Third Quarter 2010 Gambling Game Releases


Third quarter game releases include a significant number of iphone and android apps.
 
New online gambling games in the third quarter of 2010 have been noticeably augmented by a range of iPhone and Android apps launched by leading industry companies.
 
Skybet launched a live betting app (*) using the Boolabus Jetstream product and offering real-time commentary, statistics and bet suggestions applicable to SkyBet’s in-play football.
 
The infamous Russian spy, Anna Chapman, inspired the theme for a new online poker iPhone app launched by software developer Zeda and branded Poker With Anna Chapman.  The app features Texas Hold’em and five-card draw games.
 
Poker fans welcomed Zynga’s new poker product on the Android system, and mFortune released a slot app developed by Intouch Games titled Vegas Vegas, also on Android.
 
Spin3 launched an Android app on blackjack, and Probability plc launched the mobile slot Filthy Rich.
 
The number of Apple iPhone and iPad apps continued to multiply with Betfair offering a sportsbetting app and Cozy Games introducing Classic and European Blackjack, on the iPhone/iPad and other smart phone platforms.
 
Bwin followed the app trend and launched ‘bwin live’ where customers are able to place bets using an intuitive user interface, check the status of those bets and retrieve a detailed list of bets placed.
 
Kama Games was also active, launching a Texas Hold’em app for iPhone, whilst Probability plc entered the iPhone/iTouch race launching Roulette, multi-hand Blackjack and the Poseidon slot through its LadyLuck brand.
 
Online casino, Kerching.com powered and operated by WagerWorks, also launched their first blackjack iPhone game, 20+Blackjack.  The game can be played on either iPhone or iPad.
 
888.com answered demand for sports betting apps by partnering with Mkodo to provide a mobile sports book which includes an optimised version for iPhone and iPod, but can be used on any mobile phone device.
 
Mobenga teamed with Paddy Power to deliver an iphone real money app and the interactive television and internet company NetPlay TV developed an app for its Supercasino enterprise.
 
Poker fans looking for an app which provides them with a comprehensive poker calculator had their wish list filled by Card Player Magazine when they released their Card Player Poker Odds Calculator iPhone app.
 
On the more traditional front almost all of the game providers have again been busy.
 
Among the more established internet gambling software developers, Microgaming again led the field, maintaining its now expected average of four new games a month.  Earlier in the quarter, the company launched four new feature rich online slots, the five reel, multiple ways to win Dolphin Coast; a five reel, 50 pay-line Halloween style slot branded, Monsters in the Closet; Tiger’s Eye a five reel, 40 liner with a jungle theme; and Steinfest a German beerfest themed, five reel, nine pay-line game.
 
A few days later, Microgaming launched three new bingo mini side games: Lord of the Rings; Thunderstruck; and the five reel, 15 pay-line Bush Telegraph.
 
However, Microgaming’s biggest launch this year has undoubtedly been the spectacular Lord of the Rings slot, a branded game based on the epic fantasy novels by T.R. Tolkein.  This visually impressive and feature rich game includes the new cinematic spins feature which has proved very popular with the players.
 
The Isle of Man-based company’s November releases are all rich-featured games offering winning opportunities and innovative twists.  Retro Reels, a 5 reel, 20 pay-line slot showcased a new interactive feature which enables players to wager more by re-spinning a selected reel to generate improved combination of winning symbols.   Robin Hood – Feathers of Fortune, a 5 reel, 243 ways to win slot that includes wilds, scatters, retriggering free spins, multipliers and a fun second bonus screen. 
 
The jewel-laden, 5 reel slot, Reel Gems features the 243 ways to win format but instead of pay-lines, this format offers a diversity of win opportunities through a mix of wild, scatter, multiplier and retriggering free spins all depicted by vibrant full colour graphics.  The adventures of comical animals on quad bikes forms the entertaining them of their new 5 reel, 20 pay-line video slot Mad Dash that pits the tortoise, the hare and the cunning fox in a race of epic proportions.
 
The famous European television production house Endemol is likely to become a key supplier in the internet gambling industry following the formation of a specialist division titled Endemol Games.  888.com and Bet365.com are early clients with reports of a further six customers in the pipeline.
 
Playtech’s recently acquired Virtue Fusion continues to be active in the market with three new side games for its licensees, multi-player offering Challenge Roulette; an arcade product named Fruity Burst with achievable wins of up to GBP50000; and a three reel pub style slot branded Sacred Seven’s. 
 
Another release from Playtech was a horse racing themed 5 reel, 25 pay-line slot titled Frankie Dettori’s Magic Seven.  The slot gives winners the opportunity to win a maximum 7,777 times their bet on a single spin.  The showcase of the game is the ‘Magic Seven’ bonus round where players can win cash and prize multipliers up to 7x by picking mystery positions on the virtual race track.
 
Playtech was quick out of the gate this year with its festive season offerings, launching Santa’s Surprise, a new online video slot replete with festive season songs, a Father Christmas voice over and traditional Christmas theme.  Players choose presents under the Christmas tree in the Christmas gifts bonus round, with more presents achievable if more symbols show.  Achievable payouts can soar as high as 10 times the line bet.  The new offering takes the Playtech inventory to over 500 games.
 
Scratchcard specialist, NeoGames has continued its prolific output with a traditional instant win game branded Crazy Cat; the multi-match offering Road Racing; a standard scratchcard product Candy Tale and a new 90 ball instant bingo game titled Bubble Bingo.  The new offering follows earlier releases branded Holiday Hotel a 20 line slot; Pub House; and Memory Madness – an instant win memory based game. 
 
The company also launched ‘Outer Space' an extra-terrestrial themed multi-scratch slot title and  ‘Triple Carnival.'
 
One of the big launches during the period under review came from Party Casino which introduced the five reel, 30 pay-line slot Kung Food with a comical Asian action man theme, using the company’s proprietary software.  
 
Swedish provider, Net Entertainment, introduced a new five reel, 20 line slot titled Secret Code, based on conspiracy mysteries and the ephemeral Illuminati.  The company also introduced four new scratch-card games, Ace or Fortune, Seven Gold Scratch, Hall of Fame and Max Win.
 
The respected IGT subsidiary, Wagerworks, will be increasingly active with the William Hill online group following a contract to supply the UK gambling giant with a  range of games through the Openbet Fixed Odds gaming framework.  William Hill Online more usually deploy Playtech software. 
 
Wagerworks has also launched new video slots, again on the Openbet framework in the form of the five reel, 10 pay-line Pharoah’s Fortune; and the Curse of Frankenstein, a five reel 10 pay-line game rich in features such as free spins, scatters and wilds. 
 
On the skills games front, GameAccount inked a deal with Genting Games for the provision of skill-based, person to person online offerings which included Head to Head Blackjack, Backgammon, Brag and Dominoes.  Genting also added several Marvel branded slots such as Blade, Daredevil and Electra.  The games include multi-level mystery progressive jackpots with four jackpots on each slot. 
 
The Talarius subsidiary Quicksilver launched its first 3D internet slot, titled Le Posh Nosh – a pub fruity slot with nudges, free spins, multipliers and random cash prizes.
 
Bwin Interactive, the Austrian listed online gaming giant, was again active, signing up with Jadestone and Play ‘n Go for fourteen new mini-games in a three year deal. 
 
RTG-powered Rushmore Casino launched its own exclusive slot, Rushmore Riches, a five reel, 25 pay-line, multi-featured progressive themed on the Presidential heads sculpted into Mount Rushmore in South Dakota. 
 
Other releases on its RTG platform included a slot game and a 90 ball bingo offering.  Lucky Tiger is an 88 pay-line slot with stacked symbols, wilds, bonus games and two random jackpots, whilst Roaring Twenties Bingo is a 90 ball game with interesting turbo and extra balls features and 20 different bingo pattern payouts.  The game includes three progressive random jackpots: Minor; Major and Maxi.
 
The UK based mobile gambling specialist, Probability plc, launched a new symbol drop game through its Lady Luck mobile franchise, and titled Gem Buster.  Players amass jewels and are rewarded with prize money in the game.
 
Among the live dealer providers, Malta’s Media Live Casino.com signed an agreement to provide live dealer action to the Italian licensed online poker site Italy Poker.it.  Media Live hopes to see the enterprise in action once the Italian market opens to online casino gambling, which is anticipated in the near future.
 
The Finnish state monopoly PAF signed up for a suite of games, due for delivery in Q1/2011, from Parlay Entertainment.
 
Online bingo provider, Cozy Games will receive a series of games from Openbet Tech subsidiary Electracade.   Cozy Games additionally launched Big City Bingo on Facebook.  Electracade also released the slots The Good, The Bad and The Ugly and Robocop. 
 
The Latino-focused Quepasa.com social gaming network has ordered a suite of skill game products from Hollywood Creations.
 
Latvian developer CTXM has contracted with Betinternet.com to supply a range of fixed odds casino games going forward.  Red Star Poker.com on the Cake Network also ordered a full suite of casino games from CTXM, utilizing its X-Casino system.
 
Rival Gaming, a usually prolific online gambling slots provider has been relatively quiet but introduced an innovative 20 pay-line, i-slot themed on bowling alleys, titled Bowled Over.  The slot has an interactive bonus game, free spins, multipliers and a double-pay wild.
 
Cake Poker, in collaboration with 21GNet, launched Online Tournament Blackjack, in which players compete against each other instead of against a dealer, as well as Cake Poker’s version of War as an online multiplayer game, inspired by the all-time classic card game, but now with a new adult twist.
 
The epic horror novel ‘Twins of Evil’ forms the theme for a new internet slot at Jackpotjoy, developed by Gamesys and branded House of Horror.  Another game release from Jackpotjoy is Bejeweled-2, a themed slot which offers players the opportunity of winning 10 000 times their bet.
 
GTech G2, the online gambling provider group comprising St Minver, Boss Media, Finsoft and Dynamite Idea has again been active, launching the five reel, 25 pay-line Sherlock Holmes slot themed on the famous detective along with Break the Bank, Caribbean Draw Poker, Mineva’s Luck, Demonio and Mobster Cash. The company also included among its recent offerings the instant-play casino games Flush Bonus Poker, Triple Ace and Mini-Bingo Hi Lo.
 
Vegas Technology’s latest online gambling slot offering is the five reel, 30 pay-line Agent Cash, an excellent multi-featured game themed on the 007 James Bond spy series.
 
The relatively unknown live dealer technology provider Global Gaming Labs has committed to powering SBG Global’s live dealer offering with a package that includes Blackjack, Baccarat and Roulette adding a fresh dimension to SBG’s traditional RNG offering.
 
BetSoft Gaming released Gold Diggers, the fifteenth title in their Slots3 library.  The 3D slot is a five reel, 30 line game with multiple on reel features and innovative bonus rounds.
 
In January this year industry observers predicted that 2010 would see an abundance of new and innovative game offerings from online gambling software providers, and as the year closes it is clear that their forecasts were on the money.   And information to hand is that there are more games in the pipeline before the end of the year.