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“The Mashantucket Pequot Tribe has long been a leader in brick and mortar casino operations, and with the help of GameAccount we aim to take the same leadership position in regulated online gaming in the US,” said Rodney Butler, Mashantucket Pequot Tribal chairman. “Our shared vision unites GameAccount’s technical capabilities with our Foxwoods brand and our leadership in casino management.” Foxwoods.com receives around one million visitors each month and MPTN said its Mashantucket Pequot Gaming Enterprise (MPGE) was “uniquely positioned” to enter the US egaming space.
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B R IEFS
888 sportsbook deal “imminent”
888 CEO Brian Mattingley has said a deal with a new supplier for its sportsbook is “imminent” as the operator looks to gear up its sports betting business with a push into Spain and Italy. Speaking in an analyst conference call, he said there would be an “imminent contract signing” to replace its current deal with Blue Square Bet for its online sportsbook.
monopoly OPAP for €652m to Emma Delta. The Greek and Czechbacked fund was asked on 17 April to submit an improved final offer, adding an extra €30m to the price in additional payments. The total financial consideration, including a 2012 dividend of €60m corresponding to Hellenic Republic Asset Development Fund’s stake in OPAP, is €712m.
IPOKER TO LAUNCH MOBILE OFFERING
Playtech is just weeks away from launching a mobile offering for selected sites on its iPoker network, the software provider has announced. The mobile offering, which includes native iOS platforms as well as an HTML5 release, will be rolled out with “selected licensees” on the provider’s dot.com and dot.fr networks. A spokesperson for Playtech was unable to con?rm which sites will be the ?rst to offer mobile play. Mobile play will be made available across the iPoker.es network, which iPoker operations manager Asaf Younger said “presents a real growth potential” in a recent interview with eGaming Review, at a later date. A dot.it mobile offering will be “gradually added” according to Playtech head of poker Roei Gavish. Playtech is also preparing wider software changes as part of the release of what it refers to as ‘iPoker 13.1’.
NYX acquires social poker developer Zen Entertainment
NYX Gaming Group has completed the acquisition of Las Vegas-based social poker developer Zen Entertainment for an undisclosed sum. The move comes after Zen, which runs a network of subscription-based poker sites, filed for bankruptcy in January this year, admitting at the time its business model had been “unsuccessful”.
MGM admits doubts over Nevada poker launch
MGM Resorts International has revealed that it is unsure whether to launch an online poker offering in Nevada. In an interview with Reuters, CFO Dan D’Arrigo said the company would “have to make an assessment on the cost to operate that space”. “We haven’t ruled it out, but we haven’t given it a green light either,” he added.
Bede Gaming licensee first to launch online Bally slots
Bede Gaming licensee IPS Limited has become the first egaming operator to launch real-money online slots from Bally Technologies. IPS, which is licensed in Alderney, has launched three five-reel slot titles on its BetUK and pinkcasino. co.uk brands.
WILLIAM HILL WRAPS UP WHO ACQUISITION
William Hill has completed its acquisition of Playtech’s 29% stake in William Hill Online (WHO) for a total consideration of £424m, the operator has announced. The acquisition cost represents a 3.5 times cashon-cash return on the solutions provider’s initial investment when the joint venture was established in December 2008, valuing the online business at around £1.5bn. Playtech will also receive a share of WHO’s pro?ts for the year to date. In a statement to the London Stock Exchange, William Hill’s board of directors said the purchase was “consistent with the long-term strategic evolution of the group”, describing the division as “a strong, well-established industry leader”. The operator’s CEO Ralph Topping added he was “pleased” to assume full ownership of what he described as an “attractive, high growth, high performing business”.
Full Tilt launches affiliate programme
Full Tilt Poker has announced the launch o