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Lahcene Merzoug on PressEnter’s management buyout

Lahcene Merzoug on PressEnter’s management buyout

Fresh from announcing a management buyout, PressEnter CEO Lahcene Merzoug talks to iGB about the new leadership's strategy and future plans.

So, the cat is out the bag; PressEnter Group will be under new (or should we say old?) management.

There are many questions that remain: Will the new chairman stay the course or head to uncharted waters? What form will the shape of the business’ future growth take? And what’s the plan with the company’s brands?

The business formerly known as Betpoint has reinvented itself before, though only the new owners know what the plan is now. Current CEO and future executive chair Lahcene Merzoug explains in his own words.

What was the rationale behind the management buyout, and what important factors led the executive team to decide to go down this route?

The management team has grown the business into what it is today, so we could clearly see the potential in the company and its operations. When the opportunity to buy PressEnter Group arose, ..

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Maryland’s regulated sports betting market officially opens

Maryland’s regulated sports betting market officially opens

Maryland’s online sports betting market is officially live, with seven operators now active in the state as of today (23 November).

Barstool, BetRivers, BetMGM, Caesars, DraftKings, FanDuel and PointsBet can now accept wagers in the state.

Caesars and DraftKings launched before the regulated market officially opened, in preparation for the imminent commencement.

Read the full story on iGB North America

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Genius and the NFL score streaming deal with three Canadian sportsbooks

Genius and the NFL score streaming deal with three Canadian sportsbooks

Genius Sports and the National Football League (NFL) have entered to a Canadian video streaming licensing agreement with three sportsbook operators – Bet365, Canada-facing Bet99 and esports-focused Rivalry.

Bet365, Bet99 and Rivalry will be permitted to provide their customers with video streams of all regular and post-season NFL matches through Genius’s Watch & Bet solution.

Genius became the exclusive distributor of NFL data and live video feeds in April 2021. In return, Genius issued 22.5m warrants to the NFL.

Genius said that it will use machine learning-powered live streaming technologies to facilitate video streaming and bet tracking for players in Canada.

[Read full story on iGB North America]

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Massachusetts receives 15 applications for sports betting licences as deadline passes

Massachusetts receives 15 applications for sports betting licences as deadline passes

The Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) has completed the application process for new sports betting licences in the state, with 15 operators having put forward submissions.

The deadline to apply for a licence passed at 2pm local time on November 21, with the MGC receiving three applications for Category 1 licences, five for a Category 3 license tethered to a Category 1 licence, and six were received for stand-alone Category 3 licences.

An additional Category 3 licence application to be tethered to a Category 2 licence was also submitted, while the MGC noted that Category 2 licences, which only current horse tracks or simulcast facilities are eligible for, will be accepted on a rolling basis after the deadline.

Read the full story on iGB North America.

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Louisiana online sports betting handle hits record $219.0m in October

Louisiana online sports betting handle hits record $219.0m in October

Players in Louisiana spent a record $219.0m (£184.1m/€213.2m) betting on sports online during October, while the state also reported a nine-month high for retail wagering.

October’s online handle was 3.8% higher than the previous record of $211.0m, which was set in February of this year – the first full month of legal online betting in the state – and also 24.4% above the $176.0m spent by consumers in September.

However, despite higher player spending, revenue from online wagering was 4.1% lower month-on-month at $26.0m, compared to $27.1m in September.

Read the full story on iGB North America.

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BetRivers and Gambling.com Group reveal Maryland launch plans

BetRivers and Gambling.com Group reveal Maryland launch plans

Rush Street Interactive-operated BetRivers and affiliate business Gambling.com Group have both announced they will fully launch in Maryland when the state’s legal sports betting market opens tomorrow (November 23).

BetRivers commenced a short soft launch yesterday (November 21), with this to also run for a period today, prior to the operator launching in full tomorrow subject to final regulatory approvals.

The online launch will support the operator’s retail sportsbook, which opened in Baltimore in August following the legalisation of in-person betting in December last year.

Read the full story iGB North America.

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Oregon posts record sports betting revenue and handle in October

Oregon posts record sports betting revenue and handle in October

Sports betting revenue and handle in October reached new monthly highs during October, according to the latest figures published by the Oregon Lottery.

Player spending in October amounted to $55.6m (£47.1m/€54.3m(, which was 29.6% higher than the existing record of $42.9m set in April this year.

The figure was also 47.9% ahead of $37.6m in October last year and 41.5% up from $39.3m in September this year.

Read the full story on iGB North America.

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Mississippi sports betting handle reaches $56.2m in October

Mississippi sports betting handle reaches $56.2m in October

Consumers in Mississippi wagered $56.2m (£47.6m/€54.8m) on sports during October, a 32.7% drop on last year but an improvement on the amount bet in September this year.

The monthly handle was some way behind the $83.5m bet during October 2021, but 30.4% higher than $43.1m in September 2022.

Lower spending year-on-year also meant revenue fell 15.4% from $9.1m last year to $7.7m, while this figure was also 12.5% lower than $8.8m in September this year.

Read the full story on iGB North America.

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Betfred and DraftKings launch sportsbook products in Maryland

Betfred and DraftKings launch sportsbook products in Maryland

DraftKings and Betfred have become the latest operators to announce their entry into the Maryland sports betting market.

Betfred’s physical sportsbook will go live from today (November 18), while DraftKings’ sportsbook app is set to launch on November 23.

Both operators completed the mandatory early access test period, a measure implemented by the Maryland State Lottery & Gaming Control Agency, and paid the $500,000 application fee.

Read the full story on iGB North America.

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Global regulators release joint World Cup statement

Global regulators release joint World Cup statement

Regulators from France, Germany, Portugal, Spain and Great Britain have released a joint statement before the World Cup begins on 20 November, reminding operators to keep responsible gambling and player protection in mind as the tournament runs.

The regulators met in Paris, France on 15 November. L’Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ), the gambling regulator for France, said that the meeting saw a number of key issued being discussed that would affect betting during the World Cup.

“This meeting was an opportunity to address several topics, including the fight against illegal offers and the protection of players and advertising during the World Cup,” read the statement.

“On the latter topic, regulators agreed to commit to working together to closely monitor gambling operators’ compliance with advertising, betting integrity and consumer protection regulations during the World Cup.”

Earlier this month, a number of operators and advertisers signed four charters in France, which committed ..

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