News and Analysis
Hacksaw Hits the US Supplier Market
The West Virginia Lottery Commission has opened the doors to West Virginia for Hacksaw Gaming, granting the studio a full supplier license. This is the studio’s first foray into the US, available on Light & Wonder’s Open Gaming Platform; partnerships have kicked off with Rush Street Interactive.
Hacksaw was established in 2018 and is already active in over 20 global markets. The first games to go live in West Virginia are the iconic The Bowery Boy or Wanted Dead or a Wild, after which additional titles will be added to BetRivers Casino in West Virginia.
CCO of Hacksaw Gaming, Gabrielle Star, said;
“As one of the first few states to adopt a forward-leaning approach towards igaming, West Virginia is the ideal market to begin our US journey and we have no doubt that our extensive game library will resonate with its BetRivers players.
This is just the beginning. We’ll be looking to explore more collaborative opportunities with RSI in our bid to become provider of choice for casino fans in West Virginia and across the country as more states liberalise their outlook on igaming.”
DGC Goes Live at FanDuel NJ, PA, and MI
In more big news for US software deals, DGC and FanDuel have agreed to bring DGC slots to FanDuel Casinos in NJ, PA, and MI. Here’s what Asaf Noifeld, Director of Casino at FanDuel, had to say;
“Content is the foundation of our online casino offering, and that’s why partnerships such as this with DGC is so important. DGC has quickly emerged as a must-have provider, and this integration adds some truly epic titles to our casino lobbies in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Michigan.
DGC has been an incredible partner to date, with its portfolio of slots integrated into our platform quickly and seamlessly. We can’t wait to see our players fire up the likes of Gold Blitz and Adventures of Doubloon Island and enjoy the edge of the seat experience they provide.”
Meanwhile, DGC also considered the deal a success, with CCO at DGC B2B Division, Neill Whyte, adding, “Our games not only meet but exceed player expectations in the US and that’s because we go to great lengths to ensure they deliver the entertaining experience that players are seeking.
Having our games live with one of the biggest online casino brands in the US is a huge coup for us and we are confident that this will be a fantastic partnership moving forward.”
DGC is a powerhouse in the USA, owning exclusive rights to Betway operations under the Games Global brand; the company also has several Microgaming assets. According to Eilers-Fantini, one of DGC’s most popular titles, Gold Blitz, was this month’s most-played online slot title in the US. Tipsy Tavern, another DGC title, sat in second place.
Twitch Expands Gambling Site Blacklist
If you caught our blog on the problems with Twitch online gambling and cheating, you’ll already have a good grounding for this news. If not, then here’s a quick catch up; after mass cheating and widespread advertising of unlicensed online casinos, in 2022, Twitch banned content from websites offering slots, roulette, or dice games that aren’t licensed in the US or other jurisdictions that “provide sufficient consumer protection.”
One year on, and after user feedback, it’s clear Twitch is still experiencing problems, as they have announced that there are still accounts circumventing the rules and advertising unregulated gambling products. To tackle this and provide better protection for viewers, Twitch created the blacklist, adding Stake, Rollbit, Duelbits, Roobet, Blaze, and Gamdom.
Since Twitch changed the rules, competitor sites like Kick.com have popped up and rapidly risen in popularity. Offering creators a better profit share and fewer rules, many popular casino game streamers have migrated away from Twitch.
Fresh on the Scene: ESPN Bet
ESPN and Penn Entertainment have struck a sports betting partnership that’ll see ESPN Bet replace Barstool as Penn’s sportsbook partner in autumn 2023. ESPN Bet will gain access to 16 states. Penn is dropping Barstool and selling the brand back to its owner, Dave Portnoy.
BetMGM Signs up for Market Access with Revolutionary Racing Kentucky
With preparations for the launch of legal sports betting in Kentucky (retail on 7/9, online on 28/9) in full swing, BetMGM has struck out early and formed a licensing partnership deal with Revolutionary Racing Kentucky. The agreement will see BetMGM run the online platform and build a 5,200 sq ft sportsbook at Sandy’s Racing and Gaming facility in Prestonsburg, Kentucky.
Slot Game of the Week
Wanted Dead or a Wild. Hacksaw Gaming, RTP 96.38%
Hacksaw Gaming is among the freshest European developers to make it across the pond at strike out into the USA. This week we’re celebrating their brand new West Virginia online casino supplier licenses by making Wanted Dead or a Wild our slot game of the week.
Played on 5x5 reels with 15 pay lines and a max win potential of up 12,500x your bet, this supercharged, high volatility slot drops your straight back into the Wild West at dusk for tension and, hopefully, prize-filled wins.
The game comes with 3 bonus rounds along with base game wilds:
- Duel at Dawn: Score 3x VS symbols, and you’ll trigger a duel with 10 free spins. During the round, additional VS symbols can turn whole reels into a wild multiplier, awarding up to 100x.
- Dead Man’s Hand: Score 3x Dead symbols to trigger this round. In the initial phase, collect as many wilds and multipliers as possible in preparation for the showdown, the final 3 spins with all the Wilds on the reels, and the multiplier level awarded to wins.
- The Great Train Robbery: Lastly, land 3x Train Robbery symbols to trigger 10 free spins with sticky wilds clinging to the reels for the game’s duration.
Ready to set your stakes and see if you can make your fortune in old gold? Then load up the reels from $0.20-100 a spin and start playing at these Hacksaw Gaming Casinos in the USA.