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September/October 2016 // PUBLIC GAMING INTERNATIONAL //
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novomatic expands
business in albania
After the Casinos Austria plan to
withdraw from the lottery business in
Albania, Novomatic will take over the
local subsidiary of Casinos Austria.
Novomatic currently has three
companies in Albania.
novomatic achieves
record turnover in first
six months of the year
and sees headcount rise
by 12.1 percent
NOVOMATIC, Europe’s leading
gaming technology group, recorded a
turnover of EUR 1,094.9 million in
the first six months of this fiscal year.
This represents an increase of 10.8
percent over the first six months of the
previous year. The largest gains were
seen in the proceeds from gaming
machines, which increased by 11.8
percent, and the number of sites
operated by the Group rose to over
1,600 as of June 30. The number of
people employed has also risen to a
historical high, reaching an average
of 22,373, which corresponds to an
increase of 12.1 percent.
Harald Neumann, NOVOMATIC
Chairman of the Board, said:
“We
pursued our growth strategy during the
first half of the year and have under-
taken a number of important expan-
sions. With our acquisition of the British
gaming operator Talarius, we have
further increased our market share in the
important UK gaming market, and we
are now the largest operator of gaming
arcades in the UK. Our intention to
acquire a stake in the Australian listed
gaming technology company Ainsworth
would give a massive boost to our market
position in Australasia, as well as in
North and South America.”
bitcoin plunges, rebounds
after hackers steal
$65 million
kkcg & emma established
a joint lottery company
sazka group
Emma KKCG Group and Capital
established a joint lottery company
Sazka Group that have put their assets
in a lottery. Karel Komarek’s KKCG
will have in the joint venture Sazka
Group share of 75 percent, EMMA
George Šmejc 25 percent. Manage-
ment Control will perform equally.
Sazka own shares in the largest Greek
gaming company OPAP, the Italian
company LOTTOITALIA or Austrian
companies Casinos Austria and Öster-
reichische Lotterien.
“Together with our partners we aim to
create the largest European company in
the lottery and gaming industry. Our
common strategy is to further promote
the growth of companies that today Saz-
ka Group owns, and continue to expand
to other parts of the world, even outside
Europe. We are looking for opportunities
for further acquisitions,”
said Komarek.
gambling regulator looks
to clamp down on
unlicensed e-sports
betting and gambling
The British gambling regulator has
warned online platforms that facilitate
bets on e-sports or which allow gamers
to gamble virtual items they have ob-
tained when gaming that they might
require a gambling licence to continue
with their operations. Website opera-
tors are enabling individuals to bet
against each other for money or prizes.
Operating as an intermediary for wa-
gers between individuals may require
a license. The Gambling Commission
said
“the lines between some social gam-
ing products and gambling are blurring”
and highlighted concerns about unli-
censed betting and gaming activities as
the popularity of e-sports grows.
The Gambling Commission also
addressed the rise in the trade of so-
called ‘in-game’ items which comput-
er gamers can win, trade, sell or use.
It said those
“digital commodities,”
or
“skins,”
can sometimes be
“converted
into money or money’s worth”
and that
they therefore serve as
“a form of vir-
tual currency
” which can be gambled
with. The Commission has previously
confirmed that offering facilities
whereby virtual currencies can be
used for gambling qualifies as a regu-
lated activity for which a gambling
licence is required.
lottery strength lifts
tatts lotteries revenue
“All-in-all, our business renewal
program is delivering, it positions us
well for future growth, and has at
its core a focus on maximising value
from our unique portfolio of gam-
bling assets,”
chief executive Robbie
Cooke said.
“It is really satisfying to see
the digital initiatives we implemented
over the last few years now driving
strong sales outcomes,”
he said. He
also stepped up his attack on for-
eign bookmakers, arguing that some
are circumventing the tax and duty
system for their own financial ben-
efit. Reform of regulatory, taxation,
and enforcement policies are being
discussed and debated at the Federal
Government level. Tatts competitor,
Tabcorp, CEO David Attenborough
has also criticized the current taxation
system and corporate bookmakers
and calls for reform.
“The fiscal posi-
tion of these jurisdictions is damaged by
operators who are circumventing the tax
and duty system for their own financial
benefit, and in some cases deceiving
customers as to the true nature of their
product offering,”
Attenborough said.
Tatts and Tabcorp have had merger
talks in the past and some think those
discussions may resume.
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