Industry News
Microgaming ushers in a wave of diverse titles this December
Microgaming is set to deliver an entertaining display of vibrant content this festive season, with new and exclusive titles forming a compelling showcase this month.
Throughout December, leading software supplier Microgaming is offering a diverse roster of exclusive high-quality games from its network of independent studios and game development partners, to meet the needs of its customers worldwide. Players can immerse themselves in all the captivating artwork and unique features of Microgaming’s December releases.
The adventure begun on 3 December in the jungles of West Asia with the release of Ivory Citadel™, developed exclusively by Just For The Win. Shrouded in mystery and adorned with marble, stone, ivory, and flames, the five-reel, 20-payline slot is filled with superb visuals and exciting features, including Mystery Symbols, free spins, and three wild symbols.
Staged in an ancient temple in the snowy mountains, North Storm™ (Rabcat) lures players into a mystical world full of treasures. Scheduled to launch on Microgaming’s award-winning platform on 5 December, this five-reel, 25-payline fantasy-themed slot offers a strong feature line-up, including Bonus Falls, where symbols in winning combinations disappear and new symbols fall down to close the gaps, and the Increasing Multiplier, which is doubled to 8x in the free spins feature, offering rewarding win potential.
Due for release on 10 December, Treasures of Lion City (Pulse 8 Studios) brings intriguing adventures to life in the form of a thrilling five-by-three reel, 25-payline online slot, where stone buildings, statues and temples lie hidden in the deepest sea in the East. The game features Microgaming’s popular Rolling Reels™ mechanic and a Win Meter feature, which includes multipliers of up to 27x, creating excellent win potential of up to 2,600x the initial bet.
The craic looks mighty in Stumpy McDoodles (Foxium), a five-by-four reel, Irish-themed slot bringing a unique slant through its party atmosphere, a pair of mischievous characters and a hatful of features, including a pot of gold in the base game that reveals Stumpy Random Wilds and Random Multipliers. Players can utilise Foxify™, which increases the multiplier values awarded during the feature. Players get a second chance at triggering free spins with Rainbow Re-spin. During free spins, players collect coins for wilds and multipliers that progress through the remainder of the feature up to a 34x multiplier. Set to launch on 17 December, Stumpy McDoodles is loaded with charm and offers a never-ending party, filled with great rewards.
With an array of spectacular content planned, along with a wealth of existing Christmas-themed games, Microgaming customers can expect even further variety and more targeted, engaging gameplay throughout the month of December.
“Microgaming continues to diversify its exclusive content offering this December, along with popular partner games. Each new release is packed with thrilling features, formats and unique themes, offering operators incredible choice. 2019 has been a particularly exciting and busy year for Microgaming, with more than 40 feature-rich exclusive new games released, including blockbuster branded titles such as the action-packed Lara Croft® Temples and Tombs™ and Village People® Macho Moves online slots. We’re looking forward to building on that momentum as we head into 2020, when we will be revealing another wave of exciting releases and announcements to shake up the new year.” – James Buchanan, Director of Global Operations at Microgaming.
Industry News
SKS365 keeps investing in people: GROW People Management Program took the next level
11 experienced people managers from the SKS365 group’s 4 locations gathered last week in Belgrade for the new GROW People Management Program. From 15 th to 19 th of April, through trainings, discussions, and social connections, people had the opportunity to further grow individually and as a team, while enjoying Belgrade’s city center and rivers.
Created in 2023 with the purpose of building foundation people management skills across the organization, GROW initiative evolved this year by including a new, advanced program for experienced people managers to further consolidate their skills and prepare for future opportunities.
Building and fostering connections, sharing experiences, and enjoying team building experiences – all these activities have been part of the GROWpmp agenda for the 11 people managers coming from Commercial, Product and Development, Finance, and Sportsbook departments of the group’s 4 locations – Malta, Italy, Austria, Serbia.
GROWpmp included a variety of topics that people managers in SKS365 recognized as the key areas for management development. Topics such as influence through communication, team effectiveness, DEI, through to presentation skills and business topics like understanding finance and management reporting, were delivered with the support of external professionals and internal experts, while designed and organized by the SKS365 People & Culture team.
Industry News
Kindred’s Share of Revenue from High-risk Players Shows Slight Increase
Kindred Group plc’s (Kindred) share of revenue from high-risk players showed a slight increase to 3.2% (Q4 2023 3.1%) in the first quarter of 2024. Compared to the first quarter of 2023, the high-risk revenue share decreased marginally. The percentage of detected customers who exhibited improved behaviour after interventions came in at 87.1% (compared to 87.4% in Q4 2023 and 83.0% in Q1 2023). This sustained trajectory in the improvement effect after interventions, observed over an extended period, serves as a testament to the strong dedication and collective efforts throughout the company. It reflects Kindred’s ongoing commitment to fostering positive change within the industry.
“We continue to see our share of revenue from high-risk players fluctuate quarter to quarter, and we are working closely with all teams across the company to support customers towards a more sustainable gambling experience. However, it is encouraging to see that our Journey towards Zero data has steadily decreased since 2020. A similar trend can be seen across the healthier gambling behaviour effect after interventions. This tells us two things: our work is paying off, but we need to continue to push ourselves to propel a sustainable progression,” Alexander Westrell, Director of Communications at Kindred Group, said.
“It was very encouraging to witness the open and transparent discussions at the Sustainable Gambling Conference in London on 20 March, where those with lived experience shared their important stories. Also, it is evident that technology is moving forward, and will provide greater opportunities to detect and intervene in the future. We hope to see more regulators engage with the industry and with experts to secure a more sustainable industry for everyone,” Alexander Westrell added.
Industry News
PENN Entertainment Names Aaron LaBerge as Chief Technology Officer
PENN Entertainment announced that Aaron LaBerge has been named Chief Technology Officer (CTO) effective July 1, 2024, subject to customary regulatory approvals. Mr. LaBerge will report directly to PENN CEO & President Jay Snowden.
In his new role, Mr. LaBerge will be responsible for driving the technology strategy and execution for PENN, while leading the multinational team of technologists and serving as the key business leader for the company’s Interactive division.
Mr. LaBerge spent more than 20 years at The Walt Disney Company, in two stints separated by five and a half years as a technology entrepreneur. He was most recently President & Chief Technology Officer for Disney Entertainment and ESPN where he was responsible for driving all technology and product development in support of The Walt Disney Company’s two media divisions. In that role, he helped set the vision and strategic leadership for how Disney uses technology to enable storytelling and innovation, drive its business, and create unparalleled consumer experiences with entertainment and sports content.
“We are thrilled to have someone of Aaron’s caliber join our PENN executive team. Having overseen a global organization of thousands of engineers, product developers, designers, technologists, and data scientists that created some of the largest scale and most successful media properties in the world, there is no better candidate to lead our Technology and Interactive division into its future. I know Aaron is looking forward to working with Todd George, our head of operations, and our entire Executive Team to continue growing our position as a leader in online gaming, sports betting, and digital sports media,” Mr. Snowden said.
“I’m excited to join another talented team at PENN Interactive and lead our technology strategy. PENN Entertainment is at the forefront of the fast-changing gaming and sports media industry. I plan to use my experience from Disney and ESPN to help make ESPN BET an essential piece of the sports fan experience. Together, we’ll push the limits and redefine how fans interact with sports and gaming,” Mr. LaBerge said.
Prior to his most recent role at the Walt Disney Company, Mr. LaBerge was Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer at ESPN from 2015 to 2018. At ESPN he played an instrumental role in the growth of ESPN’s consumer-facing digital media products and services – leading many of ESPN’s most ambitious and challenging projects and helping establish ESPN’s position as the leader in digital sports and innovative sports technology development. He was a key architect in the design, development, and engineering of ESPN’s state-of-the-art facilities in Bristol, CT; Los Angeles, CA; Charlotte, NC; and Austin, TX, as well as data centers and infrastructure that connect those facilities around the world, as well as the technology design and development to support the launch of the multi-platform SEC Network.
Between 2007 and 2012, LaBerge was co-founder and CEO of Fanzter, Inc. – a venture-funded consumer software and digital product development company. At Fanzter, he directed all day-to-day operations and led the development and launch of a variety of consumer-focused internet and mobile products, ground-breaking social and commerce technologies and more.
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