Industry News
Yggdrasil and Black Cow strike strategic global game engine partnership
GDK platform integrated with Yggdrasil’s GATI to power YG Masters program allowing studios and game developers a rapid route to global markets
Yggdrasil has partnered with Black Cow in a deal that will see the open architecture specialists integrate its GDK platform into Yggdrasil’s new GATI solution – the power behind its successful YG Masters Program – enabling global and local studios and game developer partners with instant access to game engines and a rapid route to new markets.
The partnership is the first GDK partner for Yggdrasil’s new Publishing division, launched in January 2020, offering customers ‘the keys to its kingdom’enabling partners to cost effectively and with a short TTM (time to market) accelerate their business strategies, and revenue growth ambitions.
Black Cow will build game engines for best-of-breed studios who join the YG Masters program. They will achieve this by integrating their Games Development Kit (GDK) platform into Yggdrasil’s new Game Adaptation, Tools and Interface (GATI) solution.
Once complete, studios and game developers who were previously unable to deliver their own game engines, will have the fastest and most efficient route to building and distributing content via YG Masters.
The collaboration also means that Black Cow’s existing studio partners can quickly and easily become YG Masters partners, seamlessly porting their games and benefitting from wide distribution and industry leading marketing tools.
The original YGS Masters program has been significantly upgraded with the introduction of Yggdrasil’s GATI, a disruptor to the existing iGaming industry and part of the new Yggdrasil Publishing value proposition.
GATI is a preconfigured, regulation-ready content development toolkit that powers YG Masters, enabling studios and game developers to use a standardised technology solution to develop and distribute games anywhere in the world. This means partners can source, build and distribute content and crucially accelerate global reach, finding new ways to increase revenues.
Using GATI, YG Masters partners will be free to build game engines in any way, language or method with Black Cow’s proven GDK acting as one conduit for delivery should game studios want that support.
As part of its new strategic approach, Yggdrasil is franchising its entire business, from current and future content and industry-leading gamification to its advanced platform technology and new GATI product. This will enable partners to instantly create their own unique, end-to-end iGaming offering supported by, and in partnership with, Yggdrasil Publishing.
The roll out of the YG Franchise model will see strategic partners located in significant markets building games for their players that can also be sold back for global distribution via YG Masters at a stroke opening instant B2B opportunities. Franchise partners, thanks to the nature of standardised architecture and consistent game frameworks (GATI), will also be able to select games to offer their players from the YG Masters program. This is Decentralised Aggregation, a game-changing disruptive force that has the potential to revolutionise the content supply chain and business growth drivers.
The current three core value propositions for the Publishing arm are: YG Franchise (platform IP licensing) YG Masters (game development and distribution program), and YG Game IP (game IP licensing).
Stuart McCarthy, Head of Partner Strategy & Sourcing at Yggdrasil, said: “I’m delighted to be able to announce our partnership with Black Cow. Our revolutionary GATI solution allows studios and game developers to build directly onto our platform, thus benefitting from our global distribution, promotional tools and regulated market adaptors while taking control of their roadmap and retaining complete protection of their IP.
“By adding Black Cow’s proven gold standard GDK technology for studios looking for game engine build we believe we have created the perfect go-to solution for any game studio looking to quickly, efficiently and securely get their games to market.”
Tony Plaskow, Commercial Director at Black Cow Technology, said: “Black Cow is honoured and excited to be partnering with Yggdrasil in its new Publishing venture. By integrating our GDK into GATI we provide an efficient and rapid way for prominent game developers to build and distribute their games into Publishing’s valuable universe.”
Welcome to our weekly roundup of American gambling news again! Here, we are going through the weekly highlights of the American gambling industry which include the latest news and new partnerships. Read on and get updated.
Latest News
Bragg Gaming Group announced it has reached an agreement with its lenders, certain entities controlled by Doug Fallon, to repay USD 5 million of its outstanding USD 7 million secured promissory note and to extend the maturity of the remaining USD 2 million until June 6, 2025 (the Note). The company is in the process of securing a new revolving credit facility from a third-party lender. This facility is expected to offer more favourable terms than the existing Note, including lower borrowing costs and improved drawdown flexibility. All other terms of the original Note remain unchanged.
PENN Entertainment Inc announced plans for an expected $180–$200 million project to relocate its Ameristar Casino Hotel Council Bluffs (Ameristar) riverboat casino operations to a new, state-of-the-art land-based property to be rebranded as Hollywood Casino Council Bluffs (Hollywood Council Bluffs). The proposal is approved by the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission in conjunction with a 15-year extension of Ameristar’s partnership with the nonprofit Qualified Sponsoring Organisation (QSO) Iowa West Racing Association. All commercial operators in Iowa are required to have an operating agreement with a QSO licensed to conduct gaming operations. Under the proposed plan, the new Hollywood Council Bluffs is expected to include roughly 125,000 square feet of new development with approximately 58,000 square feet of gaming space.
PENN Entertainment Inc announced that it intends to nominate Johnny Hartnett and Carlos Ruisanchez for election to its Board of Directors following discussions with HG Vora Capital Management LLC (HG Vora). Ron Naples has informed the Board that he will retire from the Board, effective immediately. Barbara Shattuck Kohn and Saul Reibstein have notified the Company that they will not stand for reelection at the 2025 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. The Board now comprises eight directors, seven of whom are independent.
Partnerships
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and Genius Sports Limited have announced a significant extension of their long-term partnership, reinforcing their shared commitment to innovation, transparency and the integrity of college athletics. Under the expanded agreement, Genius Sports has been appointed as the exclusive distributor of official NCAA data to licensed sportsbooks for all post-season tournaments, including March Madness, through 2032. This long-term agreement ensures the delivery of fast, accurate and secure data to the regulated sports betting market.
PrizePicks, the largest daily fantasy sports operator in North America, announced that it has been named the Official Daily Fantasy Partner of the San Francisco Giants. The new partnership strengthens the DFS leader’s presence in professional baseball and features digital and in-park activations at Oracle Park. As part of the multi-year partnership, PrizePicks branding will be showcased prominently throughout Oracle Park with rotating signage behind home plate and LED signage on each baseline. PrizePicks logos will be featured across the K-Counter in right field, creating an interactive experience for fans in the ballpark. Fans seated on top of the right field wall near the strikeout counter will have the opportunity to flip over the PrizePicks branded signs, revealing a “K” for each strikeout earned by a Giants pitcher.
The post Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – April 28-May 4 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Ruud Bergervoet has been reappointed as CFO of Holland Casino. He will remain financially responsible for the gambling provider for another two years. Bergervoet has already been CFO for two terms of four years, but due to the special circumstances of the company, he has been asked to remain as a director.
CEO Petra de Ruiter said: “I am very happy that Ruud is prepared to stay with us. With his experience and knowledge of the company, he is indispensable at this moment. We have to work very hard in the coming years to keep Holland Casino financially healthy. And I am certain that this is in good hands with Ruud.”
Ruud Bergervoet has been working at Holland Casino since 2017. Before that, he worked as CFO at FD Mediagroep and Sdu Uitgevers, among others.
During the shareholders’ meeting of April 16, Bergervoet was nominated by the Supervisory Board and his nomination was confirmed.
The post Ruud Bergervoet Reappointed as CFO of Holland Casino appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
AskGamblers has announced that the final voting stage of the 8th annual AskGamblers Awards has started.
The voting phase kicked off on 28 April, and will last until the award ceremony scheduled for 12 June.
As in previous editions of the Awards, players can cast their votes for one of the top 10 finalists in the following categories: Best Casino, Best New Casino, Best Sportsbook, Best New Slot and Best Software Provider.
The Best Crypto Casino, Best Partner and Best Manager categories will traditionally be chosen by the AskGamblers team. This year’s edition introduces a new category, the Superstar Award, a crown achievement handed out to one operator that best represents the values of brands, whose laureate will also be chosen solely by AskGamblers.
Another novelty in this year’s Awards cycle is the Forum vote: the votes from the members of AskGamblers Forum will be counted towards the final tally of votes as a separate voting tier.
Commenting on the launch of the 8th AskGamblers Awards voting stage, Dijana Radunović, General Manager at AskGamblers, said: “Now that we have the finalists, we are entering the final stages of preparation for our biggest night of the year. To say that we are excited about the 8th edition of the AskGamblers Award would be an understatement.”
“As everybody in the team is working tirelessly to make the gala ceremony a night to remember, we invite our players to do their bidding: to give a vote to their favourite contestants and help us choose the rightful winners in the five categories that are open to public vote,” Radunović added.
Before the award ceremony on 12 June, AskGamblers will host the traditional Charity Night on 11 June, where the partners will bid for positions on the website, with the money raised allocated to a humanitarian cause.
The post The 8th AskGamblers Awards Officially Enters the Voting Stage appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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