SkillOnNet has announced the USA launch of its flagship brand PlayOJO Casino in what’s been described as a “breakthrough moment”.
The hugely popular PlayOJO Casino, which we’ve reviewed here, will launch in New Jersey, marking SkillOnNet’s debut in the United States after the operator struck a market access deal with US casino operator Caesars Entertainment.
The deal, which is subject to regulatory approval, will allow SkillOnNet to launch PlayOJO in the US with its own proprietary software, where SkillOnNet plans to “disrupt the market with its fully transparent, fair approach”.
Speaking about the US launch of the company, Maor Nutkevitch, the Head of Corporate Development at SkillOnNet, said in a statement: “This is a milestone opportunity for SkillOnNet. We have seen the immense growth in New Jersey and very successful iGaming launches in other US states.
“PlayOJO offers an unrivalled gaming experience with a huge game portfolio and focus on safe and fair gambling. We are confident that launching this casino focused challengers brand at this stage of the market evolution, will allow us to build a meaningful market share within a few years of operation.”
The news comes amid SkillOnNet’s continued success in the European market, where some of SkillOnNet’s most major brands are available in regulated markets across the continent. The news also comes after SkillOnNet launched its most recent brand and PlayOJO sister site, Zebra Wins.
Also this week, nine live casino games by BetConstruct were approved by the UK Gambling Commission, allowing them to launch in the United Kingdom.
SoftConstruct (Malta) Ltd, the parent company of BetConstruct, announced the news this week, revealing that the approval will allow BetConstruct to provide its nine live casino games to its White Label and Turnkey partners in the UK, including VBet UK.
The live casino games approved for the UK market including Dragon, Live Keno, Bet-on Teen Patti, Casino Hold’em, Russian Poker (Rusky Poker), Switch Blackjack, Live Hi-Lo, Swift Roulette, and Super Six Baccarat too.
BetConstruct states that the approval and the launch of the games will “increase player satisfaction and engagement” at the game developer’s UK partners. The studio comments that the approval also provides them with a chance to “strengthen the existing partnerships with our UK licensed operators and engage in new ones”.
Meanwhile, charity Young Gamers and Gamblers Education Trust (YGAM) and Betknowmore UK have announced the launch of their joint new safer gambling training programme for Merkur Casino.
The programme includes new safer gambling training content designed by YGAM and Betknowmore’s specialist teams and was created to provide employees of the gambling industry with online training to strengthen player protection standards and prevent customers from developing gambling-related harm.
According to SBCNews, Merkur Casino UK reported positive feedback from its staff that used the programme, with 82% of staff stating that they would implement what they had learned from the programme into their daily work routines.
A further 92% reported “very high” confidence in their understanding of customer vulnerability after taking part in the programme.
Ian Shanahan, the Head of Safer Gambling Partnerships for YGAM, said in a statement: “Developing these resources has been an amazing and important year. We will continue to embrace the feedback we receive following each training session, and we will continually act to make our programmes as relevant and effective as possible for the industry and for keeping players safe.
“We greatly appreciate the positive feedback the programme has received from participants, and we’re eager to work with new partners about this vital training need for the industry.”
Ben Davies, the Head of Safer Gambling Partnerships for charity Betknowmore UK, said: “I am so proud of the work that Betknowmore UK and YGAM are doing. This partnership has enabled us to bring the very best Safer Gambling Training to market.
“The entire training package has been developed with lived experience at its core, and the City & Guilds Assured status is a huge symbol of its value. We look forward to continuing to offer our digital learning resources, facilitated webinars and face-to-face learning as the programme developers even further.”
Mark Schertle, the Chief Operating Officer at Merkur UK, added: “The training managed perfectly to fit a topic as important as this into a two-day course, whilst keeping it interesting and engaging. Especially adding real-life stories into the course to make it tangible and relevant.
“The content will ensure we keep safer gambling at the forefront of everything that we do. As always, we are immensely proud of our team here at Merkur and the way that they take their responsibilities seriously.”
Finally, game developer Gaming Realms has been given the approval to launch in Pennsylvania in the United States, according to CasinoBeats.
As part of the approval, Gaming Realms has received an interactive gaming manufacturer license from the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board. The license allows Gaming Realms to provide its Slingo Originals games to online casino operators in the state.
The move is part of Gaming Realms’ goal of expanding across the United States, with the group anticipating a launch in Michigan in “the near future”.
Michael Buckley, the Executive Chairman of Gaming Realms, said in a statement: “We are delighted to have been granted our license in Pennsylvania, where iGaming revenues grew by nearly 600 per cent in 2020. We are not licensed in the three largest states for iGaming, and look forward to more states regulating in the future.
“We have signed a number of multi-state deals and direct integration agreements with some of the largest operators in the US, giving an excellent opportunity to capitalise on the expansion of the exciting US iGaming market.”
