Gaming Report: Rooter Onboards Cricketer Yuzvendra Chahal For Live Streaming & More

In recent years, we`ve witnessed a growing trend among gaming operators roping celebrities for live streaming. Indian cricketer Yuzvendra Chahal has been onboarded by popular streaming and eSports platform Rooter for live-streaming gaming content in another such collaboration.

Israeli toys inventor Henry Orenstein, credited for introducing hole card camera technology for televised poker, passed away on Tuesday. Orenstein was 98.

Days after unveiling plans to host the Global Poker Awards in February 2022, the Global Poker Index made another big announcement. The brand has onboarded industry veteran Kevin Mathers as its new GPI/THM Poker Information Manager.

888 Holdings is selling its Bingo business to UK-based Saphalata Holdings, a subsidiary of Broadway Gaming, for $50 Million.

Cricketer Yuzvendra Chahal Teams Up With Rooter to Stream Live Gaming Content

In a recent gaming brand collaboration with a celebrity sportsman, the game streaming and esports portal Rooter roped in cricket Yuzvendra Chahal to stream live gaming content.

The leg spinner who represents the national cricket team in ODIs and T20 Internationals is also an ardent gaming fan and is known to play online games whenever he can find the time. Before Cricket, Chahal was a chess player and even represented India at the World Youth Chess Championship. He also has a penchant for making videos and is often seen in videos with his wife, Dhanashree, a YouTube sensation.

Chahal will be seen playing games like BGMI and FreeFire on Rooter in his new role.

Co-Founder & COO of Rooter, Dipesh Agarwal, explained the collaboration with Chahal will add meaningful content to the Rooter community by allowing viewers to chat with him on gaming and cricket. Agarwal said, “Our country has always been obsessed with cricket, and in the past 2-3 years, gaming has also come to the mainstream consciousness. So, what better than merging them both and bringing the best of both worlds for our audiences?”

In his official statement, Chahal said, “I started playing online games like Call of Duty during the lockdown and since then, have been addicted to first-person shooter games. Rooter has a massive gaming community in India. Being on board with them will allow me to engage with the country’s talented gamers and connect with my fans. I am super kicked with this association.”

Inventor of Transformers & Hole Cards Camera Technology Henry Orenstein Passes Away at 98

Israeli toys inventor and poker player Henry Orenstein – the man credited for creating Transformers and inventor of the hole card camera technology for televised poker – passed away on Tuesday, aged 98.

The Poland-born Orenstein was a Holocaust survivor who had escaped concentration camps to immigrate to the US, succeeding in toy-making technology.

While he is credited the most for inventing Transformers for Hasbro, Orenstein has played a significant role in shaping the poker industry as we know it today. A passionate poker player himself, Orenstein found televised poker too boring unless the audience could see a player’s hole cards. He invented and patented the hole card camera technology in 1995, though it was only in 1999 when the technology was first used. BBC’s Late Night Poker, a televised poker show, featured the player cards for the first time in poker history.

Orenstein was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 2008 and subsequently in the New Jersey Inventors Hall of Fame. He won his first WSOP bracelet in the 1996 WSOP Event #20: $5K Limit Seven-Card Stud.

Global Poker Index (GPI) Adds Kevin Mathers to the Team

The Global Poker Index (GPI) has roped in Kevin Mathers as the brand’s new GPI/ THM Poker Information Manager. Mathers’ appointment comes hot on the heels of the brand’s announcement of the return of the Global Poker Awards (GPA) on February 18, 2022.

A prominent figure in the international poker community and a part of the industry for 10 years, Kevin ‘Kevmath’ Mathers enjoys an immense social media following on Twitter.

Many call Mathers the Twitter czar for the World Series of Poker (WSOP) since he has been one of the most reliable sources of information on the WSOP.

Elaborating on the new addition to the team, President of the GPI/ THM, Eric Danis, said, “As one of the most respected sources of information in the poker community, we are thrilled to have Kevin on board. We have always dreamed of adding Kevin to the team. It means a lot to us to welcome Kev to his new home, and we are excited for what he brings to the table.”

PR & Communications Manager for GPI/THM, Anthony Charter, named Mathers to be one of the most hard-working people in poker, “Adding him to the team was a no-brainer.”

Mathers tweeted the news.

I'm happy to announce that I've joined @GPI and @TheHendonMob as their Poker Information Manager.

Looking forward to working with @EricDanisPoker @Lord_Boothby @antcharter @HansytheKing and everyone associated with GPI/THM https://t.co/nbN5GU0I3a

— Kevin Mathers (@Kevmath) December 16, 2021

In his new role at the GPI/ THM, Mathers will bring on board his long-standing presence in the poker industry, his network of contacts, and his experience to work with the brand’s partners.

888 Holdings to Sell UK Bingo Business For $50 Million

888 Holdings is selling off its complete B2B and B2C Bingo arm to UK-based Saphalata Holdings, a subsidiary of Broadway Gaming. The sale is valued at $50 Million on a debt-free cash-free basis, with the company turning its focus towards growing its core B2C operations and further expansion in the U.S.

888 CEO Itai Pazner was quoted as saying that even though the bingo space has a bright future, the company wants to focus on its key verticals of poker, sport, and casino.

888 earlier operated its bingo business through its subsidiary, Dragonfish, and the sellout includes all of 888’s bingo businesses, including the technology, operations, assets, consumer-facing brands, and B2B clients. According to the company’s balance sheet dated June 30, 2021, all of these together are valued at $71 Million.

The deal is still subject to the reorganization of 888’s bingo business. The new structure will acquire a license from the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC). The transaction is expected to be completed during the second quarter of 2022.

Broadway Gaming is a group that operates several online casinos and bingo platforms. CEO David Butler said that the deal will allow the company to strengthen its footprint across key regulated bingo markets globally.