The case has been put forward by New Jersey resident Julian Bargo, who revealed that he had lost more than $1,000 during play at a range of sweepstakes casinos.

Bargo brought forward Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organisations (RICO) Act charges as part of the case, over enabling the operations of the sweepstakes casinos at the centre of the charge. 

High 5 Casino, McLuck, Wow Vegas and CrownCoins Casino are all named as defendants in the case for allegedly offering an illegal gambling site.

Furthermore, the RICO also looks at the payment journey, with it including Apple, Apple Pay, Google and Google Pay.

Bargo alleges that sweepstakes casinos act without regulation or oversight and have “succeeded in misleading regulators about the true nature of their operations for far too long”.

Including Google and Apple in the case, Bargo cited that both stores benefit from a cut from profits of apps housed in their stores, including these social casinos.

Furthermore, at the centre of the claim is also the importance and prevalence of promotions that are “misleading and intended to deceive patrons into believing these sites are free to play”, according to the allegations. 

It comes following a backdrop of regulators, such as those of Michigan and Ohio, that have taken a hard stance on social casinos and other forms of unregulated gambling and sent several effective cease and desist letters to sweepstakes operators like those named in the suit.

In his claim, Bargo did acknowledge that the issue has sidelined several class action lawsuits against sweeps operators–binding arbitration.

Recent comments from the American Gaming Association (AGA) urged the need for more regulation of sweepstake casinos, emphasising that their rise could lead to significant risks for the sector. 

The body drew attention to the fact that sweepstake casinos are incredibly similar to that of regular casinos. However, in most circumstances these firms operate under a far less intense regulatory environment.

According to AGA, sweepstakes avoid regulations and licensing through a dual-currency system, however they do still ‘look and play like an online casino’. It warned that ‘the ‘opaque nature’ could also significantly elevate the risk of bad actors having an opportunity for illegal activity. 

AGA stated: “The lack of regulatory oversight presents many risks for consumers as well as the integrity and economic benefits of the legal gaming market through investment and tax contributions. These sweepstakes-based operators have weak (if any) responsible gaming protocols and few, if any, self-exclusion processes.”

The post Google and Apple become embroiled in New Jersey sweepstake case  appeared first on CasinoBeats.

The new legislation, he said, will see the removal of restrictions on In-App Purchasing (IAP), allowing third parties to use external payment for services as well as changes for external App Stores 

He explained: “Back in 2020, Spotify lodged a complaint against Apple to the European Commission Anti-Trust organisation, stating Apple IAP was anti-competitive and restrictive. An unnamed (but I suspect we can all guess) audiobook and e-reader retailer made a similar claim, and, although not considered directly, the Epic Games suit against brought in the US one can assume was on the periphery of the commission’s decision, brought in new legislation under the Digital Markets Act (DMA). 

“Fundamentally, under the DMA, Apple cannot mandate the use of IAP by app developers, allowing apps to access external payment services to top up or buy content. This, I think, overall is good for the industry, though, and we should be mindful of this. Apple has the right under the DMA to charge ‘commission’, and I suspect they will do this through the App Store submission process. We’ll have to wait and see on that one!” 

On external App Stores, Godfree stated: “Apparently, the restrictive practices that Apple applies to their ‘Guidelines’ (let’s face it, they are rules) under their review process are considered anti-competitive. Now I have to say that I disagree with this. 

As we have seen with Google, which now has a similar review process to Apple with their Play Store, both companies are trying to build trust and stop fraudulent apps from being installed on their platforms. With the significant increase in digital fraud, surely their approach should be applauded rather than maligned?” 

As for the implications for real-money gaming, Godfree said: “Well, the new Apple Guidelines have been published, and the original 4.7 section has subtly changed; importantly, section 5.3 has NOT changed, and critically, the issue of IAP never applied to the betting, gaming, and lottery (BGL) industries. So, ironically, the Digital Markets Act is somewhat irrelevant to us. 

“The original guideline requirement under 4.7.1 of ‘not provide access to real-money gaming’ has been removed. However, critically, this has been added to 4.7: ‘You are responsible for all such software offered in your app, including ensuring that such software complies with these guidelines and all applicable laws’.” 

Godfree’s interpretation is that the organisation submitting an app to the Apple App Store is responsible for all content that the app offers and, critically, within the BGL space, that it complies with all the Apple Guidelines and local applicable laws. 

He concluded: “So, provided your HTML5 casino games are licensed by an appropriate regulator (and thus comply with applicable laws), you are now free not to embed the content in the app – bye, bye ODR! 

“We are still waiting for full clarity from Apple. Part of their answer has been to submit an app and see what happens – which is exactly what we have just done – so we’ll see, but this does seem to be a 180 reversal of Apple’s original 2019 guideline change.”

The post mkodo’s Stuart Godfree: Apple App Store faces legislatory impact appeared first on CasinoBeats.

Found on both the Apple and Google Play store, Betr’s micro-betting app will initially be available nationwide as a free-to-play product, accessible in select states for real money betting over the coming months as it seeks to obtain licences and regulatory approvals throughout the US. 

“We are thrilled to announce the launch of the Betr app today,” said Joey Levy, Founder and CEO of Betr. “We view this free-to-play experience as a registration and onboarding platform to begin acquiring users mixed with an interactive tutorial for the future of sports betting. 

“While this is very much an initial version that will get considerably ‘betr’ over time, we believe the experience released today provides a glimpse into the future of sports betting in the US – an instant gratification focus to betting delivered in a simple, intuitive user experience that anyone can enjoy, even if they have not bet on sports before.”

The app also features a reimagined user interface layer, depicting the betting markets as more intuitive multiple-choice questions, while odds are displayed in easy to understand payout multiples to simplify the sports user betting experience.

In the free-to-play experience, users can wager coins which can be redeemed for real prizes.

Alex Ursa, Head of Product at Betr, explained: “The future of the sports betting industry is finally here. What we launched today is not a sportsbook – this is something new, different, and interesting – which is what this industry needs, given every other operator in the space is essentially offering the same commoditised legacy sportsbook product. 

“Betr is also the first betting app where someone who has never bet on sports before can dive right in and enjoy the experience with no learning curve and we are excited to finally be able to share it with the world.”

The post Levy promises app will get ‘betr’ following North America launch appeared first on CasinoBeats.

April saw several parts of the world begin to increasingly look forward to further loosing of long imposed COVID-19 restrictions, with England in particular seeing one aspect of the industry reopen as betting shops gained permission to resume action.

Mergers and acquisitions continued to form a key aspect of the gaming makeup, as Atari outlined its blockchain aspirations, Apple was hit with a casino-based class action lawsuit, and SG Digital looked to break the Megaways moud.

Feature of the month

The necessity of building and maintaining a strong network is a familiar construct among numerous industries, and is certainly one that is not lost in the gaming community.

However, among the multitude of strategies and expert tutorials on how best to achieve such a goal, is the question of: how much do you know you network? With this in mind, CasinoBeats takes a look under the hood, if you will, and has tasked the 100 Club in helping out.

First to step up to the plate was Glen Bullen, CCO of Digital Asset Management, who talked us through a coincidental entry into the industry, embracing challenges, and technological advancements.

In the news

First up for April was the news that Evolution was looking to add another significant member of the igaming establishment, with the company entering an agreement to purchase Big Time Gaming for a total consideration of up to €450m.

This came after it was found that Apple had been hit with a class action lawsuit in the US which alleged that the tech giant was breaking the anti-gambling laws of twenty-five states.

The lawsuit, filed by plaintiffs Joshua McDonald and Michael Helsel in the US District Court Northern District of California, San Francisco Division, claimed that the group had been profiting from illegal gambling games developed by DoubleU Games Co.

Over in Europe, and BOS, the Swedish trade association for online gambling, hit out at a further extension of the country’s temporary restrictions on the gaming industry until November 14, 2021.

The mandates, which came into play in July 2020 and had been consistently criticised by several throughout the industry, were initially slated to expire before the close of the year. A past extension, lasting until June 30, 2021, was branded troubling and illogical.

Caesars confirmed its long-awaited £2.9bn acquisition of William Hill, before confirming an intention to sell the non-US businesses currently owned by the group, including the UK and international online divisions and retail betting shops in a £2.2bn race that was eventually won by 888.

The UK also saw the Gambling Commission detail five core strategic objectives which it says will shape ongoing work during the coming years, those being protecting children and vulnerable people from being harmed by gambling; a fairer market and more informed consumers; keeping crime out of gambling; optimising returns to good causes from the National Lottery; and improving gambling regulation.

Elsewhere, as Kindred documented a decrease in the share of revenue that the group derives from harmful gambling to 3.9 per cent through Q1, Atari announced a corporate restructuring alongside the creation of two new divisions which are targeted towards continued growth across the gaming and blockchain ecosystems.

Recommended reading

As Perfect Potions Megaways made its global roll-out, SG Digital detailed an aim of breaking the norm of traditional titles which utilise the popular mechanic and that currently adorn many games lobbies.

“We’ve admired what some of the European studios have done in putting a twist on Megaways, such as Fantasma Games, who recently joined the OpenGaming network,” stated Rob Procter, content specialist director at the group.

“The developer has tinkered with the mechanic in unique ways and that inspired us to think outside the box as to what we could achieve.”

Furthermore, Michael Bauer, Greentube CFO and CGO, explained 2021 marked the start of a ‘new era’ for the supplier, discussing a business restructuring into three main verticals.

Videos of the month 

Betsson CEO Jesper Svensson talked to SBC’s Kelly Kehn on the firm’s move into Latin America and the change in work culture that COVID has brought to the company.

Martin Lycka, Paul Buck, and Liv Biesemans, joined Rasmus Sojmark on the Double Espresso Show to examine the situation around responsible gambling.

Martyn Lycka, SVP of regulatory affairs and responsible gambling at Entain, was joined on the Safe Bet Show by Alan Feldman, distinguished fellow of responsible gambling at UNLV, to shine a light on the battle against problem gambling.

The post April re-explored, featuring Evolution, Megaways, Caesars & Apple appeared first on CasinoBeats.

1.7

Betfred was ordered to pay £1.7m to a Lincolnshire man after High Court Judge Mrs Justice Foster ruled that the company didn’t have grounds to withhold a jackpot payment.

Andrew Green won the huge sum playing the Frankie Dettori’s Magic Seven Blackjack game via mobile on January 26, 2018, before an alleged software glitch led the gambling firm to withhold payment.

The company claimed that the defect made the game, which was provided by, and was the intellectual property of, Playtech, more likely to pay out higher sums in winnings than intended, and that this was covered in the game’s terms and conditions.

However, Justice Foster ruled that “I am of the clear view that these clauses in the terms and conditions are inadequate to exempt Betfred from the obligation to payout on an ostensibly winning bet or series of bets”.

Green, whose official winnings was £1,722,500.24, celebrated with family and friends to the tune of £2,500 following the triumph, with Justice Foster stating that when he contacted Betfred they “did not seek at this point to suggest other than that he was a big winner”.

18.6

Flutter Entertainment affirmed that it will “vigorously defend its position,” after the Fox Corporation confirmed that it has filed a lawsuit against the digital gambling giant over a stake in FanDuel Group.

Responding to media reports of the legal dispute, Fox, which has an option to acquire a stake in the US sports betting and gaming brand in July, said that it had made its move to acquire an 18.6 per cent ownership “for the same price that Flutter paid for that interest in December 2020”.

This saw Flutter increase its interests in FanDuel to 95 per cent after the acquisition of a $4.175bn (£3.131bn) 37.2 per cent share in the group that was previously held by KKR-led consortium Fastball Holdings.

Responding to the legal manoeuvres, Flutter has labelled Fox’s position as “incorrect” and “without merit,” stating that it would “represent a windfall to Fox compared to the fair market valuation as of July 2021”.

25

Apple was hit with a class action lawsuit in the United States which alleges that the tech giant is breaking the anti-gambling laws of twenty-five states.

The lawsuit, filed by plaintiffs Joshua McDonald and Michael Helsel in the US District Court Northern District of California, San Francisco Division, alleges that the group has been profiting from illegal gambling games developed by DoubleU Games Co.

The plaintiffs are seeking statutory damages and costs, as well as the implementation of an injunction prohibiting Apple from taking part in the allegedly illegal acts. A jury trial is also demanded.

The suit alleges that ‘Apple permits and facilitates illegal gambling by operating as an unlicensed casino,’ citing the use of in-game currencies as a major contributing factor.

2021

The UK Gambling Commission outlined five core strategic objectives which it says will shape ongoing work during the coming years in striving to “make gambling fairer and safer”.

The regulator has detailed its vision for the next three years in its Corporate Strategy, published alongside its 2021/22 Business Plan, which sets out a continued focus on protecting the public and players from harm.

Confirming comments made by Tim Miller, executive director of the UKGC, in a keynote address to the CMS Virtual Gambling Conference last week, the new strategy will be delivered through five priority areas.

These are protecting children and vulnerable people from being harmed by gambling; a fairer market and more informed consumers; keeping crime out of gambling; optimising returns to good causes from the National Lottery; and improving gambling regulation.

80

The European Gaming and Betting Association welcomed the introduction of the Netherlands’ long-awaited Remote Gambling Act as a “significant achievement,” however, channelisation warnings have been issued.

The April 1 debut, which the trade association says “brings the Netherlands into line with other EU countries,” means potential licence holders are now able to submit applications to the Dutch Gambling Authority, Kansspeelautoriteit, ahead of market opening on October 1. The Ksa expects to issue 35 licenses.

In welcoming the move, the EGBA adds that it is “pleased that the new regulations focus on achieving a high-level of consumer protection and acknowledge the consumer-centric nature of online gambling by allowing a broad scope of online gambling products”.

However, the group warns that “significant concerns remain,” most notably that of an objective to achieve 80 per cent channelisation of the newly regulated market within three years.

21

A new report from Gamstop highlighted the number of bettors utilising the self-exclusion tool during February has increased by 21 per cent, according to the Guardian.

The national self-exclusion scheme now has nearly 200,000 sign-ups, with 326 new registrants recorded on 22 February, a single-day record for the charity.

Additionally, Gamstop pointed to the number of registrants who attempted to bet after signing up to the self-exclusion service as evidence that blocking software is not a ‘silver bullet’ for preventing gambling related harm.

Overall, the Guardian has reported that 49,328 out of a possible 177,039 self-excluded gamblers attempted to bet but were stopped from doing so due to their registration with Gamstop.

6

Holland Casino confirmed that six of its properties are to welcome back a select number of patrons later this month, as the group participates in the country’s pilot events programme.

The move comes after a series of extended closure orders have been mandated by the country’s government, the most recent of which came in March and will continue to apply up to, and including, Tuesday 20 April.

However, the latest update from the operator will see its casinos in Enschede, Venlo and Breda open on Saturday 24 April, with Amsterdam West, Utrecht and Leeuwarden, set to follow suit the following day.

Holland Casino’s remaining branches in Amsterdam Center, Rotterdam, Scheveningen, Zandvoort, Groningen, Nijmegen, Valkenburg, and Eindhoven, will remain unaffected and shutdown.

The post Legal battles, UKGC objectives & channelisation: <br> the week in numbers appeared first on CasinoBeats.

The lawsuit, filed by plaintiffs Joshua McDonald and Michael Helsel in the US District Court Northern District of California, San Francisco Division, alleges that the group has been profiting from illegal gambling games developed by DoubleU Games Co.

The plaintiffs are seeking statutory damages and costs, as well as the implementation of an injunction prohibiting Apple from taking part in the allegedly illegal acts. A jury trial is also demanded.

The suit alleges that ‘Apple permits and facilitates illegal gambling by operating as an unlicensed casino,’ citing the use of in-game currencies as a major contributing factor.

It reads that, upon downloading and opening the DoubleU Casino Apps, consumers are given free ‘coins’ or ‘chips’ to begin, which, upon depleting, prompts the ‘use of real money to purchase additional coins or chips for the chance to continue playing the game’.

It adds: “consumers do not have the ability to collect actual cash as a result of ‘winning’ games, but they do have the ability to win and therefore acquire more playing time”.

As a result, it is suggested that ‘paying money in a game for a chance to win more playing time violates the antigambling laws of the twenty-five states that are at issue in this case’.

These are Alabama, Arkansas; Connecticut; Georgia; Illinois; Indiana; Kansas; Massachusetts; Minnesota; Mississippi; Missouri; Montana; New Hampshire; New Jersey; New Mexico; New York; Ohio; Oregon; South Carolina; South Dakota; Tennessee; Vermont; Virginia; Washington; and West Virginia.

McDonald is said to have made a coin purchase in the amount $4.99, with Helsel detailing five separate coin purchases, each in the amount of $107.99. Both seek to recover money paid and lost due to gambling on the DoubleU Casino App.

The suit also cites a study which states that free-to-play ‘casino gamers share many similar sociodemographic characteristics (e.g., employment, education, income) with online gamblers,’ and which adds ‘the purchase of virtual credits or virtual items makes the activity of [free-to-play] casino gaming more similar to gambling’.

In addition to alleging that individuals in the US lost approximately $3.5bn playing free-to-play apps in the US in 2019, the filing continues: “Since Apple is responsible, in part, for the creation or development of the DoubleU Casino Apps and provides the sole means by which DoubleU Casino Apps developers can offer distribute, and sell their DoubleU Casino Apps to Apple consumers (i.e., through the App Store), Apple functions as an information content provider for the subject DoubleU Casino Apps. Accordingly, Apple actively enables, permits, promotes, and profits from illegal gambling”.

The post Apple hit with class action regarding ‘unlicensed casino’ allegations appeared first on CasinoBeats.

Set to come into force on Tuesday 3 September, Apple has made the decision to update clause 4.7 in its guidelines to specifically include real money gambling, lottery, charitable donation and digital commerce apps.

The updated guideline now specifically stipulate that from September 3, “HTML5 games distributed in apps may not provide access to real money gaming or lotteries,” with the key item being that real money games have to be included in the binary.

As a result this has forced a large number of operators to update their content to be iOS native, or risk getting removed from the App Store in just less than a month.

Regarding the current moves  Playtech states that it “has been offering customers a native casino app for 3 years but has seen a sharp increase in interest in native products since the change in guidelines was announced in June”. 

The product line includes a selection of fully native gaming content and compiled games, allowing customers to build native apps that are iOS compatible using a software development kit.

Furthermore, the casino app also encapsulates all back-end functionality usually offered to operators, including integration with Playtech’s engagement 360 platform, compatibility with third party gamification tools and the BetBuddy responsible gambling platform.

Peter Mares, CTO of Playtech Games Innovation Labs, stated: “These changes have created yet another Apple-shaped hoop for operators to jump through. Luckily, we have been in the game for a very long time and understand that in order to succeed, we need to provide a solution that is guaranteed to help our licensees continue operating as usual. 

“To this end, we’re pleased to be able to support our customers in their preparation with a core, native-first product line, including a selection of fully native gaming content and natively compiled games.”

The post Playtech rolls out native-first product line as App Store changes loom appeared first on CasinoBeats.

Co-founded by a pair of ex-PokerStars stalwarts, Kambi has aligned with the firm to integrate a sportsbook platform, with digital product studio Shape charged with delivering a native, mobile-first gaming entity that meets Apple’s strict new guidelines for entry to its App Store.

Morten Tonnesen, co-founder and CEO, has been speaking to CasinoBeats regarding establishing the brand and how BetWarrior intends to best resonate with its target audience amid such fierce competition: “I had worked for many years, alongside my BetWarrior co-founder José Del Pino, at PokerStars, and that gave us a front-row seat from which to observe the changing landscape of the global gaming industry,” he says.

“Two things really jumped out at us. Firstly, that while gaming has been moving onto the mobile channel at breakneck speed for a decade now, the products haven’t kept pace. The industry is still awash with legacy platforms that fail to deliver a true, fully native mobile user experience.

“These newly-regulating markets will be fast-growing but without the competition you see in the mature markets”

“Secondly, regulated gaming is finally going global, and that opens up an unprecedented opportunity for those which can better adapt to new markets in Latin America, Africa and beyond.

“We felt that, combined, these two observations provided a once-in-a-generation opportunity to build an igaming brand and platform that could redefine the sector, and we’ve set up BetWarrior to achieve exactly that.”

Adding: “We are initially launching in regulated markets in Latin America and Europe. Latin America is a particularly interesting region right now. Since Colombia regulated a couple of years ago, the market has been growing very impressively, and other jurisdictions, including Brazil and Buenos Aires, are making swift progress towards introducing new frameworks.

“These newly-regulating markets will be fast-growing but without the competition you see in the mature markets of western Europe. This presents a major opportunity for a young operator and platform such as ourselves to define the standard.

“For many customers in these markets, playing online casino or placing a bet on football on a mobile phone will be an alien concept. So, this gives us a chance to offer something completely new and focused on a new generation of mobile player.”

“The industry is still awash with legacy platforms that fail to deliver a true, fully native mobile user experience”

The advancement of mobile is very much front and centre of the BetWarrior mantra, with the new guidelines introduced by Apple pinpointed as a particular advantage point, especially as difficulties could have been created for certain operators who may be stuck on legacy platforms that lack the agility to adapt.

Despite being an industry buzzword for many a year, Tonnesen remains confident that BetWarrior can deliver on a promise that he believes no-one else really has: “While many operators have tried to modernise, most have decided on technology that is easier to deliver and reuse across platforms ie. HTML5 technology, as well as a mindset that defined mobile as simply an adaptation of what came before, rather than building a quality experience for the specific platform. 

“This approach is already looking outdated. Just see the recent announcement from Apple, which will require games to be fully native and built into the app by September 4, 2019. Those that don’t comply will not be permitted in the App Store, and a number of operators will be caught cold. 

“With BetWarrior, we have mobile at the very core of our proposition. Everything we have built is fully native. Simply put, this can deliver an experience that hasn’t been seen before, from bespoke, personalised content to the most intuitive user interface ever seen in the gaming sector.”

Despite attempting to gain ground in a bustling industry, as previously alluded to, Tonneson outlines why it isn’t just a case of building upon his and Pino’s success but drawing upon experience across numerous industries: “We’ve moved to assemble a team at BetWarrior which doesn’t just build upon our own experience, but draws upon expertise from new fields such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, so we can fully realise our vision.

“We have set ourselves up to be faster and more agile than the competition”

“Obviously, it is not a simple task to attempt a disruption of an industry as large as online gaming, but we have significant investment, world-class partners and some of the best talent in the space.

“We see big opportunities in terms of delivering an agile platform that can better adapt to the particular requirements of a diverse range of markets, and we feel this will give us a head start versus legacy operators and suppliers.”

Concluding with a brief outlook on how BetWarrior proposes to enjoy sustained success: “We have set ourselves up to be faster and more agile than the competition. Our platform is best-in-class and more adaptable than anything I have ever worked with. We see it being suitable for roll-out in both newly-regulating markets and more established jurisdictions. 

“It is packed with personalisation features which enable us to deliver a fully bespoke experience to a customer, whether they are logging on in Bogata or Berlin. This is the future of gaming and we want to be at the very centre of it.”

The post BetWarrior: ‘This is the future of gaming and <br> we want to be at the very centre of it’ appeared first on CasinoBeats.

Via the single integration, CasinoEngine enables operators or platform suppliers access to its portfolio of 8,000 titles from in excess of 140 providers.

Stian Hornsletten, co-founder of EveryMatrix and CasinoEngine CEO, explained: “We are very impressed by the work done by BetWarrior. Working together with such a promising brand confirms once again that CasinoEngine is the go-to content provider for the industry.

“Our solution meets their casino content need and we are delighted to help them secure their rightful place as an innovative operator with a fresh and ingenious approach. Our large selection of world-beating content provides them with the most appealing games for their target markets.” 

Co-founded by Morten Tonnesen and Jose del Pino, former PokerStars executives, BetWarrior aims to proceed with a data-led approach, utilising artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques to deliver localised and personalised gaming experiences.

Tonnesen commented: “World class casino content is at the heart of our strategy here at BetWarrior, so partnering with EveryMatrix was very much a priority.

“We are committed to delivering a revolutionary, mobile-first experience, and the EveryMatrix team has been extremely easy to work with towards this goal. BetWarrior’s fully native mobile platform is a game changer for the sector, and we look forward to building a long-lasting and mutually beneficial partnership with EveryMatrix.”

Last month BetWarrior entered into a partnership alongside digital product studio Shape, to deliver a native, mobile-first gaming platform that meets Apple’s strict new guidelines for entry to its App Store. 

Coming into force in September 2019, the new set of guidelines forwarded by Apple do not permit wrapped HTML5 real-money games, instead insisting that all titles are built into the app itself.

The post BetWarrior gains igaming boost through CasinoEngine appeared first on CasinoBeats.

Already live in Latin America under its own brand, the organisation states that it is locked in discussion with a number of operators regarding platform deals.

Coming with a 100 per cent focus towards the mobile customer experience, the platform strives to leverage the latest in machine-learning and artificial intelligence, to provide a data-led product that reduces barriers while making it easier to personalise content and promotions.

Complete with a “very exciting roadmap of features,” it will, most importantly, not fall foul of Apple’s new guidelines coming into force in September 2019, which do not permit wrapped HTML5 real-money games, instead insisting that all titles are built into the app itself.

Morten Tonnesen, co-founder and CEO of BetWarrior, commented: “Apple’s new guidelines will create difficulties for operators stuck on legacy platforms that lack the agility to adapt. This is a constant theme for those looking to enter newly-regulating markets across the world.

“This is why we have invested heavily, and worked closely with Shape, to build a new type of gaming platform that is native mobile and can deliver a much richer customer experience – the same goal that Apple has with its new guidelines.

“With our platform already live under the BetWarrior brand, we are looking forward to growing both our consumer and B2B footprints over the coming months.”

Nicolas Linde, partner at Shape, added: “The recent announcement from Apple has rightly caused concern among those operating legacy products that will fall foul of the new guidelines.

“But this change is not a great surprise for us at Shape. Apple has previously indicated a preference for native applications, and we believe the medium offers a more immersive experience for the player.

“This is why we have focused on building a best-in-class native mobile application for the igaming sector, and we are delighted to see it rolled out by such an innovative and exciting new partner as BetWarrior.”

The post BetWarrior recruits Shape for Apple-friendly app appeared first on CasinoBeats.