Latest News
Match Poker Online Unveils New World Cup Featuring Cash Prizes and Bragging Rights on the Line
After a successful launch earlier this year, Match Poker Online is ramping up the action even more this winter. The app is bringing the thrill of international competition to the online poker tables with the Match Poker Online World Cup. Eligible players of all levels have the chance to represent their country and play to determine the best Match Poker player in the world.
All eligible players can get in the action by competing on the app. To be eligible, players must have achieved at least one of the following by Nov. 27:
- reached an IFMP (International Federation of Match Poker) Rating of 1,200 or above
- be in the top 15% of the Ivory, Sapphire, or Emerald tiers of IFMP Ratings
- be among the top 15% of eligible players in any Premiership Season
- won a Weekly Challenge
- won a Special Event, such as the May Cup or Battle Weekend
There were 385 eligible players as of Oct. 5, but players can still qualify. Eligible players will be notified via email.
“From the start, we’ve wanted to be much more than an app, we’ve wanted to be a sport – albeit one that is played via an app,” Match Poker Online head of customer relations Jake Colman says. “Being a sport necessarily involves holding championship events, world cups, and other big events to determine the best players in the sport of poker. So this is the first time we are offering the pinnacle of our sport.”
How the World Cup Works
Each competition features Playoffs and Finals exclusive to players of the same Rating Tier. Tournament play features Match Poker Online’s new Triple Battle format, which sees players compete in one battle royale each hour for three consecutive hours. The top 36 players then advance in the Finals. The series comes after months of planning and continuous growth on the app.
“What’s been wonderful to see has been the enthusiasm from our players,” Colman says. “Each of our matches goes for 30-45 minutes, and heaps of players play 20 or so matches each week, which is a wonderful commitment of time and effort. There are some players who have played more than 100 matches a month! Adding even more players at all skill levels gets us closer to our goal of running matches almost instantaneously. Happily, we’re getting closer.”
For most players, the Playoffs are set for Dec. 3-4 with the Finals playing out on Dec. 10-11. U.S. players can compete on Dec. 2-3 with the Finals on Dec. 9-10. The winner of the Ruby division, the top competition, is crowned the overall World Cup champion. And not just bragging rights are on the line. Match Poker Online is awarding cash prizes for top players. In total, players can compete for a share of more than $2,000 and here’s a look at the payouts:
| Ranking Category | 1st Place Prize | 2nd Place Prize | 3rd Place Prize |
| Ruby | $625 | $250 | $125 |
| Ivory | $450 | $175 | $75 |
| Sapphire | $200 | $100 | $50 |
| Emerald | $100 | $50 | $25 |
* Amounts in US dollars
How Does Match Poker Online Work?
Match Poker Online truly gauges where a player stands by having competitors play the same hands across the platform. Players can work on their skills by comparing their own play and decisions to others around the world who have played exactly the same hand.
The app is packed with features, statistics, excellent graphics, and exciting gameplay. You can even compare your own play against friends in a fantasy sports-style competition. There’s no longer a need for arguing or debate on which players are better based on conjecture and insufficient data. With Match Poker, all that data is available for players to check out.
When playing, you’re not just competing against the players at your table, but against players seated at other tables in the same seat you are. All players in that seat are dealt the same two “hole” cards and see the same flop, turn, and river. It’s a unique twist on traditional poker.
Even More to Come
Beyond the World Cup, Match Poker Online developers are working to bring players even more in the weeks ahead. More analytics should be coming soon, substantially increasing from two key statistics to 12. Players will see a massive increase in how they can gauge their own play.
“We’re going to start analyzing everything from how often you make it to showdown, win at showdown, three-bet or fold to a three-bet, continuation bet, or move all in,” Colman says. “Each statistic tells the player where they are, and where they should be.”
Also in the works for 2023 are country-specific events. This feature will then expand to allow anyone to create a club and host their own competitions. Players can battle it out with others like they’re playing in a club competition or round-robin tournament. The moves come as Match Poker Online continues to “sportify” poker. The World Cup and these other additional offerings only add to these efforts.
“Even though it’s played in an app, Match Poker is a sport,” Colman says. “We’re working hard to see it become as widespread as basketball, tennis, or chess, with communities in every part of the world, at every level – from suburban leagues to national titles. The World Cup is the most important step forward we’ve ever taken in getting there.”
Player Reactions
After more than nine months in operation, players have been pleased with the game. Here’s a look at what a few players had to say:
- As a former professional poker player I am super excited by your project, I truly believe that we need to rethink poker and show it as a skill game rather than gambling. – “Cukrapok”, France
- Let me congratulate you on the best poker app ever developed. – “Fairbank”, USA
- I want to thank you for a great way to play poker and your game is so fantastic. I no longer play in other places. Great job! – “Stinger”, USA
- Loving the game, awesome concept.👌🏼I have deleted all other poker apps from my phone. – “Rendog”, Australia
- You’ve made something truly fun, unique, and innovative and I look forward to what the future brings🙂. – “RedBacon”, Israel
In its LinkedIn newsletter, ‘The SOFTSWISS Special’, SOFTSWISS, a global tech expert with over 15 years of experience in iGaming, delves into the impact of Bitcoin Halving on the iGaming realm.
The recent historical moment of Bitcoin Halving took place on 19th April 2024. SOFTSWISS, a pioneer in crypto-friendly iGaming software, shares its insights and forecasts for how this event may shape the future of iGaming, shedding light on potential opportunities and challenges for industry stakeholders.
What is Bitcoin Halving?
The Bitcoin halving is a scheduled event that occurs approximately every four years or every 210,000 blocks. During this event, the reward for mining and verifying new blocks is reduced by 50%, resulting in miners earning only half the number of BTC per mined block.
Since its launch in 2009, Bitcoin’s mining reward has halved four times, occurring in 2012, 2016, 2020, and 2024. The recent April halving reduced the reward to 3.125 BTC per block. Such events are crucial for Bitcoin’s scarcity and inflation control, ensuring that the total supply never exceeds 21 million coins and aligning with its deflationary principles.
Historically, each halving event has resulted in a rise in Bitcoin’s price. This is attributed to the reduced supply and increased scarcity, although other market factors have also influenced these outcomes.
Exploring the Impact of Bitcoin Halving on the iGaming Industry
To provide an in-depth analysis of the Bitcoin Halving impact on iGaming, SOFTSWISS invited Bradley Peak, blockchain expert and tokenomics adviser, to share its anticipations.
- Bets rise: The halving is expected to lead to an increase in Bitcoin’s value. If the trend of impressive price surges persists, Bitcoin-friendly iGaming brands could see a positive impact.
- Crypto adoption increase: Implementing crypto-friendly models has the potential to boost player trust and transparency in iGaming. Additionally, it could rejuvenate unique gaming experiences like provably fair games and decentralised casinos.
- Regulatory frameworks improvement: The recent Bitcoin halving could prompt regulatory bodies to reassess their stance on cryptocurrency gambling. This could lead to new regulations ensuring fairness, responsible gambling, and anti-money laundering measures in the crypto-driven iGaming sector.
Bradley Peak, blockchain expert, comments on the recent changes: “Any transformation will not be without its challenges. It is important to adapt – invest in employee learning and development, onboard crypto processing, and make sure your platform remains secure in the process.”
Explore the influence of the 2024 Bitcoin Halving on the iGaming industry in the fourth edition of The SOFTSWISS Special newsletter on LinkedIn.
About SOFTSWISS
SOFTSWISS is an international tech company supplying software solutions for managing iGaming projects. The expert team, which counts over 2,000 employees, is based in Malta, Poland, and Georgia. SOFTSWISS holds a number of gaming licences and provides one-stop-shop iGaming software solutions. The company has a vast product portfolio, including the Online Casino Platform, the Game Aggregator with thousands of casino games, the Affilka affiliate platform, the Sportsbook Platform and the Jackpot Aggregator. In 2013, SOFTSWISS was the first in the world to introduce a Bitcoin-optimised online casino solution.
The post Should iGaming Be Worried About 2024 Bitcoin Halving? appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Football (soccer) and tennis accounted for 68% of cases
The International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA) reported 56 alerts of suspicious betting to the relevant authorities in the first quarter (Q1) of 2024.
The Q1 2024 total is an increase of 65% when compared to 34 alerts in Q4 2023 and an increase of 12% when compared to the revised Q1 2023 total of 50 alerts. All of IBIA’s alerts are identified using customer account data from IBIA members, which number over 50 companies and 125 sports betting brands, making IBIA the largest integrity monitor of its type in the world.
The 56 incidents of suspicious betting in Q1 concerned six sports, across 21 countries and five continents. Other key data for Q1 2024 includes:
- Football (soccer) had the highest number of alerts by sport with 24, representing a 50% increase on the 16 reported in Q4 2023 and a 60% increase on the 15 reported in Q1 2022.
- Turkey had the highest number of country alerts with 8 (five in football, two in tennis and one in basketball).
41% of all alerts in Q1 were identified on sporting events taking place in Asia, with North and South America joint second with 18% each. - There were only 4 alerts identified on sporting events in Europe, which represents a decrease of 76% compared to 17 alerts in Q4 2023.
Khalid Ali, IBIA CEO, said: “The first quarter saw an increase in reported alerts highlighting the ongoing challenge our members, sports and regulatory authorities face from corrupt activity, with football and Asia dominating our Q1 report. IBIA’s alerts are supported by detailed global customer account data only available to IBIA and its membership, which continues to grow, widening our world leading market coverage. That account data provides evidentiary information that is vital for advancing investigations and imposing sanctions. IBIA is committed to continuing to work closely with stakeholders and to providing this important evidence base.”
The Q1 report includes a focus on the availability of sports betting in Canada and a comparison between the licensing approach in Ontario and the monopoly approach in the rest of the country. IBIA recently released a report on the Availability of Sports Betting Products which highlighted Ontario as a leading regulated gambling jurisdiction, with an expected onshore channelisation for sports betting of 92% in 2024 forecast to rise to 97% in 2028. Whereas the rest of Canada combined is forecast to have an onshore rate of around 11% in 2024 becoming 13% by 2028.
IBIA currently represents over 60% of the private sports betting operators licensed in Ontario, with Glitnor recently announced as the latest operator to join the association in that province. IBIA is a not-for-profit body that has no competing conflicts with the delivery of commercial services to other sectors and is run by operators for operators to protect regulated sports betting markets from match-fixing. IBIA’s global monitoring network is a highly effective anti-corruption tool, detecting and reporting suspicious activity in regulated betting markets.
Through the IBIA global monitoring network it is possible to track transactional activities linked to individual customer accounts. IBIA members have over $300bn per annum in betting turnover (handle), accounting for approximately 50% of the global commercial regulated land-based and online sports betting sector, and in excess of 50% for online alone.
The post 56 suspicious betting alerts reported by IBIA in Q1 2024 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Compliance Updates
Brazil’s Ministry of Finance Appoints Régis Dudena as Secretary of Prizes and Betting
Regis Dudena, a seasoned lawyer with expertise in Public and Regulatory Law, has been appointed as the new Secretary of Prizes and Betting at the Ministry of Finance in Brazil. Dudena’s appointment ordinance is signed by Rui Costa, Minister of the Civil House.
The new secretary had already been visiting the Ministry of Finance and getting closer to the entire group at the Secretariat of Prizes and Betting, until then led by Simone Vicentini, deputy secretary.
The appointment of the lawyer is attributed to the Executive Secretary of Finance, Dario Durigan. Dario and Dudena worked together at Palácio do Planalto during Dilma Rousseff’s government.
Both worked in the Legal Affairs secretariat of the Civil House. Dudena’s name is linked to other names on the left. He has good relations with Edinho Silva (PT), mayor of Araraquara (SP).
The SPA started operating two months ago. Since then, it had been without a permanent boss. Lawyer José Francisco Manssur, special advisor to the Ministry of Finance who coordinated the regulation of sports betting from the beginning, was the most likely to take on the position. But he was exonerated under pressure from Centrão politicians.
Bets representatives welcomed the name Régis Dudena.
From the beginning, the SPA was under the responsibility of Simone Vicentini, appointed as deputy secretary. Since then, it has edited the ordinances that defined requirements for laboratory accreditation and the sector’s regulatory policy.
Under her supervision, three laboratories have already been approved, GLI, eCogra, and BMM. Last week, the ordinance establishing the rules for payment transactions to be complied with by sports betting and online gaming operators was also published.
Should iGaming Be Worried About 2024 Bitcoin Halving?
56 suspicious betting alerts reported by IBIA in Q1 2024
Brazil’s Ministry of Finance Appoints Régis Dudena as Secretary of Prizes and Betting
Gaming and Leisure Properties Appoints Debra Martin Chase to Board of Directors
Gibraltar Gambling Commission Attends International Olympic Committee and UEFA Workshop
Paddy Power launches new innovative Checkd Dev betting tool Mix ‘N Match
Romania Bans Gambling Venues in Small Towns and Villages
Play’n GO digs deep for the treasures of ancient kings
Week 14/2024 slot games releases
Gaming1 renews contract with ComplianceOne Group for fifth consecutive year
-
gaming2 years agoODIN by 4Players: Immersive, state-of-the-art in-game audio launches into the next generation of gaming
-
EEG iGaming Directory7 years ago
iSoftBet continues to grow with new release Forest Mania
-
News6 years ago
Softbroke collaborates with Asia Live Tech for the expansion of the service line in the igaming market
-
News5 years ago
Super Bowl LIII: NFL Fans Can Bet on the #1 Sportsbook Review Site Betting-Super-Bowl.com, Providing Free Unbiased and Trusted News, Picks and Predictions
-
iGaming Industry6 years ago
Rick Meitzler appointed to the Indian Gaming Magazine Advisory Board for 2018
-
News5 years ago
REVEALED: Top eSports players set to earn $3.2 million in 2019
-
iGaming Industry6 years ago
French Senator raises Loot Boxes to France’s Gambling Regulator
-
News6 years ago
Exclusive Interview with Miklos Handa (Founder of the email marketing solutions, “MailMike.net”), speaker at Vienna International Gaming Expo 2018
