Each week, CasinoBeats breaks down the numbers behind some of the industry’s most interesting stories. This week’s edition looks at a hefty fine for an operator as well as the reported closing of an underground casino at a North Korean embassy.
Five
Hall of Famers were inducted into the Sports Betting Hall of Fame, concluding this month’s hugely successful Betting on Sports 2018, of which the CasinoBeats Summit was a key part.
Taking place at the spectacular Natural History Museum and hosted by the unmistakable former Sky Sports broadcaster Kirsty Gallacher, the spectacular event received rave reviews.
The night will live long in the memory for all in attendance, however it was particularly special for Norbert Teufelberger, co-founder and former CEO of Bwin, Betsson founder and CEO Pontus Lindwall, Intralot co-founder and former CEO Constantinos Antonopoulos, former ABB chairman Warwick Bartlett and Snaitech CEO Fabio Schiavolin who were all awarded with this prestigious industry accolade.
To indulge further in the antics of CB on the night, be sure to check out last week’s F-word, which details a chat with the evening’s host, a reflective conversation with an industry CEO and pocketing some time with a snooker icon.
Fifteen
According to local news agency TASS, an illegal underground casino in the North Korean embassy was one of 15 closed by Russian authorities this month.
The story, which is one of the more bizarre of the week, comes after Inside Asian Gaming reported that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un was poised to open talks with the US over the possibility of a new casino resort in the Wonsan Special Tourist Zone, when he has his much anticipated second meeting with President Donald Trump next week.
Twenty-five
Seeking to create an ‘online, social, casual gaming community’ CB spoke to Fort Mason founder Kate Gorman, who has a rich history in the igaming sector, having previously held the honour of being Zynga’s youngest director of product, at just 25.
In a candid interview with CB, she revealed how the social element of Fort Mason’s offering will set it apart in what is a saturated market, Gorman also underlined how the operator is looking to satisfy the need for a new type of game, appealing to the flourishing female audience.
To read more, click here.
Four million
Online gambling group Stride Gaming has set aside £4m to pay a forthcoming UK Gambling Commission penalty in relation to compliance failures.
The UKGC sanction has forced the online gaming brand to reassess its annual projections and targets for the coming year (ending 31 August), with it predicting a 20 per cent decline in EBITDA performance to £16m.
On 2 August, the firm made its investors aware that it had received a UKGC notice revealing the commission’s intention to order its syndicated brands to ‘pay a significant financial penalty following a review of its licensed activities’.
Ninety million
The life-changing amount scooped by one German Lottoland player last week, in a payout confirmed as the largest in online gambling history.
The fortunate lotto player was Cristina, a 36 year old cleaner from Berlin, after she placed a bet on the Eurojackpot lottery via her mobile.
Nigel Birrell, CEO at Lottoland, commented: “We are absolutely delighted to achieve a Guinness World Record. It’s such an accolade to find ourselves in this hall of fame. This title is a confirmation of our business model, it proves that we are able to even break world records thanks to our sophisticated insurance model.”
