Mobile takes centre stage at ICE 2014

The ICE International Gaming Show wrapped up in London, U.K. this week, with organisers hailing the event as one of the biggest and best ever. With more than 500 exhibitors from 57 countries showcasing the latest in products and services for the gaming industry. 

Organisers Clarion Events said a 48-hour strike on London’s Underground, that wreaked travel chaos throughout the city, did little to deter visitors, or dampen the buzz at the show. 

Visitor numbers were easily up with those of 2013’s second day, while day one saw a record 17,000 visitors, Clarion said.

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union and the Transport Salaried Staffs Association walked off the job in protest at plans to close down ticket offices. Simon Thomas, chief executive of Hippodrome Casino in Leicester Square, was cited by local media as saying it’s "frankly embarrassing" that ICE would be disrupted. "Gaming industry executives from across the world are in London this week and it is outrageous that this strike is being held."

Mobile gaming was one of the big themes for this year’s show. According to a recent report from H2 Gambling, the global mobile gaming market is likely to generate just over 19 billion euros ($25.8 billion) of gross win by 2018, representing about 44 percent of interactive gambling and 5 percent of the total. 

Reflecting that trend, a large number of exhibitors showcased their wares at the show, including MetroPlay, which  re-launched its Metro Casino brand into the UK igaming market in 2013, with a dedicated focus on mobile take-up.

MetroPlay Chief Executive Jamie Walters, who spoke on mobile content at an ICE session, said in an interview with team SBC that companies shouldn’t think in mobile vs desktop terms anymore. “Everything in terms of digital content is mobile and needs to be mobile and this is as much the case for gaming as it is for e-commerce or finance or any other sector,” he said. 

Galaxy sweeps awards… 

Galaxy Entertainment Group Limited won two distinguished awards at the Seventh Annual International Gaming Awards. The Group was named Casino Operator of the Year Australia/Asia for the third year running and in addition, Dr. Lui Che-woo, Chairman of Galaxy Entertainment Group was awarded the Outstanding Contribution Award. "The Group has achieved a great deal in a relatively short timeframe (...) and its tremendous success stems from seamlessly combining gaming and non-gaming elements under one roof to create a new, exciting, and all-encompassing leisure and entertainment experience for visitors," GEG chairman Lui Che-woo said:

… and IGT wins top slot crown 

IGT started up at the ICE Totally Gaming 2014 by being named "Slot Manufacturer/Provider Online or Land Based" of the Year at the International Gaming Awards. The awards gala recognizes the gaming industry's most trail-blazing and influential companies. "As IGT leads and transforms the gaming entertainment industry, we're executing on our strategy to provide operators with the most compelling, cross-platform content to help them expand the scope of their relationships with players,” said Patti Hart, IGT CEO.

JCM confirmed as first commercial sponsor for Japan Gaming Congress

JCM said it has been confirmed as the first commercial sponsor of May’s Japan Gaming Congress to be held in Tokyo. JCM VP of global marketing Tom Nieman said it’s the “first time the political planets are aligned in Japan in terms of gaming.” Japan is expected to legalise casinos this year, creating the world’s second-biggest market. 

TCSJohnHuxley signs with EveryMatrix

TCSJohnHuxley enters the interactive gaming space while EveryMatrix reaffirms its drive in both the online and offline gaming landscape. The exclusive agreement provides the global land-based casino market (excluding North America) with EveryMatrix products through TCSJohnHuxley, who will provide additional advisory, front-end web development and ongoing support services.

Online gamblers go legal in New Jersey

About 37 percent of the 65 percent of online gamblers using non-approved sites in New Jersey have switched to approved sites since internet gambling was made legal there, according to research from Commercial Intelligence. “All eyes are on New Jersey as a possible barometer of success for other states and our findings identify a huge fiscal reward in terms of tax yields derived from regulated gaming,” said Geoffrey Dixon, Commercial Intelligence Head of Research. “The impact of the New Jersey test bed is significant for the future of online gaming across the USA.”

Mansion to use SharePath software

At the ICE Totally Gaming show, Correlsense said  that Mansion (Gibraltar) Limited will deploy SharePath application performance management (APM) software. Mansion plans to use the software to monitor its portfolio of online gaming sites to ensure that customers experience consistent performance on any device.

SharePath is designed to monitor all user transactions in real time across a wide variety of technologies, infrastructure components, and endpoints.

Microgaming launches Avalon II: The Quest For The Grail 

Microgaming launched Avalon II, the sequel to one of its most successful titles, on day two of ICE. The game is one of the company’s longest-standing and was originally launched in 2006. Avalon II takes players on a quest to retrieve the Grail which has been stolen from its secret resting place. The five reel, 243 ways-to-win video slot combines striking visuals with gameplay designed to transport players through eight bonus games in their quest to retrieve the Grail. 

Yggdrasil Gaming signs deal to provide content portfolio to Mr Green

Yggdrasil Gaming said it has signed an accord to provide its entire content portfolio of 25 games products to online casino operator Mr Green. The agreement will include Yggdrasil’s upcoming new offerings. The two gave no financial details of the accord.  Yggdrasil’s portfolio contains games including new fast high-roller video slot Winterberries, as well as Lotto7, a daily lottery draw and progressive game where players play for a €2.5 million prize. Fredrik Elmqvist, chief executive of Yggdrasil, said the deal is the first of many the company has planned for 2014.

Real sports stars promote Real Sports Global, Astra collaboration

Former soccer star Michael Owen and Ashes-winning captain Michael Vaughan made an appearance at ICE to promote a tie up between Real Sports Global and Astra Games. Under the accord, Astra Games will use Real Sports’ 5050Sports as a bonus double-up feature in Mega Grandstand, a land-based slot for the U.K. market. Mega Grandstand includes footage from FA Cup and England football matches, as well as other major sporting events. 

Phil “The Power” Taylor takes on Betradar clients

Keeping with the sporting theme, Betradar invited darts champion Phil “The Power” Taylor to play the winner of its clients’ darts challenge. The company says darts is seeing increasing popularity and is now an essential part of the company’s betting solutions portfolio. 

Net Entertainment unveils Aliens 

Net Entertainment chose ICE to unveil its new Aliens game, a branded video slot based on the sci-fi horror franchise. It’s the company’s first game featuring real-time 3D graphics. The game will officially be launched on 24th April 2014.

"Aliens is a genuine classic and we're very pleased to announce our  newest best--in-class video slot as we continue to drive the online casino  market forward through better games," Per Eriksson, President and CEO of Net Entertainment said.