MGM Resorts and Entain Launch Collaborations with Playtech

Evolution’s Live Casino Games About to Face Fierce Competition

Money gaming giant Evolution, the dominant force in the Indian online casino market with a share of around 60% to 70% according to our internal data research, is about to be challenged globally by fresh products powered by heavy-league competitor Playtech in separate cooperation deals with gambling operators MGM Resorts and Entain.

The recently announced strategic partnership between Playtech and MGM Resorts International will stream live casino content directly from the Bellagio and the MGM Grand on the iconic Strip of Las Vegas.

The collaboration will start with European (single-zero) and American (double-zero) Roulette and Baccarat games and expand with “exclusive access to a variety of Playtech games, branded TV game shows, celebrity-hosted trivia shows, and the one-of-a-kind entertainment experiences for which Las Vegas and MGM Resorts are known,” the corporate press release pointed out.

“The launch of this new and exciting live casino offering, in partnership with Playtech and directly from Bellagio and MGM Grand in Las Vegas, furthers our strategic vision to be the world’s premier gaming entertainment company,” MGM Resorts CEO and President Bill Hornbuckle stated.

“This alliance combines the strength of MGM Resorts’ global prestige with Playtech’s extensive international market knowledge and innovative games. As a leading technology provider in regulated markets, we are delighted that this partnership is pioneering a new live entertainment category and product offering for players in these regulated territories,” Playtech CEO Mor Weizer said.

“Our alliance is built on a shared vision to create an innovative and unique customer experience alongside our commitment to safer gambling. Both Playtech and MGM Resorts are dedicated to maintaining the highest standards of player protection and ensuring our offerings are enjoyed responsibly,” Weizer explained.

Indian Players Follow the Trends and Want Their Casino Games Live

Our analysis of “the prevailing “taste” of modern-day casino players” in India shows that desi players are following the global trends in iGaming and “in general, in-demand games have a live dealer (or a host) and resemble an event rather than a detached experience.”

“Even more traditional Asian games that always get plenty of mobile casino traction are mostly sought after in a live studio version. This allows desi players to enjoy dynamic and original content within familiar game rules. Live dealers or hosts are an essential element of practically every top-ranked game category, save for slots,” our research team writes.

In this mobile-first environment of high demand for Live Casino content, the Evolution game provider has been able to grab substantial portions of Indian money game operator turnovers for its hit titles, most notably Lightning Roulette (15.68% share of total turnovers), Crazy Time (6.41%), and Auto-Roulette (5.36%).

Lightning Storm Game Show will Launch on 31st of July 2024

Evolution, currently ranked the third largest gambling business in the world, with a market cap of $22.36 billion (₹1.87 lakh crore), revealed its latest Game Show, Lightning Storm, at the ICE London event in February 2024.

Dubbed “the biggest, most epic Lightning game yet in Evolution’s multi-award-winning Lightning family of games” by the company’s press release, Lightning Storm is expected to be released for the general public on the 31st of July and build on the success of its predecessors Crazy Time and Funky Time.

A gigantic money wheel powered by DigiWheel patented technology, five intriguing bonus games, a vast wall of multipliers, and instant payouts are set to turn Lighting Storm into the next money maker for Evolution, backed up by another debuting title from the same family – Lightning Dragon Tiger, an electrifying remake of the traditional Asian card game.

“We have said many times that we are launching the biggest, most complex, and most expensive game we have ever made – and that is true again this year with our newest game show, Lightning Storm,” Evolution’s Chief Product Officer Todd Haushalter commented.

“With its five distinct bonus rounds, the development of this game is the equivalent of making six different games. The idea here is to show players where Lightning Roulette and the rest of the Lightning family comes from. It gives players a sort of look behind the curtain and I believe it will be our biggest game since Crazy Time,” Haushalter added.

Speaking about the company’s plans for the near future, Evolution’s CPO shared his enthusiasm for all Live Casino genres, “Game shows get all the attention and they are the most important games for separating our offering from other live providers. However, the 2024 roadmap also gives plenty of attention to the big three core games of Roulette, Blackjack, and Baccarat, with new innovations coming for each of these.”

“We will also be launching new slot innovations, bonusing systems and new ways to play slots – trying to advance the online slot space as a whole. In other words, there is something for everyone in the 2024 roadmap and we could not be more excited!”

Playtech Works with Entain to Launch The Chase Live Game Show 

However, Evolution is not the only money gaming giant with big expansion projects for 2024. Apparently, the strategic planning staff at Playtech have not been wasting their time.

The company has formed another partnership with Entain, the 16th largest gambling business with a market capitalization of $5.22 billion (₹43,630 crore), to launch a new Live Casino offering based on The Chase, a TV Game Show with 4 million viewership in the UK.

The casino version will replace the part where the audience has to answer trivia questions with a Plinko board and bonus features. The new Game Show is first released in the UK, Ontario, Belgium, and Brazil, while South Africa and Italy will follow shortly.

“This new gameshow, developed in partnership with Entain and ITV, is the first plinko live game developed by Playtech featuring two unique bonus rounds, emulating the experience of the original popular game show,” Playtech Chief Product Innovation Officer Kevin Kilminster said.

“The launch of “The Chase” reaffirms Entain as the home of innovation, excitement, and fun. We are always striving to create innovative content that stands out in the growing live gameshow genre. As the data shows, it has already been a hit with our customers around the world and we expect the game to continue its impressive growth trajectory,” Entain’s Global Head of Live and Table Games Graciella Anthony commented.

BetMGM Recognized at the ERG North America Awards 2024

Leading casino and sportsbook operator BetMGM, jointly owned by MGM Resorts International and Entain Holdings, received double recognition at the ERG North America Awards 2024, which are considered the premier gaming awards in North America and were hosted on the 27th of June in New Your City, USA.

BetMGM was awarded Sports Betting Operator of the Year “for its ability to innovate and differentiate in a crowded industry, successfully forming strategic partnerships with X and Marriott Bonvoy and capitalizing upon its unique omnichannel advantage in Las Vegas during Super Bowl LVIII.”

The Employer of the Year award went to BetMGM for demonstrating “its commitment to organizational performance improvement through investment in the recruitment, personal and skills development, and motivation of every employee.”

“Winning two EGR North America Awards is a tremendous honor. We have a passionate team at BetMGM dedicated to delivering best-in-class betting experiences which saw exponential leaps in capability this year with unparalleled omnichannel opportunities, enhanced user interface and increased brand visibility. These awards are a tribute to all the hard work and the strong culture that we are building at BetMGM,” BetMGM CEO Adam Greenblatt stated.