Leading iGaming hosting and infrastructure provider pushes on with first-to-market strategy, providing operators with access to its suite of solutions ahead of the regulated market opening next year
North Carolina has become the latest state launch for award-winning global managed hosting, connectivity, cloud and security provider, Continent 8 Technologies. This comes ahead of North Carolina opening its doors to legal online sports betting for the first time in early 2024.
Back in June, Governor Roy Cooper signed House Bill 347 into law, permitting up to 12 sportsbook operators to offer online and mobile betting to players in the state in addition to the three land-based tribal sportsbooks permitted under existing law.
The market looks set to be significant, with North Carolina residents expected to wager $6.8bn by year two bringing in around $100m for the state by year five.
Continent 8 has taken an aggressive first-to-market approach across North America and is already live in 27 states and counting. This is to make sure that its customers can go live from day one having had time to ensure their infrastructure is up and running, and is fully compliant.
Operators in North Carolina will be able to access Continent 8’s full suite of solutions. Furthermore, they have access to two dedicated sites within the state, ensuring resilient and reliable services to customers.
Justin Cosnett, Chief Product Officer at Continent 8 Technologies, said: “We have been aggressive with our first-to-market approach in the US because it’s vital that operators can access the infrastructure solutions they need ahead of markets opening so that they are good to go from day one. What’s more, where possible we have invested in multiple sites in each state, such as North Carolina, enabling customers to utilize our backup and disaster recovery services.
Nick Nally, Chief Revenue Officer at Continent 8 Technologies, added: “Our regulatory knowledge and experience are unrivalled, and this is key to deploying our first-to-market approach in the US. This was certainly the case in North Carolina where we have been able to keep pace with legislative progress at all times.
“North Carolina will be a significant online sports betting market and is one that we know our customers have set their sights on. We can now offer our suite of iGaming hosting, connectivity, cloud and security solutions to these operators who can be confident they are fully compliant with the requirements set by the regulator.”
Continent 8’s first-to-market approach, unrivalled regulatory experience and cutting-edge suite of solutions have seen it emerge as the go-to infrastructure provider of choice for around 85% of operators on the EGR US Power Rankings for 2023.
Global infrastructure and security provider cuts the ribbon on Hyderabad office
Continent 8 Technologies, the award-winning managed hosting, connectivity, cloud and security provider to the global online gambling industry, has cut the ribbon on a new office in India.
The office is located in Hyderabad and is home to employees across Service Delivery, Business Development, Marketing and HR.
The official opening ceremony was held on 22 June and saw Continent 8’s Chief Commercial Officer, Brian B. Koh, inaugurate the office and welcome staff.
The opening of Continent 8’s India office comes at a time when the leading infrastructure provider continues to rapidly expand globally.
Its global connected network now covers 95+ locations across four continents, with that number set to surpass 100 by the end of the year. This is being driven by its first-to-market approach in key regions, most recently the Americas.
This year marks Continent 8’s 25th Anniversary for providing reliable innovation to the sector with its suite of solutions covering managed hosting, connectivity, cloud and security.
It is also responsible for revolutionary products and services, such as its Gaming Exchange. This is a private internet that allows its customers to send and receive data to each other securely within a secure digital ecosystem.
Brian B. Koh, Chief Commercial Officer at Continent 8 Technologies, said: “It was an honour to officially open our new India office and to spend time with the incredible team that will be based there.
“We are a truly global company so it’s important that we have a presence in all corners of the world to help deploy our long-term plans and support the wider organisation and its commitment to being the number one infrastructure and security provider to the online gambling industry and businesses in other highly regulated sectors.”
Michael Tobin, CEO and Founder of Continent 8 Technologies, added: “As Continent 8 continues to grow not only geographically but its services and solutions, it is important we have a team in place that can support our ambitious expansion plans. Our employees based in Hyderabad complement a strong 225-person team globally.
“I’m proud that we have employees located across six continents, all working towards the same strategic goal.”
Isle of Man-based global infrastructure provider to sponsor local rider for the rest of the race season including the upcoming TT
Continent 8 Technologies, the award-winning provider of global managed hosting, connectivity, cloud and security solutions, is continuing its 25th-anniversary celebrations with an adrenaline-fueled sponsorship deal with Isle of Man TT legend and local businessman, Conor Cummins.
Continent 8 will sponsor Conor for the rest of the race season, including the upcoming IOM TT – the ultimate must-see event for motorsport fans which gets underway on 29 May. The company’s logo will appear on Conor’s helmet with the rider also dropping by its HQ to meet members of the team.
Conor is the only thing faster than Continent 8’s connectivity, with the rider holding the fastest-ever TT lap time for a Honda with an average speed of more than 133mph. Members of the team and their families will be able to watch Conor in action during a practice session at the popular Creg Ny Baa, at an event organised by the company’s social committee.
The sponsorship forms part of Continent 8’s year-long celebrations marking its 25 years of reliable innovation, as the leading infrastructure provider to businesses on the Isle of Man and globally across its network of 90+ locations covering four continents.
Anna McChesney, Senior Marketing Manager at Continent 8 Technologies, said: “The Isle of Man TT is one of the greatest spectacles in motorsport and Conor is a legendary rider and local ambassador. Continent 8 is committed to supporting the Isle of Man and the businesses and people on it, and this sponsorship deal is a great way of doing just that.
“This year we celebrate our 25th anniversary and for the team on the island, this is one of the most exciting ways we have marked the occasion. Keep your eyes peeled for the Continent 8 logo on Conor’s helmet, although that could be easier said than done at 200mph!”
Conor Cummins, Isle of Man TT rider, added: “Nothing beats the thrill of taking part in the IOM TT and to do that with the backing of local businesses such as Continent 8 makes competing in it that little bit more special. I’d like to thank Continent 8 for its support – I can’t wait to be on the roads for the 2023 TT.”
Provider of managed hosting, connectivity, cloud and security solutions continues first-to-market strategy as state moves closer to regulated online sports betting
Continent 8 Technologies has added Kentucky to its list of more than 25 states where it offers its award-winning managed hosting, connectivity, cloud and security solutions to operators and suppliers after the state voted in favor of passing sports betting legislation.
With the bill now on Governor Andy Beshear’s desk to be signed into law, Continent 8 has deployed its first-to-market approach so that its customers can be ready to go live from day one of the state opening its doors to legal sports betting for the first time.
Nick Nally, Chief Revenue Officer at Continent 8 Technologies, explained: “Our rapid launch into Kentucky is only possible because of the unrivalled knowledge and experience that Continent 8’s planning and delivery function has in implementing its solutions in the regulated US market. We work ahead of operator service requirements to be able to deliver fast to our customers”.
Kentucky has moved quickly to regulate online sports betting and Continent 8 has been able to keep pace with the progress being made at all times. It looks set to be a significant state for the regulated US online sports betting market, with analysts predicting it will generate $23m in tax revenue each year.
Operators and suppliers in Kentucky will be able to access Continent 8’s full suite of solutions from a dedicated data center in the state, including supporting hybrid cloud deployments with hyperscale partners such as AWS, GCP and Azure.
This first-to-market approach, regulatory experience and cutting-edge suite of solutions have seen Continent 8 emerge as the go-to infrastructure provider of choice for around 85% of operators on the EGR US Power Rankings for 2023.
Dany Chapdelaine, Director of Planning and Delivery at Continent 8 Technologies, said: “Our vast regulatory knowledge and experience, coupled with strong relationships with customers, suppliers and vendors has enabled us to deploy our services in Kentucky at a rapid pace. A huge well done to the team involved in this significant project.
“Our approach in North America has seen us become the trusted infrastructure partner of choice for the vast majority of operators and suppliers in the market, and adding Kentucky to our growing network is another major step forward for us and our customers.”
Members of the Continent 8 team will be on the ground at SBC Summit North America this week, booth A140.
Rising star lottery content supplier uses Continent 8’s powerful Public Cloud in Michigan and security solutions in fast-growing US market
Continent 8 Technologies, the award-winning managed hosting, connectivity, cloud and security provider to the global online gambling industry, has added EQL Games to its growing network of customers in North America.
A pioneer in the live sports lottery games category and creator of the first lottery-only aggregator for US markets, EQL Games will use the powerful Continent 8 Public Cloud to launch its content on the Michigan Lottery’s digital platform. The lottery content supplier has also opted for Continent 8’s cutting-edge SIEM & SOC security solution, benefiting from a comprehensive offering that deploys a 24×7 highly trained team to investigate security alerts in a timely manner.
When selecting a technology partner, EQL Games was impressed by Continent 8’s commitment to the US market, where the global IT business is now live in 26 states and counting. In addition, Continent 8’s security solutions, including its market-leading DDoS protection, which is tailored to the iGaming and iLottery industry and comes as standard with Public Cloud, was a key factor.
Continent 8 has taken an ambitious first-to-market approach in North America. The company expanded its solutions in Michigan in September 2022, with the first regulated Public Cloud offering in the state, after being accredited by the Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB).
Brian Koh, Chief Commercial Officer at Continent 8 Technologies, said: “We are delighted to have been selected by EQL Games to provide our cloud and security solutions to support their ambitious growth plans in the United States.
“Our first-to-market approach combined with our product offering and unrivalled industry experience meant that EQL Games felt we were the best fit for its requirements.”
Brad Cummings, Founder & CEO at EQL Games, added: “Continent 8 has built a very strong reputation over the past 25 years for the infrastructure solutions they provide to the larger gaming industry. This experience and track record made it clear Continent 8 is the right partner for us as we grow our business.
“We have big vision for what EQL Games can accomplish as a lottery content supplier, and with the support of partners like Continent 8, I am more confident than ever in our ability to realize that vision.”
Continent 8’s Public Cloud offers a multi-tenanted, scalable and resilient IaaS platform that lets customers host infrastructure, containers, data and network edge services. While its security solutions are designed for a multi-layered approach and includes DDoS and WAAP protection as well as MDR/EDR and SIEM/SOC solutions.
The Continent 8 team will be at SBC Summit North America, 9-11 May 2023, at Booth A140 to discuss the company’s award-winning global solutions.
Managed hosting, connectivity, and security solutions provider has added 30% more capacity to its New Jersey data center with a modular build to meet customer demand
Continent 8, the leading provider of managed hosting, connectivity, and security solutions to the global gambling industry, has expanded its Atlantic City data center footprint, adding 30% more capacity.
The stage three expansion, approved by the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA), has seen a 5,330 sq ft Modular Data Center (MDC) addition to the site.
The official opening of the modular addition took place on Tuesday 18 April ahead of the start of the East Coast Gaming Congress on Wednesday 19 April. It was attended by key stakeholders, politicians, Continent 8 customers and members of the press. This included Atlantic City Mayor, Marty Small, Senator Vince Polistina, Assemblyman Don Guardian, the Executive Director of the New Jersey Casino Reinvestment Development Authority, Sean
Patwell, Lead Engineer of the Technical Services Bureau with the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement, Afshien Lashkari, and Chairman of the NJ Casino Control Commission, Jim Plousis. The event included an official ribbon-cutting with speeches, followed by a tour of the state-of-the-art facility.
Housed within the landmark Atlantic City Convention Center, Continent 8’s cutting-edge tier three data center is the only one in the state that has been purpose-built for the online gambling industry.
Opened in 2019 following a multi-million-dollar investment, all initial capacity sold out within three months. Since then, Continent 8 has continued to expand capacity and today the data center covers 15,000 sq. ft with around 120 equipment racks.
It offers a unique independent hosting site compliant with international security standards with multi-state interconnection across the US and directly into a global, private network of more than 90 locations across four continents, including over 25 US states.
It is also fully compliant with DGE regulations and is the only independent, licensed facility that can house gaming infrastructure outside of a licensed casino.
The full range of Continent 8’s global services is being delivered directly to the Atlantic City data center, enabling local and global cloud hosting and connectivity. This includes private, public and hybrid cloud services through to the full management of a customer’s own infrastructure.
Michael Tobin, Founder and CEO at Continent 8, said: “It was a privilege to welcome so many stakeholders and all those involved in the Phase 3 expansion to our official opening. We are incredibly proud of the hub we have built in Atlantic City, creating an economic catalyst for South Jersey, and establishing a data center that enables companies in iGaming and beyond to connect to a global network.”
The official opening comes just weeks after Continent 8 was named a 2023 Leaders in Digital Technology honoree by NJBIZ.
Infrastructure provider’s first-to-market approach continues
Continent 8 Technologies has been approved as a Sports Wagering Registrant by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission.
The approval from the state regulator means that the global IT provider is an approved vendor to Sports Wagering Licensees in the state of Massachusetts.
The Massachusetts regulated sports betting market officially opened 31 January 2023, with Category 1 license holders offering retail sports betting. Mobile wagering then followed in March.
The early numbers from the state indicate a successful launch for retail sports betting. In February, when the market was limited to the three retail sportsbooks in the state, handle surpassed $25.7m with that number set to rise significantly now that mobile sports betting is available.
Operators and suppliers in the state can access Continent 8’s full suite of solutions, covering managed hosting, connectivity and security. This includes supporting hybrid cloud deployments with hyperscale partners such as AWS and Microsoft Azure.
Prior to securing approval, Continent 8 undertook extensive data center site selection to ensure that it is able to offer the best infrastructure solutions in the state. The data center went live in October 2022.
Continent 8’s solutions in Massachusetts adds to an extensive offering across the US, which sees the company live in 26 US states including New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Ohio, with more set for launch over the coming months. Each site connects to its global network which spans 90+ locations across four continents.
David Brace, Innovation Director at Continent 8, said: “We are thrilled to have been approved as a Sports Wager Registrant by the Massachusetts regulator. The early signs are that this will be a significant market for both operators and suppliers.
“We have taken an ambitious first-to-market approach across the US, providing our customers with the head start they need to really succeed in each state. This, combined with our award-winning and tailored solutions and services, and our 25 years of experience, sets us aside from other providers and is why we have become the go-to infrastructure provider for so many online businesses.”
The approval continues Continent 8’s record of making its solutions and services available to customers ahead of launch in all new US sports betting and iGaming states. This first-to-market approach has seen it become the provider of choice for more than 80% of operators on the EGR US Power Rankings 2022.
Continent 8’s commitment to being first-to-market ensures that its customers can take advantage of the pre-registration window and go live from day one, allowing them to leverage the significant advantage that comes with being among the initial brands to launch to players.
Provider of managed hosting, cloud and security solutions to businesses in New Jersey and beyond recognised by business media powerhouse
Continent 8 Technologies is proud to announce that it has been named a 2023 Leaders in Digital Technology honoree by NJBIZ, the number one business media brand in New Jersey.
The recognition comes as the infrastructure provider to the online gambling industry continues to strengthen its presence in the Garden State.
The NJBIZ award is a testament to Continent 8’s commitment to New Jersey, where the company has invested millions of dollars into providing a state-of-the-art data center for online gambling operators and suppliers active in the market and more broadly across North America.
Opened in 2019 in collaboration with the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA), the data center is housed within the Atlantic City Convention Centre. It is the only independent, licensed facility in the state that can house online gaming infrastructure outside of a licensed casino.
The full range of Continent 8’s global services are delivered directly to the Atlantic City data center, enabling local and global cloud hosting and connectivity. This includes private, public and hyperscale solutions, through to the full management of a customer’s own infrastructure.
Compliant with state and international security standards, it connects directly to Continent 8’s unique global private network of more than 90 locations across the world, including 25 US states and counting.
The facility has helped New Jersey to emerge as a hub for online sports betting and iGaming in the United States, creating a billion-dollar local industry.
Michael Tobin, CEO and Founder at Continent 8, said: “It is an honor to receive this award from NJBIZ and to be recognised for our commitment to the state of New Jersey and the part we have played in developing a hugely successful industry around regulated online gambling.
“Infrastructure is the foundation for any online business, and our Atlantic City site allows our customers to access cutting-edge technologies to ensure the smooth and seamless running of their business. Of course, the site, and the stages of expansion we have rolled out, would not be possible without the support of the state and in particular the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority.
“We have achieved incredible things already with a lot more to come as we get ready to open the doors to our third expansion, with a modular addition to the site. This award is a really great way to mark this – I would like to extend a huge thank you to all involved.”
The NJBIZ award has been announced just weeks before Continent 8 cuts the ribbon on stage three of its New Jersey data centre. This is a 5,530 sq. ft modular addition, adding 30% more capacity off the back of customer demand.
The virtual awards ceremony took place on March 30. The full list of this year’s NJBIZ Leaders in Digital Technology honorees can be found here: https://njbiz.com/meet-the-2023-njbiz-leaders-in-digital-technology-honorees/
Lalaine P. Vidal joins award-winning infrastructure provider as Business Development Manager and Christopher Caturay as Technical Solutions Architect
Continent 8, the award-winning global managed hosting, connectivity and security provider, continues to build out its presence in Asia with two key hires.
Vidal has more than a decade of experience in sales and marketing across a range of sectors including banking, BPO, real estate, telco and IT cyber security. Caturay is a cyber security professional with experience in the end-to-end process of deploying solutions and applying best practices for various businesses and in a range of sectors.
The hires form part of a wider push in Asia, where Continent 8 already offers infrastructure, connectivity and security solutions to a range of customers in iGaming and beyond.
The company’s cyber security offering has seen exceptional growth in recent years, keeping up with the evolving cyber security landscape, and with cyber-attacks at an all-time high in Asia, Continent 8 can defend a customers’ infrastructure against the growing number of threats.
Lalaine P. Vidal, Business Development Manager at Continent 8 Technologies, said: “The opportunity to join Continent 8 was one I simply couldn’t turn down. It is the leading infrastructure provider in the industry, and I am looking forward to using my experience in sales and marketing to drive the business forward and further establish its presence and customer base across Asia.”
Christopher Caturay, Technical Solutions Architect at Continent 8 Technologies, said: “Asia presents unique challenges when it comes to infrastructure and cyber security. I’m excited to be working for a business that has a comprehensive and unique solution for businesses targeting the Asian market.”
Peter Williams, Managing Director – Asia Pacific at Continent 8 Technologies, added: “Lalaine and Christopher are great talents and are a brilliant addition to the Continent 8 team in Asia. This is an important market for us and one where we have ambitious growth plans that we are actively deploying.
“Lalaine will play a vital role in introducing more businesses to Continent 8 and the award-winning solutions that we provide, while Christopher will ensure that customers are deploying the right products and services for their organisation. This localised approach, along with having feet on the ground, is what makes Continent 8 the go-to infrastructure and security provider for companies targeting Asia and other markets around the world.”
Via network points of presence in Hong Kong, Japan (Tokyo), Philippines (Manila), Singapore and Taiwan (Taipei), Continent 8 connects Asia to the rest of the world over a high-capacity, fully redundant private network comprising 90+ locations.
Meet the Continent 8 team at ASEAN Gaming Summit, 21-23 March 2023 at the Manila Marriott Hotel.
Global managed hosting, connectivity, cloud and security provider adds secondary sites in Iowa, Illinois, Kansas and Louisiana as well as the US territory of Puerto Rico
Continent 8 Technologies is continuing its aggressive growth strategy to best serve its customers in North America, by launching additional site service capabilities in the states of Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, and Louisiana and the US territory of Puerto Rico.
The company launched its initial services in Iowa in 2019, Illinois in 2020, and Kansas and Louisiana in 2021, providing its managed service offerings to these markets along with in-state connectivity and infrastructure. It opened its first site in Puerto Rico in 2022.
Each of these five markets now has an additional Continent 8 site, offering secondary and disaster recovery solutions. This adds to Continent 8’s existing multi-site in-state infrastructure capability in the states of Arizona, Colorado, Indiana, Michigan, New Jersey (Atlantic City), and Pennsylvania.
All the company’s sites connect to its unique global private network that spans more than 90 locations globally across four continents, including 25 US states.
Justin Cosnett, Chief Product Officer at Continent 8, said: “Data center resilience is an important consideration for infrastructure planning. We also know that regulators across various states want to see licensed operators deliver resilient and reliable services to customers and partners.
“We have built our offering so that operators and suppliers to the industry can use our diverse MPLS-connected backbone to create disaster recovery, backup or even active-active capabilities to guarantee availability.
“Multi-site in-state infrastructure also allows Continent 8 to offer its own inclusive off-site backup service via our regulated Public iGaming Cloud solution. Ultimately, we’re providing the very best infrastructure solutions so that customers can concentrate on what they do best – focus on the success of their business.”
Continent 8 works closely with regulators across the fast-growing North American market to ensure its full suite of solutions is fully compliant ahead of when a state opens, allowing its customers to leverage the first-mover advantage in each state. Its award-winning solutions power the biggest names in US sports betting and iGaming.
Learn more about Continent 8’s global managed hosting, connectivity, cloud and cybersecurity solutions at continent8.com