eGaming Review April 2013 | Page 3

EDITORIAL TEAM Head of Content, eGR James Bennett T: [phone] E: [email protected] Head of Content, eGR North America Tom Washington T: [phone] E: [email protected] Reporter Tom Victor T: [phone] E: [email protected] Reporter Robin Harrison Millan T: [phone] E: [email protected] PRODUCTION Head of production Claudia Honerjager E: [email protected] Art editor, eGR Toni Giddings E: [email protected] Sub-editors Rachel Kurz?eld Eleanor Stanley Luke Tuchscherer COMMERCIAL Group commercial manager Ben Robinson T: [phone] E: [email protected] Commercial manager Sam Compagnoni T: [phone] E: [email protected] Publishing account manager Debbie Robson T: [phone] E: [email protected] Publishing account manager Jonathan Vintner T: [phone] E: [email protected] Group head of content Gwyn Roberts CEO Charlie Kerr Circulation manager Fay Muddle Content sales Emmanuel Nettey T: [phone] E: [email protected] Jeff Molina Diaz T: [phone] E: [email protected] Product reviewer Catriona Campbell E: [email protected] Reviews were carried out by Catriona Campbell at Foviance, a customer experience consultancy that has worked across a wide range of online gaming products areas and helps companies understand online customer behaviours. [E D I T O R ' S LETTER ] eGaming Review is published monthly by Pageant Media, Thavies Inn House, 3-4 Holborn Circus, London, EC1N 2HA ISSN 1742-2450 Printed by The Manson Group © 2013 all rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or used without the prior permission from the publisher It’s only April and already a whole host of some of the biggest names in the industry including William Hill, Playtech and 888, have publicly stated that it’s been a “landmark” year. Admittedly, most of them were referring to their 2012 ?nancials but if anything this is a great sign for the future – a great sign that is if you’re one of egaming’s largest operators or suppliers. The big, it seems, are getting bigger and the gap between those at the top and those struggling to keep pace is widening. Whoever said that scale would be the decisive factor as the industry matures was bang on the money, and with the number of regulated markets growing, legislation tightening and taxation rising or, in some signi?cant cases, being re-introduced (UK point of consumption at the end of 2014), the shakeout could be even more severe as a number of small to medium sized operators and suppliers are forced to either change or adapt their business models, sell out or close shop completely. The best example is Playtech, which is in an increasingly dominant position across online, mobile, online marketing and affiliate services across regulated markets. It is increasing its number of licensees, joint venture partners and “structured deals”, as its share of sports betting and social gaming clients as well as the incredible deal it struck with Ladbrokes (see p14) at a rate of knots. It’s also not afraid to do business more globally in Asia and the Philippines in particular with further plans afoot, as well as create and invest more cash, including some of the £424m it received as part of the William Hill Online pay out, in lottery deals across Central and South America. Watch this space on the last deal plus the promised ramp up of its share in the live dealer arena, a sector where the battle for market share is hotting up (see p46). The only element missing is arguably the US but I’m sure this can’t be far away. One man who knows everything there is to know about dominance and drive to be number one is Caesars Interactive Entertainment CEO Mitch Garber who talks to eGR exclusively this month (see p36) about how he has the industry’s dream job as well as his plans to turn the online arm of one of the world’s most recognisable gambling brands into the egaming market leader. It may be painful for some but it’s an inevitable part of any maturing industry – let the shakeout begin. 03