Live dealer online gaming is relatively new in the US. Only a handful of sites offer the option and the Golden Nugget continues to be the top provider of such content. To be able to offer live dealer gaming, operators like the Golden Nugget must be partnered with the best of the best. In the US, Evolution Gaming reigns supreme when it comes to live dealer content. So far, the company is the only one providing online gambling operators in the US with live dealer games. With a new partnership recently signed with Flutter Entertainment, they have continued to secure their number one position in the market.
Flutter Deal
Flutter Entertainment is about to become the largest gaming company in the world. By 2020, the acquisition of The Stars Group will be completed, which will create the large conglomerate. The Stars Group already has a deal in place with Evolution and with Flutter now in the works, Evolution will add several brands to their list of operators, like FanDuel and Paddy Power.
Evolution already works with GVC, 888, Unibet, Betsson and William Hill. The company has grown quite large in North America as well as in Europe. The Flutter deal news was no surprise as the brand continues to advance and sign new partnership deals, plus the acquisition of The Stars Group was also part of the equation.
Additional Partnerships
Along with the Flutter deal, Evolution Gaming has branched out via additional partnerships. The company extended their deal with Scientific Games, which will help both brands to extend their reach in the US. The potential is there as the nation continues to see gambling expansions in such categories as the lottery and sports betting.
Scientific Games signed a deal with Evolution back in 2016 to incorporate their live dealer products within their Open Gaming System. With the expansion, the distribution network of Scientific Games became a one-stop-shop for lottery groups looking to increase ticket sales with online options and interactive games, along with live dealer casino gaming.
Monopoly
For Evolution Gaming, the brand provides a quality selection of live dealer games. Interestingly enough, the most popular game of the brand to date is Monopoly. The company signed a deal with Hasbro to have licensing rights to the classic board game. They created a game in the live dealer sector that includes a human dealer as well as a 3D version of Mr. Monopoly. Players have taken to this title quite well and because of its popularity, Evolution has decided to create more augmented reality products in the future.
During gameplay of Monopoly, players spins and when the wheel ends up on Chance, Mr. Monopoly will move to draw a card that will provide a cash bonus or the odds are multiplied for the next spin. Players can even trigger a bonus game during the live action.
2019 has been a big year for Evolution Gaming. They have seen their stock bump this year, with the value growing by 75% from January to October. When the year started, the company was trading in the Swedish markets at SEK 107.50 which is $11.09. Now, the company is trading at SEK 188.50 which is $19.38.
It will be interesting to see how Evolution Gaming continues to evolve in the coming weeks as 2019 comes to a close. They may be nearing the end of deal potential but with the partnerships they have already in place, the company will be able to continue to grow in the US as the gaming industry continues to expand.
