Kindred exits North America, UEFA signs first betting sponsor, Entain settles

This week we saw some of the biggest companies make their mark on the gambling industry. Entain has been able to finally close the book on an investigation into its former Turkish division that operated during the time the company was known as GVC Holdings.

The investigation has led to a penalty that is now set to cost the company $729m payable over five years and is an opportunity for Entain to move past the unpleasantness. Commenting on the outcome of the probe, Entain emphasized that any wrongdoing was committed under the stint of the previous leadership and did not reflect the company’s management in any way.

Kindred Group, one of the biggest gaming giants in the gambling industry, has confirmed that it will be withdrawing from the North American market. This comes as a surprise, but also as a meaningful business decision for the company which by its own admittance would have had to spend considerable resources to try and compete with a host of determined local operators.

The field has gotten even more contentious with the arrival of ESPN Bet and Fanatics Sportsbook over the past months. The exit will be controlled, but it will still lead to redundancies with some 300 positions expected to be impacted by the decision throughout 2024.

UEFA has signed its first sports betting partnership with Kaizen Gaming-owned sports betting and gaming brand Betano. This follows up on Betano’s successful collaboration with FIFA for the World Cup in Qatar in 2022 and continues to establish sports gambling sponsorships as viable options for sports events despite increasing opposition to such arrangements in national markets.

Not much is known about the partnership other than that it will cover 2024 UEFA EURO. No financial details have been shared by either company, but the sum is not negligible. In the meantime, a failed vote to pass a smoking ban bill in New Jersey has caused consternation amidst casino workers who have been calling for the end of smoking on casino floors.

The proposed measure was not put for a floor vote this week despite the measure’s bipartisan support. According to lawmakers who back the measure, the bill would have failed by a single vote.

Casino Guru Awards Lists Nominees, Conducts Judges Gathering

This week our newsletter draws attention to what we consider to be one of the seminal events of the week – the Casino Guru Awards. This week, Casino Guru revealed the shortlist of nominees for the Casino Guru Awards, which include many distinguished companies from the gaming sector.

Once again, the format of the awards includes a panel of external specialists who convened online and in-person to assess the candidates in several categories. The project is released under the aegis of Daniela Sliva, Project Owner of Casino Guru Awards, who expressed her excitement to be guiding this paradigm-shifting initiative in the industry, and thanked the increasing interest in the awards format:

"We truly did not expect such a number of submissions, and it was not easy to choose the best for the final shortlist. We extend our sincere thanks to all the companies that submitted nominations."

The judges from the external panels are convening in Bratislava on Friday, December 1 for the reviewing process of worthy submissions. There will be plenty of coverage coming from the gathering, to help you better understand the process behind Casino Guru Awards, and how the format is set up to change the way industry awards are held and accolades – awarded.

The Voice of the Industry

Once again, we have had the opportunity to catch up with many interesting people from the gambling industry and tackle a variety of topics.

Among this week’s contributors were Ayvar Gabidullin, Business Development Manager at Slotegrator, who offered his insight into the future of iGaming in Asia and Latin America, two exciting and fast-evolving markets that are adapting to new realities, but also forcing businesses to approach each local jurisdiction more carefully and from a place of understanding.

Gabidullin’s opinion piece is well worth reading in its entirety. Another interesting conversation we had was with Daisy White from Rdentify. White, the AI Business Development Manager at the company, spoke about how her company helps businesses revolutionize responsible gambling rather than just "tick boxes."

White spoke of the way Rdentify helps create innovative player protection tools and guarantees regulatory alignment and innovative customer interaction that allow businesses to strengthen their offers and ultimately protect consumers.

Not least, we had the pleasure to speak with BetBlocker Founder and Trustee Duncan Garvie with whom we spoke about how his company helps eliminate problem gambling and promotes safer gambling practices. The charity offers its products freely and relies on anonymity, security, and flexibility to improve the user experience and inspire trust in consumers who seek help.

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