Playtech ceases its cooperation with Marvel Comics

All the slots and games based on Marvel Comics will soon disappear from Playtech casinos because Disney refuses to renew licensing agreements with Internet companies engaged in gambling. Over the years, Marvel has entered into licensing deals, both with leading land-based casinos and with developers of online casino software, such as Playtech, Cryptologic (Amaya Gaming Group). Thanks to this cooperation, such popular online slot machines as Thor, Fantastic Four, Hulk, Iron Man, Spider-Man, X-Men and Captain America have been released.

Marvel Comics is best known for such franchises as Iron Man, Fantastic Four, Amazing Spider-Man and others. Some of the most popular slot machines and casinos in the online gambling business were created by Playtech based on these comic books.

However, the era of the Marvel slot machines may soon come to an end. To the great regret of many gamblers online, Disney soon intends to break off its partnership with Marvel and to purge Marvel content from online institutions.

What are the reasons?

The problems connected with the future of slot games based on Marvel Comics actually started back in 2009, when Disney acquired Marvel Comics for $ 4.2 billion. Then the company said that it would like to isolate itself from the previous “gambling” experience of Marvel.

As a family-oriented company, Disney undoubtedly sought to dissolve all previously concluded deals. However, under the contract signed by two companies, Disney was forced to take on all the contractual obligations of Marvel. Among them is the permission of online casinos to create games based on Marvel comics.

However, last weekend, Disney said that it would not renew the contract after the expiration of its validity, i.e., after March 31st, 2017. This means that Playtech developer and such online casinos as William Hill will lose the right to create games based on Marvel comics and to offer the existing slots to their customers.

It is supposed that Disney’s decision was primarily affected by the multiple statements of the media about the loss of the company’s “family” status and cooperation with foreign operators of online gambling. The main point of controversy was the Florida region where the politician is authorising casino gambling and where DisneyWorld is located in Orlando. The focus on protecting and strengthening family values is poorly suited to the development of casinos. That’s why the company’s spokesman made a statement that they had “discontinued plans to initiate or renew slot machine licensing arrangements”. Those contracts that are, will exist just a few more years, and the signing of new ones is not the part of the company’s plans.

The Competitors

As you know, the empty place does not remain empty for long, and the main competitor of Marvel – DC Comics has every chance to move forward. Slots with DC Comics characters are Batman, Superman, Green Lantern, etc. Last year, the company inked a licensing deal with Warner Brothers Consumer Products, which controls the rights to DC Comics characters. Playtech expanded that DC deal in February to add more characters across more online and retail gambling products.