Latest News
Scientific Games Powering Up Digital and Sports Leadership
New Organization’s Digital and Sports Teams Expanding to Serve Global Lottery Customers
Scientific Games is building on momentum following its sale to Brookfield Business Partners in April 2022 by expanding the new organization’s digital and sports betting teams and re-aligning leadership to continue serving its digital lottery and lottery sports betting customers globally. The company is also hiring for a number of roles related to its digital and sports business.
Scientific Games promotes three executives as part of company’s digital lottery and lottery sports betting expansion.
Currently, Scientific Games provides digital lottery games, second-chance programs, player loyalty clubs, mobile apps, CRM and iLottery solutions to more than 20 US and 30 international lotteries. The company has lottery sports betting customers in the US, Canada and Europe.
In the past year, Scientific Games unveiled the Loteria augmented reality game extension at the 2022 World Lottery Summit and launched the lottery industry’s most state-of-the-art player loyalty program for the Missouri Lottery, a new mobile app for the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery, a new second-chance program for the Georgia Lottery and 60 new eInstant games for its global customer base. The company continues to enhance the record-breaking Pennsylvania iLottery program with 46 eInstant games, five eDraw games and more than 11,500 CRM campaigns launched in 2022.
Winning the 2022 Heptagon Awards ‘CRM Team of the Year’ across many industries, Scientific Games’ digital experts recently launched customer relationship programs for four US lotteries and entered into a first-of-its-kind collaboration with Optimove to provide five US lotteries with customized data-driven strategies to optimize their paid social media campaigns, for customer acquisition and retention including on Facebook.
“We are investing in people, products and technology platforms that give lotteries the opportunity to engage with their players across all channels,” said Steve Beason, President of Digital and Sports for Scientific Games. “We’ve pioneered digital and sports betting solutions for lotteries since 2004. Now, in this next era, we’ve redefined our strategic focus and growth paths to position Scientific Games as the global leader in digital and sports to help our customers responsibly drive revenues for their beneficiary programs.”
As part of leadership re-alignment, Amy Bergette was promoted to Senior Vice President of Digital Solutions. A 35-year lottery industry professional, Bergette has extensive experience in all facets of digital programs. She will continue leading global teams to define, expand and drive product and program innovations, manage Scientific Games’ thriving game studios, facilitate the growth and advancement of the company’s digital marketing footprint, manage customer accounts and deliver world-class digital solutions.
Kira Summers has been promoted to Vice President of Operations and Planning for Digital. Summers joined Scientific Games in 2021 with an extensive land-based casino and iGaming program management and operations background. She holds the prestigious Six Sigma Blackbelt and served as the General Manager of the company’s record-breaking iLottery program in Pennsylvania, facilitating the effective planning, operations and P&L of the program and creating a strong customer partnership. In her new role, Kira will create and execute Scientific Games’ long-range plans for digital programs.
Merv Huber has been promoted to Vice President of Digital Growth. Huber has defined, expanded and facilitated Scientific Games’ extensive growth in the company’s award-winning CRM solutions and strategies, which now serve eleven US lotteries, as well as developed a focused product development team to drive digital product innovation and growth. With 15 years of experience in online horse racing, sports betting and iLottery providing online marketing expertise and digital solutions, Huber is responsible for driving the growth of customers’ digital business globally through product innovations and enhancements, expanded CRM and strategic marketing services.
Additionally, Scientific Games has career opportunities open for the following roles: CRM Manager, Head of Digital Business Development, iLottery Technical Operations Manager, Senior TechOps Engineer, Senior Web Developer, Senior Web Engineer and Senior UI/UX Designer. Experienced professionals may apply for US-based jobs at ScientificGames.com/Careers or e-mail [email protected] to learn more about the company’s international job openings.
Scientific Games launched the first digital instant game in the US in 2014 and is a leading provider of digital games, mobile apps, player loyalty programs and other digital products and services for the global lottery industry. The company provides retail and digital games, technologies, analytics and services to 130 lotteries in 50 countries.
Compliance Updates
Tennessee Sports Wagering Council Takes Action Against Illegal Sportsbook
The Tennessee Sports Wagering Council through its executive director issued $50,000 in fines to Bovada.lv, an unlicensed and therefore illegal sportsbook operating in Tennessee.
Bovada failed to comply with cease and desist letters delivered to addresses in Curaçao, and Council investigators placed wagers through Bovada’s platform on three separate occasions, including as recently as October 16, 2024.
The Sports Gaming Act authorizes the Council to impose a $10,000 fine for the first offense of accepting wagers without a license, which rises to $15,000 for the second offense, and $25,000 for the third offense. Subsequent offenses may lead to the imposition of a $25,000 fine for each occurrence, an occurrence being a single wager accepted in Tennessee.
In the cease and desist letters, the Council ordered Bovada to allow all Tennessee users to withdraw any funds currently held by the unlicensed sportsbook.
“The Sports Wagering Council recommends that Tennessee users of Bovada withdraw their funds immediately. Our primary role is the protection of the public interest through a safe, regulated environment, and Tennessee sports bettors need to know that just because they can access a sports betting website or app inside Tennessee’s borders does not mean it is licensed to do business here,” Mary Beth Thomas, Executive Director of Tennessee Sports Wagering Council, said.
Legal sportsbook operators provide important bettor protections not found in the illegal market. If an individual wagers with unlicensed sportsbooks, their sensitive financial and personal information may not be protected and could even be shared with criminal enterprises. The bettor’s money could be withheld or disappear without a way to recover it.
The SWC is working closely with its network of law enforcement at the state and federal level to eradicate illegal sportsbooks such as Bovada and others.
Tennessee is the largest “online-only” sports betting market in the US, with more than $4.7 billion wagered in Tennessee last fiscal year through online sportsbooks licensed by the Council.
Gambling in the USA
Phoenix Link by Aristocrat Gaming Now Lighting Up Casino Floors
The hottest new game from Aristocrat Gaming, Phoenix Link, is now live on casino floors, with Yaamava’ Resort & Casino being the first in North America to offer the highly-anticipated game. As the next evolution of the international hit game, Dragon Link, Phoenix Link features player-favorite mechanics from top games with all-new themes, features, and bonuses.
“We have been humbled by the incredible global fanfare Dragon Link has received over the years but are never ones to rest on our laurels. The teams have been working tirelessly on a follow-up that brings together all the player-favorite elements in a new and exciting way with Phoenix Link as the proud result. We were thrilled to partner with Yaamava’ to premiere Phoenix Link with flair, excitement, and celebration,” said Victor Duarte, executive vice president of product for Aristocrat Gaming.
Phoenix Link players will enjoy the game’s additional denominations, configurations, and jackpots on each of the launch game theme titles. Gameplay features include Hold & Spin, Free Games with multiplier wilds or twin spin reels, Phoenix Mystery trigger, and more new bonus twists. Phoenix Link is available on the Neptune Single cabinet.
“Yaamava’ is thrilled to host yet another world premiere in gaming with the launch of Phoenix Link by Aristocrat Gaming. Our Club Serrano members are already raving about this captivating extension of the player-favorite Dragon Link. It’s a great addition to the Yaamava’ gaming floor,” said Kenji Hall, General Manager of Yaamava’ Resort & Casino at San Manuel, said.
Latest News
Panel on the benefits of regulation in the Mexican iGaming market
On November 6, the iGaming industry in Mexico is preparing for a key event in which the benefits and challenges that regulation has brought to the Mexican market will be discussed. Under the title “Benefits of Regulation in the Mexican Market”, this panel will offer an in-depth look at the impact of regulation on transparency, competition and consumer protection, critical issues in the new digital era of iGaming.
The event, moderated by Geraldine Alexandra García Torres, Media Manager of Digital Gaming News, will feature the participation of recognized figures in the sector such as Daniel Magariños, representative of BMM Testlabs, and Hermilo Peregrina Cabrera of Prometeo IT Solutions. Both panelists will contribute their extensive knowledge and experience in regulation and certification in the Mexican market, and will analyze with the public the challenges and opportunities that companies face in an increasingly competitive and regulated context.
BMM Testlabs, who will participate as a Gold Sponsor, underlines with its sponsorship the importance of regulation to strengthen the iGaming sector in Mexico and demonstrates its commitment to progress and transparency in the Mexican market. For its part, Kushki joins as a Silver Sponsor, promoting the dialogue and analysis necessary for the industry.
Daniel Magariños, from BMM Testlabs, expressed his enthusiasm for participating in this digital webinar: “It has been a pleasure to be able to share our comments as a Laboratory on a market like the Mexican one and exchange opinions with a reference like Hermilo and the company Prometeo IT Solutions, with its excellent track record in this market. A relaxed talk with a lot of learning that I hope will be interesting for the attendees.”
For his part, Hermilo Peregrina, from Prometeo IT Solutions, highlighted the relevance of these spaces for dialogue: “Thank you to Conferencias iGaming for the invitation to participate in this panel. Thanks to Geraldine for coordinating us, and it was a pleasure to share ideas and opinions with my friend Daniel from BMM Testlabs, who has extensive experience in international regulations and certifications.”
Sponsor Support
The panel has the support of important sponsors who recognize the relevance of regulation in the development of the iGaming market in Mexico. Among them, BMM Testlabs as Gold Sponsor, and Kushki as Silver Sponsor.
Event Details:
Date: November 6
Time: 10:00 a.m. (Mexico)
Registration: Register here
Don’t miss the opportunity to be part of this essential conversation for the future of the industry. Secure your place and access a key analysis on the dynamic iGaming market in Mexico!
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