The future of Paddy Power’s social gaming offshoot BetDash is in question after the Irish gambling operator scrubbed the social sports betting product from the PaddyPower.com site. The BetDash.com site currently displays a “down for scheduled maintenance” notice, and while the notice promises BetDash will “be back very soon,” the jury is reportedly still weighing the fate of Paddy’s social gaming experiment.
BetDash debuted in late 2012 and while the product was warmly received by players – the ability to ‘laugh at’ other punters’ wagers held particular appeal – eGamingReview reported that many of the product’s staffers had either left the company or had been diverted to working on the Paddy Power Social app on Facebook. Paddy Power Social marketing manager Jack Dinan would only say that the company was weighing “numerous options” for BetDash.
The Paddy Power Social app has also experienced significant upheaval in its short life, having undergone a complete redesign in May. While Paddy Power Social reportedly had a very good experience during this summer’s FIFA World Cup tournament, other operators have already given up on attempts to convert the social media hordes into real-money gamblers. 888 Holdings killed off its Magic888 Casino app in July while Gamesys yanked its Bingo & Slots Friendzy app in May.
Meanwhile, UK-listed online gambling operator Bwin.party digital entertainment has decided to shutter its GetMinted real-money online casino. Players have received emails informing them that GetMinted will cease operations on Aug. 28 and players have been offered incentives to transfer their affections to Bwin.party’s flagship PartyCasino site.
Bwin.party said its decision to shutter the Gibraltar-licensed GetMinted was intended to achieve “operational efficiencies” while rejecting suggestions that the looming imposition of the UK’s 15% point of consumption tax played any role in its decision. A pre-merger PartyGaming paid £72m upfront to acquire GetMinted from Cashcade in 2009. Bwin.party’s stock closed out Tuesday’s trading at 82.65p, dangerously close to a new all-time low. The stock began the year at barely half its IPO price and has fallen by a third since Canada’s Amaya Inc. announced its $4.9b acquisition of PokerStars in mid-June.
