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GameAccount in the News
2007
22.02.2007Gin Rummy proves Online Poker is ‘Not The Only Game’
23.01.2007William Hill launches Skill Gaming
20.01.2007Migrate to the UK: What on Earth For?
16.01.2007GameAccount takes Internet Skill Gaming to the next level
08.01.2007Online Skill Games Fuelling Luxury Lifestyles.
2006
03.08.2006Thinking Man’s Poker: Gin Rummy is back in 2006.
01.08.2006GameAccount is At The Races
24.07.2006GameAccount Launches Televised Backgammon
04.07.2006Five Goes Live with GameAccount
20.06.2006GameAccount Launches More Blackjack Tournaments
20.04.2006The Guardian Selects Skill Gaming Services
02.04.2006GameAccount First Past the Post
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Gin Rummy proves Online Poker is ‘Not The Only Game’
GameAccount.com hosts 2007 Online Rummy World Championship
London – February 22, 2007 - What card game links legendary WSOP Champion Stu Ungar, Hollywood stars and lovers Bogart and Bacall, the incorrigible Rat Pack, alongside Goldfinger and James Bond? You may remember it as the card game of your youth – Gin Rummy. Before the incredible rise of poker, gin rummy was the only game in town. Easy to learn (it is said the game can be learned in 90 seconds), accessible and mentally provocative, the ‘Thinking Man’s Poker’ is perfect to play online, and is fighting for some serious recognition alongside poker. Leading skill-gaming network GameAccount.com (www.gameaccount.com) is the first global site catering to both rookie and expert gin players, having hosted over 100 million hands of gin rummy for stakes ranging from £1 to £1,000 per game. Every month, million of pounds exchange hands between members of this growing community of dedicated gin players.
At heart, gin rummy players are poker players and vice-versa. Gin has been slowly gaining a cyber presence and the crossover with poker means that the site has witnessed a surge in players looking to apply their card skills for fun and profits. Gin rummy is a skill game, but it retains the element of chance necessary to make it encouraging to all newcomers. Players can read up on gin techniques, practise their games for low stakes at first, then move into the big money games when confident.
Gin Rummy’s revival means that online gaming will witness a historical first in Summer 2007 when the inaugural Online ‘Gin Rummy World Championship’ will be hosted on the GameAccount.com network. The tournament prize purse, participating partners and structure will be revealed over the coming weeks.
Kevin Dale, GameAccount.com CEO believes that, “Serious card players are looking for a fresh new buzz or adrenalin rush that is similar but not identical to poker. We have been nurturing our gin community and product for the last year and now have that great combination of pro players and improving amateurs which has been such a success in the poker world. The ‘Gin Rummy World Championship’ will be a rewarding experience akin to other competitive online tournaments.”
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William Hill launches Skill Gaming
Major UK gaming site launches Backgammon, Gin Rummy and Multiplayer Blackjack
January 23, 2007 (London, UK) - William Hill, one of the best known and most trusted names in the UK and Irish betting industry, has launched Internet skill gaming in partnership with GameAccount (www.gameaccount.com), the world's largest integrated network of skill-based games.
Accessible through a tab on William Hill's homepage (www.willhill.com), the fully integrated browser-based skill games are now available in 7 languages and 11 currencies. Multiplayer Blackjack, Gin Rummy and Backgammon are supported by next-generation 'poker-style' tournament technology: cash games; non-stop 'sit and go' tournaments, money-added scheduled tournaments; guaranteed prize money tournaments; feeder / qualifier tournaments and regular scheduled freeroll tournaments. In addition, all games are William Hill branded throughout, providing added appeal to their customer base.
Peter Nolan, Group Director Interactive Business for William Hill outlined their choice, "We appointed GameAccount as our supplier after exhaustive research into the untapped skill games market. They are strongly aligned with our vision and have delivered games which are a great fit for our product expansion strategy. We are particularly excited about their unique multiplayer products, providing greater choice and quality entertainment to our customers."
Kevin Dale, CEO of GameAccount, agrees: "We are delighted to have launched our skill games with William Hill. They are a British gaming institution and key global brand. Our products are proven to generate per-player value comparable with and incremental to existing Poker services, and clearly these economics and product stability were decisive factors. Teaming with William Hill is confirmation of our belief that the right Skill Gaming derivatives are serious contenders in the remote gaming space".
GameAccount's Person-to-Person technology allows eGaming operators to expand their brand, acquire customers within key markets and reactivate lapsed players. Currently, millions of pounds, dollars and euros are paid out to players within the GameAccount Network each month. The William Hill partnership is another in a series of key deals for the company. Current partners include Sportingbet Europe, PaddyPower.com, Victor Chandler International, Skybet, and Blue Square.
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Migrate to the UK: What on Earth For?
GameAccount.com offers western income to eastern online players
January 20th, 2007 (London, UK) - More and more Eastern Europeans are finding that they don’t need to emigrate to the UK in order to enjoy incomes that exceed local salaries. In return for a decent internet connection and some serious gaming attitude, savvy Eastern Europeans are making money at games like backgammon and gin rummy. So-called ‘skill games’ differ from the popular casino, sports and bingo sites in that a person’s skill and mental stamina, rather than chance, are the key to success.
At GameAccount.com, (www.gameaccount.com) the UK and Ireland’s largest skill gaming site, they’ve seen a surge in players from Latvia, Turkey, Serbia, Romania and Russia looking to cash in on the multiplayer game challenges offered by comparatively well-off Europeans.
Sergejs D. is a 44-year old gin rummy player from Riga, Latvia who has mastered the classic card game to win upwards of €26,000 (£17,000) since mid-2004. “I came across non-gambling sites a while back, deposited €15 and after some trial and error, started beating more and more opponents. I read up on strategies and would even memorise and practise gin rummy hands when I wasn’t online. It’s now become my full-time profession”. In a country where the average wage is around £3,500 per year, Sergejs is well-off.
And it’s not just Eastern Europe where locals have a good standard of living through online skill gaming. In Turkey and the Middle East, backgammon is a national pastime. A 34-year old psychologist from Ankara, Ersen G. notes: “Here in Turkey, when I play for $20 (about £10) that’s serious money– it’s not just loose change. Thankfully, most UK players I challenge only play for fun - they’re not seasoned backgammon professionals like some of my neighbours over here! I can make several hundred dollars a week at the game, which is a wonderful income - and I only do it part-time.”
“My English has also improved by playing British opponents. They get quite excited about trying to beat me, but they have to understand that Turks are the best backgammon players in the world!.”
What seems to be ‘play money’ for westerners is treated as an income opportunity in the East. With internet penetration increasing in these regions, a skill gaming revolution is on the cards. The big advantage for these overseas players is that they benefit from the low cost of living at home whilst earning a good income from the West.
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GameAccount takes Internet Skill Gaming to the next level
New multi-table tournaments, instant win games and growing player numbers.
January 16th, 2007 (London, UK) - GameAccount, a leading software provider to the internet gaming industry, has redesigned its browser-based skill gaming software. The major network-wide upgrade for 2007 includes several improved lobby features, game tables and enhanced multi-table tournaments with feeder qualifiers. Players can now find and select their tournament types or cash game easier than ever, navigating between cash game tables for Backgammon, Gin Rummy or Multiplayer Blackjack with a single click. Another first for any skill gaming provider, is the ability for players to launch skill-based instant win games directly from the main lobby. Players can click, play and continue wagering while waiting for a scheduled tournament to start or even while involved in a tournament.
“This is an exciting period for GameAccount as we launch the next generation of our award-winning skill gaming software. Improving usability for players and the games cycle results in more revenue for our blue chip licensee partners.” said Dermot Smurfit, GameAccount’s Sales & Marketing Director. “Our improved software demonstrates our continued commitment to providing skill games on a par with industry standard poker software. Poker is not the only skill-based game!”
GameAccount’s person-to-person blackjack game won the eGaming Review magazine’s 2006 award for Innovation.
Fast-growth in player numbers
“Player numbers in our main lobby have more than trebled in the last eight weeks, driven by a variety of factors.” said Mr.Smurfit. “Network-wide or bespoke event tournaments with generous overlays have brought serious players to the site in search of value and compelling opportunities to stake a little, to earn a lot. William Hill’s launch in January and Skybet’s rebrand have proven a major driver of player liquidity and we expect William Hill’s players will soon represent a material proportion of all active network players.”
Instant-win skill games
The new suite of skill-based instant-win games, are accessed via the main game lobby through a series of easy-to-use drop-down menus. These games are a key reason why leading eGaming brands continue to choose GameAccount as their skill game supplier. GameAccount recognises that revenue per player-hour is a crucial key performance indicator. Players experiencing waiting time before or during tournaments can continue to spend on games which are just a single click away. Players choose from the available games, select their stake and the instant win game pops-up in a separate window. “We’ve found multi-tabling to be a powerful draw for players wishing to maximise their earning potential. The more games they can play, simultaneously, the better. It’s a crucial feature in poker, and the same applies to skill games.” said Sam Lawrence, GameAccount’s Chief Technical Officer.
About GameAccount (www.GameAccount.com)
Based in London, UK, GameAccount operates a network of person-to-person games including Gin Rummy, Backgammon and a unique Multiplayer Blackjack game – winner of a 2006 eGaming Review Award. Sportsbook, casino and poker operators license access to the GameAccount Network, granting their customers access to games in the same way they already access poker games available within popular networks. GameAccount is at the forefront of remote gaming with blue chip integrated licensees including William Hill, Paddy Power, Sportingbet, SkyBet, BoyleSports and BlueSquare.
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Online Skill Games Fuelling Luxury Lifestyles.
GameAccount.com offers players serious, tax free supplemental incomes
January 8th, 2007 (London, UK) - “I’m off abroad to live the life of a country gentleman” says Dan C. from Surrey, an average English guy with a not-so-average way of making his fortune. 34-year old Dan has earned over £30,000 playing online skill games in little over one year. He’s been saving most of this supplemental income and always planned to invest his well-gotten gains in Eastern European property. Dan reasons, “The UK property market is beyond me and much of that is probably due to the influx of East Europeans. Not enough houses and lots more people looking for a roof over their heads. I’ve never been one to follow the flow so I’m going to emigrate over there, where prices are fantastic!”
Skill-gaming is a growing niche in the online gaming world, where skill and not luck, is the main determinant in a game. Some of the more recognisable skill-based games are Backgammon, Gin Rummy, Solitaire and Tournament Blackjack. Unlike risky on-line casinos, a practiced player can earn a good income by outfoxing their online opponents.
“Friends told me that I was wasting my time and that I would only lose money gambling online. They just didn’t get it. I kept telling them these were games of skill, not gambling.”
As Dan spent more time online, friends and family were sceptical both of his chances of success and of the legitimacy of this new skill-based gaming medium. “They just didn’t get it. I kept telling them these were games of skill, not gambling. If you get good at the games, you can consistently win money.” However, they were soon won over by his new hobby – especially when Dan showed them the first cheque which came in from his favourite site, www.gameaccount.com. “It meant everything to me” he recalls, “I waved it around in front of everybody!” Dan’s play increased and improved - so too did the flow of cheques. Any remaining scepticism was soon washed away as he raked in between £1,000 and £2,000 a month.
Kevin Dale, CEO at GameAccount, confirms that the skill angle makes this type of gaming rewarding. “Playing others at a game like Backgammon is a completely different proposition than putting your hard-earned cash on a roulette table or in a slot machine. You have far more control over your destiny. We’ve got hundreds of successful players from all over the world whose tournament winnings run into hundreds of thousands of pounds.”
And Dan? He’s recently bought 200 acres of agricultural land in Hungary for his own truffle farm and hunting lodge which he intends to build up with his wife. “With broadband internet over there too, I’ll probably buy my first tractor from my online winnings!”
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Thinking Man’s Poker: Gin Rummy is back in 2006.
By Meir Moses (Marketing Manager - RedHotRummy.com – the world’s first dedicated Gin Rummy site)
August 3rd, 2006 - Almost everyone remembers playing a game of Gin Rummy as a youngster, usually introduced by a grandparent keen on giving you your first taste of serious card play. However, few people younger than 40 realise that before Poker, Rummy was pretty much the card game of choice for hard core gamblers and casual players alike from the 1920’s through to the early 70’s. Gin Rummy was accessible and sexy. Bogart and Bacall played it, Shirley MacLaine had a gun pulled on her playing mob boss Sam Giancana, and of course the Rat Pack would indulge in the game while nursing a whiskey sour and cigarette. Bankrolled and endorsed Rummy pro-players criss-crossed the US looking for high-stakes tournaments and games (Vegas, Miami, California and New York being the major hubs). It was not uncommon to have $500 - $1,000 buy-ins per game (a lot of money in those days), with property and other capital sometimes put up as collateral.
Gin Rummy was the epitome of cool and everyone wanted in. Even Poker’s first “rock ‘n roll superstar” Stu ‘The Kid’ Ungar, had been a travelling Gin Rummy pro, to the extent that he eventually couldn’t even get a money game anywhere in the US. Famously, the three times WSOP champ uttered the words “I don’t see how anyone could ever play Gin better than me” – though Rummy old timers swear that he was by no means the best. Ironically, Ungar’s lifestyle and image signalled a popular cultural shift towards Poker (and specifically the ‘crapshoot’ – as Rummy players describe it - that is ‘Texas Hold ‘Em’) and eventually the multimedia money-spinner it is now. Poker captures the imagination due to a spectacular combination of culture, luck and huge purses. Importantly, anyone can dream and even sometimes realise a serious tournament win. Crucially, these elements translated almost perfectly into the online and television environment.
Poker slowly but surely swept Gin Rummy and other more skill-based Poker formats such as Omaha into a dusty corner (try and find a serious Omaha or Stud game in Vegas – it ain’t easy – that’s because the game is considered ‘too skilful’).
With growth in Poker slowing (though by no means dead) and the major operators consolidating or fighting for players, Gin Rummy has been slowly gaining a cyber presence. It certainly is a given that all Gin Rummy players are Poker players and vice-versa the same applies too. Certainly, Rummy is a far easier game to pick up and play, and it’s portability (either as a 2-or even 4-player game) is a prerequisite for internet popularisation – without the collusion issues of Poker or complications of Contract Bridge. Basically, a person can master the rules in 2 minutes (there are only minor variants). That’s also roughly the time it takes to get addicted to the format. Before long, you want to play the game for money – something genuine Rummy players take very seriously. As a rake-based online product, Rummy pretty much mimics all the dynamics and economics of online Poker and the requisite tournaments it supports. Instead of growing pots for example, your allocation of the profits can be determined through ‘per point’ Money Play – profits increasing according to the skill applied and the moves made (and sometimes risks taken) to win your hand. Gin Rummy is a Skill Game (in the US it is considered as such in most states – making it a fantastic legal advertising vehicle) – but it retains the elements of chance necessary to make it encouraging to all newcomers. After all, you can almost never beat a pro in chess or pool and even backgammon benefits from handicapping or rating systems. It takes a long time to master and memorise the over 66,000 possible hand variations in Rummy, but it is ultimately about common sense and keen observation. Rummy players build a vision of their opponent’s hands and the banter and culture of psyching out that player is almost as thrilling as the Poker variant because bluff and bluster still figure strongly in the game. What Rummy needs is the injection of youth and vigour associated with Poker – and of course TV. There is a strong belief that technology could enable a far more compelling television experience for the game than some other games out there currently being televised (Let’s not forget that the Poker we see is a heavily edited production that erases all the typical lulls and boring hands).
The game is rejuvenating online and player ages range from 20-50, with a good mixed demographic. Stakes can vary from the typical $4.00 mark to as much as $800.00 per game. Offline games currently cater to a mostly older crowd – but that crowd knows Rummy and there are hundreds of Doyle Brunsons and Titanic Thompson’s out there who are dying to take on the youth and educate them in the process.
With over 40 million hands of Gin Rummy played, www.redhotrummy.com is a site that has seen a huge uptake in the game and provides the kind of community spirit that confirms its potential as complementary to Poker as a serious gaming source for both the casual and serious player. More than any other game, Gin Rummy looks set to take the online market by storm this year and form the backbone of the another industry success story!
There are dozens of different Rummy games known around the world, from European 7-Card Rummy to the Gambler’s choice of 10-Card ‘Oklahoma’ rule Rummy common in North America.
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GameAccount is At The Races
Leading horse racing website chooses Skill Games Network
August 1st, 2006, (London, UK) - GameAccount (www.gameaccount.com), the world’s largest integrated network of skill-based person-to-person (P2P) games has teamed up with attheraces.com, one of the UK’s leading horse racing and betting websites, to supply cutting-edge Skill Gaming to its growing community of users.
Attheraces.com will now roll out over 14 classic multiplayer games and tournaments on its site by enabling player access to the ‘poker style’ GameAccount network of non-download games. These include popular skill-based games such as Tournament Blackjack, Three Card Poker and other popular card variants alongside real-time multiplayer Gin Rummy, Backgammon & 8-Ball Pool. Players will have access to sophisticated tournament and instant-win jackpot formats offering rolling prize pools totalling more than £250,000.
GameAccount has specially developed their products to appeal to the serious player looking to take part in heads-up games & tournaments for high stakes; at the same time, opening an important new, incremental profit stream for the commercially-astute operator. The attheraces.com service will run through a fully branded white label solution.
Tony Sweeney, Head of Commercial Development at At The Races commented, “We’ve seen massive growth in attheraces.com users each time we’ve introduced new developments and technologies to the site. A tailored games portfolio is another well targeted and relevant service for our users which will only help further increase the frequency and duration of visits.”
Kevin Dale, CEO at GameAccount is confident in the success of the relationship. “Our reputation in the industry is being cemented through these quality partnerships. We are delighted that At The Races has recognised the cross-platform opportunities available to them by choosing to invest in the GameAccount Network. We feel genuinely honoured to be able to service so many market leaders so successfully.”
GameAccount specialises in supplying bespoke white label and fully integrated back-end solutions to remote gaming operators. The company continues to penetrate remote gaming markets through unrivalled multi-currency and multi-lingual options.
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GameAccount Launches Televised Backgammon
Pokerzone TV to promote classic Skill Game
July 24th, 2006 (London, UK) – GameAccount Global Ltd. (GameAccount), the #1 online skill gaming provider (www.gameaccount.com), and Pokerzone will collaborate to bring viewers live Backgammon via Pokerzone’s global Poker and gaming lifestyle channel (www.pokerzone.tv) available via satellite, cable and broadband television.
The partnership means that Pokerzone will use live in-game footage taken from GameAccount’s WorldGammon brand and destination site (www.worldgammon.com) to educate and stimulate interest in this classic parlour game. Backgammon has a huge worldwide player base and its legal status as a pure game of skill has ensured a dedicated online audience as well. Hundreds of thousands of people enjoy a daily game of virtual Backgammon, from recreational newcomers to the more serious experienced pros.
Pokerzone (Sky Channel 843) will drive the editorial content and draw on GameAccount’s existing expertise to demonstrate the appeal of Backgammon to a targeted gaming audience. Each episode will last 3 hours for an initial run of 12 episodes, as well as additional repeats, every weekend, starting this October.
This unique collaboration marks the first time online players will be used to specifically promote and demonstrate Backgammon. Pokerzone have already achieved a track record in televising Backgammon, debuting the world’s first televised matchplay Backgammon event in addition to a series of lifestyle documentaries surrounding the “Sport of Kings” in 2005.
“GameAccount’s successful online Backgammon network and brand allowed us to make an informed choice of partnership for continuing with high quality and entertaining Backgammon programming on Pokerzone. We expect these new programs to inform our audience about the cross-over appeal of this compelling game steeped in the competitive culture associated with Poker.” said Jim Sibcy, CEO of Pokerzone.
Kevin Dale, GameAccount CEO: “This fantastic opportunity marks another succesful venture into television for the company. Pokerzone have a proven record in capturing the value and excitement of gaming products for broadcast purposes and we hope to combine efforts to be able to take Backgammon to new levels of popularity and recognition”.
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Five Goes Live with GameAccount
UK TV channel chooses leading Skill Games network
July 4th, 2006 (London, UK) – GameAccount, the #1 online skill gaming provider (www.gameaccount.com), and Five, the UK’s fifth terrestrial television and media channel, have joined forces to launch a dedicated skill gaming portal called Five Play and Win. The live portal can be found at playandwin.five.tv and will also be accessible via www.five.tv.
The unique partnership marks the first time a leading commercial terrestrial television channel has chosen to expand its platform by integrating with a full product network of person-to-person (P2P) skill-based games. Five can now offer their viewers a rewarding user experience by allowing them to register and play for fun or real money on the site.
Launched in 1997, Five currently boasts around 50 million UK viewers across all platforms watching some of the nations’ favourite programs, with a share of total viewing across the commercial networks of over 67.3%. Five are leaders in their field pertaining to commercial airtime, including sponsorship, interactive and advertiser-funded programming.
Online skill games are proving to be a significant growth area and GameAccount’s status as the leading industry provider offered Five a one-stop opportunity to enter the market. By leveraging their commercial reach to a wide audience, Five aim to generate significant player revenues as well as building a vibrant online gaming community.
GameAccount will power the skill gaming area on the Five portal, offering a full suite of non-download classic multiplayer and ‘heads-up’ games such as Gin Rummy, unique P2P variants of other games such as Mah Jong, 8-ball Pool and an impressive variety of popular Solitaire formats. The network also supports bespoke tournaments on demand – including the world’s largest knockout tournament with over 16,000 entrants.
“Skill Gaming is a new frontier for Five. We want to offer innovative and engaging online experiences for our viewers. We are aiming to tie in our broadcast capacity with our skill games offering in order to open up new revenue channels and further narrow the gap between online and TV.” said Laura Bowes, Commercial Development Manager at Five.
Kevin Dale, Chief Executive at GameAccount, sees significant cross-over opportunities for media companies looking to expand their platforms.
”Television is proving to be a winner for GameAccount. Skill Games provide a low barrier to entry into cross-media advertising channels and appeals strongly to audiences who like to play recognisable games for real money, comparable to the Bingo or Poker phenomena. We’re seeing very healthy player conversion rates and revenues from this type of deal.”
GameAccount is now emerging as a strong player in the television arena, having implemented services for Skybet, a division of British Sky Broadcasting Limited (BSkyB), as well as an advertising agreement and dedicated site with Mintplay.com. The company aims to acquire further customers through effectively marketed branded portals associated with the world’s leading media companies.
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GameAccount Launches More Blackjack Tournaments
Skill-Gaming’s Killer P2P Game is Hot with Affiliates
June 20th, 2005 (London, UK) – GameAccount, the #1 online P2P and skill gaming provider (www.gameaccount.com), has launched even more “Tournament Blackjack” formats, including daily scheduled knockout tournaments and a one-of-a-kind “Instants” format that plays out on the spot!
GameAccount’s original “Tournament Blackjack” is a unique person-to-person (P2P) adaptation of the ever popular casino game.
In this exciting skill-based version of Blackjack, players engage in ‘Heads-Up!’ play against online opponents, never directly against the ‘House’. Starting with an imaginary chip stack of $10,000 your objective is to build a larger chip stack than your opponent with the exact same sequence of cards dealt to both players and the automated in-game dealer. This represents a compelling opportunity for new and veteran players of Blackjack to demonstrate their own ‘edge’ instead of competing directly against the traditional ‘House’ edge.
Tournament Blackjack launched with a wide variety of instant-action cash tournaments catering to both the casual gamer and the veteran Blackjack player. Participating players can double their money, instantly, by entering cash tournaments with entry fees as low as US$2.00 or as high as US$900.00.
GameAccount’s daily back-to-back scheduled tournaments, branded “Frantic Fives” and “Famous Fifteens” offer a minimum of $1,000.00 in daily prizes. The tournaments play out within 5 to 15 minutes from start to finish.
Likewise, the “Instants” game provides immediate player satisfaction by offering participants the opportunity to build their imaginary chip stack in order to achieve a high-score that equates to a payout multiple of up to 30x. With cash prizes of up to $1,500.00, the instants are proving to be amazingly popular with the punters!
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The Guardian Selects Skill Gaming Services
GameAccount provides P2P network to major UK newspaper
April 20, 2006 (London, UK) – GameAccount, the #1 online skill gaming provider (www.gameaccount.com), and Guardian Newspapers ltd., a leading UK media company, have officially launched a dedicated skill gaming service at the newspaper giant’s flagship site, Guardian Unlimited: www.guardian.co.uk
The groundbreaking partnership brings together the world’s foremost integrated network of person-to-person (P2P) skill-based games and one of the largest and influential online news communities in the world.
The Guardian’s online customer base will have access to more than 20 classic real-money multiplayer games and tournaments through GameAccount’s ‘poker-style’ network joining players from over 130 countries worldwide.
Online skill games are a significant growth area in terms of popularity and revenues and GameAccount’s established industry status offered a natural partnership opportunity. As a result, the Guardian can now offer a seamless user experience allowing players to register and play for fun or real money.
GameAccount will deliver a full suite of non-download classic multiplayer and ‘heads-up’ games such as Gin Rummy and Backgammon, as well as unique P2P variants of other games, like tournament Blackjack, Three Card Poker, Mah Jong, 8-ball Pool and a variety of popular Solitaire and card formats. The integrated network also supports bespoke tournaments – including the world’s largest knockout tournament with over 16,000 entrants. GameAccount’s multiplayer games lobby allows players to see opponents’ moves in real-time, and is supported by in-game and ‘messenger’ chat functionality – designed to build the Guardian’s growing online community.
“We are excited to be adding Skill Gaming to our online portfolio as well as having GameAccount as a preferred provider. P2P games offer our readers a competitive and engaging gaming alternative and are a positive and entertaining addition to the site. This certainly marks a new direction for the Guardian” said XXXXXXX, at The Guardian.
According to Kevin Dale, Chief Executive at GameAccount, the demand for online skill gaming by blue-chip consumer brands continues to increase.
”The Guardian deal is another milestone for GameAccount. The company continues to progress with its strategy to ensure we are firmly positioned as the leading provider of tailored Skill Gaming solutions to leading global destination sites.”
“I am absolutely confident that our partnership with The Guardian will prove to be a long and successful one, with customer choice and total satisfaction clearly the number one priority.”
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GameAccount First Past the Post
The Racing Post Adds Skill Games to Online Portfolio
April 2, 2006 (London, UK) – GameAccount (www.gameaccount.com), the world’s largest integrated network of skill-based person-to-person (P2P) games, has been chosen by the Racing Post, the United Kingdom’s leading horse racing and sports betting daily paper, to provide Skill Gaming to its online readership at www.racingpost.co.uk.
The Racing Post’s online customer base can now access over 20 multiplayer games and tournaments through the GameAccount network joining players wagering real money from over 130 countries worldwide.
Browser-based games now playing within the GameAccount network include Sit ‘n’ Go games like Gin Rummy and Backgammon together with a selection of exciting P2P games such as Tournament Blackjack, Three-Card Poker and Solitaire variants featuring sophisticated knockout tournaments offering up to £150,000 in prize money.
GameAccount’s strategy of supplying ‘Games for Gamblers’, designed to appeal to Sportsbooks, Casinos and other gaming sites makes sense for the Racing Post core audience. Kevin Dale, Chief Executive at GameAccount, said: “We are thrilled about this new partnership with the leading name in British racing and sports betting. Each week, millions of pounds are won by high-staking players wagering within our robust network. Integrating our suite of proven revenue-generating products was a clear fit.”
Ross MacEacharn, Online Business Development Manager at the Racing Post, added: "GameAccount was the right choice to serve our customer base considering their portfolio of innovative skill games and wagering models tailored to our needs. We can now provide a serious extension to the user experience. The service offers our customers a fully branded space to enjoy real-money P2P Skill Games.”
