Latest News
NZ Challenging For Hemisphere Dominance
Regardless of the industry being discussed, there’s always going to be an emerging market to talk about. South America has been playing this role in gambling circles since the growth of the Colombian market post-2016. Costa Rica, Chile, and The Dominican Republic, among others, have their gambling sectors too, albeit in different phases of construction. There’s a feeling that this area is still a long way off global dominance though.
Colombia reportedly boasted gaming revenue of $300m in 2021. This marks it out as one of the three biggest contributors to South American gambling, alongside Mexico and, based on what happens over the coming months, Brazil. As a whole, the continent looks like it could post a growth rate of 18.4% to 2028 – but how does it compare to its distant compatriots in the Southern Hemisphere, namely, New Zealand?
Pokie Machines
New Zealand has a surprising amount in common with the rest of the world, as far as games are concerned, proving that the appetite for slots and blackjack (etc.) is roughly consistent around the world. In 2020, the average spend on wagering hit a record level of $252m per quarter. This included gambling types, including casino games, lottery games, and what Antipodean gamblers refer to as “the TAB” and “pokies”, i.e. betting shops and slots.
There were reportedly nearly 15,000 pokie machines in New Zealand at the turn of the decade. In comparison, Colombia has an estimated 65,000. This does make sense given the vast difference in population between these two nations (51m to NZ’s 5m) but it still means that New Zealand has a higher proportion of slot machines per person, around 0.003 to 0.001 in Colombia.
Using these figures, it’s actually possible to see just how Kiwi players like to spend their gaming money. NZ’s Department of Internal Affairs claimed that when averaged out across every New Zealander, 2020’s figures were the equivalent of every adult spending $572 on betting. Broken down even further, that’s $128 at physical casinos, $80 at betting stores, $160 on lottery games, and $204 on slots.
The distinction between slots and casino games is likely because pokies are more likely to be found and played at locations other than a brick-and-mortar casino in New Zealand, like a bar. So, the $128 spent at casinos is likely representative of table game spend. As for lotteries, the industry actually saw a 13% increase in popularity during 2020, reinforcing the fact that it’s one of New Zealand’s favorite pastimes.
Charitable Grants
Closer to the present, figures from 2022 suggest that online gambling in NZ is now a $332m industry. All these numbers raise an interesting question, specifically, why is New Zealand such an attractive place to gamble? Approximately 80% of Kiwis are involved in gambling of some description according to the Department of Internal Affairs.
One obvious answer to the previous is tax. The NZ BonusFinder website notes that New Zealand makes a distinction between playing professionally and playing just for fun. Anybody who falls into the latter bracket is not taxed on their winnings at all, “no matter how big”. Professionals are treated just like regular workers, however, which means that they are liable for income tax payments.
Oddly enough, a large amount of gaming cash – around $300m – is redistributed into the community each year through charitable grants, a process that the Gaming Machine Association has previously described as an “enormous advantage to New Zealand”. It’s perhaps this kind of positive attitude toward gambling and casino gaming that has made it almost a universal hobby in the country.
Overall, the average Kiwi gamer is likely to prefer lotteries over table games but a soft spot for pokies keeps the gambling economy ticking over.
More than 140 workers at Caesars Southern Indiana Hotel & Casino, represented by Teamsters Local 89 and Operating Engineers Local 399, have voted by a 98% margin to authorize a strike. The overwhelming vote is a direct response to management’s refusal to offer a fair contract.
“Our members are united and ready to fight for the strongest possible agreement. This vote sends a clear message — we will not back down. If management won’t negotiate in good faith, we’re prepared to take action,” said Avral Thompson, President of Local 89.
Caesars Southern Indiana, owned and operated by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI), pulled in more than $240 million in revenue last year, making it one of the most profitable casinos in the state. Workers are demanding a contract that reflects their essential contributions to that success.
“I’ve worked at Caesars for over seven years, and we deserve a contract that values our hard work and dedication. No one wants to strike, but if management keeps disrespecting us at the bargaining table, we’re ready to demand what we’ve earned,” said Sandra Ramirez, a slot attendant at Caesars Southern Indiana and a member of Local 89.
After months of negotiations, management at Caesars Southern Indiana continues to refuse to offer fair retirement benefits and remains far apart on other key economic issues.
“At this point, the ball is entirely in management’s court. If Caesars faces a strike, management will have no one to blame but themselves for the fallout. We stand ready to back our members every step of the way,” said Teamsters General Secretary-Treasurer Fred Zuckerman.
Compliance Updates
VIP Play Obtains Interim West Virginia iGaming and Sports Wagering Management Service Provider Licenses
VIP Play Inc. announced the approval of its interim License in West Virginia for both Sports Wagering and iGaming managed services. This follows the recently announced market access partnership between VIP Play and Delaware North’s Wheeling Island Casino.
This milestone marks the company’s initial expansion beyond Tennessee, where it currently operates as a mobile Sports Wagering Operator. The interim License in West Virginia also adds iGaming to the company’s book of business, and allows VIP Play to participate in the rapidly expanding i-Gaming industry. VIP Play expects to begin serving West Virginia customers in the coming months.
Bruce Cassidy, VIP Play CEO & Chairman of the Board, said: “The acquisition of our interim Sports Wagering and i-Gaming License in West Virginia marks a significant milestone in our journey to expand, underscoring our commitment to provide innovative experiences to a wider audience. As we grow our presence, our dedication to excellence stands firm, and we’re excited to play a role in enriching West Virginia’s dynamic gaming community.”
New certification for emerging-markets leader arrives ahead of key industry summit in Sao Paulo and awards recognition
QTech Games, the leading game aggregator for emerging markets, has had its platform and games successfully approved for the Peruvian market, demonstrating that its premier B2B platform and all-encompassing content conforms to the latest legislative updates to enhance and regulate Peru’s local gaming environment.
Peru’s Ministry of Foreign Commerce and Tourism (MINCETUR) has now issued an online gaming licence to QTech Games, whereby all its platform products and games are now deemed legally permitted. This includes its new software service for retail, QTech Hybrid, which allows land-based partners to scale their operations online. QTech Hybrid simplifies transactions by enabling deposits, withdrawals and gameplay while allowing access to players both in-shop and on personal devices.
This breakthrough hybrid solution has quickly won clients and awards in the comparably fragmented African market (most recently in March for Best Innovation at AGE Lagos), and now promises to do likewise across LatAm, where QTech Games has already signed several major clients for both its aggregation platform and its QTech Hybrid solution. This activity has seen it again nominated for Best Aggregator at the SiGMA Americas Awards, which kickstart the SiGMA Americas summit (7-10 April) next week, as the igaming world converges on Sao Paulo for a must-attend conference in another of QTech Games’ “focus markets” for 2025.
Philip Doftvik, QTech Games’ CEO, said: “It’s fantastic to have certified our aggregation platform in Peru via MINCETUR – and I’m pleased to say we have more such approvals pending across the continent. We attended fantastic events in Rio and, more recently, SAGSE 2025 in Buenos Aires – and anticipate more of the same at SiGMA Americas in Sao Paulo next week, where we’re also thrilled to have been shortlisted for Best Aggregator at their LatAm Awards. Given the venue, Brazil will be dominating the discussion for many at SiGMA Sao Paulo. However, we’ll also be looking beyond Brazilian borders this year, and are already active in Mexico, Chile, Colombia and Paraguay. We know our QTech Hybrid solution will work very well wherever we put a pin on the LatAm map.”
QTech Games delegates will be present at five more LatAm summits in 2025, with SiGMA Americas (7 April) the next port of call – followed by GAT Expo Cartagena (28 April), SBC Americas (13 May), Peru Gaming Show (18 June) and GAT Expo Mexico (28 Aug).
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