RTG Information Forum

[soflat]

Perhaps if folks expressed as much disdain with the "Oliver Currans" of the online gaming world instead of sending out numerous barbs against myself and others who have been screwed royally for months by RTG powered sites, we'd be enjoying a better industry.

Incidentally, my remark relative to RTG "apologists" was not intended for the forum moderator, rather for those individuals who keep contending that the RTG execs are merely wet-behind-the-ears "software developers" who have no control over their licensees.

Who are you refering to in your posts?

In this thread it seems like everyone agreed with you that RTG has numerous rogue operators.

Who are the apologists? And where are these barbs against you? Who said RTG execs are wet behind the ears? Are we reading the same thread??

 

[dc9999]

The reoccurring theme (see vinylweatherman's post for example) among SOME posters, is that because there are SOME reputable RTG operators, I shouldn't be lumping all of the rogue RTG sites with them. Nor criticizing the below board sites for being "non responsive" because SOME RTG casino reps are accessible.

I of course, vehemently disagree...RTG has gotten a free pass for far too long. If they can't police their own, then they should be held accountable for the problems emanating from their rogue licensees. It doesn't matter if inetbet, King Solomons etc are "good guys".......If you are an accessory to crimes, performing SOME good deeds doesn't make you less criminal.

To be fair, I probably overreacted a bit with some of my posts. And for that I apologize because the vast majority of posters have been, as you pointed out, very sympathetic.

So thanks for your support,,,,and I hope in the end, that the many players who have been fleeced by RTG licensees receive justice, and that RTG themselves can clean up their act.

 

[dc9999]

It's also interesting to note that RTG is the only "major" online gambling software provider that is NOT a full ICE participant (which incidentally, they WERE until they pulled out on January 5) - electing only to take up shop at the markedly smaller ICEi gathering. (Hence those slew of confusing postings that cropped up within this thread yesterday!)

Microgaming, Cassava, and Playtech for instance, are ALL at the larger ICE forum as well as the ICEi version.

Also, it will be interesting to see who the RTG reps will be. RTG CEO Mike McMain proudly touted his appearances back in October at the London eGaming Awards and the Barcelona i-Gaming Congress. I sincerely doubt he'll be at ICE - er I mean ICEi

Mr. McMain's "european Fall tour" was previously highlighted on the previously expansive RTG website, which as winbig so aptly pointed out, is now pretty much a joke.

 

[Casinomeister]

It's also interesting to note that RTG is the only "major" online gambling software provider that is NOT a full ICE participant (which incidentally, they WERE until they pulled out on January 5) - electing only to take up shop at the markedly smaller ICEi gathering. (Hence those slew of confusing postings that cropped up within this thread yesterday!)

Microgaming, Cassava, and Playtech for instance, are ALL at the larger ICE forum as well as the ICEi version.

Also, it will be interesting to see who the RTG reps will be. RTG CEO Mike McMain proudly touted his appearances back in October at the London eGaming Awards and the Barcelona i-Gaming Congress. I sincerely doubt he'll be at ICE - er I mean ICEi

Mr. McMain's "european Fall tour" was previously highlighted on the previously expansive RTG website, which as winbig so aptly pointed out, is now pretty much a joke.

Hi dc9999,

Please understand that the ICEi section is for Internet based companies:

You do not have permission to view link Log in or register now.

MGS, Playtech, RTG and all the rest have always been listed here. I believe you're making an issue out of nothing.

I've been to the ICE six years in a row, and the Internet based companies have always been in a separate section. This is just the first year that they (ATEI) have giving the Internet companies a separate identifier (i).

 

[spearmaster]

There is no difference between ICE and ICEi other than the fact that the little i indicates the online gambling companies. The ICEi identifier has actually been used for a couple years now but I don't think that they actually had different URLs in past years.

 

[dc9999]

I do appreciate the clarification.
Perhaps what was most confusing was the fact RTG was initially listed as both an ICE exhibitor and ICEi one, and now only as an ICEi participant.

And the "dumbing down" of their corporate website is a separate development....

Thanks again.

 

[siriuscirrus]

I do appreciate the clarification.
Perhaps what was most confusing was the fact RTG was initially listed as both an ICE exhibitor and ICEi one, and now only as an ICEi participant.

And the "dumbing down" of their corporate website is a separate development....

Thanks again.

Very weird as you said with the "dumbing down" of the website but I don't want to make any assumptions or read to deep into it...yet.

 

[kyleb]

And the "dumbing down" of their corporate website is a separate development....

Thanks again.

That could be due to the switch to Hastings B.V. as the provider, so I wouldn't read too much into it either. However, I am not condoning RTG for being laxadasial with their updates and/or ability to actually control who they sell their licenses to. It makes them look terrible, and it seems like they just don't care at all.

 

[soflat]

I don't see RTG on ICEi or ICE.

 

[Casinomeister]

I don't see RTG on ICEi or ICE.

Bummer. Now it looks like I'll have to hang out at Playtech's booth and drink their beer.

 

[dc9999]

I was going to buy you a beer - or two - until RTG ruined the party for me!

Yes, I guess it's official as a call to the ICE marketing folks confirmed RTG dropped out.

Well, my plans have changed...I'll be in Atlanta in early February where at least it will be warmer (temperature wise for me,,,,,accountability wise for RTG ) than London.

But probably not as much fun....

 

[Pinababy69]

I was going to buy you a beer - or two - until RTG ruined the party for me!

Yes, I guess it's official as a call to the ICE marketing folks confirmed RTG dropped out.

Well, my plans have changed...I'll be in Atlanta in early February where at least it will be warmer (temperature wise for me,,,,,accountability wise for RTG ) than London.

But probably not as much fun....

It looks like you were indeed right DC, as was your source. My apologies for doubting, but if we believed everything we read on a forum.....well, you get the drift. :notworthy

 

[vinylweatherman]

RTG

I had a look at the "new" RTG website - it isn't a website at all, it is an E-mail link and a postal address. This is looking like RTG are in the process of totally distancing themselves from their product, which will be distributed and supported by Hastings BV under licence from RTG. As RTG have now dropped out of ICEi, this makes it complete. It might be worth checking to see if a HASTINGS stand appears at the last minute as a substitute. It would be odd for one provider to be absent, and a lack of representation will send a poor message to the movers and shakers on the other side of the fence to the players, the city folk with millions of dollars looking for casino software. ICEi is primarily for these folk, not the players.
The few reputable RTG operators should come along and see if a change of software provider is possible within their given markets (the US being an issue).
Even with RTG gone, there is still the Neteller rep to confront, so not a total dead loss.

 

[Casinomeister]

I wouldn't say that RTG has dropped out of the show. They may not be showcasing their wares via a stand, but they'll still be there - I'm sure of it.

 

[Pinababy69]

I wouldn't say that RTG has dropped out of the show. They may not be showcasing their wares via a stand, but they'll still be there - I'm sure of it.

Will they be wearing funny glasses and fake noses?

Sorry Bryan, couldn't resist. It IS a little inconceivable (sp?) that one of the biggest software providers around wouldn't have someone at one of the biggest events of the year. Maybe just lying a little lower than usual.

 

[jetset]

RTG-ICE update

ATE CONFIRMS WITHDRAWAL OF MAJOR ONLINE GAMBLING EXHIBITOR


RealTime Gaming pulls out of International Casino Exhibition weeks before opening

Our InfoPowa report earlier today that turnkey provider RealTime Gaming has withdrawn from the International Casino Exhibition in London later this month has been officially confirmed by the organisers, Clarion ATE.

A spokesman for the exhibition said:

"Clarion ATE can confirm that RTG will not be exhibiting at ICEi 2007 but any contractual arrangements between RTG and Clarion ATE will not be disclosed to third parties.

"We are obviously disappointed in losing any exhibitors, but understand that any US-facing remote gaming companies have had to make some very difficult decisions over the past few months.

"When it comes to replacement candidates, there has been no problem 'filling space' and I can confirm that we currently have 63 world-class suppliers from 20 different territories taking space within ICEi 2007, occupying net floor space of 1,525 square metres. More than half of these (35) will be making their debut appearance at ICEi. To put this into context, year-on-year the number of exhibitors has increased by 43% (44 in 2006), represented territories by 67% (12 in '06), net floor space by 73% (881.5sqm in '06), and the number of debutants by 150% (14 in '06)."

The Atlanta, Georgia-based RealTime Gaming remained silent despite requests for a comment on its withdrawal from an exhibition where it has hitherto had a regular and high profile presence.

 

[vinylweatherman]

Oh Dear!

So it's not just players that RTG are ignoring. I am sure the deafening silence will make the industry side realise that their attitude is less than satisfactory, and it increasingly looks like they have something to hide.

Clarion ATE have "disclosed" more by adding "but any contractual arrangements between RTG and Clarion ATE will not be disclosed to third parties" to their statement than they would have done by simply stating they had pulled out. They have officially indicated the existence of "something to keep quiet about", as any "contractual arrangements" should really be no more than renting a stand - and what IS there not to disclose about that!

Pity the poor RTG operators, or potential operators, who will find that, without any explanation, their own supplier has pulled out and left them high and dry. Perhaps RTG are afraid of being kidnapped by the FBI and sent to Guantanamo - did they screw the "wrong" player?

I rather suspect that, behind the scenes, there are some comlex corporate manouevers happening in order to shield the RTG execs from any risk of arrest as a result of their licencees operating in the US. Most likely, RTG will be sublicencing the software offshore to Hastings, and it will be Hastings, not RTG, that effectively provide remote gaming software. RTG will simply be a software company that owns a majority (or even a significant minority) of shares in Hastings, but will have nothing to do with decision making within Hastings. The Hastings board will not set foot on US soil, and RTG execs will be safe as all they will receive is an income stream from an offshore company holding, upon which they will pay US company taxes in the same way that other US companies pay taxes on subsidiary companies that conduct operations offshore that would be illegal were they to be conducted on US soil.
I believe RTG to be a private company, so there is not even the full public scrutiny of the accounts there would be for a stockmarket listed company. It will take a while to settle down, so by next year I would expect some kind of presence at the show in a new corporate form.

If I had shares in RTG yesterday, I would have none by now - make of that what you will

 

[jetset]

In fairness, I think you may be reading a little too much into that "contractual" comment, which was in response to a specific question from us relating to the consequences of RTG (a substantial exhibitor) pulling out of ICEi at such short notice.

And it ignores the following para, which was in response to another question we asked regarding the reasons given by RTG for their pull-out:

"We are obviously disappointed in losing any exhibitors, but understand that any US-facing remote gaming companies have had to make some very difficult decisions over the past few months."

We still have had absolutely no response from RTG to very specific questions we put to them. IMO it is neither professional nor wise in a corporate sense to ignore an opportunity to present your perspective on an issue, which we try give all sides in public disputes.

Your speculation on the RTG corporate strategy would seem a logical course for a company like RTG to follow, given its physical presence in the heart of the USA and consequent vulnerability to the enthusiastic enforcers at the DoJ. That could also be the reasoning behind the pull-out. None of us know at present.

Concerning the disruption of the disputes channel, I find it incredible that more planning did not go into this switch to Hastings BV. That's not unusual at RTG, who often don't give the appearance of thinking ahead!

If Hastings BV is a spoof, as has been claimed, then the credibility of the CEO, Mike McMain will be at risk as he has personally given assurances that Hastings BV is intended among other things as a genuine and more effective replacement for Montana Overseas in Panama.

I've commented before now that it doesn't take a rocket scientist to start up the disputes replacement structure (wherever it is for corporate tactical reasons) before you dismantle the current channel, however inefficient.

Time will tell whether Hastings BV is a genuine and more effective disputes channel, but the present balls-up does nothing to inspire confidence in RTG's forward planning.

 

[prizewagon]

Changes are afoot.

Trust me.