Habanero, a premium slots and table games provider embraces the amazing world of Slavic sorcery in its latest release Baba Yaga, offering up to 50 free games and supersized wilds.
The 6×4 slot immerses players in the mystique of the legendary witch Baba Yaga, set deep within a dark forest, featuring fiery skeletons and bubbling cauldrons.
The title offers the chance to unlock up to 50 free games, where players will be spellbound as wild icons grow and transform under the witch’s magical influence, enhancing the win opportunities with every spin.
The title’s buy feature allows instant access to the free games, while the Super Bet option increases the odds of triggering the bonus mode, with a maximum win of up to 9,696x the total bet.
Baba Yaga joins Habanero’s growing portfolio of content following the recent release of Poseidon, Jump! 2, and the popular Glory of Rome.
Toni Karapetrov, Head of Corporate Communications at Habanero, said: “Baba Yaga invites players into a world of enchantment and mystery, where magical wins await those daring enough to spin the reels. We are committed to delivering unique and thrilling gaming experiences, and this spooky title, released just in time for Halloween season, embodies that promise perfectly.”
Tekkorp Capital, a leading global betting and gaming investment and advisory boutique, has announced that Conor O’Donovan is joining to lead the African business, in response to the rapidly growing opportunities across the continent.
With a decade of expertise in the African market as a prominent equity investor and several years of hands-on experience as CEO of multi-territory African betting brands, Conor’s leadership will be crucial as Tekkorp and its partners navigate and invest in this rapidly developing region.
Conor’s strategic focus will be on identifying exciting investment opportunities while assembling an advisory and management team of leading African industry luminaries to steer investment and operational oversight. Investee companies will benefit from Tekkorp’s and its capital partners’ investment along with the decades of experience built up with some of the most successful businesses in the sector. For operators requiring more than access to capital, Tekkorp will provide comprehensive operational, technical, and strategic support, including product solutions, media partnerships, payments, and legal expertise, ensuring the full resources needed to succeed.
Conor O’Donovan, Tekkorp Capital Africa Partner
Conor O’Donovan, Tekkorp Capital Africa Partner, said: “Africa offers some of the most exciting growth opportunities in global gaming, with a range of attractive targets across diverse markets. At the same time, the landscape is fragmented and has its unique set of nuances and challenges. Tekkorp, alongside our strategic partners, is well-equipped to navigate these complexities and bring out the potential in strong, locally-led businesses. Our goal is to turn these promising companies into regional leaders, building a diversified portfolio of high-performing, compliant brands with strong governance, unblocking the barriers to major operators investing with confidence.”
Matt Davey, Tekkorp Capital’s Founder and Chairman, commented: “It’s well-known that Africa is a high-growth market, and over the next decade we expect to see strong growth at a significant pace. This will encourage more operators to enter the space, and that’s why we believe the time is right to get ahead of the coalescing trends and create a balanced portfolio of premium African assets, underpinned by our local expertise, to best capitalise on this profitable opportunity.”
Robin Chhabra, Tekkorp Capital’s CEO, added: “Of course, we’ve long been active investors in the sports betting and gaming industry, always looking for great businesses with strong opportunities in market segments or territories we like. So, this focus on Africa is a logical extension of that philosophy. We’ve assembled a crack team, with Conor’s nous and know-how at the helm, as we explore another fragmented market rich with possibilities.”
Aviatrix, the crash game featuring innovative engagement mechanics, has been named ‘Game of the Year’ at the EGR Operator Awards 2024.
The latest award marks an incredible rise for the title, which has quickly grown to become a fan favorite in markets around the world.
Vladislav Artemyev, CEO of Aviatrix at Aviatrix, said: “We’ve been proud to win several awards since we started our journey with Aviatrix, and to now be named EGR’s ‘Game of the Year’ is a particularly great honor. But make no mistake, this is just the start of what we have planned for Aviatrix. We’re committed to constantly improving the game for both our existing players and the new ones who join this adventure every day.”
Aviatrix is regularly updated with new features and functionality, including the recent launch of free bet promo codes, which allows operators, affiliates, and streamers to seamlessly promote the title without the need for additional integrations.
The game has also significantly expanded into regulated markets over the past few months, gaining licenses and certifications in Italy, Greece, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Netherlands, Peru, Georgia and by the MGA, with more markets to be added soon.
Gaming Realms, a top provider of mobile-focused gaming content, has reimagined one of WMG’s most popular titles in its latest release Slingo Fowl Play.
The familiar farmyard aesthetic returns, reinvigorated by traditional Slingo mechanics which task players to match numbers across a 5×5 grid, boosting their position on an incrementally increasing prize ladder.
This increases the value of instant cash prizes which grow with each Slingo created, also awarding more picks from the available mystery options. Players can also trigger a fox pick bonus during this round, further boosting win potential. The all-important free spins round can be unlocked by forming Slingo lines with extra Slingos granting more wilds in the bonus.
Building from the popular original game Fowl Play, this Slingo iteration is expected to be a hit in Italy and numerous other markets, following Gaming Realms’ localised geo-specific approach. It follows other recent releases such as Slingo Press Your Luck, Slingoooal Championship and Slingo River Re3ls™.
Mark Segal, CEO at Gaming Realms, said: “Slingo Fowl Play reimagines an existing popular game adding innovative gameplay mechanics, which provide both returning players and newcomers with a thrilling experience. Leveraging the powerful IP behind the title, we anticipate it will resonate with players globally, especially in markets like Italy where the original Fowl Play has a dedicated fanbase already.”
Sam Crawford, Online Gaming Director at WMG, said: “We are thrilled to have worked with Gaming Realms on the upcoming release Slingo Fowl Play. The combination of the strong Fowl Play IP and brilliant Slingo mechanics, combine two great aspects into one amazing game. The adaptation of the base assets provides a fresh take on the farmyard theme, producing a brilliant interpretation of the original aesthetic. WMG worked very closely with Gaming Realms to complete the final version of the game and the entire process was thoroughly enjoyable.”
Australian gaming operator The Star Entertainment fell to negative EBITDA in its first financial quarter, ending September 30th, amongst a ‘challenging operating environment and the continued implementation of mandatory carded play and cash limits’.
The group announced its quarterly results on Tuesday, indicating an EBITDA loss of AU$18 million ($11.84 million) for the fiscal quarter, compared to positive EBITDA of AU$23 million ($15.1 million) in the previous quarter and AU$62 million in the same quarter of 2023.
This comes on the back of a revenue reduction of 18 percent yearly, narrowed to 11 percent sequentially – at AU$351 million ($230.85 million).
The main revenue contributor, The Star Sydney saw revenue slide by 11 percent sequentially and 16 percent yearly to AU$186 million ($122.23 million), causing a substantial drop in EBITDA.
According to the financials, The Star Sydney EBITDA was negative AU$21 million ($13.81 million), as opposed to positive AU$3 million ($1.97 million) in the previous quarter and AU$22 million ($14.47 million) in the same quarter last year.
Looking at the results, the group noted that the group was impacted to the tune of AU$4.4 million ($2.9 million) due to the system outages in July. It notes that ‘the challenging consumer environment and changes in business practices have weighed heavily on gaming, particularly in the premium segment’.
The group notes that revenue was down by 11 percent at the property prior to the introduction of mandatory carded play and cash limits (on August 19th) compared to the fiscal 2024 average. It declined a further 12 percent after the changes were introduced.
Electronic gaming ‘also faced significant pressure from competitive venues, evidenced through revenue losses and limiting market share recovery’.
The Star Gold Coast
The Star Gold Coast fared better, with revenue up by 6 percent sequentially but down by 9 percent yearly, to AU$108 million ($71 million). EBITDA was positive at the property, at AU$7 million ($4.6 million) – still a fall of one-third from the previous quarter and down 70 percent yearly.
As fully carded play and cash limits hadn’t yet been mandated at the property during the quarter (and a date has yet to be finalized), the group noted that ‘revenue has stabilized and the anticipated season uplift materialized in the quarter, albeit from a lower base’. Gaming revenue was up 3 percent yearly.
However, ‘ongoing higher remediation and regulatory costs continue to impact EBITDA’.
The Star Brisbane
While the group closed The Treasury Brisbane casino in late August for the staged opening of The Star Brisbane, the property contributed some AU$53 million ($34.86 million) in revenue and AU$2 million ($1.32 million) in EBITDA during the quarter.
The Star Brisbane, which commenced operations on August 29th of this year, brought in AU$4 million ($2.63 million) in revenue, but EBITDA was negative AU$7 million ($4.6 million). The Star holds a 50 percent share in the Brisbane operation, partnered with Chow Tai Fook and Far East Consortium in the Destination Brisbane Consortium joint venture.
Revenue generated by the resort amounted to AU$45.9 million ($30.2 million) in the 33 days of opening during the quarter and EBITDA totaled AU$4.5 million ($2.96 million), excluding certain costs.
Overall financials
During the quarter, the operator managed to increase its available cash to AU$149 million ($98 million) – up from AU$130 million ($85.5 million) on August 31st, boosted by net proceeds of AU$60.4 million ($39.72 million) from the sale of the Treasury Brisbane Casino building, which it received on September 27th.
Expenses during the quarter were also lessened by 1 percent quarterly but rose by 10 percent yearly, to AU$287 million ($188.76 million).
The group is further working to cut its costs by at least AU$100 million ($65.77 million) annually, ‘with implementation targeted by March 2025’.
Not included in the financials is the AU$15 million ($9.87 million) fine imposed by the New South Wales Independent Casino Commission (NICC) – which it will pay out in three equal installments – on December 31st, March 31st of 2025 and June 30th of 2025.
The group’s Sydney casino operation will remain under the NICC-appointment manager Nick Weeks ‘until at least 31 March 2025’, according to the NICC earlier this month.
This comes after the results of the Bell Two inquiry found that the group ‘fell far short of suitability’.
A new administration in Macau is expected to accelerate the city’s diversification away from its gaming-centric economy, aligning with Beijing’s directives. However, security analyst Steve Vickers has indicated that this shift may come at the cost of foreign-owned casinos and their investors.
Steve Vickers, CEO of Steve Vickers & Associates
Vickers, CEO of Steve Vickers and Associates Limited, recently issued a dispatch warning of the growing risks associated with state intervention and market skepticism.
“Boards and executives with investments in Macau need to be vigilant”, he said. “The landscape is changing rapidly, and they must anticipate threats to effectively mitigate potential losses.”
The former head of the Royal Hong Kong Police Force Force’s Criminal Intelligence Bureau added that Sino-American tensions and escalating political risks in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) are increasingly impacting regions like Hong Kong and Macau, which were previously seen as insulated from such concerns.
Macau’s shifting political framework
Macau is about to undergo a potential political shift in regards to gaming, as the SAR’s new Chief Executive, Sam Hou Fai – the former President of the Court of Final Appeal, won an uncontested election in October. The judge-turned-politician is set to take office in December.
During his campaign, Sam commented that the development of the gaming sector in Macau has made the city’s economy “unbalanced”, with diversification away from the industry being an imperative from Chinese central authorities and a directive “backed by most of the population”.
For the security analyst, the new CE marks a significant shift, as he is the first leader from mainland China to govern the territory, which Vickers believes could lead to “much tighter oversight by Beijing,” heightening political risks for businesses operating in the region.
Sam is part of a group of mainland Chinese politicians and professionals trained and prepared before the 1999 handover by the central government to take over important judicial and executive positions in the city under Chinese administration.
Economic diversification
The necessity for economic diversification is now a priority for the new administration, reflecting the central government’s goals of “common prosperity” and “dual circulation.”
These initiatives aim to promote income equality and reduce dependency on foreign investment, with Vickers cautioning that the risks for investors in Macau’s casino sector are likely to increase in the coming months, as many casino businesses had heavily invested with the expectation of continued growth.
Past political headwinds have had a direct impact on Macau’s gross gaming revenue, with mainland Chinese authorities often being described as turning the tap on or off.
But the current environment in Macau is a far-cry from the previous crackdowns which severely reigned the industry in.
The outgoing administration of incumbent Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng introduced new obligations for casino operators during the license re-tendering process of the SAR’s casino licenses, resulting in a pledged $14.8 billion investment in non-gaming activities from the six operators.
However, Vickers points out that progress towards diversification has been minimal. “The new Chief Executive will likely expedite measures forcing casino concessionaires to diversify and contribute more to social causes”, he added.
The security consultant added that Macau’s gaming sector has traditionally been a conduit for capital flowing out of mainland China. However, as Beijing intensifies its crackdown on capital outflows, the implications for foreign casinos become more severe.
“The environment is shifting”, Vickers explained. “With the crackdown on junkets and illegal foreign exchange activities, foreign casinos are facing increased scrutiny and limits on their operations.”
International package tour visitation to Macau is increasing, particularly from South Korea, but a fall in Chinese visitors in September led to a slight decrease yearly, at 134,000.
According to official statistics from the DSEC, package tour visitors from mainland China declined by 4.4 percent year-on-year to 117,000, while international tour visitors rose significantly, increasing by 51.7 percent to reach 14,000. Among these, arrivals from South Korea reached 7,000, up by 49.1 percent, and visitors from India grew markedly, with an 184.6 percent increase to 1,000.
In the first three quarters of 2024, the total number of inbound package tour visitors surged by 101.2 percent year-on-year, reaching 1,497,000. This growth was mainly driven by visitors from mainland China, which rose by 91 percent to 1,332,000.
Macau visitor arrivals YOY 2024
International arrivals saw even stronger growth, jumping 276 percent to 142,000, with notable gains among visitors from South Korea, up by 387.1 percent to 58,000, and India, up by 929.8 percent to 19,000.
Hotel guest numbers dip in September
In September, the average occupancy rate of hotel guest rooms rose by 6.4 percentage points year-on-year, reaching 84.7 percent. Despite this increase, the total number of hotel guests fell by 2.1 percent year-on-year to 1,112,000, with the average length of stay holding steady at 1.6 nights.
By the end of the third quarter, Macau had 144 hotel establishments, an increase of seven from the previous year. The total number of available guest rooms decreased by 3.3 percent to 44,000.
Over the first three quarters of 2024, the average occupancy rate of guest rooms rose by 4.8 percentage points year-on-year to 85.4 percent. Five-star hotels recorded an occupancy rate of 87.5 percent, while four-star and three-star hotels saw occupancy rates of 81.2 percent and 82.9 percent, respectively, marking increases of 3 and 2.4 percentage points, respectively.
During this period, Macau’s hotels welcomed 10,889,000 guests, reflecting an 11.2 percent year-on-year increase and a 3.3 percent rise compared to 2019 levels. International guests accounted for 779,000, up by 86.8 percent from last year.
Significant increases were observed among visitors from South Korea, totaling 229,000 and up by 143.5 percent; Japan, with 60,000 visitors and an 80.8 percent rise; Malaysia, with a growth of 85.2 percent to 57,000; Thailand, up by 61.2 percent to 47,000; and Singapore, which rose by 47.7 percent to 43,000.
The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) saw its income nearly double yearly during the first nine months of the year, with electronic games the strongest contributor.
Net income for the period was PHP9.63 billion ($165 million), compared to the PHP4.85 billion ($83 million) recorded between January and end-September of 2023.
Revenue for the first nine months of the year reached PHP79.43 billion ($1.36 billion), up 42 percent from PHP55.95 billion ($960 million) in the same period lst year.
The state gaming regulator’s notable performance, according to PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Alejandro H. Tengco, was driven by the robust Electronic Games sector, followed by the country’s licensed casinos and integrated resorts.
“The Electronic Games sector alone contributed PHP28.22 billion, or 35.52 percent, to the gaming revenue pie, followed by the licensed casino sector, which contributed 30.84 percent, or PHP24.50 billion ($420 million), from licensee fees,” stated the official.
“Our third-quarter performance is a strong indication that, despite the President’s decision to ban offshore gaming operations in the country, we are still on track to meet our PHP100 billion ($1.72 billion) revenue target by year-end,” Chairman Tengco stated.
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced a ban on Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) in July, ordering the wind-down of all POGO operations until year-end.
In Tuesday’s press release, PAGCOR revealed its total revenue of PHP79.43 billion ($1.36 billion), with PHP69.88 billion ($1.20 billion) generated from gaming operations and license fees, PHP6.43 billion ($110 million) from other related services, and PHP3.11 billion ($53 million) from other income.
Tengco noted that larger revenues mean PAGCOR’s contributions to nation-building also increased by 40.39 percent to PHP48.88 billion ($838 million), compared to last year’s PHP34.82 billion ($597 million).
“From our total contributions to nation-building, PHP33.19 billion ($569 million) went to the National Treasury as the government’s 50 percent share,” he said. “Half of the remittances to the national coffers—PHP16.59 billion ($285 million)—has been earmarked for PhilHealth to fund the Universal Healthcare Law,” Tengco added.
Aside from remittances to the National Treasury, PAGCOR also paid a total of PHP3.49 billion ($59.87 million) in franchise taxes and PHP421.35 million ($7.23 million) in corporate income taxes to the Bureau of Internal Revenue. The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) received PHP1.65 billion ($28 million) as its 5 percent share, while PHP90.68 million ($1.56 million) was allocated as incentives for athletes and coaches who excelled in international sports competitions.
PAGCOR also continued to fund significant programs under the Office of the President, totaling PHP9.26 billion ($159 million) for socio-civic projects in the first nine months.
Other recipients of PAGCOR’s mandated contributions include the cities that host Casino Filipino branches (PHP525.95 million), the Board of Claims under the Department of Justice – (PHP99.08 million) to compensate victims of unjust imprisonment, and the Renewable Energy Trust Fund, which was allocated PHP140.2 million ($2.4 million).
Ahead of its 90th anniversary on Wednesday, the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) has increased the minimum prize of all lotto games to PHP90 million ($1.55 million).
The move encompasses Lotto 6/42, SuperLotto 6/49 as well as UltraLotto 6/58 starting from Tuesday. This will expand to MegaLotto 6/45 and GrandLotto 6/55 on Wednesday.
According to the PCSO, if the current jackpot exceeds PHP90 million on the draw dates indicated the prize amount remains unchanged. For jackpots below PHP90 million, the difference will be drawn from the PCSO’s prize fund.
The PCSO indicated that once the special jackpot prizes are won, the price amounts will revert to normal.
Speaking of the promotion, PCSO General Manager Melquiades Robles noted “We are thrilled to celebrate our 90th anniversary and express our gratitude to the players who have supported us through the years. This special promotion embodies our commitment to providing not just entertainment but also hope and assistance to our communities”.
The PCSO is a government agency that holds charity sweepstakes, races and lotteries to provide continuing sources of funds for programs. Its primary products are the sweepstakes and lottery games.
Good morning. Macau is further strengthening its oversight of gaming, and increasing penalties for offenses, as the new Law on Illegal Gambling Activities came into effect today. Check out what’s changed and what questions still remain. In UAE news, Wynn Al Marjan Island is on course to open in the first quarter of 2027, as the race to the emirates heats up. And in the Philippines, human trafficking charges have been filed against former Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. due to alleged links to a POGO operation.
Macau’s much-debated new Law on Illegal Gambling Activities officially came into effect today. Top law firm MdME examines exactly what changes the new law brings about and what questions still need to be clarified. In particular focus was shutting down online gaming, side betting, and illegal money exchanges. But the law also covers lotteries and mutual betting, while expanding investigative powers for authorities and expanding liability for associated entities.
Asia is the most populated continent on the planet and Football is the No. 1 sport in most countries. The World Cup qualifying matches are traditionally watched by billions of fans in the region, but FIFA has decided to reward Asia with a significant representation at the tournament only now.
Altenar, a leading sportsbook provider is bringing its global expertise to Asia, looking to expand its operations. Since 2011, Altenar has powered hundreds of online sports betting sites worldwide and is a major B2B provider in Europe and Latin America licensed markets.
Industry Updates
MGM and DSAL launch comprehensive Hengqin-Macau training initiative.
