As a result, the new partnership will see Blueprint launch NetEnt’s portfolio of slots across its network of retail gaming machines in arcades, bingo halls, licensed betting offices and pubs across the UK.

Andy Whitworth, chief strategy officer at NetEnt, stated: “This is a landmark deal for the Netent Group in our quest to build brand awareness and new revenue streams from new product verticals. Blueprint are the market leader in the UK, and we are delighted to expand our reach with them.”

The long-term agreement is set to run for five-years with the first games scheduled for launch in the first half of next year.

Matt Cole, managing director of Blueprint, added: “The ability to offer our customers and players content from NetEnt is a massive win for our company, we are delighted to be working closely together on offering Blueprint customers a truly compelling variety of market leading content.”

The agreement with Blueprint follows on from Dead or Alive II, NetEnt‘s sequel to the original 2013 slot, being named the UK’s most successful title of 2019 by data-driven analytics platform SlotCatalog.

Commenting on the chart-topping success of Dead or Alive II, SlotCatalog added: “NetEnt’s highly anticipated sequel to the cult status game Dead or Alive hit all markets with a bang!

“The game quickly landed top positions in most major casino lobbies at the time of the release. Released in April, players enjoyed amazing gameplay, pristine visuals and perfectly matched soundtrack.

“The expectations on the release were huge, and this time the NetEnt team scored a home-run and landed above the players’ expectations.”

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Led by Andrea McGeachin, CEO of Neosurf, the pay and play specialists will be welcoming a range of special guests to provide their expertise on all things payments and player protection.

The takeover kicks off on Tuesday when Andrea is joined by Shelley White, CEO of the Responsible Gambling Council (RGC), who talks about the role of her organisation, RGC’s recent Discovery Conference and the latest trends in player protection.

During the episode, Shelley highlights the work done by the RGC to educate young people on responsible gaming before they reach the legal age to gamble in their region.

She says: “We’re in high schools with kids talking about what gambling is, what gaming is, the intersection, what the risks are, how to mitigate those risks to start preparing them because they’re thinking about [gambling], they’re talking about it with their friends and with family and hearing about it in ads and we want to ensure that they’re getting the best possible information” 

On Wednesday, attention turns to iGaming as Andrea chats with the CEO of White Hat Studios, Andy Whitworth. He talks about his 20 years in the iGaming industry and also explains the secrets behind White Hat’s successful expansion into the US.

Andy puts particular focus on White Hat’s Jackpot Royale which he says has been received well since “there aren’t really many good jackpot products in the US”.

It’s back to player protection on Thursday as Bill Pascrell III, Partner at Princeton Public Affairs Group,  joins Andrea to give his take on the latest trends in responsible gaming. 

Although he describes it as an “exciting time” for the responsible gaming market he expresses his disappointment with some operators, describing what they are doing as “more fluff than stuff”. 

Ending the week, Andrea dives into the world of gambling research as she welcomes the Director of Research at the UNLV International Gaming Institute, Kasra Ghaharian to the show.

After explaining the role of the International Gaming Institute and his own journey from avid poker player to gambling researcher, Kasra digs deeper into some of his latest research and explains how data provided by payment companies can be used to identify problem gambling behaviour. 

To make sure you don’t miss out on this week of insightful interviews on iGaming Daily, make sure to follow the show on LinkedIn and wherever you get your favourite podcasts.

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Andy Whitworth, CEO at White Hat Studios, takes us to The Garrison in his ICE preview as he walks us through plans to showcase the upcoming Peaky Blinders slot.

With the event returning to its full size and February slot following last year’s slightly muted April affair, what are you looking forward to most at this year’s ICE? 

ICE always delivers unrivalled networking opportunities, and we are keen to use this occasion to showcase the huge selection of games we have within our roadmap and wider ambitions for the US market. 

We arrive at the ExCeL in buoyant mood, as we have delivered the fastest rollout of games in the US ever, with three of these titles included within the Top 15 of Eilers & Krejcik’s latest slots ranking report and even securing the number one spot, an achievement we are incredibly proud of.

I’m most looking forward to seeing the industry’s reaction to our stand at N5-420, as we have built a pub to celebrate our upcoming release Peaky Blinders and will be serving beer to delegates throughout the event. Whether you want to know more about our content or fancy a breather from walking the exhibition floor, pop into The Garrison for a quick drink!

Do you think the industry is in better shape now because of the challenges previously faced?

The igaming industry prides itself on innovation and this adaptability has certainly been put to the test over the past few years. The mass adoption of a work-from-home culture has for us been an undeniable positive. Europe sits on a wealth of knowledge and talent in this sector, because of its more mature marketplace in comparison to the US. Being able to collaborate across borders without the need for a typical office setting, allows us to hire from a worldwide pool of candidates and ensures we deliver the very best services available across the US.

What do you intend to showcase at ICE London 2023?

Our headline game will be Peaky Blinders which draws inspiration from the popular TV show and will feature prominently across our stand. Delegates can get a sneak peek at gameplay, mechanics and aesthetics that will underpin this game upon release. Additionally, we will be showcasing our full H1 roadmap including hit games such as Viking Fall, Thriller Gorilla Megaways and Rick and Morty Wubba Lubba Dub Dub Jackpot Royale. 

The Rick and Morty title epitomises our trajectory and ambitions throughout the year, focusing on both our market-leading jackpot mechanic, Jackpot Royale and making use of popular brands within our slots to help operators widen their audience reach and elevate their own offering. 

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As part of its agreement, White Hat will supply its premium branded titles, such as Ted, Deal or No Deal and Peaky Blinders, along with other slots, jackpots, RNG, table and instant-win titles in its catalogue, to the state of Michigan. 

Andy Whitworth, CEO of White Hat Studios, said: “We’re delighted to see our products go live in the US, starting with BetMGM in the great state of Michigan. Our games are tried and tested, and we are confident our content will thrill US players.

“It’s been an incredible ride getting to this point from a standing start last September. This is a huge milestone to go live, my team has been exceptional to move at such speed, the next step is to launch into all states and get live the 15+ operators that we have signed so far.”

Moreover, White Hat Studios noted that its US debut with BetMGM signifies a “uniquely rapid development”, stating that Michigan will be the “first in a series” of anticipated state entries and “aggressive roll out” of further operators into all regulated states.

Going live with BetMGM continues White Hat’s US expansion following the announcement of  a content agreement with PlayEagle to make its branded slot catalogue available in Michigan.

Moreover, the back end of June saw BetMGM launch a range of live tables on its BetMGM Casino platform in West Virginia, using technology from B2B supplier of live casino content, Evolution.

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The terms of the agreement maintain that White Hat will deliver its portfolio of slots, jackpot slots, and RNG table content in live states across the country, including New Jersey, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and West Virginia.

As a result of the deal, DraftKings players in active states will be able to play White Hat titles such as Ted, Deal or No Deal and Peaky Blinders, which have been optimized for a US audience. 

Andy Whitworth, CEO at White Hat Studios, commented: “We’re incredibly excited to partner with one of North America’s most influential and forward-thinking operators in DraftKings, who are a leader in bringing the latest content to the market.

“This is a huge step for us as we continue our expansion, we can’t wait to see our content go live with them.”

This deal marks the latest in a wave of US deals for White Hat, who have secured deals to supply content to Four Winds Casino, Tipico US and Resort Digital Gaming in recent months. 
Speaking at ICE 2022, White Hat Gaming CEO Phil Gelvan noted that the firm was ready to grow in the US this year after previously operating as a ‘dark horse’ in the country.

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Via the partnership, White Hat Gaming’s recently created division – White Hat Studios – will supply its slots, jackpot slots, and RNG table content to BetMGM players in live states across the country, including New Jersey, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. 

“We are delighted at the incredibly positive and enthusiastic response from BetMGM to this new venture,” noted Andy Whitworth, Chief Executive Officer, White Hat Studios. “We are moving at record pace and are excited to sign with the igaming market leader so quickly. 

“We look forward to seeing this best-in-class content live shortly across BetMGM sites.”

Oliver Bartlett, Director of Gaming, BetMGM, added: “BetMGM is thrilled to be the first operator to launch content from one of the top European suppliers to online casino players in the US. 

“We look forward to adding White Hat Studios top titles such as Ted, Deal or no Deal and Thriller Gorilla to what is already the strongest gaming portfolio in the industry.”

White Hat’s US progression continues on from the company’s earlier agreement in a similar deal with FanDuel. 

The deal between the two companies will see FanDuel collaborate with White Hat Gaming’s igaming content division to create bespoke games and short-term exclusives available to the former’s player base.

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The deal between the two companies will see FanDuel collaborate with White Hat Gaming’s igaming content division to create bespoke games and short-term exclusives available to the former’s player base. 

“We are delighted at the incredibly positive and enthusiastic response from FanDuel to this new venture and can’t wait to see our content live on FanDuel, PokerStars and Stardust Casinos in all the licensed igaming states,” said Andy Whitworth, Chief Executive Officer, White Hat Studios. “It’s a real testament to our content that FanDuel has entrusted us as a valued partner.”

Moreover, the new deal expands FanDuel’s online casino and online poker offerings for brands like FanDuel Casino, Stardust Casino, PokerStars and Mohegan Sun Casino in legal igaming markets in New Jersey, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and West Virginia.

“We’re thrilled to bring White Hat’s Jackpot Royale product and games to our FanDuel players” added Andrew Gradwell, VP of Product, FanDuel Group. “Providing exciting and innovative experiences is part of our mission – we can’t wait to see what our players think.” 

White Hat’s partnership follows on from its similar content partnership with Golden Nugget Online Gaming earlier this month. 

The agreement saw White Hat Studios supply its slots, jackpots, full house and additional content from its product suite to GoldenNuggetCasino.com players in several US states.

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Bringing in excess of 19 years of experience in the gaming sector, including c-level and director roles at Entain, NetEnt and SG Digital, the move is said to illustrate “the importance of the division to White Hat Gaming’s continued growth stateside”.

Launched in 2021, and created via the acquisition of an RGS, brand and gaming catalogue from Blueprint Gaming, White Hat Studios offers hundreds of slots, jackpots, RNG, table and instant-win titles, with a roadmap to consistently deliver new games and jackpot mechanics. Operators can also expect to benefit from slot and table content specifically designed to appeal to US players.

As the anticipated White Hat Studios go-live date approaches, the division has also made a number of high-level changes to the existing team and has welcomed several new starters, including Armen Tatarevic, who will be leading the account management team in the US.

“Our goal is to become one of the top game suppliers in the US market, bringing not only high-quality content, but also high-quality service to our customers,” Whitworth stated.

“We have been going at an unprecedented speed, so it was important for us to follow up by carefully selecting the right people and build an industry-leading team at White Hat Studios.

“Combined with an exceptional portfolio of games, including our very own Jackpot Royale mechanic, which will inject life into the current online jackpot offering, as well as massive brands like Ted, Deal or No Deal and many more, we are very confident to hit our ambitious targets and shake up the market.”

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Under the terms of the deal, White Hat Studios will supply its slots, jackpots, full house and additional content from its product suite to GoldenNuggetCasino.com players in several US states. 

“We’re thrilled to partner with one of the leading operators in the US in Golden Nugget who are a leader in bringing the latest content to the market,” explained Andy Whitworth, CEO at White Hat Studios. “This is a huge step for us as we continue our expansion, and we can’t wait to see our content live with them.”

Moreover, as part of the deal, Golden Nugget Online Gaming is said to benefit from premium branded titles with “proven track records in mature European markets, which are sure to appeal to a North American audience”, including Ted, Deal or No Deal and Worms.

Warren Steven, VP, Product and Operations of Golden Nugget Online Gaming, added: “We’re excited to be partnering with White Hat Studios. We look forward to a wonderful partnership moving forward as we expand.”

The partnership with White Hat Studios follows on from Golden Nugget Online Gaming linking up with Pariplay after the Aspire Global content provider and aggregator struck a deal with GNOG at the back end of January. 

Lauding the then deal as a “major brand” with an “impressive reach”, the agreement saw the Pariplay’s Fusion aggregation solution go live across New Jersey, West Virginia, and Michigan, pending legislation and regulatory approvals. 

In addition, the deal follows on from the asset purchase of Blueprint Gaming’s portfolio of games for the US market last year.

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Following on from White Hat Gaming’s asset purchase of Blueprint Gaming’s catalogue of games and RGS for the US market, the new division will offer hundreds of slots, jackpots, RNG table and instant-win titles, with a roadmap that will consistently deliver new games and jackpot mechanics.

“We are delighted at the incredibly positive and enthusiastic response from operators to this new venture,” commented Andy Whitworth, chief commercial officer at White Hat Gaming. “We are moving at record pace and are excited to be able to offer content from one of Europe’s number-one suppliers to the US market for the first time.

“We cannot wait to offer our players top titles such as Eye of Horus and Ted, alongside Europe’s most popular jackpot product.”

White Hat Studios will go live with its first operators in Q1 2022, with planned state launches next year in Connecticut, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Operators in these states can also expect to benefit from promotional tools, localised slot and table content specifically designed for US players, as well as the ability to offer bespoke operator-branded slots and table content.

The standalone division will be a separate entity to White Hat Gaming’s PAM business and will combine experience from gaming suppliers, including NetEnt and Novomatic.

The launch of White Hat Studios from White Hat Gaming follows the company’s recent collaboration with Design Works Gaming which saw the latter’s entire portfolio of online casino content made available through the former’s platform.

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