Malta-based games developer Yggdrasil has signed an agreement to supply its games to the Betsson Group.

Yggdrasil CEO Fredrik Elmqvist said: “We are thrilled to announce that we have just signed Betsson Group.”

Betsson joins Unibet, Mr Green, Vera&John, LeoVegas and more that have already signed deals with Yggdrasil.

Elmqvist added: “Another recent development has seen us join the Gibraltar Betting and Gaming Association and we have decided to support a challenge of the UK’s impending new gambling licensing regime which undermines the right to the free movement of services.

“These are exciting times for Yggdrasil with so many new operators joining us over the next few months, as well as new games being introduced and the much anticipated launch of Lotto7.”

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Silverline Interactive Technologies, operator of independent online poker service PokerCent, has had its licence suspended by the UK Gambling Commission.

According to the Pokerfuse.com website, the suspension comes after a player complained to the Gambling Commission about poor customer service and being unable to withdraw funds from PokerCent.

In response, the Gambling Commission has opted to undertake a review of PokerCent.

The Gambling Commission also said it is concerned about the licensee being unsuitable to carry out the licensed activities.

The review has been commissioned under section 116 of the Gambling Act 2005, which enables a licence to be suspended while the review takes place.

The Gambling Commission also noted that the suspension is an interim measure, the need for which will be kept under consideration while the review is carried out.

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Playtech has entered into an agreement with global content and systems provider Aristocrat Leisure Limited to acquire Aristocrat Lotteries for €10.5 million in cash, subject to certain adjustments and satisfaction of closing conditions. 

It is anticipated that closing will occur shortly.

Aristocrat Lotteries is a leading supplier of server-based-gaming and online client server solutions for interactive video terminals in both Norway and Italy. Its TruServ™ platform is well-established and accredited for the Italian market.

Once complete, the acquisition will position Playtech’s land-based operation as one of the leading suppliers of VLT systems in Europe and Latin America, further extending its reach and diversification across key regulated markets. The deal will also enable Playtech’s land-based division to replicate its success in the UK with its Videobet solution, increase market share within the wider global VLT market and create cross-selling opportunities in existing as well as new jurisdictions.

Aristocrat Lotteries is based in Stockholm and is the exclusive server-based gaming provider for Norwegian lottery Norsk Tipping’s VLTs and supplies its system to a major operator in Italy – a key jurisdiction for Playtech. The company has also recently completed a successful pilot project in another well-established regulated European country which, if commercialised, is expected to deliver further revenue opportunities.

Shay Segev, COO and Head of Retail, Playtech, said: “We’re delighted to be acquiring Aristocrat Lotteries, furthering a key element of Playtech’s retail strategy.

“Playtech’s multi-channel solution means that this content can be deployed across any location and delivered through any device as well as allowing operators to cross-sell their customers into digital channels.

“This is an excellent deal and further strengthens our leading position to retail operators in key regulated markets, while also creating new opportunities to expand in those territories as well as others.

“The Aristocrat Lotteries business is led by a first-class management team and has an excellent team of developers. We look forward to working closely with them in the future in order to build and further the results they have already achieved,” Segev added.

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With falling revenues from lottery and racinos the West Virginia Gambling Commission said that it is looking into the possibility of the state entering the online gambling business to help stem declining revenues from gambling.

Now with strong competition now coming from states such as Maryland and Ohio for gambling dollars the West Virginia Lottery Director, John Musgrave said, “We’re still exploring online gaming because we feel that’s the way the industry’s moving, so we want to plan for it. We have not yet made any decision for how we’re going to implement it, but we are looking at it, studying it and seeing how our casinos in our jurisdiction can move in that direction. We’re still seeing a decline [in revenue]. We still are experiencing competition as the new casinos are coming on in Maryland and some in Ohio. That hasn’t plateaued.”

The state which has a population of just 1.8 million residents, making it the 38th most populous in the US would have to look at joining up with other states to help increase the player pool. Most recently Pennsylvania its neighbor is also looking at entering online gambling in 2015.

Lottery revenues in the state have fallen dramatically over recent years with a fall of 4% this year compared to 2013 to just $101.1 million, the same is being experienced in video lottery sales suffering a 5% drop this year.

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The so-called ‘bad actor’ clause could be altered when a fresh internet poker bill is presented in the US state of California in the next legislative session.

Internet poker bills from California Assemblyman Reginald Jones-Sawyer and Senator Joe Correa were introduced by their authors in February this year, but ultimately scrapped earlier this month.

However, Jones-Sawyer has suggested that the controversial bad actor clause – which excluded any operator or market affiliate involved in online gaming in the US after December 31, 2022 from applying for a licence – might be reworded for the 2015-16 legislative session.

The bad actor clause would have shut PokerStars out of the market, but several tribes are already partners of the biggest online poker website in the world.

“We must make sure that any ‘Bad Actor Language’ is written so that it is applied fairly, and avoids any possible future legal challenges,” Jones-Sawyer said, according to the OnlinePoker.net news website.

“It is my hope that during the next few months we can continue the dialogue with all the interested principals so that there is a clear consensus and mutual agreement as to who will be able to participate in providing internet poker to our citizens.

“We have come a long way. But we have to be patient, so we can get this right. Setting a standard in California that will be an example for the entire nation is my ultimate goal.”

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Betfred is to launch its first brand campaign in partnership with the Brothers and Sisters advertising agency, according to various reports.

The agency, which was appointed by the bookmaker to its creative account earlier this year, will run the new advert across television, digital and press, as well as in Betfred stores.

The new campaign features two men playing football as they walk down the street.

Brothers and Sisters will also run an unbranded teaser trailer of the pair attempting to get themselves signed by a team in the English Premier League top-flight club football competition.

The agency said it will attempt to build and grow the two characters over time so that they become affiliated with the Betfair brand.

“This is more than just the launch of an ad campaign; the Dudes are the new Betfred characters that we aim to grow and build over time,” Brothers and Sisters founder and executive creative director Andy Fowler said, according to Thedrum.co.uk.

“They represent the fun you get with Betfred and you'll be seeing a lot of them in the coming years.”

Gemma Strath, group marketing director of Betfred, added: “After a competitive pitch we selected Brothers and Sisters and we have been delighted with their creative and how we have worked together to execute it.

“It is very different for a betting company but we are confident that our new campaign will stand out in a very cluttered market place.

“The Betfred brand is all about entertainment and fun and that's what this new campaign conveys.”

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Royal Panda is quite a new online casino, as it was launched in March 2014 by Royal Panda Limited, a company with a license from the Lotteries & Gaming Authority of Malta. Its creators underline the fact of having over a decade of experience in gambling industry. When it comes to the main pattern of the casino's website, it is devoted to the main character of the casino – friendly and entertaining panda mascot, which is shown in luxurious circumstances. The Royal Panda website is currently available in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Swedish, Czech and Polish. 

Royal Panda pays great attention to security and privacy of their clients. Thus, all your personal data provided to the casino is secured through 256-bit encryption which helps to keep it safe and publicly inaccessible. Moreover, Royal Panda’s games are run on random number generator (RNG) software, which guarantees fairness of all the games. 

The casino is powered by the two highly-regarded online casino games developers: Microgaming and Net Entertainment. Among the games offered on casino's website you can find many video slots, classic slots, games with life-changing progressive jackpots, table games, video poker games and scratchcards. There is also a special Live Casino section with some of the best table games including Roulette, Blackjack or Baccarat. Royal Panda casino is proud to announce that each of its live casino game is hosted by professionally trained dealers, and is fully approved by Malta’s Lotteries and Gaming Authority. You may also like the two innovative selections of games provided by the casino: hot and cold slots. Hot slots are those games, which were recently paying out more cash than the selected amount, while the cold ones are slots, which were hoarding the cash in the given period of time. 

When you sign up at Royal Panda, you’ll receive the fantastic 100% First-Deposit Bonus, which doubles your first deposit up to $100. The Welcome Bonus will be awarded on your first casino deposit only. The wagering requirement for this promotion is 35 times the amount of the received bonus. It is also worth becoming one of the constant players at the casino, as it allows you to take advantage of casino's multi-level loyalty program: Loyal Panda. You will get extra pioints after each game you play. Your points may be changed into one of the extra prizes available in the Royal Panda shop. Moreover, Royal Panda announces many different promotions once in a while, so make sure you are always up-to-date with their website as you may miss the chance of winning a trip to Bahamas or getting extra Free Spins in some of the games. 

Deposit options available in Royal Panda casino include Agmo, Astropay, Boleto, Dineromail, Ekonto, Ewire, Giropay, Ideal, Maestro, Mastercard, Neteller, Paysafecard, PayU, Przelewy24, SafetyPay, Skrill, Sofort Uberweisung, Speed Card, Toditocash, Transferencia, Trustly, Trustpay, Ukash, Visa, Visa Debit, Visa Electron. The minimum deposit amount is €/$10. When you want to withdraw your winnings, you can use a Fast Bank Transfer, Skrill, Neteller and Visa or Mastercard.  For the player’s protection you are only allowed to withdraw the maximum amount of €/$5,000 per day. 

If you have any questions or problems connected with the casino, you can contact its support team via e-mail, chat or telephone. You may also search for help in casino's small, but very informative FAQ section, where you can find the answers for some of the most common questions. 

Royal Panda is really different from other online casinos thanks to its truly generous bonuses, wide range of fantastic games and, most of all, user-friendly gaming environment. You should definitely give this casino a try.

What is your favourite ice-cream flavour? Strawberry, chocolate, lemon, or maybe toffee? I know, sweets are unhealthy and can be really addictive, but who is strong enough to refuse a delicious ice-cream scoop? What if I told you, then, that there is a chance for you to eat copious amounts of ice-cream without getting fat? You don't believe me? Try "Sunny Scoops" slot, prepare your tastebuds for a real shock and get ready for extremely big wins!

Centered around the theme of the delicious dessert – ice cream, "Sunny Scoops" is a brand-new, 3-reel, 14-payline slot from Thunderkick company. Its creators are well known for the ability to make some of the most stunning graphics and animations. Their new game perfectly confirms this ability. "Sunny Scoops" does not have the typical reels. What you see on the game screen are three ice cream cones filled with a reel made of three ice cream scoops. Different ice-cream flavours appear on the  wafer cones throughout the game and they are able to create many different winning combinations. The game is equipped with a nice and relaxing soundtrack which brings into mind the laziness of summertime. 

And now something that all players await the most: special features and bonuses. Your time spent at the sunny beach presented on the game screen of  "Sunny Scoops" will be turned into a very beneficial experience, thanks to the great amount of additional options available in the game. 

Each time you manage to stop the reels with at least three symbols of the same kind on any vertical payline, you will activate a special Bonus Wheel – a game, in which you will get a chance to multiply your winnings or to win the extra Bonus Game. Multipliers levels appearring on Bonus Wheel include x2, x3, x5, x7. 

If you are lucky to trigger one of the seven yummy Bonus Games, you will be taken to a slightly different Game, in which your aim will be to build the tallest ice-cream and to climb the infinite multiplier. All Bonus Games contain some nice-looking animations, for example, a part of your ice-cream may be eaten (after any spin with a non win) or you may get an extra sprinkle at the top of your ice-cream structure. If you have a really lucky day and win two or more Bonus Games at the same time, the number of Free Spins will be added together and played with the most valuable symbol. Sounds fair, don't you think so?

"Sunny Scoops" is going to hypnosise you with its great graphics and fantastic bonuses. The action of the game is really fast-paced and the whole slot looks really nice. Once you start playing this mouth-watering game, you will wish you could spin the reels of "Sunny Scoops" till the end of time!

Thunderkick, a game development company that just keeps surprising us with original and interesting ideas, has released a new slot called Sunny Scoops.

Sunny Scoops is a slot that will have you wishing that summer would never end. Full of tasty looking ice cream, this is another Thunderkick game that got rid of the classic reels in favor of a more interesting approach, although in this case it still feels closer to a traditional slot than Fruit Warp was. In Sunny Scoops, each reel is an ice cream cone and symbols are actually scoops of different flavors. 

Each flavor has its own Bonus Game with Free Spins and Multiplier. There are seven flavors total: Chocolate Explosion, Golden Honey, Orange Sunset, Sweet Pearfaction, Blueberry Bite, Strawberry Dream and Coffee Crush. 

Make sure to give this interesting slot a try, you can play it at Vera & John casino!

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Online casino and sports betting site Princess Star, run by the land-based Princess Casinos International, is now live.

SoftSwiss, the main technology and operational partner of Princess Star, provided support for all aspects of the launch, from the legal infrastructure and gambling licence support to the financial structure and payment processing.

Princess Star offers slots from Amatic, along with games developed by SoftSwiss, all of which use HTML5 technology and are cross-platform.

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