Archive for June, 2011

Mega Moolah Goes Mobile

The very popular Mega Moolah progressive jackpot slots game is now available as a mobile app for Android smartphone and tablet owners.

Released by mobile gaming software provider Spin3, the app is available for download in the UK and lets players at Platinum Play and other Microgaming casinos take a crack at one of the Web’s biggest jackpots.

White Rhino Roars Out of the Gate

Players at Rushmore Casino and WinPalace will notice a new addition to the slots choices, with White Rhino making its debut at casinos powered by Real Time Gaming software.

The 5-reel, 25 payline slot machine features a safari theme and includes a White Rhino feature — with up to 30 free games up for grabs — as well as a Kilimanjaro re-spin bonus.

Sin City Comes to PartyCasino

PartyCasino has unveiled its new Sin City slots game, which is a five-reel, fifty payline game that takes a page out of the Sin City comic book world.

Like the comic and movie with the same name, this one isn’t for the faint of heart, including bonus features named “Straight to Hell,” “The Hard Goodbye,” “He Never Screams,” “Deadly Little Miho,” and “Just Get Warmed Up”.

Do You Have the Midas Touch?

Virgin Casino has unveiled its new Midas Millions online slots game, which not only provides another addition to its roster of video slots but is being promoted with a special bonus of up to £60 daily for players who try it and other games out.

Other slots games that count for the promotion include Rhyming Reels, Hot Ink, Batman, Star Trek, and Top Trumps Euro Stars.

The UK-based The Weather Lottery (TWL) released a trading and prospect update this week.

The company reports disappointing developments with regard to the company’s intended expansion into the online gaming sector, under the brand FCBETZ.com .

The intention of the brand was to provide a number of football league clubs and their supporters with a full package of online gaming products.

TWL reports that it became apparent that FC BETZ did not have access to all the clubs’ databases which restricted it from building its own database of active members. As a result negotiations are in progress to terminate the relevant contracts.

Having undergone a review of its core lottery operations, the company has streamlined its operations with a view to increased efficiency, greater security and reduced operating costs.

Online gambling site Devil Fish Poker which was acquired in December 2010 has shown a largely expected small overall operational loss. The company still believes that the online poker market has considerable opportunity and is looking at ways to improve the business.

In closing, TWL believes it has a sound basis for a return to profitability and is well positioned to look for complimentary acquisitions to improve its value.

The land and online games developer WMS has released its latest online slot exclusively to subsidiary Jackpot Party, launching the tropical island themed Blue Lagoon in its Hot Hot Penny series.

The base game feature experience for Hot Hot Penny slots such as Blue Lagoon is unique. When a Hot Hot Penny game is played, punters get up to 36 additional free spins to enhance the feature round. Hot Hot Penny mode doubles the feature frequency by re-spinning all reels with non feature symbols on them.

The game has Wild, Scatter, Multiplier, Free Spins and Bonus features, along with a re-spin facility.

More States Consider Online Lotteries

With many US states struggling to make up for declining tax receipts and sluggish economies, more and more are considering allowing the sale of lottery tickets online. Minnesota was the first US state to sell lotto tickets online and New Jersey has okayed online lottery sales as well, with many other states considering similar measures.

43 US states now have lotteries and many depend on lotto ticket sales for a significant part of their budgets, with revenues going to fund schools, universities, and other agencies. 

Offering lottery tickets online has increased sales by an estimated 15-20% in countries such as Finland and the UK, with some of the gains coming from sales to new players who’d previously never bothered going to the hassle of buying a ticket from a retail location.

High Roller Arrested in Arizona 

The strange story of businessman/philanthropist Jeremy Johnson took another odd turn when he was arrested in Phoenix while trying to board a flight to Costa Rica. The Utah businessman had been charged with mail fraud and accused by the FTC of defrauding customers out of $295 million via his company I Works.

Johnson had made headlines in past years for his efforts to aid survivors of the Haiti earthquake and other disasters, donating millions in cash while often flying in his personal fleet of aircraft and helicopters in flamboyant fashion.

The government’s case against him unearthed the fact that he had a healthy appetite for gambling as well, losing nearly $1.4 million at Wynn Las Vegas playing blackjack and craps as well as dropping $1.5 million at online poker sites PokerStars and Full Tilt.

Hellmuth Denied Bracelet at 2011 WSOP

The 2011 WSOP has been underway for about two weeks and has managed good attendance numbers for the events held so far. Some feared that attendance would be off due to the US government’s crackdown on online poker in April and May but so far most events have met or exceeded numbers from last year.

Phil Ivey kicked off the 2011 WSOP with the bombshell news that he was sitting out this year’s WSOP and suing Full Tilt for $150 million but those early fireworks abated quickly, with players focusing on the business at hand in the 58 events that make up this year’s WSOP. 

The biggest news story so far as Phil Hellmuth’s near-miss in Event #16, a $10,000 2-7 Lowball event. Hellmuth had a big chip lead in heads-up play versus John Juanda but couldn’t secure his record 12th bracelet, losing after a long heads-up match that lasted nearly 3 hours.

The acquisition of Entraction Holding AB by International Game Technology moved ahead this week following the approval of the Maltese anti-trust authorities for the cash offer to shareholders to acquire all A shares and B shares in the Swedish company.

IGT has in addition received approval to be the new owner of required licenses in order to conduct gaming operations from Malta.

The decision from the Maltese anti-trust authorities means IGT now has all necessary regulatory approvals needed to complete the acquisition offer.

Settlement is expected to commence on June 15, 2011. IGT is to use its Swedish subsidiary Eagle Ice to complete the deal and operate as parent to Entraction once the acquisition is complete.