Latest News
DraftKings Announces $1 Million+ Responsible Gaming Initiative Providing Multi-Year Financial Commitments to State Problem Gambling Councils
DraftKings Inc. today announced a multi-year financial commitment to assist the state councils across the country providing critical funding which will support the work of local nonprofit organizations. As part of the new initiative, entitled The State Council Funding Program, DraftKings has offered each state council $15,000 per year for three years, a total overall commitment of $1,575,000 over the span of the three-year program.
“Having spent several years of my career working with the state council in my home state, Massachusetts, I have seen first-hand how these organizations are a tremendous resource for individuals and families, and serve as a critical stakeholder and partner for gaming operators,” said Christine Thurmond, Director, Responsible Gaming. “DraftKings is committed to advancing responsible gaming in collaboration with state councils across the U.S. Our hope is that this funding will give councils that extra support needed to fund priority areas, expand services, or hire additional staff; whatever is most needed, we want to help financially.”
The State Council Funding Program may be used at the broad discretion of each council to bolster services and programs for individuals and families, and also for council staff, including applying the funds to trainings, conferences, helplines, and general capacity building. A state council may also use the funding to explore the potential for capacity building within neighboring states without a council presence. The program will begin a three-year trial in January 2022.
“State councils provide a first line of defense for addressing the needs of people impacted by problem gambling,” said Keith Whyte, Executive Director, National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG), whose membership includes the 35 State Affiliate Councils. “While it’s well established that these organizations provide critical assistance in the community, they don’t always have the resources and funds to take treatment and prevention to the next level. This significant initiative by DraftKings shows their commitment to and knowledge of the importance of the work state councils provide.”
The State Council Funding Program announcement comes after an active year for responsible gaming initiatives at DraftKings. In 2021, DraftKings devoted significant financial resources and deployed its responsible gaming staff to spearhead several initiatives including:
- An agreement with the Cambridge Health Alliance, Division on Addiction, Harvard Medical School to pioneer a systems-based approach to employee training in responsible gaming.
- A commitment to the American Gaming Association’s public service campaign Have A Game Plan.® Bet Responsibly™ which teaches consumers best practices in engaging in sports betting, such as the importance of only betting with legal, regulated operators and setting personal limits on play as necessary.
- The expansion of responsible gaming education and marketing using a broad range of customer touchpoints including email, social media, DraftKings retail sportsbooks, and across in-stadium assets including via the Have A Game Plan.® Bet Responsibly™ campaign.
- Multiple financial commitments to support evidence-based research, including one to the International Center for Responsible Gaming for a three-year study assessing risk and prevalence of sports betting problem gaming, and one to the Kindbridge Research Institute, which is embarking on its 50×4 Vets project at the nexus of veterans and responsible gaming.
- A comprehensive in-house approach of offering the responsible gaming team as a key partner to teams across the company.
- Internal investments to strengthen its capacity to promote responsible gaming for all staff and in front of consumers.
Latest News
Aviatrix expands into Venezuela with FacilitoBet
Aviatrix, the innovative crash game that is quickly growing in popularity across Latin America and elsewhere, has added FacilitoBet to its portfolio of operator partners.
The deal sees FacilitoBet integrate Aviatrix into its proprietary GEO VES platform, making the game available to its players across Venezuela.
This is a major move by Aviatrix’s into the Venezuelan market, following numerous deals elsewhere in Latin America over the past 12 months.
Gabriela Novello, Head of Business Development LATAM at Aviatrix, said: “We want to bring Aviatrix to the most respected brands across Latin America, and FacilitoBet absolutely meets those criteria. By integrating us into their own platform, we’re able to work directly with the FacilitoBet team to bring a truly world-class experience to players across Venezuela. This is another important step in the Aviatrix journey.”
Henry Sanchez, Director of FacilitoBet, said: “Crash games have become a true phenomenon over the last couple of years, and we love Aviatrix because it brings something unique to the genre. The game is engaging, and their team is extremely helpful when it comes to onboarding to our own GEO VES platform. We are sure Aviatrix will be a big success among our players.”
Aviatrix is quickly becoming Latin America’s favourite crash game, following integrations with NGX, Salsa Technology, Vibra Gaming, Cactus Gaming, RedCap, Virtualsoft, Casa de Apostas, Portugabet and many more.
Latest News
Internet Vikings Provides VMware Cloud Hosting to Spinomenal in New Jersey, Supporting Their Entry into the U.S. Market
Internet Vikings, a licensed in-state hosting provider for iGaming and online sports betting, today announced a new partnership with Spinomenal, the B2B iGaming Software supplier. Internet Vikings will provide VMware Cloud Hosting services to Spinomenal in New Jersey, marking their first U.S. expansion as they enter the American market.
Spinomenal made the decision to begin their U.S. operations in mid 2024, selecting New Jersey as their starting point. Internet Vikings delivered the VMware infrastructure in record time, completing the setup within one day.
Additionally, Internet Vikings supported Spinomenal’s expansion by assisting with the environment configuration, complete with necessary licenses. The efficient turnaround time enabled the deal to close within a month from the initial request when the needs were identified.
Omer Henya, CEO of Spinomenal, shared his perspective on the collaboration: “The U.S. market is an ideal entrance for Spinomenal, and with Internet Vikings’ solutions, we feel confident in our ability to grow and succeed here.”
Rickard Vikström, Founder and CEO of Internet Vikings, expressed his thoughts: “The speed with which we delivered Spinomenal’s VMware infrastructure is a direct reflection of our team’s technical expertise and support offered to our clients. We’re here to help them make a strong start in the U.S.”
Compliance Updates
Booming Games’ premium content is now certified in Brazil
Booming Games has successfully obtained the required certification to operate in Brazil, fully complying with the regulations set by Brazil’s gambling regulator, the Secretariat of Evaluation, Planning, Energy, and Lottery (SECAP).
Booming Games became one of the first providers to get approval and be compliant. This milestone enables them to offer its wide array of gaming content to licensed operators in Brazil, allowing Brazilian players to dive into fan favourites like Burning Classics, Gold Gold Gold, TNT Bonanza 2, Cash Pig, Buffalo Hold and Win Extreme, and Ronaldinho Spins, enhancing their gaming experience.
Expanding into Brazil’s iGaming market represents a pivotal achievement for Booming Games, reinforcing its presence across Latin America and strengthening its position as a leading gaming content provider on the continent. Booming Games remains dedicated to delivering high-quality entertainment globally, with this Brazilian expansion highlighting its commitment to serving diverse gaming audiences worldwide.
Frederik Niehusen, Chief Commercial Officer at Booming Games, commented: “We’re excited to have achieved full certification in Brazil, marking an important step in strengthening our presence in this rapidly expanding market. We’re eager to build on this success, driving growth and bringing exceptional gaming experiences to players throughout Brazil. 2025 promises to be an exciting year, and we look forward to sharing more updates soon.”
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