to players in new regulated markets.”

Check out the demo at: http://cdn.odobo.com/rest/loadgame/b3a5519d-0528-4842-a3fc-aec28e683c88

The Scotland-based mobile development firm Kotikan has been  acquired for an undisclosed sum by major daily fantasy sports operator FanDuel, giving the group enhanced mobile technology capability,

The eight year old mobile developer has worked extensively with FanDuel, developing its iOS and Android apps and leading to the decision to take it over lock, stock and barrel.

Kotikan chief executive Gavin Dutch commented this week that both managements realised that the most effective way forward was for the companies to become a single entity, with Kotikan devoting its full resources to the success of FanDuel.

FanDuel recently announced that it had secured an additional $275 million in Series E financing, increasing its overall capital to $363 million.

Vancouver-based development studio Contagious Gaming Inc. has launched its PlayGoalTime iOS app in the UK market.

Peter Glancy, chief executive officer and director, commented: “With the acceptance of the Goal Time app into the Apple Store, it expands our ability to offer Goal Time on a national basis in the U.K., across iOS mobile devices.”

In related news, Contagious Gaming subsidiary Telos Entertainment has extended its third party content development agreement with Zynga.

The Casumo online casino has announced the launch of its mobile version, saying it has carried its complex adventure theme over to the new channel.

Features include intuitive interaction, an easier deposits and withdrawal system, and a personalised dashboard to ease access to new games, along with a diversity of top lists on log in, presenting the player with recommended games, top games and personally played games.

Aristocrat Technologies Inc. and International Games System Co., Ltd. have jointly unveiled a new Asian-targeted mobile slots application titled FA FA FA Slots.

FA FA FA Slots (which translated, means Rich, Rich, Rich Slots) for Android features free-to-play versions of Aristocrat’s popular slot games that can be found in casinos throughout the Asia-Pacific region.

FA FA FA’s first release will feature nine of Aristocrat’s most popular slots from the Asia-Pacific market, including Wild Panda, Double Happiness and 50 Dragons, with more games slated to be added to FA FA FA in the near future.

“We’re launching FA FA FA to bring our popular Asian-themed slot machines to social casino players around the world,” said Craig Billings of Aristocrat this week. “Aristocrat and IGS have collaborated closely to build a quality, tailored, multi-language Asian gaming experience evocative of the excitement and action present on slot floors throughout the region.”

A.C. Chen, a director at IGS, explained, “Based on market studies, social casino games in general reached gross revenue of over US$ 2.8 billion last year, and will likely amount to US$ 4.4 billion in 2017. This collaboratively developed mobile game is tailored for Asian users everywhere.”

Empire Global Corp. has announced that its wholly owned subsidiary Multi Gioco has entered into an agreement with Microgame SpA to develop a mobile app for Italian sports betting and online casino games.

The app will be branded for New Gioco Italy and lovingbet.it websites and will function on all major device platforms including Apple iOS, Windows and Android smartphones and tablets, representing 90 percent of smartphone users.

The company currently serves over 22,000 active clients generating approximately Euro 70 million in online gaming turnover through its websites. Under the agreement, Microgame will also re-engineer the websites to synchronize online gaming accounts and products with the mobile and tablet operating systems.

Michele Ciavarella, CEO of Multi Gioco, said Tuesday: “We are building on our constructive relationship with Microgame, a top network service provider in Italy. Our combined strength is aimed at providing better service for existing online customers while capitalizing on the rapidly growing mobile gaming space.”

Ciavarella estimates approximately 2 months of development with the launch for the app planned for early to mid-September.

In related news, Multi Gioco has signed a letter of intent to expand its associated land betting shops in Italy through the acquisition of five additional Bersani licensed corner locations.

The LeoVegas mobile casino operator has launched an imaginative new marketing promo in London, inviting the public to take a walk on the wild side by capturing a lion on the loose.

The lions are in the form of images of the company’s distinctive Leo the Lion logo sprayed as street art onto a number of dirty streets at the entrance to 15 tube stations around the city, using ‘clean advertising’ which helps remove dirt from London’s streets.

Passers-by lucky enough to spot Leo are being asked to tweet pictures to @LeoVegas using #LuckyLion. Five lucky winners will receive an iPad mini.

Shoppers at Westfield London were also be given the chance to win, after LeoVegas.com hosted a life-size Wheel of Fortune in the shopping centre. Members of the public were encouraged to stand on a giant Wheel of Fortune board. If the spinning wheel lands on their chosen colour on the board, they will walk away with shopping vouchers.

The street promos have been designed to the company’s new television advert, says Shenaly Amin, UK country manager at LeoVegas.com.

Mobile operator LeoVegas has launched an exclusive set of games from Genii’s Spin 16 portfolio.

The games features advanced Touch technology with touchscreen and swipe functionality.

“The partnership with Genii solidifies our commitment to delivering the best mobile gaming experience possible, whilst staying at the forefront of mobile gaming technology,” said Robin Ramm, co-founder of LeoVegas.com. “We are excited to be first to provide a fully interactive mobile gaming experience for our customers.”

US mobile casino solutions provider Joingo has launched the first smartphone and tablet Android and iOS apps for the casino at Delaware Park, located in one of three US states that have legalised intrastate online gambling.

Development of the app has been made possible through the partnership of Joingo with VizExplorer, and connects Joingo’s mobile loyalty system with the casino’s VizExplorer Integration Hub.

The app will serve as the mobile portal for Delaware Park, making it easy for patrons to access all the property’s amenities, including Casino Gaming, Racing, Sports Betting, Golf and Dining.

Connectivity with the casino’s existing Bally CMP systems provides real-time account information, targeted player messaging and exclusive mobile offers to be delivered to Player Rewards Club members’ mobile devices.

Integrations with Facebook and Twitter allow patrons to share in-app content with their network of friends and followers, increasing the reach of Delaware Park’s mobile messages.

Joingo president Seamus McGill said Tuesday: “Together, mobile technology and data analytics are giving brand marketers the power to reach out in real-time with the personalized content that today’s mobile consumers demand. The time for casino operators to capitalize on real-time engagement is now, and Delaware Park is perfectly positioned to do so.”

SkillOnNet will be first to launch Scientific Games Interactive-owned Barcrest’s new mobile slot “Black Magic Fruits”.

The game is a 3-reel, 5-payline video slot featuring a Big Bet feature where the Red 7 symbol is Wild and substitutes for all other symbols.

“SkillOnNet is one of our fastest-growing B2B operating partners”, Andrew Pegler, director of key accounts, interactive at Scientific Games, said.  “We’re excited to explore the potential from such early release windows with them, particularly in the rapidly growing mobile gaming sector”.

Live dealer provider EntwineTech has announced the launch of an Android and iOS mobile version of its popular desktop game Dragon Bonus Baccarat.

Dragon Bonus Baccarat has the same game rules as traditional Baccarat, but with the addition of two new side bets: on the Banker or the Player.

Company spokesman Ian Dunning said Tuesday that the popular game has been optimised for mobile following significant player demand.

“Our original Web-based Dragon Bonus baccarat gave a new dimension to our live dealer baccarat product and provided another important area of differentiation between EntwineTech and our competition, and our mobile version further enhances this differentiation,” he said.

ThreeFiftyNine, Inc., a subsidiary of Canadian transaction management and mobile publishing company, Consorteum Holdings, has announced that following a development project with XpertX, Inc., it has completed work on a new mobile results app for live Keno.

The app is designed to deliver a high-tech mobile Keno solution to practically any mobile device, irrespective of operating system, the company claims.

With the app, a Keno player will, for the first time, be able to use a mobile phone to gain access to the results of Keno games played at numerous casinos across the United States.

This is simply the first step in being able to offer a pay-for-play version of the game within the limits allowed by each jurisdiction, the company says, claiming that operators can use the app to expose keno to “…a new, younger audience that is firmly entrenched in mobile technology.”

Stockholm software developer Thunderkick has released its first HTML5 title, a mobile version of its “Esqueleto Explosive” slot game.

“We hope that we can reach a new audience with this release as well as improving the experience for our existing player base. More games will follow,” a ThunderKick spokesperson said.

Online gambling software developer Playtech has launched a wearable sports betting app available to all licensees – including full Cash Out functionality – for the new Apple Watch which goes on sale today.

In an extension to its multi-year ‘Coral Connect’ Omni-Channel contract, the long-standing tier one Playtech licensee will be the first customer to offer the ‘iWatch’ app to its extensive UK and European player base.

A team of senior Playtech mobile developers has built on the company’s previous Android Wear sports betting release and worked intensively over the course of the last few months to develop the Apple Watch betting app, submitting it as soon as Apple opened its submission window at the beginning of April, a Playtech spokesman said Friday.

The app enables first adopters of the watch to initiate bets, browse live and forthcoming sporting events, monitor promotions, and receive alerts via technology linked to a user’s iOS mobile application.

Uniquely, and unlike other Apple Watch applications, once a bet is in progress Coral Players will have access to cash out functionality enabling them to instantly profit from winning positions in real-time, the spokesman claimed.

A player simply touches the Coral app on the Apple Watch and is given immediate access to a grid of eight initial sports including football and tennis.

After selecting a preferred sport they are able to view a list of ongoing and upcoming games complete with a series of betting options, as well as the choice of accessing ‘My Bets’ that displays current bet status and betting history.

Playtech is currently working with a number of other key licensees to launch further Apple Watch functionality, allowing hundreds of thousands more players in regulated markets to bet instantly from their wrists.

Keith O’Loughlin, sportsbook director, Coral, said: “This is a fantastic, industry-first development that allows us to immediately engage with our customers on an entirely new level and significantly enhances our Omni-Channel solution with Playtech, our principal technology partner.”

In the latest adoption of new wearable gambling technology, online operator Unibet has announced that it will use the Apple Watch to communicate sports betting information to its clients.

The app, which has been approved by Apple, will be deployed in support of Unibet’s mobile betting app, making instant sporting information more accessible for Apple Watch users.

“We anticipate Apple Watch users initially using their watch as an information and communication tool, weeding out the wheat from the chaff of all the communication that reaches our smartphones these days,” said Ed Nicholson, head of sportsbook marketing at Unibet.

“Timing and knowledge is everything, especially in today’s digital world. And that is never more true than in betting.”