/ THE BRIEFING / NEWS
THE SMOKING GUN
s Rumours, gossip and scandal from the dark corridors of online gaming
A FOND FAREWELL
Ladbrokes’ announcement that
Richard Glynn is to leave the
company by April next year came as
a surprise at TSG towers when the
news broke in early December. And
judging by Glynn’s acknowledgement
that his work at Lads was “far from
over” in late October, maybe also to
the man himself.
What the announcement means
for the Twitter parody account
@OnGlynnIce – surely run by a
disenfranchised employee – remains
to be seen. But TSG understands
Glynn’s successor is likely to be
from outside the company and one
source says Ladbrokes would love
Paddy Power’s departing CEO Patrick
Kennedy to take over.
But with Paddys themselves having
priced the man up at 1,000/1 to get
the job, it’s an unlikely appointment
to say the least, while Betfair has
made former Thomas Cook boss
Harriet Green as an intriguing
favourite at 3-1.
Whoever replaces him, he will be a
[insert adjective of your choice here]
act to follow. TSG won’t mention
some of the more uncharitable
suggestions it has heard from exLadbrokes employees. But we will say
we don’t expect his departure to be
met with as much tear-sodden well
wishing as Ralph Topping’s.
ON THE PULL
While we’re on the subject of novelty
betting, a big hat tip to Paf for
seemingly throwing their hat into the
ring for the top Christmas toy of 2014.
The Nordic operator has designed
and manufactured a USB slot machine
lever for its customers to attach to
their computers whenever they’re
feeling in the mood for a few spins.
The perfect gift for the ageing slots
fanatic in your life.
The iBandit – as they’ve called
it – features an “elegant, vintage
arm made of durable steel” and a
“contoured matte black handle” while
also being made of the highest quality
Swedish oak. While it might sound like
Paf is advertising a fridge rather than
a gambling device, the end product
looks alarmingly like another type of
adult toy. Play responsibly now!
SVEN AGAIN
Leading England into major
international football tournaments
to being bothered by Paul Kaye
for betting tips while pretending
to be a model train conductor isn’t
perhaps the most fulfilling career path
imaginable, but that’s exactly the fate
of Sven-Goran Eriksson in BetVictor’s
new advertising campaign. Come on
Sven, surely you’ve enough pounds,
euros, pesos and yuan in the bank to
save you any further indignity? And it
brings TSG neatly to some suggested
New Year’s resolutions for the online
gambling industry, which are entirely
unconnected to the previous story.
1. Stop making terrible adverts
2. See number one
Happy Holidays all!
4 42% €297m
Number of awards William
Hill won at the eGR
Operator Awards 2014
W W W. E G R M A G A Z I N E . C O M
Year-on-year rise in Paddy
Power online revenues in
H2 2014
Amount Playtech raised through
bonds for “acquisitive and
organic opportunities”
PEOPLE
NEWS
BETVICTOR APPOINTS ANDREAS
MEINRAD AS NEW CEO
BetVictor has hired bwin.party’s former
chief commercial officer Andreas Meinrad
as its new chief executive, bringing to
an end the operator’s six month-long
search for a successor to Michael Carlton.
BetVictor staff were informed of the
appointment last month, however,
Meinrad will not join the firm until 1
February. BetVictor had been searching
for a replacement for the position
vacated by Carlton after owner Michael
Tabor assumed full control of the firm in
May.
LADBROKES CEO TO STEP
DOWN BY APRIL 2015
Ladbrokes is to begin the search for a new
CEO after revealing current boss Richard
Glynn will step down in 2015, having
spent almost five years in the role. Glynn
will continue to serve as chief exec into
the New Year and the firm thanked him
for what it described as “considerable
achiev