Fanatics moves forward with PointsBet, Bragg Gaming has a new boss

Another week filled with opportunity has flown past, with the industry not getting a shut-eye even for a moment. As the SBC Summit Barcelona is fast approaching, the industry has been agog. In the United States, Fanatics Betting and Gaming has moved forward with the acquisition and rebranding of PointsBet US in eight states, and Bragg Gaming Group revealed a change in leadership earlier this week.

Fanatics Betting and Gaming has rebranded PointsBet to "PointsBet, a Fanatics Experience" to start the process of introducing consumers to the new realities of brand ownership. Fanatics has bought out PointsBet US in a deal that cost it $225m and has since been looking to expand. Well, the company has been right on track, as it’s expected to welcome the new National Football League season in the United States with operations up and running in 11 states.

News you can’t miss out on this week is the change in leadership in Bragg Gaming Group, one of the most prominent innovators in iGaming space. The company has confirmed that Yaniv Sherman, a seasoned industry veteran, has stepped down from the post of Chief Executive Officer with an immediate effect.

He has been replaced by Matevž Mazij who is joining the company from Oryx Gaming. Sherman’s stint with Bragg will be remembered as a time of rapid growth and stronger-than-ever push into international markets. His successors will now follow in the same footsteps as the company is determined to deliver on impeccable performance across the board.

Another interesting move this week has had a more local nature, with Betsson Group rebranding Casino.dk to the eponymous brand. Moving forward, the operator is known as Betsson.dk and it will complement the group’s local presence in the Nordic market, one of Europe’s most safe and reliable by and large.

Casino Guru Awards Beckon

The Casino Guru Awards are back for their second edition in 2024, with nominations ongoing for another two months. Companies that want to compete in The Fairest Bonus Policy, The Fairest General T&Cs, The Most Impactful Social Responsibility Initiative, The Best Implementation of RG Tools, The Most Effective Handling of Complaints, and more can do so by submitting their applications by the deadline set for October 31, 2023.

The Awards celebrate greatness in iGaming and they are marked by a transparent and innovative approach towards judging individual companies from the industry, in what may yet be the most committed and hands-on approach.

If the Awards weren’t enough, Casino Guru has plenty else to be happy about. The Casino Guru Complaint Resolution has turned four years. The center has been able to return the remarkable $22m to players over 7,539 complaints, making it one of the most effective tools for aiding casino players in the industry to date.

Suppliers and Operators on the Move

Whatever angle you wish to approach the week from, there has been plenty going on. NetBet, another prominent operator of iGaming products, has been building up its offer by rapidly adding to its gaming library, with the most recent opportunity featuring a content partnership with Spinomenal.

Speaking of content, AvatarUX has joined Relax Gaming’s powerful aggregation and partner platform, Silver Bullet, which allows the studio to reach out to more operators and significantly expand its footprint and presence in the industry in one fell swoop. The relationship between AvatarUX and Relax Gaming is the opportunity to significantly strengthen the supplier’s pull with bigger audiences and in even existing markets.

That is hardly all. Livespins, one of the true revolutionizers of the iGaming experience as we know it today, has similarly expanded its list of partners with Golden Rock, a prominent studio that brings unique slot experiences. Moving forward, Livespins streamers will be able to invite audiences to watch and play alongside them on some of the supplier’s select titles.

The Industry in Focus

Our week was busy conversing with some of the most prominent figures in the gambling industry. We spoke with HungryBear Gaming CEO and Founder Justin Chamberlain who talked about the company’s success and how it has been able to stay ahead of consumer trends, anticipating them rather than reacting to them. The discussion led to how traditional video gaming can serve as a blueprint for innovating the iGaming experiences and bringing more relevant features and solutions to the sector.

On far more serious note, Viktoriya Zakrevskaya from the Ukrainian Gambling Council has spoken about the current state of the Ukrainian gambling industry, the adversities of wartime, and how regulation has been moving forward to ensure that the rule of law is obtained.

There has also been sustained interest from Western companies that are confident in the market’s success and continue to invest while regulators are tackling allegations about tax evasion in the sector. Zakrevskaya offers a much tighter and more insightful view of the regulated market in Ukraine, and her opinion piece is worth reading in its entirety.

Another must-read work this week is the piece by Svend Aage Kirk, a partner in SG:certified, who has spoken about the need for regulation in the sector. The industry veteran and devout responsible gambling specialist puts it succinctly: "Put simply, gambling operators will take advantage of their customers to the extent they’re legally allowed."

To find out more about what Svend thinks about gambling regulation, its state today, and its future direction, read his opinion piece. Last but not least, we take a good look at the proliferation of gambling harm through fraudulent activities and how to spot it.

In this week’s analysis, Casino Guru News attempts to help educate readers on how to detect gambling fraud and avoid becoming victims of it.

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