Industry News
Holland Casino Expects Gains in H2 2021
Holland Casino is preparing for recovery after a rough first half of the year, having been forced to close for more than 5 months due to measures taken against the COVID-19 pandemic.
As anticipated by the Dutch state-owned company, the extended closure had a negative impact on its financial results for the first half of the year. But as its 14 branches have been operating again since June 5, the operator now expects to post positive results for the second half of 2021.
Turnover achieved in June shows that Holland Casino will soon be able “to operate in a healthy manner” again. Moreover, after having completed “necessary restructuring,” the company expects to become a more efficient and agile organisation, according to a press statement released on Wednesday.
Turnover for H1 2021 posted a low €28.8 million. Net results for tax purposes amounted to a loss of €64.8 million, compared to a loss of €37.8 million over the same period in 2020, in which the company remained open for several months.
“Although Coronavirus also hit our company head-on in the first half of 2021, notably our anniversary year in which we celebrate 45 years in business, we still look ahead with confidence. All in all, Netherlands was deprived of legal casino offer for almost a year, but now that the measures are disappearing little by little, recovery is in sight,” Erwin van Lambaart, CEO of Holland Casino, said.
“We see bright spots in the potential offer of online games of chance as of October 1, for which we have applied for a license, and the opening of our new world-class casino branches in Venlo and Utrecht,” van Lambaart added.
CFO Ruud Bergervoet considers that having sufficient liquid assets in the past six months was key to the company getting through the difficult period of closure. That, along with the NOW scheme, the deferral of tax payments, strict cost control measures and tight operation management, led to the company being able “to safeguard the continuity” of its operations over the past year and a half.
“The significant tax debt of €190.5 million is offset by a strong liquidity position without bank debt. We are therefore considering paying off this tax debt more quickly if no new Coronavirus measures are introduced and the recovery actually continues. The results after June are promising in that regard,” Bergervoet said.
Despite all branches now being open, certain pandemic measures are still being enforced, and Holland Casino is receiving guests at limited capacity in its gambling venues. The company expects that these measures will be phased out, with the hope to open at full capacity and without restrictions “towards autumn.”
“We are also looking forward to the reintroduction of poker, live bingo and our NXT zones so that gaming can really be experienced together again. We also hope to be able to offer our bars and restaurants after midnight, which currently all close at midnight,” van Lambaart said.
11 experienced people managers from the SKS365 group’s 4 locations gathered last week in Belgrade for the new GROW People Management Program. From 15 th to 19 th of April, through trainings, discussions, and social connections, people had the opportunity to further grow individually and as a team, while enjoying Belgrade’s city center and rivers.
Created in 2023 with the purpose of building foundation people management skills across the organization, GROW initiative evolved this year by including a new, advanced program for experienced people managers to further consolidate their skills and prepare for future opportunities.
Building and fostering connections, sharing experiences, and enjoying team building experiences – all these activities have been part of the GROWpmp agenda for the 11 people managers coming from Commercial, Product and Development, Finance, and Sportsbook departments of the group’s 4 locations – Malta, Italy, Austria, Serbia.
GROWpmp included a variety of topics that people managers in SKS365 recognized as the key areas for management development. Topics such as influence through communication, team effectiveness, DEI, through to presentation skills and business topics like understanding finance and management reporting, were delivered with the support of external professionals and internal experts, while designed and organized by the SKS365 People & Culture team.
The post SKS365 keeps investing in people: GROW People Management Program took the next level appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Bragg is going to attend the SBC Summit North America taking place at the Meadowlands exposition center, New Jersey in May.
“See you in the Garden State to discuss how Bragg’s full-service suite of market leading iGaming content and technology solutions can be tailored to suit the demands of the U.S. market. Connect with members of the team to learn ways Bragg can accelerate your business with our technology, content and managed services solutions. Discover more about our award-winning Player Account Management (PAM), which is leading the way across the European market and in multiple regulated markets. Learn how our cutting-edge content aggregation RGS which already integrates a host of casino, sportsbook and lottery operators and is supported by our leading gamification product Fuze,” the Company said.
Participate in an insightful discussion
Join Bragg Group Director of Content Doug Fallon and fellow panelists at SBC Summit North America to discuss how game design can be leveraged to deliver profitable products in the iGaming industry.
Don’t miss this great panel discussion “Game Design 101: Launching a Profitable Product” taking place on iGaming Stage 3 at 16:00 on Wednesday, May 8.
DraftKings announced the appointment of Lori Kalani as Chief Responsible Gaming Officer reporting to DraftKings’ chief executive officer, Jason Robins. Kalani becomes DraftKings’ first Chief Responsible Gaming Officer committed to the continued elevation and integration of the company’s player safety and protection activities and initiatives across all facets of its platforms and player communities.
“Responsible gaming is one of our top priorities and it is a core part of our mission to build games that our customers can enjoy responsibly. In this leadership role, Lori will further advance our responsible gaming initiatives and uphold our commitment to setting new industry standards,” Jason Robins, CEO and Co-Founder of DraftKings, said.
Leveraging a systems-based approach, DraftKings’ responsible gaming initiatives utilize, among other things, technology, employee training, evidence-based research, collaboration with third parties and advocacy groups, and comprehensive player education to promote responsible play across all platforms and all player communities, and to provide players with tools to help them manage their play responsibly.
“I have long admired DraftKings’ impact as an entertainment and engagement platform that brings a community of gaming enthusiasts together. Joining DraftKings represents an exciting opportunity for me to bolster the efforts of the company and look for opportunities to reinforce our responsible gaming initiatives. I am eager to partner with colleagues, regulators, industry leaders, and community advocates to further demonstrate DraftKings’ commitment to responsible gaming and promote a healthy gaming environment for all customers,” said Lori Kalani.
Kalani’s extensive experience in consumer protection law and proven accomplishments in developing working relationships with regulators, attorneys general and other key stakeholders will enable her to effectively work alongside DraftKings’ Compliance team to further cultivate DraftKings’ dedication to best-in-class consumer safety and protection practices.
Kalani previously was a partner at the Cozen O’Connor law firm and Co-Chaired the State Attorneys General practice. Her extensive background spans diverse industries including gaming, social media, telecommunications, hospitality and healthcare. Kalani’s nuanced understanding of regulatory environments and her expertise in representing clients in industry-shaping challenges that intersected law, politics, and policy make her the ideal leader to advance DraftKings’ responsible gaming initiatives.
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