Admin, Author at UberPokies.org

Mega Moolah puts Pokie Jackpots on the map again with a record-breaking win

May 19, 2021 by Admin

The gambling world has been stunned yet again by a record-breaking win, once again from Microgaming’s Mega Moolah progressive jackpot network.

This most recent win came courtesy of Absolootly Mad Mega Moolah and this is the second time the pokie has set a new record , paying out a lucky winner $19.4 million on 27 April 2021.

The new record happened at Napoleon Sports & Casino of Belgium where two top-tier jackpots were claimed from the new WowPot Jackpot that dished out $17,529,047.11 on 14th April and €2,025,388.75 on 19th April with the amount marking the largest payout ever from an online pokie. Even though the prizes were hit on two different dates, the total of $19,430,723.60 will be paid out to the winner as a lump sum.

Understanding the Game

Absolootly Mad Mega Moolah was exclusively developed for Microgaming by Triple Edge Studios with gameplay that sets players on a 5-reel, 243 payline wild quest for gold coins. The game employs wilds, scatters, free spins, multipliers, bonus rounds, and cascading reels as features with stunning graphics creating an immersive package. Absolootly Mad is only one of a series of Mega Moolah progressive jackpot pokies and was launched in May 2020. The game offers medium volatility and a below-average RTP and the potential to take home millions in prizes takes most of the sting out of the high average house edge. To date, Mega Moolah has generated over 500,000 wins worth $46 million with the total progressive jackpot network dishing out approximately $1.3 billion since it first appeared.

Is the juice worth the squeeze?

News of this latest win has likely left many players salivating and ready to claim their ladle of cash from progressive pots. With a wealth of choice of progressive networks out there, players are spoiled for choice, and aside from the millions waiting to be won, there are many other reasons to try your hand at progressive jackpot pokies.

The primary attraction of this kind of game is the jackpot, jackpots represent the highest payouts you can win from games and progressive jackpots are even until a winner is found.

Other benefits to playing progressive slots include bonus payouts that are essentially a secondary prize that you can win instead of the big jackpot, and the low stakes that most jackpot pokies offer, giving you a chance to win millions from mere cents.

While jackpots are rewarding and alluring, it is always important to remember that they do not pay out as often as you might like them to. Pokies are powered by random number generators that include an in-built house edge and return to player calculation, generated over thousands of spins.

Playing to win

Real money gambling sites are your go-to destination for jackpot pokies like Mega Moolah and most major sites will offer content from other premium providers including NetEnt, Playtech, and RTG. Some jackpots may be limited to players from specific regions, for example, Microgaming prohibits AU pokies, so players from Australia cannot vie for the Mega Moolah. Fortunately, there is a vast selection of alternatives, but there are a few considerations that you must take into account before setting off on your quest for fabulous wealth.

The first step is to find a trusted casino site with a valid gambling license and fair-game certification. The site should also offer up-to-date security and encryption. Taking a look at player reviews to gauge the site’s user-friendliness, efficiency with transactions, and service level is essential and you should also be on the lookout for perks as the welcome offers, bonuses, and loyalty programmes that can differ wildly from casino to casino.

Next, you should take a hard look at the game you are considering. Fortunately for you, most pokie releases are given detailed reviews by players and professionals, giving you a glance at things like eligibility, betting requirements, jackpot values, bonus prizes, and gameplay.

Any Jackpot Slot you choose should also appeal to your sensibilities and preferences when it comes to the theme, rules, and gameplay style. Once you fully understand the experience you are about to embark on, all that’s left to do is launch the pokie, place your bet and leave the rest up to chance.

Mega Moolah alternatives

Despite not having official access to Mega Moolah, Australians still have a wealth of choice when it comes to jackpot titles. Games such as Arabian Nights, Mega Fortune, Super Lucky Frog, Cosmic Fortune, Hall of Gods Mega, Beach Life, Age of the Gods, Gold Rally, Gladiator, Mega Ball, and Cinerama are a few prominent options from NetEnt and Playtech for anyone looking to get started.

Other developers that also offer progressive play include Ainsworth, Amatic, EGT, Playson, Quickspin, Pragmatic Play, Wazdan, Evoplay, Yggdrasil, iSoftBet, Spinomenal, and BetSoft

Whatever your choice, understanding the individual rules of each pokie could mean the difference between landing a huge win and walking away with nothing, so take the time to familiarise yourself with all the information that you should know.

Heated debate continues over Australian credit card gambling legislation

May 14, 2021 by Admin

Australian senator Sterling Griff recently championed a new bill on behalf of the Centre Alliance. The proposed Interactive Gambling Amendment (Prohibition on Credit Card Use) Bill 2020 has sparked a flurry of debate since it was first tabled.

The official website for the Parliament of Australia states,

“The bill would amend the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 to prevent interactive gambling service providers from accepting payments by credit card (either directly or indirectly), create a criminal offence and civil penalty provision for a person who accepts, facilitates or promotes credit card payments for interactive gambling service and provides for the Australian Communications and Media Authority to enforce and review the new requirements.”

The Senate referred the bill to the Environment and Communications Legislation Committee on March 18 of 2021. This committee is projected to issue its report on the matter by July 30th and any parties wanting to make submissions have until April 29 to file them.

Status quo

Online gambling in Australia is currently restricted to betting exchanges, TABs and bookmakers. A prohibition on casino-style games of chance still exists in the country as well as on in-play betting for sporting events. The country’s restrictions are strict, with operators licensed in foreign countries banned from operating within its borders.

Despite these constraints, Australian punters have used their will to find a way and put approximately $400 million on the line annually via online wagering.

The flouting of regulations by punters and operators has not gone unnoticed. In 2020, the Bank of Australia brought down the axe on all credit card transactions related to gambling and in March 0f 2021, some leading Aussie banks banded together to wipe out credit card gambling.

The anti-bill crew

Responsible Wagering Australia has emerged as the most prominent opposition to the proposed bill. This comes as no surprise, considering RWA’s membership, which includes major names like bet365, Unibet and Betfair.

RWA’s stance is that its members are being unfairly penalised and that the current laws and legislations work in favour of both companies and consumers. The organisation’s main argument involves the validity of the bill’s main principle, with RWA contending that no evidence supports the theory that credit card usage plays a part in increased problem gambling.

Bill backers

There are also naturally plenty of parties in favour of the tabled legislation, all of whom have compelling reasons for their support.

The Star tables $12b Crown Resorts casino merger offer

May 11, 2021 by Admin

The Star Entertainment Group has thrown its hat in the ring for a shot at acquiring James Packer’s Crown Resorts with a $12 billion merger offer that would create a gambling and hospitality monolith comprising seven properties across four states.

The proposed merger will be publicly announced in an ASX statement. This development means that The Star will be competing directly with US investment titan Blackstone in the fight for the embattled casino group. Crown’s licence for its new Sydney casino was suspended by regulators in February 2021, and royal commissions into the company are set to start soon in Victoria and in Western Australia.

Blackstone’s offer of $8 billion for Crown was proposed in March, and a third contender, US investment fund Oaktree Capital, put forward an offer of $3 billion for Mr Packer’s 37 per cent stake in the company.

According to an anonymous source, The Star has advised Crown of the imminent announcement of its non-binding, indicative proposal and the company believes that its long history of running casinos in Sydney, Brisbane and the Gold Coast, puts it in the ideal position to address Crown’s regulatory issues more efficiently so than the others lined up to take over the beleaguered organisation. In February 2021, Crown was deemed unfit to run its new casino at Sydney’s Barangaroo, following proven allegations that money-laundering activities were taking place at its casinos. These revelations came to light alongside other probity miscarriages that the Bergin inquiry revealed.

Investors from both companies would receive shares in a new entity with an estimated value of around $12 billion and the deal would allow the company to stay listed on the ASX.

The Star is of the opinion that having the two groups merge would generate $150 million to $200 million in cost savings per year, which would add up to approximately $2 billion in equity value for the combined group’s shareholders.

The deal would also create an implied per-share value of $14 for Crown shareholders, at last glance; the group’s share price was hovering at about $12.12.

Blackstone already holds a 10 per cent share of Crown and put forth its initial offer of $11.85 per share, but later increased its bid according to an inside source.

It has been speculated that Crown investors would have the choice between cash or new shares in exchange for their original Crown shares. The cash portion is reportedly restricted, so Crown shares investors could receive an amount contingent upon how many shareholders go for that option.

Sources also revealed that The Star’s preference is a merged company as an arrangement of that sort could potentially mean significant benefits from co-ordinating marketing, loyalty programs and digital systems, positioning The Star to better exploit new growth markets across the globe as travel and tourism industries begin to mend from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The combined company would keep the Crown brand for its Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney properties, while existing The Star casinos and hotels would retain their brand.

With about 11,500 workers at the Southbank complex, Crown is Victoria’s largest single-site employer and generates about 1 per cent of the state’s tax income.

In all likelihood, a merger would require the nod from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, and The Star would need to secure a licence from by gambling regulators in Victoria and Western Australia.

The gaming rooms for Crown’s planned $2.2 billion Crown Sydney had a planned opening of December 2020. However, the NSW gambling watchdog scuppered these plans, following the damning allegations that triggered the Bergin inquiry

The inquiry was initiated after a flurry of media reports uncovered money-laundering in company bank accounts linked to Crown Melbourne and Crown Perth. The Casinos was found to have aligned themselves with “junket” high-roller tour operators with links to organised crime; and overlooked the well-being of staff members who were arrested in China for gambling crimes in 2016.

Crown has reported that it is embarking on an exhaustive governance reform process, with the company’s management and board left feeling eviscerated by the outcome of the Bergin inquiry. The company’s previous chief executive Ken Barton and five directors have already vacated their positions and Crown has yet to appoint a new CEO while executive chairman Helen Coonan temporarily occupies the position with only four directors.

A merger could end up hastening the progress of re-placements at Crown’s management and governance level. Existing executive teams may combine with each other, with Star CEO Matt Bekier at the helm, leading a board selected from existing Crown and Star directors.

A lot of the power to approve of any merger rests with Mr Packer who owns 37 per cent of Crown. Packer has been searching for a buyer of his stake in Crown for a few years now. The NSW casino licence that The Star holds incudes a caveat that specifies that no single shareholders can own more than 10 per cent of its shares.

Have a marvellous May with Microgaming

May 8, 2021 by Admin

Microgaming continues to lead the globe in iGaming aggregation with its regular monthly roster of exciting slot releases. Its independent network of developers has created a spectacular array of titles that transport you to a variety of fantasy worlds, wild landscapes, and classic casino action.

Jump into Megaways action on 25 May with Triple Edge Studios’ Ancient Fortunes: Poseidon Megaways. An undersea adventure awaits as you venture into the realm of the Greek god of the oceans, Poseidon and employ the rolling reels, infinite multipliers during free spins, and 117,645 ways to win to grab exciting wins. The ‘Collect Pot’ mechanic activates the Pick Bonus feature and the game also offers up free spins and volcano retriggers to better your winning chances.

Take to the waves for your next adventure in Silver Seas by Gold Coin Studio on 20 May. Seek out treasure in your pirate ship and claim prizes of up to 200x your stake from special silver coin symbols. The free spins wheel awards you up to 30 free spins and claim an additional 3x multiplier if you can. The reels are drenched in pirate imagery like cannons, swords, doubloons, and bottles of rum, so grab your cutlass and get ready to pillage some treasure.

Joyful Joker by All41 Studios arrives on 18 May and marries a classic slot aesthetic with modern features and mechanics. You will see iconic slot symbols including fruit, bells, lucky horseshoes, and the joker while the Megaways and Rolling Reels mechanics keep the wins coming. The random Joker Spins feature activates after winning spins and you could receive multipliers from 2x to 10x from the bonus wheel. The game impresses with unlimited free spins that come with an expanding multiplier that grows with every Rolling Reels win.

Head back to the salty seas in Atlantis Rising by SpinPlay Games, on 11 May. The imaginary city of Atlantis decked out in all the colours of the spectrum greets you in this submerged adventure that features Rising Wilds, Wild Blasts and free spins. The compass symbol turns all adjacent positions wild when it appears behind a Rising Wild, triggering a Wild Blast. The free spins pick bonus game grants prizes of between one and five free spins or two to three additional picks.

Arabian nights mean winning days in 10,000 Wishes by Alchemy Gaming that releases on 6 May. Grab a jackpot prize of up to 10 000x your bet with the Wheel Bonus while three or more Power Wheel scatter symbols on the reels trigger the Power Spins feature that places giant symbols on the wheels for the chance at boosted wins. The Wheel bonus also helps you trigger Power Spins can also as well as one of four fixed jackpots, the Mini, Minor, Major, and Mega jackpots that pay 15x, 50x, 500x, and 10 you’re your stake, respectively.

If African wildlife tickles your fancy, take a safari trip on 6 May in Serengeti Gold by Just For The Win. Marvel at Africa’s ‘Big Five’, lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants and water buffalo as the Hyperhold respins, Static Jackpots and free spins with added multipliers offer you wild winnings. When six or more bonus symbols land on the reels, the game will award you three Hyperhold respins where the triggering symbols will become sticky and only new bonus symbols can appear in the vacant reel positions. Each symbol contains multiplier prizes from 1x to 20x as well as amazing jackpot prizes. Fill all the vacant positions with bonus symbols to claim the Mega jackpot worth 2500x your stake.

Divine potential graces you with its presence with the release of Microgaming’s remastered Mega Moolah Goddess on 13 May. With an Ancient Egyptian theme, this slot forms part of Microgaming’s globally revered Mega Moolah progressive jackpot network. Find your way to the big time by landing three scatters and spinning the jackpot wheel to win one of four jackpot prizes. The phenomenal Mega jackpot that seeds at $1 million and has made many a player’s dreams come true.

Not to be outdone, Microgaming’s third-party partners have their own set of brilliant releases for your entertainment this month. King of Cats by Big Time Gaming arrives s on 26 May and features an inventive double-game system where you either opt for the Lion game or the Puma game. Golden Rock Studios’ Book of Inti releases on 12 May and features the Incan god of the sun.

There’s always time for more Egyptian adventure on 10 May with Scarab Gold by Inspired. This title takes your winning potential to new heights with a Mystery Boost gameplay mechanic. Inspired is on double duty this month with the release of its 20 May title, Cops ‘n’ Robbers Megaways that offers up an old-school crime theme.

Chapos and chuckles combine on 24 May with the release of Risitas en Gansters by Spanish developer, MGA Games. This uniquely themed slot contrasts the seedy life of gangsters with the hilarious laughter of late legendary comedian and internet celebrity, El Risitas.

Microgaming has a Mega April with massive progressive wins

May 4, 2021 by Admin

Microgaming changed a few lives for the better this past April as its progressive network kicked into overdrive, handing out record-breaking Mega prizes to a few lucky players from its Mega Moolah and WowPot progressive jackpot games.

Mighty Mega Moolah

On 27 April 2021, a fortunate Belgian-based player scored an insane AU$19,430,723.60 win on Absolootly Mad: Mega Moolah at Napoleon Sports & Casino. This is the highest amount ever paid out by an online slot machine, a record that Microgaming already held for Mega Moolah.

Absolootly Mad: Mega Moolah was developed exclusively for Microgaming by Triple Edge Studios. In the game, you find yourself travelling down a magical rabbit hole with the Mat Hatter from Alice in Wonderland, as you seek out gold coins.

The slot was launched in May 2020 and forms part of a series of fresh games that will include the Mega Moolah enhancement. This game has paid out AU$46 million all jackpot tiers titles.

Having paid out over AU$1.3 billion across all jackpots, tiers and games since its launch Microgaming’s progressive jackpot network grows in popularity with every passing day.

WowPot wows the crowds

The WowPot, which could arguably be described as the younger sibling to Mega Moolah, broke its own records during April. Following its first-ever Mega jackpot payout of AU$17,529,047.11 on 14 April 2021, it took less than a week for the top prize to be claimed again. A lucky player based in Belgium took home AU$2,025,388.75 playing Sherlock & Moriarty WowPot at Napoleon Sports & Casino Online on 19 April 2021. This is the latest ever amount paid out by this slot which is the fifth title in the WowPot progressive jackpot online slot series.

The 5×3 reel game was developed exclusively for Microgaming by Just For The Win and features a theme drawn from the tales of literature’s most famous sleuth and his battles against his diabolical arch-enemy.

Sherlock & Moriarty WowPot’s takes you on an adventure in the dusky streets of Victorian London and packs in some engaging features that keep the gameplay exciting throughout.

Into the WowPot

Microgaming’s WowPot slot series comprises six exciting games so far, with all of them being developed by the company’s industrious partner studios.

The recent jackpot win saw the mega prize go back down to its seed value of $2 million, but this is already climbing again, in preparation for the next Mega payout.

Microgaming’s CEO, John Coleman offered his congratulations to both the player and casino while Tim De Borle, the CEO at Napoleon Sports & Casino expressed joy that many new players would flock to the casino in hopes of becoming the next big winner.

As always, Microgaming will pay out all jackpot winnings as a single lump sum.

Crown Resorts receives an AUD$1 Million penalty

May 1, 2021 by Admin

Nobody could objectively argue that Crown Resorts did not have a miserable 2020 and unfortunately for the company, 2021 isn’t shaping up to be much better. While still fielding a barrage of investigations and a wave of bad press, Crown has now been hit with an AUD$1 million, courtesy of the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation (VCGLR).

A history of transgression

The financial penalty is levelled specifically at Crown Melbourne in Victoria, primarily due to its questionable relationships with foreign high rollers. The VCGLR has alleged that Crown Resorts was remiss in performing its due diligence when dealing with various junket operators. To put it another way, the venue seemed eager to associate with unscrupulous individuals, particularly if the venue saw that these dealings would bring in foreign whales.

The VCGLR Chairman, Ross Kennedy said, “We concluded that in respect of the analysed individuals, the processes implemented by Crown Resorts Limited were not robust. This failure meant it was unclear how certain decisions were reached by Crown Resorts Limited and whether such decisions were made with due regard to Crown Resorts Limited’s regulatory obligations.”

“It is the first time that Crown has been fined the maximum fine available to the Commission under the Casino Control Act 1991.”

Crown Melbourne also received a letter of censure from the VCGLR that effectively bans it from any junket operations at the venue. This restriction will remain in place until the company can guarantee that its Melbourne operation “remains free from criminal influence and exploitation.”

Ultimately, the penalty may be of little consequence as Crown Resorts has already moved to distance itself from junket operators in the wake of the scandal in Sydney. However, it does heap more bad publicity onto Crown’s growing pile of misfortune.

Nothing fine about the fine

As with most corporate penalties, the price that Crown must pay has drawn praise from some quarters, but some feel the punishment is severely inadequate and well overdue.

Samantha Ratnam, the local leader of the Australian Greens, stated that fine is “too little, too late.”

She argued that it should not have needed “years of damning allegations and the announcement of a royal commission” before authorities stepped in.

“While the fine itself will likely be nothing more than loose change to Crown Resorts Limited, we hope this provides the government with yet another sign that it’s time to break up the gambling giant for good,” she said.

Anti-pokie advocate and independent parliamentarian, Andrew Wilkie, has voiced his criticism of the penalty. He referred to it as “laughable,” and said that the VCGLR “should be handing out fines in the tens or hundreds of millions of dollars.”

Far from over

Some accusations have characterised the fine as a performative PR stunt by the VCGLR. The Commission itself has faced months of criticism due to its perceived inertia, as many disapproved of its decision to delay any enforcement actions until the New South Wales regulators had completed their investigation. In the end, NSW concluded that Crown Resorts was unsuitable to run a casino.

Tensions were running particularly high in November of 2020 when Victorian Opposition Leader Michael O’Brien publicly lambasted the VCGLR over its inaction, saying,

“We have not seen Victoria’s regulator lift a finger to test those claims the same way the NSW regulator has done. It’s time for Victoria’s regulator to get out of the kennel and start being a watchdog, not a lap dog.”

The VCGLR’s investigation is still in progress along with that of the government of Victoria. The state revealed that a Royal Commission would be initiated following the release of the Bergin Report from NSW. Another investigation is also being conducted by AUSTRAC that will zero in on how the casino giant dealt with politically exposed and high net worth individuals.

For now, Crown Melbourne can still operate, but its fate is still uncertain as the findings of the Royal Commission, which are due by the year’s end, could spell disaster for the venue.

WowPot hits the big time with first Mega progressive jackpot payout

April 27, 2021 by Admin

Lady luck and all her sisters showed up for a fortunate UK player on April 14 when the lucky individual won the first-ever WowPot Mega progressive prize. This sets a new record for Microgaming’s new WowPot series of progressive slots with a prize payout of just over $15 million.

This is the third WowPot jackpot prize won since the new range of progressive slots was launched. This latest win is particularly exciting because the player, who has chosen to remain anonymous, managed this gargantuan win with a paltry bet amount of $0.80 while playing the Book of Atem slot. They will be able to spend their winnings freely as the prize will be paid out as a lump sum.

A look at WowPot

WowPot is made up of a network of progressive slot games that works by taking a percentage of players’ bets on any game in the WowPot network and placing it into the prize pot.

Since its February 2021 launch, the WowPot network has flourished and now includes six video slot titles, namely Wheel of Wishes by Alchemy Gaming, Book of Atem, African Legends, Sisters of Oz, Queen of Alexandria, and Sherlock & Moriarty. Players can expect the arrival of new titles soon.

Going Mega

WowPot has only paid out two major progressive jackpot prizes to date, so the Mega prize win is a momentous occasion in the jackpot’s history.

The major jackpot winners played Sisters of Oz and Book of Atem to claim their prizes. Book of Atem can now claim the honour of awarding the first Mega prize and it will be interesting to see which game pays out the next one.

Tasmanian casinos face ransomware onslaught

April 20, 2021 by Admin

Tasmania, an island state of Australia, famed for its beautiful flora and fauna with its mountain ranges and wide selection of national parks is facing a challenge that it seems ill-prepared for in the form of cyber-attacks.

The sole casino operator in the state, Federal Group, recently reported that it had been struck with ransomware attacks. The online barrage began on April 3rd and has affected pokies and hotel booking systems at the Country Club and Wrest Point casinos.

Ransomware you say?

Ransomware is a form of malware, software deliberately created to cause damage. Ransomware blocks access to a user’s data and often threatens to expose it if a ransom is not paid. In recent times, this practice most often involves cryptocurrency.

Ransomware attacks launched by amateurs are reasonably simple to repel, however, more intensified attempts can be impossible to thwart. As the attackers often demand payment in Bitcoin or Paysafecard, they can be very difficult to trace and prosecute.

The number of attacks has gradually increased over the last decade. A worrying 181.5 million reported ransomware attacks were reported in the first six months of 2018, an increase of 229% from the previous year.

CryptoLocker and CryptoWall count as two of the most successful attacks of this nature. The former snagged $3 million and the latter took $18 million before authorities could shut them down.

The Federal Group in the crosshairs

Dr Daniel Hanna, the executive director of Federal Group, stated that the attack occurred on April 3^rd, but it has since been contained. He was, unfortunately, not able to confirm when hotel check-in services and pokies would be available again. The affected locations include the Henry Jones Art Hotel, MACq 01, Saffire Freycinet, Wrest Point, and the Country Club casino.

In an interview, Dr Hannah said, “The Australian Cyber Security Centre was notified and is coordinating relevant law enforcement agencies and continued forensic analysis. Federal Group has at all times complied with legal and regulatory requirements related to the incident.”

The rest of the iceberg

Former IT experts from Federal Group have made public their concerns that both credit card data and electronic gaming systems may have been compromised. Dr Hanna declined to elaborate on the allegation, saying that such sources “cannot be relied on to provide accurate information.”

The longer its pokies are inoperable, the more negative the effect on Federal Group’s bottom line will be. Over the past eight months, its gaming venues have accrued $53.7 million from punters, which translates to $6.7 million per month.

The Federal Group is bound by the Privacy Act, so it is compelled to inform both affected individuals and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner of any incidents of this sort. This is particularly applicable when a data breach is “likely to result in serious harm to an individual whose personal information is involved.” At this time, there has been no announcement regarding whether the necessary parties have been contacted, with Federal Group maintaining a stony silence.

Cyber expert weighs in

Terry Aulich, who was once a Tasmanian politician and now serves as a security consultant, was not surprised that such an attack occurred. Aulich stated that any gambling operation would be “high on the list” of serious hackers.

“Young kids are not going to have a go at you if you’re a casino, but it’s groups of major crooks that are going to be your enemy,” he said.

Aulich revealed that he had previously alerted three Tasmanian organizations to the possibility of cyber-attacks. To their detriment, none of them responded with any particular level of concern. Aulich feels that this is down to the mindset that external issues would never befall “dear little old Tassie.”

“That’s entirely untrue. They will look for the weakest link in Australian society, in Australian business, and it may well be that Tasmania is one of those.” He concluded.

Play’n GO gets furiously amphibious with new Fire Toad slot

April 16, 2021 by Admin

Play’n GO’s most recent release, that 5×4 reel Fire Toad slot is a fantasy-infused slot, that is set in sunny Hawaii and features the mythical Fire Toad, a rarely seen cryptid that gains power as it grows, giving you bigger wins.

Players who seek out slots with powerful symbols will love this title that utilises vibrant, imaginative visuals to draw in slot players with a preference for more creative fare.

The developer’s creativity remains undisputed, with many of its more unique games maintaining popularity across global markets. Games such as Gold Volcano and Wildhound Derby adopt innovative formats while another title, Reactoonz demonstrates the company’s enthusiasm for unique gaming experiences, an essential contributor to its success in the industry.

Fire Toad is a creative tour-de-force in its own right, with its distinguishing visual style and unique design. The gameplay matches the visual presentation in impact, with features such as the symbol upgrade that transforms symbols on the reels into more powerful versions. Automatic upgrades take place while the free spins round is active.

The slot’s impressive potential and paylines that exceed a thousand in number top off a title that appears to be the complete entertainment package.

Johan Törnqvist, the CEO of Play’n GO, places a lot of faith in the power of creativity to thrive in a highly competitive market. He commented on the latest release, saying,

“Creativity is a lifeblood of entertainment. Developing new ideas and introducing new concepts to players keeps them engaged and interested in what you’re going to do next. Allowing people to be creative also creates a more positive and productive atmosphere, and that leads to great results!”

Fire Toad is live and available to play right now.

Aussie sports betting ads could face the chop

April 13, 2021 by Admin

Out of all the methods of gambling available, Sports wagering is by far the fastest-growing in Australia, doubling in size over the last five years. The pastime has unfortunately been unkind to Aussie enthusiasts as the annual losses have increased to over $1 billion.

The Alliance for Gambling Reform has decided to step in to mitigate the losses with a campaign to ban sports betting advertising.

For good reason

The rapid increase in revenue that many bookmakers have experienced during COVID-19 prompted the creation of the campaign.

The parent company of Sportsbet, Flutter Entertainment, reported $30 billion in earnings since the beginning of the pandemic and in Australia, the company gained a 59% profit increase.

Entain, the parent company of Ladbrokes, raked in $8 billion throughout the pandemic and Sportsbet managed to add 675,000 new customers from Australia.

Tabcorp’s overall decline in retail bookmaking was offset by a 43% growth in its online betting services, and the company’s value increased by $3.8 billion during 2020.

The Northern Territory is a haven for foreign bookmakers due to the limit on wagering taxes of $575,000 annually. Flutter Entertainment’s gains over the last year have exceeded the total GDP of the Northern Territory.

Ads on the chopping block?

The Alliance for Gambling Reform has accused the Australian government of being remiss in its duty to protect its citizens from the dangers of gambling.

Tim Costello, the spokesman for the organization said, “Constant gambling advertising promoting all sorts of ‘bonus bets’ undoubtedly triggered some people to gamble again, or gamble more, some with savings made during lockdowns, or even worse – with superannuation withdrawals.”

“We would be shocked to see a tobacco ad during football and cricket these days because we know children watch these games and naturally want to emulate their heroes and support their sponsors. We must nip this in the bud right now, and the quickest and easiest way to do so is to end gambling advertising.”

On the other hand

Mr Costello’s views are not, however, universally held, Brent Jackson, the CEO of bookmaker lobby group Responsible Wagering Australia (RWA) feels that a ban on advertising would achieve little aside from harming the industry.

RWA was founded in 2016 and counts brands like Unibet, Betfair, and bet365 among its ranks. The organisation’s website states that it is “committed to ensuring that Australia has the best conducted, socially responsible wagering industry in the world.”

According to Jackson, “While sports betting is growing in popularity, problem gambling rates continue to fall, and wagering advertising complaints are at all-time lows, comprising only 0.31 per cent of all advertising complaints.”

He further stated that while Costello is entitled to his moral opposition of gambling, the industry at large is acting in good faith, Jackson wrapped up by saying, “This is just another self-serving attempt to mislead and to demonise responsible Australian punters.”

An uncertain outcome

Regardless of both sides of this argument having valid points, the power to decide ultimately lies with the Australian Communications and Media Authority that is responsible for the country’s airwaves while investigating complaints and problems. The decision-maker role specifically belongs to Paul Fletcher, the Federal Communications Minister.

Fletcher, for his part, appears to be cagey about flexing his authority for now and has rather opted to continue monitoring the efficacy of the government’s 2018 live sporting events reform in a changing environment.

Without a decision coming any time soon, those arguing for and against sports betting ads will have to wait and see.