
Caesars Interactive’s purchase of Pacific Interactive adds the latter’s House of Fun social gaming app to the Playtika repertoire (Image: Pacific Interactive)
If a novel were become written about Caesars Entertainment Corp., it could easily be called ‘Debt and Acquisition’; the casino operator generally seems to bounce back and forth between racking up IOUs and everything that is purchasing can get their hands on. The latest chapter of this book involves Israeli-based social video gaming company Pacific Interactive, and it makes Company Number Four in Caesars ongoing expansion in to the popular free-play social gaming market.
‘Free-Play’ Isn’t Always Free
No purchase terms were released regarding the sale, but Caesars is now the proud owner of House of Fun, a digital slot-machine, free-play gaming site. Of course, ‘free-play’ doesn’t always grow to be precisely free; these social media gaming sites have turned into lucrative online businesses by offering tempting, affordable add-ons of additional game that is digital often under a dollar each to players, a lot of whom access the website via Facebook.
For Pacific Interactive founder and CEO Omri Shitreet, it’s all about movin’ on up.
‘Our company is excited to become listed on among the largest and most effective social and games that are mobile on the planet,’ said Shitreet. ‘We are confident that beneath the Playtika umbrella, I will be able to deliver an even better game experience for our players while during the time that is same great value for our new shareholders.’
According to video gaming industry Eilers Research analyst and online gaming expert Adam Krejcik, Pacific which is independently held pulled in somewhere between $25 and $30 million for 2013, with 3/4 of that coming from Twitter patrons and 1/4 from various mobile apps.
Krejcik told investors recently that the social website is rated ninth on Eiler’s social casino tracker, the type of companies with A twitter presence. Pacific claims to have 700,000 users each day, and about 2.7 million per month.
Social Gaming Proving Lucrative for Caesars
Caesars, of course, isn’t new to online or social gaming; the organization’s 2013 profits from Caesars Interactive’s social gaming presence alone brought in $290 million. Their other social web sites include their kingpin World Series of Poker brand name, also Playtika and Buffalo that is several Studios-produced. Based on Eilers, Playtika was a $103 million purchase for the gaming conglomerate, while Buffalo Studios was acquired for $45 million. And the video gaming analyst business says Caesars is for a good path with each one of these acquisitions.
‘ We believe Caesars acquired both ongoing companies at attractive multiples,’ said an Eilers report. ‘ In fact, its acquisition of Playtika has turned out to be one of the merger-and-acquisition deals that are best we now have seen in the past five years.’
Caesars states it intends to merge Pacific’s products into its existing Playtika social and gaming that is mobile. They also noted that Pacific’s 100-plus employee base globally would be safe in retaining their positions following the merger.
The deal is also a plus, saying the House of Fun addition will simply pull in new users to his business’s platforms for Playtika’s CEO Robert Antokol.
‘The acquisition allows us to offer a new quality item to our loyal individual base and also to attract brand new users,’ stated Antokol. ‘We believe the talented team at Pacific Interactive not only brings with it an original item, but may also be a strong addition to your group and enhance our market leadership within the category.’
Besides Caesars Interactive, other global gaming businesses such as International Game Technology (IGT), Zynga and Scientific Games -have found success in the gaming market segment that is social. IGT operates the DoubleDown Casino online. Krejcik states this latest move by Caesars may, in fact, make IGT and these other businesses intensify their social gaming presence.
Adelson’s Anti-Online Gambling Crusade Tries to Smite Its Enemies
Like devout warriors on a crusade that is sanctioned Sheldon Adelson’s Washington, D.C. anti-online gambling lobbying brigade claims to stand for might and right (Image: 20th Century Fox)
Allow it not be said that Coalition to Stop Web Gambling creator and backer Sheldon Adelson is not getting their money’s worth together with his new Washington, D.C. dream team that is lobbying. That being said, it can be difficult to pay attention with their message bought and covered by one of the casino operators that are largest in the world, with land casinos throughout the U.S. and Macau, among other nations and not snicker simply a teensy, tinsy small bit.
Fervor and Condemnation
Not since Carrie Nation and the temperance movement for the very early century that is 20th McCarthy’s impassioned anti-Communist followers has such zealotry been demonstrated, spurred to action by those opposed to online gaming’s wicked spread. But this could be the time that is first advocates represent someone who has no issue whatsoever with that vice, as long as it takes place on terra firma.
It appears the coalition’s effort that is latest included a media conference via telephone last week, with five of Adelson’s key lobbyists on their virtual soap containers. Of course, these soldiers are all extremely paid mercenaries, but in battle, one does what is essential to win the war.
‘Internet gambling expands such as for instance a disease,’ decried former Denver Mayor Wellington Webb (D). ‘Jobs would be lost,’ he added, theirs again as he espoused the view that once gambling is available in-house literally no one would ever leave.
Then there’s the kids whose lives would be destroyed forever, according to retired U.S Sen. Blanche Lincoln (R-Ark), whom sees those who support Internet gaming as being a sort of Fagin from ‘Oliver Twist,’ capturing the minds and manipulating the actions of the innocents by putting ‘casinos within the pockets of kiddies, 24/7.’
And allow’s not overlook terrorism and money laundering, which, needless to say, could never set foot in a land casino anywhere. Former New York Governor George Pataki (R) is convinced that online gambling is a menace to national security, and used an FBI letter’s key points to stress this truth that is inalienable.
Most of the phone speakers got behind the idea that Congress must move now to stop this recognized blight on humanity, while an interim ‘timeout’ on Internet gambling should be set in place meanwhile to prevent the spread of this Bubonic that is new Plague.
Alfonso Aguilar representing the Latino Partnership for Conservative Principles and its own executive director said, ‘This just isn’t an America that we wish.’ He said he had been certainly one of 39 faith-based organizations that attended on board and are also seeing the light.
C4COP Takes Up Arms
Fighting back, of course as we now have reported recently could be the newly formed Coalition for Consumer and Online Protection (C4COP), and that outfit has its own muscle mass behind it. Significant casino operators MGM Resorts International, Caesars Entertainment Corp., Station Casinos, and Boyd Gaming Corp., among others, are staunchly gambling that is pro-Internet and have now the backup army regarding the American Gaming Association the casino industry’s main lobbying voice and a group to which Adelson ironically belongs to carry the rear within their return volleys.
Of course, with Adelson’s extensive muscle that is financial C4COP will need all the ammo they could possibly get to fire straight back, as the Las vegas, nevada Sands CEO has said he will ‘spend whatever it takes’ to put the last bullets and tie the loads for this Rasputin-esque form of evil. Never mind he invested whatever it took you are Romney elected straight back in 2012, and now we understand how that worked out. Confidence is king if you have additional money than God himself.
The unspoken white elephant in the room, of course, may be the possibility that Adelson is more concerned that online gaming may take a bite out of his massive casino empire’s income share, more than actually being worried concerning the Artful Dodgers and money launderers taking around the globe. And with three states already installed and operating with Internet gambling within the U.S. (Nevada, Delaware and nj), and another possible 10 eyeing legislation making it happen in their states as well, it would seem that not just has this horse left the barn, but possibly a stampede that is entire well.
And Congress has shown a consistent lack of interest in getting too fervently involved in either side of this debate, no doubt in part they don’t want to tick anyone off because it is an election year for many, and. Two present bills for, and one against, Web gaming may find no backing that is substantial either direction.
Baltimore Ravens RB Ray Rice Arrested at Atlantic City Casino
Baltimore Raven’s running straight back Ray Rice could be in heated water after an altercation with his fiancée at Revel reportedly got out of control (Image: rollingout.com)
Ray Rice had a tough year last season their numbers were down and the Baltimore Ravens didn’t even make the playoffs inside their attempt to protect their Super Bowl title. But few people are likely to remember that after the headlines he is making this week. Rice and his fiancée were both arrested and charged with simple attack after a real altercation at an Atlantic City casino early Saturday morning, and there’s some dispute as to exactly how serious the incident was.
Revel Altercation Reported
According to reports, casino safety during the Revel Casino called officers through the Atlantic City Police Department at about 2:50 am Saturday morning. That was in response to a domestic dispute between Rice and fiancée Janay Palmer, the one that was recorded by video surveillance digital cameras, police said.
Neither Rice nor Palmer wanted any attention that is medical and neither said that they had sustained any injuries. But given the video evidence, both were faced with simple assault-domestic violence before being released.
Rice’s attorney called the event a ‘very minor physical altercation,’ and the Ravens appeared to want to relax and play down the event because well.
‘We are aware of the Friday evening situation with Ray Rice and his e that is fiancé, said Ravens director of public relations Chad Steele. ‘We have spoken with Ray, and know that they returned home together after being detained.’
Team Affiliation Unaffected
More prominent people of the Ravens organization said they hadn’t yet spoken to Rice. In accordance with Baltimore general manager Ozzie Newsome, neither he nor head advisor John Harbaugh had spoken to Rice on Monday, but both planned to do so inside the day that is next. Newsome also said that he expects Rice to still be with the team in 2014.
Philadelphia lawyer Michael Diamondstein is hired to express Rice in the full situation, and seems confident that there will not be much towards the incident when the facts are released.
‘ We haven’t seen any charging documents yet,’ Diamondstein said. ‘There was a quarrel that included Ray. I can not give any specifics because we now haven’t seen the document yet. Once we’re in a position to undergo the evidence, it should crank up to be a bit more than a misunderstanding.’
Revel staff also stated that Rice who they say had been hanging down at the Revel’s Royal Jelly Burlesque Nightclub with a group of approximately eight people earlier in the day within the evening was pleasant to them in their stay.
‘When he was here, they had been having a time that is great’ said Scott Russo, director of operations at the nightclub. ‘[He] was really nice to our staff.’
Despite the reaction that is low-key the incident in many quarters, you can find rumors that it may, in reality, have been more severe than reported. Sports news site Deadspin.com cited an anonymous ‘tipster’ whom claimed that the event was more violent than Rice’s camp is willing to admit, saying that a female (presumably Palmer) spit on Rice, and after that he punched the woman, knocking her out. Nevertheless, there is no hard evidence to back this version up of events.
Ray Rice has scored 37 touchdowns and rushed for 6,180 yards over their six periods into the NFL. However, he could be coming off a down year in which he tallied just 660 yards rushing and four touchdowns. Rice is in the exact middle of a five-year, $35 million contract with all the Ravens, and is also understood for being mixed up in group’s anti-bullying campaigns; one thing which could possibly add gas to this firestorm that is domestic.