ICE Round-Up - Day One
A round-up of all the latest news from ICE 2019, including launches, appointments and jackpots from NetEnt, Sportradar and Microgaming
NetEnt launches industry-first Perfect Blackjack with Rank Group
NetEnt has been working together with Rank Group to develop Perfect Blackjack, which will initially be available exclusively at Grosvenorcasinos.com.
Perfect Blackjack is a brand-new live casino game that allows players to be dealt cards according to the perfect blackjack strategy, which cuts the house edge down to 0.5 percent and delivers a return to player (RTP) of 99.5 percent.
In Perfect Blackjack, players pre-select whether they want to auto-split or double down according to the strategy. With the addition of multi-seat and multiple players per box, this game allows full scalability and flexibility as players can decide to auto play hands as well as sit out hands and join in again when they think the time is right.
Richard Walker, Head of Live Casino, Rank Group commented “We are delighted to launch this innovative new game and excited to deliver an educational game to our customers and eliminate the boundaries of trying Live Casino.”
Sportradar announces new chair appointment
Sportradar have confirmed the appointment of Tony Aquila as its new global chairman and the appointments of Marc Walder, Herve Couturier and George Fleet as international board members.
Aquila also serves as Founder, Chairman and CEO of Solera Holdings, Inc., a global technology company that develops next-generation solutions which manage and protect both businesses and consumers within the automotive, mobility, financial and cybersecurity industries in over 90 countries.
He is an inventor with 100+ patents, serial entrepreneur and philanthropist who was named EY’s National Entrepreneur of the Year in 2013 in the Technology category.
Carsten Koerl, Chief Executive Officer, Sportradar commented: “We are delighted to welcome Tony and our new group board members during such an opportune time of explosive growth for Sportradar, the source code of sport.”
Highlight Games launches “Real” football virtual sports game with Eurobet in Italy
Highlight Games Limited has confirmed it will launch its ground-breaking virtual sports games in the Eurobet Italia Srl retail estate in Italy before the end of February.
Highlight Games SOCCERBET™ Single Match and League football products will be launched into Eurobet’s 720 retail venues across Italy. The games will also be made available in the online and mobile environments. The games are based on Highlight Games’ exclusively licensed and ADM approved virtual football product, that features real archive footage from the Serie A Italian football league.
Highlight Games CEO Tim Green commented: “Launching with Eurobet will be a fantastic milestone for Highlight Games. Eurobet’s customers will be able to bet on a multitude of virtual football markets whilst watching the real stars of the Italian game, past and present, play out the result in the actual iconic stadia and with real commentary.”
IMG announces new data partnership with European Tour
Golf’s European Tour has announced a new partnership with IMG’s IMG ARENA for the collection, distribution and licensing of its official scoring data, allowing fans to benefit from significantly enhanced statistics and insights.
As part of the partnership, IMG ARENA will live stream two selected Par 3 holes per week for syndication to data rights clients in selected territories.
IMG ARENA will also distribute and license the Tour’s official scoring data on an exclusive basis to worldwide media organisations and international regulated sports betting and gaming markets in a significant long-term arrangement.
IMG ARENA is developing a real-time, shot-by-shot data collection system which will be installed at all European Tour events, with these new insights set to be available to fans via European Tour platforms and global broadcasters.
A fully trained scoring team will use leading GPS technology, connectivity systems and greenside cameras to collect data from every shot in European Tour competition. Successful trials have been completed and further testing will take place across a host of events during 2019, with a view to the system being fully operational for the 2020 season.
Under its agreement with the European Tour, IMG ARENA will work closely with the European Tour’s Integrity Unit, which was launched in 2018 as a key component of an enhanced integrity programme to protect the Tour from corruption relating to sports betting.
The system compares real-time odds movements from global betting markets with predictive algorithms, providing automatic alerts for any irregular activity.
Isle of Man launches blockchain and sandbox framework
The Isle of Man has confirmed the formation of a Blockchain Office and the launch of an Isle of Man Sandbox, established to guide blockchain businesses through current (and future) regulatory landscapes, with expert-led assistance and support.
These initiatives form part of a major new commitment for the Isle of Man to become an international hub for blockchain businesses, providing a fully supportive and collaborative environment. The Island welcomes innovative technology, and will not regulate blockchain in isolation, giving businesses the flexibility to best use this emerging and transformative technology.
Under the initiative the Isle of Man will create a Blockchain Office, a hub that is dedicated to growing the blockchain sector. The primary function of the office will be to facilitate a dialogue between businesses and regulators, and to help blockchain platforms design and future-proof their concepts in accordance with relevant legislation and regulation.
Through the Blockchain Office, businesses will be able to apply to participate in the Isle of Man Blockchain Sandbox. Applications for the Sandbox will be open from March 2019, with the office fully functional in the spring.
Microgaming’s Mega Moolah pays out a massive €13.3 million win
Microgaming’s progressive jackpot slot Mega Moolah has paid out a €13,328,028.16 jackpot at Zodiac Casino on Wednesday 30 January.
The lucky player is the 68th millionaire to be made on Microgaming’s progressive jackpot network and is the third largest (EUR/EUR equivalent) payout, following the €18,915,872.81 paid in September 2018 and the €17,879,645.12 win that earned Microgaming a GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS® title in 2015.
As with all wins on Microgaming’s progressive jackpot network, the €13.3 million prize will be awarded as a lump sum and not in annuities. Notwithstanding the size of this win, the Mega Moolah jackpot is currently topping €9 million (as at 5 February 2019).