Playtech announced the successful launch of its retail sports betting rollout across the MSC Cruises fleet. The deployment builds on a recently established partnership between the two companies earlier this year, marking Playtech’s entry into the cruise leisure sector and extends its innovative technology to a new frontier in entertainment.

As the world’s third largest cruise line and the market leader in Europe with a strong and growing presence in North America, MSC Cruises offers a powerful platform for Playtech’s global expansion into new verticals. This strategic collaboration introduces Playtech’s cutting-edge sports betting solutions to the cruise sector, enhancing the onboard entertainment experience for guests.

MSC Cruises’ onboard casinos are designed to deliver a dynamic mix of entertainment, featuring reel, video, and video poker slot machines, alongside timeless table games such as Roulette, Blackjack, Three Card Poker, and Texas Hold’em. With the addition of sports betting, guests now have even more ways to engage and enjoy their time at sea. Guests can place bets on a wide range of sports events through Self-Service Betting Terminals and Playtech’s newly developed mobile tills, all seamlessly integrated with guests’ onboard accounts for a smooth and secure experience.

Yori Arami, VP Sports at Playtech commented; “We are excited to partner with MSC Cruises and bring our retail sports betting solutions to their impressive fleet. This partnership represents a significant milestone for Playtech as we continue to expand our offerings and provide unique, engaging experiences for players around the world on land and sea.”

Mara Friso, Head of Casino at MSC Cruises said, “We are very proud to be able to deliver the excitement and engagement of sports gaming to our guests through our partnership with Playtech. Our fleet of modern cruise ships will provide our customers a wide array of immersive digital content as a complement to our state-of-the-art cruise casinos.”

The initial phase of the rollout is now live across seven MSC Cruises vessels, with additional deployments scheduled over the coming months. The integration leverages Playtech’s advanced retail sports betting technology, delivering a seamless and engaging experience for guests onboard.

MGM Resorts International and Playtech announced that they have expanded the “Live from Vegas” offering with the launch of Family Feud, a licensed adaptation of Fremantle’s classic gameshow, streamed live and in real time from a studio located on MGM Grand’s casino floor in Las Vegas.

This is the first interactive game show of its kind to be broadcast live from a Las Vegas casino floor and is available to operators in regulated markets, outside of the US. The studio also broadcasts a variety of interactive table games, including blackjack, roulette, and baccarat, all hosted in a fully transparent glass studio visible to the public 24/7.

“MGM Resorts, with Playtech and Fremantle, is at the forefront of digital gaming bringing the iconic Las Vegas experience to people around the globe. The live dealer studio marks a major step in our growth strategy and pursuit of being the world’s premier gaming entertainment company. We will continue working to create unforgettable moments and new ways to enjoy what the Las Vegas Strip has to offer,” said Gary Fritz, President of MGM Resorts International Interactive.

Building on the successful launch of “Live from Vegas” in June 2024, which saw the introduction of multiple live dealer table games being broadcast from both MGM Grand and Bellagio Resort & Casino, this marks the second phase of MGM Resorts and Playtech’s strategic partnership, a significant milestone in the delivery of new and distinctive live gaming experiences.

Mor Weizer, Chief Executive Officer at Playtech, said: “We’re proud to unveil our full suite of live-streamed experiences from Las Vegas, now featuring Family Feud. This next phase of our collaboration with MGM Resorts and Fremantle represents our shared ambition to redefine live gaming entertainment. Together, we’re introducing a new category of immersive and engaging content to support growth in regulated markets, built on a foundation of robust compliance and player protection.”

Suzanne Lopez, Chief Operating Officer at Fremantle, said: “Our partnership with MGM Resorts and Playtech brings together world-class entertainment, technological innovation, and gaming excellence. For the first time, Family Feud has been integrated into a live dealer environment, powered by actual survey questions from the official Family Feud franchise. This collaboration delivers a truly unique and authentic game show experience.”

Playtech announced its entry into West Virginia, its fourth regulated iGaming state, marking a significant milestone in the company’s U.S. growth trajectory. This expansion underscores Playtech’s commitment to delivering innovative, high-quality entertainment and cutting-edge technology to both partners and players across the U.S. market.

Playtech has expanded its operations in West Virginia, partnering with multiple operators to deliver its award-winning Casino, RNG, and Live content. RSI, Delaware North, DraftKings, and BetMGM are among the latest operators to join Playtech’s expansion in the state. This growth will continue in the coming months with a variety of other operators.

Jonathan Doubilet, VP of U.S. Business Operations at Playtech, said: “Our expansion into this regulated iGaming state reflects our strong strategic focus on delivering engaging, innovative, and responsible entertainment to players, while supporting our partners with the latest in gaming technology. Supporting our customers across all regulated states and countries in which they operate is at the heart of what we do. The trust and confidence they place in us as an agile and scalable partner is what helps in meeting the demands of the ever-expanding US iGaming industry.”