iGaming Daily

H1 financial reports continue to flood in as BetMGM becomes the latest operator to release its performance in the first half of 2024. Reporting a strong H1 2024, BetMGM revealed that net revenue from its operations reached one billion dollars, which the firm’s CEO Adam Greenblatt stated was “laying the groundwork for BetMGM’s future”. 

During the first half of today’s iGaming Daily, supported by Optimove, host James Ross, SBC’s Multimedia Editor, is joined by Conor Porter, Senior Journalist at CasinoBeats, to delve deeper into the results and examine the mixed reaction to the BetMGM report by its investors.

In the second half of the show, attention turns to New Zealand as the news broke this morning that the country’s government has announced plans to regulate online casinos, with the new regulatory system “to be in place from early 2026”.

The duo discuss what the regulations are, why they are focused specifically on online casino and what the reaction has been to the news by the industry.

To read more on the topics discussed in today's episode, click on the following links:

- BetMGM: Strong H1 'laying the groundwork' for future growth (casinobeats.com)
- New Zealand plans to regulate online casinos from early 2026 (casinobeats.com)

Host: James Ross
Guests: Conor Porter
Producer: Anaya McDonald
Editor: James Ross & Christian Lee

Remember to check out Optimove at https://hubs.la/Q02gLC5L0 or go to Optimove.com/sbc to get your first month free when buying the industry's leading customer-loyalty service.

The way we search the internet is changing thanks to the rise of AI. Google is currently developing its search generative experience powered by generative AI and ChatGPT recently announced plans to create its own search engine, dubbed SearchGPT.

On today’s episode of iGaming Daily, supported by Optimove, our very own SEO guru, Ivana Flynn, is joined by industry veterans Dagmar Janssen, Marketing Director at Mega Block Gaming, and Valentina Diaco, Marketing and igaming Consultant, to discuss the future of searching the web.

The trio discuss the principles of optimising for both SEO and SAIO, Google’s fight against the increase in AI content on the web, what the future trends could be in searching the internet and how the igaming and marketing industry can prepare for change.

Make sure to make time to listen to the episode to get all the answers!

Host: Ivana Flynn
Guests: Dagmar Janssen & Valentina Diaco
Producer: Anaya McDonald
Editor: James Ross

Remember to check out Optimove at https://hubs.la/Q02gLC5L0 or go to Optimove.com/sbc to get your first month free when buying the industry's leading customer-loyalty service.

There is arguably no US sports betting market that has faced more criticism than Washington, D.C. However, it appears to be a new dawn and a new day for the district as a change in laws is opening up the online betting market at last.

DraftKings, Caesars and BetMGM have all been given the green light to operate in the district since the law change and Jessica Welman, Editor of SBC Americas, is joined by Charlie Horner, SBC’s Media Manager, on the latest episode of iGaming Daily, supported by Optimove, to discuss the news and what this could mean for sports betting in Washinton, D.C. 

In the second half of the show, their attention turns to a recent speech by renowned sports bettor Billy Walters at the National Council of Legislators from Gaming States (NCLGS) conference who claimed that sports betting in the US isn’t working. 

Jessica, who was present for the speech, recalls the reaction to Walter’s comments and then the pair consider whether his arguments regarding the failures of the market are valid. 

To read more on the topics discussed in today's episode, click on the following links:

-  Expanded D.C. Online Sports Betting Market Live After Delay (sbcamericas.com)

-  Pro Bettor Billy Walters Slams US Betting Industry (sbcamericas.com)

Host: Jessica Welman
Guest: Charlie Horner
Producer: Anaya McDonald
Editor: James Ross

Remember to check out Optimove at https://hubs.la/Q02gLC5L0 or go to Optimove.com/sbc to get your first month free when buying the industry's leading customer-loyalty service.

The UK Gambling Commission has published its first-year statistics and datasets of the Gambling Survey for Great Britain for 2023. 

Replacing the previous datasets provided by the NHS on problem gambling prevalence, the survey is a key directive of the commission, which in 2021, launched a pilot programme to re-model how data is collected on adult gambling participation and problem gambling prevalence statistics. 

And this will be the topic of today’s episode of iGaming Daily, supported by Optimove, where James Ross is joined by Melanie Ellis, Partner at Northridge Law, to talk about the new survey and key highlights from the data provided.

To read more on the topics discussed in today's episode, click on the following links:

- https://sbcnews.co.uk/europe/uk/2024/07/25/ukgc-new-baseline/
- https://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/report/gambling-survey-for-great-britain-annual-report-2023-official-statistics/gsgb-annual-report-additional-adverse-consequences-from-gambling
- https://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/news/article/first-gambling-survey-for-great-britain-annual-report-published
- https://bettingandgamingcouncil.com/news/bgc-statement-on-gsgb-publication

Host: James Ross
Guest: Melanie Ellis
Producer: Anaya McDonald
Editor: James Ross

Remember to check out Optimove at https://hubs.la/Q02gLC5L0 or go to Optimove.com/sbc to get your first month free when buying the industry's leading customer-loyalty service.

Online Casino's biggest payout, the reclaiming of a top spot, the company's biggest launch ever and an $85m acquisition. These are just a few things to describe Evolution's second-quarter activities. Yet why did the firm's CEO, Martin Carlesund, describe their Q2 performance as just solid?

This is what we will be exploring on today’s episode of iGaming Daily, supported by Optimove, with your host James Ross, SBC’s Multimedia Editor, and CasinoBeat’s Senior Journalist, Danny Lee. 

The pair dive deep into the numbers and break down how executives at the company responded to the report. They also discuss Evolution's potential acquisition of Galaxy Games, its “biggest ever launch” and the recent news that it reclaimed the top spot in the supplier charts according to the latest Eilers-Fantini report.

To read more about the topics discussed in today's episode, click on the following links:

- https://casinobeats.com/2024/07/19/live-casino-elevates-period-of-slow-growth-for-evolution/

- https://slotbeats.com/featured/eilers-fantini-evolution-supplier/
- https://casinobeats.com/2024/07/23/betmgm-evolution-biggest-launch/

- https://slotbeats.com/slot-news/evolution-takes-lightning-storm-live-via-betmgm-in-ontario/

- https://slotbeats.com/slot-news/evolution-lightning-storm-game-show/

Host: James Ross
Guests: Danny Lee
Producer: Anaya McDonald
Editor: James Ross

Remember to check out Optimove at https://hubs.la/Q02gLC5L0 or go to Optimove.com/sbc to get your first month free when buying the industry's leading customer-loyalty service.

Women’s sports is experiencing new heights in the worlds of football and basketball. With UEFA bringing Two Circles onboard to find new sponsorship and revenue opportunities, the WNBA is expected to earn up to $2.2bn in its next broadcast rights deal. 

Joining Callum Williams, Senior Journalist at Insider Sport on Tuesday's episode of iGaming Daily, supported by Optimove, is the rest of the Insider Sport team, Editor Ted Orme-Claye and Business Jounalist, Kieran O'Connor, will look into which European and US betting operators can look to grow and find new sponsorship opportunities in both sports and what this means for the future growth of women’s football and basketball.

To read more on the topic's discussed in today's episode, click on the following links:

- https://sbcamericas.com/2024/07/18/wnba-draftkings-partner/

- https://insidersport.com/2024/07/23/draftkings-wnba-marketing-deal/

Host: Callum Williams
Guests: Ted Orme-Claye & Kieran O'Connor
Producer: Anaya McDonald
Editor: James Ross

Remember to check out Optimove at https://hubs.la/Q02gLC5L0 or go to Optimove.com/sbc to get your first month free when buying the industry's leading customer-loyalty service.

Last week, Betsson published its H1 2024 accounts which revealed record results matched against peak comparatives. Q2 trading saw Betsson achieve online casino revenues of €191m, up 16% year-on-year, and sportsbook revenues of €79m, up 13% year-on-year, when matched against peak comparatives.

In the first half of today’s iGaming Daily, supported by Optimove, Vikor Kayed, Senior Business Journalist at SBC News, was joined by Betsson’s CEO, Pontus Lindwall, to discuss the company’s positive performance in the first half of 2024. 

The duo also discuss Betsson’s customer retention efforts following Euro 2024, its growth strategy in Latam amid its global initiatives and balancing growth between its online sportsbook and igaming verticals.

After a short break, James Ross, SBC Multimedia Editor and Ted Menmuir, SBC’s Content Director, sit down to break down the interview with Lindwall and also delve deeper into Betsson’s numbers. 

To read more about the topics discussed in today's episode, click on the following links:

-Betsson clears interim high targets on EE and LatAm growth  (sbcnews.co.uk)

Host: Viktor Kayed & James Ross
Guests: Pontus Lindwall & Ted Menmuir
Producer: Anaya McDonald
Editor: James Ross

Remember to check out Optimove at https://hubs.la/Q02gLC5L0 or go to Optimove.com/sbc to get your first month free when buying the industry's leading customer-loyalty service.

Everyone loves a good discount. Whether that’s a renowned Black Friday offering that consumes most of the Western world every November or free money offerings in iGaming. It’s fair to say, on the outset, marketers use these methods as an effective acquisition tool. 

However, do firms need to focus on their marketing generosity and look to keep it in check? 

This will be the topic of the latest episode of our CRM focused series, on iGaming Daily, supported by Optimove, where SBC's Multimedia Editor, James Ross, is joined by Optimove’s Shai Frank, SVP Product & General Manager Americas at Optimove, who produced a four part blog series on the matter.

To read these blog series, click on the links below:

- https://www.optimove.com/blog/generosity-balance-marketing-keys
- https://www.optimove.com/blog/blog-breaking-too-generous-marketing-habit-part-2
- https://www.optimove.com/blog/breaking-too-generous-marketing-habit-part-3
- https://www.optimove.com/blog/breaking-too-generous-marketing-habit-part-4

Host: James Ross
Guest: Shai Frank
Producer: Anaya McDonald & James Ross
Editor: James Ross

Remember to check out Optimove at https://hubs.la/Q02gLC5L0 or go to Optimove.com/sbc to get your first month free when buying the industry's leading customer-loyalty service.

On today’s episode of iGaming Daily, supported by Optimove, Joe Streeter, Editor of CasinoBeats is joined by John Gordon, CEO of Incentive Games, to discuss the launch of Incentive Games’ bespoke pay-to-play crash games vertical.

The duo also recap a successful summer for the brand following the conclusion of Euro 2024 and Copa America, how simplifying products can lead to greater success and the benefits of implementing a four-day week.

Host: Joe Streeter
Guest: John Gordon
Producer: Anaya McDonald
Editor: James Ross

Remember to check out Optimove at https://hubs.la/Q02gLC5L0 or go to Optimove.com/sbc to get your first month free when buying the industry's leading customer-loyalty service.

Very few would have put the Philippines on their 2024 bingo card to make big waves in 2024.

However, the year has witnessed continuing developments in the Philippines, as the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation, has made a valiant effort in cracking down on illegal gambling activity since the turn of the year. 

This includes locking horns with other countries, such as China and South Korea in a battle against cross-border gambling. 

And this will be the focus of today’s episode of iGaming Daily, supported by Optimove, focusing on the intricate relationship between the Philippines, China, and the offshore gambling industry.

Joining SBC's Multimedia Editor, James Ross, to dive deeper into these developments, examining the implications for both the Philippines and China, and what it means for the future of offshore gambling, is CasinoBeats’ Editor Joe Streeter and Senior Journalist, Conor Porter. 

To read more about the topics discussed in today's episode, click on the following links:

- PAGCOR continues to elevate action against illegal igaming sites  - CasinoBeats
- PAGCOR set to tighten gambling framework in the Philippines  - CasinoBeats
- Chinese Embassy locks horns with the Philippines over action on POGOs - CasinoBeats

Host: James Ross
Guests: Joe Streeter & Conor Porter
Producer: Anaya McDonald
Editor: James Ross

Remember to check out Optimove at https://hubs.la/Q02gLC5L0 or go to Optimove.com/sbc to get your first month free when buying the industry's leading customer-loyalty service.