Probability, Dragonfish in Strategic Partnership

Mobile gaming specialist, Probability, and Dragonfish, the B2B online operator of gaming giant 888.com, has forged an alliance that will see the two companies offer mobile gaming and lottery services to potential markets.

Both Probability and Dragonfish are looking at China and the Latin American countries as potential markets for the envisioned services.

Under the multi-year strategic agreement, the partnership will see each company contributing their respective core competencies — Probability will offer its mobile technologies and expertise while Dragonfish will highlight its business development, marketing and management.

Revenues generated by the partnership will be shared by the two companies.

According to Probability CEO Charles Cohen:

“The signing of this agreement underpins Probability’s status as the leading end-to-end supplier of mobile gaming and mobile lottery technology and services. It also represents a leap forward for our nascent business-to-business offering giving us fast track access to global markets with a highly reputable and capable partner. Dragonfish has already identified a number of opportunities for us to explore together and we look forward to keeping investors apprised of key developments as they arise.”

Dragonfish Managing Director Gabi Campos also voiced his company’s enthusiasm with the deal:

“Dragonfish has an excellent track record in developing partnerships in new growth markets and our agreement with Probability creates another platform for us to work with new partners under government licensing.”

Nokia N95 Tops Probability’s Top 10 List

LONDON, ENGLAND – Mobile gaming specialist Probability plc recently released the top ten mobile phones used by players in accessing their mobile casinos.

The result of three previous months registration (January to March 2009)through its mobile casino gaming operations revealed that Nokia’s N95 8GB Smartphone ranked on the top ten list followed by the Samsung SGH F480 and at third was the Sony Ericsson K800i. At the end of last quarter last year, the Nokia model was in third spot while the K800i was the top phone model for mobile games.

In the top ten were three Nokia phone models, three Sony Ericsson models and four Samsung models. The top ten list is as follows:

1. Nokia N95 8GB Smartphone
2. Samsung SGH F480
3. Sony Ericsson K800i
4. Samsung SGH J700
5. Nokia 6500s-1
6. Sony Ericsson W5800i
7. Samsung SGH G600
8. Samsung SGH E250
9. Sony Ericsson W910i
10. Nokia 6300

According to Probability CEO Charles Cohen:

“There are important points in here for the mobile and the gambling industries. For people in the mobile industry, this chart shows that consumers who own feature-rich phones are using them for more than playing Tetris and updating Facebook. To me, that’s a sign of greater variety and innovation to come as consumers demand more content from more sources.”

“For those in the gambling industry, they can see from this that there really is a broadly based market for mobile gambling and it’s not just the latest gadgets that they should be targeting. The Nokia 6500 has been around for over two years now and the Sony Ericsson K800i was launched in 2006. The speed with which phones come in and out of the top ten is impressive.”

888’s Dragonfish in South African Deal

GIBRALTAR – Online gaming operator 888 Holdings recently announced that its B2B unit, Dragonfish, has signed a strategic agreement with South Africa-based Phumela Gold Enterprises (PGE), a pari-mutuel horseracing and tote betting company.

Under the terms of the agreement, Dragonfish will be providing PGE with a comprehensive sportsbook and after regulations in online gambling are clearer in the African nation, it will also supply PGE’s casino, poker and bingo games.

The agreement will also allow 888 to distribute horseracing pools and live racing streaming from tracks of which PGE has exclusive distribution rights. The pools and live streaming will be made available to all 888 licensees and on the 888.com websites.

Dragonfish will also be servicing PGE with e-payments service and back-end software that will allow the South African firm to integrate into 888’s shared wallet, cashier, and support systems.

According to PGE CEO Rian Du Plessis:

“As a recognised world leader in harnessing the latest technology to globalise horseracing, we are very happy to sign with a partner that can provide us with market-leading technology to expand our offering worldwide. Working with Dragonfish going forward will help us to diversify our online offering and build on our current success.”

In response, Dragonfish Managing Director Gabi Campos said:

“Horseracing is the largest secotr in worldwide sports betting and we are delighted to work with a global leader in this area. Phumela has a huge user-base in South Africa and this deal will ensure that it has the best tools available with which to provide its customers with a cutting-edge online gaming offering.”

Zynga Offers WSOP Seats via Facebook

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – Social games developer Zynga recently announced a strategic alliance with the World Series of Poker which will see Zynga app users adept at poker win seats to the WSOP 2009.

The winners will be determined via the Texas Hold’em Poker application that Zynga has made freely available to Facebook users. Under the agreement, Zynga will host “shootout” tournaments on the Facebook app and two winners will win a chance to win seats to the popular poker event.

According to Zynga CEO Mark Pincus:

“We built our Texas Hold’Em Poker game into the largest game on Facebook by keeping an eye on what is important to our players. We know that poker is a lifestyle which includes playing online and offline, and watching it on TV. This partnership is an opportunity to bring those worlds together.”

WSOP Vice President Craig Abrahams also expressed delight in the unique deal through an online social media:

“Any poker player knows the Holy Grail is to win the Main Event of the World Series of Poker. Now for the first time, we’re reaching fans in a new way, through Zynga’s platform. Players from all over the world can play the free Texas Hold’Em game from the convenience of their own living rooms, and win a seat* to the biggest poker tournament in the world.”

To join the promo, Facebook users will need to play the shootout tournaments scheduled next month and try to reach the finals table. The top two finishers will win the WSOP packages.

Winners of the WSOP VIP Package can expect three nights accommodation at the Rio All Suite Hotel & Casino, a backstage tour of the WSOP Venue, and a day-pass to the VIP players’ lounge.

Virtue Fusion Powers Power Paddy Bingo

IRELAND – Paddy Power, the Irish online gaming company, has recently signed a long term licensing deal with Virtue Fusion Limited.

Under the deal, Virtue Fusion will provide PaddyPowerBingo.com site with a networked bingo and games package that was previously supplied by Parlay Entertainment.

Virtue Fusion CEO Bob McCulloch commented on the deal with Paddy Power:

“Having a company such as Paddy Power with such fun and accessible brand values is a perfect match to showcase the community aspects that the Virtue Fusion platform delivers.”

“In the world of online bingo, both network and stand-alone solutions are proven business models. However, as the industry matures there seems to be pressure to offer regular large and exciting prizes to players and this is made possible only through linking sites.  Virtue Fusion is unique in that it offers large games to all its customers as well as facilitating smaller community-style games.”

Paddy Power Head of E-Gaming Christopher Coyne mentioned that liquidity is always critical in pari-mutuel games like bingo but expressed confidence with the deal with Virtue Fusion.

“We’re now joining the largest bingo network available and, through this move to Virtue Fusion, we are able to offer our customers better product and mini games not to mention more compelling bingo prizes,” said Coyne.