Gambling: GameStudio Launched

9/17/09 - The GTech G2 group lived up to its promise to launch its new game creation studio at EiG this week, revealing that the centre would draw in talent from throughout the group to provide top of the range gaming services and games.

Simon Caddy, Head of Games Studio and founder of group subsidiary Dynamite Idea, explained: “Like every other part of GTech G2, the Game Studio is player-focused - with new ideas coming, first and foremost, from insight into game play trends and understanding of player demands.”

GTech G2 is working with several of the games industry’s leading developers such as Atronic, Spielo Ashgaming, Endemol, Realistic Games, Zukido and Solid Icon going forward, and will be forming an alliance with “casual” games provider, PopCap Games.

“These projects will take the PC games as the core concept around which we are going to make entirely new games for gambling - not for simple entertainment,” said Dominic Mansour, Head of Casino GTech G2. “It’s more creative than just using a powerful brand and simply using the imagery and sounds for a slot machine - think of redesigning Space Invaders as a game of Keno.”

The results of the more focused attention to game development are already reaping awards in the form of new licensees, GTech claims.

The first of these will be the Nordic Gaming Group, launching across the sites of Nordic Bet, Trio Bet and To Bet. A total set of 10 minigames including 3 games will be embedded in their sports betting and live betting sites.

Cryptologic 14 top games to be provided to Loto-Quebec - 02/08/2012 : The companies have signed a multi-year agreement that will see Cryptologic providing a portfolio of quality games to the Societe du jeu virtuel du Quebec, the online gaming division of the provincial state lottery corporation Loto-Quebec, known as Espacejeux.

Utah : Online Gambling : HB108 - 02/08/2012 : An intrastate attempt by Utah politician Stephen Sandstrom to introduce state legislation banning any legalisation of internet gambling has failed at the start gate.

MORE U.S. DISCUSSION ON INTERNET GAMBLING DUE THIS WEEK - 02/08/2012 : Interest in online gambling in the United States is set to continue on Thursday this week when the US Senate Committee on Indian Affairs meets to hear the views of a wide cross section of interested parties on the possible impact of legalised internet gambling on tribal gaming.

Judge wont dismiss DoJ Black Friday charges - 02/08/2012 : Former Utah banker John Campos and e-processor Chad Elie, who face charges relating to the payment processing of online poker transactions, suffered a setback Tuesday when a Manhattan judge refused to allow their motion for dismissal of Black Friday indictments against them.

ANOTHER MAJOR INTERNET GAMBLING BUST IN MALAYSIA - 02/08/2012 : Police units in Malaysia raided a series of premises in a week long anti-online gambling operation, seizing 225 computers and detaining 47 men, according to reports from the Bernama news agency. All of the detained men were later released on bail.