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Exclusive Q&A with Sim Harmon, founder of Kutt

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  1. Kutt sounds like a fascinating concept. Tell us more about the business model. How does Kutt differ from a regular P2P betting exchange, for example, and what’s its USP (unique selling point)?

Kutt is a P2P sports and social betting platform that allows friends and strangers to bet real money on the outcome of sports, politics, and pop culture events. Think of it as a much better version of Venmo, with a focus on betting: the ultimate “put-your-money-where-your-mouth-is” platform.

The biggest differentiator between Kutt and a traditional P2P betting exchange is our added focus on the social aspect of betting – so we refer to Kutt as a “social betting exchange.” Betting is an inherently social activity, especially here in America. We have fantasy football leagues, group chats with friends, and watch-parties at bars for our favorite teams. Compared to a traditional sportsbook, a regular P2P betting exchange offers much better odds/pricing for its users, but does not offer any meaningful social experience/benefit for the user. That’s where we come in. Our opinion is that you can offer users better pricing and also give them an engaging platform that they’ll want to enjoy with their friends.

  1. Why did you think it was important to take a different direction than the big sports betting operators?

There hasn’t been a ton of innovation in the sports betting industry, because it’s been dominated (and gatekept, if we’re calling a spade a spade) by the big operators who all run “traditional” books. Consumers have suffered as a result…bettors have to put up with high-vig odds, unfair lines, betting limits if you win, and poor customer support. Let’s face it – traditional books are all the same. They may have a different front-end, sure, but they all offer roughly the same bets, odds, and features.

Consumers are finally waking up to this realization, and have started to demand a better way of doing business. This demand, coupled with some ambitious operators wanting to test new models, is directly responsible for a lot of the change you’re seeing across the betting industry. We’ve started to see P2P operators, “stock market for sports” operators, micro-betting operators, prediction markets, and other models pop up over the last year.

Our team at Kutt is super bullish on the P2P/exchange space in particular. An exchange eliminates a lot of the issues we listed earlier in this answer because it puts control in the hands of the user, and customer-friendly business models usually win out in the end. We’re just adding our own little twist to it.

  1. The social element is obviously crucial to Kutt. Do you also think social also has a part to play in mainstream sports betting? There have been recent attempts to “socialize” and gamify sports betting platforms? Will this work?

Social has a major role to play in mainstream sports betting and we believe that “social betting” – with a focus on social P2P/exchange betting – is the future. In our online era, everything has become social, and there’s no reason to think that the sports betting industry will be immune.

For most people, watching sports is already a social activity. You watch the game with a friend, send some thoughts to your group chat, and then go to Twitter to see what everyone else is saying. So now you just add the betting element to it, and we think this will be a pretty seamless transition for most, especially the younger generation. They grew up on social networks so the action of participating in an “online community” is ingrained in their psyche.

Going forward, operators will have to decide how much of their product will be dedicated to “social-first” features. For us, that number will be closer to 100% than 0%, but that doesn’t mean that social is the end-all-be-all.

  1. Tell us about your roadmap. When do you plan to launch, and then what are your long-term plans, in terms of product development and building the brand?

Kutt just launched on the App Store and we should be on Google in the coming weeks. We will be launching with the four major US leagues (plus CFB+CBB) first, but will be adding new sports in the coming months. Then we will add props, futures, and non-sports markets (politics, eSports, pop culture, etc.).

We’ll continue to focus on a product that truly benefit the end-user. We’ve already incorporated features that allow users to create their own lines and payouts, and are now focused on implementing social features that build community within our app. We’re looking to become the “social network” of choice for fans who not only post about their team on a Kutt-hosted message board, but also back up their trash talk with an actual bet.

To build our brand, we’ll embrace the social bettor and will insert ourselves into places where these people can be found; think bars, tailgates, and sporting events where social betting is already happening. Look for Kutt at a sporting event near you soon!

  1. Which specific markets do you plan on targeting?

The beauty of social betting is that everyone does it, since everyone has an opinion. Even people who have never placed an “official” bet in their life have probably uttered the words “I bet that doesn’t happen” to someone at some point during a conversation. These informal “handshake” bets are everywhere, from sporting events to bars to work events to family reunions. Kutt will provide a fun and safe platform for social bettors of all shapes and sizes in the jurisdictions where we can operate.

There are, however, certain markets where ego and trash talk are a bit higher, and where payment for a winning bet is harder to collect on: college campuses. The biggest issue with betting people you know is actually collecting money from a friend or acquaintance, and nowhere is that more true than the younger demographic. Millions of college kids across the US can probably name someone who has flaked on a bet and/or not paid someone they owe on time.       

  1. Is Kutt the future of gambling?

We think so, obviously. Kutt should benefit from the industry’s move towards social gaming as well as the macro tailwinds in the space: greater media exposure, changing consumer demand, less-restrictive regulation, and increased investment. You’ve already seen the media attention that P2P has gotten over the last several months, and it’s hard to put the genie back in the bottle once it’s out. The traditional model has to change, and the companies who get ahead of that change will be the winners in the space.

Kutt has a pretty compelling product. We offer fully customizable odds, better pricing than the traditional books, interactive social features, and a sense of community, among other things. We also have a pulse on what the younger generation wants, which looks very similar to the product we’re building.

We’re aware of the challenges we face within the industry. It’s an uphill battle fighting against the traditional books, who have basically written a lot of the legislation that you see in different states today. Overly burdensome regulations choke out a lot of startups as well. It’s time for the political class to wake up, and start creating a more balanced playing field that encourages new ideas and innovation. The consumer hurts when innovation is stifled.

With all that said, we’re confident that social betting is the future of this industry. And we’re positioning ourselves to capitalize on this shift when it does come. Now go check us out at www.kutt.com or by searching for “Kutt” on the App Store. Thanks!

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LuckyStart Casino Adds New Payment Method

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LuckyStart Casino has announced the addition of a new payment method – Interac – available for all players in Canada, in order to make it easier for their customers to fund their account balance and cash out their winnings quickly.

The brand is aware of the popularity of this payment method amongst Canadian players, and hence, it has decided to add it and enable flexible deposit and withdrawal limits, in order to be considered as the best Interac casino in Canada, especially since the brand is also releasing Interac-exclusive bonuses and promotions.

Furthermore, LuckyStart has announced flexible limits for deposits and withdrawals, to make it easier for players to fund their account balance and cash out their winnings, offering instant approval and same-day processing, which are traits that LuckyStart believes are going to position it as the best Interac casino in Canada.

LuckyStart now supports Interac on the desktop and mobile website, offers exclusive bonuses for Interac bonuses, as well as instant withdrawals, and unrestricted access to their catalog of 5000+ real money games.

LuckyStart believes there is no better way to celebrate an accomplishment in the online gambling world than by launching new bonuses and promotions. That’s why the brand has released a new welcome bonus package for all players who deposit via Interac, as LuckyStart envisions becoming the best Interac casino in Canada.

This new welcome bonus package available for all Interact deposits rewards players with up to $4800 in free bonus money across their first 4 deposits, along with 400 Free Spins. When compared to the welcome packages offered by other Interact casinos, LuckyStart stands out with the biggest offer currently available.

The post LuckyStart Casino Adds New Payment Method appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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Titanplay Re-launches in Ontario

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Titanplay, a fully licensed and regulated online gaming platform by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) and iGaming Ontario (iGO), announced its official re-launch in the Canadian province. This strategic re-entry introduces a refreshed experience tailored to Ontario’s dynamic audience of online casino players and sports bettors.

The re-launch marks a new chapter for Titanplay, with significant upgrades to its casino and sportsbook. Designed for Ontario residents, the new platform delivers a secure and compliant online gaming environment to casual players, strategic bettors, and high rollers alike.

Titanplay now offers an expanded library of certified casino games, including popular slots, live dealer tables, and exclusive titles from leading industry providers. The integrated sportsbook provides real-time odds and wide-ranging markets – from NHL and NBA to international soccer, tennis, and more. Players can enjoy faster performance, improved mobile access, and responsible gaming tools aligned with Ontario’s regulations, whether they prefer placing bets or spinning the reels.

The Titanplay’s platform is optimized for both desktop and mobile devices, offering seamless navigation and secure transactions. The 24/7 customer support, intuitive account management, and localized payment options round out the updated user experience.

Operating within Ontario’s regulated iGaming framework, Titanplay adheres strictly to all AGCO and iGO compliance requirements. This re-launch is more than just a platform update; it’s a commitment to local Ontario players who deserve fairness, choice, responsible gaming environment, data protection, and accountability from their gaming provider.

Titanplay is now live and accepting registrations across Ontario. Players must be 19 years of age or older and reside within the province to access the platform.

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AGCO takes action to remove unapproved gambling machines from Ontario convenience stores

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The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) is continuing its efforts to combat unregulated gambling and protect the public. As part of these efforts, the AGCO took steps this week to revoke the lottery seller registrations of a number of retailers in the GTA that were found to be offering unapproved electronic gambling machines under the Prime Slot brand.

The AGCO regulates all gambling in the province of Ontario to ensure gambling products and gaming sites are held to high standards of game integrity, player safety, and the protection of minors and vulnerable individuals.

Over the past decade, unregulated gaming machines have increasingly proliferated across North America. While they largely rely on chance like traditional slot machines, manufacturers have claimed they are games of skill and have installed terminals in convenience stores and other locations where gaming machines would otherwise be prohibited.

The AGCO will continue to take every action within its authority to protect the public against the risks that these unregulated machines pose – particularly in locations easily accessible to children and youth.

A registered lottery seller served with a Notice of Proposed Order to revoke their registration has the right to appeal the AGCO’s action within 15 days to the Licence Appeal Tribunal (LAT), an adjudicative tribunal that is part of Tribunals Ontario and independent of the AGCO.

“Unapproved gambling machines have no business being in convenience stores or other locations, particularly those that are available to children and youth. ” – Dr. Karin Schnarr, Chief Executive Officer and Registrar, AGCO

Background:

Under Section 10(b) of the Gaming Control Act, the Registrar shall refuse to register an applicant as a supplier or to renew the registration of an applicant as a supplier if there are reasonable grounds to believe that the applicant will not act as a supplier in accordance with law, or with integrity, honesty, or in the public interest.

Under Section 12 of the Gaming Control Act, the Registrar may propose to suspend or to revoke a registration for any reason that would disentitle the registrant to registration or renewal of registration under section 10 if the registrant were an applicant.

The post AGCO takes action to remove unapproved gambling machines from Ontario convenience stores appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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