News in brief: Betboo boosts GVC figures; PKR sponsors WPT Ireland
Latin American-focused brand records year-on-year NGR increase of 147.6%, but Betaland revenues drop.
Significant increases from the Latin American-focused Betboo brand has helped Gaming VC record an 8% year-on-year increase in net gaming revenue for the six months ended 30 June, the company revealed in a trading update this morning. Betboo’s six-month NGR of 5.2m was an increase of 147.6% on the same period in 2010, and amounted to the same figure generated throughout the entirety of the previous year. However, the Betaland brand, which benefited last year from increased revenues during the 2010 World Cup, recorded a year-on-year decrease of 13.9%, but the 10.5m NGR was still an improvement on second-half figures for both 2010 and 2009. Gaming VC also revealed that there have been no new developments in its ongoing litigation with Boss, first reported in April last year.
Alderney-licensed operator PKR has been announced as the sponsor of Ireland’s first World Poker Tour (WPT) event, to be held in Dublin in January. The 2,500 buy-in event is the second in recent months to stem from a partnership between the bwin.party-owned live poker tour and an external party, with the GoldBet.com-sponsored WPT Slovenia taking place last month.
Former GTECH G2 marketing services director Lee Knott has been named as a new director of OnlineBingo.eu owner Frelix Entertainment. Knott had been with the Lottomatica subsidiary for more than 18 months, having previously worked at St Minver and AdsDotCom.
Microgaming-powered flash-based casino Quickfire has signed a licensing deal with 10Bet.com. The deal will see Quickfire supply 10Bet with more than 250 premium titles from the Isle of Man-based provider.
CashPlayTV has launched today, becoming the world’s first ever 24-hour quiz TV channel to run solely on social networks and mobile devices, according to the company. The channel is licensed by Ofcom and powered by the App:Play platform and uses simulcast technology to transmit real-time video content to players. CashPlayTV presenters pose a series of questions to viewers, while offering different ways to interact, ranging from free entry to pay-per-play options including Facebook Credits, in-app purchases and premium rate services. The channel has launched on Facebook and is also available as a downloadable app on mobile platforms including iOS and Android.
Skrill has been named as the official payment partner of season 8 of the European Poker Tour. The Pokerstars-run tour is set to begin this week in Tallinn, and the payment provider – formerly known as Moneybookers – will have representatives available at events to recruit potential customers.