Microgame (company)
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| Company type | joint-stock company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Online gambling |
| Founded | 1996 in Benevento, Italy |
| Founder | Fabrizio D'Aloia |
| Headquarters | , Italy |
Key people | Fabrizio D'Aloia (President & CEO) Massimiliano Casella (Marketing & Sales Director) |
| Revenue | 248.67 mln € (2009)[1] |
| 11.76 mln € (2009)[1] | |
| Website | www |
Microgame S.p.A. is an Italian online gambling joint-stock company. The company operates both as an application service provider and developer of online platforms and integrated systems of service,[2] and through the online community People's Poker Network, which is made of more than 130 online partners in all Italy[3] and counts more than 1.5 million gaming accounts.[4]
Microgame has around 30% of Italian online poker market (as of October 2010)[5] and 27.1% of online sports betting market (9.4% of overall sports betting market,[6] as of July 2010).[7] Major shareholders in the company are private equity firms Monitor Clipper Partners[8] and TPG Growth.[9]
Microgame has been founded in 1996 by Italian engineer Fabrizio D'Aloia. Company's main activity was web applications development.[10]
In 1998, the company is along first movers in the online sports betting market, which at that time was just regulated. Subsequently, it became the first Italian service provider in the field,[11] and expanded services furniture also in Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Georgia, Malta, Austria, and United Kingdom.[12] Between 2006 and 2007 (in this year, Microgame became a joint-stock company),[10] enters the online horse racing betting[13] and online instant lotteries markets.[14]
In 2008, Microgame expands its gaming services: in March, online version of several lotteries are released;[15] in May, launches the new integrated platform for members of the Microgame's network;[16] in July, is officially launched the People's Poker Network,[17] followed a few months later by a new online gaming portal,[18] after the regulation of online poker (September 2008).[19]
In 2009, Microgame exceeded 1 billion euros in betting; revenues exceeded 248 million euros, producing a net income of 11 million euros.[1] Microgame also established an online poker "pro" players team, the People's Poker Team Pro,[20] launched a new platform for online blackjack[21] and the first People's Network live event: the People's Poker Cruise (December 12–15, 2009), a Texas Hold'em tournament held on a cruise ship on the Civitavecchia–Barcelona route.[22]
In 2010, Microgame launched another live tournament, the People's Poker Tour, made of four legs to be held in four different venues: Kranjska Gora, Slovenia (April 9–12, 2010); Budapest, Hungary (June 9–12, 2010); Budva, Montenegro (September 15–18, 2010); and Nova Gorica, Slovenia (November 29-December 5, 2010).[23] More, also the new platform for online bingo is launched.[24]
In September 2016 Microgame Group agreed to acquire Active Games and Intent Software, expanding its content aggregation and platform capabilities.[25] Key partnerships have included a 2010 exclusive branding alliance with Caesars Interactive’s World Series of Poker for Italy,[26] a 2012 live-casino deal with Evolution Gaming,[27] and post 2020 content integrations with third-party studios such as Playnetic and 7777 gaming to broaden its game catalogue for Italian licensees.[28][29]
Legal issues and litigation
In January 2012 Microgame suspended concessionaire Scommettendo Srl and related skins from the People’s Poker network citing irregularities.[30] On 25 June 2015 the parties announced a settlement of the dispute, with damages recognized to Scommettendo in relation to the disconnection from the national totalisator system.[31]