Kindred Group – GamblersNews

Kindred Group’s 32Red Leaves Online Poker Market as MPN Shuts Down

Vedran Ostojic — Wed, 03 Jun 2020 18:01:06 +0000

The thriving, growing world of online poker platforms has lost one operator which has been a prominent name for almost two decades. The operator is 32Red by Kindred Group. This saddening news came several days ago when the Malta-based online sportsbook and casino operator Kindred Group has announced that its prominent 32Red brand is pulling out of online poker following the closure of its Red32Poker.com domain which was licensed by the jurisdiction of Gibraltar.

According to several reports by several different news outlets, the Valletta-based company sent an official e-mail to all of Red32Poker.com registered punters several days ago. In this e-mail, Kindred Group revealed to all players at the site that the domain will not be operational from the 19^th of May due to the unfortunate shuttering of MPN or Microgaming Poker Network that 32RedPoker.com was part almost since its beginnings.

Kindred Group and 32Red Poker

Formerly known under its name of Unibet Group Plc, Kindred Group is doubtlessly one of the biggest names in the world of online sports betting and casino gaming. The company emerged on the iGaming stage in 1997 which was over twenty years ago. It was founded in Malta where the company is still based. Besides being operational in Malta, Kindred Group also operates across many other locations including the United Kingdom, Sweden, Italy, France, Australia, Gibraltar, Estonia, and many others.

The company features eleven different brands including iGame, 32Red, Maria Casino, and Unibet which is probably the most popular. Kindred Group offers a variety of online gaming and sports betting products including online poker, online casino, online sports betting, and online bingo games across different domains. Needless to say, all of these brands operate only across regulated, licensed markers including the Danish iGaming market and the Swedish iGaming market which have been thriving for years now.

When it comes to its 32Red brand, it was established in 2002 or eighteen years ago. Both 32Red Casino and 32Red Poker were licensed by the jurisdiction of Curacao. While the casino venue will remain operational, 32Red Poker has closed its virtual doors. Launched over eighteen years ago, 32Red Poker is one of the longest-standing, veteran online poker sites whose Bad Beat Jackpot had been decommissioned before the 19^th of May.

Five Party Jackpots at 32Red Poker Terminated

While the poker site’s Bad Beat Jackpot had been terminated several days ago, its Five Party Jackpots was terminated back on the 18^th of May. All excess funds and unused deposits made were returned to players while some of Five Party Jackpots unused funds were invested into an upcoming freeroll tournament’s growing prize pool.

Kindred Group’s official e-mail notifying 32Red Poker players that the domain will be terminated on the 19th of May when the Microgaming Poker Network closes also shared some more details about this unfortunate decision. All registered players were notified that they can log into their 32Red Poker accounts as well as access payment options, and of course, play hundreds of casino games at 32Red.com as usual.

Kindred Group has invested around $213 million back in February of 2017 to acquire the prominent 32Red brand. While the brand’s poker site is closed, Kindred Group advises its customers to pay a visit to its the United Kingdom and Gibraltar licensed Unibet.com for awesome online poker, sports betting and casino gaming activities. Following the closure of the Microgaming Poker Network, many similar brands that were members of the MPN including Bet365.com, WilliamHill.com, GrosvenorPoker.com, and Betfair.com became members of the iconic iPoker Network which is owned and operated by Playtech.

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Kindred Group Hit with a Fine by Netherlands Gambling Authority

Ivan Potocki — Thu, 29 Aug 2019 19:07:26 +0000

As revealed on the Kindred Group’s official website, one of the company’s subsidiaries has been fined by the Netherlands Gambling Authority due to violating gambling regulations as posed by the regulator. The Stockholm-based gaming operator was fined around €470,000 for serving players from the Netherlands despite having no licenses issued to back these activities. The company’s subsidiary which was affected is Unibet which as reported unlawfully accepted real money wagers from Dutch players.

The news was released on Monday when Kindred Group used an official press release to share more details on the issue. As it was reported, the Netherlands Gambling Authority issued the penalty after it was found out that the company’s Unibet.eu domain has accepted bets from customers from the Netherlands between August up to December last year. Following the news, the Kindred Group officials stated that they will appeal the judgment as soon as they gain the right to do so.

Managing Eleven Leading Brands

Kindred Group which was formerly known as Unibet owns and operates eleven iGaming brands and operators including Maria Casino, Unibet, iGame and 32Red Casino. Since 1997 when the company was founded, it offers a variety of online gaming products such as online poker games, sports betting activities, online bingo, and online casino games. Kindred is registered in Malta while it has multiple offices across other countries including the United Kingdom, the United States, Gibraltar, and Sweden.

Kindred also has several smaller satellite offices located in Australia. As of 2011, the company was awarded one of the forty-eight online gaming licenses for the regulated Danish market. Then, one year later, the company purchased a Denmark-based bookmaker Bet24. Only one year later, the company’s officials revealed that Kindred Group will move its online poker operation to an independent poker website from the popular MPN network.

In years to come, Kindred Group has signed a number of business and partnership deals which enabled its international expansion. In 2014, the company partnered with a leading iGaming brand, Thunderkick which made it one of the very first companies of this kind to offer Thunderkick-powered games on its gaming platform. In May of 2014, the company’s shareholders finally approved the spin-off of its popular Kambi Group Plc. B2B subsidiary.

When it comes to Unibet, the brand continues its acquisition route in July of 2015 after purchasing another online business, StanJames.com. In December of 2016, the Unibet’s shareholders decided to change the name of the company to what we know today as Kindred Group Plc. The re-branded company remained on its acquisition trail in 2017 after purchasing 32Red Plc. For around £175 million. With this deal, the company acquired 32Red.com among several other smaller Microgaming-backed up casinos.

Kindred Waiting for the Secondary Legislation Publication

The company’s officials stated that they will appeal the judgment while they wait for the second legislation publication. Its official press release also details that Kindred is always committed to obtaining all necessary gaming licenses on both online gaming and sportsbetting. Before these issues for Kindred Group, the country’s Gambling Authority introduced the Remote Gambling Bill which was ratified back in February.

Thanks to this ratified bill, both online sports betting, and online casino operators have the chance to obtain their local online gaming licenses starting from the beginning of 2021. One company which will apply is Kindred Group. Until then, online gaming operators are not allowed to offer their service to Dutch players.

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Unibet by Kindred Group Set to Expand in the United States

Ivan Potocki — Mon, 01 Jul 2019 21:09:16 +0000

One of the most prominent, largest online gambling operators in the world, Kindred Group has finally begun trading in the United States or more specifically in New Jersey under its Unibet brand. This is the operator’s very first venture into the rapidly growing United States market. The company’s plans to expand in Pennsylvania are already being established, while so far, Kindred Group online gaming products are only available to residents of New Jersey.

This Swedish online gaming operators formerly known as Unibet Group Plc includes ten prominent brands apart from Unibet including iGame and 32Red. The company has been present on the scene for more than twenty years as it opened its doors back in 1997. In addition to offering all sorts of sportsbetting and online casino adventures, it also features online bingo and online poker rooms. Its most prominent brand is Unibet casino which was also established in 1997.

After Going Live in New Jersey, Pennsylvania is Next

The company’s flagship brand which boasts a massive player base including players from all over the world is fully licensed and regulated by the most prominent industry’s governing bodies including the UK Gambling Commission and Malta Gaming Authority. Unibet can be accessed via all sorts of gaming devices from various parts of the world and as of recently, its service and products are available to residents of New Jersey.

Before going live in the United States, Kindred Group has obtained its Casino Service Industry Enterprise License for New Jersey back in 2018. It has also obtained a sportsbook alongside its partner Kambi. The company’s senior vice president stated that Kindred is excited to announce that its service and products offered in a secure, safe and sustainable gaming environment are available to all interested New Jersey customers.

He also added that Kindred Group has been preparing to take these steps for a long time. Since the company’s see the importance and rapid growth of the online gambling market in the United States, they believe to explore the market further in the near future. The company’s senior vice president stated that following in line will probably be Pennsylvania and the company’s collaboration with Mohegan Sun Pocono.

Announcing Unibet Logo Redesign

Following the latest news on the company’s next in line venture into the United States market, Kindred has also announced that they are changing their well-known Unibet logo. The new logo design is set to be released on the 17^th of June. The main idea behind the logo is to better suit mobile gaming and mobile gaming environments especially today when more and more players prefer mobile gaming over traditional online gaming sessions.

The company’s Chief Marketing Officer, Elen Barber stated that it was extremely important for the company to protect the authentic heritage of its flagship brand during the process of redesigning its logo. She also added that the main creative criteria they determine included maintaining the brand’s logo familiarity, but with a modern, more up to date feel and look.

What is, even more, is that Kindred Group will use the redesigned Unibet logo globally. This is huge for Unibet which has been present in the industry for more than twenty years. Hopefully, Unibet’s more than twenty-five million players from all over the globe like the new logo.

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Kindred Group Improves Self-Exclusion Measures with Gamban Blocking Software

Vedran Ostojic — Wed, 19 Jun 2019 21:35:41 +0000

Following its venture into the United States online gambling market, one of the biggest names in the industry, Kindred Group has announced that the company has integrated a free blocking software into its self-exclusion process for the Unibet.co.uk domain. The Maltese company released this statement in its official press release in which it details that Kindred Group was one of the pioneers in the usage of free blocking software.

The same statement details that the company has partnered with Gamban in order to further improve its self-exclusion measures alongside several other responsible gaming measures for its United Kingdom-based players and customers. This means that the company’s flagship brand Unibet is about to become the very first United Kingdom-based operator to integrate free blocking software into its self-exclusion measures.

Pioneers of Integrating Free Blocking Software

Thanks to the company’s partnership with Gamban, Kindred Group’s innovative measures, and approaches will help boost responsible gambling measures which are there solely to help players. It should be noted that Kindred Group has pioneered all sorts of responsible gaming measures in the past such as its innovative detection system named PS-EDS. Moreover, the company was also the very first online gaming operators to integrate free blocking software licenses to its players.

In other words, Kindred Group has always been one of the major blocking software advocates and thanks to its latest Gambian partnership, the company can further enhance its self-exclusion measures to help Unibet players who decide to press pause on their gambling activities temporarily. The company will become the very first to integrate Gamban’s innovative blocking software for a certain exclusion period that will mirror the self-exclusion measure on-website.

This will be the latest addition to the one-year offer that Kindred Group’s partner Gamban currently offers. Moreover, all Unibet customers will have completely unlimited access to the software free of any charge. Following the news, the company’s officials stated that responsible gaming has always been at the very of the company’s agenda and that they are extremely proud to be the very first United Kingdom operator to integrate Gamban’s service within their self-exclusion program for the Unibet gaming platform.

The company’s officials also stated that Kindred Group is happy to ensure that all of their customers can now make fully informed choices as they will have the support and tools, they need in order to enjoy Kindred products fully responsibly. Since the service is completely free of charge, all customers can take steps leading in the right direction. Considering the company’s long-term goals, this is just the beginning of a massive initiative as the company wants to invest more in responsible gaming innovations across its other brands in the near future.

Gamban Blocking Software Effective Across All Sorts of Gambling Websites

Gamban is definitely at the forefront when it comes to blocking software across both regulated and unregulated gaming platforms. The company’s software can be downloaded across all sorts of devices to block players from accessing gaming websites. One of the most recent studies conducted on the Gamban software states that the software is effective up to ninety-nine percent in blocking users from engaging in gambling activities. Since Kindred Group has always been focused on promoting responsible gaming, it was a logical step to include Gamban software into its self-exclusion program.

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