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World Series of Poker Unveils Complete Daily Event Schedule for 2023
The richest, most prestigious and longest-running poker series – the World Series of Poker® (WSOP®) – announced the daily event schedule for its 2023 tournament, which is shaping up to be the biggest and best WSOP of all time with a tournament schedule poised to shatter previous records. The 54th annual WSOP returns to the Las Vegas Strip at Horseshoe Las Vegas and Paris Las Vegas from May 30 to July 18, 2023, offering more tables, more variety and the largest slate of bracelet events ever scheduled in its rich history.
The 2023 WSOP builds on the momentum of a 2022 tournament that saw 197,626 entrants from more than 100 countries and a record-breaking $347.9 million total prize pool in its new home. This summer’s event will feature the biggest capacity in series history with 608 tables spread across more than 200,000 square feet of convention space, 24/7 live cash game action including a brand-new permanent World Series of Poker Hall of Fame® Poker Room, and the first-ever $300 price point tournament in WSOP history.
The centerpiece of the summer will be the $10,000 No-Limit Hold’em World Championship, best known as “The Main Event®,” which returns July 3-17 following 2022’s 8,663 entrants, the second-largest field in the history of live poker.
“With the momentum generated from the WSOP’s debut on the Las Vegas Strip last year, we expect a record-breaking WSOP and World Championship at Paris and Horseshoe Las Vegas in 2023,” said Ty Stewart, SVP & Executive Director of the WSOP. “If the Main Event is on your bucket list, this is the year to get to Vegas.”
After falling just short of the Main Event record in 2022, organizers have put together a vast new series of promotions under the theme of “Main Event Mania” to eclipse the record field set in 2006, including:
600 Main Event Seats Guaranteed from GGPoker: The world’s biggest poker room and exclusive WSOP satellite partner GGPoker has stepped up to offer 500 guaranteed Main Event seats on GGPoker through international qualifiers and another 100 seats on the ClubGG.net subscription site. The 600 total seats or $6,000,000 in prize pool represents an increase that more than doubles GGPoker’s official qualifiers from the 2022 series. Online satellites will begin in March.
Main Event Mania at Casinos Worldwide: 2023 will see the WSOP’s first-ever Global Qualification Weekend on May 20-21 at live poker rooms on five continents around the world. Just before the start of the WSOP in Las Vegas, poker rooms around the globe will join forces to offer Guaranteed Seat satellite tournaments to send players to the 2023 Main Event. Each poker room will offer a “step” tournament at a $140 buy-in and a culminating mega of $1,175 awarding a guaranteed seat and travel stipend to Las Vegas.
Additional hosts will be announced, but resorts already committed to hosting Main Event Mania the weekend of May 20-21 in the United States include Harrah’s Cherokee, Horseshoe Las Vegas, Horseshoe Tunica, Horseshoe St. Louis, Harrah’s Pompano, Turning Stone Casino, Hard Rock Tulsa, Grand Victoria Casino (Elgin, Ill.) and Horseshoe Council Bluffs. International partners, spanning four different continents, confirmed to host “Main Event Mania” include: King’s Resort (Czech Republic), Club Pierre Charron Paris (France), Deerfoot Inn & Casino Calgary (Canada), Enjoy Punta del Este Resort and Casino (Uruguay), and Casino Es Saadi Marrakech (Morocco).
WSOP’s 112 Seat Sprint: As the poker world descends upon Las Vegas, WSOP becomes the best place to qualify for the 2023 Main Event. From June 25 to July 8, a whopping 112 Main Event seats will be guaranteed on WSOP Online. The sprint to the record will begin on Sunday, June 25 with 10 seats being guaranteed per day. The centerpiece $250,000 guarantee, 25 Seat Scramble highlights the festivities and will take place on Sunday, July 2. The effort culminates with a last-chance drawing for the final seat in the Main Event on Saturday, July 8. In addition, “All-In” satellites from $80 to $126 will run daily from June 25 to July 8 with no fees.
WSOP Online Bracelet Events: Popular WSOP Online Bracelet events are back, including every Sunday during the summer, with three special “Double Up Bracelet Days” on June 4, June 25, and July 9. The schedule is highlighted by exciting events including the $500 Summer Saver, a $3,200 High Roller, and the signature $1,000 NLHE Online Championship. New events also include a $300 Summer Kick-Off and a $5,300 High Roller Championship Event that will have the final table played live in Las Vegas slated during WSOP Online’s Championship Week.
Main Event for Life: If the Main Event record is broken, all entrants in the field will be placed into a drawing that awards a non-transferrable Main Event buy-in for the next 30 years. The drawing will utilize each player’s Caesars Rewards number and would be held on Saturday, July 8.
Horseshoe Las Vegas is hosting the WSOP for the first time since its rebrand from Bally’s Las Vegas, symbolizing the series’ return to its roots, as the first-ever tournament was hosted at Las Vegas’ original Horseshoe in 1970. As an ode to this legacy, the resort recently opened a first-of-its-kind WSOP Hall of Fame Poker room which will host select WSOP tournaments during this summer’s series and soon feature a WSOP Hall of Fame exhibit as an homage to the legendary players and the iconic trophies of the sport.
Daily Deep Stack tournaments will once again run every day from June 1 to July 17, with buy-ins ranging from $200 to $400. In addition, Daily Mega Satellites will happen from May 31 to July 14 with buy-ins starting at $135 and topping off at $25,000. The WSOP main cage will again be placed at Paris Las Vegas while the TV set staging for the Final Table will be at Horseshoe Las Vegas as the two buildings are connected and share a parking garage.
CBS Sports returns for a third season as broadcast partner of the WSOP with daily streaming also available on PokerGo. More details on bracelet events and 2023 Main Event coverage will be announced soon.
When booking early, entrants of the WSOP bracelet events can enjoy reduced hotel room rates at Horseshoe and Paris, as well as all Caesars Entertainment resorts in Las Vegas by using the special advanced booking code “WSOP23”. Rates are based on availability and are subject to change.
New and Noteworthy:
WSOP’s Tournament of Champions Moves to Kickoff Week: May 31-June 2 – The $1,000,000 freeroll Tournament of Champions is back but is now positioned at the beginning of the schedule. The 2023 field will be limited to those winning a WSOP Circuit ring at a live event or during a GGPoker.net online circuit from July 20, 2022 to May 22, 2023, as well as winners from WSOP Online 2022 and WSOP Europe 2022. Registration for the 2023 Tournament of Champions will open on Tuesday, May 30 at 9:00 a.m. and 2023 bracelet winners will be eligible for the 2024 tournament.
$1,000 Buy-In Mystery Millions: May 31-June 5 – A fan-favorite from 2022, the $1,000 Million Dollar Bounty returns as Mystery Millions but with a guaranteed first place and a guaranteed $1,000,000 top bounty. Featuring a mystery bounty for up to $1 million that players draw for, this begins as a regular tournament with those who advance to day two claiming the bounty of players they knock out. Each player who knocks someone out also gets an additional prize bounty.
$300 Buy-In Gladiators of Poker – An event for everyone with the most affordable price point on this year’s schedule and it offers a $3,000,000 guaranteed prize pool.
Key Operational Notes:
Online Registration: To avoid queues and congestion, WSOP encourages players to utilize the online/mobile registration process to sign-up for events, allowing players to register and pay online. WSOP uses BravoPokerLive to manage online/mobile registrations. Players who register online will need to visit the Champagne Ballroom located in the Le Centre Des Conventions in Paris Las Vegas and have their identification validated. Once verified, players can simply pick event(s) online via Bravo, utilize the self-service kiosks located throughout the Paris and Horseshoe convention centers to print their seat cards, and go directly to their table. Registration will open in May. WSOP will announce to the public when it is live.
In-Person Registration: The main registration area will be located in the Champagne Ballroom with more stations added to both the main registration and VIP cages. Hours of operation begin Tuesday, May 30 at 9:00 a.m. and will remain open 24 hours a day non-stop through Tuesday, July 18. Guests are required to present valid photo identification, along with their Caesars Rewards card and payment to enter events.
Caesars Rewards (CR): The location will be in the Champagne Ballroom near the main and VIP registration cages for players to obtain loyalty cards. Caesars Rewards kiosks will also be available for players to reprint their card without having to visit a CR representative.
Methods of Payment for WSOP Events: Cash, credit/debit cards (Visa, MasterCard, Discover or American Express), ACH, wire transfers or cashier’s checks drawn from the registrant’s accredited bank account and made out to Participant or Paris, Paris or Horseshoe gaming chips, Paris Tournament Buy-In Chips, or Tournament Buy-In Credit are all acceptable forms of payment for 2023 WSOP. Additional fees will be incurred on all ACH/credit/debit card transactions. Participants using credit/debit cards must have a valid ID that matches the cardholder’s name present on the credit card used for the transaction.
WSOP Tournament Account: Players can wire in funds for WSOP events or place money on account when they arrive. After setting up an account at the WSOP Main Cage in the Champagne Ballroom, the player will have the option to register online or via mobile device for WSOP tournaments with the funds used to initiate the account and simply print seat card(s) at one of the kiosks – avoiding the need to use the registration line to enter events.
Payouts – Players collect their winnings at the WSOP Main Cage in the Champagne Ballroom. Players can request one of the following methods of payment: cash, wire transfer, casino chips, check, or tournament account deposit. Those who have a Bravo Tournament Buy-In Account can direct funds back to their account.
International Players Applying for an ITIN: International players are required to bring an additional form of identification that shows residential address, such as a signed lease agreement, a utility bill or a mobile phone bill.
Satellites for WSOP gold bracelet events have begun on WSOP and will run continuously through the event. Outside the U.S., the WSOP has deepened its partnership with GGPoker who has exclusivity to run satellite packages to the WSOP. More details to be announced soon.
Deposits for WSOP will now be located just past the Payouts & Player Services in the Champagne Ballroom, which were previously located at the Rio in the Lambada Room.
To view important details about this year’s event, visit WSOP. This page will be live leading up to and during the event, where players can find all relevant information about the WSOP. Structure sheets for each individual event are expected to be posted on WSOP beginning in March.
Players must bring with them valid government-issued picture identification with current residential address, as well as a secondary form of ID (like a bill or statement confirming address). Players residing outside the United States must have a valid passport, in addition to another form of credible identification that includes address information.
The schedule, events, start times, end times and locations of events are subject to change. Tournament chips have no cash value. Winners will be required to provide a valid picture ID. Tax forms will be completed for those with winnings in excess of $5,000 net of event buy-in. Players without a Tax Identification Number and foreign players from non-tax treaty countries are subject to up to 30 percent tax withholding.
WSOP reserves the right to cancel, change or modify the tournament or any tournament event, in part or in whole, without notice.
Sports Information Services (SIS), the leading multi-content supplier of 24/7 live betting services, and Premier Greyhound Racing (PGR), the media rights company supplier of greyhound racing to the betting industry and direct to viewers, have collaborated to offer a revised race time schedule starting from 20 May.
Designed to protect the long-term future of UK greyhound racing, the new schedule will see morning fixtures start slightly later – moving from 10.47 to 11.01 and 10.54 to 11.09. Additionally, there will also be a slightly later start time for some evening fixtures aimed at a retail audience, with the first evening fixture now starting at 18.08.
Commenting on the improved schedule, Terry Mahoney, Head of Business Development at ARC, said: “The new race times will help make it easier for customers to navigate busy racing schedules as well as improving operations trackside. We will continue to listen, monitor, and adapt schedules where and when needed as we move forward to deliver the best service possible for betting operators as well as punters.”
Paul Witten, Managing Director at SIS, added: “We are passionate about delivering a greyhound racing service that benefits all of the sport’s stakeholders. Together with Premier Greyhound Raxing, we have introduced a revised racing schedule that benefits operators and their customers.
“Our approach to greyhound racing is grounded in sustainability and flexibility. This collaboration with fellow service providers allows everyone to enjoy all the high-quality action produced on a daily basis from tracks across the UK and Ireland.”
SIS has long-term agreements in place with bet365, William Hill, Paddy Power and Betfred to deliver its greyhound content across UK and Irish retail and digital channels. SIS also promotes this content across dozens of leading international operators, as well as through SISRacing.tv.
PGR offers greyhound action, cards, video replays, results, news and info on greyhounds.attheraces.com, and regular live broadcasts on Sky Sports Racing. Premier Greyhound Racing is a joint venture between Arena Racing (ARC) and Entain, the global sports betting, gaming and interactive entertainment group. Between them, the two companies own nine of the 20 licensed British greyhound tracks and ARC manage the media rights for five independent tracks.
The post SIS and Premier Greyhound Racing reveal improved greyhound race time schedule appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
By Lorenzo Nardini, Head of Technical Compliance and Maths Services
In the dynamic world of online gaming, data plays a pivotal role. Databases containing personal and financial information, often referred to as “Safe” databases, serve as the backbone of any gaming platform.
In this short article, I focus on control databases (CDBs) – that is how Safe databases are referred to in the Dutch landscape – and why it is important to ensure their completeness, accuracy, and consistency through continuous data quality review. In any case, the topics here covered apply to most regulated markets.
Control databases contain critical information related to player accounts, financial transactions, game rules, and security protocols. Essentially, they ensure the smooth functioning of the entire gaming ecosystem. It is no wonder that the Dutch regulator (KSA) enforces specific technical regulations on them and often perform audits on these systems that can result also in fines in cases errors are detected.
Data quality review checks
Data quality review checks play a pivotal role in maintaining the integrity of control databases, ensuring continuous compliance. Here are some key reasons why they are essential:
- Accuracy and Consistency: Control databases handle vast amounts of data, including player profiles, game logs, and financial records. Ensuring accurate and consistent data is crucial for fair gameplay, financial transparency, and regulatory compliance.
- Player Experience: Imagine a player losing progress due to a database glitch or loss of connectivity. Such incidents can lead to frustration and loss of trust. Data quality checks ensure that the control database is correctly functional, and the information therein contained can be used to handle such incomplete games, enhancing the overall player experience.
- Regulatory Compliance: Gaming companies must adhere to strict regulations regarding data privacy, security, and fairness. Regular reviews ensure compliance with industry standards and legal requirements.
Most importantly, regular reviews can help gaming companies reducing the risk of an unsuccessful audit that could typically lead to a fine and negative PR.
Ideally, data quality reviews should be ongoing. Real-time monitoring is crucial for identifying issues promptly. Additionally, scheduled audits—monthly or quarterly—help catch any long-term discrepancies or trends.
Key areas of data quality reviews
When performing checks on the quality of CDBs, the following are the main areas to consider:
- Data Completeness: Ensure that all necessary fields are populated correctly. Missing or incomplete data can lead to errors downstream.
- Data Accuracy: Cross-check data against reliable sources. For example, player balances should match financial records.
- Data Consistency: Verify consistency across different databases and systems. Inconsistencies can cause confusion and operational inefficiencies.
Starting from the specific Dutch case and then expanding to other markets, here at ComplianceOne Group we have developed a data quality review service using our experience in dealing with this form of analysis. Leveraging feedback obtained directly from regulators, we created a testing procedure that performs the following:
- Tests on triggering reports from staging environment. We access the client’s staging environment with test accounts and perform actions that are aimed at triggering specific reports in the control database. We then check that these have been correctly generated and that they contain all necessary information, checking their accuracy against the back-office.
- Data quality tests on production environment. We download a large number of reports directly from production and run a battery of tests that we have designed and that is tailored specifically at checking completeness and consistency of the information contained in the control database.
All findings are promptly reported to the client and, if needed, we can assist with solving any issues found.
Conclusion
When I started being exposed to control databases, I understood that for many this is a very technical area and that maintaining this environment functioning correctly can be quite cumbersome. Nevertheless, a commitment to data quality is a necessary for ensuring continuous compliance of gaming platforms. If you are interested in running regular data quality reviews, or even just a one-time overall check, contact me and I will be happy to assist!
The post The Importance of Data Quality Review Checks in the Gaming Industry appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
7777 gaming, a leading provider of digital gaming solutions, has announced a significant strategic partnership with Scientific Games a global leader in retail and digital lottery games, technology, analytics and services, to deliver digital lottery games through the SG Content Hub Partner Program.
The SG Content Hub Partner Program is a unique platform and game content partnership program featuring an expanding, highly curated selection of iLottery games from best-in-class, game studios worldwide in a variety of play styles appealing to all player types in multiple languages, as well as access to select licensed properties from the largest licensed brands portfolio in the lottery industry. Scientific Games currently serves 150 lotteries in 50 countries.
Elena Shaterova, Chief Commercial Officer at 7777 gaming, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership: “Partnering with Scientific Games represents a significant milestone for 7777 gaming, solidifying our position as a global leader in digital lottery solutions. Through this collaboration, we are poised to deliver unparalleled gaming experiences to players worldwide, driving innovation and growth in the lottery industry.”
Steve Hickson, VP of Digital Games at Scientific Games commented: “We are delighted to welcome yet another top-class lottery game studio to the SG Content Hub Partner Program. The addition of 7777 gaming and their fantastic games aligns perfectly with our goal to make a variety of digital lottery content available to existing and new Scientific Games customers. Our SG Content Hub Partner Program is developing at pace as we continue to provide our customers with frictionless access to the very best content in the industry.”
The SG Content Hub Partner Program offers a one-stop solution for accessing multiple iLottery game studios, seamlessly integrating with a lottery’s existing gaming systems and iLottery technology. It streamlines operations, simplifies tech integrations, and enhances data analytics to drive game development and iLottery portfolio management.
7777 gaming is renowned for its ability to deliver high-quality iLottery games tailored to the unique requirements of different lotteries. The company ensures that its game content meets stringent government regulations and operators’ expectations for customization. With custom-made lottery concepts, 7777 gaming guarantees enhanced player satisfaction and fosters a deeper sense of connection and loyalty to the brand.
The post 7777 gaming signs a strategic iLottery content deal with Scientific Games appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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