Each week, CasinoBeats breaks down the numbers behind some of the industry’s most interesting stories. Fresh monthly updates from New Jersey and Pennsylvania, an EveryMatrix performance report, UKGC penalty package and Twitch bans all feature as we reflect on a selection of last week’s headlines.
408,915
Betway paid a total of £408,915 after the UK Gambling Commission discovered marketing material on the children’s pages of West Ham United’s website.
Enquiries undertaken by the regulator found that between April 14, 2020, and November 6, 2021, the operator’s gambling logo, which linked to its website, was displayed on a webpage offering the opportunity to print a teddy bear for children to colour in.
Furthermore, it was also detected that a logo with a link to the operator’s web page featured on the ‘Young Hammers at Home’ webpage between October 24, 2021, and November, 15 2021.
Both advertisements breached Commission rules which outline that all marketing of gambling products and services must be undertaken in a socially responsible manner.
20
Streaming platform Twitch announced the tightening up its rules when it comes to gambling content with a ban on content featuring unlicensed slot sites.
In a statement released late on September 20, Twitch said that it is introducing new rules next month because current safeguards around gambling content are being circumnavigated.
The platform added that it would be issuing a ban on content from websites offering slots, roulette or dice games that aren’t licensed in the US or other jurisdictions that ‘provide sufficient consumer protection’.
The new rules will be rolled out on October 18, with Twitch promising to share the specifics on the updates to gambling policy soon to make sure everyone is clear on the changes before their implementation.
1,000
Players at Crown Resorts’ Melbourne venue will be limited to A$1,000 per 24 hours after the local government passed legislation to deliver an additional 12 recommendations from its royal commission investigation of the company.
It is hoped that this will enable consumers to receive an enhanced level of protection and allow regulators to gain additional oversight of the facility as the state of Victoria continues its fight to combat gambling related harm and prevent money laundering.
To prevent money laundering through the casino, the legislation introduces mandatory identification checks before a person can participate in gambling activities or claim winnings of more than $1,000.
Patrons of the casino will also be able to set time and money limits on their gaming activities through a mandatory pre-commitment system for electronic gaming machines for Australian residents in the venue.
This will need to be in place for the casino’s pokies by the end of next year. However, to allow for the development of technologies that do not currently exist, the full package of reforms must be implemented at the casino by no later than December 2025.
14.9
EveryMatrix is looking to maintain a steady level of investment to ensure consistent growth moving forward after the B2B igaming tech provider witnessed expansion across all business segments during a “strong” second quarter.
Gross profit through casino, sports and platform increased 17 per cent during the three month time frame to €14.9m (2021: €12.7m) with a four year CAGR of 35 per cent.
However, despite negative German impacts across igaming, gross profit recorded an 11 per cent year-on-year uptick that the group puts down to “product diversification and broad client base”.
EBITDA remained consistent at €5.2m as EveryMatrix continued to reinvest positive cash flow into future growth, with key Q2 investments coming via US expansion, purchase of Leapbit and recruitment drive in the Balkans.
425.4
Figures reported by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board revealed that the state’s casinos and igaming operations experienced a slight growth throughout August.
For August, the combined total revenue from all forms of gambling, including fantasy sports, was $425.4m, up 4.2 per cent year-over-year.
Moreover, the total tax revenue generated collectively through all forms of gaming and fantasy contests was $175.3m during August 2022.
Total igaming revenue during August reached $107.2m, up 20.81 per cent YoY, compared to last year’s total of $88.7m.
Slots represented the best performing igaming vertical, with $75.7m of revenue generated in the month. Table games reported $28.7m in revenues, while online poker recorded $2.7m of revenues.
4.4
New Jersey casinos witnessed a period of growth during August, with revenues jumping a steady 4.4 per cent year-over-year.
As per data published by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement, the nine casino properties across the Garden State recorded $274m in revenues during August, up 4.4 per cent YoY.
This was driven by table game win increases of 8.2 per cent , as revenues reached $69.6m. Meanwhile, slot machine revenue totaled $204.3m, up 3.2 per cent YoY.
Total gaming revenues across New Jersey casinos, racetracks and their partners reached $470.7m, reflecting a 10.1 per cent increase from the $427.7m made in revenues last year.
Online gaming provided $131.4m in revenues, up 16.1 per cent YoY, with authorised gaming increases of 16.6 per cent increasing the slight decline on peer-to-peer play revenues.
Sports betting also contributed $65.3m in revenues during August, up 25.5 per cent YoY from 2021’s figure of $52.0m. However, when looked at year-to-date, sports wagering has seen a decline of 11.9 per cent YoY, with a total of $418.9m trailing August 2021’s figure of $475.3m
500
Grosvenor Casinos dealt a helping hand to UK job seekers after offering more than 500 jobs nationwide to help aspiring dealers kick start their careers.
The company is launching a series of gaming academies across twelve of its land-based venues, helping to train locals on how to become a croupier and lead blackjack, poker and roulette games.
The training course aims to help aspiring workers learn how to manage the fast-paced nature of a betting casino environment by teaching them terminology, the difference between odds and pay-outs as well as how to spin the roulette ball.
Additionally, workers are being tutored on their times tables, their receiving of tips and proper dexterity when collecting bets, with the offer of full-time employment upon qualification.
