Press Releases
Former NHL player shifts focus from online casinos to land-based casinos
Sami Helenius found a way for his website to avoid legal problems in Finland
Helsinki, Finland: Former NHL player Sami Helenius quit his casino affiliate business after being contacted by the Police of Finland last December. The website Helenius founded, Kasino Curt, has since gone through a major change in its strategy. Instead of going ahead with the original plan of promoting online casinos to Swedes, Kasino Curt is now promoting trips to land-based casinos.
Of the change of plans, Helenius said, “First, I decided to quit my business, when the Police of Finland sent me a request for clarification. They suspected that Kasino Curt is marketing online casinos to Finns and Swedes. After reading their message I immediately understood that there was no way for me to convince them that we are not targeting Finns. Things have changed since. Now we are marketing to Finns, but we are not promoting online casinos. Kasino Curt is basically a Finnish website, which combines casinos with travelling. Perhaps we are going to get the content translated into other languages as well. Time will tell. In addition, we are looking to outsource advertising sales. We have been in touch with a couple of advertising sales agencies.”
Helenius lives in Finland, where only three organizations Veikkaus, RAY and Fintoto, which merged in the beginning of last year, are allowed to run gambling operations under the Lotteries Act. To avoid legal problems he decided to target Swedish casino enthusiasts with Swedish marketing materials. Swedish is Finland’s second official language, but as the Swedish-speakers comprise just 5.4 % of the total Finnish population or 4.9 % without Åland, a self-governing archipelago of islands off the west coast of Finland, Helenius and his consultants were confident that the site would not be considered illegal. They were wrong though. Many Finnish newspapers covered the story in detail.
Sami Helenius (born January 22, 1974) is a retired Finnish ice hockey player. Known for his role as an enforcer, Helenius played for Calgary Flames, Tampa Bay Lightning, Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars and Chicago Blackhawks during his time in NHL. Helenius became known as the “Fighting Finn,” as he was the first Finn in NHL known as an enforcer. Kasino Curt was named after Swedish ice hockey coach Curt Lindström, who coached the Finnish men’s national ice hockey team between 1993 and 1997, winning Finland’s first Ice Hockey World Championships gold medal in 1995.
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Aristocrat Leisure Completes Acquisition of Neo Group Ltd. (f/k/a NeoGames) for $29.50 per Share
Neo Group Ltd. (formerly known as NeoGames S.A.), announced today that Aristocrat Leisure Limited, an entertainment and content creation company delivering world-leading mobile and casino games, has completed the previously announced acquisition of all of the outstanding ordinary shares of Neo for $29.50 per share in an all-cash transaction, representing an enterprise value of approximately $1.2 billion for Neo.
“We are excited to have successfully closed this transaction and joined forces with the Aristocrat team to further drive our success across iLottery, iGaming, and online sports betting,” said Moti Malul, Chief Executive Officer of Neo. “We firmly believe that this Transaction represents a great outcome for all of Neo’s shareholders, customers and employees. We are very grateful to all our stakeholders who have supported us since our inception. I would also like to thank all our employees for their commitment in making Neo the great company it is today.”
The transaction was announced on May 15, 2023.
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Wazdan pounces for bigger wins in new sequel Mighty Wild™: Panther Grand Gold Edition
Wazdan, the gain-focused developer behind some of the world’s most rewarding casino game experiences, is multiplying jackpots in the follow-up to its top-performing game Mighty Wild™: Panther Grand Gold Edition.
Venturing to the depths of the jungle where a black panther rules the reels on a 5×3 gameboard, the new edition provides even larger win potential. With the increased value of the Cash symbols and Cash Infinity™ symbols, there is also a more lucrative Grand Jackpot of 1500x the base bet.
Players can trigger either the Hold the Jackpot™ or Wild Rampage™ bonus rounds after landing at least six bonus symbols. Furthermore, Chance Level™ has been amplified to improve players’ chances of hitting the bonus round.
Bolstering the ferocious Wild Rampage™ bonus game, Mystery Symbols transformed into jackpots are multiplied by a value between 1x to 10x, providing the opportunity for even bigger rewards.
Wazdan’s Online gaining™ philosophy empowers players to tailor gameplay to their preferred style through customisable features like Volatility Levels™, Buy Feature, and Ultra Fast Mode which has delivered proven results for its partners.
Andrzej Hyla, Chief Commercial Officer at Wazdan, said: “Mighty Wild™: Panther Grand Gold Edition features an exciting new lair through the inclusion of transforming mystery symbols, adding multiplier prizes to jackpots.
“Enhancing the gameplay of a pre-established hit allowed us to expand upon the engagement and entertainment on offer and we anticipate a great reception to this release.”
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PRAGMATIC PLAY DELIVERS BRAND NEW DEDICATED LIVE STUDIO FOR BETSSON
Pragmatic Play, a leading content supplier to the iGaming industry, has expanded its partnership with Betsson Group to deliver an exclusive dedicated Live Casino studio featuring a mix of premium Blackjack and Roulette tables.
Incorporating all the fan-favourite features of Pragmatic Play’s Live Casino games, including multiplayer mode, chat functionality, and bet behind, the nine custom-built tables have been uniquely crafted to immerse players in the Betsson Group brands.
In total, eight new dedicated Blackjack tables and one new Roulette table will be broadcast from the custom-built live studio, every detail of which has been designed to Betsson’s precise requirements.
It is the latest dedicated studio to be delivered by Pragmatic Play, whose operator partners can also use Smart Studio to customise elements of the Live Casino titles to produce bespoke environments that showcase their brands.
Irina Cornides, Chief Operating Officer at Pragmatic Play, said: “Delivering a dedicated studio for Betsson marks another milestone for Pragmatic Play’s award-winning Live Casino offering. Betsson is a much-valued partner, and we are delighted to provide them with an immersive live environment that is fully dedicated to their brand.”
Chellyanne Cassar, Live Casino Manager at Betsson Group, added: “We are delighted to collaborate with Pragmatic Play to ensure delivery of a bespoke dedicated studio, where we can showcase our brand-new Blackjack and Roulette tables.
“The partnership highlights our shared commitment to delivering unparalleled gaming experiences, and we’re thrilled with the final results of the studio.”
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