Title: 888 adds up for Harrah's. Post by: tikay on September 11, 2009, 01:19:52 PM I am indebted to a good friend from THM who sent me this. Anything that HIE (Harrah's in efect) do, they will probably be successful in, they don't do fail. 'Stars & Party are looking over their shouders all of a sudden. 888’s independent B2B division, Dragonfish, has pulled off something of a coup by signing U.S. gaming giant Harrah’s Interactive Entertainment to its Total Gaming Services offering. In what the company described as a long term agreement, Dragonfish will support Harrah’s entry into the online gaming market with the delivery of its online poker and casino software, epayments and CRM systems and customer support and VIP services. Although the company offered no timeframe for the launch, it did confirm that it would support the roll-out of two brands, World Series of Poker (WSOP) and Caesars Casino. "This is a ground breaking deal for 888 and demonstrates our ability to provide real value to globally renowned, land-based casinos and their leading brands," said Gigi Levy, Chief Executive Officer of 888. "We have the structure in place to realise our B2B division's full potential over the next 18 months and beyond and today's announcement of our partnership with an industry giant is further vindication of this strategy." Mitch Garber, CEO of Harrah’s Interactive Entertainment, added: "As we develop and roll out our interactive strategy, we have chosen to work with 888, primarily for their world-class technology, scalability, and a strong commitment to compliance, and responsible gaming," said Mitch Garber, Chief Executive Officer of HIE. Title: Re: 888 adds up for Harrah's. Post by: tikay on September 11, 2009, 01:22:03 PM Cost me a few bob this, too - I'd made several wagers that HIE would link up with another, far bigger, site. I'm really shocked at this choice of partner, to be honest. The Online landscaoe is about to change. Title: Re: 888 adds up for Harrah's. Post by: byronkincaid on September 11, 2009, 01:26:57 PM Quote primarily for their terrible technology, scalability, and a strong commitment to stealing your money if you don't play there for a while, and responsible gaming, ftp Title: Re: 888 adds up for Harrah's. Post by: tikay on September 11, 2009, 01:34:05 PM Quote primarily for their terrible technology, scalability, and a strong commitment to stealing your money if you don't play there for a while, and responsible gaming, ftp Lol, not wrong. But a LOT harder to do the marginal stuff (charging folks for dormant accounts) when you have a real, B & M, brand on board. This is barely-regulated & offshore-based virtual business, meeting a properly regulated business. Even OJ would struggle to show that glove fitted. Title: Re: 888 adds up for Harrah's. Post by: boldie on September 11, 2009, 01:45:50 PM So will 888 now be the only official site with WSOP sats?
Title: Re: 888 adds up for Harrah's. Post by: The Camel on September 11, 2009, 01:49:09 PM I thought Party was nailed on to be the partner.
Amazing decision imo. Title: Re: 888 adds up for Harrah's. Post by: tikay on September 11, 2009, 01:49:49 PM So will 888 now be the only official site with WSOP sats? You know as much as me (well, on that subject....), but in the grand scheme of things, it would make total commercial sense. Interesting, because the WSOP's recent stellar growth has largely been fuelled by one particular Online Site. I imagine there are a few furrowed brows in the Isle of Man right now, though overall, it will not hurt them that much financially, just a kick in the ego. Title: Re: 888 adds up for Harrah's. Post by: The Camel on September 11, 2009, 01:52:13 PM So will 888 now be the only official site with WSOP sats? You know as much as me (well, on that subject....), but in the grand scheme of things, it would make total commercial sense. Interesting, because the WSOP's recent stellar growth has largely been fuelled by one particular Online Site. I imagine there are a few furrowed brows in the Isle of Man right now, though overall, it will not hurt them that much financially, just a kick in the ego. It couldn't be Stars (even after the law changes), because they have flouted the UIGEA by continuing to operate in the US market and will be persona non grata even when they do allow online poker.... Title: Re: 888 adds up for Harrah's. Post by: tikay on September 11, 2009, 01:55:22 PM So will 888 now be the only official site with WSOP sats? You know as much as me (well, on that subject....), but in the grand scheme of things, it would make total commercial sense. Interesting, because the WSOP's recent stellar growth has largely been fuelled by one particular Online Site. I imagine there are a few furrowed brows in the Isle of Man right now, though overall, it will not hurt them that much financially, just a kick in the ego. It couldn't be Stars, because they have flouted the UIGEA by continuing to operate in the US market. Point noted, but I always felt that was fix-able. Some high-level lobbying, pay a meaty fine, maybe see the end of the Ports Bill, & a forced marriage to a respectable, Premium, land-based, dyed-in-the-wool American company. The two seemed to me to be perfect bedfellows. Title: Re: 888 adds up for Harrah's. Post by: AlexMartin on September 11, 2009, 01:55:48 PM looks like another clue that the uigea bill is gonna get reversed in the next few years imo. Need to earn lots of $ now to run an enormous stable coz the games are gonna be goooooooooooooooooooooooood again.
Title: Re: 888 adds up for Harrah's. Post by: blonde17 on September 12, 2009, 11:21:57 AM Aspades
Intresting yes, but this is just the start of consolidation within the poker industry. Party and possibly eventually Stars too will have B&M partnerships in place before long and the on line World will look a lot different " Skins " may well be a thing of the past in 3-5 yrs time, blame...or credit... the recession for forcing this. |