North America

Reporting for the first time as a single entity, IGT Plc the merged gambling and lottery technology operator of GTECH and International Game Technology (IGT) (merger date 7 April 2015), presented results for Q2 2015 trading. Due to its merger, IGT Plc governance noted that a number of items affect the comparability of its reported results for Q2 2014. In …

US broadcaster NBC has confirmed that it has extended its English Premier League (EPL) rights coverage for the US market for an additional six years, until season 2021-2022. The Comcast owned operator did not disclose the sum of the broadcast rights, however US business news sources have stated that NBC would pay over its current $83 million (£52.5 million) per …

As US polls place Donald J Trump at the front of the 2016 Republican Presidential Primary race, it appears that UK bookmakers are not currying favour for the outspoken and controversial GOP candidate. Last week US news sources proclaimed that Fox News’ Live Republican Candidate Debate had been ‘Trumped’, as the apprentice took centre stage in front of a TV …

William Hill CEO James Henderson has described the past six months as a period of ‘significant regulatory and taxation change for the industry’ as the bookmaker reported a 30% drop in profits after tax to £69.5m. Despite group net revenue marginally growing, even against 2014 World Cup comparatives, operating profit dropped 12% to £155.7m for the first half. Group net …

AIM-listed bingo operator Stride Gaming plc has bought InfiApps Limited, a profitable internationally-focused mobile social gaming company, for up to US$39.2m, over half of which will be paid in cash, while the remainder triggered by earn-out targets over the next two years. The acquisition will provide the Stride Gaming group with an entry into the social gaming segment of online …

Caesars Interactive Entertainment (CIE) has announced an agreement with Income Access, to provider affiliate/partnership platform and player acquisition services . The new affiliate program for CIE’s Nevada and New Jersey-facing real-money online poker brand WSOP.com and online casino brands CaesarsCasino.com and HarrahsCasino.com will be powered by the Income Access platform and managed by the company’s affiliate managers. Following Nevada’s regulation …

Issuing a corporate update, Toronto listed Amaya Inc has announced that it will refinance certain terms of its debt incurred in last year’s acquisition of Rational Group (PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker brands). Updating the market Amaya expects to repay approximately $575 million (£370 million) of its outstanding $800 million second lien term loan. Amaya is set to carry out …

Gambling technology provider Scientific Games has confirmed the appointment of David Smail as an Executive Vice-President & Chief Legal Officer. Smail succeeds Katie Lever, the Company’s Executive Vice President and General Counsel, who will remain with Scientific Games until August 31, 2015 to facilitate the transition. Most recently, Smail was Executive Vice President and General Counsel of Morgans Hotel Group Co., where he served as chief …

Following last week’s announcement of its $275 million Series E venture round funding, daily fantasy sports (DFS) operator FanDuel has confirmed the acquisition of Scottish app development studio KotiKan. FanDuel who stated that it would use its raised funds to further develop in-house development and delivery competencies, acquired the Edinburgh based mobile development studio who have worked on FanDuel mobile …