This document provides a business analysis of the online poker industry following changes made by Amaya to PokerStars after acquiring the company. It summarizes the negative reaction of players to increased rake and new casino games. Competing sites like PartyPoker see an opportunity to attract disgruntled PokerStars players with better rates. The future of online poker is uncertain as PokerStars transitions more to gambling and competition is needed to prevent a monopoly.
Wiem, że nic nie wiem - moja krótka analiza rynku gier na Łódź Game Summit 2014Tomek Kreczmar
Tomek Kreczmar has worked in the video game publishing industry in Poland since 1994, working for various publishers such as Magia i Miecz, ISA, and Hyper. He now works for Game Industry Trends focusing on business games and gamification. Some of the projects he has worked on include The Witcher, Thorgal CCG, and Wewnętrzne Zło. The document then provides various statistics and information on the video game industry including revenues, sales numbers, and trends.
E-sports has grown tremendously from small events in the late 1990s to selling out national stadiums today. It is now a billion dollar global industry with over 145 million enthusiasts worldwide. While some debate whether e-sports qualifies as a sport, organizations like the U.S. State Department have recognized pro gamers as athletes by issuing them athlete visas. E-sports requires training of both physical and mental abilities from gamers.
This document provides information about new Virginia lottery games launching in June 2016 and an upcoming enhanced lottery subscription system on the Virginia lottery website. It lists the odds of winning the top prize for several scratcher games and notes an extra chances promotion for scratchers purchased between January and June 2016. Retailers are instructed to activate and sell new scratcher games by June 9th. Statistics are also presented on consumer shopping habits at convenience stores and how lottery customers typically make additional purchases when buying tickets.
Casinos: The New Gold Rush For Developers? | Darion LowensteinJessica Tams
Delivered at Casual Connect Tel Aviv 2016. Casinos have been fighting an age crisis: 21-45 year olds generally do not gamble. Gamblit Gaming has been leading the charge to bring mobile and arcade style games onto the floor with products that appeal to them. With announcements like Jetpack Joyride, Into The Dead, and Catapult King, Gamblit CMO and gaming industry vet Darion Lowenstein will discuss the benefits and difficulties of taking hit mobile games into the casino world in this honest, developer-targeted talk.
The State and Future of Mobile Esports in Asia and the WestNewzoo
Over the past two years, the global esports market grew by 102% to reach $655 million in 2017. While mobile has quickly grown as the biggest gaming screen worldwide, its esports scene is largely lagging that of PC and console.sing data from our esports solutions we examine the role of mobile in esports, the top performing titles, trends, and the differences between Asia and the West.
This document is a class action complaint filed against Valve Corporation regarding illegal online gambling related to the video game Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO). The complaint alleges that Valve knowingly allowed, supported and profited from illegal gambling by permitting players to bet virtual items called "Skins" on esports matches through third party gambling websites, even though many players were minors. The complaint asserts that Valve's actions violated RICO statutes by facilitating an illegal gambling operation. The plaintiff, a Connecticut resident who gambled and lost money on CS:GO Skins, is seeking to represent a class of players who were allegedly harmed by Valve's actions.
3 Vectors of Social Casino Evolution in Asia Pacific | John B. LinJessica Tams
Delivered at Casual Connect Tel Aviv 2016. The arena of Asia Pacific social casino markets is massive in aggregate, remarkably complex, and across a starkly contrasting range in their development cycles. From the perspectives of genre, channels, social, and player sophistication, what can be taken from existing Western-style social casino games? What can be evolved / adapted? What can’t be? And what are the areas that must be reconsidered from the ground up?
The word jackpot is always associated with winning something big. In Las Vegas, winning a jackpot can instantly turn one’s life around. There have been many guests who checked-in at a casino hotel who look forward to trying out their luck at either gambling or the many slot machines. However, only a few have ever won multi-million dollar jackpots. Las Vegas resident Stacey L. Tokunaga claims that this is part of the charm of Las Vegas. Here are some of the biggest wins in Las Vegas history.
Wiem, że nic nie wiem - moja krótka analiza rynku gier na Łódź Game Summit 2014Tomek Kreczmar
Tomek Kreczmar has worked in the video game publishing industry in Poland since 1994, working for various publishers such as Magia i Miecz, ISA, and Hyper. He now works for Game Industry Trends focusing on business games and gamification. Some of the projects he has worked on include The Witcher, Thorgal CCG, and Wewnętrzne Zło. The document then provides various statistics and information on the video game industry including revenues, sales numbers, and trends.
E-sports has grown tremendously from small events in the late 1990s to selling out national stadiums today. It is now a billion dollar global industry with over 145 million enthusiasts worldwide. While some debate whether e-sports qualifies as a sport, organizations like the U.S. State Department have recognized pro gamers as athletes by issuing them athlete visas. E-sports requires training of both physical and mental abilities from gamers.
This document provides information about new Virginia lottery games launching in June 2016 and an upcoming enhanced lottery subscription system on the Virginia lottery website. It lists the odds of winning the top prize for several scratcher games and notes an extra chances promotion for scratchers purchased between January and June 2016. Retailers are instructed to activate and sell new scratcher games by June 9th. Statistics are also presented on consumer shopping habits at convenience stores and how lottery customers typically make additional purchases when buying tickets.
Casinos: The New Gold Rush For Developers? | Darion LowensteinJessica Tams
Delivered at Casual Connect Tel Aviv 2016. Casinos have been fighting an age crisis: 21-45 year olds generally do not gamble. Gamblit Gaming has been leading the charge to bring mobile and arcade style games onto the floor with products that appeal to them. With announcements like Jetpack Joyride, Into The Dead, and Catapult King, Gamblit CMO and gaming industry vet Darion Lowenstein will discuss the benefits and difficulties of taking hit mobile games into the casino world in this honest, developer-targeted talk.
The State and Future of Mobile Esports in Asia and the WestNewzoo
Over the past two years, the global esports market grew by 102% to reach $655 million in 2017. While mobile has quickly grown as the biggest gaming screen worldwide, its esports scene is largely lagging that of PC and console.sing data from our esports solutions we examine the role of mobile in esports, the top performing titles, trends, and the differences between Asia and the West.
This document is a class action complaint filed against Valve Corporation regarding illegal online gambling related to the video game Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO). The complaint alleges that Valve knowingly allowed, supported and profited from illegal gambling by permitting players to bet virtual items called "Skins" on esports matches through third party gambling websites, even though many players were minors. The complaint asserts that Valve's actions violated RICO statutes by facilitating an illegal gambling operation. The plaintiff, a Connecticut resident who gambled and lost money on CS:GO Skins, is seeking to represent a class of players who were allegedly harmed by Valve's actions.
3 Vectors of Social Casino Evolution in Asia Pacific | John B. LinJessica Tams
Delivered at Casual Connect Tel Aviv 2016. The arena of Asia Pacific social casino markets is massive in aggregate, remarkably complex, and across a starkly contrasting range in their development cycles. From the perspectives of genre, channels, social, and player sophistication, what can be taken from existing Western-style social casino games? What can be evolved / adapted? What can’t be? And what are the areas that must be reconsidered from the ground up?
The word jackpot is always associated with winning something big. In Las Vegas, winning a jackpot can instantly turn one’s life around. There have been many guests who checked-in at a casino hotel who look forward to trying out their luck at either gambling or the many slot machines. However, only a few have ever won multi-million dollar jackpots. Las Vegas resident Stacey L. Tokunaga claims that this is part of the charm of Las Vegas. Here are some of the biggest wins in Las Vegas history.
IS IT TIME TO TAP INTO THE REAL-MONEY MOBILE GAMING BOOM ? Probability_Feb 1...Market Engel SAS
Exploring the opportunities for media owners, app developers, marketing agencies and mobile network operators to generate extra revenue, attract new customers by tapping into the mobile real money gaming boom. Gambling on mobile devices will generate €19bn of revenue worldwide in 2018 (H2 Gambling Capital). Mobile is an unstoppable force in the gambling industry. Almost half of on-line betting in the UK has already switched to mobile, and no major gambling operator can afford not to have a mobile site. Mobile is disrupting gambling in less obvious ways by bringing in a whole new type of customer, and opening up the opportunity to brands and marketeers from outside the traditional industry to promote casual, entertainment focussed, gambling games direct to mobile. Recently we’ve noticed a growing number of non-gambling companies approach us with an interest in entering the sector. They are attracted by the potential to increase revenues, to attract, retain and engage customers. But they’re not gambling businesses, and they don’t want
to be gambling businesses. Our White Label partnership programme is designed to meet that need. These partners often share the same questions and concerns about
gambling - how it works, who plays, why they play, where they play. To help answer these questions we invited a sample of our UK customers to participate in a mobile survey. Nearly 4000 participated. In this White Paper you will get many of the answers and insights you need to map out your path into mobile entertainment gambling.
Our survey reveals which social and other media channels they use, the gender split
of players, the average game play session time, peak times of play, and the top 5 regions in the UK for cash game players. We think you’ll agree with us that, with the right partner and strategy, real money mobile games present a fantastic opportunity
for brands, media owners, marketing agencies and mobile network.
Social Casino Q1 2014. Whats going on and why you should care. Elad Kushnir
VISIT WWW.ELADKUSHNIR.WORDPRESS.COM TO SEE AN UP TO DATE VERSION OF THIS LECTURE (Q2/Q3 2016)
An overview of the Social Casino gaming category. Lecture given at Casual Connect Amsterdam in February 2014. You can watch the full lecture on video at the end of the slide share presentation.
This white paper, brought to you by Newzoo and B2B networking event Esports BAR, aims to help brands understand the esports audiences in North and Latin America, where a one-size-fits-all strategy would fail to cater to the diversity of the area.
Social Casino and APAC - Present & FutureAdi Hanin
Social casino gaming is a large and growing market, particularly in Asia Pacific regions like China, Japan, and Korea. By 2017, the global social casino market is estimated to generate $4.44 billion in revenue, with Asia Pacific as the second largest region after North America. However, western game developers face challenges in Asia Pacific markets like the need for local support, customized games and art, and local pricing strategies. Successful companies are investing and acquiring both to and from eastern and western markets to expand their reach.
State of the Social Casino Industry, Q3 2014Elad Kushnir
VISIT WWW.ELADKUSHNIR.WORDPRESS.COM TO SEE AN UP TO DATE VERSION OF THIS LECTURE (Q2/Q3 2016)
Slides from my lecture at Casual Connect San Francisco on July 22nd 2014.
Newzoo insights us_social_casino_markets_v1.0Emma Li
The document summarizes key insights from Newzoo's report on the US social casino market. It finds that almost half of social casino gamers have spent money in the past 6 months, with Hit It Rich! having the highest share of paying gamers. It also reports that most players spend 2-5 hours per week playing one franchise, and that Big Fish Casino is the most commonly played franchise along with others. Finally, it indicates that DoubleU Casino players are most likely to find it too challenging compared to other franchises.
David v Goliath: Fighting the Big Guys of Social Casino | Niko VuoriJessica Tams
Delivered at Casual Connect Tel Aviv 2016. The $3.5BN social casino gaming market has become very competitive and is dominated by large casino gaming companies with deep pockets. Despite this competition, Rocket Games has been able to grow 600% YoY, without funding, and is now a top-15 social casino operator globally. In this session you will hear how Rocket Games has been able to break into this hyper-competitive market, with highly actionable insights.
State of the Social Casino Industry Q4 2014. Elad Kushnir. Casual Connect Ams...Elad Kushnir
VISIT WWW.ELADKUSHNIR.WORDPRESS.COM TO SEE AN UP TO DATE VERSION OF THIS LECTURE (Q2/Q3 2016)
State of the Social Casino Industry Lecture Q4 2014. Given at Casual Connect Amsterdam during Feb 2015. Follow my blog at www.eladkushnir.wordpress.com for more gaming industry content.
Incredibly strong filament tape is ideal for bundling tubes, sealing cartons, palletizing, unitizing and repairing. The fiberglass strands give the filament tape tear resistance as well as extra strength for holding heavy loads or packages.
The document summarizes two community parks - Buhl Community Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Perdana Park in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. Buhl Park was originally built in 1840 and renovated in 2012, featuring a billowing water sculpture. Perdana Park was officially opened in 2011, located near beaches and featuring a musical fountain display nightly. Both parks aim to provide green space for recreation and preserve heritage for the community.
Paul Moore is a safety professional with over 25 years of experience in occupational safety, health, emergency response, and nursing. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Nursing and a Master's degree in Occupational Safety and Health. Currently, Moore works as a Team Lead Safety Specialist at Huntsman Petrochemical LLC, where he supervises other safety staff and ensures regulatory compliance. Previously, he has held safety roles at Evonik Degussa Corporation and Central Machine Works, Inc. Moore maintains relevant certifications and licenses in nursing, hazardous materials, and emergency response.
This short document promotes creating presentations using Haiku Deck, a tool for making slideshows. It encourages the reader to get started making their own Haiku Deck presentation and sharing it on SlideShare. In a single sentence, it pitches the idea of using Haiku Deck to easily create and share slideshow presentations online.
A empresa anunciou um novo produto que combina hardware e software para fornecer uma solução completa para clientes. O produto oferece recursos avançados de inteligência artificial e aprendizado de máquina para ajudar os usuários a automatizar tarefas complexas. Analistas acreditam que o produto pode ser um sucesso comercial se for fácil de usar e entregar valor real para os clientes.
Rashed Tala't Rashed Shalash is a Quality Engineer with over 5 years of experience in quality management. He currently works as a Quality, Safety, and Environmental Engineer for The Egyptian Company for Metro Management, Maintenance, and Operation. Previously, he worked as a Quality, Health, Safety, and Environmental Engineer for Hesni Group. He holds a BSc in Chemical Engineering and post-graduate degrees in Statistical Quality Control and Quality Assurance.
The document discusses how silica nanoparticles (SiNP) can induce protein citrullination in lung cells. It summarizes previous research showing nanoparticles may cause autoimmune diseases by inducing protein citrullination. The study aims to investigate if SiNP-induced protein citrullination in lung cells is persistent after removing the SiNP. The researchers exposed lung cancer cells to SiNP and analyzed protein citrullination over time using high content screening and western blotting. They found SiNP significantly increased protein citrullination compared to untreated cells, and this increase persisted for up to 96 hours after removing the SiNP. This suggests SiNP-induced protein citrullination is irreversible and could explain harmful effects like
This document describes a chess variant called Hex Chess that is played on a board with an hexagonal shape containing 96 equilateral triangles. It summarizes the movements of the different pieces, which generally follow standard chess movements but adapted to the triangular geometry. It also discusses the development of distance formulas specific to this variant to calculate distances traveled by kings, queens, and potentially other pieces. Finally, it outlines some open problems for further developing and analyzing the geometry and rules of Hex Chess.
A empresa de tecnologia anunciou um novo smartphone com câmera aprimorada, processador mais rápido e bateria de maior duração. O dispositivo também possui tela maior e armazenamento expansível, com preço sugerido a partir de US$599. Analistas esperam que o aparelho ajude a empresa a aumentar sua participação no competitivo mercado de smartphones.
A empresa de tecnologia anunciou um novo smartphone com câmera aprimorada, maior tela e bateria de longa duração. O dispositivo também possui processador mais rápido e armazenamento expansível. O novo modelo será lançado em outubro por um preço inicial de US$799.
IS IT TIME TO TAP INTO THE REAL-MONEY MOBILE GAMING BOOM ? Probability_Feb 1...Market Engel SAS
Exploring the opportunities for media owners, app developers, marketing agencies and mobile network operators to generate extra revenue, attract new customers by tapping into the mobile real money gaming boom. Gambling on mobile devices will generate €19bn of revenue worldwide in 2018 (H2 Gambling Capital). Mobile is an unstoppable force in the gambling industry. Almost half of on-line betting in the UK has already switched to mobile, and no major gambling operator can afford not to have a mobile site. Mobile is disrupting gambling in less obvious ways by bringing in a whole new type of customer, and opening up the opportunity to brands and marketeers from outside the traditional industry to promote casual, entertainment focussed, gambling games direct to mobile. Recently we’ve noticed a growing number of non-gambling companies approach us with an interest in entering the sector. They are attracted by the potential to increase revenues, to attract, retain and engage customers. But they’re not gambling businesses, and they don’t want
to be gambling businesses. Our White Label partnership programme is designed to meet that need. These partners often share the same questions and concerns about
gambling - how it works, who plays, why they play, where they play. To help answer these questions we invited a sample of our UK customers to participate in a mobile survey. Nearly 4000 participated. In this White Paper you will get many of the answers and insights you need to map out your path into mobile entertainment gambling.
Our survey reveals which social and other media channels they use, the gender split
of players, the average game play session time, peak times of play, and the top 5 regions in the UK for cash game players. We think you’ll agree with us that, with the right partner and strategy, real money mobile games present a fantastic opportunity
for brands, media owners, marketing agencies and mobile network.
Social Casino Q1 2014. Whats going on and why you should care. Elad Kushnir
VISIT WWW.ELADKUSHNIR.WORDPRESS.COM TO SEE AN UP TO DATE VERSION OF THIS LECTURE (Q2/Q3 2016)
An overview of the Social Casino gaming category. Lecture given at Casual Connect Amsterdam in February 2014. You can watch the full lecture on video at the end of the slide share presentation.
This white paper, brought to you by Newzoo and B2B networking event Esports BAR, aims to help brands understand the esports audiences in North and Latin America, where a one-size-fits-all strategy would fail to cater to the diversity of the area.
Social Casino and APAC - Present & FutureAdi Hanin
Social casino gaming is a large and growing market, particularly in Asia Pacific regions like China, Japan, and Korea. By 2017, the global social casino market is estimated to generate $4.44 billion in revenue, with Asia Pacific as the second largest region after North America. However, western game developers face challenges in Asia Pacific markets like the need for local support, customized games and art, and local pricing strategies. Successful companies are investing and acquiring both to and from eastern and western markets to expand their reach.
State of the Social Casino Industry, Q3 2014Elad Kushnir
VISIT WWW.ELADKUSHNIR.WORDPRESS.COM TO SEE AN UP TO DATE VERSION OF THIS LECTURE (Q2/Q3 2016)
Slides from my lecture at Casual Connect San Francisco on July 22nd 2014.
Newzoo insights us_social_casino_markets_v1.0Emma Li
The document summarizes key insights from Newzoo's report on the US social casino market. It finds that almost half of social casino gamers have spent money in the past 6 months, with Hit It Rich! having the highest share of paying gamers. It also reports that most players spend 2-5 hours per week playing one franchise, and that Big Fish Casino is the most commonly played franchise along with others. Finally, it indicates that DoubleU Casino players are most likely to find it too challenging compared to other franchises.
David v Goliath: Fighting the Big Guys of Social Casino | Niko VuoriJessica Tams
Delivered at Casual Connect Tel Aviv 2016. The $3.5BN social casino gaming market has become very competitive and is dominated by large casino gaming companies with deep pockets. Despite this competition, Rocket Games has been able to grow 600% YoY, without funding, and is now a top-15 social casino operator globally. In this session you will hear how Rocket Games has been able to break into this hyper-competitive market, with highly actionable insights.
State of the Social Casino Industry Q4 2014. Elad Kushnir. Casual Connect Ams...Elad Kushnir
VISIT WWW.ELADKUSHNIR.WORDPRESS.COM TO SEE AN UP TO DATE VERSION OF THIS LECTURE (Q2/Q3 2016)
State of the Social Casino Industry Lecture Q4 2014. Given at Casual Connect Amsterdam during Feb 2015. Follow my blog at www.eladkushnir.wordpress.com for more gaming industry content.
Incredibly strong filament tape is ideal for bundling tubes, sealing cartons, palletizing, unitizing and repairing. The fiberglass strands give the filament tape tear resistance as well as extra strength for holding heavy loads or packages.
The document summarizes two community parks - Buhl Community Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Perdana Park in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. Buhl Park was originally built in 1840 and renovated in 2012, featuring a billowing water sculpture. Perdana Park was officially opened in 2011, located near beaches and featuring a musical fountain display nightly. Both parks aim to provide green space for recreation and preserve heritage for the community.
Paul Moore is a safety professional with over 25 years of experience in occupational safety, health, emergency response, and nursing. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Nursing and a Master's degree in Occupational Safety and Health. Currently, Moore works as a Team Lead Safety Specialist at Huntsman Petrochemical LLC, where he supervises other safety staff and ensures regulatory compliance. Previously, he has held safety roles at Evonik Degussa Corporation and Central Machine Works, Inc. Moore maintains relevant certifications and licenses in nursing, hazardous materials, and emergency response.
This short document promotes creating presentations using Haiku Deck, a tool for making slideshows. It encourages the reader to get started making their own Haiku Deck presentation and sharing it on SlideShare. In a single sentence, it pitches the idea of using Haiku Deck to easily create and share slideshow presentations online.
A empresa anunciou um novo produto que combina hardware e software para fornecer uma solução completa para clientes. O produto oferece recursos avançados de inteligência artificial e aprendizado de máquina para ajudar os usuários a automatizar tarefas complexas. Analistas acreditam que o produto pode ser um sucesso comercial se for fácil de usar e entregar valor real para os clientes.
Rashed Tala't Rashed Shalash is a Quality Engineer with over 5 years of experience in quality management. He currently works as a Quality, Safety, and Environmental Engineer for The Egyptian Company for Metro Management, Maintenance, and Operation. Previously, he worked as a Quality, Health, Safety, and Environmental Engineer for Hesni Group. He holds a BSc in Chemical Engineering and post-graduate degrees in Statistical Quality Control and Quality Assurance.
The document discusses how silica nanoparticles (SiNP) can induce protein citrullination in lung cells. It summarizes previous research showing nanoparticles may cause autoimmune diseases by inducing protein citrullination. The study aims to investigate if SiNP-induced protein citrullination in lung cells is persistent after removing the SiNP. The researchers exposed lung cancer cells to SiNP and analyzed protein citrullination over time using high content screening and western blotting. They found SiNP significantly increased protein citrullination compared to untreated cells, and this increase persisted for up to 96 hours after removing the SiNP. This suggests SiNP-induced protein citrullination is irreversible and could explain harmful effects like
This document describes a chess variant called Hex Chess that is played on a board with an hexagonal shape containing 96 equilateral triangles. It summarizes the movements of the different pieces, which generally follow standard chess movements but adapted to the triangular geometry. It also discusses the development of distance formulas specific to this variant to calculate distances traveled by kings, queens, and potentially other pieces. Finally, it outlines some open problems for further developing and analyzing the geometry and rules of Hex Chess.
A empresa de tecnologia anunciou um novo smartphone com câmera aprimorada, processador mais rápido e bateria de maior duração. O dispositivo também possui tela maior e armazenamento expansível, com preço sugerido a partir de US$599. Analistas esperam que o aparelho ajude a empresa a aumentar sua participação no competitivo mercado de smartphones.
A empresa de tecnologia anunciou um novo smartphone com câmera aprimorada, maior tela e bateria de longa duração. O dispositivo também possui processador mais rápido e armazenamento expansível. O novo modelo será lançado em outubro por um preço inicial de US$799.
Wendi Knutsen is seeking an Environmental, Health, and Safety Specialist position. She has over 20 years of experience in EHS compliance, regulations, and technical writing. She has a B.S. in Civil & Environmental Engineering and is OSHA HAZWOPER certified. Her experience includes working for government agencies and private companies in environmental engineering and regulatory compliance roles.
Wendover Resorts and Casinos Present: A Short History of Let It RideWendoverResorts
Let it Ride is such a new casino game that you are probably older than the game itself. Unlike the rich and varied history of most games like Blackjack or Roulette, which go back centuries and contain a lot of speculation about how they originated, Let it Ride has a more clear cut history with an easily identifiable beginning.
The document summarizes ValetNoir, a worldwide gaming technology and media company. It provides an overview of the company's business model, which electronically books loyal casino players into participating properties in exchange for a portion of the casino's revenue. It discusses the growing gaming market, target customers, competitors, proprietary systems, current contracts, financial performance and forecasts, and plans to use proceeds from a private equity financing round to acquire complementary companies and their assets to further expand the business.
The document discusses recent gaming industry news from various countries:
- In Argentina, the annual SAGSE gaming conference saw reduced attendance and exhibitor space due to economic issues, but remained an important event.
- Mexican lawmakers are close to agreeing on gaming license durations of 10 years, renewable for another 10 years, though some want longer terms.
- Paraguay plans to retroactively modify casino contracts to increase operator responsibility for player protection measures.
- Mexico revoked the federal license of operator Megasport, restricting its expansion plans.
- Poland may introduce online gaming and local licenses through amendments to regulations.
Ladbrokes, one of the world's leading gaming companies, is expanding into Africa to capitalize on developing betting markets. It has partnered with KaiRo International to launch an online sportsbook in South Africa. Meanwhile, other gaming operators like Sun International are looking to expand in countries like Angola, Mauritius, and Mozambique. However, regulators must be careful not to issue too many gaming licenses, as seen in places like Gaborone, Botswana, which now has four casinos for a city of only 200,000 people. Fast growth also brings the risk of money laundering, so operators are focused on developing markets responsibly over the long term.
16 Part V Assemblies and Event Management17 Part V Assembl.docxhyacinthshackley2629
16 Part V Assemblies and Event Management
17 Part V Assemblies and Event Management
One of the most significant developments in the hospitality industry during the past two decades has been the astounding growth of the casino industry and its convergence with the lodging and hospitality industries. What has emerged from this development is an entirely new arena of hospitality known as the gaming entertainment industry. With its rapid expansion in North America and throughout the world, new opportunities have been created for hospitality careers. This chapter explores the gaming entertainment industry and details exciting developments yet to come in this dynamic and controversial segment of the hospitality business.
384 Part IV Recreation, Theme Parks, Clubs, and Gaming Entertainment
Gaming Entertainment
For the purposes of this chapter, the term gaming entertainment refers to one subset of the gaming industry, that is, the casino industry. What used to be known as the casino business is now known as gaming entertainment. The dramatic growth of this part of the hospitality business has brought with it significant changes in how businesses in this industry operate and what they offer their guests. The changes have been so great that a new name needed to be created to accurately describe all the amenities this industry provides.
The gaming industry includes 445 casinos in eleven states.1 The industry includes both land-based and riverboat casinos, card rooms, charitable games, lottery-operated games, and greyhound and horse races. The gaming industry as a whole is larger than most people can believe. Approximately $70 billion is wagered, or bet, on games or races every year.
That is more than seven times what is spent on movie tickets. The total amount bet is called the handle in the gaming industry, and it is often a misunderstood concept. When a customer places a bet in any type of gaming activity, sometimes that
customer wins and sometimes he or she loses. The total amount of all bets is the handle, and the net amount of spending by the customer is termed win by the gaming industry.
What is the difference between gambling and gaming? Gambling is playing a game of risk for the thrill of the "action" and the chance of making money. True gamblers spend a great deal of time learning and understanding a favorite game of risk and enjoying its subtle attributes, and they find an enjoyable challenge in trying to "beat the house," or win more than they lose from a casino.
385
384 Part IV Recreation, Theme Parks, Clubs, and Gaming Entertainment
Chapter 11
It is true that the nearly 40 million visitors who visit Las Vegas and the more than 30 million in Atlantic City and the hundreds of thousands who frequent other casino operations love the green felt tables, the whirling roulette wheels, the feel of the chips, and the thrill of the game. The rows of colorful slot machines sounding out musical tones and flashing lights, the distant .
The document is an executive summary for Bettor Gaming Inc. It proposes integrating a play-for-fun horse racing social game called HorseFlash with a licensed real-money horse race wagering website called WinPlaceShow.co. The social game would introduce gamers to horse racing and generate revenue through in-app purchases. The wagering site aims to have a superior mobile experience compared to competitors. The management team includes former executives from Youbet.com who grew its annual wagering from $30M to $900M prior to its acquisition.
10 most expensive video games of all time www.gamebasin.comGameBasin.com
The document discusses the 10 most expensive video games ever produced according to industry analysts. It details how the costs of AAA game development have risen drastically over the years, with modern blockbuster franchises like Grand Theft Auto IV and Red Dead Redemption costing upwards of $100 million to produce due to their large scope and Hollywood-level production values. The most notable examples are Final Fantasy VII, which had a $145 million total budget when including its $100 million marketing campaign aimed at breaking into the Western market, and Disney Infinity, on which Disney spent over $100 million to compete with the lucrative Skylanders franchise.
Leg sun lottery review board rebutal-final finalkrgc
This document discusses the proposal for a new casino in Kansas by Legends Sun Management. It provides details to support why Legends Sun should be selected as the best plan. The key points made include:
1) Legends Sun has a proven track record of successful casino operations and delivering "wow factor" destinations.
2) Financial projections by independent gaming consultants show Legends Sun's proposal could achieve gaming revenue of $272-299 million annually, which Legends Sun is best positioned to attain due to its experience.
3) Legends Sun has the most extensive gaming experience compared to other applicants, including operating the highly successful Mohegan Sun casino in Connecticut.
This proposal argues Legends
Esports Entertainment Group is developing an online platform for wagering on esports events. The company plans to launch its peer-to-peer wagering platform and begin generating revenue. Esports is a rapidly growing industry, with viewership and the size of the audience expected to significantly increase in the coming years. The company has the necessary gaming licenses and is seeking a private investment raise of $3-5 million to fund operations and a future NASDAQ uplisting.
This document provides an analysis of Penn National Gaming's financial stability and position as it relates to a proposal for a new casino in Sumner County, Kansas. It summarizes Penn National's corporate structure and evaluates its financial liquidity, solvency, and future commitments by examining key financial ratios and comparing them to industry norms. While Penn National has experienced revenue growth, many of its existing properties have seen declining revenues. Its liquidity and solvency ratios are below industry averages, indicating potential future cash flow issues given its high leverage. The analysis raises questions about Penn National's financial viability and ability to withstand current economic conditions.
This document provides background information on Harrah's Entertainment Inc. and describes the development of their national customer database and Total Rewards loyalty program. It discusses how Harrah's realized some customers visited multiple properties, which led them to create a national player card program in the 1990s to track customer behavior across casinos. Implementation challenges and changing priorities delayed the program initially. In the mid-1990s, a new executive helped revive the idea and in 1997 Harrah's launched their Total Rewards program to increase customer loyalty and sales at existing casinos.
State of the Social Casino Industry – Q4 2017 | Adam KrejcikJessica Tams
1) Adam Krejcik of Eilers & Krejcik Gaming gave a presentation on the social casino industry.
2) The social casino market has grown from $1.3 billion in 2012 to $4.5 billion in 2017, driven by the shift to mobile.
3) Playtika has increased its market share and remains the largest social casino publisher. Conversion rates and monetization are expected to be key drivers of future growth.
The Sacramento Kings are embracing new technologies like Pokémon Go and virtual reality to enhance the fan experience. Their new high-tech arena will have enough bandwidth to support large numbers of Pokémon Go players and host esports and drone racing events. Recognizing Pokémon Go's popularity, the Kings owner wanted fans to be able to play it while attending games. Other NBA teams like the Rockets and Mavericks have also held Pokémon Go events to engage fans in new ways using the popular mobile game. The Kings aim to continue integrating cutting-edge technologies to provide fans with unique experiences as they build a championship team.
Global Games and Gaming Magazine - February 2016Oliver Grave
The newly elected governor of Buenos Aires province, María Eugenia Vidal, does not want to see any more gaming operations opening during her time as governor and said "My goal is for gaming not to grow in the province." Revenues from the 4,000 gaming establishments in Cordoba province totaled $140 million in 2015, up 31% from the prior year. Gary Rapoport, grandson of Meyer Lansky, is seeking compensation from the Cuban government for the Riviera casino expropriated during the 1959 Cuban revolution.
1) The document discusses roulette money management strategies and provides tips for playing roulette online or at casinos.
2) It recommends visiting a specific website for free roulette systems, tips, and software.
3) The document contains a variety of unrelated information including references to movies, recipes, online casinos, and games.
This document analyzes the slot floor of XYZ Casino which has 1173 total slot machines from various manufacturers. IGT dominates the floor with 815 machines (69.48% market share) and the top performing games are Wheel of Fortune and poker games. The analysis provides recommendations such as converting underperforming leased games, adding more high denomination games, improving location of weaker performing games, and monitoring participation games closely. Overall, the casino's slot floor is performing well with a daily win of $97,702 but there is room for optimization in specific areas.
Roulette Revolution was started in 2008 by a college student in New Jersey who claimed to have developed a system to beat roulette. The system allegedly allowed him to win $50,000 per night. However, some critics argue it is a scam as claims about sales do not match account stats, and question why a million dollar system would be sold for only $5. Others defend the system, saying it can be profitable. The summary recommends comprehensive research before relying on any roulette system.
Kansas bid process economic dimensions final 10 16-09krgc
The document discusses how the economic recession of 2007-2009 significantly altered the environment for casino gaming and negatively impacted many major gaming companies. This changed environment reduced the number of qualified bidders for the remaining Lottery Gaming Facility licenses in Kansas from three to one in each zone. With only one bidder now, the state is disadvantaged as it loses bargaining power to extract "sweeteners" from competing bids that could enhance the value of the winning proposals. The underlying economic value of the gaming licenses, however, has not changed significantly.
This gaming law article examines the role of casino executives, the authority they wield in marekting to VIP's, and the risks they pose to their employers.
Similar to Stars Wars - A Business Analysis Report on the Amaya Online Poker Crisis (20)
1. The document provides feedback from a UK community member on ways to improve their experience playing online poker at PartyPoker.
2. Key suggestions include adding new betting slider options, improving the lobby and table interface for both PC and Mac users, adding more options for filtering tournaments, and improving the loyalty and tournament structures.
3. The feedback focuses on small changes that could create a more enjoyable player experience, such as allowing players to save favorite tournaments, message friends, and adjust cash out currencies and tournament blind levels and structures.
This children's poem describes how finding silence, comfort in oneself, and richness in everyday life can help one conjure deep meaningful tales. It encourages the reader to paint melodies, craft words with color, honor different ways, share thoughts to spark debate, persevere when facing rebuke, hold dreams in your heart, and keep learning, so that one can craft stories for all to understand and potentially become a writer. The poem is dedicated to poet Rudyard Kipling.
This children's poem describes how finding richness in everyday life through silence, darkness, stories, music, art, understanding others, thoughtful debate, perseverance, dreams, and lifelong learning can help one craft stories and poems that convey deep meanings and bring people together. The poem encourages holding onto one's dreams and passions as the world changes and one continues learning.
This children's poem by Luke Slisz describes how finding richness in everyday life, honoring different perspectives, sharing thoughts to spark debate, persevering through challenges, and keeping dreams and passion alive can help one craft stories and poems that convey deep meaning and can be understood by all. The poem encourages holding onto dreams and acknowledges that the world is always changing and there is always more to learn.
This document summarizes a study into how musicianship alters one's interaction with and perception of music. Through interviews with musicians, the study found that becoming a musician causes one to engage with music differently in several ways. Musicians now focus on individual instrumental parts and are able to identify specific notes and sounds. They also want to understand how the different musical parts fit together and translate what they hear to their own instruments. One musician noted starting to pick out these details more after his second year of classical guitar lessons. The findings suggest that musicianship fundamentally changes how one listens to and understands music.
Stars Wars - A Business Analysis Report on the Amaya Online Poker Crisis
1.
2. STARS WARS
A Business Analysis Report on the Amaya Online Poker Crisis
December 2014
C O N T E N T S
Introduction 3
Chapter IV
Part One The Flight Has Begun 4
Part Two A Game of Cards 5
Part Three Window of Opportunity 5
Chapter V
Part One The Lost Empire 7
Part Two Knockout Contest 7
Part Three Time is Money 11
Chapter VI
Part One Method in the Madness 13
Part Two Bounty Hunting 14
Part Three Mission Impossible 16
Conclusion 19
Summary 21
Roadmaps 22
Behavioural Segment 25
Bibliography 27
B Y L . V . S L I S Z
3. Introduction
On the 12th
of June 2014, Amaya Gaming Group agreed to purchase PokerStars, Full Tilt and
parent company Rational Group for $4.9 billion. The deal was completed on the 1st
of August.
On October 30th
, CEO David Beezov announced that there will be an increase in rake at
PokerStars, incorporating such games as heads-up sit-and-go's, medium- & high-stakes sit-
and-go's, and medium & high stakes cash games. These were to take effect on November 3rd
.
In addition to this there will be a 'slight' reduction in the VIP rewards on the 1st
of January.1
This broadcast stood alongside earlier announcements that revealed the initiation of an exchange
rate fee of 2.5% and the implementation of sports betting and casino games, both of which
have already taken effect. The frst was rendered on October 9th
in the form of the Spin & Go,
a notorious 3-man sit-and-go in which the 'spin' prior to the match would determine whether
the players would be competing for 2x the buy-in or up to 1200x the buy-in.
It sparked 7.3 million games within the frst 10 days. However, of the 7.3 million games, only 377
reached the jackpot (1/20,000), the winner from each of these games receiving 1000x the buy-in.2
This jackpot has since been increase to 3,000x, heightening its gambling element and reaching a
maximum of $90,000 for a $30 game. There would also be an increase in rake for this format.
4. C H A P T E R I V
A N E W H O P E
Part One
As you might expect, these changes provoked great outrage, becoming the centre topic of the
poker world in the days to follow. The PokerStars TwoPlusTwo thread saw a total of 554 posts
within the frst day, all of which were displays of annoyance, disappointment, anger, disgust and
skepticism.3
The reaction of every player - recreational, regular and professional alike – was of
considerable frustration. Players became rebellious, threatening to leave the site and attempting to
organise sit-outs, but to no avail.4
To some these changes would seem foolish, as poker is an exceedingly communal game in which
players have the power to unite. Although Alex Fitzgerald – professional player, coach and
columnist - claims otherwise, that players 'have never shown the ability to unionise'.5
Nevertheless, a number of threads targeting PokerStars have since materialised on TwoPlusTwo -
'Dear Poker Stars, Regs are Getting Completely Crushed in Zoom Games', 'Can PokerStars close
an count of an innocent player and prevent him from achieving SNE?', 'Petition – PokerStars:
Lower the price of PLO Zoom', 'Outrageous Changes at PokerStars “Quiz”' - each of which
have embraced verbal assaults as well as signs of detachment in such replies as 'they don't care'
and 'just move to another site'.6
Many have described these changes as shortsighted, greedy and neglectful, eroding the brand's
image of being very respectful of their customers. Others have theorised that it is simply a
method for hindering the regulars in order to turn PokerStars into a gambling platform.
The company has also parted ways with many of their Team PokerStars Pros such as
Netherlands' all-time money winner Marcel Luske and 2009 WSOP main event winner Joe Cada.
Cada disclosed that he decided to leave the brand after the new occupiers refused to bestow him
with the customary 100% rakeback. Again, this was described as shortsighted.7
To the shock of many players, even the likes of poker personality and two-time EPT winner
Victoria Coren-Michell recently proclaimed her departure from Team PokerStars Pro in response
to their introduction of an online casino. Despite having been a representative for 7 years, she
stated how she “cannot professionally and publicly endorse it . . . Poker is the game I love, poker is
what I signed up to promote.”8
Over the course of the month, players have speculated on internet forums and social networks
that this may just be the impending doom of online poker, where proftable players become
unproftable and low-stakes players struggle to become high-stakes players. Even the Spin & Go
has been described as having 'disrupted the SNG ecosystem', not counting the 9% shift of players
away from the cash games.9
Supernova Elite and TiltBook founder Tomas 'masuronike' Kubaliak
swiftly launched a petition against the Spin & Go, composing two sample letters for participants:
one that suggests having the multiplier lowered to 100x the buy-in in order to alleviate the gamble
factor, and one that supports its complete eradication.10
From all the great controversy that has arisen over the past month, it appears that this has become
defning moment in online poker history.
5. Part Two
Word has spread that many players have started to leave PokerStars. On November 19th
,
Supernova Tomas 'Scarmaker' Molcan wrote a TiltBook newsletter on how many players 'swore...
and then swore again that they'll switch sites if the opportunity arise, and it seems like that is
exactly what is beginning to happen.' Arguing that while player power is limited, history has
shown that organised player movement can have results.11
iPoker, who produces software for 27 different companies including PaddyPoker, Ladbrokes,
WilliamHill, Bet365 and Titan Poker, have become aware of the opportunity here by constructing
a heads-up hyper-turbo with the same structure as that of PokerStars (released November 18th
).12
These are sites that are celebrated for generally having a higher percentage of recreational players
(more commonly referred to as 'fsh'), and can now offer better loyal programs and lower rakes
than that of PokerStars.
Fitzgerald reinforces this by asserting that 'I, for one, will no longer play a regular schedule there.
The smaller sites have always had weaker competition, and now they will have better rake rates.'
This is supported by low-stakes professional Nathan Williams who revealed that even though he
will not refrain from playing at PokerStars, 'I will continue to spread my play around other sites if
I see better games, rake levels, and rakeback offered.'13
With the volume of information that is continually fowing through digital media, it will not be
long before such developments attract a wave of medium- and high-stakes players. Namely for
proftability, but also as a passive-aggressive attack on PokerStars which outlines the emotional
signifcance of this current scenario and the profound infuence it could have on the decisions
that poker sites make.
This move by iPoker could become a momentous event as it demonstrates that other poker sites
are now willing to contend with the likes of PokerStars. With the lack of competition having
always been a major issue, it now serves as a central aspect for the survival of online poker.
Part Three
What needs to be fully understood is the business opportunity that this moment in time presents.
These events have triggered an almost revolutionary phenomenon and provoked a dramatic
increase in churn for PokerStars, creating a window of opportunity for competing poker sites.
Most of all the likes of PartyPoker which boasts a widely known and long established prominence
within the poker world, signifying vast potential for customer acquisition.
No alteration, development or transformation within PartyPoker will be of greater value than
right now. Perseverance is vital for keeping ahead of the curve as Bwin.Party will also be
competing on a global level with PokerStar's newfound casino games and sports betting.
At the turn of the year PokerStars will become a force within New Jersey. David Beezov affrms
that Amaya's track record in the US and current position in New Jersey will facilitate a 'speedier
entry' of the PokerStars brand into the US.'14
This is all part of Amaya's plans to infltrate the
US market and turn the $4 billion poker market into a $25 billion online gaming monopoly.
And so time is of the essence as PartyPoker is still the prevailing force, having recently made
PokerNews.com with the declaration of New Jersey's biggest weekend winners Jon 'itsmejon'
Borenstien and 'BossSTIk' in the $50,000 guaranteed.15
6. The online poker world thrives on competition so it is not only benefcial but imperative that
PartyPoker strives to challenge PokerStars. With the rise of rake and introduction of casino
games, PokerStars is - in the words of online pro Ola Amundsgard - 'turning more and more into
a place where only the house wins, which is really bad for the game', concluding with how he
fears that Amaya 'is going to kill online poker. They sure have the power to do it.'16
This is a circumstance that Playtech - the parent company of iPoker - recognise. If Bwin.Party
is sold to Amaya then it will create a monopoly of monster proportion which will irrefutably lead
to the demise of proftable poker.
But it is all very much in the early stages. The PokerStars community feel they have been betrayed
by Amaya who are simply using poker as a platform for online gambling. Based on numbers
alone, it is still a very competitive poker site - but that is all it is now: numbers - the new owners
are showing no regard to the game itself and little concern to its players.
January will be a very interesting month for poker indeed, matters will continue to escalate as
PokerStars implements the second part of its higher rakes and lower rewards scheme. During this
delicate time, the sooner we act, the greater our yield will be.
It is time to launch a counterattack on the Death Stars before its too late...
7. C H A P T E R V
T H E E M P I R E S T R I K E S B A C K
Part One
Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment, it was recognised as the world's largest traded online gaming
frm, but that was before the arrival of Amaya. It is best known for its sport betting brand Bwin,
and its online poker room PartyPoker.com.
PartyPoker was once the world's largest online poker brand. Launched in 2001, it was a pioneer
of online poker, but that was before the arrival of the 'Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement
Act of 2006'. It was because of this that the site was forced to pullout of the US market, instantly
costing the site 3/4 of its player base and relinquishing its reign over the online industry.17
This made way for competing brands PokerStars and Full Tilt - who remained in the US market
– to be become the dominating force. Despite all as such, PartyPoker now thrives as the 3rd
largest
poker room in the online realm.18
It is advertised by a host of professionals on the live circuit, it
operates its highly revered Premier League Poker (now reaching the 7th
series) and further holds a
partnership with the World Poker Tour, endorsed by its host: Mike Sexton.
It is indeed a very recognisable and respected brand in the world of poker.
Part Two
PokerStars now aims to serve the recreational player. Yet our target audience are not the
amateurs, but rather the experienced regulars that PokerStars has forsaken, the passionate
mathematicians who make longterm investments in the name of proft. This is where we will
sow our seeds.
In the same way that PokerStars has made a short term gain in sacrifce of longterm proft,
PartyPoker must be willing to make a short term sacrifce in order to maximise customer lifetime
value. Whatever loss is made in the lowering of rake will be outweighed by customer acquisition
and the reputation that the PartyPoker label establishes for itself - the reputation it once had
before the fall of its US empire.
The frst step to take will certainly be the least risky. It will appeal to the widest dynamic of player
- amateur and professional alike. This is the engineering of regular full ring knockout sit-and-gos.
They will function the same as the original sit-and-gos, except 1/5 of the prize pool will be
dedicated to the elimination of other players...
8. PokerStars versus PartyPoker
Regular Full Ring Knockouts
$ Previous New $ Current New %
1.50 1.08 + 0.27 +
0.15
1.03 + 0.26 +
0.21
2 1.80 +
0.20
1.44 + 0.36 +
0.20
-28.6
-12 vs $3
3 2.56 + 0.64 +
0.30
2.13 + 0.53 +
0.34
5 4.55 +
0.45
3.65 + 0.90 +
0.45
-20.6
0 vs $7
7 5.50 + 1.30 +
0.50
5.10 + 1.27 +
0.63
10 9.10 +
0.90
7.30 + 1.80 +
0.90
-7.4
+3.8 vs $15
15 11.12 + 2.78 +
1.10
10.96 + 2.74 +
1.30
20 18.20 +
1.80
14.60 + 3.60 +
1.60
-7.7
-7.7 vs $30
30 22.24 + 5.56 +
2.20
21.92 + 5.48 +
2.60
50 46.50 +
3.50
37.20 + 9.30 +
3.50
-19.2
60 44.60 + 11.15 +
4.25
43.84 + 10.96 +
5.20
100 74.88 + 18.72 +
6.40
73.72 + 18.43 +
7.85
100 93 +
7
74.40 + 18.60 +
7
-10.8
200 151.24 + 37.81 +
10.95
149.2 + 35.3 +
13.50
200 190 +
10
152 + 38 +
10
-25.9
The column on the far right details the difference in rake as the buy-ins are compared, i.e. a $5
game at PartyPoker has 20.6% less rake than a $3 game at PokerStars and is equal in rake to the
$7 dollar game. Very good for low-stakes players.
As you can see that the overall rake is signifcantly lower at PartyPoker than it is at PokerStars
(aside from when compared to a higher blind level, i.e. $5 vs $7; $10 vs $15). The only adjustment
that needed to be made was in lowering the $20 rake from $1.80 to $1.60 to not only undercut
the games at PokersStars by reducing it from +3.8% to -7.7%, but to create a fowing dynamic
throughout the levels of rake at PartyPoker.
Whilst this move may be unproftable at frst, the $20 games is where medium-stakes poker
establishes itself, appealing to a wide number of regulars at PokerStars. If it possessed a higher
rake (or an unnoticeably lower rake) than that of the $15 and $30 PokerStars games, it would
deter them in every respect, so it is largely a strategic move.
Our plan will be to encourage players to engage at a higher buy-in on account of the lower
proportion of rake, as a step up from $15 to $20 is more achievable than $30. The $10 games
can then act as a safety net whilst boasting the same percentage of rake as the $15 games, a very
alluring offer indeed.
This would be facilitated by PartyPoker's range of lucrative bounty tournaments in which a
$20 buy-in is comprised of the $1 rake that PokerStars used to have.
However, being a full ring game, I must advocate the installation of additional blind levels
to enable a smoother transition between levels and delay the menacing crapshoot when the blinds
reach 200/100...
9. PokerStars PartyPoker
1500 chips 2000 chips
Timer Blind Levels Big Blinds Timer Blind Levels Big Blinds
0 - 10 10/20 75 0 - 8 20/40 50
9 - 16 30/60 33
11- 20 15/30 50
17 - 24 40/80 25
21 - 30 25/50 30
25 - 32 50/100 20
31 - 40 50/100 15
33 - 40 75/150 13
41 - 50 75/150 10 41 - 48 100/200 10
The addition of a second blind level (40/80) is not crucial to the 6-max games. But for the full
ring games (preferably 9-max), it is necessary to design a well-adjusted and satisfying game for
the players. Despite all as such, the number of big blinds generally remains less than that of
PokerStars, indicating quicker games and greater yield whilst achieving full customer satisfaction,
an essential tool in the battle for lifetime players.
However, you could also argue that because of the low rake a second blind level may not be
necessary, especially in a game which renders a higher level of table activity due to the knockout
prizes. Although these same players will be ready to participant in the standard full ring games
which would require more leverage.
Customer satisfaction is key if we wish to compete with the likes of PokerStars, since what we
are trying to attain is a highly infuential standing within the poker community so that we can
prosper in the acquisition and retention of customers.
The next stage is identical to the frst and will take effect at the same time, the sole difference
being the clock...
10. PokerStars versus PartyPoker
Turbo Full Ring Knockouts
$ Previous New $ Current New % ($)
1.50 1.08 + 0.27 +
0.15
1.06 + 0.26 +
0.18
2 1.80 +
0.20
1.44 + 0.36 +
0.20
-16.6
(0.15)
3 2.56 + 0.64 +
0.30
2.17 + 0.54 +
0.29
5 4.55 +
0.45
3.65 + 0.90 +
0.45
-6.9
(0.27)
7 5.24 + 1.31 +
0.45
5.16 + 1.29 +
0.55
10 9.10 +
0.90
7.30 + 1.80 +
0.90
+14.5%
(0.63)
15 11.28 + 2.82 +
0.90
11.11 + 2.78 +
1.11
20 18.20 +
1.80
14.60 + 3.60 +
1.60
+8.1%
(1.20)
30 22.52 + 5.63 +
1.85
22.22 + 5.56 +
2.22
50 46.50 +
3.50
37.20 + 9.30 +
3.50
-5.4%
(2.10)
60 45.12 + 11.28 +
3.60
44.45 + 11.11 +
4.44
100 75.32 + 18.83 +
5.85
74.24 + 18.56 +
7.20
100 93 +
7
74.40 + 18.60 +
7
-2.8%
(7)
Although the difference in rake is not nearly as alluring, it still has its place within the poker room
by working alongside the regular knockout. PartyPoker's position on turbo rake is something to be
considered, the rule of thumb being that the quicker a game is, the lower the rake should be.
This will require data analysis to determine whether having a lower rake will elicit more activity.
So its primarily a question of whether regular SNG players and newcomers will chose to engage
more frequently in turbos with lower rakes, or rather how much more, as they would have to be
substantially reduced in order to render any degree of publicity amongst outside players.
Nevertheless, due to the greater number of active turbo SNGs for the $10 and $20 buy-ins,
I cannot deem the lowering of rake to be at all proftable. PartyPoker still holds the advantage for
the higher stakes - $50 and $100 - which are of lesser popularity on the PartyPoker site, meaning
that they could attract a new market of players without having to adjust the rake. And because of
the overall popularity of turbo SNGs on the site, you will fnd this version of knockout in action
more often than the regular, perhaps more often than the standard turbo.
We must acknowledge that it adds another dimension to the SNG set-up. They will be popular in
their own regard and favourable during a time when other players are on the look-out for better
knockouts. Players are listening for any updates that work in their favour. This is one of them.
So consider it a partnership, a way to provide for two kinds of player - those who wish to join the
site in the interest of making proft at the regular knockout, and those who already play here and
wish to participate in the turbos for entertainment and for proft.
11. Part Three
I can immediately declare that these rake reductions will not be relevant to the cash games on
PartyPoker. To undercut PokerStars would suggest having to reduce the rake across the entire
cash game landscape, which would have immediate dire results and be far too risky. In addition
to this, the heads-up rake is so much worst now that there is no need to contend:
PokerStars Cash Games
Stakes ($) Previous HU New HU 3-4 Players 5+ Players
0.25/0.50 0.50 1 1.50 2.50
0.50/1 to 3/6 0.50 1 1.50 2.80
5/10 to 10/20 0.50 1 1.50 3
25/50 0.50 2 2 5
On the other hand, the rake increase for the heads-up hyper-turbo sit-and-go has been a hot topic
in the online realm. It was the move that challenged the Supernova Elite and their capacity to
maximise return, but are they loyal to their PokerStars? I think not. When a game with a razor-
thin edge no longer provides them with their hourly rate, these players will abandon their post in
search of the next most proftable game. Being as experienced and determined as they are, they
will be the ones to fnd it.
PartyPoker possesses the power to grant this to them, but not without change. The heads-up
turbo and hyper-turbo is a format that beckons a row of empty seats (the hyper-turbo especially).
I applaud the site on how it has replicated the PokerStars structure (as though an act of defance),
but without a suitable rake it is very much meaningless.
Simple observation will dictate that there is a gap in the market, and yes, it will not change
without the correct measures...
Heads-Up Hyper-Turbo Sit-and-Go's
PokerStars PartyPoker
$ Previous New $ Current New %
1.50 1.44 + 0.06 0.07 2 1.84 + 0.16 0.09 0
3.50 3.40 + 0.10 0.12 5 4.66 + 0.34 0.17
7 6.85 + 0.15 0.18 10 9.32 + 0.68 0.26
15 14.69 + 0.31 0.37 20 18.64 + 1.36 0.49
30 29.37 + 0.63 0.75 50 46.60 + 3.40 1.25
60 58.74 + 1.26 1.51 50 46.60 + 3.40 1.26
100 98.12 + 1.88 2.25 100 93.20 + 6.80 2.25
200 196.66 + 3.34 4 200 192 + 8 4
500 493.34 + 6.66 7.97 500 490 + 10 7.97
1000 988.83 + 11.17 13.42 1000 990 + 10 10 -25.5
12. These are the levels of rake in proportion to one another, demonstrating how much they would
need be reduced simply to compete with the likes of PokerStars. But alike the knockout SNGs
I will defend the premise that there is a little to be lost and much to be gained. So an argument
can be made on how the rake for the buy-ins could descend from 0% ($2) to -25.5% ($1000).
This opens a door for new players to discover the game and whatever minuscule amount is lost
from having a 45¢ rake instead of 49¢ will be redeemed greatly when these players rise through
the ranks with considerably more ease to eventually become a $200 hyper-turbo heads-up grinder
- now paying a rake of $3.60, 10% less than what it is at PokerStars (but still more than what it
used to be).
Alike the knockout SNGs, it would incorporate another feld of play within the sit-and-go
platform. Now that it is far more accessible to every variety of player, it would generate CLV
from newbies who become enticed by the structure of the game and its seemingly tiny rake.
As the hyper-turbo is so dissimilar to other forms of sit-and-go, cutting its rake in half would not
provoke outrage from other players. It would go largely unnoticed by those who do not partake
in online media, and for those who do - the more enthusiastic players – it would merely be
recognised it as a manoeuvre against PokerStars (or indeed a long-awaited cut).
It does require considerable reduction, but only in comparison to its previous levels which have
subsequently driven away potential customers. Being such a fast paced game any competent
player will recognise that it is overpriced. Besides, it is not the variety of game that typically
attracts recreational players who would fnd the lengthier and more dynamic games more
satisfying. This is designed for the Supernovas who make calculated decisions to engage in over
a 100 games a day and maximise their proft through rakeback.
This format of heads-up hyper-turbo is a template and can therefore be applied to 6-max
hyper-turbos which are also particularly popular amongst the high-stakes sit-and-go players,
thus generating a fresh feld of players - the grinders, the Supernovas, the Palladium Elite...
13. C H A P T E R V I
T H E R E T U R N O F T H E E L I T E
If the dream of becoming a high-stakes poker pro dies, business will eventually follow
- Phil Galfond
Part One
We must frst understand that these new sit-and-go tournaments will carry little weight unless we
implement the fnal part of our grand scheme. It may be time to revolutionise the reward system
and give rise to prosperity at a time of great controversy. Never will the fabrication of bonuses,
prizes and payments ever be so favourable.
The Supernova Elite are the most rational and perceptive of all beings, but like all beings they
bask the comfort of familiarity. They pay for the their services at PokerStars as it is the most well-
developed of all poker rooms, which is why we must make them an offer they cannot refuse.
As a well-known brand, PartyPoker has the advantage over rival poker rooms. Its software is of
the highest quality and its quarterly loyalty structure means that it will take them not nearly as
long to achieve an Elite status. We must frst examine and then compare...
PokerStars Stellar Rewards
$1 rake = 5.5 VPPs (VIP Player Points)
VIP Status VPP
Required
Rake ($)
Monthly Yearly
Stellar Reward ($) Rakeback (%)
Chrome 100 18.18 218.16 10 - 100 4.6 - 11
Silver 500 90.91 1,090.92 100 - 300 9.2* – 6.6
Gold 2500 454.55 5,454.55 350 - 900 6.4* – 6.2
Platinum 7500 1363.64 16,363.68 1,000 6.1
Supernova 100,000 18,181.81 1200 – 24,400 6.6 – 16.8
S. Elite 1,000,000 181,818.18 44,400 – 184,800
+ 5200**
27.3* - 26.1
*Landmark Stellar Reward (1,000 VPP for $50); (200,000 VPP for $20,000)
**WCOOP Main Event Ticket
14. PokerStars Cash Rewards and Tournament Tickets
1 VPP = 1-5 FPP (Frequent Player Points)
VIP FPPs Yearly FPPs
(minimum)
Cash
Value ($)
Rakeback (%) Tickets ($) Rakeback (%)
C 1 1200 12 5.5 Increase NA Vs Cash
S 1.5 9,000 100 9.2 67.3 142.17 109 13 +41.3
G 2 60,000 720 13.2 43.5 955.56 215 17.5 +32.6
P 2.5 225,000 2922 17.9 35.6 3585.33 215 21.9 +22.3
S 3.5 350,000 5,600 30.8 72.1 5621.21 530 30.9 +0.3
E 5 5,000,000 80,000 44 42.9 80303 530 44.2 +0.5
FPP Cash Rewards
VIP Status FPPs Cash ($) Value per 1000 FPPs ($)
Bronze 1,000 10 10 Increase (%)
Silver 2,250 25 11.11 +11.11
Gold 6,250 75 12 +10.8
Platinum 15,400 200 13 +10.83
Supernova 40,000 600 15 +11.54
100,000 1600 16 +10.67
This frstly provides us information on the range of their rakeback system, with the Bronze
and Chrome players receiving a minimum of 10.1% up to $9.09 of rake per month, and the
Supernova Elite receiving the maximum of 71.5% for conjuring up exactly $181,818.18 of rake,
equalling $129,600 of rakeback. So we can see just how heavily weighted it is towards the top.
But that is not all, for a pattern has taken shape towards the lower end of the reward scheme.
Where Chrome meets Silver the player is awarded with the most valuable of Stellar rewards
(27.5%), after that of the Elite (55%), the highest cash reward hike (11.11%) after that of
Supernova (11.54%) and most notably of all: the highest FPP increase (50%), above that of
the Elite (43%).
The Silver status also grants access to the tournament tickets which proves to be the highest value
increase when compared to the cash prizes (+41.3%). It is arguably the most valuable of statuses
and the mechanism for encouraging players not only to play to a certain degree, but to ascend
through the ranks, earn a title and ultimately become a member of the PokerStars team, thus
generating maximum customer lifetime value.
Part Two
With PokerStars new lower reward scheme to take effect in January, the PartyPoker system simply
needs to be equal to their current system, equal being the key term. To provide the Elite -
a current gap within the PartyPoker market – not only with the rakeback they desire, but to
demonstrate to these players that the site is going to provide them with the services they once had.
15. So when a player reaches the landmark $181,818.18 rake they will have earned a reward equal to
precisely $129,600. But how do we accomplish this without Stellar rewards or Edge payments as
seen on Full Tilt? This is where radicalism steps in: we introduce a payment system.
At frst this will seem unfavourable and perhaps too conventional, but there is no denying that it
holds the capacity for longterm fnancial beneft here at Bwin.Party, so long as we can formulate
a consistent and fair reward system that proliferates towards the top.
The prime objective will be to create an exciting and alluring reward scheme for potential
customers, one that is equal and therefore not inferior to competing poker rooms. We will
fabricate a lower band so that low-stakes players can develop an attachment to the poker room,
and a higher band that will suit the needs of the Supernova Elite, or rather the newly dubbed
Palladium Elite...
PartyPoker Cash Rewards and Tournament Tickets (Revolutionary Edition)
Status Rake ($) Rakeback Cash ($) Rakeback (%) $200 Ticket (PP) Rakeback (%)
Bronze 0 Bonus 4 8000 5
Chrome 50 3 10 6 5000 8
Silver 200 20 50 10 3000 13.3
Gold 500 70 200 14 2250 17.8
Palladium 4,500 1,386 1,500 30.8 625 32
P. Elite 45,000 19,800 20,000 44 450 44.4
Rakeback Comparison: Cash Rewards and Tournaments Tickets
PartyPoker Rake ($) R. Cash R. Ticket PokerStars Rake ($) R. Cash R. Ticket
Bronze 0 4 5 Bronze 0 5.5 NA
Chrome 50 6 8
Silver 91 9.2 13
Silver 200 10 13.3
Gold 455 13.2 17.5
Gold 500 14 17.8
Platinum 1365 17.9 21.9
Palladium 4,500 30.8 32 Supernova 18,182 30.8 30.9
P. Elite 45,000 44 44.4 S. Elite 181,818 44 44.2
One particular disadvantage of the current PartyPoker reward scheme, unlike that of PokerStars
or Full Tilt, is that players have the power to infate the value of their points at their own will.
By which I mean, they can accumulate points over a long period of time before dedicating a
single period to achieving a higher status before spending all of them in store. Meaning that
a Silver banded player who generates a monthly average of 600 points will be coerced into
increasing his stake and/or hours of play for a single month in order to reach Gold status
before spending all of his points.
16. It simply depends on how much of an issue this may become. With the substantial increase in
return for Palladium, a Gold player would certainly try to increase his quarterly points by half
if it meant he could double his cash bonus. Would a Gold player try to double them though?
Would this motivate him to move up a stake and continue to play there?
This would not be particular to the regulars either, as it is an opportunity that is presented to
everyone who visits the PartyPoker store and sees the number of points they could save with a
certain degree of effort. It can be calculated and put into practice at their own convenience.
So not only is it advisable to design a payment plan that rewards players for maintaining their
status, but to design one that facilitates Palladium players along their arduous path of becoming a
highly revered member of the Elite. However, this is diffcult to do without having to implement
our own Stellar or Edge rewards.
So to tackle this issue of 'rise buying' we could apply a monthly and a quarterly bonus.
A quarterly bonus is awarded to players who remain at a certain status for each month in
the quarter. If a player attains Gold, Gold, Silver, (Jan, Feb, Mar), then they would receive
a Silver quarterly bonus. But what if they only make Gold, Gold, Bronze? Then they would
receive a smaller 'encouragement' bonus.
It would certainly be received as generous and would contribute to PartyPoker's newfound image,
a central aspect of its revolution. We will simply call it a 'Bounty Award'.
Examples of Bounty Awards
Example A (Optimal) Example B (Simplifed)
Status Monthly Bonus
(%)
Quarterly Bonus (%)
Total
Monthly Cash
Bonus ($)
Quarterly Cash
Bonus ($)
Total
Chrome 2 2 4 2 6 12
Silver 3 3 6 8 24 48
Gold 4 4 8 30 90 180
Palladium 12 600
Palladium Elite 25 12,000
This outlines what place it holds within the PartyPoker reward system, acting as an incentive for
players to frequently engage in games out of enthusiasm and suspension, driving them to play
just to see how big a bonus they can make for themselves.
Part Three
PartyPoker has one other strength, one that can be used to secure medium- and high-stakes
players if there is indeed a perpetual shadow of skepticism looming over this novel reward system
and its dramatic rise in rakeback. One that could set PartyPoker aside from other poker rooms
and become the defning factor within our conversion rate optimisation...
17. This is of course: Missions. With PokerStars' 'Battle of the Planets' leader board now declared
null and void - much to every sit-and-go player's frustration - PartyPoker can introduce fresh
promotions with levels dedicated to the Palladium Elite where the prizes elevate by an
extraordinary amount to deliver the additional 25% so that they can secure the 70% rakeback
they now seek.
This can further be used as a tool for enticing the Palladium players to become a member of the
Elite. Their frst Mission, producing an average of however many points, could reward them with
a $900 bonus when complete. The second, a more challenging Mission, would award them more.
In order to not deter players by complicating the Mission, they can be as simple as playing '10,000
$100 hyper-turbo heads-up SNGs' or '200,000 $10/$20 cash game hands' or even 'accumulate
20,000 points' - which ever one they elect to pursue, thus 'proving' themselves as an Elite player.
Each quarter that Palladium Elite is not obtained the Missions are reset, making them familiar as
well as motivating. Once Elite status is obtained there is no more need to 'prove' themselves with
these particular Missions, but they can now partake in the promotional Missions that only a
Palladium Elite could possibly succeed in – 'Impossible'.
This may just be the ideal of the three reward systems as it differentiates PartyPoker from the
likes of PokerStars and Full Tilt, eradicating any accusations that PartyPoker is just 'copying'
PokerStars and Full Tilt.
It also creates the opportunity to develop a constant array of stimulating Missions that could turn
PartyPoker into an exciting poker room not only for the recreational and the professional players,
but for the employees also. It can be used to form a greater sense of connection and loyalty by
engaging both parties which, according to research, generates a revenue gain of 3.4 times that of
the norm.19
I would certainly vote on a system in which truly devoted players are awarded for
their hard work.
Rakeback Summary
Status Cash (%) Tickets (%) *Missions (%) Maximum Total
(%)
Bronze 4 5 1** 6
Chrome 6 8 5 13
Silver 10 13.3 5 18.3
Gold 14 17.8 5 22.8
Palladium 30.8 32 15 47
Palladium Elite 44 44.4 27 71.4
* Estimations relevant to what Mission level they can accomplish (ex. Easy, Tough, Challenging,
Extreme, Impossible), for instance a Palladium would have to yield an average of 72,000 points to
earn the full 15% return, whereas say, a 4% return would only require 12,000 points, thus
motivating them to generate more rake and eventually earn a higher status.
** The monthly Easy Mission will on average produce enough rake to reach Chrome status ($50).
18. Example
Mission
Monthly Quarterly
Generated Average
Points Rake ($)
Return ($)
Easy 200 100 5
Tough 1,600 800 40
Challenging 4,000 2,000 100
Extreme 72,000 36,000 5400
Impossible 120,000 60,000 16,200
Missions would ideally be divided into sections in which each section (or task) is presented with a
bonus, meaning that a Palladium player can yield a return that totals 4%, 9% and then 15% for
each section of the Mission that is completed, thus rewarding them for their persistent play.
These estimations and examples are drawn out in regards to the previously discussed reward
system. So to make the Missions more lucrative, we would lower the rewards on the rakeback
program to a feasible 1-1 ratio of Cash to Missions (so the tickets remain an appealing purchase)
and that way more is earned rather than directly awarded...
Rakeback Summary (Revised)
Status Cash (%) Tickets (%) Missions
Max. (%)
Maximum Total
(%)
PokerStars
Bronze 4 Increase 5 Increase 1 6 Increase 5.5
Chrome 5 25 7 40 5 12 100 10.1 - 16.5
Silver 9 80 11 57.1 9 20 66.7 22.2 – 19.6
Gold 13 44.4 15 36.4 13 28 40 24 – 28
Palladium 23 76.9 25 66.7 23 48 71.4 37.5 – 47.7
Elite 35 52.2 35 40 35 70 45.8 71.5 – 70.3
First and foremost I must emphasise that this is the maximum that each status can earn, so a
Palladium player is directly rewarded with 23-25% rakeback in the form of points, but the other
23% has to be earned through an 'Extreme' Mission in which 72,000 points would be generated.
This brings forth the idea that Missions could be the bulk of reward at PartyPoker so that
players' awards are parallel to their volume of play. For example a Gold status player who has
accomplished all of the monthly Challenging Missions alongside the quarterly Challenging
Mission will have generated an average of 8,000 points, therefore receiving a set of prizes
totalling $500 (12.5% rakeback). This way the rewards become very fexible and very compelling
so that PartyPoker becomes a site recognised for its Missions rather than its rakeback.
This model of high-return Missions also depends on how effectively the information will fow
through digital media to become global poker news. If this new reward scheme can be described
by players as “insanely good” then that might just do it. If the Supernova Elite knew that they
could win $15,750 by completing a set of committing yet doable tasks, then this information
would spread like wildfre.
19. As PokerStars is set to eliminate the $5,200 ticket in January and reduce their Elite reward
scheme by 4% (equating to 68.5%), this allows PartyPoker to reduce their own by 2%.20
Though
there will be future VIP reductions over the course of 2015 and 2016, we must acknowledge that
PartyPoker is still contending with the likes of 888, PKR, WilliamHill, PaddyPoker, Everest Poker
and every other poker site that is capable of offering a better reward scheme. Which is why the
Silver and Gold statuses, whilst not relevant to our main target audience, would ideally match
that of PokerStars, as they are the primary target for the sit-and-go knockouts.
However, if the expected loss rendered by this design - despite its work-reward ratio - is indeed
too high, then they can remain at a level similar to what they are now. Therefore placing total
focus on the Palladium and Elite players, which would be deemed as a more sensible but less
ambitious approach to this revolutionary reward system.
Amongst the bottom ranks we can see that the Chrome status is bestowed with the highest overall
rakeback increase (100%), yet the Silver status experiences the highest leap in cash bonuses (80%),
closely followed by Palladium (76.9%), who experiences the highest leap in ticket value (66.7%),
shortly followed by Silver (57.1%). This type of structure will of course encourage players to
achieve these commendable statuses and fnd confdence in their success to one day climb their
way up to an even higher rank, thus working in conjunction with the Missions so that players are
being persistently driven to earn more.
The main advantage of this system is that it works in favour of the passionate players. The
Palladium and Palladium Elite will strive to maximise their proft whist recreational players
will simply enjoy the Missions and the regulars will take more of a middle ground. It creates
opportunity so that those who yearn for maximum proft will achieve it, whilst those who are
more relaxed about it, do not.
Conclusion
The question now resides on how this fts into everything. We do not wish to drive away our
regular sit-and-go and cash game players with professionals. We want to reel in the Supernova
and Supernova Elite so that they compete with one another. We must protect our players -
recreational and regular alike - so that our tables stays 'fshy', our rake remains good and our
rewards are held in high regard.
But what loss is PartyPoker willing to tolerate from the present Palladium, Gold, Silver and
Bronze players in order to extend its reach to a wider and more proftable audience? Would this
not be countered by the players who choose to remain, or even return? This new system would
undoubtedly exceed all expectations and optimise customer retention. It would bestow our players
with a greater sense of gratifcation, strengthening their emotion commitment and heightening
their intention to recommend, most signifcantly within the US market.
It would require extensive data analysis in order to execute a risk assessment that determines what
short term loss will be made, how many more Silver, Gold, Palladium and Elite players are
needed to make this a proftable strategy, how this will relate to other poker rooms, and what
infuence it will have on the US market. This being the key factor.
So I will stress that these changes are purely to fll this hole in the market, as PartyPoker will
continue to cater to its recreational players and reap the US market as it once did through its
entertainment value, confdent that many of its previous players still hold fond memories of the
poker room and are eager to play there once again.
20. Of course 2006 was a time when PartyPoker dominated the online poker scene with extensive
marketing and an exceptionally effcient poker room. But with PokerStars set to enter the US
with its own variety of entertainment and large-scale promotion, PartyPoker must strive to
disable their monopoly by offering their professional players better terms of play.
PartyPoker needs to place customer value at the centre of its business strategy and acquire
customers at a time when customer acquisition has never been so crucial. It will empower
PartyPoker to expand further over the next two years as PokerStars gradually relieves its title as
the unrivalled poker room and the predominant brand on the live circuit.
It is through revolutionary change that PartyPoker can build a high-spirited, strong-willed and
long-lasting profle within the global poker community. So when PokerStars takes its aggressive
approach to the US market with focus laden upon the gamblers, PartyPoker can centre its
attention on the professionals whilst still providing for the amateur players with exciting games
and inviting rewards, bestowing the poker room with a vast and varied demographic of players
and exceeding all proft targets in the years to come.
The End
21. S U M M A R Y
Intro An overview of the recent changes made at PokerStars
Chapter IV
Part One The reaction of the poker community
Part Two How other poker rooms have responded
Part Three The marketing opportunity this scenario presents
Chapter V
Part One A short history of Bwin.Party
Part Two The implementation of full ring knockout sit-and-go's
Part Three A reduction in rake for the hyper-turbo sit-and-go's
Chapter VI
Part One A deconstruction of the PokerStars reward system
Part Two A reconstruction of the PartyPoker reward system
Part Three How Missions could be used as the central means of reward
Conclusion How such changes relate to PartyPoker and the US market
Revolutionary Reward System
Advantages
• Greater potential for US market
• Acquiring new customers
• Retaining present customers
• Opening market to Elite players
• Maximising CLV
• Strong global image
• Stable work-reward ratio system
Disadvantages
• Potential fnancial loss through a radically different system
22. R O A D M A P S
Market and Strategy
1st
January:
Early Announcements
14th
January:
Newly Developed Sit-and-go's
1st
February:
Revolutionary Reward System
Online announcements of new
reward system with Chrome
and Palladium Elite statuses
(pg. 15)
Reduction in rake for HU
Hyper-Turbo SNGs (pg. 11)
Implementation of new
reward system with Chrome
and Palladium Elite status
(pg. 15)
Generate publicity. 1) Attract medium and high
-stakes players.
2) Engage current players.
1) Attract high-stakes players.
2) Form a relationship with
new players.
3) Establish a positive public
imagine (esp. in US market).
Online announcements of
'Challenging' and 'Impossible'
Missions (pg. 17)
Introduction of additional SNG
blind levels (pg. 9)
Implementation of Missions
(pg. 17)
Generate publicity. 1) Creating a fowing dynamic.
2) Reduce gamble factor.
3) Satisfy all varieties of player.
1) Attract high-stakes players.
2) Entertain recreational
players (esp. in US market).
3) Retain proft orientated
players.
4) Establish a positive public
image (esp. in US market).
5) Institute a fuent work-
reward system.
Introduction of SNG
Knockouts (pg. 8, 10)
1) Attract PokerStars players
(all stakes).
2) Engage current players.
All other announcements will be made on the day of initiation regarding Newly Developed Sit-
and-go's and Revolutionary Reward System on the 14th
of January and 1st
of February. This will
avoid informational clutter and heighten the signifcance of the Missions and reward system
announcement.
Online announcements will be made across all major online poker forums, social media, news
and e-magazines including TwoPlusTwo, PocketFives, TiltBook, Facebook, Twitter, WPT Poker,
Bluff Europe, Poker Player, Card Player, PokerSpace and Poker News.
23. Visionary: Events
October November December January
10th
Announcements of
casino games, sports
betting, rake increase
and rakeback
reduction at
PokerStars.
10th
Eradication of 'Battle
of the Planets' SNG
leader board.
4th
Rise in rake across
SNGs and cash games
at PokerStars.
18th
iPoker initiates heads-
up hyper-turbo.
26th
Representatives
continue to resign from
PokerStars (Victoria
Coren-Mitchell).
21st
PokerStars implement
online casino games
and sports betting.
No further news. 1st
PokeStars enter US
market via New Jersey.
1st
PokerStar's eradicate
the $5,200 ticket.
1st
PartyPoker announce
new reward scheme
with Missions.
1st
PartyPoker implement
new skins for lobby and
tables.
14th
PartyPoker implement
newly developed SNGs.
February 2015 2016 2017
1st
PartyPoker implements
new reward scheme.
PartyPoker embark
upon their quest of
acquiring new
representatives, namely
those previously
sponsored by
PokerStars.
New Missions are
created each
month/quarter
(continuous).
PokerStars make
further announcements
and changes.
PartyPoker gains new
representatives and
expands on the live
poker scene.
PartyPoker heighten
funding for software
development to
increase the rate of
hands per hour.
PokerStars continue
to increase rake and
lower rakeback.
PartyPoker continues
to expand with new
games, new players,
new Missions, new
software and new
representatives.
PokerStars eventually
becomes a gambling
platform for
recreational players.
24. Visionary: Trends
October November December January
10th
Commotion is created
over what effect these
changes will have on
online poker.
4th
Players become
enraged and begin to
look for sites with
lower rake, high
rakeback and/or a
SNG leader board.
18th
Other poker sites
begin to compete with
PokerStars.
26th
PokerStars degrades its
image as an attentive,
commendable poker
room.
Players continue to
search for new games
and new sites to
play at.
Commotion dies
down and reaches a
low point during the
festive season.
1st
PokerStars begins to
compete with PartyPoker
in the US market.
1st
PartyPoker generates
publicity through the
announcement of a new
reward scheme.
1st
PartyPoker becomes
more enjoyable to play
with new skins.
14th
PartyPoker generate
publicity through the
announcement of newly
developed SNGs
February 2015 2016 2017
1st
PartyPoker begins to
attract medium- and
high-stakes players.
PartyPoker forms a
strong, positive public
image.
PokerStars continues
to lose players and
credibility through
new changes.
PartyPoker begins to
attract medium- and
high-stakes SNG
players.
PokerStars
relinquishes the title
of being the best
poker room.
PartyPoker continues
to build a strong
public profle.
PokerStars eventually
loses its reputation as a
respectable poker site.
PartyPoker earns the title
of being the most
rewarding poker site.
25. B E H A V I O U R A L S E G M E N T
Attitude Towards Poker
Newbie A player who is new to the site and new to the game.
Recreational An unproftable player who plays for entertainment.
Regular A player who is proftable but not as active or proftable as a professional.
Professional A player who is very active and very proftable
Behavioural Elements
In Order of Relevance
Proft Entertainment Awareness/Knowledge Ambition
Professional Recreational Professional Regular
Regular Newbie Regular Newbie
Newbie Regular Recreational Professional
Recreational Professional Newbie Recreational
Estimated Usage
In Order of Relevance
Newbie Recreational Regular Professional
Stakes Micro
Low
Micro
Low
Medium
High
Medium
Low
High
Loyal status Bronze
Chrome
Chrome
Silver
Gold
Palladium
Gold
Silver
Palladium
Palladium Elite
Palladium
Estimated Relevance of Changes Based on Usage
On a Scale of 1 - 10
Segments Missions Hyper-turbo
SNGs
Knockout
SNGs
Palladium
Elite
Chrome Total
Newbie 5 5 10 2 10 32
Recreational 8 5 10 2 7 32
Regular 9 5 8 8 2 32
Professional 10 10 2 10 0 32
Prime Factors:
Proft Entertainment Awareness Ambition
26. Example of 6-Max Hyper-Turbo Grinder (Tomas 'MASUR0N1KE' Kubaliak)
25th
November 2008 - 24th
November 2014 783 active days 130.5 active days/year
137,725 games total £9,958,825 staked ($979.14 + 20.86 $487.52 + 12.48)
£312,826 x 0.287 = £89,781 total net rake at 71.3% rakeback
£89,781 / 137725 = £0.65 net rake per game
£89,781 / 783 = £114.66 net rake per active day
£114.66 x 130.5 = £14,963 net rake per year
27. 1 PokerStars Steve (30/10/14), 'Announcement: PokerStars Changes to Rake, Spin & Go Prizes,
and Battle of the Planets', http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/28/internet-poker/announcement-
pokerstars-changes-rake-spin-go-prizes-battle-planets-1485512/
2 Jason Glatzer (16/10/14), '7.3 Million Spin & Go Tournaments Played at PokerStars Within 10
Days', http://www.pokernews.com/news/2014/10/7-3-million-spin-go-s-played-at-pokerstars-
within-10-days-19548.htm
3 PokerStars Steve (30/10/14), 'Announcement: PokerStars Changes to Rake, Spin & Go Prizes,
and Battle of the Planets', http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/28/internet-poker/announcement-
pokerstars-changes-rake-spin-go-prizes-battle-planets-1485512/
4 A. Mitchell (7/11/14), 'PokerStars “Sit-Out” Protest Passes Largely Unnoticed”,
http://www.onlinepoker.net/poker-news/poker-room-news/pokerstars-sitout-protest-passes-
largely-unnoticed/25122
5 Alex Fitzgerald (4/11/14), 'Galfond, Amundsgard, Fitzgerald, Shorr, and Others Comment On
PokerStars Rake Increase', http://www.pokernews.com/news/2014/11/pros-comment-on-stars-
rake-increase-19706.htm
6 Tim Red (22/11/14) 'Dear Poker Stars, Regs are Getting Completely Crush in Zoom Games',
http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/28/internet-poker/dear-poker-stars-regs-getting-completely-
crushed-zoom-games-1490907/
7 Alan Markoff (26/9/14), 'Joe Cada, Marcel Luske Latest Pro Axed by PokerStars',
http://pokerworks.com/poker-news/2014/09/24/team-pros-joe-cada-marcel-luske-alex-
kravchenko-out-as-pokerstars-team-pros.html
8 Victoria Coren-Michell (26/11/14), 'Goodbye Team Pro',
http://www.victoriacoren.com/main/blog/archive/goodbye_team_pro
9 Ivan Potochi (5/11/14), 'Players Raising Their Voice Against Spin & Go's on PokerStars',
http://www.pokertube.com/poker-news/poker-gossip-opinion/players-raising-their-voice-against-
spin-goes-on-pokerstars
10 Tomas Kubaliak (9/10/14), 'Poker is not gambling – a petition against Spin&Go tournaments',
http://tiltbook.com/masuronike/blog/poker-is-not-gambling---a-petition-against-spingo-
tournaments/
11 [HTTP not available but pictorial evidence of the e-newsletter is available on request.]
12 VIP Grinders (21/11/14), 'iPoker introducing 25bbs Hyper HU SNGs'
http://tiltbook.com/vipgrinders/blog/ipoker-introducing-25bbs-hyper-husngs/?
utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=2014_11_19
13 Alex Fitzgerald (4/11/14), 'Galfond, Amundsgard, Fitzgerald, Shorr, and Others Comment On
PokerStars Rake Increase', http://www.pokernews.com/news/2014/11/pros-comment-on-stars-
rake-increase-19706.htm
28. 14 David Baazov (13/6/14), 'Amaya CEO on Acquisition of PokerStars: “It Will Transform the
Entire Gaming Industry”, http://www.pokernews.com/news/2014/06/amaya-daavid-baazov-on-
the-acquisition-of-rational-group-18515.htm
15 Jason Glatzer (26/11/14), 'The New Jersey Online Poker Briefing: Jon “itsmejon” Borenstien
wins $9,500 on partypoker', http://www.pokernews.com/news/2014/11/the-new-jersey-online-
poker-briefing-jon-itsmejon-borenstein-19931.htm
16 Ola Amundsgard (4/11/14), 'Galfond, Amundsgard, Fitzgerald, Shorr, and Others Comment On
PokerStars Rake Increase', http://www.pokernews.com/news/2014/11/pros-comment-on-stars-
rake-increase-19706.htm
17 Steve Ruddock (3/12/13), 'Can PartyPoker Return to Prominence in the US?',
http://www.onlinepokerreport.com/9408/is-party-poker-poised-for-us-comeback/
18 Steve Ruddock (3/12/13), 'Can PartyPoker Return to Prominence in the US?',
http://www.onlinepokerreport.com/9408/is-party-poker-poised-for-us-comeback/
19 John Flemming, Jim Asplund (19/11/07), 'Human Sigma: Managing the Employee-customer
Encounter'.
20 PokerStars Steve (14/10/14), 'PokerStars VIP Club Changes',
http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/28/internet-poker/pokerstars-2015-vip-club-changes-
1481864/