Gaming Intelligence – Gibraltar-based gaming operator bwin.party has selected Nevada-licensed geolocation and player ID verification solutions provider Central Account Management System (CAMS) to provide age verification and identification services in the US online gaming market. The partnership will allow bwin.party to benefit from CAMS’ Know Your Customer (KYC) solutions in  a bid to reduce risk, ensure its products are compliant with legislation and increase profitability as it gears up to launch online gaming products for its New Jersey partners Boyd Gaming and MGM Resorts International. bwin.party group director of product and technology Guy Duncan said the deal would allow bwin.party…

The company may have recently halted its push into real-money gaming, but Zynga slots have expanded with the launch of Hit it Rich: Casino Slots on Facebook. The game comes from Spooky Cool Labs, which Zynga acquired in June specifically for the purpose of building social casino games. Spooky Cool Labs previously released a Wizard of Oz themed city-builder, and the Oz license went to Zynga during the acquisition. As a result, Zynga slots place a heavy focus on The Wizard of Oz brand, along with other brands including Beetle Bailey, Blondie and more. In Hit It Rich: Casino Slots,…

Poker Update – Bwin.party has announced that the long-awaited relaunch of its new online poker offering is set to commence around mid-September. Company CEO Norbert Teufelberger confirmed that the rollout will include modifications that cater to recreational players and should occur in “the next two weeks.” Part of the plan encompasses rating players according to skill level in order to strike a competitive balance on the felt. Also on tap in the new platform will be an emphasis on socialization with fellow players, as well as a gamification strategy that is designed to entice players to climb various ladders of…

Casino City Times – Bally Technologies, Inc.’s $1.3 billion acquisition of SHFL Entertainment passed a mandatory waiting period from the Federal Trade Commission without any concern of antitrust issues. The slot machine manufacturer said Tuesday the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Act expired Monday without any action or questions by the FTC. Completing the waiting period satisfies one of the conditions required to finalize the acquisition. Bally and SHFL announced the merger on July 16. Bally will acquire SHFL at a price per share of $23.25. The transaction still requires regulatory approval in several jurisdictions, including Nevada. SOURCE

International Business Times – The UK spends £2.3bn ($4bn) on online gambling each year – a growth of 80% since 2008 and predicted to grow by 34% over the next four years. But a report reveals  that online searches for gambling have slumped in the UK. Smartphone gambling apps, on the other hand, have surged in popularity, report bookmakers. The report, published in Gaming Sector Report issue 11 by London-based digital marketing agency Greenlight, focused on game-related searches during a 12-month period on Google. The study found that search engine queries such as “sports betting”,”bingo”,”poker” and “casino” totalled 1.5 million…

iGaming Business – Online gambling software designer and supplier Playtech has reported a 15% year-on-year increase in total revenues to €176.8 million ($237 million) in the first half of 2013 from €153.8 million the previous year. The company, revealing its interim results for the six months until the end of June, said that gross income had shifted up by 10% to €194.9 million to generate an adjusted net profit of €84.9 million, up 0.5% on the corresponding period of 2012. Playtech’s adjusted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation increased by 3% to €94.3 million. With a cash balance at…