A new Genting Casino focus

Genting UK, the UK-based branch of global gambling operator Genting Group, has decided to move away from the world of sports betting. Instead, the company intends to focus on the expansion of its online casino offering through a new deal with platform provider SkillOnNet.

According to a statement released by SkillOnNet on Tuesday, the two companies have reached an agreement for an undisclosed fee. Through the deal, the platform provider will add Genting’s online casino brand, Genting Casino, onto its domain. Operator Prime Gaming, which is also behind brands such as MegaCasino, ICE36, and Slingo, will market Genting’s online casino offering.

operator to expand its Genting Casino brand in European markets

As part of this deal, Genting has dropped sports betting from its online offering completely. The new partners believe the agreement will allow the operator to expand its Genting Casino brand in European markets, such as the UK, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, and Malta.

A good base for expansion

In Tuesday’s press release, Jack Davies of Prime Gaming described SKillOnNet as the “absolute best platform for an online casino brand.” The company powers other well-known iGaming websites, such as PlayOJO, Metal Casino, Spring Genie, LuckyNiki, and SlotStars. Through the new deal, SkillOnNet said Genting Casino customers will have access to localized payment options and secure transactions.

Davies also praised Genting for its “household name” in the world of casino gambling. As one of the largest casino operators in the UK, Genting UK currently operates around 32 casinos in the region, spread from Edinburgh to Plymouth. The company forms part of the global Genting brand, which has land-based casinos in the US, Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines.

Commenting on the new partnership, Maor Nutkevitch, head of corporate development for SkillOnNet, said: “The launch of Genting Casino on the SkillOnNet network aligns with our strategy of taking well-known brands and products with untapped potential and using our experience and expertise to turn them into market-leading online casinos.”

UK land-based struggles

Genting UK has suffered as a result of restrictions across the UK throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Since March 2020, the company has closed casinos in Margate, Torquay, and Bristol, in addition to reducing staff in London, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Blackpool, and Birmingham. 

redundancies as “simply unavoidable”

Added to this, in June 2020 Genting announced the permanent closure of all of its live poker rooms across the UK. According to a company source, the move saw around 20 to 50 employees lose their jobs across each of Genting’s properties in the region. Commenting after the closure of its Southport Casino in January this year, a Genting spokesperson described the redundancies as “simply unavoidable.”

Thankfully for Genting, the UK’s land-based casinos finally reopened again on May 17 this year. In its Q1 2021 report, the company said it “will focus on driving revenues and business volume at its venues” in the UK,  while “adopting an agile approach in managing its cost structure and business model to better adapt to the new operating environment.”