
Caesars Interactive’s acquisition of Pacific Interactive adds the latter’s home of Fun social gaming app to the Playtika repertoire (Image: Pacific Interactive)
If a novel were to be written about Caesars Entertainment Corp., it could easily be called ‘Debt and Acquisition’; the casino operator seems to bounce back and forth between racking up IOUs and everything that is purchasing can get their hands on. The chapter that is latest of this book involves Israeli-based social 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 on the sale, but Caesars is now the proud owner of House of Fun, an electronic slot-machine, free-play gaming site. Of course, ‘free-play’ doesn’t constantly turn into precisely free; these social media gaming sites have turned into lucrative internet businesses by offering tempting, inexpensive add-ons of additional digital game tokens often under a buck each to players, a lot of whom access your website via Facebook.
For Pacific Interactive founder and CEO Omri Shitreet, it’s all about movin’ on up.
‘We are excited to become listed on one of the largest and most effective social and games that are mobile on the planet,’ said Shitreet. ‘We are confident that underneath the Playtika umbrella, we are able to deliver an also better game experience for the players while at the same time producing great value for our new shareholders.’
According to video gaming industry Eilers Research analyst and online gaming specialist Adam Krejcik, Pacific which is independently held pulled in somewhere between $25 and $30 million for 2013, with 3/4 of that coming from Facebook patrons and 1/4 from various apps that are mobile.
Krejcik told investors recently that the social site is rated ninth on Eiler’s social casino tracker, the type of companies with A facebook presence. Pacific claims to have 700,000 users each day, and about 2.7 million each month.
Social Gaming Proving Lucrative for Caesars
Caesars, needless to say, is not not used to online or gaming that is social the business’s 2013 revenues from Caesars Interactive’s social gaming presence alone brought in $290 million. Their other social internet sites include their kingpin World Series of Poker brand, in addition to Playtika and several Buffalo Studios-produced games. In accordance with Eilers, Playtika was a $103 million purchase for the gaming conglomerate, while Buffalo Studios was acquired for $45 million. And the video gaming analyst company states Caesars is on a path that is good every one of these acquisitions.
‘ We believe Caesars acquired both ongoing companies at attractive multiples,’ stated an Eilers report. ‘ In fact, its acquisition of Playtika has ended up being one of the best merger-and-acquisition deals we have seen in days gone by five years.’
Caesars states it intends to merge Pacific’s products into its existing Playtika social and mobile video gaming platforms. They also noted that Pacific’s 100-plus worker base all over the world could be safe in keeping their positions after the merger.
For Playtika’s CEO Robert Antokol, the deal is also a plus, saying the House of Fun addition will simply pull in new users to their company’s platforms.
‘The acquisition allows us to offer a quality that is new to our devoted user base also to attract new users,’ said Antokol. ‘We believe the talented team at Pacific Interactive not only brings with it a distinctive product, but may also be a strong addition to the group and enhance our market leadership in the category.’
Besides Caesars Interactive, other global video gaming businesses such as for instance 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 claims this latest move by Caesars may, in reality, 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 sanctioned crusade, Sheldon Adelson’s Washington, D.C. anti-online gambling lobbying brigade claims to stand for might and right (Image: 20th Century Fox)
Allow it to perhaps not be said that Coalition to Stop Web Gambling creator and backer Sheldon Adelson isn’t getting their cash’s worth with his new Washington, D.C. lobbying dream team. That being said, it is difficult to pay attention with their message bought and covered by one of the casino operators that are largest in the planet, with land casinos throughout the U.S. and Macau, among other nations and not snicker just a teensy, tinsy small bit.
Fervor and Condemnation
Not since Carrie country and the temperance movement for the early twentieth century or McCarthy’s impassioned anti-Communist followers has such zealotry been demonstrated, spurred to action by those compared to online gaming’s wicked spread. But this could be the first time those advocates represent a person who has no problem whatsoever with that vice, as long as it occurs on terra firma.
It appears the coalition’s effort that is latest included a media conference via telephone the other day, with five of Adelson’s key lobbyists on the virtual soap containers. Of course, these soldiers are all highly 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 is the children whose lives would be damaged forever, according to U.S that is retired Sen Lincoln (R-Ark), who sees those who support Internet gaming being a kind of Fagin from ‘Oliver Twist,’ recording the minds and manipulating those things of the innocents by placing ‘casinos into the pockets of children, 24/7.’
And let’s not overlook terrorism and cash laundering, which, of course, 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.
Each of the phone speakers got behind the idea that Congress must move now to stop this perceived blight on mankind, while an interim ‘timeout’ on Internet gambling should be set in position meanwhile to prevent the spread of this new Bubonic Plague.
Alfonso Aguilar representing the Latino Partnership for Conservative Principles and its own professional manager said, ‘This isn’t an America that we want.’ He stated he had been certainly one of 39 faith-based businesses that came on board and are also seeing the light.
C4COP Takes Up Arms
Fighting back, needless to say as we’ve reported recently may be the newly formed Coalition for customer and Online Protection (C4COP), and that outfit has its muscle that is own behind. Significant casino operators MGM Resorts International, Caesars Entertainment Corp., Station Casinos, and Boyd Gaming Corp., and others, are staunchly pro-Internet gambling, and now have the backup army associated with 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 require all the ammo they will get to fire back, as the Las vegas, nevada Sands CEO has said he will ‘spend whatever it takes’ to place the final bullets and tie the loads to this Rasputin-esque form of evil. Never mind he invested we know how that worked out whatever it took to try to get Romney elected back in 2012, and. Confidence is king when you’ve got more 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 revenue share, more than really being worried concerning the Artful Dodgers and cash launderers taking around the globe. And with three states already ready to go with Internet gambling in the U.S. (Nevada, Delaware and nj-new jersey), and another possible 10 eyeing legislation making it happen in their states also, it would seem that not just has this horse left the barn, but possibly an entire stampede as 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 because it’s an election 12 months for many, and they do not wish to tick anyone off. 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 back Ray Rice could maintain heated water after an altercation with his e that is fiancé at reportedly got out of control (Image: rollingout.com)
Ray Rice had a year that is tough season their figures had been down and the Baltimore Ravens didn’t even make the playoffs within their attempt to defend their Super Bowl title. But people that are few planning to keep in mind that after the headlines he’s causeing the week. Rice and his fiancée were both arrested and charged with simple assault after a altercation that is physical an Atlantic City casino very early Saturday morning, and there’s some dispute as to exactly 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 morning saturday. That was at response to a domestic dispute between Rice and fiancée Janay Palmer, one that was recorded by video surveillance digital cameras, police said.
Neither Rice nor Palmer wanted any medical attention, and neither said that they had sustained any injuries. But given the video evidence, both were charged with simple assault-domestic violence before being released.
Rice’s lawyer called the incident a ‘very minor physical altercation,’ and the Ravens showed up to want to play down the event since well.
‘We understand the Friday night 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 users of the Ravens organization stated they had not yet spoken to Rice. In accordance with Baltimore basic manager Ozzie Newsome, neither he nor head advisor John Harbaugh had spoken to Rice on Monday, but both planned to do so in the overnight. Newsome also said that he expects Rice to still be with the group in 2014.
Philadelphia lawyer Michael Diamondstein happens to be hired to represent Rice into the case, and seems confident that there will not be much towards the incident when the facts are released.
‘ We now haven’t seen any documents that are charging,’ Diamondstein said. ‘There was a disagreement that included Ray. I can’t give any specifics because we now haven’t seen the document yet. Once we are in a position to undergo the evidence, it should ramp up to be a bit more when compared to a misunderstanding.’
Revel staff also said that Rice who they say was hanging away at the Revel’s Royal Jelly Burlesque Nightclub by having a group of about eight people players showgirls surfers paradise earlier into the evening was pleasant to them during their stay.
‘When he was here, they were having a time that is great’ said Scott Russo, manager of operations at the nightclub. ‘[He] had been extremely nice to the staff.’
Despite the low-key effect to the incident in many quarters, there are rumors that it may, in fact, have been more serious than reported. Sports news site Deadspin.com cited an anonymous ‘tipster’ whom claimed that the incident was more violent than Rice’s camp is willing to admit, saying that a lady (presumably Palmer) spit on Rice, and after that he punched the woman, knocking her out. Nonetheless, there’s been no hard evidence to back up this variation of events.
Ray Rice has scored 37 touchdowns and rushed for 6,180 yards over his six periods within 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 the Ravens, and is also known to be mixed up in group’s anti-bullying campaigns; one thing which could possibly add fuel to this firestorm that is domestic.
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