Industry News
Kutt Secures $1 Million+ in Funding and Surpasses 10,000 Users
Kutt, the leading social betting platform, announced that it closed the first quarter of 2024 with a successful fundraise of over $1 million and that it has surpassed the 10,000 user mark. The company also commissioned a study of 1000 bettors that clearly defines what social betting is and what users want — further cementing its ownership of the space.
“Betting has been a social activity for thousands of years, so it’s no surprise that consumers want the ability to facilitate and track wagers against their friends. If anything, bettors unquestionably prefer a more curated, social experience — they want to be part of a wider community and to be part of the conversation around sports, entertainment, and important events,” Sim Harmon, CEO and founder of Kutt, said.
While sports betting has boomed across the country since the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) was overturned in 2018, established gambling companies have largely stuck to the tried-and-true format sportsbooks have been using for decades — traditional sports bets against the house. But consumer desire to experience more has increased as the betting industry has matured, with 82% of bettors interested in wagering directly against their friends and other individuals through a decentralized platform, according to Kutt’s recently commissioned survey.
The survey found that, in addition to Kutt’s traditional offerings, an overwhelming majority of bettors (80%) are interested in wagering on non-sporting events, with 77% wanting to bet on entertainment, 62% interested in wagering on politics, and 60% with a desire to bet on life events. Kutt allows users to wager with friends on any event with publicly verifiable results, making it the ultimate “put your money where your mouth is” destination for fans. The survey also shed light on some compelling aspects and trends among current bettors, including:
- A higher percentage of bettors surveyed placed a wager with a friend in the past year (61%) vs. a sportsbook (60%)
- More than half of U.S. bettors (54%) have betting group chats with friends
- A majority of U.S. bettors (60%) text their friends about the progress of a bet while watching a game.
Adding further validity to the findings of the survey and the demand for a real-money social betting experience is Kutt’s recent $1 million+ institutional fundraise, led by Lightning Capital, a firm that invests in digital assets and online communities. The investment will fuel initiatives aimed at growing the Kutt community, enhancing user experiences, and expanding betting markets.
“We look for emerging companies in high-growth industries to invest in. Kutt’s enthusiastic user base, rapidly growing partnership portfolio, and their differentiated product offering were very attractive to us. We are eager to help them continue to define and own the social betting space,” Jock Percy, General Partner at Lightning Capital, said.
Asia
SiGMA Asia Awards 2024: Boomerang Partners Nominated for ‘Rising Star Affiliate Program’
The fast-growing Boomerang Partners affiliate program continues gaining global recognition, earning a nomination for the prestigious ‘Rising Star Affiliate Program 2024’ category in the Asia region
With a rapidly growing network of over 5,200 affiliates across 70+ countries, the dynamic Boomerang Partners affiliate program has been recognized as a finalist for the ‘Rising Star’ category at the SiGMA Awards Asia 2024. While Asia is not currently the central focus for brand promotion, this prestigious recognition from SiGMA is a notable honor that inspires Boomerang to fortify its global footprint and industry-leading position.
In 2023 alone, Boomerang’s achievements included paying over €50 million to affiliates, creating 22 exclusive branded games, hosting 82 tournaments across 30 regions, and expanding into 31 new markets. This followed prestigious wins like ‘Casino of the Year’ at the SiGMA Balkans/CIS Awards, ‘Commission Offer of the Year’ at the AffPapa iGaming Awards, and ‘Best PPC Affiliate’ at the SiGMA Europe Awards.
This year, Boomerang Partners is highlighting innovations like a worldwide traffic tournament and has already been nominated at the AffPapa, MAC, and AskGamblers Awards – eagerly awaiting the results across these prestigious voting processes and final selections.
“We actively collaborate with SiGMA, having participated in their events and been honored with SiGMA awards in other regions previously,” said Vitalii Prokofev, CEO at Boomerang Partners. “SiGMA sets the standard with premier industry events and accolades worldwide. This nomination at their Asia awards is valuable recognition that fuels our ambition to raise our global profile further.”
Boomerang Partners invites all affiliate managers and industry enthusiasts to learn more about their award-winning program. Voting for the SiGMA Asia Awards runs until May 20th. Winners will be announced at the June 3rd ceremony during the June 2-5 event in Manila.
Support Boomerang in the ‘Rising Star’ category while voting for other favorites at SiGMA.
The post SiGMA Asia Awards 2024: Boomerang Partners Nominated for ‘Rising Star Affiliate Program’ appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Hard Rock International
The Mirage Hotel & Casino to Begin Transformation into Hard Rock Las Vegas on July 17, 2024
Hard Rock International (HRI) announced its plans to cease operations of The Mirage Hotel & Casino as of July 17, 2024, to begin the transformation of the property into the highly anticipated Hard Rock Hotel & Casino and Guitar Hotel Las Vegas (HRHCLV).
Hard Rock will develop a new integrated resort featuring a nearly 700 ft. guitar-shaped hotel towering prominently in the center of the famous Las Vegas Strip.
“We’d like to thank the Las Vegas community and team members for warmly welcoming Hard Rock after enjoying 34 years at The Mirage. We’d also like to thank the Unions, community leaders, local and state government organizations and the Gaming Commission for their support and fair negotiations over the past year. Also, we are grateful to MGM for assisting with our transition,” Jim Allen, Chairman of Hard Rock International, said.
“While we pause for the incredible transformation of this iconic property, I’d like to thank all team members at The Mirage for their incredible commitment and helping us provide memorable experiences for our guests. We are planning to host collaborative hiring events with other employers in the Las Vegas community over the coming months. Connecting the thousands of talented Mirage team members who provide outstanding service with new employment opportunities is a top priority,” Joe Lupo, President of The Mirage, said.
HRHCLV is expected to double the current number of jobs at The Mirage for the Las Vegas community, while the renovation of the property will generate over 2500 construction jobs. Hard Rock will pay approximately $80 million in severance packages for eligible union and non-union employees remaining with the property through cessation of operations.
Industry News
IGT Reports First Quarter 2024 Results
International Game Technology PLC has reported financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2024.
“Innovative game, hardware, and systems solutions drove better-than-expected Global Lottery and Gaming & Digital performance in the first quarter. As a result, we are upgrading our full-year 2024 revenue and profit goals, which reflect broad-based momentum across key performance indicators in the balance of the year. We continue to make progress on separating Global Lottery from Gaming & Digital and preparing for the proposed transaction with Everi,” Vince Sadusky, CEO of IGT, said.
Key Highlights:
- Announced Gaming & Digital business to be spun off and combined with Everi Holdings Inc.; transaction expected to close in late 2024/early 2025
- Recognised with top honours at ICE London 2024 awards programmes including “Lottery Product of the Year” and “Best Diversity and Inclusion Employer”
- Received a supply contract extension from the UK National Lottery
- Executed licensing agreement with the Maryland Lottery for IGT’s patented Cash Pop draw-based game
- Mystery of the Lamp named “Top Performing New Premium Game” at 2024 EKG Slot Awards Show
- Awarded contract to provide PeakDual 27 video lottery terminals across Quebec
- Launched iGaming content in Rhode Island
- Achieved AAA MSCI ESG rating, the highest rating possible, and earned a gold medal sustainability rating from EcoVadis.
“We delivered a record organic profit performance in the first quarter, if we exclude Separation & divestiture costs. The Company is operating from a position of strength with historically low net debt leverage, ample liquidity, and manageable near-term debt maturities,” Max Chiara, CFO of IGT, said.
The post IGT Reports First Quarter 2024 Results appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
-
Latest News3 weeks ago
The Importance of Data Quality Review Checks in the Gaming Industry
-
Asia3 weeks ago
Onlyplay Enters into Strategic Partnership with Ritchie Rabbit
-
Africa4 weeks ago
NE Group powers 888bets launch in Angola
-
Balkans3 weeks ago
Wazdan marks Croatian market entry with PSK partnership
-
Australia3 weeks ago
Tabcorp Partners with OpenBet’s Sportsbook Technology to Propel Growth and Enhance User Experience
-
Central Europe4 weeks ago
Apparat Gaming and edict egaming announce partnership
-
Africa3 weeks ago
Hub88 partners with LiveGames to enhance content offering
-
Brazil4 weeks ago
Kiron Interactive expands Brazilian presence with EstrelaBet partnership