The Jockey Club to launch online casino with Playtech
The British horseracing group will launch cross-product online casino content based on its races and racecourses.
UK.- The Jockey Club, the largest commercial horseracing group in the UK, is to launch online casino products after signing a five-year product development deal with gaming tech provider Playtech.
It will offer a range of cross-product content based on its races and racecourses and covering bingo, casino, live casino, poker and virtual sports.
The Jockey Club aims to reveal its first offering before the Cheltenham Festival, which is scheduled for March 15 to 18.
Charlie Boss, chief commercial officer at The Jockey Club, said: “We are delighted to partner with Playtech, whose industry leading software and expertise will help translate the success of our historic brands into the igaming market for the first time. Playtech also shares our values on putting safer gambling at the heart of their products.”
Playtech casino director James Frendo said: “At Playtech, we are committed to developing the most engaging branded content. By partnering with an iconic sporting institution such as The Jockey Club, we are able to create a full range of exceptional and exciting cross-product content.
“Partnering with globally recognised brands is a key pillar of our branded content strategy as we look to deliver a unique and engaging responsible gambling experience to our customers.”
Last month, Playtech launched what it describes as the largest-scale studio development in its 22-year history in collaboration with long-term partner bet365. The development involves two individual studios with 12 seven-seat blackjack tables, two classic single-zero roulette, three baccarat and two all bets blackjack tables.
Playtech shareholders reject Aristocrat deal
The news comes as Playtech’s shareholders voted against the board’s recommended deal to sell the company to Australian slot machine maker Aristocrat. The £2.7bn deal has been rejected by 43.8 per cent of Playtech’s shareholders.
Playtech’s board has said that it will now look to sell the company in parts and that it was already evaluating proposals for its B2B and B2C subsidiaries. It’s already planning to spin off Caliplay, its joint venture with Mexico’s Caliente.
Aristocrat has said it remains committed to building a presence in online gaming.
CEO and managing director Trevor Croker said: “From a strategic perspective, Aristocrat’s commitment to participate in the online real-money gaming (RMG) segment will not change.
“In the future, online RMG capability will be one way we deliver new and connected experiences that leverage our world-leading content and unlock additional value across Aristocrat’s portfolio while deepening customer engagement.”
