One crowd rolls dice, the other rolls its hips. But could the two be combined using internet betting into one target audience? Usually, Atlantic City casinos and video game publisher Majesco Entertainment — maker of the wildly popular Zumba Fitness games — see little overlap in their customer bases. That changed last week. The Edison game company acquired social casino game developer Orid Media and Isle of Man online gambling operator Pariplay, which already has a catalog full of slot and scratch-card games, as part of its new venture to push into a growing market. Consumers worldwide spent more than…

Casual games developer Big Fish Games is to undergo a major restructuring programme that will lead to nearly 140 people losing their jobs at the company’s bases in the US and Europe. According to the Seattle Times newspaper, 49 people will be laid off at the firm’s Seattle headquarters in the US state of Washington, while the company will also close its European headquarters in Ireland – confirming the loss of 89 jobs. Paul Thelen, founder and chief executive, sent a letter to employees on Thursday morning stating that the company would also replace its president and close a studio…

iGaming Business – Social networking website Facebook is ready to embrace a “mobile revolution” in order to help publishers take advantage of a mobile gaming industry that is expected to be worth $12 billion (€9.23 billion) next year. Simon Whitcombe, games lead at Facebook, said that Facebook’s main objective would be to help publishers to sell more games, as the social network offers a direct opportunity for console, PC and mobile games publishers to connect with their fans. “The two areas of our business that are going through phenomenal growth are the mobile side of our business and the console…

iGaming Business – Scandinavian online casino operator Mr Green has announced a 64% year-on-year rise in revenue over the first six months of the year to SEK223.5 million (€25.6 million/$34.3 million) from SEK136 million. Mr Green said in its first interim report since listing that earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation had improved to SEK52 million following a loss of SEK800,000 over the corresponding period last year. Game win in the second quarter of the year increased by 77% to SEK114.6 million, while operating profit over the three-month period rocketed from SEK3.6 million to SEK27.4 million. “The online casino…

iGaming Business – Online gaming operator 888 Holdings has updated the mobile phone application for its 888 Poker brand to give players access to a full range of multi-table tournaments. According to Pokerfuse.com, the app had previously restricted players to cash games and ‘sit and goes’, but players will now have an expanded selection of poker gaming options. The newly updated app will also be accompanied by a promotional campaign, which will include a television advertisement. Users will also receive a free tournament to ticket to a freeroll with a $50,000 (€38,500) prize pool. Freerolls will run twice per week…

Gambling911 – Nearly everyone in the pay per head industry, most of which is based in Costa Rica, are outraged by a group of scammers that have inundated the Net with emails suggesting they have a direct relationship with the likes of respected PPH companies like WagerHome.com and Perhead.com. Now comes word that the scammers in question are sending out email spam utilizing compromised emails of sports betting forum eog.com.  The site had previously been using emails of another forum site, therx.com. Gambling911.com was advised that the perpetrators were close to being tracked down. SOURCE