IGT moves close casinos, offer Boss Media games on Double Down social apps

Several online casinos who previously carried Boss Media games were forced to close at the end of last month. Reportedly, “IGT, formerly known as Boss Media, Spielo and G-TECH” had stopped providing casinos with new games and software updates and eventually ceased all activities as a software provider to the casinos, some in business nearly 20 years. Our investigation shows that only the GVH Holdings, PLC owned Casino Club, the largest of the former GTECH licensees, is still operating.

Boss Media was acquired by GTECH in 2008. GTECH acquired and renamed themselves as IGT early this year after announcing the $6.4 billion merger in July 2014.

Today IGT announced that they are now offering content from their “legacy GTECH game portfolio” on their social gaming app, DoubleDown Casino®. Boss Media’s Treasures of the Pyramids™ has been released for social play on desktop and mobile devices.

A DoubleDown Interactive spokesman lauded the synergy of the new company by saying in a release, “Launching our first legacy GTECH title on DoubleDown Casino establishes a significant milestone for the new IGT, showcasing our combined strengths from the two legacy organizations,” said Joe Sigrist, DoubleDown Interactive Senior Vice President and General Manager. “Treasures of the Pyramids is a well-known, top-performing title in land-based casinos. Leveraging its popularity provides our social players with more engaging content as we continue IGT’s momentum as the leader in cross-platform content creation and distribution.”

DoubleDown Casino games are available via free iOS and Android apps as well as at apps.facebook.com/doubledowncasino.

Social gaming requires players to buy or earn virtual coins that cannot be exchanged for cash or anything else of value in the real world. The applications are enormously successful for many of the providing companies. They serve as marketing tools as well as stand-alone applications that could easily be converted to real money play pending regulatory approval. CNBC reported in October that DoubleDown Casino was the top social app in its category ahead of ‘Slotomonia’, ‘Candy Crush Saga’,  ‘Zynga Texas Hold ’em Poker’, and ‘Heart of Vegas’.

Analysts note that DoubleDown, purchased by IGT in 2012 for $500 million, is still “undeveloped” and could represent vast opportunities for the company especially in the mobile market. DoubleDown founders Greg Enell and Cooper DuBois left IGT in January last year.

Industry notes are not out yet on IGT’s move to pull the Boss Media games from most if not all real money casinos other than Casino Club, but the maneuver gives them a ready supply of already developed games that still enjoy popularity in several markets.