The GTech G2 group lived up to its promise to launch its new casino game creation studio at EiG this week, revealing that the centre would draw in talent from throughout the group to provide top of the range gaming services and casino games.

Simon Caddy, Head of Games Studio and founder of group subsidiary Dynamite Idea, explained: “Like every other part of GTech G2, the Game Studio is player-focused - with new ideas coming, first and foremost, from insight into online casino game play trends and understanding of player demands.”

GTech G2 is working with several of the games industry’s leading developers such as Atronic, Spielo Ashgaming, Endemol, Realistic Games, Zukido and Solid Icon going forward, and will be forming an alliance with “casual” games provider, PopCap Games.

“These projects will take the PC games as the core concept around which we are going to make entirely new games for gambling - not for simple entertainment,” said Dominic Mansour, Head of Casino GTech G2. “It’s more creative than just using a powerful brand and simply using the imagery and sounds for a slot machine - think of redesigning Space Invaders as a game of Keno.”

The results of the more focused attention to game development are already reaping awards in the form of new licensees, GTech claims.

The first of these will be the Nordic Gaming Group, launching across the sites of Nordic Bet, Trio Bet and To Bet. A total set of 10 minigames including 3 games will be embedded in their sports betting and live betting sites.

Canadian online gambling software developer Rival Gaming has released its latest 5 reel online slot, branded Moonlight Mystery. The game takes players on a Clue-like crime investigation with a theme that includes victim chalk outlines, police officers, magnifying glasses, a selection of questionable characters that appear as symbols on the game and some really good sound effects.

The entertainment element in the new casino game is to discover the culprit, working through an innovative bonus round.

Casino news from EiG and the price optimisation software developer Botsphere is that it has signed up leading UK bookmaker Stan James as a online gambling licensee for its Right Price product.

The Botsphere system was developed by the same team that created the popular Oddschecker product, and Stan James joins another internet gambling leading bookie - Victor Chandler - in using it.

Botsphere director Stewart Vassie said at EiG this week: “The explosion in In-Running betting demands new technology, with Botsphere taking price optimisation to a new level.” He revealed that RightPrice has algorithmic pricing according to both set criteria and trading strategies.

The Gibraltar-based Stan James Call Centre handles thousands of calls every day, dealing with a wide variety of bets and markets and including In-Running and Special Bets.

Right Price automates the trading operations of sportsbooks, creating events, markets and outcomes, pricing through both the pre-market and in-running and then resulting. Users and trading management control the prices offered using algorithms and trading strategies.

Microgaming’s late Friday announcement that it has pulled the software licence of the Linx Media online gambling group on doubts regarding the company’s solvency has been followed by extensive forum discussion and a company announcement on the relevant internet websites.

The Linx announcement reads:

“The Linx Media Group has today announced that it is seeking to put its businesses into liquidation and will cease trading with immediate effect. As yet, the Linx Media Group does not know how long this process will take, but it will provide updates on the situation as and when information casino news becomes available and when liquidators are appointed.”

A further comment from the company said:

“It is with great regret that we make this announcement. I appreciate the concern and frustration that this will inflict on the Eurolinx, BetOnBet, and Linx Casino player community.

“Affected account holders are those individuals who have agreed to a contractual relationship with the Linx Media Group through Eurolinx, BetOnBet and Linx Casino.

“All available player funds are held by these businesses. As soon as we have information on how to lodge claims with the liquidators, we will communicate this via www.eurolinx.com, www.BetOnBet.com and www.linxcasino.com.”

Players on the Casinomeister and 2plus2 forums resurrected the Tusk incident in which an Australian online casino and poker group went into liquidation owing what was believed to be millions of dollars worth of obligations that liquidators are still sorting out. Some players posted that they had tens of thousands of dollars in their Linx accounts, indicating that the Linx affair could be of similar gravity.

In the Tusk Investment Corporation debacle last year, six online casinos and 28 online poker rooms were involved in the business failure.

A poster at the 2plus2 forum summarised the likely sequence of events going forward, based on his Tusk experience and once liquidators are appointed: “In our case they contacted us per e-mail, it took a little over a month… then you will need to submit a claim (takes like 10 min to fill out).” From there, patience is required as liquidators sort through the financial and player accounts to arrive at a fair distribution of what monies can be realised from the remaining assets of the company.

The poker operations of the Linx group operated on the Microgaming Poker Network, around ninth in size on the Internet with an average daily count of real money ring game players of just over 1 750. Other sites on the network include 32 Red Poker, Betway, Canbet, Carlos Poker, Cool Hand Poker, Gnuf, Intertops Poker, Nordic Bet, PokerTime, PokerWize, Spin Palace, and Unibet.

Linx Media launched its latest online casino venture, Linx Casino.com only four months ago. The personalities behind the Linx Media group are at present unknown, but it has offices in Malta, indicating that it is perhaps licensed in that jurisdiction.

If this is the case, the LGA licensing authority will no doubt soon face questions on what arrangements regarding security for player funds (such as ringfencing of mandatory company deposits) are demanded as a licensing condition, and how much those deposits might bring to the liquidator’s calculations.

The initial program for the best casinos on iGaming Asia Congress, taking place from 23-25 February 2010 at the Grand Hyatt at City of Dreams in Macau, is now available online gambling.

The agenda reflects the key cultural and operational challenges of doing business in Asia, and the innovative business models that are emerging in response to regulatory uncertainties in the internet gambling region.

Topics will include:

* Capitalising on Live Dealer innovations

* Developing an Asian-centric product base - What game content has proven successful elsewhere?

* Achieving the best player and product mix to minimize risk and maximize profit

* Cross-marketing of databases and games

* Debating the future of sports betting monopolies

* Evaluating the market for casual gaming and e-sports

* Improving player management, communication and education

* Managing customer service and call centres in Asia

* Creating customer loyalty programmes and devising innovative and competitive bonus schemes

* Attracting finance for and setting up an online gaming business in Asia

* Special jurisdiction round-tables for off-the-record discussions with market and legal experts

The program also features two in-depth pre-conference master classes on Marketing and Payments, on Tuesday 23 February.