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Great article about future of sales and marketing.

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Burger King - Bullying Jr.

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Unikrn set for European expansion after gaining a Maltese gaming license

The esports betting platform Unikrn is ready to expand their real money offering throughout Europe after receiving a gaming license from the Maltese Gaming Authority.

As I sit here marinating in my thoughts, I think about William Hill, Ladbrokes, Bet365 and the other tribes in the gambling space and I think about the brick-like mobile phone Crockett and Tubbs used in the 80s. Then my thoughts turn to the esports betting platform Unikrn, and I see an iPhone X.

Everything about Unikrn and their founder, Rahul Sood, stinks of success, and there is more of it coming down the pipeline after announcing European expansion plans.

Since its birth, Unikrn has run a real money gambling operation in Australia and the UK, with a play money version available in non-licensed jurisdictions. But things are about to change dramatically after gaining a Maltese gaming license, and partnering with the French gambling outfit RBP, a platform with over 300,000 registered users and over a million unique visitors per month.

Work has already begun on Unikrn EU, and we will see the fruits of that labour sometime early in 2018.

In the meantime, the focus is on raising $100 million through Unikrn’s Initial Coin Offering (ICO) for their UnikoinGold crypto token. The pre-sale ICO raised $15m.

UnikoinGold, a decentralised ERC20 token on the Ethereum Blockchain, replaces Unikoins, a centralised token system. In regions where Unikrn has a license to do so, spectators can use UnikoinGold to gamble on the outcome of matches, and a new skill-based gaming system yet to be released to the punters. Coins can also be used in-house as a form of tipping. In non-licensed regions, the coins can be used to purchase jackpot tickets, gain special access to private rooms, and anything else that doesn’t involve gambling.

Unikrn will also create UnikoinSilver to take over the role that Unikoin previously held. The primary difference is Silver coins cannot be taken off the Unikrn platform.

Approval from the Maltese Gaming Authority (MGA) means Unikrn has access to 80% of the European gambling market. In July, the MGA signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Esports Integrity Coalition (ESIC) and announced plans to become the esports capital of the world.

France Closing in on ICO Ruling

And what do the French think of ICOs?

According to a piece in the business new site Challenges, Robert Ophele, President of the Autorite des marches financiers (AMF), said that his organisation wanted to come to a quick position on the matter after citing the increasing profile of all things cryptocurrency in his homeland.

The news comes after authorities in both China and South Korea banned ICOs citing potential money laundering and tax evasion concerns.

Source: CalvinAyre

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Travis Rice is back!

Deep in winter, and even deeper in British Columbia, you’ll find more than just one of the world’s best places to ride — around every corner, some wild natural phenomena seems to be taking place… 

Quiksilver proudly presents Depth Perception, Travis Rice’s latest brain child starring fellow Quiksilver riders Bryan Fox, Austen Sweetin, Roxy’s Robin Van Gyn and the master himself. Set in the transfixing layers of BC’s temperate forest, the furthest inland rainforest in the world, Depth Perception returns to the roots of snowboarding and portrays the unique connection each rider shares with nature. 

The movie sucks you into a supernatural wonderland and invites you to enjoy some of the finest free riding this planet has to offer. It’ll make you laugh, make you learn and most of all, make you want to ride. Starring: Bryan Fox, Travis Rice, Austen Sweetin, & Robin Van Gyn Location: CMH Galena Shot & edited: Rubble & Helio Film Production Soundtrack by: Hannah Holbrook & Kishi Bashi Directed by: Chip Taylor & Chris Murphy

Source: Youtube

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Scientific Games acquires NYX in $631m deal

In a shock announcement on Wednesday, industry giants Scientific Games and NYX Gaming Group Limited have announced they have entered into a definitive merger agreement. Under the terms of the transaction, Scientific Games will acquire NYX and all the outstanding shares of the company for CAD$2.40 per share, equivalent to approximately CAD$775m (US$631m).   The strategic benefits of the deal as explained by the companies will be to firstly create a global digital gaming and lottery ‘powerhouse’. The agreement will also further accelerate the growth of Scientific Games’ Interactive business, whilst doing the same for NYX. “Scientific Games’ acquisition of NYX will provide immediate and compelling cash value for our shareholders, expand the products and solutions we are collectively able to offer our customers and accelerate the execution of our long-term strategic plan,” said Matt Davey, Chief Executive Officer of NYX. “We will now have scale, content and product development capabilities, complementary global infrastructure and access to an expanded customer base. We believe Scientific Games is the ideal partner for NYX, and we look forward to working alongside the talented Scientific Games team.” The agreement will further strengthen Scientific Games’ leadership position, providing the best possible portfolio of content technologies, digital products and services for its global gaming and lottery customers. “This important transaction creates a global gaming and lottery powerhouse. Scientific Games will be a stronger industry leader offering one of the broadest end-to-end portfolios of engaging content, innovative technologies and digital products and services across gaming and lottery,” said Kevin Sheehan, Scientific Games’ President and Chief Executive Officer. “This strategic and financially compelling acquisition combines NYX’s premier digital gaming and sports betting platforms and expansive distribution network to our own global, industry-leading content, technologies and digital products and services. NYX ideally positions us to capitalize on the growing online gaming and sports betting markets.” It is expected that upon completion of the agreement, Davey will oversee a newly created Digital Gaming and Sports Division at Scientific Games. Moreover, Kevin Sheehan will remain as Chief Executive Officer and President of the newly created global juggernaut.

Source: Gamblinginsider

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Initial Coin Offering means investor caution obligatory

HERE is the deal. You can buy an entry in a computer ledger issued by a startup company on the basis of an unregulated prospectus. It is called an “initial coin offering” or ICO. But though the ledger entry is called a coin, you cannot spend it in any shop. And whereas the use of the term ICO makes it sound like an IPO (initial public offering), the process whereby a firm lists on a stockmarket, coin ownership does not necessarily get you equity in the company concerned.

This sounds like the kind of bargain that would appeal only to people who reply to e-mails from Nigerian princes offering to transfer millions to their accounts. But ICOs may well be the most popular investment craze since the dotcom boom of 1999-2000; even Paris Hilton, a celebrity heiress, has jumped on the bandwagon. The list of active, upcoming and recent ICOs on the website “ICO alert” covers 31 pages of A4 paper and includes around 600 companies. More than $2bn has been raised in total.

There is a serious side to the craze, just as there was with the dotcom boom. The technology that underpins digital currencies—the blockchain—is an important development. This is a secure, decentralised ledger that everyone can inspect but that no single user controls. It seems likely to be adapted for use across the financial system—to record property transactions, for example.

Many ICOs are designed to finance applications that will make use of the blockchain—for trading currencies, lending money or searching for jobs. In some cases, the “coins” can be exchanged for services on the site. In a way, this is like selling air miles in a startup airline; investors can either use the miles for flights or hope they can trade them at a profit. For the business, it is also a way of creating demand for the product they are selling.

But in plenty of cases, an ICO is just a way of raising capital without all the hassle of meeting regulatory requirements, or the burden of paying interest to a bank. Businesses are able to achieve this feat because investors hope that the coins will rise rapidly in value, as has been the case with bitcoin or ethereum, the best-known digital currencies, which have seen stellar gains in the past year. Nothing makes individuals more willing to take risks than the sight of other people getting rich.

But bitcoin is also different from ICOs. Its appeal is as a digital currency that can be used in a broad range of transactions. And the supply of bitcoin is designed to be limited, meaning some people regard it as an electronic version of gold.

So there is a chance that bitcoin or ethereum will come into widespread use, although their function as a means of exchange is undermined by the volatility of their prices. Currencies must be stores of value, at least in the short term. If you think a digital currency is going to rise by 20% tomorrow, you won’t want to swap it for goods and services; if you think it is going to fall by 20% you won’t want to accept it.

It is also worth remembering that governments set the rules regarding the nature of legal tender within their borders. They will always have the whip-hand when it comes to issuing currency. If they believe that a digital currency is being used for widespread tax evasion, or is distorting the financial system, they will crack down hard.

As far as business-related ICOs are concerned, a few may succeed. Investors may well be taking the “lottery ticket” approach, hoping that one big winner will offset a large number of losses. In a sense investors are acting like venture capitalists. But the sultans of Silicon Valley’s VC industry insist on a wide range of rights before they invest their capital, including protection against dilution of their stakes and (sometimes) the right to nominate board members. Investors in ICOs have nothing like that level of protection.

In the circumstances, it is hardly surprising that regulators are getting involved. In America, the Securities and Exchange Commission has ruled that these coins may, in some cases, be securities and thus subject to regulation. A British regulator, the Financial Conduct Authority, this week warned investors about the risks involved. The Chinese authorities have gone a lot further, declaring that new ICOs are simply illegal.

It is not easy to draw a line between financial innovation and reckless speculation. Perhaps an ICO will finance some breakthrough that boosts economic efficiency. If you work in the tech sector, you may be able to spot the occasional grain of wheat among the pile of chaff. Everyone else should assume that ICO stands for “It’s Completely Off-limits”.

Source: Economist.com/blogs/buttonwood

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Blockchain eGaming platform Wild crypto announces 5 million ICO

29th August (Jersey) – Wild Crypto (SYMBOL: WILD), developers of a revolutionary international lottery and eGaming platform built upon blockchain technology, is to launch an initial coin offering (ICO) with the aim of raising 15,000 Ether Tokens – worth around $5 million – to take its disruptive product to market.

The ICO begins at 08:00 GMT on Tuesday, 5th September, and will offer investors WILD Tokens – the gaming currency to be used on the new platform – at a discounted rate of 2000:1, 2000 WILD Tokens to 1 Ether.

Once the platform launches, WILD Tokens will be exchanged at 100:1 against Ether, offering investors a potential 20x investment opportunity.

The platform, which is 95% complete, is designed to disrupt the $260 billion lottery and associated games market, for which only 4% is currently online, according to the World Lottery Association.

By publishing results of games to the blockchain, users can guarantee an open and honest experience, and players will also be able to cash-out in Ether or to a Bitcoin backed debit card.

Wild Crypto has assembled a team of industry experts, led by founder Frank Pira, to oversee the development. The team also includes Twelve40 CEO Andrew Jarrett and Qi Group CEO Kiri Cavill.

Regulated lottery specialist Twelve40 supplies the certified back-end game technology for the new platform, and the product will be the first of its kind to be regulated via Jersey and Curacao licences.

Frank Pira, founder of Wild Crypto, said: “Using the ethereum blockchain to build a next generation lottery and gaming platform has the potential to revolutionise this industry, so we are thrilled to announce an ICO to bring Wild Crypto to market.

“Wild Crypto is backed by a world-class team of gaming and blockchain experts, and we already have the technology, the regulatory approvals and the payment systems in place.

“This ICO will enable us to raise the funds to deliver on our promise, while those who subscribe will enjoy a huge discount on the WILD Tokens that will be used on the platform.”

A white paper outlining how Wild Crypto will disrupt the gaming sector has already been published. Its highlights include:

• How Wild Crypto will increase the size of the market by offering a seamless, decentralised lottery using its ethereum-based WILD Token • How Wild Crypto will offer a mobile-focused product targeted at the underserved 18-45 age group • How Wild Crypto will provide unprecedented odds and user experience by eliminating bureaucratic overheads while creating an open and honest gaming experience on the blockchain

For more information and to subscribe to the ICO, please visit: https://wildcrypto.com/.

For more information, please contact:

Square in the Air Communications David Bartram +44 (0) 20 3586 1978 david@squareintheair.com

About Wild Crypto

Wild Crypto (SYMBOL:WILD) is the developer of a disruptive, international lottery and eGaming platform built upon blockchain technology.

It will launch an initial coin offering with the aim of raising 15,000 Ether on September 5.

For more information, please visit: https://wildcrypto.com/.

Source: CalvinAyre

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Esports could be in 2024 Paris Olympics

The Summer Olympics are reserved for athletic competitions. But this could change at the 2024 Paris Olympics because eSports are on the agenda. Tony Estanguet, co-president of the Paris Olympic bid committee, will speak with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) about the possibility of eSports being on the program. “We can’t say, ‘It’s not us. […]

The Summer Olympics are reserved for athletic competitions. But this could change at the 2024 Paris Olympics because eSports are on the agenda.

Tony Estanguet, co-president of the Paris Olympic bid committee, will speak with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) about the possibility of eSports being on the program.

“We can’t say, ‘It’s not us. It’s not about Olympics,’” said Estanguet. “The youth, they are interested in eSport and this kind of thing. Let’s look at it. Let’s meet them. Let’s try if we can find some bridges.”

Adding Esports is about Attracting Younger Viewers

According to PBS News Hour, the 2016 Rio Olympics saw a 30% drop in television viewers aged 18-34.

This reflects millennials’ tendency to view content through online videos and social media. This directly contrasts with the Olympics prime revenue source, which includes ads on network television.

BTIG media analyst Brandon Ross discussed the dilemma that the Olympics and networks now face.

“If you go back to even before cable in the 1970s when the Olympics were on or any show, there was very little to watch in terms of video on television,” said Ross. “So each piece of content got very, very high ratings. That’s just not the world we live in anymore.”

The IOC has attempted to address the problem for the 2020 Tokyo Games by adding BMX and 3-on-3 basketball. Adding eSports could bring an extra level of enthusiasm among younger viewers.

Esports has a Tough Road to Paris

Even with eSports’ potential to attract a new viewership base, the gaming sport faces a difficult task in gaining IOC recognition. Esports-Pro’s Jake Tucker discussed some of these problems.

One is the constant question of whether or not eSports truly counts as a sport (when compared to athletics).

Another problem will be scheduling because the Summer Olympics coincide with major eSports events like the Call of Duty World Championship and Quake World Championships. If the best players don’t come to the Paris Olympics, then the event will be mundane in comparison to sports with high-profile athletes.

There’s still a chance that we’ll see eSports in the 2024 Paris Olympics. But don’t count on it happening until it’s truly official.

Source: drakecasino blog

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MGM Resorts International introduces real-money online gaming

MGM Resorts International recently announced its playMGM.com platform now offers real-money online gaming in New Jersey. The launch of two MGM Resorts-branded gaming sites – playMGMcasino.com and playMGMpoker.com – represents the company's efforts in the real-money online gaming space which became legal in New Jersey in 2013.

"We are thrilled to be entering the online gaming landscape in New Jersey with the expansion of our playMGM.com platform to include both casino and poker games," said Corey Sanders, chief operating officer of MGM Resorts International. "The ability to effectively bring Las Vegas to New Jersey via an online experience is an exciting undertaking, especially as we continue to develop our presence on the East Coast with the recent acquisition of Borgata, the opening of MGM National Harbor and the pending 2018 opening of MGM Springfield in Massachusetts."

MGM Resorts, in partnership with GVC Holdings, will present players with two distinct online gaming options; playMGMcasino.com which will boast more than 200 online slots and table games such as blackjack, roulette, craps and video poker; and playMGMpoker.com offering lucrative daily and weekly tournament guarantees along with a variety of sit and go tournaments and cash games.

Both playMGMcasino.com and playMGMpoker.com will compliment Borgata's platform and sit on the GVC technology stack, offering desktop as well as mobile gaming applications (apps) available for download on iOS and Android devices.

Source: CasinoJournal

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UltraPlay becomes the first provider to offer live betting on FIFA Interactive World Cup

Advanced betting provider UltraPlay has announced that it will provide live betting for the Grand Final of FIFA Interactive World Cup 2017, starting from 16 to 18 August in London. The company will offer live betting of the event, which is not currently covered by other providers.

Known as the largest gaming tournament in the world, FIWC is an official FIFA tournament organized in cooperation with EA SPORTS™. During its 13th edition, 32 Grand Finalist will run for becoming the next football’s virtual world champion, competing across PlayStation®4 and Xbox One.

Peter Ivanov, Head of eSports trading at UltraPlay said: “Led by the mission and experience of building a betting brand that appeals to eSports fans, UltraPlay is constantly improving its eSports odds provision and betting options to offer next level of gaming experience. That was the core idea behind the company’s decision to become the first iGaming provider offering live betting on FIFA Interactive World Cup Grand Final – the highly ranked and prestigious international tournament followed by millions of fans worldwide.”

According to UltraPlay’s expert analysis, FIFA holds a great potential to have a leading role on the eSports betting scene, which has to be further developed with the required expertise and due diligence. This includes a big insight of the game itself as well as in-depth knowledge of the other participants in the tournament with their playing style, strengths and challenges.

Online operators using UltraPlay’s advanced betting solutions, such as VitalBet, Ebettle and Loot.bet, will have the exclusive live betting option available for all FIFA Interactive fans and punters worldwide.

UltraPlay is constantly enriching its eSports live betting coverage of events and games. The company has recently added live betting on Heroes of the Storm which has recorded a great success over the eSports betting audience.

About the company:

UltraPlay is a modern technological company, founded in 2010, with the core ambition to offer innovative approach to the online gaming industry by providing advanced betting solutions, focused on eSports, sports betting, casino, live betting and bitcoin solutions.

Assembled by a team of iGaming professionals with vast experience in betting product development, operations, eSports and marketing, UltraPlay is a trusted partner for delivering superior sports software and odds products to its customers. Learn more about the company here: www.ultraplay.co

Source: CalvinAyre

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